Posts by Good Tidings Editor

Posts by Good Tidings Editor

In Loving Memory – Craig Cunningham

We are very sad to announce that Brother Craig Cunningham passed away on the 26th of November, 2023. His funeral will be held on the 6th of December at the Alan Harris McDonald Chapel, 76 Copland Street, Wagga Wagga, commencing at 10:30am. Following the service, the funeral cortege will proceed to the Wagga Wagga Lawn Cemetery, Brunskill Road, Lake Albert. Refreshments will be served back at the chapel on Copland St afterwards. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend.…

Uncle Arnold Comes Home

On Sabbath the 25th of November, it was our privilege and delight to welcome Br. Arnold Matthies back into church membership, after nearly 60 years. Br. Arnold was a church worker in the 1950s and 60s. Originally from Christchurch, NZ, Arnold’s family moved to Australia. He attended Hebron Missionary College and entered the work. The minutes of the Victorian Field in 1955 record the anticipation of the brethren for him and his wife Gwenda to move to Melbourne. There he…

In Loving Memory – John and Sandra Gibbons

Harold John Gibbons was born on the 3rd of December, 1936, in Lake Cargelligo, NSW. John grew up on the family farm, living through droughts, floods, dust storms and mouse plagues. He learned resilience and resourcefulness, which meant he always loved fixing things and making things. At age 21, while working in Papua New Guinea, John became ill with polio and had to return to Australia to recover. Although doctors said he would never walk again, John was determined to…

SA Asylum Seeker Family Update

Your prayers and generosity have been rewarded! Our Sri Lankan asylum seeker family were reunited when their husband and father was released from detention, after eight long years of separation. They are grateful for all the support you have given through the years to help with the case. Even when it looked like all hope was lost, your prayers and gifts to their legal fund made the difference. The years of battling along without her husband were difficult for the…

SA Community Programs

The Optimize Your Brain six-week program was held in SA from 10th June to 15th July, 2023. The series was followed by cooking classes. It was a real blessing for those who attended the program. During this series we covered different topics, such as: The Optimize Your Brain program was created to maximise intellectual and emotional intelligence.  We praise God for the opportunity and privilege He gives us to learn how to improve our health and brain function to better serve Him. We believe it…

Canvassing in Auckland

From April 22-24, about 40 people attended a canvassing weekend held at our church in Auckland, New Zealand. The following Monday, some of the brethren spent their time canvassing in New Lynn around the church. Most of the participants had never been canvassing before and found it to be a blessed experience.  First, they attended some presentations and a missionary training class. They were sent out in pairs to put canvassing into action, where book packs, pamphlets and magazine-style books…

Shoebox Project Update

Last year we printed a story about the ShoeBox Project, a project to supply shoes and other personal items for children in the Philippines. We’re delighted to say that the shipment was received, and the children say “thank you” to all who participated. Here are a few of the photos that we received in appreciation:

Vanuatu Cyclone Impacts

As you may be aware, in the beginning of March this year, two tropical cyclones have hit the island of Efate Vanuatu in the same week. Many of our brethren sustained damage to their houses and food crops. Help has already been given to assist these brethren getting shelter and food, for which they are most grateful. Now, however, we are appealing for your help as the cyclones have also caused extensive damage to the buildings used by the South…

News from Solomon Islands

With the help of many brethren and sisters around the region, including some from Australia, the work in the Solomon Islands has been progressing. The following was condensed from a report on welfare work written by Br. Thomas Ngunts, a missionary stationed in the Solomons on behalf of the South Pacific Union Mission. Thank the Lord for His loving kindness all through last year, and now we are already into 2023. I just want to write a brief report of…

In Loving Memory of Terezija Stoyko

Eulogy by Michael Stoyko My mother, Terezija Stoyko, was born on the 5th of July 1931 in Borovac, Jugoslavia, now Croatia, the second child of Ana and Josip Ivastinovic. Her oldest brother was Nicola, younger sister, Mara and younger brother, Slavko. Growing up in the village was a life of learning responsibility from a young age. She was always with her older brother Nicola and there to assist him. From five years old onward, she would wake up at 5…

