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Massive Floods Bring Heavy Losses

eventh-day Adventists in Europe are calling for prayers from their worldwide church family as they join the massive clean-up and rebuilding efforts in flood-ravaged parts of Central and Eastern Europe.

For more than 10 days, some of the worst flooding on record in Europe has destroyed houses, public buildings, roads, and bridges. More than 100,000 people have fled their homes, and an estimated 109 people are dead. Rivers, swollen by violent storms two weeks ago, have left paths of destruction in southern Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany.

Adventist leaders in the region report that no church members are believed to be among those who died in the tragedy. But they say the flooding has inflicted "immense damage among Adventist families, and to church facilities." While cautioning that it is too early to assess the full impact of the floods, leaders say they have already received many reports of property damage.

In the Czech Republic, several Adventist churches were flooded. The Adventist publishing house in Prague, Advent-Orion, was also swept by flood waters, that destroyed more than half its stock of books, as well as a number of printing presses and computers.

Adventist church buildings in the German towns of Flöha, Olbernau, and Schneeberg are said to have sustained severe flood damage. Church members in Dresden, Pirna, Grimma, and Leising were among the many thousands of residents evacuated to safety as flood waters threatened their homes. Reports of church members who have lost houses or other property continue to flow in.

In Austria, a group of youth attending a Pathfinder camp were surprised by the floods. The 40 children were saved, but their tents, belongings, and four cars were washed away.

There is a prevailing attitude of "everybody helps everybody else," says one church official. He says personnel from the Adventist University at Friedensau, Germany, worked to evacuate some 90 residents of a nearby community senior citizens' home. Adventists in Europe are also contributing to a special relief fund the church has set up to provide assistance for flood victims.

Ulrich Frikart, president of the Euro-Africa Division, says that in spite of the tragedy, "we are trying to remain positive." He reported that as the water goes down, Adventists will continue to do whatever they can to provide relief for those impacted by the floods. Frikart has requested the prayers and solidarity of Adventists around the world as the long recovery process continues.                      --Adventist News Network

New Law in Brazil Prohibits Examinations on Saturday
On June 18, representatives of the Brazilian state of Pará approved, in all rounds of voting, a bill which prohibits holding public examinations on Saturday. The bill was authored by Representative Marinho Carmona, president of the Pará Legislative assembly, and states specifically that exams cannot be scheduled between 2 p.m. on Fridays through 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

Quoted in O Liberal, a local newspaper, President Carmona said, "With this new development, Seventh-day Adventists, Jews, and others will have the same opportunities that everyone else has. This is nothing more than recovering a right that they did not have."

The push for this effort came when 13 Seventh-day Adventist university students faced an exam scheduled on Sabbath (or Saturday) last March. When the students approached President Carmona, they were given permission to sit for the exam on Saturday night instead. "We were happy, because in addition to helping us, President Carmona took the initiative of proposing the new bill. He also accepted our invitation to speak in one of our worship services," said Orley de Morais, one of the 13 students.

"While the approved bill will only apply in the state mentioned above, there are similar laws in 15 other states in Brazil. This approval is definitely a positive milestone for the Adventist Church in Brazil. In standing firm for our beliefs, our students have played a part in not only "open doors" with a government official, but making the path easier for future students," said Siloé Almeida, director of public affairs and religious liberty for the church's South American Division territory.

The bill has been sent to Governor Almir Gabriel for further action. According to Elder Jairo Emerick Torres, president of the South American Division, Governor Gabriel sanctioned the 1998 law regarding the college entrance examinations. Thus Torres is confident that Governor Gabriel will be consistent by sanctioning the bill for Belém and Pará.

GC Educational Institutions Have "New Voice"
The General Conference (GC) Administrative Committee recently established a body to allow General Conference-run colleges and universities to speak out on issues or concerns relating to the church's International Board of Ministerial and Theological Education (IBMTE).

"Each of the church's 12 divisions has established a Board of Ministerial and Theological Education that provides a voice for division-run colleges and universities," explains Pastor Gerry Karst, a vice president of the world church and chair of the IBMTE taskforce.

"But we realized that we also needed to create a parallel body that would deal with issues relating to the five GC-operated educational institutions: Andrews University, Oakwood College, Loma Linda University, the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, and Griggs University."

The newly created body is called the General Conference Institutions' Board of Ministerial and Theological Education. Its members include the five heads of the GC educational institutions, the five heads of the theology/religion departments, and the chairs of each institution's board.

Stewardship and Sabbath School
Departments Team with Kellogg's
The North American Division Stewardship and Sabbath School departments have entered into a new and enhanced label reimbursement program with the Kellogg Company of Battle Creek, Michigan. Kellogg=s is now the producer of the well-known Worthington, Loma Linda, Morningstar Farms, and Natural Touch products.

Under the new program, Kellogg's is requesting that the UPC portion of the label be clipped and returned to them. It is suggested that local churches designate someone to collect, clip, and count the labels. After the church sends a summary report to the conference, along with the UPC labels, the conference will send a compiled report on to Kellogg's. Kellogg's will then reimburse the conference $.05 for each UPC label submitted. This is an increase of more than twice the old reimbursement of $.02 per label.

This money is sent on to the General Conference to support mission investment projects throughout the world divisions. Kellogg's has expressed a strong interest in partnering with the church in supporting these special mission projects.

This new agreement between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and Kellogg's will commence on October 1, 2002.

Church Leader Tells North American
Adventists to "Go to Jail"
Some 160 people attended North America's largest-ever Seventh-day Adventist prison ministries convention in St. Louis, Missouri. "We go to prison because Jesus is in prison," says Alfred Johnson, adult ministries director for the Adventist Church in North America. "Jesus said, 'I was in prison and you visited me,' so that's what we do."

"We've got active prison ministry groups in every state," says Johnson. "There are about 2,000 folk doing prison ministries in the United States and Canada right now." He estimates that there are hundreds more he doesn't even know about.

Keynote speaker James Graves, Mississippi state Supreme Court justice, said, "If we're bona fide and sanctified, then we're qualified, and God's calling us to serve."

Johnson says he wants to get more church members involved with prison ministries. He suggests that interested people ask their pastor or an elder at their church whether there is a local program.

"If the answer is 'No,' call us, and we'll send someone out to organize a prison ministry in your area," he says. "We're so anxious to see prison ministries done that we'll come to you."

"We want as many Seventh-day Adventists in jail as we can get," he adds with a smile. --Adventist News Network

News Notes

Artist Nathan Greene was a guest of the retail home shopping giant QVC for a live on-air promotion of his recently released fine art print titled The Lamb of God. The show was aired September 19. "I hope that The Lamb of God will convey the idea of Christ as a close companion and a faithful friend to every member of the QVC audience," says Greene. "I want them to understand that God is not a distant divine deity, but a Saviour who is very interested in the intimate details of our daily life."

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