News Briefs for March 4, 2016
Stories from Fiji, General Conference headquarters in Silver Spring (Maryland), Ireland, Washington Adventist University (United States), Southern California, London (England), Blue Mountain Academy in Pennsylvania, Ghana and Jamaica
An international team from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) arrived in Fiji on Tuesday (March 1) to assess the needs in the aftermath of the worst cyclone in the Pacific nation’s history. ADRA had already provided a thousand families with food and hygiene kits in Ra Province, one of the hardest hit areas, reported the Fiji Sun. ADRA is planning to distribute more temporary shelters, food and hygiene supplies to thousands of families in coming weeks.
Robert Kyte, president of Adventist Risk Management (ARM), has announced his retirement from denominational employment, reported the Adventist Review. He will retire at the end of May and on July 1 become CEO of Healthwise, a nonprofit in Boise (Idaho), according to the Idaho Statesman newspaper. Kyte was president of Pacific Press, the publishing house of the denomination’s North American Division, for many years before coming to ARM, an insurance company owned by the denomination with offices at the General Conference headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Adventist congregation in Cork, Ireland, has purchased the historic Jewish synagogue on South Terrace to be its new home, reports the Evening Echo newspaper in that city. After 135 years the Jewish population in the Irish city dwindled to the point that there are no longer 12 adult men to maintain a synagogue organization. The facility was constructed in 1905 and will require considerable repairs. “Being in the city center will allow us to be more of a benefit to the community,” Pastor Jeff Freeman was quoted by the newspaper. The Adventist group has 35 members and has been in Cork for 15 years.
The Washington Adventist University men’s basketball team has earned a sport in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national tournament, according to the Victory Sports Network. On Sunday (February 28) it won against Central Christian College in Kansas with a score of 83 to 68, which puts it in the top rank of its division. It is the first time it has won a berth in the national tournament since 1992. The tournament is scheduled March 9 to 15 in Point Lookout, Missouri.
Pastor Larry Caviness died this week at age 74 from pancreatic cancer. He retired last year as president of the Adventist denomination’s Southern California Conference. “He was a spiritual mentor, a compassionate leader and a visionary who wanted to see God’s church flourish,” stated Pastor Velino Salazar who served with Caviness on the conference staff and was elected to replace him as conference president.
A major evangelism campaign is planned for London (England) later this year, jointly sponsored by the Adventist denomination’s South England Conference and the independent Three Angels Broadcasting Network. In recent weeks a team from the network and the conference visited some of the local churches in the city asking for their collaboration. The television network will distribute the series via satellite and the Internet. No information has been released about who the primary preacher will be.
Blue Mountain Academy in Pennsylvania is negotiating a business partnership with Rodale Institute, a major research and publishing organization in the field of organic farming. Rodale’s headquarters are located not far from the campus in Kutztown (Pennsylvania) and the secondary school operated by the Adventist denomination’s Pennsylvania Conference operates a farm that has free-range, non-GMO lay hens, two greenhouses, two orchards, organic vegetable and herb gardens, and produces organic hay and berries. It operates a small store that sells seasonal herbs and produce.
Apostle Addo Agyekum, founder of the Christ Adventist Church in Ghana, has joined Rev. Paul Yaw Frimpong-Manso, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God denomination in the African nation, in condemning pastors who sell anointing oil. Those who do so are “fake prophets,” Agyekum told Radio Peace in Accra. Such pastors are “unintelligent and need to go back to Bible school,” he stated.
Dr. Michael Harvey was stripped of his position as vice president of Northern Caribbean University (NCU) on Wednesday (March 2) because of his speech at a People’s National Party rally, according to the Jamaica Gleaner daily newspaper. Adventist Today reported on the party conference and Harvey’s appearance there two weeks ago. NCU is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in Jamaica where it is the largest Christian denomination.
What plans does your local church have for Global Youth Day which is coming up in two weeks on Sabbath, March 19? Please share your activities with Adventist Today by sending an Email to atoday@atoday.org with “Youth Day” in the subject line.
