2023 Offering Schedule

2023 Offering Calendar

As we manage His resources we can share His blessings when we recognise that God gives through us. Our greatest blessing is to worship God by returning to Him the best of what He has placed in our hands.

Dear Church Leaders

You hold in your hands a publication that is jointly developed between the NNSW Conference and the Australian Union Conference. It is intended as a resource to those who promote offerings each week for the 2023 calendar year. It is intended primarily to provide additional information to those who announce the offerings each Sabbath and to be an aid for treasurers when recording the correct allocation of the offering each week.

Thank you once again for your faithfulness in leading, empowering and caring for your local congregation and for sharing the information in this booklet so we have better informed local churches.

Local Church Budget

Local Church Budget

Dicipleship of Adventist Youth (SPD)

Local Church Budget FEBRUARY 04 Local Church Budget

ADRA Disaster & Famine Relief

Local Church Budget

Local Church Budget MARCH 04 Local Church Budget 11 Adventist World Radio (GC) 18

Local Church Budget

Local Church Budget

Local Church Budget

South Pacific Record (SPD)

Local Church Budget

Comprehensive Health Ministry (SPD)

Church

Local Church Budget

Pacific Adventist University (SPD)

Local Church Budget

Local Church Budget

World Mission Budget (GC)

Local Church Budget

Union Global Partnership (AUC)

Local Church Budget

Mamarapha College (AUC)

World Mission Budget (GC)

Mission to the Cities (SPD)

21 JAN Discipleship of Adventist Youth (SPD)

The focus of this year’s Discipleship of Adventist Youth Offering is the development of an updated series of World Changer Bible reading guides. The new series will focus on the gospel as revealed in the prophetic truths gifted to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The messages of Daniel and Revelation will be highlighted, along with the especially relevant news of the Three Angels Messages for these last days.

This new resource will raise our Adventist identity by equipping our youth with an easy-to-use guide for sharing Jesus’ love, as revealed in Bible prophecy. As we have already seen with the World Changers Bibles Project, our youth and young adults across the South Pacific Division are willing and eager to share God’s word with their friends and communities. God’s Spirit is empowering them and thousands of lives are being changed, forever!

Thank you for giving generously to equip our young people with world-changing resources that will help to hasten Jesus’ soon return

ADRA Disaster & Famine Relief

In an average year more than 300 disasters affect more than 200 million people – most of whom are already living in poverty and disadvantage. Disasters like bushfires, flooding, cyclones and wars destroy homes and livelihoods, leaving millions of children, women and men without their most basic needs. They often need shelter, food, clean water, clothing, transport and the ability to rebuild their lives. And they can’t do this without our help.

By supporting the Disaster and Famine Relief Offering today, you will help ADRA be ready to respond immediately to disasters both here at home and overseas. Your offering will help deliver emergency shelter, food, water, medical supplies and psychosocial support to those affected. Thank you for your care and kindness.

www.adra.org.au

11 MAR Adventist World Radio (GC)

One early morning on the island of Mindoro, Philippines, Jaslene* was making her family’s breakfast. Suddenly gunfire shattered the peace. Her husband, Antonio, was a rebel fighter. He raced into the house, grabbed his gun, and began shooting at the government soldiers who had ambushed them.

Jaslene grabbed her children and raced into the forest to hide. They soon learned that Antonio had been killed. Jaslene’s heart pounded with hatred. She decided to raise her children to fight and avenge their father’s death.

One day Jaslene was listening to her radio and a song touched her heart: “Coming again, coming again, Jesus is coming again!” Her heart warmed as she heard that God loved her and offered her forgiveness. Soon she and her children accepted Jesus as their Saviour and were all baptized.

When Jaslene met a speaker from Adventist World Radio, she tearfully asked him, “Pastor, why did it take you so long to come and tell us this good news about God? If only you had come before my husband died. He would have given up his fighting before it was too late.”

Jaslene and her children now encourage their friends to trade their bullets for Bibles and find that Jesus brings true joy and meaning to their lives.

Thank you for your offering today which will help Adventist World Radio to reach people for the Saviour in every part of the world.

*Names have been changed.

The Big Camp Appeal is a North NSW Conference initiative that started in 2016 for the purpose of raising funds for the front-line, cutting-edge outreach activities that could not otherwise happen.

Various missional initiatives such as the Aboriginal Health program, Faith FM radio licenses, Bible workers in the west, videos for children’s evangelism, Centres of influence, Church multiplication, Digital evangelism, film productions, and many more have been made possible through your generous giving.

We invite you to continue to partner with us as we prayerfully seek to proclaim the good news of salvation and the soon return of Jesus Christ to the North NSW Conference and beyond.

