Issue 7 2016

w e N e Th t s i t n e v Ad ING G N A H C S ON I I T A R E N GE W E N LD E HOW TH H AND THE WOR RC U H C E H T

Issue 7 Volume 63

A M R U B #

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STAFF

Creative editor shenda chimwaso

Creative editor jendayi ferary

relevance editor rechelle smith

editor-in-chief Rebekah Maurice Media editor bianca baston

life editor ashia lennon

illustrator jacqui mccarty

Contributors

joel john

jennifer laan

kelvin kublall

jaden rajah

michelle launio

ashia lennon

Photography by yuot tut

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editor’s message

The generation gap has never been larger, our generation is connected in a way past generations could never have imagined. We’re connected to our phones, the internet and to other people. We have multitudes of platforms for open dialogue and we’re using them to open questions about race, sexism, LGBT issues ect. But in this age of connectedness are we still connected to God and is there even a God to connect to? This and other questions are being asked on reddit forums, tumblr comments and shared facebook posts. Is what worked in the past still relevant for today? Does our view of God need to change? Does our view of the world?

I’ve been asking a lot of these questions lately and I’m on a journey of searching. I’ve asked myself if the God I knew from childhood is a childish thing that I need to put away as an adult or if it is still relevant to my life today. Added to my questioning came the recent events and decisions in this church and it has caused me to question more and more whether or not this is my church. So this issue I decided to take my questioning forward because I think there are a lot of other people questioning just like me.

Through my questioning I have become inspired by my peers in the church who keep striving and keep working in a system that seems to be against them. People like Ashia who keeps pressing forward in her ministry even though it has been questioned and denied by the top representatives of our church. People like Jaden Rajah who has felt ostracized from the church because of his sexual orientation but has decided to stay in the faith he believes in and has created a ministry to help other LGBT youth. People like Jennifer, Joel, Kelvin and Michelle.

We interviewed some of these amazing people on our campus to find out why this is their church, what changes they would like to see made in this church and what work they are doing to bring about that change. These are all people who I think are practising a sort of new or unconventional Adventism. They are creating change and growth. It’s a new generation, a new world and a new church. To learn how this generation is making change in our church and world keep reading.

- Rebekah Maurice

Weekly poll* If you would choose to leave or choose to stay tomorrow, what would be your #1 reason for doing so?

If you had to decide tomorrow to leave the church on a scale from 1-10 how inclined would you be to do so?

MOST COMMON REASON FOR STAYING COMMUNITY MOST COMMON REASON FOR LEAVING FEELING JUDGED OR OSTRACIZED BY CHURCH Would choose to stay I would stay because I believe there is more to life than what we live here and I don’t want to give up eternity for a few troubles now.

There are many problems, like in any family, and any relationship, but we cannot give up on each other for little problems.

Stay because I can do more good for the church by staying in it and fighting for what I know to be right. Just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean I should just walk away and quit.

Community Because it’s where I belong I would stay because my first obligation is my relationship with God, not what the church beloved it should be, or what the people in the church belive it should be.

Would choose to leave I just see the church as accomplishing very little. It’s basically a place for people to sit around and go through yet another routine.

ever not be apart of me. Not because I am a super Christian but because it is everything I know as true. I tried to leave my second year but I couldn’t deny Gods existence.

Sexism in the church My beliefs and how others in the church community treated me.

My number one reason for leaving would be how stuck in the past the church is and how judgemental they are.

The freedom from feeling inadequet. Freedom to do as I wish...

But in all reality faith is so much of who I am I do not know if it will

Priorities of church are not in the order they should be as well as personal reasons

* This poll may or may not be a reflection of common opinion as it is based on the answers of 31 students. To improve our accuracy take part in our next poll! To see the rest of the responses take part in the next weekly poll go to:

www.theburmanchronicle.com

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e l l e h Mic

NAME: MICHELLE LAUNIO MAJOR: (4TH YEAR) PSYCHOLOGY HOMETOWN: MONTREAL, QUEBEC AGE: 23 ADVENTIST SINCE: 1993, AND THEN ON 2008

WHY IS THIS YOUR CHURCH? I’ve got nowhere else to go. I believe in the Sabbath, the Three Angel’s message, and in State of the Dead. Since I believe these main three things, I have nowhere else to go. Other churches think they go to heaven when they die. Other churches believe that Sunday is the holy day. Other churches don’t believe the Three Angel’s Message. I have nowhere else to go, that’s the honest truth.

WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE CHURCH? First, I’d like to see equality. I’d like to see gender equality in religious leaders: women should be ordained or no one should be ordained. It’s not about equal pay, it’s all about gender equality. Men and women are equal in ability to pastor and nurture and be a soldier in God’s army. The LGBTQ community should not want to have anything to do with the church if, and only if, they don’t believe in the doctrines that the church teaches, rather than them not coming because of how judgmental, uncomfortable and impolite church members treat them. People know when you’re judging them even if you’re polite. People can sense if you just want to know about them instead knowing them. ur eyes and the uncomfortable energy that you’re giving. People know when you’re judging them with your heart. Second, I’d like to see humanity in the church– which I think is synonymous with equality. Since working with Red Deer’s homeless community, I noticed that this community is tight-knit.

They seem to be united in their brokenness, heartaches, childhood sorrows, and desire for a sense of belonging – their humanness.

These populations are not eager to hide their humanness, the very humanness that Jesus came down for to save us from. I wish the church, as a whole, would acknowledge that we are all equal in our own tragic-yet-beautiful humanity, and approach us all as such.

IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU MINISTER TO THE COMMUNITY? I’m the Urban Ministries coordinator for Burman so I organize soup kitchens every now and then. I’m currently in the process of getting Burman University students involved in Turning Points (Central Alberta Aids Network Society), an organization that works towards harm reduction in the homeless community and support for sex workers. I have a soft spot for women, which got me involved in working at the Red Deer Women’s Shelter, a shelter for victims running away from domestic violence, and the Magdalene House Society, a safe home for trafficked women.

WHAT IS THAT MINISTRY DOING TO CHANGE THE CHURCH, COMMUNITY, AND WORLD? When I go into these environments of at-risk persons, I then identify myself as a representative of the Adventist church. It changes the stigma that these people have put onto the church, such as “all Adventists are vegetarian,” or “all Adventists think you’re going to hell if you don’t go to church on Saturday,”… but lo and behold, they meet this Adventist who is at a back alley with them on Saturday, eating a hot dog with them. I don’t think my work makes change in the community, but what’s more important is that the work that I do changes me and it influences the people that I have the honour of being in touch with in these environments. Should a homeless person or a sex worker or a gay person go into the church, I fear that how other people might treat them will revalidate the stigma I just mentioned.

HOW HAS YOUR WORK CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF GOD? Growing up, I was taught that God is everywhere and always watching me and EVERYTHING that I do. Therefore, God was with me whenever I went to church with my pastoral family, fighting the urge to go downstairs and play Yu-Gi-Oh with my male friends. God was there with me when I pretended to be sleeping as my dad facilitated board meetings; and I would hear church members, who were saints during church service, turn into a bunch of Satans in these meetings. God was there when we ate in potlucks, talking about things that don’t really matter. God was there when we took our Sabbath nap. And God was there when we woke up to close the Sabbath with a 20-minute worship and then proceeded to 3+ hours of gym night or game night. So I always knew that God was always present, but I don’t think a typical Sabbath day in Adventist culture had me engaged with God. I don’t just want God present, I want to be working with Him. I think the God that is always present with me is more concerned on whether or not I’m engaged with Him with a heart of servitude (I think God is a King who is recklessly serving us), rather than whether or not I’m present in a literal church building, trying to avoid eye-contact with spectators. If Jesus was still kicking around Earth, I can picture Him in that back alley – with no sense of stigma, expectation, or limiting doctrine holding Him back -- just to hang out with that sex worker and encourage her to come to soup kitchen sometime to build a relationship with Him. HOW CAN WE AS A CHURCH BODY PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING HURT IN THE CHURCH?

Equality in acknowledged humanity – I think that would put us all in our place. For example, a man and a woman have sex before marriage (Oh, Dear!). The woman gets talked about all the time, how she’s a slut and blah blah blah.

