The Seventh-day Adventist Church has begun responding to yesterday’s tragic incident at Bondi Beach with prayer gatherings and messages of solidarity, as communities across Australia continue to process the shock of the attack.
Authorities are continuing to investigate a shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening (December 14) during a Hanukkah gathering, which left 16 people dead and others injured, prompting widespread concern across Australia.
Woollahra Seventh-day Adventist Church, the closest Adventist church to Bondi Beach, is holding a special prayer meeting at 4:30pm today, with the invitation extended to the wider community. Pastor Tim Shelton said the church felt it was important to respond pastorally and visibly in the wake of the tragedy.
“Woollahra is the closest Adventist church to Bondi, and some members of our congregation have close ties to the Jewish community,” Pastor Shelton said. “We also have church members who live near Bondi Beach, including some who witnessed the aftermath. We felt it was important to uplift our community in prayer. As a rabbi friend of mine recently shared, ‘Light overcomes darkness.’”
Other Adventist churches and pastors have also been engaging with the wider community following the incident, including being in contact with local representatives to explore ways churches can take part in broader expressions of support.
Church leaders are also responding to the tragedy. South Pacific Division president Pastor Glenn Townend said the incident was deeply distressing and called on Australians to respond with compassion and prayer.
“No human being deserves to have experienced the violence the two gunman inflicted,” said Pastor Townend. “All humans are made in the image of God and created equal. Such unprovoked focused violence is abhorrent. I call all Australians and Seventh-day Adventists to pray for all those who have been tragically impacted by this shooting and to follow Jesus’ golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you’ (Matthew 7:12).”
In an official statement, Australian Union Conference president Dr Brendan Pratt said the Church was grieving with those affected by the attack, particularly the Jewish community. He also condemned the attack.
“Acts of terrorism embody darkness and demonstrate the worst of our humanity. At the same time, seeing citizens, our police, and health professionals step up to protect and help one another highlights some of the best values of our community. We thank and commend those who have responded with courage and compassion,” said Dr Pratt.
Dr Pratt also encouraged practical expressions of support, including prayer for victims and emergency services, and donating blood where possible (the full statement is published below).
Greater Sydney Conference also shared a message of condolence on Facebook, saying they are praying for the victims, their families, first responders and the wider Sydney community in the aftermath of the attack.
Read the full statement by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia:
The Seventh-day Adventist Church across Australia expresses sympathy and deep sadness to everyone impacted by the violent attack at Bondi. We grieve alongside those who have lost loved ones and particularly empathize with the Jewish community that were targeted by this hatred.
Acts of terrorism embody darkness and demonstrate the worst of our humanity. At the same time, seeing citizens, our police, and health professionals step up to protect and help one another highlights some of the best values of our community. We thank and commend those who have responded with courage and compassion.
At this time of year, when we celebrate light coming into the world, the events at Bondi were brought about by violent darkness. May Christ’s light shine through us amidst the darkness, may His love draw us closer to Him and to one another as we seek to support and care for our brothers and sisters, irrespective of race or creed.
We stand in support of the right of all faith communities to worship and conduct cultural events in safety. We seek to bring peace in the face of hatred and to model a humanity that embraces community over division and violence.
We pray healing for the broken-hearted (Psalm 147:3) and look forward to a time when God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death (Revelation 21:4).
What are some practical steps we can take at such a time as this?
- Donate blood, if you can
- Pray for the friends and families of the victims.
- Pray for essential services working tirelessly in the aftermath of this tragic event.
- Pray for both Jewish and Muslim leaders as they navigate the next steps.
- Reaffirm your commitment to bring the fruits of the Spirit, including love, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, into your sphere of influence.
- If and where possible, reach out to those you may know from the Jewish and Muslim communities to offer condolences, prayers, and support.
May the broken-hearted be surrounded by love. May light outshine the darkness. May we contribute to a better, more loving Australia.
Dr Brendan Pratt
President Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia
