ANR Bulletin
Adventist News Review
Trans-European Division of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church

31 August 2005

In this Issue:

* Latvia: Second graduation ceremony for the Baltic region
* England: West London hosts ?Experience the Power? campaign
* England: Division president visits ?Pavilion of Hope? in Birmingham
* TED Prayer Guide for week 4 ? 10 September


SECOND GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR BALTIC REGION

RIGA, LATVIA [ANR] ? On 20 August 2005, a second group of 10
students, some of whom have been studying for more than 10 years,
reached their goal of graduating with a BA degree in Religion from
Griggs University, USA. The graduation ceremony was held in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church at the church?s headquarters in Riga,
Latvia.

Addressing graduates and attendees, Bertold Hibner, president of the
Adventist Church in Lithuania said, ?It is really exciting to
celebrate with these students who have finished their academic
training.? He explained, ?Ministry in Lithuanian society today
demands from Adventist pastors not only the ability to help people
find Biblical answers, but also to guide in areas of church history;
relationships between different denominations and provide pastoral
counselling in personal life and family issues. This programme has
provided the necessary training in all of these areas.?

In his opening speech at the ceremony Viesturs Reíis, president of
the Adventist Church in Latvia said, ?We are very glad that Latvia
has five graduates; not all of them are or will be pastors, but they
are all involved in Church work in different capacities.?

Valdis Zilgalvis, president of the Adventist Church in the Baltic
region commented, ?I think this was a very good programme. Most of
our students are already ministers of local churches and they study
to receive the necessary knowledge for their work. This is a
different and crucial attitude to the learning process. Their
ministry is a very good catalyst for their lessons.?

Dr. Gudmundur Olafsson, director of the Pastoral Education Program
(PEP) in Riga observed that ?Their achievement was made possible
through the assistance of several institutions and individuals?.
Thanks were duly expressed to: Newbold College, England, for
teachers; the Adventist Church in Trans-Europe, for monetary support;
the Adventist Church in the Baltic region, for caring for the
physical needs of the students; Griggs University, USA for
recognizing the achievement of the students.

Several individuals were thanked personally for their various
contributions to the success of this study programme, namely: Dr.
Bertil Wiklander, president, Dr. Orville Woolford, Education
Director, Pastor Peter Roennfeldt, Ministerial Department Secretary,
respectively, for the Adventist Church in the Trans-Europe region; Dr
G. Olafsson, director of PEP; Carsten Waeren (Denmark) who has
sponsored students for the whole course; Valdis Zilgalvis, president
of the Baltic Union and other sponsors.

But special thanks went to Dr. Jan Paulsen, president of the
world-wide Adventist Church, for his vision in organizing the Riga
training programme and its funding whilst he was president of the
Trans-European region.

At the conclusion of his speech Dr. Olafsson said, ?Above all we
thank God, who provided the power and energy for the accomplishment
of this programme.?

[Guntis Bukalders/ANR]


WEST LONDON HOSTS 'EXPERIENCE THE POWER' CAMPAIGN

LONDON, ENGLAND [ANR] ? ?Experience the Power?, an evangelistic
outreach programme hosted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in West
London, was launched on Sabbath 20 August at the Hammersmith Town
Hall. Speaker for the programme is Walter Pearson, Tele-Evangelist
for ?Breath of Life Ministries?, one of a family of broadcasts
originating at the Adventist Media Centre in North America. Its
mission is to present the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ with a
contemporary, urban perspective to all people groups.

?Experience the Power? is structured to be engaging and entertaining,
but is also designed to draw those present, closer to the Lord and to
invite firm commitment to Jesus Christ. Music for the event is
professionally produced by a passionate praise team and the programme
is being filmed so that it can be televised later in the year.

?I believe that one of the best methods of presenting the gospel is
through the media available,? said Dr. Steve Thomas, pastor of the
North Wembley and West Kilburn churches and co-ordinator of the
event. ?In these last days, God is calling us to try new methods of
reaching a dying world and I think we should not pass up these
opportunities.?

[Catherine Boldeau/ANR]


DIVISION PRESIDENT VISITS 'PAVILION OF HOPE' IN BIRMINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND [ANR] ? The annual 'Pavilion of Hope'
evangelistic programme, run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church,
began in a large white tent in Summerfield Park, Birmingham, England
on Sabbath, 6 August. For the tenth year in succession this
evangelistic high-point has taken place in England?s second largest
city. Guest speaker this year is Dr Ian Warden from the Ellen G.
White Estate, Maryland, USA, ably supported by Dr. Norman Knight from
California.

A team of pastors and local church members led by Pastor Dalbir Masih
is actively accompanying the evangelists. The weekly attendance has
remained at 500; with a Sabbath increase to 850, the full seating
capacity.

Dr. Bertil Wiklander, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
in the Trans-European region, attended the ?Pavilion of Hope? on
Friday evening and Sabbath, 19-20 August, praying with and talking to
those involved. Wiklander rejoiced with the large congregation as
many people of all ages and backgrounds responded to Dr. Warden?s
Sabbath morning appeal to commit their lives to Christ by requesting
baptism. In a filmed interview Wiklander said, ?It is wonderful that
we can still bring people together publicly like this in Europe and
lead them to Christ?.

Wiklander praised the participatory style of the congregation, which
?made the meetings exciting, lively, and warm.? He commended the
commitment of the support team of pastors and members who have given
up their summer to be used by God to save lost souls; also Dr. Warden
for his humorous yet straightforward style of preaching. ?We are
grateful to our guests from North America for coming to Europe and
Britain to help us with the task of mission that joins us together in
Christ? said Wiklander.

The Trans-European Division is a branch of the General Conference
headquarters, leading the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
in nearly 40 countries between Greenland and Pakistan. One of its
tasks is to encourage pastors, evangelists and church members
everywhere to faithfully pursue Christ?s mission to the world.

[ANR Staff/ANR]


TED Prayer Guide for week 4 - 10 September 2005

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND [ANR] ? Worldwide, there are 669 people for each
Adventist believer. In several areas of the world there are fewer
than 25 people for each Adventist. In the territory of the TED, there
are 6,040 individuals for each Adventist while in the Middle East,
where nearly 40% of the Division?s population live; there are around
18,000 individuals for each Adventist.

The Middle East is indeed a land of great contrasts ? and challenges..

Generations of people have grown up in parts of Sudan with war all
around, never knowing what it was like to live in peace and security,
while in others areas, people live in luxury.

Prayer Requests:

1. The Middle East Union workers who work with limited financial
resources; that they may tell the Good News to the millions of people
whose lives have yet been untouched.
2. The people groups of the Middle East countries whose security and
peace are affected by war and famine.

[Michael Porter/ANR]


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANR Staff: Miroslav Pujic, news director, Beverly Coysten, editor
ANR, 119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: anr@ted-adventist.org
Website: www.ted-adventist.org

ANR (Adventist News Review) is a news and information bulletin issued
by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
in the Trans-European Division. You are free to re-print any portion
of the bulletin without need for special permission. However, we
kindly request that you identify ANR whenever you publish these
materials.

You can unsubscribe from this mailing list by replying to this email
and putting "unsubscribe <your email address>" in the subject line.