International News at a Glance

• Changing of the Guard in the Australian Mailing Department
• An Open Door to Ireland
• Ministers Visit Estonia

Changing of the Guard in the Australian Mailing Department

Reg Wright has been training a new employee in the Australian national office. John Vaughan has been hired to be the new mailing coordinator.

"With our Australian Good News subscriber list now over the 33,000 mark and generating requests for our other publications and the public taking an increasing interest in our Web site, there's plenty of activity," said Mr. Wright. "We also maintain The Good News subscriber listing for New Zealand, the Pacific Isles and Papua New Guinea, and serve those areas with the literature requested."

David Sandland took an early retirement from the mailing coordinator position due to health-related issues. He was employed in the mailing area for eight years. "During that time his expertise and effort contributed significantly to the efficiency and effectiveness of the service provided to members and subscribers," wrote Bill Eddington, chairman of UCG–Australia in the April-June United News Australia.

Mr. Sandland handled the consistent growth of Good News circulation (52,000 subscribers have been added since 2004) with the help of his wife, Lynn, who originally volunteered her service but who became a part-time employee as the volume grew.

The Sandlands have relocated to Coffs Harbour where they will be closer to family members. "The Church greatly appreciated their joint endeavors in the mailing area and wishes them well in this new phase of their life," Mr. Eddington said.

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An Open Door to Ireland

The following appeared in the July/August 2008 British and European Supplement to The Good News:

The United Church of God began a small congregation in Northern Ireland just a few years ago. We meet in Ballymena, about 30 miles north of Belfast, several times a year, especially on God's annual Holy Days.

United meetings in the Irish Republic began just over two years ago, and we meet there nearly every weekly Sabbath day in County Carlow. We hope to begin a Bible study in Dublin in the near future.

The Good News mailing list in the Republic of Ireland has grown considerably over the last several years. We hope God is indicating that a greater harvest is just around the corner in both the north and the south.

—John Ross Schroeder

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Ministers Visit Estonia

Vic Kubik, senior pastor for Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, visited Tartu, Estonia, July 18 to 23. He was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Bev, and by Jim Franks, Ministerial Services operation manager, and Britton Taylor, pastor of the Fort Worth and Coleman, Texas, congregations.

Friday evening, July 18, members from Estonia and a group from the neighboring country of Latvia met for dinner and discussion. Ten people drove up from Smiltena, Latvia, about 90 miles south of Tartu.

"It was a great meal with great socializing and people getting to know one another," said Mr. Kubik. "I was happy to see the intermixing between the Latvians and Estonians. Their languages are so different that they have to resort to Russian…Most older people know Russian well. Younger people, however, are not learning Russian" since the Soviet Union ended.

"After dinner we gathered in a circle to have discussion about the Church, the Bible and other questions," Mr. Kubik said. "People also told the story about their coming to understand the Bible and its relevance to them."

When the discussion ended just before 10 p.m., Robert Schultz, the leader of the Latvian group, suggested that the group have a prayer. "Britt Taylor asked a meaningful blessing, mentioning the various nationalities meeting for a common purpose," Mr. Kubik said.

July 19 the Estonian members met for Sabbath services. Mr. Taylor spoke on the importance of prayer, and Mr. Franks spoke about being a light in your community.

On Sunday, July 20, the visitors prepared the mailing for Good News and Bible Study Course subscribers in the region.

July 21 the mailing was delivered to the post office and the group visited Pere Raadio, a Christian radio station that the Church has used to advertise the BSC and GN. July 22 they visited a member in prison, before traveling on to Sweden (see article, page 1).

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