Lorraine Drew, a long-time member of Pioneer, passed away on May 14, 2025. A celebration of her life will be held on May 25, 2025, at 4:00 PM, in the Pioneer Sanctuary. Visitation will be held in the Narthex at 3:00 PM.
Roommates, Bad Dates, and Soul Mates
Roommates, Bad Dates, & Soulmates-Part 1
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Program:
Opening Music
Amazing Grace • Kenneth Logan
Choral Reflection
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart • Patrick Hawes
Songs of Praise
Better Is One Day • Your Name • Agnus Dei • In Christ Alone
Prayer
Rodlie Ortiz
Pioneer Life
GROW Groups
Children's Story
What a Friend We Have in Jesus • Robert Hobby & Kenneth Logan
Worship in Music
Hold On • Spiritual / John Tebay
Homily
"Roommates, Bad Dates & Soul Mates—1"
Dwight K. Nelson with Rebecca Puii Fanai, Alexander Hales, and William Dos Reis
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
Pioneer Operating Budget
Prayer of Commitment
The Lord's Prayer • Albert Hay Malotte
Benediction
Closing Music
Be My Vision • Traditional Irish
More In This Series
“Roommates, Bad Dates and Soul Mates”—1
www.newperceptions.tv
» Keep this in mind . . .
• Harry Nilsson—“One is the loneliest number . . .”
• Varun Soni, USC vice-provost: “What I have noticed in my work with students is that many of them face the same hidden root challenge: loneliness. . . . I never got the question in my first five years at USC that I now get almost daily from students: ‘How do I make friends?’” (www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-soni-campus-stufent-loneliness-20190...)
• US News & World Report—a study last year of 20,000 U.S. adults “found that nearly half felt lonely at least sometime. And only 53% said they had meaningful face-to-face interactions every day.”
(www.usnews.com/news/health-news/2019-03-11 ...)
• God: “‘It is not good for the man [Adam] to be alone; I will make a companion who can help him [Eve].’” (Genesis 2:18)
• Norway survey of 15,000 people discovered:
– For those 18-29—what matters in relationships is quantity (how many friends do I have?).
– But for those 30-64—what matters in relationships is quality (how deep are my friendships?). (www.greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_loneliness_changes_across_...)
• Stephen Johnson—ask these questions to find out if you have the relationships you need:
– Do you have at least one person nearby whom you can call on in times of personal distress?
– Do you have several people whom you can visit with little advance warning without apology?
– Do you have several people with whom you can share recreational activities?
– Do you have people who will lend you money if you need it, or those who will care for you in practical ways if the need arises? (In Friendship Factor 24)
» 4 Secrets to Growing Friendships
• Friendship Secret #1—Less of and more of . (Unselfishness)
– Jennifer Schwirzer: “We have all done it, and we have all suffered when others have done it. The monologuist fails to hold an actual conversation. They seem to thrive on the sound of their own voice.” (13 Weeks to Love 56)
• Alan McGuinnis: Ask yourself—
– Do we usually end up going to the restaurant or watch the movie I prefer?
– Do I enjoy correcting factual errors in other people’s conversations?
– Do I use humor to put down my friends?
– Do I have to know more about a topic than others to feel comfortable discussing it?(Friendship Factor 63)
– 1 Corinthians 13:5—“Love is not -seeking.”
• Friendship Secret #2—Let’s ! (Communication)
– Les and Leslie Parrott (in their book), observe: “Consider this fact: Men say three times as many words in public as they do in private, while women say three times as many words in private as they do in public.” (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts 108)
– Alan McGinnis: “There can be no intimacy without .” (Friendship Factor 105)
– Luke 24:15—“[Cleopas and his friend] talked and discussed these things with .”
• Friendship Secret #3—Quit keeping . (Gift of a Good Forgetter)
– Jacques Vaudre: “Keeping score belongs in competitive sports, not in a mutually supportive relationship. . . . The idea that love involves some sort of quid pro quo, is, at best, evidence of immaturity that needs to be outgrown. At worst, it is a distortion of love that turns two people into unhappy combatants vying for control.” (Six Dynamic Keys 120)
– Matthew 6:12 NIV—“And forgive us our debts as we also [GK already forgiven our debtors.”
• Friendship Secret #4—I’m willing to so you can . (Self-sacrifice)
– The sacrificial love of a mother for her child
– John 15:13—“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s .”
