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NOVEMBER 9, 2002 In this issue Teachers challenge church on wages Sanitarium helps ADRA feed the hungry Pastoral spouses affirmed for volunteer work Doors to Freedom is aimed at high-level leaders and government representatives, but is intended to be used in many ways: broadcast by television stations as initial information about the church, an orientation message on the global scope of the church for new members, and as an introduction to what the church does to be shown during public seminars the church conducts. Doors to Freedom launched Nathan Brown new DVD/video, designed for presentation to heads of state, diplomats and other leaders, was A released during the Annual Council meetings in Washington, DC. The 10-minute DVD— Doors to Freedom—describes the Adventist Church as an agency of hope in a troubled world and highlights the church’s commitment to bringing that hope and freedom to all humanity. “This presentation is intended to explain some basic aspects of the Adventist Church in terms that all can understand,” says Jonathan Gallagher, the United Nations liaison director for the General Conference, and one of the developers of this project, which has been a joint production of the Department of the President and the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department. “Doors to Freedom is a brief introduction to what Adventists do around the world, illustrating our beliefs and values under the theme of the essential ‘doors to freedom,’” Pastor Gallagher reports. “Through this new information tool the hope is to intentionally open many more ‘doors Pinnacle to freedom’ in the world’s leadership community. “For example, how much freedom do you have if you are sick? Very little practical freedom at all. That is one primary reason Adventists are involved in preventive health and medical care— Junior goes to liberate the sick. Or take education. How much freedom do you have if you are not even aware of the choices? Adventists are at the front of educational programs designed to liberate the mind, and to inform people of the choices, particularly in religious freedom and human rights.” Outback ISSN 0819-5633 FLASHPOINT • New manager for Sanitarium New Zealand • RECORD web site update • Youth baptised in Tonga • Ancient inscription mentions Jesus • and more G Jeff Courtney has been appointed to the position of Sanitarium helps ADRA feed hungry Try it now! general manager for Sani- tarium’s New Zealand he Adventist Development The RECORD web site is operations. Currently work- T and Relief Agency (ADRA) now accessible. A delay in ing for Mayne Group in a Australia recently distributed the transfer of the web- senior project role, Mr Court- seconds Sanitarium products site address has caused ney has had numerous senior to 25 different charities, problems. While RECORD positions in Village Road- including school breakfast has been available show, in both Australia and clubs, Aboriginal support through the church’s Hong Kong, including programs and refuges. ADRA The Examiner <www.adventist.org.au> general manager for cor- is Sanitarium’s preferred web site, it is now online porate finance and Golden distributor of product to charity. at <www.record.net.au>. Harvest Entertainment, Marilyn Ibbott, ADRA’s national program assistant, who where he took a leading role coordinated the distribution, reports that “as groups took delivery G The Northern Australian in driving growth through of their product from the ADRA warehouse in Wahroonga, NSW, Conference campground, merger and acquisition-type they expressed their appreciation for this generous support to their Halliday Park, situated in activity. His interest in the programs, which assists them in helping needy people in the Aitkenvale, Qld, has new corporate business world community.” caretakers. Phil and Anita began after teaching business The breakfast club committee from Moruya school in NSW is Williams—who spent the studies at Carmel Adventist pictured inspecting the latest consignment from Sanitarium for past 10 years at the North College, WA, in 1988. He will their school breakfast project. Their program has been operating NSW Conference SDA commence his role on for five years for between 30 and 40 children each day. Organisers Convention Centre, Stuarts November 11, and will be say interaction between the children has improved. “After a Point—have recently joined by his wife, Jennifer, substantial breakfast children were more alert in classes in the moved to Halliday Park and and their children—Mitchell, mornings, and were less disruptive in class,” says coordinator will be involved in Monique and Hudson—in Russelle Warrell. She says that whatever the reason the children improving facitlities there. the new year. attend, those who really need breakfast are eating with those who have less need, and are not singled out. G An ancient Aramaic G Eleven young people (pictured) were campaign held in Maufanga, Tonga, by inscription on a stone box mentions the baptised as a result