Pr Alina van Rensburg

Stepping up

Friday, August 18, 2017
Young Alumnus of the Year leads #wethechurch movement

Pr Alina (Coccetti) van Rensburg received her call to ministry while studying to be a physiotherapist. Volunteering in the Youth Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Queensland during a gap year ignited a passion. “It was then a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’ I would attend Avondale.”

Alina returned to complete her studies while continuing to serve in high school ministry at her local church. She graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland in 2005 and then worked for Queensland Health. The “when I attend Avondale” came several years later along with a Graduate Diploma in Ministry and a Graduate Diploma in Theology, from which Alina graduated with distinction in 2011.

Alina’s Avondale experience—lifelong mentors, the blessings of a Bible lands tour and a spiritual community—prepared her for entry into ministry, where she now seeks to build the church by encouraging people to “see themselves as the living, breathing expression of Jesus.” Alina accepted a call as Chaplain at Brisbane Adventist College in 2012 and as Director of Young Adult Ministries—the first in Australia—for the church in South Queensland in 2016.

An effective young adult ministry is reflected in the local church, says Alina. “My role is to inspire, equip and empower a movement of young adult leaders.” One of the initiatives Alina and husband Martin have introduced in young adult ministry is #wethechurch. It is a call for 18-30-plus-year-olds to own their faith and their role in the church. “As young adults, we want to respond to our calling—we want to step up, engage and be the church we are called to be,” says Alina.

A commissioning earlier this year means Alina is now one of two Pr A van Rensburgs—her father-in-law is Pr André van Rensburg, who’s receiving the honour year citation from the Class of 1977 at Homecoming this year.

Avondale Alumni honours Pr Alina van Rensburg for inspiring and empowering young adults to live out their faith in their spheres of influence.

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Brenton Stacey
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Brenton Stacey

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Brenton is Avondale University’s Public Relations and Philanthropy Officer. He brings to the role experience as a communicator in publishing, media relations, public relations, radio and television, mostly within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific and its entities.