News (Page 2)

Eulogy by Michael Stoyko My mother, Terezija Stoyko, was born on the 5th of July 1931 in Borovac, Jugoslavia, now Croatia, the second child of Ana and Josip Ivastinovic. Her oldest brother was Nicola, younger sister, Mara and younger brother, Slavko. Growing up in the village was a life of learning responsibility from a young age. She was always with her older brother Nicola and there to assist him. From five years old onward, she would wake up at 5…

The theme for the 2022 Conference was “Uplift, Serve, Proclaim,” based on our AUC mission theme. (You can read about the delegation session here). Starting on Wednesday evening, the conference was held over four days and was attended by people from across the Union, with a few from outside our region as well. A large tent replaced our main hall which was lost to fire in 2019, and this tent was set up in nearly the same spot as the…

Delegates of the Australasian Union met on the 26th and 27th of December, for the election of new officers and approval of policies and plans for the next three years. It was voted to continue with the theme, “Uplifting Jesus, Serving People, Proclaiming Truth.” Officers & Special Committees Departments Strategic Plan The strategic plan was approved by the delegates. Some key points are: OUR MISSION: To fulfil the Gospel commission by service to the community, uplifting Jesus and proclaiming the…

Today we are saying goodbye to two long-time members of our staff, who have officially retired. Assistant editor Lidia Voncina has been a pillar of our office staff since 1999, and it will be sad to see her go. Over the years Lidia has assisted the secretary, managed our PTCC Bible Course, fulfilled too many different tasks to mention, and been the happy voice on the other end of the phone line for anyone ringing in to the office. Joe…

Coleambally Church was blessed by a visit from Br Miguel Mendoza during the second week of November when he held a Homiletics Seminar in Griffith, NSW. The seminar was a blessing to all age groups, but was particularly geared towards preparing the young people to give presentations. Each evening began with a delicious meal provided by the women of Coleambally Church and an opportunity for the young people to visit among themselves and with Br Miguel before beginning the seminar.…

Our Victorian conference was blessed in the month of October with the visit of Brother Jacob de Souza and his dear family – Sister Sandra, Lucas and Isabella. They came and stayed with us on the weekend of the Sabbath 15th of October when Bro. Jacob shared a message based on Matthew 13:47-51 entitled, “The Net.”This was a powerful message on our need of being fishermen of souls for our Lord Jesus Christ. He also reported quite a significant amount…

After learning of the needs of the East Timor Mission, Sr Martha Barat had the idea of getting some donation tins for people to take home as a modern equivalent of the “self-denial box.” The self-denial box was an initiative created by Seventh-day Adventists in the 1800s to raise money for missions. Members would have a self-denial box in their homes. Any time they were able to add spare change to it, they would. Sometimes this would mean doing without…

September 2022, Auckland, New Zealand The church at New Lynn, Auckland planned for a series of prophecy presentations in September, 2020. The theme was, “A New World Order.” First, we distributed more than 12,000 flyers in the nearby community. Then we put up a statue of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream from Daniel chapter 2, for passers-by to see, with banners advertising the seminar. The program went well and everyone who was present enjoyed our company. Besides the regular church attendance, there…

On the occasion of her 90th birthday, two of Sr. Katarina Risko’s daughters pay tribute to their mother. Our mother, Katarina Risko, was born Katarina Lada on the 17th November 1932. She was one of seven children in the town of Vukovar/Borovo, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She grew up during World War II and lived in Germany and Croatia. She took her stand for the Seventh Day Adventist truth in her mid-teens and was opposed, ridiculed and taunted for her beliefs in the…

With Covid restrictions finally gone and things opening up to normal again, it was time to put our cooking demonstration hats back on and get in and amongst our community again. We heard regularly from people who had participated in the past, asking us when we would be holding another series. Our last attempt in 2021 had not been possible due to going back into lockdown just before the scheduled dates, but this time with the help of God, we…

Students in the Sabbath School have been studying the subject of Stewardship, which has been a real blessing, as we learn what it means to be stewards of God’s grace and the talents He has given to each person individually. Today, the “Discovering Stewardship” magazine, first published for the Month of Stewardship in 2020, has been updated and can be downloaded here. And in case you missed them during the Month of Stewardship, here are three short videos that you…

6 October 1929 – 3 October 2022 Ilonka Janicek was the wife of the late Janos Janicek, who passed away in 2014. Aunty Ilonka was known to many by her smile and kind words. She was often seen together with some of our other dear ones at Kings Langley retirement village, and our workers would visit with her and chat about life and spiritual things. Once in recent times, when told by nursing staff that she could not leave the…