News Archive

Linden Chuang
Public relations assistant
Cooranbong, New South Wales

God's providence and service to others were the key values of the graduation class at Avondale College this year.

On a weekend (December 4-6) that saw a record number of 310 graduands receive their testamurs, what stood out the most was the desire of class members to look beyond themselves to God. They expressed this desire in the theme of graduation: "From Him . . . through Him . . . for Him."

The acknowledgement of God's providence came in a variety of forms over the weekend. Graduation class co-president Makushla D'Costa expressed thanks in her speech during Sunday's graduation ceremony, declaring God as "the author of our story, who loves us all so deeply and passionately that He sent His son to die on a cross that we might be saved." Keynote speakers also emphasised God as the source of life and success in their addresses during the consecration and valedictory services.

For four graduands, the weekend provided the setting for a public display of faith in God, with Tahlia D'Costa, Jodie Eckert, Samantha Knopper and Robert Stanton each joining the Seventh-day Adventist Church through baptism.

Graduands also recognised the importance of serving others. The graduation glass degree co-representative Samantha Wynne announced the students' gift to the college during Friday's consecration service on the Lake Macquarie campus. One-third of the money the class raised from two events it organised in the weeks before graduation will go into an Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church fund to provide Bibles for newly-baptised students. The class will donate the other two-thirds to Barnados-a not-for-profit organisation helping and raising awareness of Australian children in desperate need.

Pastor Brendan Pratt, director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries for the Adventist Church in Greater Sydney, reminded graduands during his worship service sermon on Saturday of the importance of reaching out to others. Avondale College's yearbook, Jacaranda, edited by graduand Kim Brown, also centred on the concept of "A better world."

In his graduation ceremony speech, class co-president Andrew White encouraged his peers to continue to have a service mindset. "It is my sincere hope that every graduate of Avondale College, irrespective of their field of learning, should embrace their future professions as a true calling. With this attitude, our impact on the world around us can be profound and far-reaching."

The ceremony saw most of the record number of graduands take to the stage to receive their testamurs. Some 310 students-nine more than last year-were eligible to march during the ceremony. In his presidential remarks, Dr Ray Roennfeldt noted the steady growth of Avondale, which has seen a 40 per cent increase in students since 2004.

Professor Raymond Nobbs, senior research fellow at Macquarie University and director at Newington College, presented the graduation ceremony address. He also emphasised the importance of being God- and service-focused. "I challenge you to consider the skills you've acquired out of which you're called, as your college motto says, to have 'a greater vision of world needs,' and to share the good news of Jesus Christ." He concluded with this challenge: "Go with God."