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Flags remind president he’s safe at home church
Cooranbong, New South Wales
Kristin Thiele
The newly elected president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific has a safe place to return during his tenure—his home church.
Members of Avondale College church prayed for Dr Barry Oliver on January 19 as he stood on stage with wife Julie between two red and yellow flags loaned from the Soldiers Beach Surf Lifesaving Club.
“These flags are symbols,” said senior minister Dr Bruce Manners. “You swim between the flags, and you’re safe. Our gift to you is that we want this church to be a safe place.”
“It is a safe place,” replied Dr Oliver. “Thank you for the privilege of being part of this church.”
Four members of the congregation prayed for the Olivers. Casey Herman, 7, represented the children, Leanne Kirby the parents and Dr Ray Roennfeldt, a colleague of Dr Oliver’s when Dr Oliver lectured at the college, the others. Avril Lockton, as the wife of a husband who spends time away from home because of church work, prayed for Mrs Oliver. Dr Manners then appealed to the congregation to commit to making the church a safe place for everyone.
The Olivers have worshipped at Avondale for 23 years. “We’ve been nurtured and loved and cared for,” said Dr Oliver in reply to a question from Dr Manners about what the two now wanted from the church. “We don’t want anything different.”
Dr Manners said of the flags, “We were attempting to signal that whatever pressures were elsewhere, whatever roles Barry and Julie had to play in their new calling, they were safe in their home church. At home, we want them to relax and be who they are.
“I said to Barry this doesn’t mean I, or we as a church, will always agree with decisions he and his administration make. He replied he wouldn’t always agree with decision I make. What we were committing to was bigger than this.”
Cooranbong, New South Wales
Kristin Thiele
The newly elected president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific has a safe place to return during his tenure—his home church.Members of Avondale College church prayed for Dr Barry Oliver on January 19 as he stood on stage with wife Julie between two red and yellow flags loaned from the Soldiers Beach Surf Lifesaving Club.
“These flags are symbols,” said senior minister Dr Bruce Manners. “You swim between the flags, and you’re safe. Our gift to you is that we want this church to be a safe place.”
“It is a safe place,” replied Dr Oliver. “Thank you for the privilege of being part of this church.”
Four members of the congregation prayed for the Olivers. Casey Herman, 7, represented the children, Leanne Kirby the parents and Dr Ray Roennfeldt, a colleague of Dr Oliver’s when Dr Oliver lectured at the college, the others. Avril Lockton, as the wife of a husband who spends time away from home because of church work, prayed for Mrs Oliver. Dr Manners then appealed to the congregation to commit to making the church a safe place for everyone.
The Olivers have worshipped at Avondale for 23 years. “We’ve been nurtured and loved and cared for,” said Dr Oliver in reply to a question from Dr Manners about what the two now wanted from the church. “We don’t want anything different.”
Dr Manners said of the flags, “We were attempting to signal that whatever pressures were elsewhere, whatever roles Barry and Julie had to play in their new calling, they were safe in their home church. At home, we want them to relax and be who they are.
“I said to Barry this doesn’t mean I, or we as a church, will always agree with decisions he and his administration make. He replied he wouldn’t always agree with decision I make. What we were committing to was bigger than this.”
