Corona virus

Seventh Day Adventist Church Australia - Press release

Dear church members,

Today, we met as Union officers and Conference presidents from across Australia. We met for several purposes, but at the forefront of our meeting was prayer and the wellbeing of our members and the wider community. Today, we prayed for you—for our elders and our children, our young people, and the thousands of faithful church members we have across this country. We prayed for the current pandemic affecting millions of people around the world, and we prayed for those directly involved.

As we are sure most of you are aware, last week a decision was made by the executive committees of four conferences to cancel their camp meetings for 2020. Today, as leaders, we have taken an action to recommend that churches suspend all services until the end of April 2020.

As a leadership team, we recognise the importance of community and worshipping together, especially on Sabbath. However, we have considered the current advice of the Australian Government and their health experts; as well as many of our own Adventist health professionals; and similar actions by Adventist church leaders around the world, and have made this decision—one we believe is timely and needed to protect our members, particularly those who are more vulnerable in our churches and the wider community. As Christians, we have a responsibility to help minimise the stress on our health system and those who work in it.

This is an unprecedented measure for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia, and please know that it is not a decision we have taken lightly. But while the doors to our churches are shut, it is our prayer that today, more than ever, we open our lives and our hearts to our God.

These next few Sabbaths will look a little different to what most of us may be used to. We will miss our churches, and being together. But our worship does not depend on the place; but rather, in our hearts we will choose to worship the Father, as Jesus called us to, “in

 Spirit and in truth.” We may not be together physically or sharing a meal with others, but we will be worshipping together, praying together, singing together, and meditating in the Word together. This pandemic may have closed our churches, but there is nothing that can stop us from worshipping God together. He will receive our adoration and our praise, no matter where we are. If you are able, you may want to gather together in a home group—either in person, or through digital means.

We invite you to take this crisis as an opportunity. Today, we close our church doors, but we invite you to open your hearts. Let us use this time to connect in creative ways with others that may be on their own or isolated. Reach out to your neighbours to check that they are well; offer to help and pray for them. If you are able, offer to help your neighbours and friends to pick up essentials or assist them as needed.

The time will come when we will re-open, so let us re-enter our places of worship as people who have prayed intensely for one another, for our communities, and the world in which we live. Above all, pray for God to continue leading in the affairs of this world until we see Him face to face.

Blessings,

Darren Slade President Northern Australia Conference

Brett Townend President South Queensland Conference

Adrian Raethel President North New South Wales Conference

Terry Johnson President Greater Sydney Conference

Cristian Copaceanu President South New South Wales Conference

Graeme Christian President Victorian Conference

Gary Webster President Tasmanian Conference

David Butcher President South Australia Conference

Steve Goods President Western Australia Conference

Peter Cameron Chief Financial Officer Australian Union Conference

Michael Worker Secretary Australian Union Conference

Jorge Munoz President Australian Union Conference


Message from our Pastor

Dear church members,

Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership in Australia has made the decision to suspend all church services until the end of April 2020. This is an unprecedented measure necessary to ensure the well-being of our communities.

While the church is closed, we encourage you to still connect to others through home groups, either in person or through digital means.

- Live Stream Sabbath Worship Services

The live-streaming of worshipping services at Frankston Church will continue as per usual at 11:00 a.m. every Saturday. You can access the live streaming at https://frankston.adventist.org.au/live or https://facebook.com/SDA.Frankston

- Sabbath School

We plan to offer our Frankston Sabbath School class for interaction via the internet. We are in the process of setting this up. Stay tuned for more information.

- Tithes & Offerings

You will still be able to exercise your faithfulness in tithes and offerings during this time. Please remember that we still need to pay our regular weekly bills.

Your tithes and offerings may be returned to the Lord using these two options:

• E-Giving - This is our preferred method of giving. This is done through either the website https://egiving.org.au/ or mobile app ‘EGiving’.

Instructions: 1) Select our church in the drop down menu. 2) Enter the amount you are returning under tithe or donating under “Sabbath School”, “local budget expenses”, etc. You will find the local church offering options by scrolling down or clicking “show other offerings”. 3) Choose your payment option. 4) Receive your receipt

If you need more assistance on how to utilize the Egiving site or app, please send us a message.

• Direct Debit -

BSB: 033 112

A/C: 204 906

Account Name: SDA Church VIC Conference

Reference: Name+ Church ( FRAN) + what donation is for ( i.e. Tithes, education offerings)

I encourage you to read the attached official Press Release for more information.

Please, continue praying for our church and our country as we face these troubling times.

We will stay in touch with you through email, Facebook and phone. If you have not provided us with your updated personal details, please send it to us asap.

More than ever, seek the Lord in prayer and Bible reading. This is the daily spiritual food you need to remain strong in Christ. Take time to also read the Spirit of Prophecy and there you will come across the best sermons you could ever find!

Whenever possible, visit or call others to maintain the fellowship and the edifying of the Body of Christ. Encourage one another.

May this time prepare you for the soon coming of Jesus.

Blessings,

Pr. Jonathas Newlands