Video script:

Dear Adventist family throughout Canada,

During this time greatly engrossed by the news of the coronavirus, be at peace. The same Jesus who calmed the winds and waves cares for you and those dear to you. 

As a Church, we will continue to follow the guidelines outlined by public health officials and government leadership. We encourage our membership to consult their local conferences for specific information within your region.

 And while we take our precautions, I charge you to remember who we are. 

Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, we are the Church that loves the Lord and does for others what we would want done for ourselves. 

We are the Church that amidst the panic purchasing, sees the single mother living pay cheque to pay cheque, stressed over how she will provide for her family during this crisis, and offers our blessings of time and money to assure her troubled heart. 

We are the Church that seeks the elderly and vulnerable and ensures they are equipped with groceries and sanitation supplies, because we desire to keep those at higher risk safe. 

We are the Church that supports church leaders as they develop plans to meet congregational needs and prepare churches with proper sanitation. 

We are the Church that works together, as a national congregation, to provide peace amidst the storms of fear.  

We are the Church that knows the call to love our neighbours never ceases.

Together, we will stay connected to Jesus, the Light of the World, so we can shine in every one of our communities. 

Fear not, my friends. 

As the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada prepares for our Sabbath worship and fellowship during our national crisis regarding COVID-19, and our schools cope with rapid adjustments, it is important for the SDACC to encourage our membership to consult their local Conferences for specific information as it pertains to their locality. Some provinces have already issued cautions with large gatherings and some have given specific directions as to the size of these gatherings.

During a crisis we will have many opportunities to practice a Christlike generosity to others in our church and those in our communities.  This is a time for our churches across Canada to shine in our communities. Please practice Health Canada guidelines as you minister to those in your communities and those within our churches.

Please consult the following updated guidelines:

1. If you have recently traveled to a COVID-19 infected area or you are currently showing signs of having a cold or flu like symptoms, we ask that you STAY HOME. There are many with compromised health conditions that you might spread the virus to and you have a moral and spiritual obligation to remain at home and worship online or with your family.
2. If it is absolutely necessary for you to leave your home, implement a hug and handshake free zone and maintain a safe distance (at least 2 metres) from others.  We also strongly urge that potlucks and Communion be suspended till further notice.
3. Have a church plan ready to meet the needs of the elderly and those who live alone or with special needs. Develop plans and assign people to regularly check in on them and make sure that the necessary supplies are on hand to care for sick and elderly members.
4. Avoid all unnecessary physical contact with others at church or school and wash hands often (with warm water and soap) while avoiding contact with one’s face.
5. Provide hand sanitizers to everyone who enters the church or school.
6. Regularly clean high-touch surfaces during Sabbath School, church services and in our local schools.
7. Place offering plates at the back of the church instead of having the plates circulating during collection.
8. Consult your local health department and Health Canada to pass along reliable information to your membership.
9. Support those who are front line workers.  They may be extra support as they serve on the front lines in our health care facilities.
10. Practice the 8 laws of Health while promoting a lifestyle that will strengthen the immune system.

Resources

There are several resources available that will be helpful to churches and members as they evaluate how to best move forward with the mission of the church.

• Adventist Risk Management: COVID-19 Insurance FAQ’s and Resources
• AdventHealth: Video podcasts, including special considerations for congregations

Source: https://adventistmessenger.ca/news/sdacc-recommended-guidelines-regarding-covid-19

Burman University and the Alberta Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Adopt Memorandum of Understanding.

Lacombe,
AB, October 23, 2019: In May 2019, Burman University initiated a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the Alberta Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church regarding Parkview Adventist Academy (PAA). The goal of the MOU is to
transfer governance and ownership of Parkview Adventist Academy from Burman
University to the Alberta Conference. On Oct. 4, 2019, the Burman University
Board of Trustees voted to approve the offer of the MOU to the Alberta
Conference. On Oct. 20, 2019, the Alberta Conference Board of Directors voted
to accept the offer.

            The
MOU between the two organizations, which goes into effect Nov. 1, 2019,
outlines that the Alberta Conference
will commence ownership and operation of PAA in the fall of 2020. Burman
University will also provide land and an endowment that will facilitate the
building of a new high school. The Alberta Conference will assume full
responsibility for the planning and construction of the new facility. PAA will
remain at its existing location until the new building is complete. A date for
construction has yet to be determined.

            Burman
University and the Alberta Conference have worked diligently to ensure the
long-term success of PAA. The Alberta Conference is happy to accommodate the
transition of PAA from a Burman/Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada entity
to an Alberta Conference school.

