Session Delegate The delegate's quick glance at the 56th General Conference Session activities in Utrecht, Holland. Sunday . July 2, 1995 30,000 Attend Sabbath Services at Jaarbeurs Sabbath service attendance at the Jaarbeurs complex yesterday topped more than 30,000. Worshippers of all age groups attended services in various sections of the complex. In the main auditorium G. Ralph Thompson, re-elected secretary of the GC, spoke of Christ's second coming, encouraging Adventists to recognize that we are "God's rainbow people"-coming from many lands and United in Christ. Youth Pack Beatrix Youth and young adults packed the 1,100-seat Beatrix Hall for a program that included drama by the Destination Players, music by the London Adventist Chorale, and a sermon by a GC youth director, Dick Barron. During the appeal, 15 youth came forward for baptism. Mimes & Puppets Some 250 junior/teens attended services coordinated by the Euro-Africa and North American Divisions. "My favorite part was the mimes," announced Ingeborg Hoagganvick of Norway. "We liked the singing puppet show," chimed in Paddy Mwangi of Kenya and Manuela Bajic of Yugoslavia. Time Tunnels to Primary More than 200 children registered for the primary services. Participants received a headdress then walked through a time tunnel to visit Jesus' hometown of Bethlehem. They met people of that era, watched a puppet show, heard a mission story from Korea, made purses, enjoyed snacks, and sang. "I liked the group singing, playing with other kids, and the stories," said Jonathan Shulz of Germany. The King's Palace An estimated 150 children attended the kindergarten program in the "King's Palace." There, each child received crowns, palm leaves, and treasure bags on the theme "Jesus Is My King." When asked what she liked best, Damaris Pamplona of Spain, said, "I really liked the singing part because we could wave our palm leaves." Indoor Nature Walk "The Sabbath" was the theme for the cradle roll services. Some 100 children enjoyed a nature walk through an indoor garden. How can so many people of so many cultures receive such a blessing worshiping together? "I believe in the power of the gospel," says Arnold Best of England. "God can translate His message to everyone." Comment Does God Have Grandchildren? Two thousand years ago, a prominent spiritual leader came to Jesus. Jesus immediately went to the core issue of all salvation, "You must," He said, "be born again." You can be an Adventist, a Sabbath-keeper, a caring person, even someone who loves God, yet not be born again. But, according to Jesus, you must be born again. Being born again doesn't depend on what or whom you know. Being born again is the experience of salvation in Christ. It's having a new life in Jesus, an experience that comes only by death to self and a desire to live for God. This experience is what we as a Church need. Being born again is not a corporate experience. There are no twins or triplets. God has no grandchildren, only children, born from His Spirit alone. No policy change, no decision made at this Session can bring about this experience. Instead, being born again is a crucial personal choice that will fundamentally and radically change our lives. Whoever you are, whatever land you represent Christ's words to Nicodemus echo across the ages, "You must be born again." -Clifford Goldstein "Lighting the World" The Global Mission Report Saturday evening highlighted Global Mission activities and workers around the world says, Jackie Smith of Global Mission. Mike Ryan and R.S. Folkenberg interviewed several Global Mission pioneers, including Davaahuu Barbaatar, one of the first convert in Mongolia, and Zirkum Colney, working in India. Other aspects of Global Mission's work were shown in video clips. Also interviewed were Jim Cress of the GC Ministerial Association and Rose Otis of Women's Ministries, two departments which are very active in Global Mission activities. "Lighting the World for Jesus," the theme of the report, was represented by thousands of penlights waved by the audience as they sang "This Little Light of Mine." "What I saw made me realize how much I am a shareholder in Global Mission," said one delegate after the presentation. Don't Miss Concert in the Janskerk Today, at 1500, a concert will be held in the medieval Janskerk in Utrecht. The Norwegian Advent Singers will perform the concert. Janskerk is on Nobelstraat, a five minute walk from Domkerk Cathedral. Admission is free but a donation is recommended. Union College Alumni Meet A special invitation is extended to alumni and friends of Union College to meet for a come-and-go luncheon. Dr. John Kerbs, president of the college, will be at a designated area in the speed line dining room on July 2 from 1200 until 1400. In Rare Form Profile of the Euro-Asia Division Exhibit Tucked away in the far back corner of the exhibit hall, you'll find the Euro-Asia Division (ESD) booth, rare books, and a brave Christian woman. Included in the booth, lined with photographs from the division, there is a display of wooden book binders once used to produce books of religious literature during the time of communist rule. "Under communism, all religious literature was considered anti-government propaganda and, therefore, illegal. But Seventh-day Adventists were very active in producing religious literature," says Gina Wahlen, currently in Russia. The books were produced on old Russian typewriters filled with carbon paper placed between 10 sheets of typing paper. Lyuda Volynets, a visitor from the Ukraine, remembers late nights she spent producing the outlawed books from 1978 through 1983. "Imagine typing with 10 pieces of paper in a typewriter. My hands would swell, but I produced 25 to 30 pages a day. Only my family knew I was doing this. I could have been sent to prison." The ESD brought 50 of these secretly produced books to the Session. They have been donated by the people of Russia, Ukraine, and other areas in the former Soviet Union. The books can be purchased for a donation to the new audio evangelism project which will help to provide sermons on cassette. GC95Radio Reaches Utrecht If you tune your radio's FM dial to 87.6 between 0700 and 2200, you'll find GC95Radio, a station sponsored by Adventist World Radio (AWR) and the Netherlands Union Conference. Bert Smit, coordinator of FM programming, says that this is the first time that AWR has established a station for a special event. "GC95Radio is for the delegates to the Session," he said. "And we want the community residents know what is happening here." The station has five watts of power with the transmitter inside the Jaarbeurs complex and a tower on the roof. AWR received a special license from the government to broadcast. They do so in five languages each day. "People have said the programming is helping them keep up with the Session," said AWR president, Walter Scragg. He reports that the signal is being heard clearly throughout the city of Utrecht. GCTV Reaches Home Viewers While thousands of Adventists traveled to this GC Session, thousands more are attending the meetings via satellite in their churches and homes in the North, South, and Inter-American Divisions. Each night, the Adventist Communication Network (ACN), in conjunction with the Adventist Media Center (AMC), is producing "GCTV" which includes the noonday Bible study hour address, a news report, roundtable discussions, and evening division reports. "Our coverage underlines the fact that this really is a world church gathering," says Monte Sahlin, general manager of ACN. "The Session isn't about the few thousand people who have come to Utrecht, it's about 8.5 million members around the world." Sahlin reports that ACN has received hundreds of telephone calls and faxes of appreciation for the coverage. Published by Adventist News Network . Celeste Ryan & Jeff Scoggins, editors . Jason Wells, assistant editor