of a recent evangelistic youth director Taufa Pulu. “This area is a name Jesus, leading many archeological Catholic stronghold,” reports treasurer scholars to believe it could mean Jesus of Leny Tukia. “The landowner was Nazareth. If authentic, it is the oldest Catholic, yet he allowed us to meet on his record of Jesus outside the Bible. The property. During the last day of the meeting stone box is an ossuary, used in ancient the owner of the land made a speech Israel, to hold bones of deceased. The thanking the church for preaching the right inscription reads, “James, son of Joseph, message. He also asked for a copy of each brother of Jesus.” Information about the sermon during the campaign for his own inscription comes from Andre Lemair, a personal study.” Mr Pulu is studying with French epigrapher, and released in seven more candidates from the local Biblical Archaeology Review. He dates the community. inscription at 60 AD. OFFICIAL PAPER Editor Bruce Manners Mail: Signs Publishing Company, 3485 South Pacific Division Senior assistant editor Lee Dunstan Warburton Highway, Warburton, Seventh-day Adventist Editorial assistant Kellie Hancock Victoria 3799, Australia Church Copy editor Graeme Brown Phone: (03) 5966 9111 Fax: (03) 5966 9019 ACN 000 003 930 Editorial secretaryDaysMeryl andMcDonald-Gough offeringsEmail Letters: [email protected] SPD News Correspondent Brenton Stacey Email Newsfront: [email protected] Vol 107 No 44 Senior consultingFebruary editor Barry 9— OliverRECORDEmailOffering Noticeboard: [email protected] Cover: General Subscriptions: South Pacific Division mailed within Conference Web site: www.record.net.auMarch 2—Womens DayAustralia of andPrayer to New Zealand, $A43.80 $NZ73.00. March 9—Adventist OtherWorld prices Radio on application. Offering Printed weekly. 2 November 9, 2002 NEWSFRONT Teachers challenge church on wages Bruce Manners there was no procedure set out for how wages. The independent award does not n October 4 decision by the NSW you come under the award. It wasn’t even cover principals, because that is A Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) clear that such an exemption could be negotiated separately.” ruled in favour of 37 Adventist teachers in granted under the industrial acts provision Ms Matthews agrees that pressure will the North New South Wales Conference as they currently exist.” be placed “on the system, particularly who had taken their wages case to the IRC. She reports that several teachers had with ‘promotional’ positions and The teachers applied to be paid the approached the IEU over the past four or administrative positions. That’s really Independent Schools Award, working with five years about working under the award. where the greatest difference is.” the Independent Education Union (IEU). In the 18 months before the case went to “What this means is that we will end up The church contested the application arbitration, a “significant number of with two different pay structures in the made by the teachers. people contacted us and said they wished North New South Wales Conference,” Dr John Hammond, national director to take the matter further.” says Mr Reye, “with the financial and of Adventist Schools Australia, says, “With this decision, we now have a philosophical problems and dilemmas “The church has always adhered to a dilemma in trying to resolve the situation that this creates.” single wage structure to facilitate a in the North New South Wales Education representatives will meet system-wide approach to Adventist edu- Conference, while not wanting to burden with the IEU to finalise pay and cation, thus providing quality education the system in other conferences,” says conditions for those teachers who have at an affordable rate to our church Dennis Reye, associate director for chosen to work under the award. For the members.” Adventist Schools Australia. He explains 37 teachers, any pay and condition However, this ruling places these that in most other states the independent differences will be backdated to the date teachers on the same terms and conditions schools award is not as generous as the they applied through the union to be as teachers in other independent schools church’s; they are considered a “safety net covered by the award. in NSW rather than on the terms and rather than a real wage.” “We wish they hadn’t taken the action conditions of colleagues on the Division Teachers under the NSW union award they did, but we hold no ill will toward Wages Schedule in Adventist schools may receive more generous long-service any of the teachers,” says Mr Reye. Australia wide. leave entitlements, and paid maternity “Recognising the teachers’ right under “We feel justified that this decision leave (the church currently provides 12 law to make this application, the recognised our choice under Australian months unpaid maternity leave). Education Department has no intention law,” says Ron Sparke, a teacher at Other entitlements and benefits are yet of marginalising these teachers.” Avondale High School, Cooranbong, NSW.