What is a Seventh-day Adventist Church like?

Some churches have large congregations, others are small. Some run programs or playgroups for the community, others may even operate op shops. Some churches have steeples, others meet in a community hall.

All Seventh-day Adventist Churches are different, but on Saturday each week, they all come together with the common purpose of spending time with God and learning more about Him.

Below is an insight into a few of the Adventist Churches in the South Pacific.

> Waitara Seventh-day Adventist Church
> Burwood Adventist Community Church
> Fremantle Seventh-day Adventist Church

Waitara Seventh-day Adventist Church

What makes Waitara a special church to attend?

Its focus on spiritual growth and drawing people closer to God through Bible study and prayer. A lot of activities are organised to strengthen our faith, heighten our knowledge of the truth and to share the wonderful message of Jesus Christ.

Its warmth and hospitality. Members at Waitara provide a lunch for all visitors and members every Saturday after the worship service. Regular programs and small group activities are held where people can interact and get to know each other.

The youth group at Waitara Church

Charlotte Lewis attends church because . . .

". . . the youth group is large and varied. I have made friends with many church members and because of this, church is an inviting place to be."

"I also like attending the many programs that run throughout the week. There is a lot happening at Waitara. If you choose to be involved, there are some great things to do, and you will meet people who will really serve as an encouragement to one's spiritual life once you get to know them and they get to know you."

The aim of the church is to:

• Preach the three angel's messages to the world and to share with them Jesus's salvation plan for mankind
• Keep the Ten Commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ
• Glorify the Lord by reflecting his character and ministry

One of the ministers, Pastor Geoff Youlden, is a renowned evangelist and has preached in many cities in Australia and around the world. He has a passion for sharing Jesus with people, which is reflected in his desire to preach anywhere, when the opportunity arises.

Why does Runhoa attend Waitara Church?

"I had reached a point in my life where I had come to the end of my road. I had hit rock bottom. I felt so alone. All I wanted was peace and an escape from my troubled life.Where I thought I would find peace, there was no peace and certainly no HOPE.

"I needed to escape the turmoil, the temptation to escape this world for ever. I remembered a conversation with my nephew who told me when he wanted to feel close to God, he sat on the balcony and gazed at the trees. So, in my distress, I sat on the balcony gazing at the trees wondering what had happened? Where had it all gone wrong? I knew if I walked back inside, I wouldn't be walking out of my unit again. I didn't know what else to do but what everyone seems to do in times of trouble. PRAY.

"I prayed as if my life depended on it, and it certainly did. I pleaded with God that if He was going to help me, He needed to help me right at this very minute because my world was fast crumbling around me. I had no hope and there was no light at the end of my tunnel.

"A strange feeling came over me. The heaviness I felt seemed to subside. A breeze moved gently through the trees. I focused on the leaves. It felt like God was talking to me, 'Be still and know that I am God.' Although feeling quite distressed, I didn't feel so afraid to walk back into my unit. I was sitting in my lounge room when the doorbell rang. I didn't want to answer the door, but I did. Standing at the door, with the smiles of angels, were members of the Waitara Adventist Church. I invited them in and my life has not been the same since.

"The fellowship and support network within the Waitara Adventist Church has been such a blessing to my life. I have certainly discovered how important it is to be united in fellowship especially during these troubled times.

"Thirty-six years ago God began His work in me. He placed me in a family that would train and educate me in His Word. I see evidence of His hand at work in my life. Although I wandered from God, I rejected Him and His love, He waited patiently for me.

"My life is a living testament of God's love.

I'm so thankful He has saved my life, and He continues to save me everyday of my life. God has blessed me."

Here's a few reasons Kelly Deeds enjoys Waitara Church.

"It's a family church. It has a community feel, and it's inclusive of everyone. It's somewhere I feel comfortable inviting people to join me. It's focused on learning what the Bible has to say. I love the Bible study. There is such a broad range of people all getting together for the same reason-to learn more about the Christian life.

It's a case of experiencing and then sharing."

To find out more about Waitara Seventh-day Adventist Church, visit www.waitarachurch.org.au

Top

It is because of Jesus that we have a purpose-to worship God, love one another and grow our community.

We're passionate about Jesus and want to be more like Him. To know the heart of our church is to know we value God's grace, the Bible, people, relevance, discipleship and commitment -

• God's grace - God loves me no matter what, our response is to worship Him.
• The Bible - it connects us to the living Christ.
• People - accepting, caring, understanding, appreciating and forgiving.
• Relevance - the application of Christianity to those searching for meaning in today's diverse world.
• Discipleship - growing me to grow others, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
• Commitment - devoting our God-given gifts to build the church.

Song service at Burwood Adventist Church

Impressions of Burwood Adventist Church

"First impression was warm and friendly. There was a friendly greeting at the door. We found the atmosphere was positive. There was a positive feeling to it. I enjoyed the theme, the music and the children's program."-Rodney Woods

"Thanks for bringing us up right. The church has contributed a lot to our present state of being."-Simon and Ben

"I like to be challenged. That's what I like to get out of the sermon. To not necessarily be told something, but to come out of it being challenged and thinking about what the topic was."-Brett Dundules

"The Sabbath school here is fantastic. We were made to feel more than welcome straight away. I feel this church is very kid friendly."

To find out more about Burwood Adventist Community Church, visit www.bacc.net.au

Top

Fremantle church's vision has been inspired by the description of the early Christian church in the biblical book of Acts. The church was focused on Jesus Christ and the result was:

• a passionate love for God (worship and prayer)
• healthy, harmonious relationships with each other (caring and serving), and 
• a positive impact on the people around them (sharing and growing)

Our vision is a church that worships God, cares for people and shares hope in Jesus.

Our mission is to focus people on Jesus Christ by helping people to discover who Jesus is and what He can do for them. We are also committed to working together to make a difference in our world through sharing what we believe is the hope of the world: Jesus Christ.

The best way we can achieve our vision of a worshiping, caring and sharing church is through small groups. As our church grows larger, we believe it's essential we grow smaller at the same time. So, while we enjoy celebrating as a large church family, there's also an opportunity to develop close relationships with your small group.

We are committed to providing excellent programs that relate to where people are at and provide them with an opportunity to learn, interact, respond and grow. We want our programs to be one of the best experiences you have each week.

Fremantle church runs two worship services, a children's playgroup, a youth group, a friendship club for seniors and various small groups.

To find out more about Fremantle Seventh-day Adventist Church, visit www.freochurch.com

Top