–Republished from Alberta Adventist News

To view the entire Alberta Adventist News magazine, go to https://www.albertaadventist.ca/news/aan.

Source: https://adventistmessenger.ca/features/agreement-reached-for-new-governance-and-ownership-of-parkview-adventist-academy

Forty-four
sick children had a warmer Christmas this past year thanks to the quilting
ministry of the Truro, Pugwash, and New Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist churches
in Nova Scotia. Headed by Jean and David Streifling, the churches prepared the
handmade children’s quilts in record time when an opportunity came to
distribute them at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax—the largest pediatric
hospital that serves patients in Atlantic Canada.

          Although the church members couldn’t
enter the children’s ward directly, they were told by the nurses that the
children had loved their quilts and the parents had expressed sincere
appreciation for the beautiful Christmas gifts.

          One quilt that
was given away recently went to an 18-year-old girl waiting for a stem cell
transplant in the cancer ward. When she heard about the ministry and was
presented with her own quilt, she was overcome with emotion, especially since
the quilt had a Bible verse on it. This girl was trying to memorize a Bible
verse before her transplant, but it was difficult. Now she was happy to have a
Bible verse to take with her when she went into the hospital. The member prayed
with her and assured her of God’s love.

          Another recent
story happened when two of the church members met a young lady in a store who
had that very morning lost her home in a fire. She, her husband, her three
young children, and even the pet birds had made it safely
outside, but aside from a single box of precious
papers, they had lost everything else. The smell of smoke was still
noticeable on her clothing—all the clothing she had left. They had contents
insurance but, because a renovation had been in progress, had no house
insurance at all—basically a total loss. Touched by the devastation she clearly
felt, the members raced to our church nearby and retrieved the one quilt we
still had in stock there, also purchasing a gift card for her to buy other
things they so desperately needed.

          “Oh, you didn’t need to do that” was
her response. Yet there were tears of appreciation in her eyes as the members
replied, “This is our way of doing what we can to help out.” It was our way of
giving her another “hug” to let her know that the community cares. The members
headed home to make three more quilts, including a queen-sized one, so that
each family member could have a quilt of their own which included a Bible
message of God’s care (Num. 6:24–26) embroidered on its back. These, along with
a warm coat, were given to the family the following day. This is the latest
giveaway in a quilting ministry that has produced and shared over 450 quilts
since its inception, including quilts for families who have lost their homes,
for people who are severely ill, and for new
mothers.

          Each quilt we give has a Bible verse embroidered on the back as well as a message of love from our Adventist church.

—Alexandra Richards, co-pastor of the Truro, New Glasgow, and Pugwash churches

Source: https://adventistmessenger.ca/news/wrapped-in-the-bibles-promises

The Mountain Andrews All Nations Seventh-day Adventist Church seeks to be a blessing to their community of North End in Winnipeg, Man. Thus our outreach as church members stems from the concept that the primary need of each person is to find God through Jesus Christ.           
During the summers church members walk the streets distributing faith-based inspirational materials such as books, magazines, Bible study enrolment cards, and invitation flyers for public evangelism. All this effort is accompanied with much prayer and with hope that many in our neighbourhood would be open to know more about Jesus. Our observation is that most people remain distant.
To overcome that distance, our church has been doing what Jesus did and going to where the people are and ministering to them. The Native Ministry Team arranged for a meeting with a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in which she informed us of the issues and needs of the community. One need is healthful food for poverty-stricken individuals. High substance abuse and drug addiction call for a group recovery program. Vacation Bible School (VBS) is needed to minister to the many children with little to do in the summer.
Teams from Native Ministries, Children’s Ministries, and Women’s Ministries, and other volunteers are working together for two specific outreach activities.
First, the VBS events in the two summers 2018 and 2019 succeeded in reaching more than 95 children from the community: 55 percent non-Adventist and 45 percent from Adventist homes.
Second, regular Neighbourhood Pancake Breakfasts were held on Sundays once each month, beginning in April 2019 (omitting July, during campmeeting). The numbers attending ranged from 20 to 140, with the total served being 350.
We are encouraged by people’s responses as the number of attendees from the community grows. One man said, “Thank you very much for the Neighbourhood Pancake Breakfast. This church has not only blessed its members, but the community people as well.”

            An
elderly man sent a three-page handwritten letter, from which are a few quotes, “Thank
you for caring … We love you … Food is love, bringing people together … We
are searchers, seekers, and finders …We search for the kindness of strangers …
You exist, you are here, we are alive, you reach out to people … You are the
sunshine that lights other people’s lives … You love our people, you are part
of the Canadian dream … You have made a difference in our spiritual lives.”

