Myanmar mission pioneers complete training

Forty-five global mission (GM) pioneers and officers completed a 26-day training program conducted by Adventist Mission personnel of the church in the southern Asia-Pacific region, religious study center, and country directors.

The training, which started on November 2 and ended on November 28, bore the mission of carrying out the church program of “Tell[ing] the World” God’s everlasting gospel.

The topics focused on health, basic music reading and singing, church fundamental beliefs, Bible prophecy, religious studies and interaction with other religious groups, personal spiritual growth and income generating skills.

Participated in by pioneers from various global mission projects in the country, the training was conducted at the headquarters of the Church in Myanmar.

At the commencement program, November 28, Pastor Muller Kyaw, exhorted the pioneers to remain steadfast in sharing their faith at places where they belong. At this event, courtesy of MYUM Adventist Mission office, each GM pioneer was given a bicycle, and/or a guitar for those who requested for the instrument.

“I have never heard lectures like this in my life and am so pleased to attend this training,” said one attendee. Also a church elder, upon hearing about this training said, “I came on my own expense but the training I got was all worth the cost—my spiritual life was greatly enhanced!” [Gavin Johns/AND]

Philippines’ Hope Channel Media Center Inaugurated

Prominent guests, officers and friends from the Seventh-Adventist Church world headquarters, southern Asia-Pacific regional office and all over the country came to attend the official opening of the studio and media center of Hope Channel International in the Philippines, November 23. Other guests attending the inauguration represented the government’s telecommunication commission, and non-government entities.

Hope Channel is located at the top floor of the South Philippine Union Conference headquarters in Cagayan de Oro City.

Attending from the world headquarters were Pastor Brad and Mrs Kandus Thorp, president and vice-president, respectively, of the Hope Channel. Pastor Thorp spoke about the beginning and transformation of Hope Channel into a worldwide media ministry of the church that broadcasts thousands of programs that cater to all age groups on all its 13 satellite stations covering the globe.

Mrs. Thorp, who focused on HC’s international development, told of how HC miraculously bit all odds that now presents the “best news in the world” from production studios located at every continent of the world. “This Philippine media center is contributing much to the well-being of Hope Channel through the production and editing skills of our Philippine counterparts,” she said. “And with the inauguration of this new facility—equipped with high-end production gears—we look forward to having more programs that address every development need of our viewers.”

Also present were guests from the headquarters of the church in the southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD). They were Elder Keith Heinrich, treasurer; Pastor Joshua Mok, executive secretary, and Dr. Jonathan Catolico, communication director.

Faithful HC supporters James and Mel Wong from the USA, and Elder Fritz Wirtz from Canada, were also on hand to join the celebration. The presidents of the three Philippine regional offices: Pastor Abner Roque (North Philippines); Pastor Agapito Catane, represented by Pastor Anastacio Blasé, communication director (Central Philippines); and Pastor Wendell Serrano (South Philippines), were at the celebration to show their support to the HC goals and objectives. Pastor Serrano, the host officer, welcomed the guests and challenged them to take to themselves the mission of Hope Channel. He also extolled the contributions of the volunteer program producers, technical crew, partner institutions, and local and foreign benefactors.

The inauguration program brought together Philippine Publishing House (PPH) editor Jose Sarsoza, Jr; Atty. Lyle Surtida, counsel for Hope Channel Philippines, and many others who have been instrumental in acquiring the TV franchise, equipment and facilities that Hope Channel Philippines needed. These special guests gave testimonies of amazing events that have shaped Hope Channel Philippines.

A motorcade, participated in by about 50 cars, vans, and motorcycles garbed with tarpaulins and balloons, advanced the ministry of Hope Channel within the city proper in one festive trip. The afternoon of November 23 at the media center of SPUC was a celebration of God’s miraculous guidance and goodness for Hope Channel’s mission to bring the “best news in the world” at every home not only in the Philippines but around the world. [Jade Yerro Sorenio/AND]

Adventist World Church Papers Editors meet Philippine Writers

A real writer does not translate a flash of inspiration from pen to paper in an instant. Hard work plus discipline plus persistence equals a writer’s product. These were among the many lessons gleaned from the Adventist World (AW) and Adventist Review (AR)-sponsored writing seminar. The AW and AR are two official papers of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.

Held at the Cucueco Hall of the Central Luzon Conference (CLC) headquarters in Malabon City, Philippines, November 11-12, 121 participants, many of whom are experienced writers and editors along with professors and students, and communication directors, learned additional skills to enhance their writing careers.

They represented the three regional headquarters of the Adventist Church in the Philippines, Philippine Publishing House, Manila Adventist Medical Center, Adventist University of the Philippines, and Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies.

Dr Roy Adams, associate editor; and Pastor Stephen Chavez, managing editor, of the two official papers, led out in the seminar. They were assisted by five others led by Dr Bill Knott, AW/AR chief editor. Their presentations were done through DVDs and were facilitated by Adams and Chavez.

The topics presented were writing for news, feature, academic, Internet, children’s publications, and sermons.

Many participants contributed ideas to issues of importance that there was hardly time for breaks. These discussions, according to other participants, added positively to the outcome of the seminar.

This event was conceived by Dr Jonathan Catolico, communication director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD), and Dr Bill Knott more than a year ago. This came into reality with the help of the communication department of CLC under the leadership of Pastor Petronio Genebago, director. He was assisted by his media crew that worked on the audio and video set up for the seminar. The CLC’s leadership was also on full support of the event.

Dr Prema Gaikwad, professor at AIIAS, expressed the participants’ gratitude for the new insights they got from the seminar. [Gay Deles/AND]