But no one ever talks about the guy. No one ever talks about the culprit that has ALSO contributed to her “sluttiness,” to his sluttiness, to THEIR sluttiness. And on top of that, this is what Jaden told me the other night: “and if I ever sleep with someone, people will say it’s an ABOMINATION!” People in the church can be so engulfed in talking about other people’s business and drama that they don’t even realize that, by merely talking about others – as if other people’s heartaches are just another form of entertainment, they’re just as sinful as the person(s) they’re talking about! They have become hypocritical spectators instead of witnesses for Christ. The shame that slut shaming and victim blaming brings is incredibly minute compared to the shame that comes along with not taking any responsibility on issues pertaining to inequality and discrimination. Regardless of where our walk with God is, just as Dr. Samraj says, “your perception of God has nothing to do with the reality of God… and since humans can only be treated as humans by humans, to treat a human as less than human makes you inhuman.” By acknowledging our own humanness, we can better relate to others because, hey, we’re all on the same sinking ship. Just because one person may be in the lower level on the ship than you, you both are still in a sinking ship; like, congrats, you’re both screwed unless you call on Saviour.

IF YOU WERE GOING TO LEAVE THE CHURCH TOMORROW, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP REASON FOR DOING SO? I’ll never leave the church. People are what makes the church, and I’m a person who wants to be a part of the Body of Christ. I think the only way I’d leave is if God said, “Hey, Michelle, I don’t need you anymore as part of my body.”

ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW INCLINED ARE YOU TO LEAVE THE CHURCH? 0.

OVERALL, HAS THE ADVENTIST CHURCH MADE A NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE? Positive? In a sense that I’m part of the church and I’m a positive person that likes to complain a lot.

INTERVIEW BY JACQUI McCARTY

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Relevance

l e o J

WHAT WOULD YOU IDENTIFY AS YOUR RELIGION? Christian [Non-Denominational]

el John

AS A NON- ADVENTIST OBSERVING THE ADVENTIST CHURCH WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE CHURCH? Within the SDA church I would like to see more open mindedness and people who are willing to live Biblical principles rather than just preach them!

I’m involved with Communi-tea (7 AM worship), Together, Prison Ministries, Kid’s ministries, On campus ministries, IMPACT, The Communal Response (Praise Band), Adventist Intercollegiate Association Financial VP, Resident Assistant for LVH.

HOW HAS YOUR WORK/MINISTRY CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF GOD? I’m the hands and feet of Jesus, and I am His ambassador. He affects others through what I say or do and so I have a huge role to play by impacting WHAT SO YOU SEE AS THE MOST PROMINENT other’s positively through Christ who lives in me!

ASPECT OF THE ADVENTIST CHURCH? IS IT WHAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE? WHEN HAVE YOU FELT MOST DISCONNECTED I see the health message and eschatology (End FROM GOD? WHAT BROUGHT THE CONNECtime events) as the most prominent aspects of the TION BACK? SDA church. I don’t think it should be these, the I felt most dis-connected from God, when I felt I was relevance of the SDA church is that they love other perfect and that I was a good Christian (the irony)! I people and have a message of hope that is indis- felt the connection when I understood God’s grace, pensable to everyone! i.e., every breath is a moment from God not to pursue my goals but to support others in theirs!

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF BECOMING AN ADVENTIST IN THE FUTURE? IF YES WHY? IF NO IF YOU COULD RATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WHY NOT? WITH GOD AT THIS MOMENT ON A SCALE OF Nope! I couldn’t see myself as being Adventist ever, 1- 10 WHAT NUMBER WOULD IT BE? HAS because unfortunately I find labels limiting and find THERE BEEN A TIME WHEN IT WAS HIGHER? a denomination as a distraction from the real mes- WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS? sage of the gospel, cos people get hung up over I would give it a 2! The time it was higher (I would the doctrines and fine details rather than having rate my highest as a 2.5), was when I saw a little a genuine authentic relationship with other people glimpse of how much He loved me and had that in and God. the fore-front of my mind! It blew me away! Why would such a powerful, infinite, and holy God have IS CHURCH SOMETHING THAT HAS HAD AN IN- anything to do with a creature like me, beats me to FLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE? A POSITIVE OR NEG- this day! Go figure!

ATIVE ONE? ARE YOU AT A POINT NOW THAT YOU WANT CHURCH TO BE A BIGGER PART OF IF YOU HAD TO GIVE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOUR LIFE OR A SMALLER PART? TO A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHAT WOULD Church has had and continues to have an influence THAT BE? on my life constantly! Both negative and positive. It is where I have grown the most and have been put If you think you have a good relationship with God, down the most too! I’m at a place in my life where you probably don’t! Nothing we can ever do can I want to impact church life in a significant manner justify ourselves before His standard, but His grace so as to build more people rather than tear/put makes His righteousness available! Being a disciple people down. means denying yourself daily, taking up the cross WHAT WORK/ MINISTRY ARE YOU CURRENTLY (taking other’s burdens) and following Jesus! :) INVOLVED IN?

