issue two // april
// issue two
T
here’s nothing like a bit of ANZAC Day hyperbole. You’ve all heard it. Around this time of year, the “Spirit of the ANZACs” phrase gets thrown around— particularly concerning sporting events. I’m not a huge fan. Invoking an obscure, intangible sense of national pride just isn’t congruent with 44 blokes playing AFL. On the one hand, more than 10,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers at Gallipoli alone paid the ultimate price in service to their country. On the other hand, 44 affluent athletes run around kicking a leather bag of wind. The crude, counterfeit comparison is disingenuous at best, downright disgraceful at worst. The Spirit of the ANZACs was in their relentless commitment to the cause and to serving each other. It was often costly, the sacrifice absolute: death. True service involves some kind of sacrifice. Jesus sums up this ‘love one another’ command in John 15:13—
Editor
Josh Dye
Designer
Danelle Morton
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Turn it up! Josh Dye “Greater love has no one than this, that lay down his life for his friends.” And to prove that, Jesus saved his greatest act of service until last: by dying a ghastly death on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. How often do we look at our lives and give ourselves a quiet pat on the back for all the things we’ve achieved? We love to glorify mission trips as great world-changing events—for a few weeks anyway, before we revert back to the repulsive comfort of our lives back home. But maybe true service is when we spend our lives so immersed in another’s wellbeing that we don’t have time to consider the sacrifices we are making. That’s a legacy the ANZACs might be proud of.
Writers
Ben Reynolds, Charlotte O’Neill, Chelsea Mitchell, Jesse Dwyer, Lara Campbell, Mark Tipple, Mitchell Strahan
Editorial
Contents
Feature
page four
Caf Forum
page five
“When Love is Hard”
Photo Album Feature
“I Have a Problem”
Vox Pop Your Questions... Answered
page six page eight page ten page eleven
Feature
page thirteen
Culture Corner
page fourteen
“Mission: Near and Far”
While You Were Sleeping... Feature
“The Pitfalls of Censorship”
page sixteen page eighteen
Like The Voice - Avondale on
Contents
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// issue two
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omosexuality in the Adventist church is a delicate subject. Unconditional love has always been a difficulty in our intellectual church, and Seventh-Gay Adventists certainly falls outside of the church’s ‘approved narrative’. International filmmakers Stephen Eyer and Daneen Akers—at Avondale as part of the Manifest Creative Arts Festival—present a touching film that teaches about learning to love even when differences exist. It is too easy to let our fear of the unknown, rather than love and validation, inform our relationship with the gay community. But in hearing the stories of earnest people seeking God, we have to trust that people are finding their own relationship with God, alien though it may be to us. Seventh-Gay Adventists depicts the experiences of three gay couples that have both love for their church and one another in common. The film is such a listening space about the experiences of gay Seventh-day Adventists who would not normally have an opportunity to speak in a manner so open and vulnerable. The documentary itself is richly written and filmed—emotionally touching in parts, delightfully ironic in others. It raises hard, searching questions about how we minister (or don’t) to those who fall on the margins of ‘our’ society. How can we show love to a group of people whose youth are four times more
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When Love is Hard Mitchell Strahan likely to commit suicide than if they were straight, and double that if they were raised in conservative Christian environments? How do we stand up for the rights of a marginalised people, to make them feel valued regardless of their circumstances? Wider than that, how do we understand and interact with people who fall outside our definition of ‘normal’? Not only the gay community, but others: how do we minister to soldiers, to boat people, to the wealthy 1%? Romans 13:8-10 tells us that the sum total of our existence is love. Regardless of human distinction, we are called to be God’s love to our human family.
“What Mummy and Daddy made a film about.” In one word, Stephen and Daneen’s young daughter sums up the film. Mitch is terrible with deadlines, and one day wants to put blue Gatorade in a Windex bottle and walk around drinking it.
Feature
Caf forum suggestions
Caf Forum
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// issue two
Photo Album
Past winners of Pauly’s Gourmet Kitchen vouchers. Like The Voice - Avondale for your chance to win each week.
The Voice Caf forum with Director of Food Services, Nick Hartigan.
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Photo Album
Celebrating Watson Hall’s victory over the Lake Macquarie Dockers in an AFL match.
Avondale students’ 10 seconds of fame at the Socceroos vs Oman FIFA World Cup qualifier in Sydney.
