Commitment: Behind SPAC’s quest for excellence

Renewed commitment to provide excellent Christian education to students propelled school leaders to make every way possible for a sustained program of spiritual, academic, physical, and facilities development at South Philippine Adventist College (SPAC), in Camanchiles, Matanao, Davao del Sur, Philippines.

Included in these developments were the renovation of the administration building, acquisition of a brand-new Toyota van, and the arrival of a 48-seater Hyundai bus donated by Samhyook University, SPAC’s sister institution in South Korea.

Such commitment was celebrated during the July 14 blessings ceremony for these new acquisitions. Despite the heavy the rain, the SPAC community witnessed how the Lord continued to bless the school even before it was upgraded into a tertiary institution of learning.

The administrators, faculty and staff, academy and college students and the members of the school board, headed by Pastor Wendell M Serrano, were among the hundreds who saw the event. Pastor Serrano who flew to the college straight from his trip to Geneva, Switzerland, where he attended the world congress on health, addressed the school community at this celebration.

Besides Serrano from the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in southern Philippines (SPUC) were Pastor Wilson C Catolico, executive secretary; Mr. Levi Baliton, treasurer, and Dr Ildefonso Faigmani, education director. Other guests included Pastor Robert Jimenez and Mr. Lawrence Llamera, president and treasurer, respectively, of the Davao Mission; and the Honorable Nery Obedencia, barangay captain of Camanchiles.

“As you march out of this building, as you get off from the bus or from the van, you shall be a witness to the people and the community,” stressed Pastor Serrano. “And the people will know what South Philippine Adventist College exists for.”

“We just can’t let time go without us in the leadership doing something for the Lord,” said Dr Chliejvferwyn C Catolico, college president. “These projects: college van, school bus, and the administration building facade enhancement were done for a purpose, and that is to invite students to taste how beneficial and important Adventist education can be to their life as they prepare for service here and in the hereafter.”

As pastors, church leaders, faculty and staff, and students encircled the two transport vehicles parked in front of the administration building, Pastor Serrano and Dr Nemuel Tambalque, SPAC theology department chair, performed the rites of thanksgiving and blessings.

At the said ceremony, the college administration expressed its elation for the services of Ian Enoch, a young Davao-based architect, who saw to it that such structural enhancement meets both functionality and aesthetic values.

“It’s like a first-class resort!” students and visitors were heard saying, as they beheld the new look of the administration building and the landscaping that enhanced it.

“We also wish to thank Sahmyook University for the bus which will greatly help our students and school family in their transportation needs,” added Dr Catolico. “And the school Toyota van will help us meet our official functions.”

“Indeed, these new developments add to our pride of being at South Philippine Adventist College,” students concluded. [Rhoen P Catolico]

Myanmar’s pioneer school keeps Bible reading a lifestyle

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in once called Burma, now Myanmar, traces its roots to the work of pioneers in the early 20th century. One of these pioneers was Eric B. Hare who was very well known to grade school readers as ‘Mr Rabbit.’ In fact, Eric B Hare established an academy in 1916 where the youths of the then young church in Burma can gain an education that harmoniously develop their physical, mental, social, and spiritual powers. This academy later was named in honor of him—the E.B. Hare Memorial Academy.

The present leadership of Myanmar, also known as the country of the golden pagodas, wanted to keep the fire of faith burning in the hearts of the church members by initiating programs that bring them back to the Bible.

Such obsession of the school leadership brings about a strong program of the four-fold development with strong emphasis on faith as a foundation for wholesome lifestyle of every church member. And one of the ways to rekindle the love of reading the Bible was the Follow the Bible (FTB) exercises that have become a new way of life of the students.

The FTB exercises include regular Bible study, quizzes, conducting Branch Sabbath Schools, and youth to youth friendship activities at nearby villages. As a way of life of the faculty and students, such programs have been producing good results. Last school year 2008-2009, 18 of the students were baptized to the Adventist Church.

In retrospect, the E.B. Hare Academy was first established in Ohn-Daw, Kamaaung, Papon Township, but in 1997 it was moved to its present site at Yay-Bu, Hlaibe Bwe Township, about 24 miles away from the capital city of the Kayin State, Hpaan.