“For God is the One who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT).

Thank you for your generosity and ongoing, day-to-day support in many unique and exciting ministries that are happening across the North NSW Conference. All praise, honour, and glory to God for the wonderful results He is achieving.

06 MAY South Pacific Record (SPD)

South Pacific Record [eGiving: Record, SPD]

Did you know that Adventist Record is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year? Throughout its long history, Record has been committed to keeping the Adventist community in the South Pacific Division informed, nurtured, educated and inspired by sharing news, theological and devotional content.

But Adventist Record is no longer just a magazine! It’s also a website, that is updated daily, a social media presence across various platforms, it has released books and is continuing to find new ways to keep our diverse community connected. Record also provides training and support for writers and communicators across the Division. And all of this is only possible because of the church’s generous support. By giving to the Adventist Record offering you ensure that we can continue to tell our stories, connect our family and share our hope. Thank you for your support.

record.adventistchurch.com

WE INVEST IN OTHERS.

Comprehensive Health Ministry (SPD)

MAY

SPD Strategy: Comprehensive Health Ministry

[eGiving: Health, SPD]

Championing Christ’s ministry: In John 5:6, we see God’s desire to make people whole, “When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?” The Adventist Health Department’s focus is three-fold.

1. Improving health outcomes by equipping all members with evidence-based resources to champion Christ’s ministry of wholeperson health.

2. To be a leader in Lifestyle Medicine through the ELIA digital platform, research and Lifestyle Medicine Centre that can be a blueprint to roll out to other locations.

3. By 2025, the Seventh-day Adventist Church will be known in the community for whole-person health through our 400 local Wellness Hubs and clinics across the South Pacific.

Thank you for partnering with us today so that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus.

The Health offering will be 50% for the local conference health department to support their health initiatives, and the other 50% for Adventist Health initiatives, ELIA Wellness in Australia and New Zealand, and the 10,000 Toes campaign in the Pacific.

10

JUN Pacific Adventist University

Pacific Adventist University, also known as PAU, is located in a peaceful rural setting, 21 kilometres outside of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. The 48-hectare campus is set in a beautifully peaceful environment with water-lily lakes, bird life, rolling lawns and gardens.

PAU’s motto is ‘Educate to Serve’ and since its founding in 1984 with just 20 students, today almost 1,500 students are trained for service every year. PAU was recently asked by the government to try and double its size—as soon as possible!

With an emphasis on online digital technology in the post-pandemic era, PAU plans to establish an Online Digital Education Centre to leverage the use of technology and to enhance student learning. The centre will also build PAU’s capacity to develop course materials and curricula using Augmented Reality which will enhance the teaching experience, support skills training for digital teaching and learning, and provide professional development training for teachers and students.

It’s all a massive, faith-filled undertaking, but with God’s help through your generosity today, PAU will continue to be at the forefront of training people for God’s work around the Pacific and beyond. Thank you for your support.

World Mission Budget (GC)

Do you know where your regular mission offerings go to? You may be surprised to learn that they help to support the work of 400 missionary families around the world.

In fact, seventy percent of the weekly mission offerings go to support missionaries and the international work of the church. While our tithes help pay the salaries of missionaries, our missionary offerings help provide the buildings and equipment the missionaries need to carry on their work.

The remaining money helps various institutions and agencies that serve the world church. For example, it helps the compassionate medical mission work of Loma Linda University, the outreach of Adventist World Radio, and the humanitarian ministry of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency.

In recent years, millions of people from challenging areas of the world have found salvation in Jesus. Thanks to your offerings, thousands of new Adventist congregations have been established in under-reached areas and among new people groups.

Two-thirds of the world’s population is still waiting to experience the refreshing news about Jesus. Your ongoing support of the Mission of the church through your regular and systematic offerings helps to grow and sustain new work throughout the world. Please keep this life-giving river flowing. Thank you for giving to world mission again today.

22 JUL Union Global Partnership (AUC)

16:24

The Australian Union Conference has been partnering and supporting Timor-Leste in mission for over 3 years. Previous offerings have contributed to the building of classrooms for students who were having their lessons in tents and supporting the installation of 5 centres of influence providing services in health, mission and all types of ministry work. In the past this offering has supported the training of local ministers by sponsoring students to get their teaching, pastoral and nursing qualifications. Your ongoing support means that there are currently a team of local ministry people on the ground in Timor-Leste that are moving Gods mission forward in that region.

As you give generously this team will continue to grow with further sponsorship, resourcing and practical assistance. What you give makes a difference in how we are God’s hands and feet with our neighbours in Timor-Leste.

Please continue to pray for our partners and the challenges they face and know that your offering is making a huge difference.

“Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.” 1 Chronicles

Comprehensive Media (SPD)

SPD Strategy: Comprehensive Media Evangelism [SPD - eGiving: Media Evangelism]

Media presents the church with significant opportunities to connect with our communities. Whether it be through broadcast media, social media, radio or print, these are all avenues by which we can share the good news of Jesus Christ with a large and unknown viewership as well as our neighbours and friends.

Adventist Media, based in Sydney, shares God’s love through Bible lessons, books and magazines, by broadcast television, social media and individual contact. Our mission is to share the good news with everyone in the South Pacific Division, from every nation, tribe, people and language. Together we can reach people with content that enlightens, that invigorates, that transforms. Together with God’s help, we can make a difference for eternity.

Today’s Media Evangelism offering will provide much needed resources to support the production of short film clips for social media, the broadcast of Hope Channel and provide resources for ministries such as the Hope Discovery Centre which works directly with media contacts.

Your generous support will help the church with its mission of engaging, equipping and evangelising through media. Thank you. adventistmedia.org.au FOR MORE INFORMATION

19 AUG Mamarapha College (AUC)

“And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Mark 16:15 (NLT).

Mamarapha College is a tertiary education institute owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As a Registered Training Organisation, we offer nationally credited qualifications ranging from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma for courses in Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Pastoral Ministry and Lifestyle Health Promotion.

Set in the beautiful bush surrounds of Perth’s orchard region, Mamarapha is a quiet and peaceful place where each year dozens of Indigenous students connect with God and discover how to share Him with their family and communities in a culturally sensitive way.

Mamarapha College graduates have impacted the lives of thousands of indigenous Australians through lifestyle programs, community service, public evangelism and personal faith sharing initiatives. Your offerings today will support Mamarapha’s core focus of training disciples to spread the Gospel of Jesus into Indigenous communities throughout Australia.

Annual Sacrifice (GC)

If you could save someone’s life by risking yours, would you do it? If this person were a stranger, would you risk your life to save them? If you could make a difference in someone’s life by giving up something you enjoy for one day or one week, would you do it? What would you give up? A favourite meal? A new pair of shoes? A day’s income? Think about what you can give up this week so that someone you don’t know can be introduced to Jesus.

Today is a special or ‘sacrificial’ offering day. It’s for a mission offering that is given at the prompting by the Holy Spirit. It is in addition to, or beyond. our regular and systematic offerings.

Whatever you give today, your sacrificial offering will be used to tell others about Jesus. And just think: Your sacrificial offering could make it possible to meet the person you sacrificed for in heaven! You can determine what you will sacrifice. Or ask God what He wants you to sacrifice for Him this week beyond your regular tithe and offerings.

In Hebrews 13:16 Paul says that our sacrifices are pleasing to God. So let us ask the Lord to bless our offerings of sacrifice today so that they multiply and help Global Mission pioneers to reach the unreached. am.adventistmission.org/mission-offering

ADRA Community Projects 07 OCT

In every community, there are people struggling to get by and falling through the cracks. ADRA, in connection with Adventist Churches, has more than 100 volunteer-run projects in Australia that feed, clothe, house, connect and empower people to overcome hardship and crisis and get back on their feet.

Today’s offering will support ADRA Community Projects in Australia to provide community meals, free counselling services, crisis support, and disaster response. Each project is run in partnership with a local Adventist Church and is a tangible way for us to connect with our local communities and be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Please give generously today to help others to live as God intended. www.adra.org.au FOR MORE INFORMATION

WE INVEST IN OTHERS.

World Mission Budget (Unusual Opportunities)

NOV

God works in wonderful ways to open doors to spread His message of love and faith around the world. Have you ever wondered what happens when outreach programs are successful way beyond expectations? Suddenly existing churches overflow and new churches must be built, rented, or purchased quickly. But that costs money.

When an unexpected opportunity opens, allowing the Church to reach out to an otherwise unreachable region of the world, how does the Church provide the funds to make such a giant step for God?

Years ago, God impressed Church leaders to collect an Unusual Opportunities Offering. This special offering is collected just once a year. Today is a new opportunity to build up that fund so that the church is ready when God says “yes” to our prayers.

Perhaps you remember when the Soviet Union broke into numerous countries in the early 1990s and hundreds of ministers were able to enter this vast region to share God’s love with millions. The cost of the outreach and follow up was high, but funds from the Unusual Opportunities fund helped make it all possible. This unexpected evangelistic success has been repeated many times in places like Rwanda, Brazil and Papua New Guinea.

