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Church News<br />
Baptisms<br />
- ALBURY -<br />
Albury church is delighted and blessed again by celebrating the<br />
baptism of 5 wonderful youth.<br />
On Sabbath March 18, Kellie Nixon, Bailey Nixon, Tara Gadowski, Adam<br />
Gadowski and Amy Goddard went into the waters of baptism at Ebden<br />
Reserve, Hume Weir.<br />
A beautiful occasion with both sides of the border coming together to<br />
celebrate such a special event as Albury and Wodonga church shared the<br />
joy of the baptism followed by a picnic dinner by the waters.<br />
- Damian Cox<br />
Friday Night Basketball<br />
- BATHURST-<br />
Benten Salazar of the Bathurst Church has been playing<br />
basketball with a group of school friends for the last six years.<br />
When the coach position became vacant this year, Raymon<br />
Paletua – the local Adventist Church Pastor - stepped into<br />
that role. The boy’s high school competition is played on<br />
Friday nights. When the winter competition starts Benten has<br />
missed out on playing, as the games are on Friday nights well<br />
after Sabbath has begun.<br />
Five baptisms at Ebden Reserve, Albury<br />
The team wanted Benten and their Coach not to miss out and<br />
approached the competition managers to negotiate their<br />
games to be scheduled before sunset as games are usually<br />
rotated at different times from 4:00 - 9:00 pm. The team<br />
was thrilled when management agreed to have their games<br />
permanently at 4:00 pm each week, which allows Benten to<br />
play, and “coach” to be present.<br />
Benton Salazar (No.13) with his team, match referee<br />
(green shirt) and team coach Raymond Paletua.<br />
Due to speaking out and asking for the games to be played before sunset has opened up questions about the<br />
Sabbath from team members and the parents who come to watch the games. Having a pastor as a coach has also<br />
allowed the boys to have a positive role model. It has changed their view of what a pastor can look like in today’s<br />
community. This has been a positive experience. It shows that standing up for your belief opens up opportunities to<br />
share with others. - Melissa Lane<br />
Baptism<br />
- BEGA -<br />
Elaine Venables baptised by Pr. Kanazir<br />
Page 12 | 13 - IMPRINT - to be and grow flourishing followers of Jesus<br />
Bega and Wallaga Lake Church members gathered on Sabbath the<br />
11th of March at Corunna Lake, south of Narooma, to witness Elaine<br />
Venables’ baptism. Pastor Dragan Kanazir officiated the baptism after<br />
having studied with Elaine in recent months.<br />
Elaine shared the story of her spiritual journey, commencing with her<br />
christening as an infant and describing her search for a spiritual home.<br />
Friendship with Kerry Markham proved to be a stable influence in her<br />
life. An invitation to attend a Women’s Retreat led to an invitation to attend<br />
church.<br />
Later at the 2016 Women’s Retreat, quietly in her own mind, Elaine<br />
decided she wanted to become part of the Seventh-day Adventist<br />
church family.A highlight for Elaine on the day was to have her daughter<br />
and family with her. There was rejoicing all round, the sun shone brightly<br />
as we witnessed Elaine’s commitment. Three folk responded to the invitation<br />
to be baptised in the future. - Wendy Hergenhan
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