Best Friends Forever
We Mourn
Offering for May 24, 2025
Michigan Advance Partners
The COVID-19 pandemic caused thousands of deaths around the world and made people rethink their purpose in life. We’ve all been affected by this. Recent wars displaced millions from their homes creating major cultural, political, and population shifts. These crises created openness in spiritual things.
People are searching for meaning and peace. They’re hungry to make sense out of all the chaos in the world. Churches in our conference can be that haven and point of contact for people to hear about Jesus.
Offerings collected monthly for Michigan Advance Partners give opportunities for ministries in all churches to be funded so it can plant seeds of hope and love. Now is the time to invest in God’s work. Why not ask God for bigger requests so He can bless us abundantly? We don’t need to wait until we have more to give more. We can flex our faith in God now.
Note the promise, "The time has come when we are to expect large blessings from the Lord. We must rise to a higher standard on the subject of faith... The Word of God is our endorsement. We must take it, simply believing every word. With this assurance we may claim large things, and according to our faith it will be unto us” (That I May Know Him, p. 226). Today, let’s lay all on the altar and give our all to God.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Widow and Widowers Bird Watching Brunch
11356 S Lake Chapin Rd, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
We are inviting all widows and widowers to join us for a nature walk at 9:00 AM, June 1, at the home of Dave and Terri Village. We will also be having a vegetarian potluck and a birdwatching presentation with boat rides to follow. We hope to see you there!
Andrews Academy’s Graduation Weekend Events
Congratulations, Andrews Academy seniors! May the same Lord who got you here lead you into the uncharted adventure ahead! “I am with you always,” is His promise. Everyone is invited to attend graduation weekend events.
- Class Night May 22, 7:00 PM at Andrews Academy
- Consecration May 23, 8:00 PM at Village SDA Church
- Baccalaureate May 24, 11:45 AM at Pioneer Memorial Church
- Commencement May 25, 11:00 AM at Pioneer Memorial Church
Pioneer Business Session
Dear Valued Pioneer member, please plan to attend the upcoming Business Session to be held on May 27, at 7:00 PM. The topics to be discussed and voted upon include the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year budget which has been inserted in your bulletin.
Something in Common Sabbath School
Something In Common Sabbath School presents The Five Love Languages DVD series.
- May 17- Love Language One: Words of Affirmation
- May 24- Love Language Two: Quality Time
- May 31- Love Language Three: Receiving Gifts
- June 7- Love Language Four: Acts of Service
- June 14- Love Language Five: Physical Touch
- June 21- Growing in Love
Everyone is welcome to join us in PMC Room 141 each Sabbath morning from 10:30 - 11:30 AM.
Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings
The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.
Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback. Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.
Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!
- May 13, Tuesday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
- May 18, Sunday, 9:00 - 11:00 AM
- May 22, Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (Zoom only)
House of Prayer Series Led By Pastor Dwight Nelson
“How to Pray for Rome NOW: Following Jesus in Today’s Headlines”
House of Prayer Spring Series, 7 PM, Pioneer Earliteen Loft, May 2025
- May 7 “The Sea Beast and Jesus” (Revelation 13)
- May 14 “The Little Horn and Jesus” (Daniel 7 & 2 Thessalonians 2)
- May 21 “The Purple and Scarlet Woman and Jesus” (Revelation 17)
- May 28 “The Babylonian Queen and Jesus” (Revelation 18)
“Prophecy is fast fulfilling. More, much more, should be said about these tremendously important subjects. The day is at hand when the destiny of every soul will be fixed forever. This day of the Lord hastens on apace. . . . Great pains should be taken to keep this subject before the people. The solemn fact is to be kept not only before the people of the world, but before our own churches also, that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly. The fearful warning of the prophecy is addressed to every soul. Let no one feel that he is secure from the danger of being surprised. Let no one's interpretation of prophecy rob you of the conviction of the knowledge of events which show that this great event is near at hand.” (Fundamentals of Christian Education 335)
Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings
Pioneer Youth Chapel
The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.
Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback. Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.
Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!
May 13, Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 PM
May 18, Sunday, 9:00-11:00 AM
May 22, Thursday, 7:00-9:00 PM (Zoom only)
Holding Onto Jesus
Sunday, May 25, 3-5 PM Pioneer Youth Chapel What do we do when our life is shaken by illness, a great loss, or some other devastation? How do we find God when it feels like He isn’t there? Women of all ages are invited to hear Emily Gibbs share her testimony, and explore ways that we can have resilience in the midst of difficult experiences. Register by texting TRIALS to 269-281-2345. Questions? Email women@pmchurch.org.