GROWING in discipleship Financial Statements 2014 & Ministry Highlights 2015 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH GREATER SYDNEY CONFERENCE
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SEPTEMBER OCTOBER
2015
Growing in Discipleship We see a church that is actively serving in our community and is reaching a growing number of people within Greater Sydney with the eternal gospel. Our goal in evangelism is to develop mature disciples who are making disciples and healthy churches that are planting new churches.
We see a church that is passionate about knowing and experiencing God, both personally and through a lifestyle of church community worship. Our goal is to be a community that grows in its capacity to love God and allows Him to increasingly work in and through us to love people.
We see a church that is actively serving in our community and is reaching a growing number of people within Greater Sydney with the eternal gospel. Our goal in evangelism is to develop mature disciples who are making disciples and healthy churches that are planting new churches.
We see a church where people experience authentic Christian relationships and real biblical community by being involved in the life and mission of the church.
OFFERING SCHEDULE
SUNSET TIMES Friday 16 October Sabbath 17 October Friday 23 October Sabbath 24 October Friday 30 October Sabbath 31 October Friday 6 November
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7:09 pm 7:09 pm 7:16 pm 7:16 pm 7:21 pm 7:21 pm 7:27 pm
Sabbath 7 November Friday 13 November Sabbath 14 November Friday 20 November Sabbath 21 November Friday 27 November Sabbath 28 November
7:28 pm 7:34 pm 7:35 pm 7:40 pm 7:41 pm 7:47 pm 7:48 pm
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Sabbath 17 October Sabbath 24 October Sabbath 31 October Sabbath 7 November Sabbath 14 November Sabbath 21 November Sabbath 28 November
Local Education Local Local World (Global) Mission Local Fund for the Needy
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The Australian Union Conference (AUC) held its quinquennial constituency meeting in Melbourne from 13-16 September. At these meetings a new officer team was elected for the next five years, including a new President, Pastor Jorge Muñoz and a new Chief Financial Officer, Mr Francois Keet. Pastor Ken Vogel is continuing on as the Secretary. Please pray for these men as they embark on their new term of appointment. I would like to wish God’s blessing to Pastor Chester Stanley as he enters retirement as well as to Mr Kingsley Wood as he takes up new responsibilities. It was inspirational to hear repor ts - at the Constituency Meeting - of how the Lord is blessing His church right around our country. We have so many committed church members who are living out their faith in different ways for the same purpose. Their goal is making disciples for Jesus. Our church in Australia is continuing to take up the challenge of growing disciples, building vibrant church community and effectively evangelising our cities and towns right across the country. One area on which our church across Australia has been focusing for a number of years now is Natural Church Development (NCD). NCD is a diagnostic tool that helps local churches to sit back and reflect on the strengths and the growth areas that they might have. The genius of NCD is not so much in the survey, but rather in the conversations that occur in our churches as a result of taking par t in the survey. I have used NCD extensively in my local church ministry in both South Queensland and Western Australia, and I would highly recommend it to you as a useful tool in striving to be the most vibrant and healthy church we can be. If your church would like to get involved, feel free to contact Pastor Sven Östring or myself at the Conference Office. Our Conference video repor t to the AUC Constituency Meeting was professionally prepared by our Communications Coordinator Rachel Aitken together with Troy Livah and Junior Gairo from the Wantok Church. You can view this video on our Greater Sydney Conference Facebook page www.facebook.com/sydneyadventists. It gives a great overview of our Conference over the last five years and casts a vision for the future. I would also like to recommend to you the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) Reading Program, ‘Believe His Prophets’ and Prayer Initiative, ‘United in Prayer’. The hashtags #bhp20 and #uip20 can be used in social media. This was launched at the conclusion of the General Conference and will run for the next five years. By signing up to this, you will receive an email in your inbox each day with the Bible reading for the day and each Sunday for the SOP reading and the Prayer points for the week. To sign up go to http:// www.revivalandreformation.org/bhp. May the Lord bless you as you seek to Grow in Discipleship in preparation for the Lord’s soon coming.
Highlights from Church Ltd Board •
The new church signage and branding project continues to be rolled out across the Conference with a growing number of churches obtaining DA approval for new signs.
Highlights from the Executive Committee • • •
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The Filoship Company, which currently meets at Seven Hills, was organised during a special service held on 8 August The Executive Committee has spent considerable time receiving and discussing repor ts and information relating to the possible redevelopment of the Conference office site A revised 10-year capital development plan for the Schools company has been given in principle suppor t subject to an annual review based on financial results, student enrolments and revised budget projections Three schools currently have significant building projects underway, namely Hills Adventist College, Macar thur Adventist College and Wahroonga Adventist School.
