H. A. ROBERTS Just Read Part The most coptivoting mission story ever comes from a live missionary. of the And the most boring mission story comes from a person who simply reads. Ste So, if you've been asked to give the mission story next week and you're not a live missionary, be the next best thing. Be a live, enthusiastic, captivating mission reporter!
Here's one way you con make your presentation more effective Tell os much of the report os possible in your own words. If there's o port you can't tell, prac- tice reading those few sentences. Then finish telling the story.
Remember, next Sabbath a missionary and his field belong entirely to you! You can make missions come olive—or you can put people to sleep. It's really up to you.
MISSION (ISSN 0190-4108) Cover Picture: A young is produced by the woman of France Seventh-day Adventist thanks you for your generosity Sabbath School Department, this quarter. 6840 Eastern Avenue NW., Washington, D.C. 20012. Howard F Rampton, Director Southern Asia Division Noelene Johnsson, Editor Volume 73 Rudolf Varesko, Layout Number 4 Gert Busch, Cover Fourth Quarter, 1984 MISSION
5 Have you ever wondered why the church in European countries needs our money? On October 6 let Facts Tell the Story.
7 A heartwarming story that introduces us to Mozambique, Hotline to Heaven is a story not to miss.
11 What do you know about the church in Socialist countries? Oldrich Sladik introduces the church in Czechoslovakia.
19 What can a church with 50 percent of its membership over retirement age do to attract young people? "Plenty," says Lothar Reiche from Over the Wall in East Germany.
25 For a graphic picture of the needs of the special projects don't miss No Handouts! on December 15.
27 This quarter the Thirteenth Sabbath Special Projects Offering will be taken on December 22. MINUTE SAVERS
A Page for Leaders
FACTS and FIGURES about the countries of the Euro-Africa Division have been included with the reports most weeks. See the report for October 6 to find more about the twenty-four European and eight African countries of the division. For more information about France or Mozambique see World Book Encyclopedia and The World Almanac and Book of Facts. National Geographic articles of interest include: France (April, 1982; October and August, 1980; and May, 1975) and Mozambique (August, 1964). SPECIAL PROJECTS are shown on the mission map (page 32). Should you require a more detailed description, see the reports for December 17 and 24. Remember: A large mission map is available from your Adventist Book Center. NOTES FOR PRESENTERS precede each report. Encourage your reporters to take advantage of this service when preparing to tell the reports in their own words. An extremely well-read report, however, may be more effective than one that is retold, but much practice is the secret of success with good reports whether read or retold. Idea: Several reports in dialogue form help to present some interesting facts. Don't give up on these. Have two young people prepare one, reading it as a news broadcast. They may even enjoy prerecording it with appropriate music. Remember: Facts can tell a remarkable story. Don't omit them. ARE YOU USING MISSION UPDATE? This sheet comes at least once a quarter in Adventist Action or from your Conference newsletter. It provides the latest news snippets from the featured division. Idea: Why not photocopy the first page of Mission Update and hand it out in Sabbath School? This will give members something to read between services and help them feel involved in mission. Remember: Mission reports are not just 10-minute canvasses for funds. They should also help keep your Sabbath School informed of what is going on in the world church. SABBATH SCHOOL PICTURES FOR ANGOLA AND MOZAMBIQUE. Enoch Oliveira suggests on page 9 that we may help children in these countries by mailing Sabbath School pictures, old Picture Rolls, and greeting card pictures to the Sabbath School director, Angola Union Mission, Caixa Postal 3, Huambo, ANGOLA, Africa, or c/o Mozambique Union Mission, Caixa Postal 1468 Maputo, MOZAMBIQUE, Africa.
4 October 6 Facts Tell the Story Noelene Johnsson Editor, MISSION Note to the Presenter: Two people Can you name it? should prepare this report as a fast- Answer: The Israel Field. moving factual presentation. Practice Question: Last time our Special to keep questions and answers snappy Projects Offering went to Euro-Africa, but natural sounding. Pause fre- it benefited which two countries? quently and establish eye contact with Answer: If I read my Sabbath your audience. School Lesson Quarterly correctly, on page 4 it shows the building of the new Question: Here are some questions girls' dormitory in progress at the to see what you know about the Adventist College of Sagunto, Spain, Euro-Africa Division. Which coun- and the evangelistic center in Brus- tries of Southern Europe belong to this sels, Belgium. These buildings could division? not have been possible without our Answer: Notice the map on the help. back of your Sabbath School Lesson Question: Many people wonder Quarterly. [Allow time to locate it.] why we should give to help the work in The northernmost area of this division European countries where people's is occupied by Germany. The most needs are just as well or better cared westerly European country is Portu- for than ours. gal, and the two most southerly are Answer: That's a good question. I Italy and Greece. find myself turning off to areas of the Question: Those and all the coun- world where I think the needs are tries in between belong to Euro- cared for. But, as Enoch Oliveira, Africa. Many Socialist countries vice-president of the General Confer- belong to this division. In Europe ence, remarked after a recent trip to these include Czechoslovakia, Hun- the Euro-Africa Division: "Needs gary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Alba- must be seen as both physical and nia. Can you name the Socialist coun- spiritual. And in Europe the spiritual tries of Africa that belong to this needs are great." division? Question: Let's be specific here. Answer: In North Africa, Algeria, This quarter Euro-Africa has chosen and in Southern Africa, Angola and two projects to benefit from our special Mozambique (mo-zam-BEEK). The offering. One is in France and the kingdom of Morocco also belongs to other in Mozambique, Africa. We can Euro-Africa. readily imagine the physical needs in Question: One country remains Mozambique. It's France that has me that is neither European or African. puzzled.
PRACTICE BRINGS SPARKLE TO REPORTS 5 Answer: So let's look at some of the guages in Europe, each country needs facts about France. its own seminary. French Adventists Question: France is the largest are proud of their seminary in Col- country in Western Europe. It is twice longes (co-LOANJ). the size of the State of Colorado, but its Question: But how can ten thou- population is eighteen times larger. sand members support their own col- Answer: In fact, the population of lege? Canadian Union College has France is one fourth that of the entire more than twice that many supporting United States. The per capita income it. And seven times the French mem- in France is almost the same as in the bership make up the constituency of United States, although the rate of Columbia Union College. inflation averages 2 percent higher in Answer: Exactly! The church in France. So their physical needs seem France needs our help. to be cared for. Question: Now we have a better Question: Let's look at some facts idea of the spiritual needs in France. that have a bearing on spiritual needs. How can we help our sister church in While 88 percent of Americans profess France this quarter? Christianity, less than 80 percent of Answer: Construction costs are Frenchmen are nominal Christians. much higher in Europe than in North And only 2 percent are Protestant. America. That is where they need Answer: And while one American special help. They need a seminary in 491 is a Seventh-day Adventist, building to provide classrooms for only one Frenchman in 7,000 is. One theology students at Collonges. French Adventist has the work of They ask a special interest in our fourteen Americans in finishing the prayers. And as we consider God's work in his own land. So the 7,720 blessing in our lives and budget our French Adventists need our financial offerings for Him this quarter let's set assistance in meeting their responsi- aside 2 to 3 percent of income for the bility for the spiritual needs of that World Mission Budget, knowing that country. our systematic giving enables the Question: How do they hope to church in other countries to better meet those needs? care for spiritual needs. Answer: They believe that the first "Every man according as he purpos- step in establishing the church lies in eth in his heart, so let him give; not the training of church workers. And grudgingly, or of necessity: for God because of the many different lan- loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7).