E.B. Hare was also known for his love of missions. His feats for the Lord in this foreign land were recorded in his book entitled “Jungle Flower.” It was in this publication that E.B. Hare Academy became known around the world as he penned what the pioneer missionaries had done in Burma.

The Academy has done through the years what was envisioned to do. It has produced several missionary workers in the country, Pastor Kalee Paw, the first national president for the Church in Burma, being one of them.

Today, the Academy has 293 students from various parts of Kayin and Mon states. Of this number 108 come from non-Adventist homes and are potential members of God’s community of Adventist believers in this part of the globe.

“Even if we do not have a chapel to congregate in every Sabbath to learn of the Scriptures, our learning exercises take us to understanding and knowing Jesus more and more,” students said. And a non-Adventist student expressed his impression, “I like to know more of Jesus, this way.”

And at morning and evening devotional sessions, the hostel residents follow the FTB readings regularly. “I am very proud to be a part of this prestigious Academy for His services and through these activities I feel my ministry is well deserved,” John David, Boys’ hostel dean, said.

“We are so proud to be a part of an institution that is rooted in God’s word as we continue to produce leaders to serve the needs of the church,’ concluded Cally Thein, academy principal.

New President tells vision for church in Sri Lanka

Making the church in Sri Lanka a body through which the Holy Spirit can work through the members freely has become the vision of the new leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sri Lanka (SLM).

“Connecting and being united and led by the Spirit is the way forward for building the work in this country”, said Larry Brown, new SLM President, when he met the church family upon the couple’s arrival in Sri Lanka.

Speaking further on his vision for the church, he said that he plans to use the biblical model of Ephesians (Chapter 4) to identify and harness the talents of the Sri Lankan church, in uniting the diverse and multifaceted gifts within the church community; to make that vital connection so that the Holy Spirit could work without restraint in His own way to complete the work.

Pastor Brown and his wife, Rhonda, arrived in early June to lead the church in Sri Lanka as its 17th president.

Dr. Brown hails from Oregon in the United States, where he spent his formative years with his parents and three older sisters.

He holds a doctor of ministry degree from the Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, Maryland; “Congregation – short term mission” being his main area of concentration.

Dr. Brown served for sometime in the United States Navy, but gave up the Navy to join the ministry. He counts 13 years of service to the church—his first as pastor in the Oregon conference and later in two-district churches on the Pacific Coast. While serving as pastor he undertook and led out in three successful field education mission trips, one to India and two to Poland.

Speaking about his wife, Dr. Brown observed: “Rhonda credits the education system of the Seventh-day Adventist church in changing her perception of God.” She graduated from Walla Walla College in College Place, Washington, and holds degrees in Dietetic and Physical Therapy. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She has several years of work experience as an associate dietician and physical therapy assistant. Her work interest lies mainly in the area of Public Health.

Pastor Brown’s adult son, Philip lives and works as a computer technician in the USA. [Nedra Perera]

Writing skills, a great need in evangelism

Who wouldn’t want to visit the summer capital of the Philippines especially for a training seminar that hone skills to write effectively in pursuit of people for Christ’s kingdom?

This question occupied the minds of those who battled the strong rains as they negotiated the zigzag roads leading up to Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines. The tail of the recent storm still required hoisting signal 2 in northern Luzon’s area of responsibility. Nevertheless, these did not drown the spirits of those who travelled from far and near to attend the Writing Seminar, July 13-14, organized for enthusiasts, editors, and church leaders at the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Mountain Provinces (MPM).

Communication directors and their teams from Central Luzon, Northern Luzon, South-Central Luzon, and the host field of Mountain Province numbering 60, battling the cold weather, learned techniques of writing and translated them into beautiful layout and design to meet the need for communicating God’s love through print and electronic publications.

“I have been a teacher many years but haven’t gotten techniques as simple as these presentations to help me communicate to my students a better way to tell God’s love to those around them,” said one participant as she voiced her elation of attending the seminar.

An English teacher at one of the church-operated high schools was mesmerized by the versatility of the graphic software in translating literary articles into beautiful and captivating designs for publication. “It is only now that I learned the way to making good designs for my school papers,” she said.