2014
2015
9133
9296
1st quarter baptisms & professions of faith
41
47
1st quarter transfers in
83
75
1st quarter losses (including transfers out, deceased & removed)
79
111
2nd quarter baptisms & professions of faith
34
38
2nd quarter transfers in
77
56
2nd quarter losses (including transfers out, deceased & removed)
97
92
9186*
9307*
Membership as at 1 January
Membership as at 30 June
*Adjustments have been made, for example where a name has been entered twice or the same person has been entered under two different names
adrian raethel general secretary
michael worker president Like www.facebook.com/sydneyadventists
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Reach
Youth, Pathfinders & Adventurers
‘REACH’ is a word chosen to represent the direction of Sydney Adventist Youth for 2015. The aim was to inspire, suppor t and equip the young individuals of our Conference so that they grow in their relationship with Christ, their church and their community. From Adventurers walking through the city in suppor t of a drug-free lifestyle to Pathfinders making an impact at the South Pacific Division I-Thirst Camporee and Young Adults creating waves of change through service in their communities, Sydney Adventist Youth were challenged to REACH and boy, oh boy, did they. It is such a blessing to see God move through our young people. Shred It, a Young Adult snow camp, is an annual trip run in par tnership by the Greater Sydney Conference and South New South Wales Youth Ministries. The aim is to create an environment where youth can have an encounter with Jesus. On this trip young adults spend time away from their daily busyness, enjoy the great outdoors through snow spor ts, meet new people and reconnect with God. Although an annual trip, the worships vary each year, and this year the theme for the worships was ‘Encounters with Jesus – through the eyes of John’. This allowed the youth to dig into the word of God and really understand what it is to have an encounter with Him. By the fireplace, God’s name was lifted higher and lives were changed and that is the purpose of what we do. Thank you for being a par t of this great movement. We continue to pray for our youth and cannot wait to see what God has install for them in the future. Contributed by Hope Chomczynski, Raul Moran, Cheonneth Strickland, John Wells,
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The poor celebrate your generosity! The 2014/15 ADRA Knocktober Appeal funds soared over $40,000 to $228,729; well above the previous year’s $188,150. This is incredibly good news for the hundreds of vulnerable poor that will be blessed by your generosity right here in Sydney as well as many more overseas. Malcolm Rea, ADRA Director for GSC said, “With 72% of our par ticipating churches increasing their appeal income, we raised more than any other Conference for the first time for many years. Thank you so much and well done!” Although the reasons for this dramatic increase are not completely clear, last year the $40 per capita target was given more publicity. The 2014 increase meant that, on average, we raised Like www.facebook.com/sydneyadventists
$33.80 each. This is exciting news because it means that our $40 target is well within reach.
ADRA
And there is more good news! Sydney churches again took out both ADRA Australia awards for highest church and highest per capita funds raised. With income of $26,239 in 2014, Waitara Church, for the second consecutive year, raised more than any other church in Australia, and Tahmoor, with $1,132 per capita, has again won the highest income per member award. Congratulations Waitara and Tahmoor! Thank you Sydney for taking ADRA’s $40 challenge seriously! Because of your generous commitment of time and money, many more “hungry,” “thirsty,” “strangers,” “naked,” “sick” and “imprisoned” will feel the touch of our Master’s hand. Contributed by Malcolm Rae
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Reach
Children
HOME: ”The home has the greatest impact on young lives, with few exceptions. If we fail to impact the home we will never make a lasting impact on children.” George Barna - Raising Spiritual Champions. The research strongly suggests that if we want our children to grow and remain as lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, that our homes (which come in all shapes and sizes) really need to become the primary place of spiritual nur ture and development. However, this does not occur in isolation, but rather more collaboration. As the old Swahili saying goes: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Throughout the year I’ve had the oppor tunity to share with numerous parents in a variety on contexts, the impor tant role that they play in helping to raise their children as ever-growing disciples. This has occurred through various conversations, phone calls, emails, sermons and workshops - the most recent one being an oppor tunity to share with mothers at the recent ‘BREATHE’ Women’s Conference. I'm passionate about creating intentional oppor tunities for collaboration between our homes, churches, schools & conference ministries that will continue to unite us in purpose & mission. CHURCH: One of the highlights for me this year has been the number of new churches that have used various
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initiatives, like the numerous VBS Kits & Programs that we have available at the conference, to not only provide for the needs of their own children, but intentionally used these oppor tunities to reach out into their local communities. I’m incredibly proud of the Holroyd Group who, as a relatively new church, conducted their very first Kids Club from 29 June - 3 July in Merrylands on the theme ‘Serengeti Trek.’ There have also been numerous Kids Church services and programs that have been run in many congregations. I have also had the privilege of running a few ‘Home Grown’ events and / or workshops in local churches where we have been able to demonstrate the potential that exists when homes and churches are working together to impact our kids for eternity. I look forward to continuing to work with local churches in the various regions across our conference in this way.
