The flowers this Sabbath are in honor of Judy and Larry Schalk's 60th anniversary.
Stories in the Rearview Mirror
Why I Believe There's an App and a Kiosk that Connect to Heaven
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
More In This Series
“Stories in the Rearview Mirror: Why I Believe There’s an App and a Kiosk that Connect to Heaven”
- James White
- “When Elder Himes visited Portland, Me., a few days after the passing of time, and stated that the brethren should prepare for another cold winter, my feelings were almost uncontrollable. I left the place of meeting and wept like a child.” (Life Incidences 182)
- “We were married August 30, 1846, and from that hour to the present [Ellen] has been my crown of rejoicing. . . . We entered upon this work penniless, with few friends, and broken in health.” (Life Sketches/1880 126-127 emphasis supplied)
- Ellen White: “I said to my husband: ‘I have a message for you. You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people. Let it be small at first; but as the people read, they will send you means with which to print, and it will be a success from the first. From this small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of light that went clear round the world.” (Life Sketches 125)
- Battle Creek Journal: “He was a man of the patriarchal pattern, and his character was cast in the heroic mold. . . . [I]f the genius to shape and direct the destiny of great communities, be a mark of true greatness, Elder White is certainly entitled to the appellation. . . . Therefore, as with all true founders of communities, his life is not a broken shaft, but an enduring column, whereon others are to build.” (SDA Encyclopedia 1603)
- The Macedonians
- 2 Corinthians 8:1-9
- The great two-step of sacrificial giving
- Ellen White: “Paul was convinced that if [we] could be brought to comprehend the amazing sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven, all would be banished from [our] lives. . . . In the contemplation of Christ we linger on the shore of a that is measureless. We endeavor to tell of this love, and language fails us. We consider His life on earth, His sacrifice for us, His work in heaven as our advocate, and the mansions He is preparing for those who love Him, and we can only exclaim, O the height and depth of the love of Christ!” (Acts of the Apostles 333)
- You
- Jesus’ great ex is God’s great ex for our great ex.
- Malachi 3:10—“‘ Me in this [tithes/offerings],’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw wide open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”
- 2 Corinthians 8:7—“I am not commanding you, but I want to the sincerity of your love.”
- A new kiosk and app and Kingdom Growth
“I Surrender All”
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)
Join us for a special Evangelistic Series presented by the Jr. High Students of Ruth Murdoch Elementary School. We hope you can join us in big white tent near Griggs Hall at 7pm starting Friday May 9 through May 18. There will be no meeting on Tuesday. Come and be inspired as our students share messages of hope, love, and the good news of Jesus. Your presence will encourage them, and more importantly, you can help bring someone closer to Christ. Bring a friend or family member and experience God's message together!
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.
Your faithfulness is very much appreciated. To ensure that your donations are properly credited to your account, when contributing through Adventist Giving, please log in under your name, instead of contributing as a "Guest."
Seniors 55 and up are invited to the Adventist Seniors of Michiana program to be held in the PMC Commons May 18. Bring a dish and enjoy the potluck starting at 1 PM followed by a program featuring Ken Denslow, recently retired Lake Union Conference President. His topic will be Project Amigo and Other Missions. For any questions call Cheryl Doss at 269-277-0767
Disaster & Famine Relief
This Sabbath, our church joins many others in collecting a special offering to support ongoing disaster relief efforts. Funds collected today support both Adventist humanitarian organizations, Adventist Community Services and Adventist Development and Relief Agency. Each serves in different geographical areas. Adventist Community Services responds to disasters of all kinds across the North American Division which includes the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Guam, and Micronesia. As we approach Christ’s return, the Bible tells us that crisis events will increase. Emergency Management records have tracked disasters for over 50 years and confirm tornadoes are touching down with greater impact, hurricanes are moving at greater speeds, and violent killings in the form of mass shootings increase with alarming frequency. Adventist Community Services stands ready to serve those affected by these and other tragedies. Some services provided are:
- open collection centers to receive and sort donations, sending them to areas of greatest need,
- provide emotional and spiritual care to the distraught,
- and deliver essential supplies to areas hardest hit by a disaster.
1 John 3:18 tells us to love with action and in truth. Today, we ask that you give liberally, and we thank you for joining the team who extends the hand of mercy to people in crisis. Together we are serving communities in Christ’s name.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Would you like to make a difference in our community? God's Hands 4 Kids has ways you can do that. GH4K loves the "True religion way to love the least of these" James 1:27. The Foster Parent Appreciation Dinner is being held on May 16 in a church in our community. We are working with the Berrien County Department of Health and Human Services to put this on. We are looking for childcare help. Also seeking gift baskets, gifts or gift cards. For more information contact Carol Jordan at Godshands4kids@gmail.com There is a presentation this Friday evening from Unaccompanied Refugee Minors. Ask for more info if interested.
The Institute of Young Musicians for Christ is excited to be having a music camp at Pioneer Memorial Church! At our music camps young people ages 6-17 are offered an immersive, week-long musical experience. Our quality musical training—combined with fun, friends, and faith-building encounters— provides a truly incredible opportunity. The camp offers tracks for children 6-12 with or without musical experience and a track for teenagers with significant musical experience. To learn more and register, visit iymcsda.org/michigan. We hope to see you there!
From May 11–June 8, 2025, Maranatha Volunteers International will be working at Andrews University to update the Lamson Hall residential rooms and suite bathrooms. Please consider volunteering and letting your family and friends know of this opportunity. All individuals (including local) should sign up at the Maranatha website: https://maranatha.org/volunteer-opportunities/.