Photo: Holly Phillips
Photo: Jordan Duncan
Photo Album
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// issue two
M
y problem is constantly running on empty. And that isn’t a spiritual metaphor (yet). I literally never have more than a quarter of a tank of petrol in my car. Everyone tells me it’s more sensible to fill it up properly and have it run for longer than to put $20 in it every week. Three times I’ve breathed sighs of relief as I rolled spluttering into a petrol station, thanking God I made it before putting another $20 worth of fuel in the tank. Despite running out many times, I’m yet to learn my lesson. Instead, I just pray really hard and hope it’ll keep going… My faith is strong, but my car is weak. Such dilemmas as these have me asking the question: how often in my walk with God am I running on empty? Am I topping up on just enough spiritual fuel to get me through the day, only to come to the end of it exhausted and glad I made it through? And the next day, week and month will I do it again? Reading the Bible in short bursts seems to be our speciality. We read until we find something inspirational to ‘get us through’ then close it up and save it for the next day… because surely we won’t be as busy tomorrow. Instead of drawing from the well of living water that is constantly within our reach, we get by on short bursts of spiritual enlightenment, forgetting that God is our ever-present help and source of constant strength.
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I Have a Problem Charlotte O’Neill Better still, unlike the climbing cost of petrol, God’s presence is what we call grace, and it’s free. Next time you’re tempted to run on empty, spend a few more minutes in prayer. Let’s together be students who search for God, call on Him, recognise his Word for what it is and find out just how powerful He intends us to be.
Charlotte wants to become fluent in at least two languages (may include English) and learnt in the holidays the endless adventures Kmart has to offer.
Feature
Award winning florist with over 10 years industry experience. Personalised designer weddings tailored to suit you. Everything from bouquets to table centrepieces, we have you covered. Laybuy payment option for your convenience.
// issue two
W
hat would you do with an eighth day in the week?
All the things I complain I can’t fit into my week, like reading a book and taking over the world. Charnelle Mack An ‘adventure day’ with no work or study, like an interlude in the middle of the week. Just pause life and try something fun and new every time, like kite surfing, exploring new towns, or even attempting to finish a novel... Natasha Knight PLAY! “Six days you shall labour, but on the seventh day you shall rest... and on the eighth you shall play.” I propose a day devoted to play. (Play: A term encompassing the broad range of activities one engages in during the first ten years of their life.) Jacinda Setiawan I would call it Treloday, which derives from the Greek word trelós, which of course means ‘crazy’. On this day, people just have to do crazy things. It cannot be boring because that would defeat the purpose of crazy-day. One example would be to ask someone for directions without telling them where you’re going. Just wild things like that; living on the edge. Long live Treloday! Martin Crabtree
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Vox Pop Chelsea Mitchell
Tell myself I would use it for sleep. In reality, I’d probably accidentally wake up at 7, try to get back to sleep, fail, eat, watch some TV, make plans to study, forget those plans, and suddenly realize that it’s 11pm and my extra day is already over. Same as Sundays really. Etienne Reynaud Let’s name this extra day ‘Extraday’! Do I put Extraday between Tuesday and Wednesday to have a break from education? Do I put it between Saturday and Sunday to change the day the Sabbath is on, plus get a super long weekend? So many possibilities... Jorden Tually Spend it with the boys: riding bikes, playing cricket, going to the gym, skating, playing music and sitting around enjoying life. Sam Davidson
Chelsea loves pineapple from the Islands, and hates tangled slinkies and snakes lollies.
Vox Pop
The Voice recently met with Paul Hattingh, Vice President (Finance), to ask your questions. “If we pay money each semester for parking, why can’t Ella & Watson car parks be asphalted?” This requires local council approval and the initial cost estimate is $7,000 per individual car parking space. The cost of $120 per semester for parking doesn’t cover this amount, but covers the upkeep of existing car parks. “Why all these new policies with fines associated?” The purpose of introducing a financial penalty for late enrolment is to encourage early registration, which benefits student timetables and gives lecturers more time to plan according to the class size.
Your Questions...
Your Questions... Answered “Can we separate food costs from the overall residential fees?” The current model is the most cost effective; previous ‘split’ models proved expensive and the Caf suffered significant losses. Another factor is the residences’ incapacity for a self-catering option. “How much money is allocated for each meal?” The amount allocated toward each individual meal was not disclosed, but the Caf’s annual budget for food supplies is over $500,000. Feedback? thevoice@avondale.edu.au
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rowing up, I always imagined missionaries to be these amazing people who sold all their possessions and moved into the heart of an isolated jungle, filled with cannibals and dangerous animals. And praise God for these courageous people who did risk their lives to share Jesus with others in such difficult conditions. But does mission consist only of helping others in far away places? The story is told of a famous evangelist on his way to run a series of meetings overseas. He boards the plane and sits next to an enthusiastic young man who happens to recognise him. “Sir, I’m on my way to do mission work overseas!” The evangelist smiles at him. “I’m very pleased to hear that.” As the conversation continues, the evangelist discovers that the young man’s family have not accepted Jesus. He says, “Young man, when we land, I think you should catch the first plane home because you need to share Jesus with your family before you share Him with anyone else.” Is it sometimes easier for us to do mission work overseas than at home?