to grow and challenge students. The Combined Schools Days of Worship that our Adventist School System conducts here in the Greater Sydney Conference is yet another example of collaborating together on an even larger scale. I’ve been invited to speak at all of our schools for either a Chapel program or a workshop / special event and have also conducted several Weeks of Spiritual Emphasis (WOSE). The most recent one was held from 24-28 August at Hurstville Adventist School with students from Prep through to Year 6. Contributed by Craig Vanas
SCHOOL: As a father, pastor & school chaplain, I am equally committed to exploring more ways in which our homes, churches and schools can collaborate together in order to make a lasting impact on the lives of our children. I am committed to working more effectively and efficiently within these par tnerships. I feel that our schools provide amazing oppor tunities to not only grow disciples in our own kids, but the numerous students who attend our schools that come from non-Christian homes or from other faiths. Our weekly Chapel programs provide unique oppor tunities to share Christ in real and relevant ways with our students. Weeks of Worship or Weeks of Spiritual Emphasis, also provide incredibly powerful moments
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Safe P laces The Safe Places Depar tment here at the Greater Sydney Conference (GSC) has a vital role to play in helping to create and equip our churches and homes as safe environments in which to flourish. This requires a strong and well-equipped team. We would like to take this oppor tunity to thank the many Safe Place Coordinators spread throughout our conference for the tremendous work that they do. We now have coordinators in the vast majority of our churches in GSC. Each of these coordinators have received regular training both online and throughout various workshops and events. Some of these events have also provided oppor tunities to appreciate and affirm them for their faithful and diligent work by our Conference Directors and Administrators. Numerous churches
have also made this ministry area a priority and conducted workshops and training for their respective leaders and members. Some have also invited Suzanne Bocking (former Safe Places Coordinator for GSC) to preach in their local congregations and help to raise awareness from a strong biblical perspective. Safe Places par tnered with Children’s Ministries in creating a package to raise awareness and empower our children against abuse or mistreatment. A simple picture book called Stop! I don’t like that! was published by the Adventist Church (SDA Victorian Conference) to help create dialogue with young children about resisting bullying, violence and abuse. It gives children simple language to use in order to let someone know when they feel uncomfor table and to talk to an adult when they don’t feel safe. Safe Places ensured that each local church Safe Place coordinator and children’s ministry leader received this resource along with helpful information about talking with children about protective behaviours. The book has been read during the children’s story in many churches to involve the whole
church in knowing how to have these conversations with their children. If you would like a copy, contact your local ABC store. This work has been made possible through the leadership of Suzanne Bocking who has been the appointed Safe Places Coordinator for the Greater Sydney Conference over the past 4 years, and has worked at the GSC for 6 years in total. Suzanne has recently accepted the position of Training and Development Manager for Safe Place Services at the Australian Union Conference (Sydney Office). Throughout her time at the GSC, Suzanne pioneered many new policies and initiatives, worked with many vulnerable people, equipped and empowered our Safe Places volunteers and advocated for children’s safety in our churches. We sincerely thank her for her contribution to this impor tant ministry and wish her God’s blessings in her new role. For fur ther queries about Safe Place matters you can contact our new Safe Places Coordinator at abigailfigueroa@adventist.org.au. Contributed by Craig Vanas & Claire Marsh
Adventist Counselling Services Over the past 12 months, Adventist Counselling Services (ACS) has provided hundreds of counselling sessions to assist with a range of different issues for vulnerable people who need suppor t. Those we have assisted range in age from primary-school children to teenagers and adults, and issues have related to mental health, relationships, gambling, addictions, abuse, domestic violence and more. People have also come to ACS to get help with life planning, goal-setting, pre-marriage preparation and career planning. ACS has also been able to provide psychometric assessment to our SDA schools to assist in identifying learning disabilities. ACS has been involved in presenting workshops and seminars for local churches on dealing with difficult people, managing mental health and relationship Like www.facebook.com/sydneyadventists
enrichment; and presented a workshop at the 2015 Greater Sydney Adventist Women’s ‘BREATHE’ Conference on having an emotionally healthy home. The Adventist Counsellor’s Network has been coordinated by ACS and ADRA and has run for almost 12 months. This network provides professional development and suppor t for Adventists working in counselling or other related fields. ACS is a low-cost counselling service which aims to provide suppor t for anyone who needs it. Medicare bulkbilling is also available with a referral from your GP. If you would like to book an appointment or find out more about this service, please contact GSCACS@adventist.org.au, or call (02) 8876 5238.
