This week on ANN “Hope for Ukraine,” launched by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and Hope Channel, works to promote hope for the people of Ukraine. One of their recent projects includes a video of children asking, with tears, sadness and pain, when the war will finally come to an end. More than 20 tons of supplies were donated as an initiative of the “Hope for Ukraine” project, implemented by ADRA Romania, following the request of the “Western Bucovina Conference” organization based in Chernivtsi. Tens of thousands of donated supplies, including hygiene products, food, clothing, detergent, first aid products, medicines and food supplements, with a value of nearly $40,000 were received. They were transported to Ukraine on March 13th with the help of 34 ADRA Romania volunteers, to help Ukrainian refugees housed both in the centers in Chernivtsi district and in the Kiev area. The 11th ADRA Romania Humanitarian Convocation, “Hope for Ukraine,” held in Bukovina, included the presence of ADRA International, ADRA Bulgaria, ADRA Hungary and ADRA Ukraine teams, with all members arriving safely at home afterwards. ADRA and the Adventist Church in Europe have expressed their profound concern for the people affected by the armed conflict in Ukraine. These are circumstances where the Adventist Church’s mission invites an immediate and focused response. ADRA Europe’s constituents, supported by their respective national authorities, charitable agencies, churches and individual donors, were deeply moved by the flight of fear-filled people. The Adventist Church in Europe will continue to respond to the needs of displaced people. More than 200 cyclists rode more than 24 miles throughout Bogotá, Colombia capital city, to launch the start of dozens of initiatives and activities. The objective was to celebrate 100 years since the Seventh-day Adventist Church was established there and also to begin the commemoration of the establishment of the Inter-American Division. Children, young people, and adults pedaled across the main streets and avenues of Bogotá to promote healthy living to onlookers and business owners. Hundreds of students at the British Virgin Islands Seventh-day Adventist School in Tortola continue to contribute to the community and help find the school. Thanks to agricultural science courses that teach healthy lifestyle choices and promote a sustainable way of life. Primary school-aged students are involved in planting vegetables while 8th to 12th graders are planting, studying and experimenting with a variety of seeds. In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, Adventist volunteers carried out solidarity activities throughout the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. The movement took place over a Sabbath through The Ação Mulher project. The Ação Mulher project aims to strengthen the role of women in front of spaces inside and outside the church through humanitarian initiatives. To know more news and current affairs within the Adventist community, visit https://adventist.news/ Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNezrmYGdPU

In this episode, Pastor Ted Wilson talks about Jesus Christ. He focuses on His life, death, and resurrection, the central focus of the Scriptures and the ninth fundamental belief of the Seventh-day Adventists. This belief is at the very heart of Christianity because Christ's life on earth, death on the cross, and glorious resurrection give us hope of salvation. In the beginning, when God created Adam and Eve, they were perfect. Unfortunately, when they chose to disobey Him, sin entered the world. Thankfully, God had devised a plan to save them. That is, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15). This beautiful promise signified that God the Son, Jesus Christ, would come to earth, be born of a virgin, and take on our humanity. He would die in our place, taking the penalty of our sin by dying on the cross that we could be reconciled. He suffered the condemnation that should have been ours to set us free from sin and allow us to live forever with Him. "The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that He Whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space, the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He Whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore—humbled Himself to uplift fallen man; that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father's face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His life on Calvary's cross" (The Great Controversy, p. 651). But Jesus was not alone in this great sacrifice. He was with God the Father. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God gave the gift of His Son so that we might have eternal life. We must accept this gift and allow Him to change our hearts. Not only did Jesus die for us but He also lived a sinless life that serves as an example for us to live by. His life, death, and resurrection gave us salvation and showed us what love really is. The Seventh-day Adventist fundamental belief #9 states: "In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God's law and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The bodily resurrection of Christ proclaims God's triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow." What an amazing, incredible God we serve! He has provided a way for our salvation. As Paul put it, "For since by man came death, by Man (that is, Jesus) also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:21, 22). There's so much to learn from this fundamental belief by visiting www.adventist.org/life-death-and-resurrection-of-christ/ and reading The Desire of Ages by Ellen G. White. As an appeal, Pastor Wilson invites you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Jesus is waiting for you with forgiveness freely available to all who come. Now is the time to come to Him. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSxmbdTQu-o

