24–29 October 2023
Watson Park Convention Centre, Brisbane
Join us for a special week of spiritual growth, training and fellowship. Whether you are an existing Literature Evangelist, just getting started, or want to find out more, you’ll leave feeling empowered about how you can share hope through literature.
Stories of God touching people through literature ministry.
Those who have been where you are going will share their recipes for success.
Join us in exalting Christ whose glorious love is our joy to share.
Share your own experiences to inspire us to be the best team we can be.
Updates on new products, methods and incentives.
Build connections and make new friends.
Suki Goonatilleke is a freelance writer and author of Sisters in Arms. She is a scriptwriter for the TV program The Incredible Journey, which is available on free-to-air television in Australia and New Zealand, Christian channels, and online worldwide. She also writes historical content for the website of Lineage Journey, an online video series. She is based in Melbourne and has two young daughters.
Pastor Terry Johnson has been married to Kimberly for 30 years and they have two children; Kyrstin who is turning 25 and lives at home along with Alec who is turning 20 and is in his second year of Education at Avondale University. Terry has worked for 31 years as a pastor in Texas and Michigan in the USA, Auckland in New Zealand, Perth, Sydney and now Melbourne in Australia. He grew up as a missionary kid in the Congo, Mauritius, Iceland and England before moving to Canada at the age of ten. He was born in France and is a fourth generation Seventh-day Adventist minister. He’s been the Australian Union President for two years after having served as president in the Greater Sydney Conference and the Western Australian Conference, and has loved every minute of the challenge of administrative ministry while on his knees.
Greg currently serves as the director for Church Support and Development in South Queensland Conference. In his twenty years of ministry he has served as pastor, church planter, chaplain and departmental director. He has led churches of all sizes in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast and is passionate about mission, growing healthy local churches, raising up a movement of disciple-makers and empowering missional communities. He has created numerous resources to equip members for discipleship, mission and personal ministry that have been used extensively by members and churches both in Australia and the SPD. He is married to Chantelle and they have two boys, Jayden and Koby. He enjoys vegetable gardening, is an AFL Richmond Tigers fan, loves fishing, camping and reading.
Lea-Anne Smith is employed by the North NSW Conference as Manager of Better Books and Food (aka the Adventist Book Centre) in Cooranbong. She has some years of experience in family business and has also served the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a field minister in North NSW and Northern Australian Conferences. She holds Graduate Diplomas in Theology and Counselling and is currently a PhD candidate examining the impact of Pentecostal spirituality on Adventist identity in Australia. She is passionate about Adventist literature and its role in molding a healthy spirituality and forming a strong Adventist identity. Lea-Anne also enjoys leading worship tours to the Bible lands and seeing the Bible come alive for tour members. She is married to Colville, and together they have a 17-year-old daughter, Kaylee.
Brenton Lowe has served in Literature Ministry for over twenty years, commencing as a full-time career Literature Evangelist (LE) in 2001. For many years Brenton had the highest sales in the South Pacific Division, delivering over $10,000 value of Adventist books and media into homes every month. In 2009, he started as the Literature Ministry leader in the Western Australian Conference, mentoring a successful LE team. In 2019, he commenced as the Adventist Media Literature Ministry Coordinator in Australia and New Zealand. His vision is to see a thriving movement of church members, young people and a successful LE team empowered to share the Good News. Brenton enjoys partnering with local Conferences and innovators to fulfil God’s ordained purpose through Literature Evangelism. Brenton is married to Sandi, and they live in Cooranbong with their three children, Kayla, Chelsea and Daniel.
Pastor Stephen Apola has served as a district pastor, and both conference and union Publishing department director in Kenya. Prior to joining the GC team, he pastored in Indiana Conference as he completed his MA in Communication at Andrews University. His passion is helping people understand the character and love of God. He has over twenty years of experience in ministry, with over fourteen in publishing. Stephen is married to Peris and they are blessed with four children.
Pastor Nicu Dumbrava is the Personal Ministries Director for the Australian Union Conference. Nicu has been married to Grace for over 28 years and they have two beautiful children: Roberta and Dominick. Together they have sought to impact the world for better staring their journey into ministry in 1997 when they moved to Australia. After his graduation from Avondale College in 2001, Nicu served 8 years as the pastor in the South NSW Conference and 12 years as a senior pastor and Personal Ministries Director in the WA Conference. He is convinced that if the church today is connected by the power of the Holy Spirit and is feeding on the Word of God it can have the same impact that the early church had.
