2009! Year of Evangelism?

The GC has dubbed 2009 the Year of Evangelism. So here's some wishes for the new year from Mark Finley, Shawn Boonstra, and Doug Batchelor--three of Adventism's best known evangelistic people.

Happy New Year!

Some Doug Batchelor after Andy Warhol to ring in the New Year.

VOTE - Adventist Santa [UPDATED]

Vote for your favorite Adventist Santa in the Christmastime North Poll (ha ha, sucker for puns). Candidates' pictures in posts below.

*****UPDATE*****

The 4,239 votes have been tabulated and the winner, by a whisker, is Doug Batchelorclaus!

Congratulations to our evangelistic Santa guy!

Marvin Mooreclaus

Robert Folkenclaus

Rajmund Dabrowskiclaus

Doug Batchelorclaus

"Anonymous" requested a version with a Christmas tree, mostly for the sake of snarkiness. I happily oblige. It's what I do. Happy Holidays, says Mr. Batchelor. (See comments)

Monte Sahlinclaus

David Asschericklaus

Don C. Schneiderclaus

The Adventist News Network reports the church is tightening its belt:

Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders announced financial restraints and cutbacks to deal with the current economic situation, ranging from delaying pay increases and budgeted increases in appropriations to reducing travel budgets and relocating executive meetings. Also, a hiring freeze is in effect for the church's General Conference, one of several entities at the church's headquarters building near Washington, D.C.

[Pictured above from left to right: GC vice presidents Ella Simmons, Armando Miranda, Mark Finley, GC president Jan Paulsen, and vice presidents Pardon Mwansa and Eugene Hsu]

Adventist Pensions

Spooky times for SDA retirees.

St. Ellen The Pumpkin

Happy Halloween! For those of you not spooked by the word.

From the spirit of prophecy

Adventist Halloween Costumes

For Spectrum:

Halloween really spooks some Adventists (no fun intended):
"Seventh-day Adventists recognize that spiritualism has many faces. Some of them may seem harmless and even fun. Nevertheless, they lead children and adults away from God's truth, and can become stepping stones to further entanglement with the occult. Therefore, we do not recommend participation in the celebrations and festivities in connection with Halloween."

Gerhard Pfandl, Ph.D.
Associate DirectorBiblical Research Institute
From the Children's Ministries page of the GC website.