            Two
men approached Pastor Neil Tagarao after the meal on BBQ Day on Aug. 4. One man
said, “Thank you very much for this
BBQ Day. It is becoming a community fellowship. You see, if not for this event,
the two of us would not be reconciled. I have been wrongly suspecting my
neighbour of dumping snow on my yard, only to find out that it was not him. The
guilty person is already in jail. So, in learning the truth, we are now friends
again. Thank you so much for this event that brings the community together.”

            That
same day (Aug. 4), a couple came to Tagarao and expressed their interest in
Bible study, and eagerness to join the First Nation Adventist Training (FNAT)
at Camp Hope, B.C.

            While our church is reaching out to the community through providing food and fellowship for their physical and social needs, we also continually offer material for their spiritual needs in our sanctuary. A table at the entrance of the church displays free books, magazines, and DVDs. We pray that the many who take these items will discover the most essential food in life—Jesus, the Bread of life (see John 6:32, 33.)

— Ruby Tagarao, Women’s Ministry Leader, Mountain Andrews All Nations SDA Church

Source: https://adventistmessenger.ca/news/bringing-the-community-together

On the Sabbath of Sept. 7, 2019, Really Living Centre kick-started
its grand opening with hundreds of members and visitors from across North
America. The 25,000 square-foot facility is Ontario Conference’s
first centre of influence, serving as both a worship space for Really Living
Seventh-day Adventist Church and a community centre, open several days a week.

The newly established centre will allow for the expansion of
existing programs, like a plant-based cooking school, free oil changes for
single parents, boot camp, summer camps, and drop-in sports nights, as well as
new programs, such as sewing classes, a smoothie bar, and indoor rock climbing.

            “We tried to
think of everything—how we can meet not only our needs but also the needs of
the community. That’s why we’re here,” said Brenda De Medeiros, elder and
founding member.

            Centres of
influence like Really Living address the reality that, in today’s secular
society, traditional outreach methods like evangelistic series or going
door-to-door are insufficient. Rather, ministering to people’s needs, then
sharing the gospel—Christ’s method—will make the biggest impact, particularly
in urban centres like Hamilton.

            Pastor Dan
Linrud, the midday service speaker, expressed joy at seeing the seeds he had planted
for such a centre 19 years ago as the founder of Living Word Church (now Really
Living), come into full bloom. He described the church’s humble beginnings
meeting as a small group of roughly 25 transplanted members from the mother
church, Hamilton Mountain, in the basement of church members.

            “That small group
of believers wanted to make a difference by being salt and light in the world,”
he noted. Thus, they followed the Acts 2 model of studying the Word and praying
together in different homes, building relationships, and reaching out to the
community. Linrud urged all present to likewise allow Jesus to transform them
so they could transform and illuminate their communities. 

            Linrud also
praised the church’s current leadership for making his blueprint, sketched out
on napkins at Tim Hortons, a reality. “Pastor Francis and Tina Douville took on
the baton of leadership when I left this church, and they are the ones, along
with this membership, through whom God has accomplished this amazing vision.
I’m just so proud of what God has done through them.”

            Douville, in
turn, praised Linrud as a “man of vision” while also giving credit to the
church members. “I’m surrounded by selfless people who are teaching me how to
put God first. The people in this church are absolutely phenomenal.”

            Linrud and
his wife, Verlaine, made the trek from Oregon, where Linrud currently serves as
Oregon Conference president. Also present were former Living Word associate
pastor Juan Fresse, also coming from Oregon; Ontario Conference president
Mansfield Edwards, who participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony; and
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada president Mark Johnson.

            In his opening
remarks that Sabbath, Johnson lauded Really Living as a model for other Ontario
churches. “We are not saved to be hermits in a cave. We need to be where God’s
people are.”

            As he closed,
Linrud noted that Really Living Centre was “meant to be a beacon of light [in]
a community that is overrun by darkness.” However, he said, “As beautiful and
amazing as this building is, as comfortable as the seats are, this is not our
final destination. This is not our home.”

            Let us support Really Living and future centres of influence in Ontario in pointing a troubled world to the hope, healing, and wholeness found only in Jesus Christ and our eternal home.

–Christelle Agboka, Ontario Conference

Source: https://adventistmessenger.ca/features/ontario-conferences-first-centre-of-influence-really-living-centre-celebrates-its-grand-opening