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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
Adventist schools in PNG join NESLAE, PAPUA NEW GUINEAAdventist schools in the Papua NewGuinea Union Mission (PNGUM)will join the united NationalEducation System (NES) at thebeginning of the 2006 school year.This was announced by the PNGMinister for Education, Michael Liamo,on November 7, who said he is pleased thediscussions between the National EducationBoard and church came to a successful conclusionafter working for more than twoyears to bring the plans to completion.Becoming a part of the NES will meanteachers at Adventist schools will receivetheir wages from the PNG TeachingServices Commission, and teachingappointments will be made in consultationwith the relevant Provincial EducationBoards.Individual schools will be eligible foradditional school subsidies and resourceallocations, and there will be a significantreduction in school fees because of theadditional government assistance. Thisreduction will make church educationaffordable to grassroots communities aswell as their more affluent urban counterparts.The education director for the PNGUM,Steve Piez, says, “It is important to understandthat despite the changes, Adventistschools will still belong to, and be managedby, the Adventist Church.”While teaching staff will receive theirwages from the government, they will stillbe considered mission teachers and by lawwill be required to comply with church policiesand philosophy of education.“This is a direct answer to prayer for thechurch in PNG,” says Mr Piez. “Its educationsystem has been in serious decline forSchools in PNG will join the NES at the beginning ofthe 2006 school year.the past 10 years. This new partnership willassist the church’s education program toachieve its primary goal of taking empowering,gospel-focused education to everycorner of this country—even the poorestand most remote regions.”He adds, “I would also like to assurenewschurch members that PNGUM is notmerely handing over its schools to the government.The school system will still belongto the church but will be better situated toserve its purpose.”At the beginning of this quinquenniumthe Adventist school system in PNG was inserious decline. Due to a downturn in theeconomy, increases in population and theinability of many parents to meet the mostbasic school expenses, 23 primary and secondaryschools were closed between 1998and 2003, and total enrolments plummetedfrom 10,511 to 6930—a loss of 3581students.Compounding these problems was thecessation of the PNG government’s annualgrant-in-aid package of around $A233,000to the church’s education system.Mr Piez says, “Despite this, the local missionsdid their best to keep schools open. Inmany places, teachers’ wages were drasticallycut to a mere $A93 per month or evenless. However, these measures were notenough and schools continued to close.”After prayerful consideration, thePNGUM executive committee decided inSeptember 2003 that the best solution to theproblems would be to join the unified NESand become an education agency in partnershipwith the National Department ofEducation.—Adele Nash◆ Wallsend, NSW, youth pastorCasey Wolverton (pictured, right),in his final baptism and sermonbefore taking up a new appointmentat the Gold Coast church,Qld, has possibly set a world first.His baptism of Scott (left) and ShariCoburn (centre) on November 12was likely the first in the world touse the new baptismal vowsvoted at the General Conferencesession earlier this year. They wereofficially released only on the Wednesdaybefore the baptism. Thethree new vows replace the previous13 vows.—Ray Boyce◆ Five sisters now live at the VictoriaPoint Adventist RetirementVillage, Qld. The Heise sisters—Edna, Yvonne, Ruth, Hazel andAlma—meet each afternoon for awalk. Four of the quintet have livedin the village for many years, andwere joined by Yvonne in October.—FranCraig◆ Prospect International church,SA, celebrated its centenary onSeptember 17. Conference presidentPastor Garry Hodgkin presentedthe message at the commemorativeservice. An afternoonprogram included an AV presentationof church members who weredescendants of the original Prospectchurch, and a re-enactmentof the opening and dedicationservice 100 years ago. A 2.5m x 1mreplica of the original church wason display.—Joan Moreau.There’s to be a new editorial lineupon the RECORD masthead fromthe first issue of 2006. Pastor DavidEdgren (pictured) will replace LeeDunstan as an assistant editor forRECORD and Signs of the Times. MrDunstan was appointed managingeditor of Signs at the recentmeetings of the division executive,with responsibilities for itsproduction, promotion and marketing.While still employed atSigns Publishing Company, his connectionswith RECORD will ceasefrom January 2006. Pastor Edgrencomes from a pastoral position inthe Tasmanian Conference.SEARCH THOUGH THE SIGNS ARTICLE ARCHIVE @ WWW.SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AUDecember 17, 20053
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