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NAME: JOEL S. JOHN MAJOR: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES HOMETOWN: MIDDLE EAST / MARKHAM, ONTARIO AGE: LOST TRACK BUT BEEN BREATHING SINCE FEB 1992 BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE ADVENTIST CHURCH SINCE: MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO SDA WAS IN SEPTEMBER 2009 (ABOUT 6 YEARS AGO)!

devotional

n e Jad

NAME: JADEN RAJAH MAJOR: NON-PROFESSIONAL RELIGIOUS STUDIES HOMETOWN: LACEOMBE, ALBERTA AGE: 22 YEARS OLD! ADVENTIST SINCE: I WOULD SAY SINCE I WAS THIRTEEN, THAT’S WHEN I WAS BAPTISED

“WHY DO YOU CLAIM THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH? LIKE, WHY IS THIS CHURCH YOUR CHURCH?” “You know for a while, the SDA church was my church due to just for the fellowship. But as I grew up, I realized that there were things that I didn’t like with the Adventist church.

I would tell people, ‘I’m Christian first and then I’m an Adventist.’ But now that I’m back with the Adventist church, and why I claim that, is because I believe they have it right with the Sabbath keeping and the vegetarianism. But I don’t think they have it right when it comes to sexuality or ordaining women, but I’m in the church, I claim the Adventist church so I can be the change. So I can change it from the inside.

“WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE CHURCH?” “When I was fourteen years old and I came out to myself, I first came out as bisexual to myself, and I did not know that the church discriminated against lesbians, gays, or bisexuals. I didn’t know that! But when I completely lost feelings for the opposite gender at age fifteen.. Fifteen years old and there was no more attraction to females. I kid you not.

I always knew that I wasn’t heterosexual. I knew I couldn’t change my attraction to men, but then I realized the church wasn’t going to change their stance on what we call ‘homosexuality.’ I just knew that. So, things that I would right now like to see changed is their acceptance and make the church more inclusive. You might not agree with Gays and Lesbians dating but invite them to take part! Some of the most talented people happen to identify as LGBTQ. “WHAT MINISTRY ARE YOU CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN?” “I am currently involved in Will and Grace. Will and Grace comes from two things. It comes from the hit T.V. show Will and Grace and it also comes from the idea that God has given you the free will to come out. And the people that love you will show you grace. So this is a support group for ages thirteen to twenty four years old who are either questioning their identity or they already identify as it. And we do social events because these kids don’t get invited to social events because she’s a lesbian, or he’s gay, or he wants to be a woman or vice versa. So I have created this safe environment, this save zone, and this fun zone for anyone in central Alberta including those who attend Burman University, as well as LGBTQ allies. Sometimes people will say, ‘Well why are you helping those people and they get bullied as well.

I would say my involvement with Will and Grace is making the church a more positive environment for those who are struggling with their orientation or their gender identity as well as a safe place. I think that’s what Will and Grace is doing. People have reached out to me, either from the church or from the community because they don’t have a place to go. Hopefully some of the people who reached out to me will start coming back to church because they’ve left God completely… My involvement is letting people know you can still be Adventist and identify as that. Because the myth is that you cant love God and be something that isn’t heterosexual. Going to the Gay Christian Network conference (GCN) and my work has shown me you can be just as great of a Christian as two straight people.

“HOW HAS YOUR WORK CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF GOD?” “There’s another myth that God doesn’t love the LGBTQ community. But God does love them. There is proof that God designed us to be who we are. I know some people disagree, but God does. Almost every single pastor on the hilltop has shown that God loves you for who you are…

“WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE ADVENTIST CHURCH?” I would say that there are two important things, the health message and Sabbath keeping. I feel that one nice thing about being Adventist is that God has given you this day of rest. When it comes to Sabbath keeping, I never have to worry about bigots or homophobes on the Sabbath. Its nice to relax and fellowship and not worry about the worldly evil that possibly could destroy my life.

HAVE YOU FELT HURT BY THE CHURCH? I’ve definitely been hurt by the church. There’s a lot of miss education and misinformation on the LGBTQ community. So when you have people coming up to you and they don’t know your story and they say to you, ‘We know that you’ve chosen this.’ That is hurtful even though people are free to believe that, it hurt because I went through a lot of pain finding myself and finding how God sees me. I’ve heard from people who are studying the bible that asked me how many sexual partners that I’ve had. That hurt because it feeds into the stereotype that all we do is fool around. Iv’e been asked personal questions and then asked why I still attend Burman University. I’ve been asked why don’t you go to U of A where you can fool around and just be yourself. Be your fabulous self. I respond that I still believe in God and I still want to do Gods work.

