Archive for October, 2011

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Mate versus mate but all in good fun

Monday, October 31, 2011

Community key to success of Adventist Basketball Championship

Andrew Parker
Public relations editorial intern
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Thirty-four games, 13 teams, two days, one goal: to bring teams from across Australia together, not just to play basketball, but to develop community and experience Christian values.

The second Adventist Basketball Championship, held in the Chan Shun Auditorium on Avondale College of Higher Education’s Lake Macquarie campus October 22-23, included teams from Avondale, the Gold Coast, Kempsey, Melbourne and Western Australia.

For the first time, the championship featured a women’s competition, with most valuable player Adelle Bottrell, a Bachelor of Business student, leading Opals to a 43-32 win against Multeasers in the final.

In the men’s final, reigning champions Gold Coast Waves beat a resilient Melbourne—who defeated an injured Avondale in the quarter finals—112-86. Waves gained their winning lead in the third quarter after scores were level at halftime. The teams then treated fans with entertaining displays of athleticism, with players on each side allowing players on the other to show off their best slam dunks.

The fans created a good atmosphere over the weekend, with chants of encouragement for good play or of motivation to get their team back into the game.

Avondale men’s team member Josh Hamilton enjoyed sharing with others passion for the sport and for God. “I learnt not only more about basketball but more about myself and my walk with God through the way others were treated on and off the court,” he says.

Organiser Jared Benard, president of the Avondale Student Association, hopes fans and players take away “a positive experience of coming to Avondale and playing in the Adventist Basketball Championship.”

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Hoop dreams

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Thirty-four games, 13 teams, two days, one goal: to bring teams from across Australia together, not just to play basketball, but to develop community and experience Christian values. The second Adventist Basketball Championship, held in the Chan Shun Auditorium on Avondale College of Higher Education’s Lake Macquarie campus this past weekend (October 22-23), included teams from the Gold Coast, Kempsey, Melbourne and Western Australia. For the first time, the championship featured a women’s competition, with most valuable player Adelle Bottrell, a Bachelor of Business student, leading Opals to a 43-32 win against Multeasers in the final. In the men’s final, reigning champions Gold Coast Waves beat a resilient Melbourne 112-86. Read the full report at www.avondale.edu.au/connections.—Andrew Parker Credit: Aaron Bellette.

 

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Stay generous, stay connected

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Advice for life from the Australian of the Year

Nathan Brown
Book editor
Signs Publishing Company

Australian of the Year Simon McKeon is an advocate of corporate philanthropy and individual giving. His message: where any of us have any capacity for giving, we should consider that as a valid option to make a difference in the lives of those who need it.

McKeon says giving is not just important for the beneficiaries, it is also vital for the giver. As an investment banker, he is attuned to the business realities. He says the most successful organisations are those giving to and working with their communities. “They will be connected with their community, not operating out of an ivory tower, and they will be better for it because they will understand what the community is needing and asking for.”

While the church should be more than a business, McKeon’s insight is helpful to our practice of faith, individually and corporately. However we might judge the success of the church, our connection with the community will be vital.

Church should never be about “ivory towers” or merely looking after ourselves. As Jesus taught, the church should be salt and light in the world. We should give because of what we have received, and we should serve primarily for the benefit of others, but when we do this, we will find we receive more again in return. Perhaps this is one of the meanings of this statement from Jesus: “To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance” (Matthew 25:29, NLT).

And there is also a personal benefit for those of us who work as a church to connect with and serve the community. Rather than risking becoming “an unnecessarily narrow and unsuccessful person”—as McKeon says—we step into a life of generosity and cooperation, created and creating anew “in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

McKeon was talking about business, but his wisdom also reveals a dynamic of life—and even more so of the life of faithfulness.—Adventist News Network

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Strength through community

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

“Strength through community:” you felt it during 7.28 and the worship service, both led by men’s residence Watson Hall this past weekend (October 14-15). The highlight: the baptism of head residence assistant Joel Heise (pictured) and of Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Teaching student Sam Rashleigh. “You could feel the power of the Holy Spirit,” says Dr Wayne French (also pictured), chaplain on Avondale College of Higher Education’s Lake Macquarie campus. Women’s residence led 7.28 and the worship service the weekend before mid-semester recess (September 23-24). Speakers Kate Beaden, Courtney Helmer, Kylie Rowe and Annie Ruthven captivated the congregations with their testimonies. Their theme, and that which has permeated Andre and Ella Boyd Halls this year: “Never been unloved.”—Sonja Larsen Credit: Ann Stafford.

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Big city muse

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Art tour of Chicago and New York inspires exhibition

Melissa Wilson
Public relations editorial intern
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Avondale College of Higher Education students have launched an art exhibition featuring work they created on an art tour of Chicago and New York City.

Sketch of Times Square by Rhiannon Bougaardt. Credit: Melissa Wilson.

The students, each equipped with a camera and a sketchbook, visited the cities as part of the unit, History of Art II. Their assessment task: to produce at least five paintings, photographs or sketches accompanied by a visual diary formatted as either a book, DVD or e-book.

The work, launched as the New York and Chicago Exhibition this past Thursday (October 13), is now on display in the Joanne Felk Gallery on Avondale’s Lake Macquarie campus.

One of those on the tour, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching student Jo Davies, says having an audience view your work is “always good.” “It gives it a purpose because I don’t want to keep it all for myself, I want to share it.”

The History of Art tour began in Chicago, with the students visiting The Art Institute of Chicago and viewing the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. In New York City, the students visited the Museum of Arts and Design, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Modern Art. They also visited smaller private galleries, including one exhibiting pieces by Pablo Picasso.

Tour leader Andy Collis, a senior lecturer in visual arts in the School of Humanities and Creative Arts, says the tour is an important part of a student’s course because it helps confirm commitment to art as a viable career and increase understanding of art history.

The New York and Chicago Exhibition continues in the Joanne Felk Gallery on Monday, October 24 from 2.00 PM as part of Learning and Teaching Excellence Week.

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