This week on ANN. Seventh-day Adventist members around the world are continuing to pray for the conflict in Eastern Europe, specifically Ukraine. On Friday, March 4, Adventist World Church president Ted N.C. Wilson renewed his call for urgent prayer, saying, “I am renewing an appeal for special prayer for our church members and all people in Ukraine, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Euro-Asia Division, Inter-European Division, and the Trans-European Division.” Wilson asked that church members pray for all those impacted by the violence and for the humanitarian work done by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Ukraine and the surrounding countries. ADRA is working in Ukraine, Romania, Poland, and the surrounding countries to bring relief and care to the more than 1 million people fleeing the conflict. ADRA International communication director Iris Argueta talked to the Emergency Response Team from Romania about what they are doing to help during the ongoing crisis. ADRA Romania is stepping up to assist those affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began February 24. ADRA Romania is coordinating a newly-minted “Hope for Ukraine” initiative, which seeks to help those affected by the war, meeting their immediate needs by providing information, food, clothing, shelter, social assistance, and psychological support. ADRA Romania president Robert Georgescu says that the refugee situation is a call for responsibility and compassion to give priority to life and human dignity. According to information received from local authorities in late February, since the beginning of the war, ADRA Romania is the only humanitarian organization that has made a donation export, with the exception of another donation made by a monastery in the area. ADRA’s Hope for Ukraine humanitarian convoy did encounter any difficulties, leaders reported. ADRA, along with Adventist Church members are also helping in Poland. Seventh-day Adventist churches in Poland are becoming shelters for Ukrainian refugees. It is estimated, as of the time of this recording, that nearly 550,000 refugees have crossed the Polish border. ADRA in Poland is working in cooperation with local churches and a large number of volunteers to show solidarity with refugees from Ukraine. ADRA Poland volunteers have visited several borders and reception crossings, handing out parcels, and organizing accommodation while assessing the most urgent needs of the refugees. After nine days of conflict, more than 1 million people have fled Ukraine. For daily up-to-date information on the crisis in Ukraine and what Adventists are doing in the region, visit Adventist.org Heavy rainfall caused unprecedented flooding in New South Wales and Queensland with estimated damages of US 1.4 billion dollars. ADRA and local Adventist church members are joining efforts to assist the flood-ravaged communities. With most floodwaters beginning to recede, many church members dedicated the weekend to meet the urgent needs in the community. According to a recent report from ADRA, due to flooding and M1 closures, a severe food shortage has developed in the north region of New South Wales from Kingscliff to Lismore, with food, water and fuel listed as the primary needs. Adventist Church is pleased to announce that the General Conference Session (GC Session) will be opening its doors to the public. All are welcome to attend the business session and evening programs. The GC Session is the quinquennial meeting of the Adventist Church’s executive committee, its largest governing body, and will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, June 6-11, 2022. The session will have enhanced sanitation, ample space to accommodate social distancing, as well as other safety measures and guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adventist Church’s official YouTube channel has been restored! The channel had been offline since YouTube removed it for violating community guidelines. The Communication Department of the Adventist World Church, in consultation with the Office of General Council, appealed the decision twice, first on Monday, February 28, and again on March 3. On March 4, the Adventist Church asked church members on Twitter to pray for the channel to be restored and to repost, tagging YouTube asking for the appeal to be heard. Southern African Indian Ocean Division (SID) launched their new Adventist World Radio and Sidmedia radio station. Digital evangelism continues to be a formidable tool in reaching our and pointing others to Christ. For more news and current updates within the Adventist community, the Adventist News website is always available for you. Go to (https://adventist.news/) for daily news and videos. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyxg93K__sQ

– The Adventist Church operates as an evacuation center in Kyiv, Ukraine.
– Adventist Churches in Ukraine are places of worship while still opening their doors to displaced people.
– Adventist Clinic takes in more than 200 refugees Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14Sq9sFF0c

In this video, Pastor Ted Wilson discusses the eighth fundamental belief of the Seventh-day Adventists—the great controversy. Wars and devastation. Sickness, disease, and death. Disasters of various kinds. Where is God in all these? If He is kind, loving, and good, why does He let these happen? To answer this, let's go back to the beginning of time. Following the creation of the world, "God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31). Everything was perfect but what happened? Let's go back further—back into heaven where the trouble began. There were angels in heaven. "Bless the Lord, you, His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word" (Psalm 103:20). Hebrews 1:14 adds, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" Unfortunately, there was one angel named Lucifer who thought he knew better than God and determined to no longer follow His Word. He wanted to rise above Him and be his own god. Lucifer is described in Ezekiel 28:12-15 as follows: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty…You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you." Isaiah 14 adds, "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High'" (verses 12-14). Therefore, sin was brought about by Lucifer's pride. "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor" (Ezekiel 28:17). With this, Lucifer, then Satan, deceived one-third of the angels, who joined him in rebellion. "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:7-9). Satan brought his deception to earth, particularly in the Garden of Eden. He won by convincing Adam and Eve to take the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, resulting in their disobedience to God, expulsion from the garden, and miserable life. Since then, the entire humanity has been in a cosmic battle between good and evil. As our eighth fundamental belief states, "All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe." It continues, "This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the global flood, as presented in the historical account of Genesis 1-11. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation." Indeed, the great controversy is real. This world and our hearts are the battlefield. Which side are you on? Pastor Wilson would like to invite you to surrender your heart and recommit it to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Learn more about this fundamental belief at www.adventist.org/the-great-controversy/. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVpchDRi7Y