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Contributed by Claire Marsh / September - October 2015 7
Reach
Adventist Women Over the last 5 years we have concentrated on delivering 3 main events: BELIEVE – Woman and the Word - a Biblebased day conference IMAGINE – a young women’s conference focusing on women 13 – 18 years of age BREATHE – our annual spiritual conference for all ages
There has been an increase in the number of local churches establishing Women’s Ministries where previously there were none. Not only are more churches engaging but more women are also responding and suppor ting both local churches and Conference initiatives. The most significant is the increase in the number of young women engaging in the ministry. We believe that strong leadership is key and thus continue investing our energies and resources into training leaders by hosting three leadership mornings over a ministry year. Leadership mornings have proved vital in the development of local church leaders providing leadership tools, ministry ideas and motivation. We are experiencing more collaboration between ministries i.e Youth Ministry and Safe Places. We’ve had the privilege of running combined events with great rewards.
Over the year, the women have responded with astounding generosity to a special retreat for disenfranchised women to the tune of $10,450. Women are positioning themselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit through gathering with the girls for spiritual nourishment and then making themselves available to be used by God to make disciples through being His hands and feet and touching lives in the community. Contributed by Beryl Landers
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The Discipleship Ministry develops broad strategic initiatives for the growth and development of Greater Sydney. Church planting has been one of the key initiatives, and we are directly involved in training and equipping at least five new church plants in the Greater Sydney Conference. Also, church health has been a focus area in the Greater Sydney Conference, and we have four established churches that are utilising the Natural Church Development (NCD) church health assessment tool to enable them to achieve the vision and the growth that God has inspired them with. The Discipleship Ministry has also been actively working with the Church Resource Team to develop a collaborative regional training strategy commencing 2016 culminating in the Inspire Conference.
Stewardship
Stewardship acknowledges that everything that we are, and all that we have, comes from God and really belongs to Him. This transforms the way we view what God has given us, including our health, time, talents and treasure. Stewardship is about growing to reflect more of God’s love and nature by being faithful and generous managers of God’s resources.
The Sabbath School Depar tment has a vision for Sabbath School to become the core training and discipleship to enable churches achieve their vision and strategic plan. We have provided Sabbath School training at local churches who have requested assistance as well as regional training. We are also commencing the process of intentionally dialoguing with churches and Sabbath School leaders about their vision, needs and frustrations with Sabbath School with the objective of transforming Sabbath School to be a powerful discipleship environment.
Personal Ministries
Personal Ministries is focused on empowering and equipping Seventh-day Adventist disciples to grow and share their faith.
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Discipleship Ministry Contributed by Sven Östring
The Stewardship Depar tment has been providing regional training in the area of generosity at the Mount Druitt and Parramatta Churches. We are also delighted to be able to repor t that the tithe returned in the first quar ter of 2015 has been significantly over the budgeted amount. As Seventh-day Adventist disciples and churches faithfully and generously seek to bless others with all of their gifts including health, time, talents and treasure, the capacity for the Seventh-day Adventist movement to grow will significantly increase.
Sabbath School
The vision for Sabbath School includes four specific objectives: • Bible Study • Fellowship • Community Service & Outreach • Global Mission When your Sabbath School class is able to implement a strategy that achieves all of these objectives, your group will experience dynamic community and growth. You will grow personally in your relationship with Jesus as well as see observable growth in your church. How can this happen? The Sabbath School Ministry provides training, coaching and resources for these four objectives.
We have provided a number of training oppor tunities across the Greater Sydney Conference in the area of discipleship and small groups. Personal Ministries has been actively involved in the Dinners with Geoff and Gary initiative that is being launched in a number of churches around the Conference.
