Freudenstadt, May 21, 2012 [CD-EUD]. During the Executive Committee Session, each department presented projects and strategies affecting directly or indirectly the life of the church and its mission.
ADRA supports an enabling environment to keep and develop family life.
Human beings have been created as man and woman with the purpose of starting a family and eventually provide a home for their children, raising and educating them to survive on this earth. In all cultures around the world, families are a social institution which build the foundation for human activities and coexistence.
“As a Christian organization, ADRA believes in the divine purpose of the family system for human existence” declared Jörg Fher, ADRA director. We accept the Seventh-day Adventist Church fundamental belief describing the value of marriage and family as a road map for our programs by recognizing both cultural and sociological habits and customs of our partners and beneficiaries in the countries where we have been involved.
We always have in mind the importance of family life, the importance of father, mother and child as well as the extended family members like grandparents, siblings, cousins… living in close proximity in different generations (young and elderly) together. We also commit our project and program activities to support an enabling environment for keeping and developing family life/systems with learning values, responsibilities for each other, gender identity and equality considering the holistic principles (physical, intellectual and spiritual) for growth and progress of each family member.
Children’s Ministry: new special date for children at risk.
Starting this year, 2012, a new and special “World Day of Prayer for Children at Risk” was voted and supported by the world Adventist church. It will be every last Sabbath of May. This year it occurred on Sabbath, May 26.
“As a worldwide church, and very sensitive to the children,” said Elsa Cozzi, Children’s Ministries director, “it is obvious to be aware of many the different challenges children are facing around the world in terms of exploitation, abuse and behaviour at risk. We need this special day to educate our children, to bring them up with equality principles and moreover to pray for them.”
Public Affairs & Religious Liberty (PARL)
“One of the missions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” said Liviu Olteanu, Religious Liberty
Director, “is to recognize the dignity of each person and to promote and defend respect, tolerance, unity in diversity and peace as well as to keep good relations with all people, regardless of their religious tendency, existential philosophy and thinking.”
It is strongly recommended to promote human rights and religious liberty for all people using different tools and strategies offered by the Department. It is recommended to organize Religious Liberty Day as an occasion to promote these values inspired by religious liberty, and to also promote our Magazine.
Women Ordination
One of the sensitive points discussed during this executive session, was the ordination of women. Considering the vote already taken by the Northern German Union, to ordain women as pastors, the Committee was invited to consider the document produced by the General Conference, which regulates the relationship between headquarters and the worldwide regions. The document calls for consideration for the directions that have been given to ensure the principle of church unity. The discussion was peaceful, pointing out that there is no intention to infringe on the directives of the General Conference, but it is clear that we cannot postpone the solution of such important topic any longer.
“A study on ordination is in process,” said Barna Magyarosi, president of the EUD Biblical Research Committee, “and if you have any suggestions, please submit them to me before September.”
After a long discussion, focused mainly on the procedure and not on the contents, the Committee approved on a majority of votes.
This is the ‘EUD Statement on Compliancy with GC Policies’:
‘Whereas the EUD team understands the urgency to recognize the basic right of all church members to take part in the leadership of the church,
Voted, to recommend to the EUD Executive Committee to emphasize that the responsibility of the unions/conferences and their constituencies is to follow the world church policy voted at the General Conference level. The attention of the union boards is called to make sure that decisions on issues like ordination are made in harmony with the General Conference and the Euro-Africa Division policies. The EUD ADCOM understands that the topic of ordination is of common interest and encourages all members and leaders in the EUD to participate in the procedure initiated by the General Conference.’
Spirit of Prophecy
Gabriel Maurer, Spirit of Prophecy department director, recommended to promote and support the translation of the official Ellen G. White website into the current European languages used in the EUD unions, so that members can have access to first hand original resources.
Furthermore, is it recommended to promote and support an efficient online resources material available for personal use.
Health Ministries Spotlight DVDs
Viriato Ferreira, Health department director, recommended to support efficient communication and promotion of the Health Ministries Spotlights DVDs as a means for mission in the local churches. These DVDs are available on demand. The purpose of this recommendation is to give professional support to the members that are involved in a health-oriented mission.
