We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made Angel Tree possible this Christmas. Because of your thoughtfulness and generosity, many of our students/student families experienced a warmer, more joyful holiday season. We extend a special thank you to the Lake Union for their generous support and partnership. We are deeply grateful for your continued giving and support of Belong Ministries and for walking alongside us throughout the academic year to serve and uplift our students at Andrews University.
Storm
Finding Jesus in the Gathering Dark - 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, January 07, 2017
Program:
As We Begin
Andante moderato • Marcel Dupré
Prayer
Rodlie Ortiz
Baptism
Gianna Williams with Ben Martin
Tithes & Offerings
Christ Is the World's Light • Robert Hobby
Children's Story
Bible Reading
Psalm 46 NIV
Worship in Music
If With All Your Hearts (from Elijah) • Felix Mendelssohn
Sermon
“Storm: Finding Jesus in the Gathering Dark”—1 • Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card
O for That Flame of Living Fire • 264
As We Depart
Be Not Afraid (from Elijah) • Felix Mendelssohn
More In This Series
“STORM: Finding Jesus in the Gathering Dark”—1
- The Storm
- Mark 4:35-40
- Desire of Ages: “Absorbed in their efforts to save themselves, they had forgotten that Jesus was on board. Now, seeing their labor vain and only death before them, they remembered at whose command they had set out to cross the sea. In Jesus was their only hope. In their helplessness and despair they cried, ‘Master, Master!’” But the dense darkness hid Him from their sight. Their voices were drowned by the roaring of the tempest, and there was no reply. Doubt and fear assailed them. Had Jesus forsaken them? Was He who had conquered disease and demons, and even death, powerless to help His disciples now? Was He unmindful of them in their distress? Again they call, but there is no answer except the shrieking of the angry blast. Already their boat is sinking. A moment, and apparently they will be swallowed up by the hungry waters.” (334)
- The Prayer
- Jim Cymbala: “I have come to the sad conclusion that Christians have lost faith in God’s promises concerning prayer. How else can we explain why prayer isn’t paramount in our lives and in our churches? If we believed his promises, wouldn’t we sometimes preach entire series about prayer? Wouldn’t we make room for prayer in [Sabbath] services and set aside weekly times where we could together learn to call on God for his help? We would—unless we are convinced that the status quo is acceptable and we don’t need help from heaven. The key to prayer that changes things is a deep sense of inadequacy and helplessness among God’s people.” (STORM: Hearing Jesus for the Times We Live In 42)
- Paul Miller: “God wants us to come to him empty-handed, weary, and heavy-laden. Instinctively we want to get rid of our helplessness before we come to God. . . . If we think we can do life on our own, we will not take prayer seriously. Our failure to pray will always feel like something else—a lack of discipline or too many obligations. But when something is important to us, we make room for it. Prayer is simply not important to many Christians because Jesus is already an add-on. That is why . . . suffering is so important to the process of learning how to pray. It is God’s gift to us to show us what life is really like.” (A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World 54, 59)
- Jim Cymbala: “If we look at society today, if we look at the challenge of a country becoming more godless by the week, if we look at laws being passed that mock any form of morality—instead of lamenting and protesting, wouldn’t it be better for us to plead with God to visit his people? We need to move toward God, and it begins with desperate prayer.” (Ibid 43)
- 1 Samuel 1:10, 15, 16
- Ellen White: “We are to pray for the impartation [gift] of the Spirit as the remedy for sin-sick souls. The church needs to be converted, and why should we not prostrate ourselves at the throne of grace, as representatives of the church, and from a broken heart and contrite spirit make earnest supplication that the Holy Spirit shall be poured out upon us from on high? Let us pray that when [the Holy Spirit] shall be graciously bestowed, our cold hearts may be revived, and we may have discernment to understand that it is from God, and receive it with joy.” (Ye Shall Receive Power 321)
The New Year Gift
Belong Ministries Thanks You
Fellowship Dinner
Pioneer Commons
We are having fellowship dinner on Sabbath following the second worship service in the commons. Visitors are welcome!
Offering for January 24, 2026
Michigan Advance Partners
The Conference leadership is tasked with guiding the churches in proclaiming the gospel in their areas. They do this in at least four ways. First, they provide pastors and specialized personnel like Family Ministries. Second, they encourage conference-sponsored evangelism activities done through pastors and members. Third, the conference supports and supervises Adventist schools. Fourth, they collaborate with the local congregations to build churches, schools, and other facilities.
For much of this work, the Conference depends on the local church and its members for their financial contributions, as the tithe only covers the salaries of the pastors and other specialized conference ministries and personnel. To finance the remainder of these projects, most conferences collect an offering once per month. The name for this offering may vary in some conferences, but it is generally called Conference Advance. While each giver must decide for themselves how much to give, it is recommended that each of us give the equivalent of 1.2% of our income. When this offering is collected, the local treasurer will then forward it to the conference.
Thank you for your committed support to the conference initiatives through your giving and for not becoming “weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:2, 9, ESV).
May you receive the bountiful blessings of God today.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Something in Common back in the commons!
Hello, church family. After moving from room to room as space allowed, Something in Common is returning to our roots and will meet in the Commons again starting this week. Something in Common focuses on relationships: with God, with others, in marriage, and in parenting, featuring a variety of speakers and topics. Our current series, Vertical Marriage, wraps up next week. If you’re interested, come check us out.
Love on the Move
God's Hands 4 Kids, a PMC Grow Group outreach to our community serving foster, adoptive, kinship and guardianship families partnering with Berrien County Department Of Health and Human Services. As a gift to the families served by them and as a gift to the community of ministry leaders and professionals, we will be providing Hope for the Journey, a video conference on Trust Based Relational Intervention - trauma, on Sunday afternoons in February here at PMC. It is produced by Show Hope. For more information and to register go to our website GH4K.org
Honduras Mission update
Honduras Mission: Our 20 person Youth Mission Team sang, camped, taught, laughed and prayed. They also conducted a day camp for about 60 children, built a two car garage, led 19 worships, set up a security system, and provided food for 60 families. Thank you for your prayers and support for Pioneer Youth Missions.
With This in Mind...
Forgiveness, a key aspect of the Christian experience, promotes mental and physical well-being. Research shows it reduces emotional tension, psychological conflict, and even psychosomatic pain. Dr. Karen Swartz of Johns Hopkins notes that anger triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, raising heart rate, blood pressure, and disease risk. Forgiveness, by contrast, fosters peace and lowers depression, anxiety, and stress. As Scripture reminds us, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). Go ahead! Enjoy peace of mind.
Adventist Seniors of Michiana (ASM) January Meeting
DINNER FOR SENIORS Sunday, January 25, from 1 to 3 PM, Postponed to Febuary 8 Andrews Academy invites all senior citizens (55 or better) to a banquet at the Academy, to thank us and give us a report on how our support has been a blessing. Bring your appetite and your checkbook, and come enjoy the program and food they are preparing for us.
Master Guide Toolbox!
Please join us for the next Master Guide Toolbox event at the Andrews University Seminary, February 6-7, 2026! Share with your friends, colleagues, students or in your newsletters! If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Logan at cjhlogan@gmail.com. Spread the word!
Introducing Parent Circle: A Sabbath Space for Growing Together
Parent Circle is a new discipleship space where parents of kids ages 4–12 connect, study the Bible, and grow together while their children are in Sabbath School. The resource area features a lending library, as well as support for completing youth and children’s ministry certifications. Join us on any Sabbath, anytime from 10:30-11:30 AM.