“WHAT IS YOUR ORGANIZATION DOING TO CHANGE THE CHURCH, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE WORLD?” INTERVIEW BY RECHELLE SMITH

If you would like to learn more about Will and Grace please call 403 302 9419

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WHY IS THIS YOUR CHURCH? I don’t really think that there is any simple answer to this question. In many regards I find myself thinking, why is this my church? Would I have chosen this church if I wasn’t born into an Adventist home? I think one reason for me is the selflessness I see and the dedication that I see in many Adventists. My mom is one of those individuals that through such hardship in and out of church still remain so loving and positive. So this is my church because of the community and people that I have encountered. With that being said I understand that many people see this an unpopular notion, categorizing most people in the Adventist church as hypocritical and priggish. This is also true, but I am an eternal optimist and I always try to see the good in others even when it seems like there isn’t any. But I don’t want this to be my church because I have been in it my whole life. This is my church because I chose to stay in it and I want to help it become a better beacon for Christ. I find that when I am here at school I see the true reason of why this is my church, College Heights is a key example. This church embodies so many qualities that I see lacking in my home church and it is pushing the boundaries for Christ in many ways. I think that the Adventist church has been given a bad rap in past years and currently as well, but I still choose this church because of the good I see in the little and big things that this Church does for the community and the world. I see potential in the Adventist church and want to see that potential grow.

WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE CHURCH? I would like to see the church become more uncomfortable for Christ. This is a motto or mantra that I have for myself, where I try to do things that are out of my comfort zone for Christ. Granted I need to do this more, but I think that the Adventist Church needs to stop warming the pew for his or her neighbour, and instead warm it for someone who doesn’t know Christ. We are too comfortable in our cookie cutter schedule of Christianity that we as a church fail to see what is actually going on in the world around us. Back home I heard of a church not allowing a ex-convict to come worship with them on Sabbath. I understand that yes there may be safety concerns, but this individual is obviously reaching out and searching,

so why can our church not help him with that?!

When Christ told us to love all people he was saying to love those who you are comfortable and uncomfortable with. As a whole I think the church needs to be more accepting of the fact that change will come and is already happening in the church, and yes it will be uncomfortable, but what you do with that un-comfort is the important aspect.

WHAT WORK/ MINISTRY ARE YOU CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN? I am currently the Prison Ministries Coordinator and I work alongside Claude Trepanier.

We organize trips to minister to the women at EIFW, or Edmonton Institute for Women. We are there all day Sabbath and conduct a worship service with the women and a discussion time with them. It is such a blessing and all the women that come have amazing stories. I honestly learn so much from the women and it is a blessing to me to know that they feel loved by us.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS SPECIFIC MINISTRY? When I first came to Burman (then CUC) I knew that I wanted to get involved in something that was different and out of my comfort zone. I had never really heard of prison ministries before that point, at least not in the SDA church. I was instantly drawn to the ministry and since the first visit that I did at Edmonton Max for men, I have found that this is a way that I can embody what Christ wants us to do. It’s also not an easy ministry and you have to commit to possible cancellations and lots of training, but it is so worth it in the end.

HOW HAS YOUR WORK/MINISTRY CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF GOD? Prison ministries has expanded my view of God in many different ways. Number one, it has shown me how unconditional and immense God’s love for us really is. He is a God that loves even the most ostracized of society and is calling us to do the same thing. I have also learned that God uses the most unexpected ways and people to reach us. I have learned that these men and women are no different from you and I. Many were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyone of us is capable of crime, and that’s the mentality that I believe one needs to have going into this ministry. You cannot preach

to these individuals in the institution, you have to show them God’s love and level with them on their personal comfort zone. Prison ministries has painted this view in my mind of a father that will continually accept His wandering and lost child regardless of what he or she has committed. It has taught me that he has a plan for each and every one of us, and even in our lowest moments he is their whispering, “I love you, and you can do this.”