God has mighty plans to reach others for His kingdom. Thank you for generously doing your part today to ensure that the church is ready when the opportunity comes to care for the next unexpectedlyabundant harvest.

to the Cities

“When talking to Jonah, God said, “Should I not pity that great city Nineveh?” And Ellen White wrote that, “the work in the cities is the essential work of this time.” When she wrote that in 1910 the population of New York city was even smaller than Sydney is today!

Reaching the cities is possible. Because with God, all things are possible. Through your gifts of time, talents, prayer and financial support the cities are being reached. If you have a desire to reach cities for God, please visit missiontothecities.org where you can find inspirational and practical resources such as:

• 11 Ways to Serve Your City’s Most Vulnerable Residents

• 6 Mobile Ministry Ideas for Your City

• 7 Outside-the-box Urban Centre of Influence Ideas, and

• The compilation book ‘Ministry to the Cities’ by Ellen White.

Thank you for your love-driven desire to reach the cities with the good news of God’s love. Your offering today will be used carefully and prayerfully to make disciples in the largest mission field in the South Pacific Division, our major cities. Please give as God challenges you. Thank you.

Other Offerings

Where do my other offerings go?

Education: 100 per cent of offerings received for Education will go directly to supporting the work of Adventist Education in the North New South Wales Conference. Adventist schools provide caring, learning communities that spiritually and academically equip, challenge and inspire students to make a difference. Adventist schools promote excellence, nurture growth and inspire a life a service.

Sabbath School: offerings given in Sabbath School go to mission programs and projects all around the world. These funds are administered by the Church headquarters in Washington.

13th Sabbath offering: 25% of the funds received for 13th Sabbath offering go to nominated World Mission Projects as shown on the back of your quarterly lesson pamphlet. The balance is used for World Mission Budget (which is described in this booklet).

Local Church offering: used for the running costs of the local church. What is given will be used for the maintenance of the church buildings, equipment and grounds. It also provides the money required to run the programs of the church and reach out to the local community.

Tithe

One of the great strengths we have as a church is that we follow the biblical model of tithing by bringing all our tithes to the storehouse, so that we can support the advancement of the Gospel message to this generation. One of the challenges we face today is unity, and if we stand together and support the church under the biblical storehouse model, we will remain strong. As soon as we fragment and every member gives tithe to whatever cause they may personally choose, our movement will lose momentum.

What is the highest and best use for our tithe according to the Scriptures and Spirit of Prophecy?

55% 20% 13% 10% 4% 2%

Pastors & Evangelism

World Wide Church Conference Ministries Administration Camps & Conventions School Chaplaincy

Note that the percentages above add to 104% indicating that we have spent 100% of tithe received on mission and the additional tithe related expenditure has been funded from non tithe sources such as big camp appeal.

The graph above illustrates how our conference has been distributing tithe received from members in recent years. Note that the significant portion is for Gospel workers, ministers and evangelism, which we believe is the highest and best use of our tithe according to our understanding of the Word of God. Also, we have recently restructured our tithe spending to ensure we can put at least 55 per cent of our tithe to front-line Gospel workers and evangelism. Finally, as leaders of God’s church, we must always thank and acknowledge the faithfulness and commitment of our church members at every opportunity — including the offering announcement — in returning their tithes to the storehouse.

Tithes and Offerings via e-Giving

Your church’s e-Giving site can be found at https://egiving.org.au or via the e-Giving app (available on iPhone & Android). More and more members prefer to use this option of giving their tithes and offerings. The e-Giving platform has a number of positive features that make the process very userfriendly, with simple steps to making a payment. One-off donations can be made without using the “Log-On” provision — but if you wish, you can “LogOn” securely to create an account where you can manage, edit, change your donation details, or setup a regular donation.

BPAY and direct debit functionality is also available on the e-Giving platform. Information on how to setup a new account and a recurring deduction is also available under the e-Giving drop down menu on the conference website (nnsw.adventist.org.au). e-Giving is an extension of the Tithes & Offerings Online Reporting System (TOORS), and treasurers who use this programme enjoy automatic recording of all tithes and offerings donated through e-Giving.

Church Treasurer’s Manual

The Church Treasurer’s Manual is a valuable source of information on the role and procedures for treasurers of Adventist Churches around the NNSW Conference. It is reviewed and upgraded regularly to ensure it remains relevant and up-to-date.

The manual is divided into sections with information about the duties and responsibilities of the local church treasurer, how to process transactions, managing risk, budgeting and reporting, applying for grants and loans, and recording and reporting online.

The entire manual can be downloaded from the conference website at nnsw.adventist.org.au/departments/treasury/

Local Church Support Services Contacts

NNSW Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 112 Lake Road, Wallsend NSW 2287

Phone: (02) 4944 3203 Email: nnswlcss@adventist.org.au nnsw.adventist.org.au/treasury