There is no fellowship dinner this Sabbath downstairs in the commons.
I Will Do a New Thing
The Prayer: I Will Do a New Thing
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, May 18, 2013
More In This Series
“The Prayer: ‘I Will Do a New Thing’”
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□ Isaiah 43:19; 44:3
- God: “I will do a new thing . . . for I will pour water on those who are and My Spirit on your children.” (Isaiah 43:19; 44:3)
- Sons of Korah: “Just like a deer that streams of water, my whole being you, God. My whole being for God, for the living God. When will I come and see God’s face?” (Psalm 42:1, 2 CEB)
- Ellen White: “Let your heart for the longing it has for God, for the living God.” (Christ’s Object Lessons 149)
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Janet Ledesma: “Thus, my prayer for us today is that our for God may never
cease to be unquenchable.” (5-13-13 email)
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□ Isaiah 66:8
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God calls His people “Zion” in the Old Testament and “” in the New
Testament—they are the “called out” or “chosen” ones.
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What God is declaring through Isaiah 66:8 is that as soon as Zion (the church) is in travail or in
labor, she will give birth to her .
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I.e., a new spiritual generation of children will not be birthed without or
laboring in the church.
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Paul: “My little children, for whom I in birth again until Christ is formed in you.”
(Galatians 4:19)
- NLT: “But oh, my dear children! I feel as if I am going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.” (Galatians 4:19)
- for the revival of a university is like going through labor pains—it is “travailing” or before God on behalf of the young.
- But unless the community of faith invests significant spiritual energy to labor before God on their behalf, a new generation will not be spiritually .
- A prayer will not deliver a single child.
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Wesley Duewel: “The great need of our world, our nation, and our churches is people who know
how to prevail in prayer. Moments of pious wishes blandly expressed to God once or twice a day will bring little change on earth or among the people. Kind thoughts expressed to Him in five or six sentences, after reading a paragraph or two of mildly religious sentiments once a day from some devotional writing, will not bring the kingdom of God to earth or shake the gates of hell and repel the attacks of evil on our culture and our civilization [and our ]. . . . Prevailing prayer is holy work, fervent labor.” (Mighty Prevailing Prayer 20, 21)
- o Isaiah 43:22
- John Polkinghorne’s laser beam analogy
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Ellen White: “We are encouraged to pray for success, with the divine assurance that our prayers
will be heard and answered. ‘If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:19, 20). ‘Ask of Me, and I will answer your requests.’ The promise is made on condition that the prayers of the church are offered, and in answer to these prayers there may be expected a power than that which comes in answer to private prayer. The power given will be proportionate to the unity of the members and their love for God and for one another.” (9MR 303)
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“I will join you in praying every day this summer for God to fulfill His promise to do ‘a new thing’ in our midst this coming school year.”
Travail and Prevail with Jesus
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God calls His people “Zion” in the Old Testament and “” in the New
Fellowship Dinner
Pioneer Commons
Sing Praise! Wind Symphony Vespers Concert
“Sing Praise!” Wind Symphony Vespers is quickly becoming an annual tradition, inviting audiences to experience the joy of music-making through both listening and singing together. This year’s event brings the Wind Symphony together with the University Singers and the Spanish SDA Church Praise Team, creating a powerful shared musical experience. This year’s program features beloved hymn favorites such as “Rejoice the Lord Is King” and “Lead On, O King Eternal,” alongside contemporary works inspired by texts from the Psalms and other scriptures. Bring a friend or family member and join the Wind Symphony for this meaningful and uplifting evening on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 7:30 PM, in the Howard Performing Arts Center. Admission is free.
Chasing Away the Blues - Nature Sings
This Saturday evening, February 21 at 8 PM, the Andrews University Chorale and Singers will present a special collaborative choral program with the University of Notre Dame Chorale under the direction of Stephen Zork. The concert is family-oriented and features thoughtful, edifying, and playful repertoire with allusions to nature’s narratives on love, longing, gratitude, and hope. This concert is a wonderful way to help melt away the winter blues. For more information visit howard.andrews.edu
Church Directory
We are starting the process of introducing a church directory app. Please stay tuned for further announcements. This app will be a wonderful way to get to know others and build connections.
Care for Cuba—Urgent Need
Partner with Care for Cuba to bring much-needed resources to Cuba such as food, medicines and places of worship. Donate online at careforcuba.org
Offering for February 21, 2026
Pioneer Operating Budget
Children are a heritage from God and should be included in the call to respond to Him through stewardship. They, like all of us, are beneficiaries of God’s grace. So, how are children to be involved in the call to be faithful stewards? The instruction to Israel gives an example. “These commandments that I give you today, are to be impressed upon your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7, NIV), in the home, outside of the home, and even when you are resting.
Like Israel, as a church, we are to model and teach the concepts of stewardship to our children. Help them to understand what it means to use God’s gift of time to worship and build a relationship with him, to take care of their mind and body, to use their talents and abilities to witness to others, to be caretakers of our environment, and also to return their tithe and freewill offering to the Lord.
We are encouraged as parents to teach our children by example what it means to show their love for Christ, and to bring their offerings to the Lord. Ellen White writes that, “their gifts would be as little rivulets (streams), which when united and set flowing, would swell into a river” (Counsels on Stewardship, p. 293). Today, let us all be model stewards by returning our tithes and offerings, modelling for our children what God desires of us all.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Young Adult Mission Trip in Peru!
Maranatha Volunteers International invites young adults, ages 18-28, to join Catalyst, a service experience for their age group. Build a church for the Calapuja Adventist Church, operate medical clinics, and lead VBS programs. Learn more at Maranatha.org/volunteer or call 916-774-7700.
Andrews Symphony Fundraising Concert
Thursday February 19 at 7:30 PM, the AUSO will be giving a free performance of movie soundtracks and broadway tunes to raise funds for their music tour to California this coming March. This short performance is kid's friendly and promises to be an exceptional evening of great music. Bring your cellphone!
Academy Day March 3
All eighth-grade students are invited to attend Academy Day on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Come and see the exciting programs Andrews Academy offers and experience one day with us. While there, you will worship together, go to several classes, and participate in some games and activities. Lunch will be served, and T-shirts and prizes will be given. Registration begins in the gym at 7:30 AM, the full day of activities will begin at 8:00 am and will conclude by 3:15 PM. Call 269-471-3138 to RSVP or with any questions you may have. (Eighth graders in NAS, RMES, VAES, and Eau Claire SDA schools are already preregistered). Drop off/pick up is either in the circle drive or in the parking lot (8833 Garland Ave, Berrien Springs).
Ruth Murdoch Elementary School Visitor's Day
Students who will be in the first through eighth grades next school year are invited to visit Ruth Murdoch Elementary School on March 3. Make friends, meet teachers and have fun! Grades 1–6: 8:15–11:30 AM; Grades 7–8: 8:15 AM–3:30 PM. Parents, please call 269-471-3225 to register. (A special Kindergarten Visitors' Day is being planned for April 8).