Feature
Mission: Near and Far Ben Reynolds
When Jesus was on earth, He was concerned with reaching His own people too. While it is true that some are called to reach out to those living in far away places (such as Paul), our primary mission field is wherever we find ourselves. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go to other countries. Cambodia, Nepal, Tanzania, Brazil and the Philippines are just some of the places you can visit during your time at Avondale. I encourage you to make the most of these awesome opportunities, but let’s not use overseas trips as an excuse for not doing anything here.
Ben was born and raised in the ‘Promised Land’ of New Zealand and makes tepees out of his toast at breakfast. Bad grammar makes him [sic].
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// issue two
Culture Corner Mark Tipple
From the Outside World: The Cooranbong Asian Aid op-shop is a great place for students to shop, with its low prices and unique range of items for dressing up or down. Featuring a distinctly local flavour, items such as old Avondale Oranas and paintings by ex-students are to be discovered among the vast treasure trove. You’ll also be supporting a great cause with all proceeds going to Sunshine Orphanage in India. They’re also open Sundays between 8:00am-2:30pm. You can like them at www.facebook.com/asianaidopshop Some light reading: Bear Grylls’s autobiography is entitled Mud, Sweat, and Tears and will encourage you to experience any of those substances whilst reading his fascinating life story. His outlook on life is inspirational to all, even those who aren’t particularly fond of raw deer flesh. It’s fair to say Mr Grylls has a high Life Enjoyment Rating and his story is interesting and diverse. As long as you’re older than 13 and human, you’ll enjoy the read and most likely take some valuable lessons away from it too. Best of YouTube: Can’t get that essay started? Deciding whether or not to attend the class that starts in five minutes? Just search ‘The ultimate wake up-prank compilation’ on YouTube. You’ll thank me later. However, try not to slip into the dark abyss that YouTube so often becomes. So I’ve heard anyway… Mark would like to one day climb Mt Everest, is terrible at hacky sack, and his hidden talent is so well hidden that he doesn’t even know what it is.
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Culture Corner
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// issue two
While You Were Sleeping... Lara Campbell
North Korea Watch “Time has come to stage a do-or-die final battle.” Unless you’ve been cowering under a boulder in the Watagans, the news of the month is North Korea’s official declaration of a “merciless” attack on the US and its allies. What happens next? Only Kim Jong-un knows.
“We were forced to confiscate the animal.” Munich Airport spokesman, Thomas Meister, on quarantining Justin Beiber’s pet monkey because the Biebs forgot to do the paperwork. He will reportedly be fined up to $17,000.
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While You Were Sleeping...
27th
20,536
Australia’s ranking out of 140 countries in a recent World Economic Forum study to find the friendliest country in the world. Iceland came first, followed by New Zealand and Morocco.
The number of birds slaughtered at a Shanghai poultry market to halt the outbreak of a new strain of bird flu.
“This is the fairest way of travelling.” Chris Langton, CEO of Samoa Air, explaining a world-first system of “pay as you weigh” flights.
What’s next? Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, is running for the Australian senate, despite being stuck in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
While You Were Sleeping...
Lara is an expert on all the different types of rice, wants to see the Northern Lights, and once broke both her wrists at the same time playing touch football.
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Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:20am-2:30pm Dinner: Sun-Thurs 5pm-9pm Fri-Sat 5pm-9.30pm Closed Tuesdays Cash Only Phone: (02) 4973 1112 81A Dora Street, Morisset
I dislike the Gillard Labour government. I believe they are economically irresponsible and their social policies leave a great deal to be desired. Bashing the government is easy, but because we live in a country that allows many personal freedoms, I’m allowed to say that. You can read it and agree with me. You can also vocally disagree with me. Most of you probably don’t care. But despite the considerable freedoms we enjoy in Australia, freedom of speech is not enshrined in the constitution. This means there is no law specifically stopping the enactment of other laws curtailing your freedom of speech. Our government recently sought to introduce changes to the laws governing the reporting of news in Australia. This law could conceivably have had considerable impact on the ability of news organisations to report the news in any meaningful fashion, especially for smaller news organisations. As it is, Australia currently sits at number 26 on the global Press Freedom Index. This is not the first time this government has sought to introduce a bill limiting the freedom of information available to the public: you may remember the mandatory Internet censorship plan put together by Senator Stephen Conroy. While this bill was dropped, the limitation
Feature
The Pitfalls of Censorship Jesse Dwyer
of free information is a recurring theme with Australian politics on both sides of the fence. Most of you have probably had at least some experience with censorship. Is the phrase “This page is blocked! You cannot access this page because it is not in line with our acceptable use policy” familiar to you? Author Mark Twain famously said, “Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.” As countries limit the right of their citizens to access information, other freedoms almost always suffer. We’re not in danger of becoming the next North Korea, but once you hand the government your right to choose what you do and don’t see, you are heading down a slippery slope.
Jesse detests the TV volume being set to odd numbers, and has missed two planes as a result of his remarkable ability to sleep through almost any alarm clock invented.
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