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Financial
Results 2014
Last Sabbath I had the privilege of attending Penrith Church, and introducing Julian Archer as the speaker for Divine Service. Julian is a fellow Adventist and the founder of Faith vs Finance, a global ministry working with Christians who live in an affluent society. He is also the author of Help! I’ve Been Blessed, a book that I thoroughly recommend reading, and can be purchased from the ABC (of course I couldn’t help that little endorsement!). His message is very simple and one that he has personal experience with. And that is, when you prosper, receiving an abundance of blessings from above, this is the time when you are at most spiritual danger. That your blessings may impede your relationship with Jesus Christ. His message is for all of us. At times, it may seem like we’re on ‘Struggle Street’ but in comparison to other countries, we are an affluent and rich society. Cer tainly research shows that to be true, as Australians have the highest median wealth in the world (Credit Suisse Global Wealth Repor t 2014). After the sermon, I jumped in my car and drove to my home church, Epping, to par ticipate in a Spiritual Gifts program, run by Pastor Nigel Ackland, and Youth Pastor Adrian Peterson. It was a great program because we got to find out what our spiritual gifts were! My spiritual gifts included administration, faith, encouragement
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and mercy. These are all gifts that I find very useful in my ministry of financial management for the Lord and His church. Fast forward to Tuesday evening, I found myself at the AUC Constituency Meeting, watching the premier of “Go Tell the World”, a movie about Advent pioneers who formed our church after the Great Disappointment of 1844. A thoughtful movie which made me very humble as I could see and feel what it was like in the early Adventist church, of the great sacrifices made by our pioneer church leaders, and the courage necessary to star t the great church we belong to. So why am I sharing these seemingly disparate recent experiences? It’s really simple. Our purpose as a church is to ‘Tell the World’, and while many of us may not have the spiritual gifts of evangelism or teaching, we can all give towards the cause. Ellen G. White puts it simply, “In commissioning His disciples to go “into all the world, and preach the gospel to ever y creature,” Christ assigned to men the work of extending the knowledge of His grace. But while some go forth to preach, He calls upon others to answer His claims upon them for offerings, with which to support His cause in the earth. He has placed means in the hands of men, that His divine gifts may flow through human channels in doing the work appointed us in saving our fellow men.” Counsels on Stewardship p15. We are truly blessed to be
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living in this great city, let’s share our blessings so others can experience our Lord Jesus Christ. 2014 was a good year for the Conference, and for that we are most grateful to God. 2014 was a year where we built on the financial turnaround in 2013. Our schools and aged care entities performed significantly better than the previous year, giving greater confidence that we are on the right track. Our Conference also realised some long term assets, capitalising on the current market, and now are looking forward to reinvestment. The following financial repor ts are extracts from our audited financial statements for 2014, noting that they have been prepared in accordance with applicable Australian Accounting Standards. Greater Sydney Conference and Church The unincorporated church holds all the assets of the Conference, and this year the accounts reflect the sale of proper ty including Spurway Drive, Baulkham Hills, and at Rouse Hill. This accounts largely for the significant surplus of $16.4m. The SDA (GSC) Trust accounts encapsulates the operations of the Conference, including the pastors in the field, Conference administration, depar tmental ministries and major evangelism. These operations show a modest loss of $19,299. The budget for Conference operations is aimed for break-even, noting that tithe income does not cover all expenditure. The Conference relies on appropriations from the unincorporated church, investment and rental income to supplement the work of the church. Schools God has truly blessed our schools
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in 2014. With an operating surplus of $2.045m, and that all schools contributed to the surplus, strongly demonstrates that our schools are operating well. Our school system also experienced record enrolments in 2014 in 5 out of 6 schools with a total of 2,032 students. The 2014 surplus of $2.045m is purely from operations, whereas the 2013 surplus of $2.915m comprised of $1.1m of operating surplus and an extraordinary appropriation of $1.8m which were additional proceeds from the sale of SAC. These results have strengthened the equity base for our schools entity, and gives us a stronger platform to continue increasing the capacity of our schools par ticularly at Hills, Macar thur and Wahroonga. Aged Care Our Aged Care entity operates out of three locations, which are Hornsby, Kings Langley and Wahroonga. The 2014 surplus of $708,824 is a pleasing increase from the previous year which recorded a surplus of $487,006. The year also saw the completion of a $3m capital project at Wahroonga, to improve the residents’ facilities including updating the entry to the building, creating larger and more amenable communal spaces for residents and a more effective office accommodation for staff.
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Across our conference, we are committed to being Spirit-led as we plan, shape and resource every ministry to be a disciplemaking environment in reaching up, out and across
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