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editorialSo what have I learnedin my time as an editor?No regretsIN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH’Sworkers in this division, there would befew who’ve worked in the same positionor location for more than a decade.I’ve worked at Signs, as an assistant editorwith RECORD and Signs of the Times, sincemid-1992, or more than 13 years. Now thetimes they are a-changin’. This will be mylast editorial with my name on the RECORDmasthead.Taking my place is Pastor David Edgren(see page 3), who will be sitting in myvacated seat.In 1992, after taking over the day-to-daycare and production of Signs from PastorBruce Manners, my first task as an assistanteditor was the editing of the September1992 issue, which featured Mark Mitchellon its cover. Since then I’ve overseen 150more issues, looked at almost 10,000 pagesof text and illustrations and read almosttwo-and-half-million words. That soundsboring and onerous, but in reality it’s beenanything but.Right above my desk is a postcard wall—a reminder of adventures and destinations:Signs outings; fellow workers and editorialcolleagues; places I’ve visited, people I’vemet; people I’ve interviewed; memorablelife events—a colourful, varied and interestingrecord of almost 14 years, which isfigurative of my time here.I like to say, and I believe it’s the truth, “Ihave the best job in this division.” Everyday brought me something or someoneinteresting, and each year brought anopportunity or surprise of some sort.So why leave and for what?Well, first of all, I’m not actually goingfar—just a couple of doors along the corridor,in fact.The end of 2005 marks a full decade ofSigns ministry and promotion by PastorDesmond Hills, who many have come toknow through his ceaseless and tirelesspromotion of Signs magazine. He retiresfrom his post in Signs Marketing this weekand so, with the addition of a few in-houseSigns-related tasks, I will take over thatrole—the management and marketing ofSigns of the Times. In this, Pastor Hills willbe a most difficult act to follow.Although my time with Signs isn’t reallyover, in reality my professional associationwith RECORD is. I’ll deeply miss the churchnews and gossip that comes our way (offthe record); the letters to the editor, both thesupportive and disgruntled alike; and thecloseness and insight into the church thatbeing close to its news source brings. Fromhere on, I’ll be just another RECORD readerlike yourselves.So what have I learned in my time as aneditor? Here are just a few things:• First, we have a wonderful, close-knitchurch in Australia and New Zealand,and RECORD, to a large extent, is a primaryelement in maintaining that. Its unifyingeffect shouldn’t be underestimated.• Second, because you can’t fool all ofthe people all of the time, one will need outsidehelp at some point. Over the years mostof the editorial team have come to RECORDfrom other professions, so we need theassistance and guidance of the Holy Spirit.Here I’ve learned that “inspiration” takesdifferent forms: sometimes it happenswhen you’re lost for words and an ideakicks in from nowhere; at another, whenyou’re saying too much, and caution isneeded. I want to acknowledge God’s leadingin my work.• Third, you can’t please everyone. Infact, to try is to invite failure. The formulafor success is elusive, but the formula forfailure is simple: it’s trying to please everyone.I haven’t, as various letters and phoneconversations attest, so I’ve learned to livewith my decisions and defend them.• Finally, you don’t always get it right.In fact you can get it quite wrong sometimes.Giving birth to a boat is somethingquite different to giving a boat a berth, forexample, and misplacing the Adirondacks. . . oh, well! When I’ve made a mistake,I’ve learned that it’s easier and more effectiveto take responsibility, accept the criticismand move on, avoiding a culture ofblame. I’ve also learned that it’s better tolearn from the mistakes of others, ratherthan your own.As to the negatives, the regrets and problemsof being an editor at Signs, speakingfor myself only I can truthfully say there arenone. In the almost-14 years at this desk,I’ve never encountered a day with a downside—except,perhaps, for that deadline onthe periodic RECORD editorial.Lee DunstanSenior Assistant EditorOFFICIAL PAPER of the SouthPacific Division Seventh-dayAdventist ChurchACN 000 003 930www.adventist.org.auVol 110 No 49Cover: Nathan BrownEditor Nathan BrownSenior assistant editor Lee DunstanEditorial assistant Adele NashEditorial assistant Scott WegenerCopyeditor Graeme BrownEditorial secretary Meryl McDonald-GoughLayout Jason PiezSenior consulting editor Barry Oliverwww.record.net.auMail: Signs Publishing Company3485 Warburton HighwayWarburton, Vic 3799, AustraliaPhone: (03) 5966 9111 Fax: (03) 5966 9019Email Letters: editor@signspublishing.com.auEmail Newsfront: record@signspublishing.com.auEmail Noticeboard: editorsec@signspublishing.com.auSubscriptions: South Pacific Division mailed within Australiaand to New Zealand, $A43.80 $NZ73.00. Other prices onapplication. Printed weekly.2December 17, 2005