Connections

Nathan Brown
Editor-in-chief, Signs Publishing Company

A series of seminars attracted more than 80 Seventh-day Adventist writers in three locations around Australia in the last week in March.

Aimed at encouraging and challenging writers to use their abilities to contribute to Adventist Church and other publications, the seminars were held at the church in Western Australia's annual camp meeting in Perth, at Avondale College and in Brisbane.

"Writing and publishing have always played an important part in the mission of the church," says Trudy J Morgan-Cole, the featured presenter. "As the culture within and around the church changes, we need to continue finding new ways to communicate the 'old, old story,' and writers are the front-line troops in this effort. We need writers who can speak both to those inside the church and in the world around us."

Morgan-Cole is author of 13 books, including Esther: a story of courage, and comes from St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. "The interest, the commitment and most of all . . . the talent of those who have attended" impressed her. "The church in Australia has a great many gifted writers, some who are currently writing and many more whose talent is ripe for development," she says. "I hope anyone attending these seminars would have come away with a sense that it's possible and worthwhile to pursue writing as a career or as a serious hobby--and, most importantly, as a ministry. I've tried to focus on encouraging writers to develop their own unique voice, driven by their passion for the issues they care deeply about."

Signs Publishing Company and Avondale College co-sponsored the seminars, which attracted writers with a variety of experience and interest. "It was very interesting and inspiring," says Desre Nikolich, a delegate at the seminar at Avondale. "It also gave practical tips on the craft of writing and insight into being a 'published author.'"

In her own writing and her workshops, Morgan-Cole demonstrated her passion for stories and storytelling as vehicles for truth and transformation. "When we read the great stories of the Bible, we are able to place ourselves in the story and see how the grace that transformed the lives of the Bible characters can be effective in transforming our own lives," she explains.

"I think the church needs to value the work of creative writers and other artists, to emphasise creativity in our schools and our churches, and to reward and highlight the work of those who seek fresh new ways of communicating timeless truths through writing and the arts. I'm excited to have been part of a project like these writers seminars, and I would love to see more things like this happening in the church in North America."

And Morgan-Cole says the seminar delegates also encouraged her. "I've learned a great deal from the creative and talented people who've attended the seminars," she reflects. "It's a powerful thing to get a group of writers together in a room, let them read each other's work, talk about their craft and see where it takes them. I think I've learned as much as they have."

Caption: Author Trudy J Morgan-Cole says she learned "a great deal" from these and other delegates who attended a writers' seminar co-sponsored and hosted by Avondale College.
Credit: Nathan Brown

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