2022 End of Year Programs

The theme for the 2022 Conference was “Uplift, Serve, Proclaim,” based on our AUC mission theme. (You can read about the delegation session here). Starting on Wednesday evening, the conference was held over four days and was attended by people from across the Union, with a few from outside our region as well. A large tent replaced our main hall which was lost to fire in 2019, and this tent was set up in nearly the same spot as the…

Report of the 36th AUC Delegation Session

Delegates of the Australasian Union met on the 26th and 27th of December, for the election of new officers and approval of policies and plans for the next three years. It was voted to continue with the theme, “Uplifting Jesus, Serving People, Proclaiming Truth.” Officers & Special Committees Departments Strategic Plan The strategic plan was approved by the delegates. Some key points are: OUR MISSION: To fulfil the Gospel commission by service to the community, uplifting Jesus and proclaiming the…

Farewell Joe & Lidia Voncina

Today we are saying goodbye to two long-time members of our staff, who have officially retired. Assistant editor Lidia Voncina has been a pillar of our office staff since 1999, and it will be sad to see her go. Over the years Lidia has assisted the secretary, managed our PTCC Bible Course, fulfilled too many different tasks to mention, and been the happy voice on the other end of the phone line for anyone ringing in to the office. Joe…

Homiletics Seminar

Coleambally Church was blessed by a visit from Br Miguel Mendoza during the second week of November when he held a Homiletics Seminar in Griffith, NSW. The seminar was a blessing to all age groups, but was particularly geared towards preparing the young people to give presentations. Each evening began with a delicious meal provided by the women of Coleambally Church and an opportunity for the young people to visit among themselves and with Br Miguel before beginning the seminar.…

Canvassing Seminar

Our Victorian conference was blessed in the month of October with the visit of Brother Jacob de Souza and his dear family – Sister Sandra, Lucas and Isabella. They came and stayed with us on the weekend of the Sabbath 15th of October when Bro. Jacob shared a message based on Matthew 13:47-51 entitled, “The Net.”This was a powerful message on our need of being fishermen of souls for our Lord Jesus Christ. He also reported quite a significant amount…

East Timor Fundraising Tins

After learning of the needs of the East Timor Mission, Sr Martha Barat had the idea of getting some donation tins for people to take home as a modern equivalent of the “self-denial box.” The self-denial box was an initiative created by Seventh-day Adventists in the 1800s to raise money for missions. Members would have a self-denial box in their homes. Any time they were able to add spare change to it, they would. Sometimes this would mean doing without…

Prophecy Series

September 2022, Auckland, New Zealand The church at New Lynn, Auckland planned for a series of prophecy presentations in September, 2020. The theme was, “A New World Order.” First, we distributed more than 12,000 flyers in the nearby community. Then we put up a statue of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream from Daniel chapter 2, for passers-by to see, with banners advertising the seminar. The program went well and everyone who was present enjoyed our company. Besides the regular church attendance, there…

Katarina Risko: 90 Years Young

On the occasion of her 90th birthday, two of Sr. Katarina Risko’s daughters pay tribute to their mother. Our mother, Katarina Risko, was born Katarina Lada on the 17th November 1932. She was one of seven children in the town of Vukovar/Borovo, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She grew up during World War II and lived in Germany and Croatia. She took her stand for the Seventh Day Adventist truth in her mid-teens and was opposed, ridiculed and taunted for her beliefs in the…

Schofields Church Cooking Classes

With Covid restrictions finally gone and things opening up to normal again, it was time to put our cooking demonstration hats back on and get in and amongst our community again. We heard regularly from people who had participated in the past, asking us when we would be holding another series. Our last attempt in 2021 had not been possible due to going back into lockdown just before the scheduled dates, but this time with the help of God, we…

Stewardship Emphasis

Students in the Sabbath School have been studying the subject of Stewardship, which has been a real blessing, as we learn what it means to be stewards of God’s grace and the talents He has given to each person individually. Today, the “Discovering Stewardship” magazine, first published for the Month of Stewardship in 2020, has been updated and can be downloaded here. And in case you missed them during the Month of Stewardship, here are three short videos that you…