HOW HAVE YOU FELT HURT BY THE CHURCH? WHAT ARE YOU DOING OR WHAT CAN BE DONE SO THAT OTHERS ARE NOT HURT IN THE SAME WAY? When I was younger my father left my family for various reasons and I remember people in my church and churchschool gossiping about my mom and us and it really hurt me. That was one of the first moments where I remember hating God because of what He had done to me. But I now realize what His actual plan was and I am thankful that He let what happened, happen. If it hadn’t happened my life may have been drastically different. But I also felt extremely hurt by the religion that I called my family. Still to this day I call myself an Adventist and I believe that I always will. But what I learned from that experience was that I want to be bigger than those individuals that hurt my family and me.

By doing this I am able to see that I can give the Adventist church a name that is know for reaching out in love instead of reaching out in hate.

I want to be able make the Adventist church a more diverse and ministry-oriented organization, and through my small contribution I hope that I can be an influence.

IF YOU HAD TO GIVE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHAT WOULD THAT BE? One piece of advice or rather a quote that has been such a reminder to me ever since I heard is by Marianne Williamson which goes “We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented? Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of God.” This quote reminds me that I can make a difference in my Church and this world even through the small acts that I do. Just know that even in the struggles of life God is putting things in place for your triumph and that he has a stupendous plan for your life.

CREATIVE

Jennifer

NAME: JENNIFER LAAN MAJOR: FOURTH YEAR BIOLOGY HOMETOWN: OSHAWA, ONTARIO AGE: 21

13 ADVENTIST SINCE: BIRTH

WHY IS THIS YOUR CHURCH? This is my church, because it’s where I meet , see, and hear God. Through the people, worship and atmosphere of love surrounding me.

WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE CHURCH? I’d like to see us spend less time sermonizing doctrine, arguing bible and causing separation among ourselves, and focus on the greatest commandment of them all. Three things will last forever -- faith, hope, and love -- but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 .

WHAT MINISTRY ARE YOU CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN? Haircutz for Humanity

WHAT IS YOUR MINISTRY (HAIRCUTZ FOR HUMANITY) DOING TO CHANGE THE CHURCH, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE WORLD? Haircutz for Humanity simply provides a haircut/hairwash service in exchange for a smile.

Within our church and community, there are many unhappy people, but putting a smile on someone’s face, letting them know you care and showing them some love, with no strings attached or cost, you’ve now motivated and charged them to do the same. It only takes one to make a change.

HOW HAS YOUR MINISTRY CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF GOD? It hasen’t really changed my view of God, He is forever the same God. But it has enhanced my appreciation for creative ministry. None of this would have happened on my own will or strength. All of it happened because God sees the opportunity to use creative talents He has blessed us with to minister. This project happened not because of me, but totally because of Him!

N I V L KE

WHAT IS THE MOST PROMINENT ASPECT OF THE ADVENTIST CHURCH? IS IT WHAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE? I think the Adventist church according to its name alone holds close to the important message of Christ’s second return. How are we preparing ourselves and letting others know about this great message? Well, there are wrong ways to minister, i.e being forceful, judgemental, critical, and simply making people reject the wonderful message of Jesus prior to even hearing the truth. But at the same time, there are several different, creative ways to get involved and minister to our community about Jesus’ LOVE for us and for them, and in the process, developing these personal relations opens avenues to greater work in individuals lives.

HOW HAVE YOU FELT HURT BY THE CHURCH? WHAT ARE YOU DOING OR WHAT CAN BE DONE SO THAT OTHERS ARE NOT HURT IN THE SAME WAY? I’m pretty sure if you ask many adventist youth the same question, they would have stories upon stories to tell. Hear me out.

I’ve never been hurt BY the CHURCH, I have however been hurt by PEOPLE who attend the church. We’re born in sin and shaped in iniquity, therefore we make mistakes. Our churches are filled with sinners and people who make mistakes.

That doesn’t make it a bad place, sure unkind things might be said, but the same happens outside the church. It all goes back to one commandment. To LOVE your neighbour as yourself. Once we master this command individually, I believe less hurt would be within our churches.

WHEN HAVE YOU FELT MOST DISCONNECTED FROM GOD? WHAT BROUGHT THE CONNECTION BACK? I feel most disconnected from God when I stop doing the things that I need to do which keep me connected. Although, going to church, participating, singing, preaching, praying, doing personal devotions, and etc could get

quite repetitive after a while. Its in the process of doing these things to better myself that I stay connected to God. Take for example; I want to be more fit, well saying a prayer and talking about it won’t get me there. Going to the gym and putting the work in, even when my progress isn’t always obvious and my perspectives get blocked. Its through the process of doing these things, that I achieve my goal and stay on task.