Mr Reuben A Pagaduan, chair of the Tradigital Fine Arts at the Adventist University of the Philippines, widened the interests of the participants to the unlimited possibilities of making their publications attractive to their readers. His presentations dealt on layout and design, photography, and software application. Mr Jose F Sarzosa, Jr, vice-president for editorial services of the Philippine Publishing House and editor of the Health and Home, an award-winning health journal published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Philippines, introduced the participants into the beauty of well-written news stories about day-to-day events in the church and other stories that uplift the well-being of humanity.

“The law of attraction works well with us as communicators,” said Dr Jonathan C Catolico, communication director for the church in the southern Asia-Pacific Division, “when we transmit God’s glory in both verbal and non-verbal methodologies.” Dr Catolico also challenged the trainees to be on constant lookout for better ways to communicate God’s love to those they get in touch with.

The lecture on electronic publication presented by Mr Winelfred Pasamba, systems administrator of the Online Information System of the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), was also well received by the participants as they saw how modern communication reaches the elites of society and the ‘natives’ of this technology. [AND staff]

Women’s goal: In-reach for Outreach

A nation-wide gathering of women in Bangladesh, June 18-21, created impact to 175 participants as they envisioned themselves potent members of a church community that will reach out to the world through its in-reach programs, empowering them and their families to serve the Lord.

Held at Dhaka Seventh-day Adventist Church, the delegates represented all fields and institutions within the territories of the church in Bangladesh (BAUM).

Organized by Ms Lucena Chambugong, BAUM women’s ministries (WM) and Shepherdess International (SI) director; the convention had, for its presenters Ms Helen B Gulfan, WM/SI director for the southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD) and Ms Shirley C Aguinaldo, director for the church in southern Philippines (SPUC). They were assisted by four others, namely: Ms Sweetie Ritchil, BAUM treasurer; Pastor Isaac P. Bairagee, Adventist Mission Director; Mr Benjamin Raksham, Bangladesh Children’s Sponsorship director; Dr. Rongten P Bala, education director; and Dr Douglas D Roy, chairperson of the Religion Department of the Bangladesh Adventist Seminary and College.

The opening ceremony was highlighted with the parade of delegates donning their costumes signifying the territories they represent. Ms Chambugong, welcoming the guests with bouquets of flowers, also welcomed the participants to this 4-day affair.

Pastor Bibek Halder, president of the church in west Bangladesh (WBM) delivered the welcome remarks while Pastor Edward P Chambugong, BAUM executive secretary keynoted the event.

The topics presented included the following: Are you emotionally healthy?, Partnership in Mission, Connectedness, Preventive Health Care, 10 Ways to Improve Spiritual Life, Never Good Enough, and From Powerless to Powerful.

On vespers, Ms Aguinaldo shared her message on ‘Touch a heart, Tell the world’ and Ms Gulfan at Sabbath worship, “Do not get tired of doing well.” The Saturday evening cultural and social program brought the delegates to a moment to remember as they drowned themselves with laughter.

“We are so glad conventions like this are held for us. It equips us with ways to share the gospel to the people in our village; and we thank the Lord for this kind of meetings,” delegates said. “We also thank our Church for such an uplifting convention for women and we hope we shall have more of this often to enhance our spiritual growth,” concluded Priya Mondol. [Milton Das]

Publishing work strengthens church members

Church and field pastors, part-time literature evangelists, workers and members at Yangon Attached District of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (YAD) in Myanmar, had a wonderful time attending the Publishing Ministries and Spirit of Prophecy Seminar, June 30-July 1 held in Yangon.
This seminar was facilitated by Pastor Thang Lian Khai, publishing director for the Adventist Church in Myanmar (MYUM). He, too, was the main presenter that uplifted the work of the publishing ministry and strengthened the confidence of the church members in the Spirit of Prophecy publications. “I would like to see that in every church, we have at least one member joining the publishing work. And I challenge everyone to make this commitment,” Pastor Khai told the participants.
“Indeed, this church is blessed with the writings of Ellen G White. Her writings are binding the church to a more aggressive work of preaching the word,” delegates said. “And we hope that the churches will find time to hold meetings like this to strengthen church members in the faith,” concluded Pastor Mg Mg Htay, publishing coordinator for YAD. [Myo Chan]