Sue is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and one of Australia’s leading nutritionists and health communicators. Recognised by her peers as an expert on plant foods and phytonutrients, Sue is co-author of the internationally published Eat to Live, winner of “Best Nutrition Writing” at the Vittoria Australian Food Media Awards for The Breakfast Book, and was awarded the Dietitians Association of Australia President’s Award for Innovation for her culinary medicine cookshops. She is also the author of the “Best in the World” award-winning cookbook Food as Medicine: Cooking for Your Best Health and the soon-to-be-released Food as Medicine: Cooking to Prevent and Treat Diabetes. Sue passionately believes that to live well you need to eat well!
Pastor Andrew Jasper is the youngest of a family of nine children: he has seven brothers and one sister. He has been married to Keryn for over twenty years and they have two boys; Emerson and Simon, who love anything to do with the bush. Andrew has worked as a Literature Evangelist, Teacher, Bible Worker, Church Pastor, Public Evangelist and Health Champion for over 28 years. He currently serves as the Director of Health, Stewardship and Personal Ministries for the Victorian Conference. His current passions include sharing the living Christ with people from all walks of life, and inspiring church members to be fully engaged with the Holy Spirit to equip and launch them into the harvest. He enjoys anything to do with nature and enjoys the thrill of sharing God’s wondrous love through His creation. His favourite theme comes from 1 John 5:12 - “He who has the Son has life ...”.
All are welcome to join for Sabbath School, Church and afternoon Stories of Faith.
BYO picnic in the outside eating area.
| Tuesday October 24 | |
|---|---|
| 2:00 | Check-in Expo |
| 4:00 | Welcome |
| 4:30 | Team Building |
| 6:00 | Dinner |
| 7:00 | Worship & Stories of Faith – Training Panel |
| 7:30 | Speaker – Stephen Apola |
| 8:30 | Close |
| Wednesday October 25 | |
| 6:30 | Walk |
| 7:00 | Prayer time – Andrew Kochanski |
| 7:30 | Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Worship & Stories of Faith – Victorian Conference |
| 9:00 | Speaker – Andrew Jasper |
| 9:30 | Training – Salesforce launch – Brenton Lowe |
| 10:30 | Break |
| 10:45 | Speaker – Sukeshinie Goonatilleke |
| 11:30 | Training
|
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 1:30 | Training – Stephen Apola |
| 2:30 | Break |
| 3:00 | Speaker – Nicu Dumbrava |
| 4:00 | Training – Salesforce setup – Dan Lewis |
| 5:00 | Break |
| 5:30 | Product knowledge challenge – Tony Wall |
| 6:00 | Dinner |
| 7:00 | Worship & Stories of Faith – South Queensland Conference |
| 7:30 | Speaker – Greg Pratt |
| 8:30 | Close |
| Thursday October 26 | |
| 6:30 | Walk |
| 7:00 | Prayer time – Marian Jones |
| 7:30 | Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Worship & Stories of Faith – New Zealand |
| 9:00 | Speaker – Terry Johnson |
| 9:30 | Training – Signs Dispatch & Stock |
| 10:30 | Break |
| 10:45 | Speaker – Sukeshinie Goonatilleke |
| 11:30 | Training – AUC Resources – Sylvia Mendez |
| 12:15 | Outing (includes lunch) |
| 5:30 | Worship & Stories of Faith – Western Australian Conference |
| 6:00 | Dinner Awards, Pins and Dedications |
| 7:30 | Speaker – Terry Johnson |
| 8:30 | Close |
| Friday October 27 | |
| 6:30 | Walk |
| 7:00 | Prayer time – Sue Wilson |
| 7:30 | Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Worship & Stories of Faith – Northern Australian Conference |
| 9:00 | Speaker – Nicu Dumbrava |
| 9:30 | Break |
| 9:45 | Training – How To Connect – Terry Johnson |
| 12:00 | Team Photos |
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 1:30 | Training
|
| 4:00 | Preparation time |
| 5:00 | Worship & Stories of Faith – South Australian Conference |
| 5:30 | Footwashing |
| 6:00 | Speaker & Dedication Service – Stephen Apola |
| 6:30 | Agape Feast |
| 7:30 | Close |
| Saturday October 28 | |
| 7:30 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 | Worship & Stories of Faith – North New South Wales Conference |
| 9:30 | Sabbath School – Adam Weal |
| 11:00 | Church Service – Stephen Apola |
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 4:00 | Stories of Faith
|
| 6:00 | Dinner Closing Sabbath – Brenton Lowe Pack up and tidy dining hall and meeting room |
| Sunday October 29 | |
| Breakfast – take-away pack available from the dining hall Cleaning – please empty bins and ensure your rooms and all areas are clean and tidy Departure – shuttles depart at 5am and 10am | |