From the General Secretary & CFO

From the General Secretary, Cheonneth Strickland

Here are some highlights and challenges that have occurred in the late part of 2021 and into 2022.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS

• Strategic discussions are being held with the Executive Committee and Church pastors to see how we can Grow in Discipleship and impact our local communities for God. Think Tank (18 -19 Feb) will help drive this as well.

• Over the year end, we have had 8 pastors leave our conference or retire. This has meant we were able to bring in 3 new interns and reassign some pastors out of school chaplaincy into local churches.

• Crosslands has been affected by the Covid lockdown but is starting to see more clients engage with the outdoors.

• Plans are also underway to offer formal Outdoor education programs highlighting God’s book of nature to schools and youth groups.

FROM SCHOOLS LTD

• Due to mandatory vaccination of all school staff,

recruiting teachers has been and will continue to be a challenge. If you know of anyone from Sydney studying teaching at a university or wanting to pursue this as a career, Training scholarships of $3000 are being offered by the Greater Sydney Education Department. These are limited. Conditions apply. Please contact the education department if interested.

• Sydney SDA Schools Auburn and Hills SDA College are undertaking a building program of adding more classrooms for their students in 2022. This is due to increase enrolments and part of a 10-year capital plan as an education system.

• Did you know that approximately 30% of students at our schools are Adventist? Schools are a great mission field. Please continue to pray for our schools, teachers, nonteaching staff, students, and their families.

FROM AGED CARE LTD

• We continue to praise God that he has kept our Aged Care residents and staff safe from Covid. This is truly a miracle in these trying times. A special thank you to all staff for going beyond the call of duty to ensure safe environments.

• Occupancy in the Wahroonga and Kings Langley facilities continues to be a challenge. This is indicative of the sector.

• Due to Covid, finding adequate staff continues to be a challenge. At Wahroonga facility, 97% of shifts are filled. At Kings Langley, it is 95% for shifts. This has put extra strain on the staff that are employed.

• Home Care that is offered on Lord Howe Island by our Aged Care company is continuing to grow. There is much need for this service on the island as the population ages.

From the CFO, Colin Raymond

We reflect on a busy year just pass.

Finance Committees have been established and are operating for both SDA Church Greater Sydney Conference Ltd and Unincorporated Church Companies.

Over the past year, several churches (e.g., Campbelltown Spanish, Enmore Fijian, Epping, Freshwater, Hoxton Park, Stanmore, Waitara, Warrimoo) have received grants to assist with repairs and maintenance in accordance with the GSC building grant policy.

One of the Conference houses is being sold, and another purchased to provide for

residential accommodation for pastors/bible workers in a strategic area for a church plant.

The sale of the Conference Office at 2-4 Cambridge Street Epping has been completed and settlement took place in January. The demolition of the existing building and redevelopment will begin shortly, thus the need to temporary relocate our Epping ABC shop. The Conference has an option to buy back commercial space at Cambridge Street to house the Conference Office, Adventist Book Centre, and related services, as well as extra parking spaces. The surplus from the redevelopment is being invested and the earnings will be utilized for the front-line work of the church.

Major construction work will soon begin at two of our schools this year – Hills Adventist College and Sydney Adventist School Auburn to increase general learning areas and improve aging facilities.

Thank the Lord, He has granted us another year to spread His word, speak of Him to those who do not know Him and be personally prepared to meet Him upon His return. Go into 2022 with confidence (Joshua 1:9).