IF YOU HAD TO GIVE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHAT WOULD THAT BE? This depends. If it is to a large group on a campus I’d say: Your happiness is totally dependant on you. You could achieve temporary satisfaction or life enduring satisfaction. One thing I’d encourage is to be yourself, and love who you are or are striving to be. No one wakes up in the morning saying, “I am a loser, and I will stay here forever.” We’re all destined for greatness because God has created us in His image and He is the greatest of all. So buckle up your shoes and be motivated to be the best you, you can ever be.

NAME: KELVIN HEMIRAJ KUBLALL MAJOR: RELIGIOUS STUDIES PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRACK HOMETOWN: BRAMPTON, ONTARIO AGE: 22 ADVENTIST SINCE: BORN ADVENTIST, BAPTIZED 2002, BUT SAVED BY GRACE DAILY.

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Ashia

NAME: ASHIA LENNON MAJOR: RELIGIOUS STUDIES ADVENTIST SINCE: 13

WHY IS THIS YOUR CHURCH? This is my church because I think the Adventist church has the clearest understanding of biblical truth. I also get to worship alongside people who in spite of the negative aspects of the church still love Jesus. There are people here who inspire me, who no matter what negativity in church they see they are still exempting what it means to be like Christ.

classes and tease that they get higher grades than RS majors. But for us it’s not just learning information, we are learning different skills to mold our character so that we can be pastors. In Religious Studies I am able to see where I fit with my skills and abilities. There’s a difficulty in being an RS major because you are already an example. People already have expectations and an image of what a pastor is and they are comparing you to it. Which means I can’t do what some other people can.People are trying to get their example of how to WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE live by watching me live daily. This isn’t the practice CHURCH? round when I accepted my call my ministry started.

I’d like to see us get to a place where we can connect what we believe into our practice. Instead of oral ser- WHAT IS THE MOST PROMINENT ASPECT OF THE mons we live it out in daily walk. By loving on people, ADVENTIST CHURCH? IS IT WHAT YOU THINK IT being there for hurting people, the world is full of hurt- SHOULD BE? ing people. Being disconnected and disenfranchised Adventists are very educated but it’s relationships that from the world is not helping us spread the word as is our down part. We have a large focus on prophecy Christians. but no focus on spirituality. We know the greatest commandments but not how to apply them to each other.

WHAT WORK/ MINISTRY ARE YOU CURRENTLY IN- We need to explore what it actually means to love God VOLVED IN? and each other. How do we enact that in 2016 what Together Jesus taught 2000 years ago. How do I show love in my apartment building, at work. Am I a good Christian HOW HAS BEING INVOLVED IN TOGETHER SHAPED when I go out to eat, am I a courteous driver, taking YOUR VIEW OF MINISTRY? the principles and making it real. How can we work It’s helped me realize ministry is more than just a good through conflict? Are we able to disagree, to have difidea or a beautiful sounding memory verse. Be ing ferent views and still love each other. I found out that with and working with people is hard. At Together my Dad is against women’s ordination. He asked me we invoke prayer way before Wednesday. And why I cried after the vote. Do we now hate each other? on the day of there are parts that are so No we disagree but we still love each other. We as a organic that it can not be planed or defined. church need to learn how to stay in love with each Something beautiful and organic happens other even when we disagree. on the spot. All we can do is pray, I put my part in and watch the holy spirit WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MENTORS IN THE take it away.

CHURCH AND HOW HAVE HELPED GUIDE YOUR MINISTRY? HOW HAS BEING IN RELI- Pastor Kumar, Dr. Boyd, Pastor Cecile, Pastor Adam, GIOUS STUDIES AFFECTED a whole bunch of young people and leaders who are YOUR VIEW OF GOD? my friends, anyone who can love Jesus and show me I can remember Dr. Herr his love. I get inspiration from many different sources. saying that the Isre- I am inspired by those who are who have a deep love alites had polythe- of ministry. People who are able to love Jesus despite istic periods and what has happened in their life. People like Kumar Dixthinking, I an on, his testimony at Canadian Youth Summit inspired relate to that. me with how even after what he has been through he A lot of stu- can still love people. Friends like Alex Portillo who is my dents do age and running his own church. People who are living differ- out the gospel message and actively seek to share that e n t message with people.

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