Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight 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, December 02, 2017
Program: 
Praise
O Come Let Us Adore Him • Bread of Heaven • Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
Prayer
José Bourget
Children's Story
Festival Fanfare for Christmas • John Wasson
Worship in Music
And the Mountains Echoed: Gloria! • Robert Longfield
Sermon
"Have Yourself a Windy Merry Christmas" • Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
O Come—A Carol Cycle

“Have Yourself a Windy Merry Christmas”
www.newperceptions.tv

  • The Missing Person
    • John D. Witvliet": "Our Christmas cards, carols, and crèches delight in the characters of the Christmas story. In pageants, there are a lot of parts to go around: Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus; the angels, the shepherds, and Magi; perhaps even Elizabeth and Zechariah, Simeon and Anna. But for all the times and ways the story is told, one key participant is almost impossible to find: the ." (Christianity Today December 2017 p58)
  • Missing No Longer

The Holy Spirit Shows Up . . .

  • #1—In .
    • Luke 1:15—"'Your son will be filled with the even before he is born.'"
    • Desire of Ages: "Even the babe in its mother’s arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their moments." (512)
  • #2—In a .
    • Luke 1:35—"'The will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'"
  • #3 —In an .
    • Luke 1:41—"When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the ."
    • Luke 1:67—"His father Zechariah was filled with the and prophesied, 'Praise be to the Lord!'"
  • #4—In a .
    • Luke 1:80—"And the child grew and became strong in the ."
    • “[The Holy] Spirit loves to the children and discover to them the treasures and beauties of the Word. The promises spoken by the great Teacher will captivate the senses and animate the soul of the child with a spiritual power that is divine.” (Child Guidance 495)
    • Jean Twenge: “. . . many tech CEOs strictly regulate their own children’s technology use. When New York Times reporter Nick Bilton talked to Apple cofounder and CEO Steve Jobs in late 2010, he asked Jobs if his kids loved the iPad. 'They haven’t used it,' Jobs said. 'We how much technology our kids use at home.' Bilton was shocked, but he later found that many other tech experts also limited their children’s screen time, from the cofounder of Twitter to the former editor of Wired magazine. So even people who love technology—and make a living off of it—are cautious about their kids using it too much. As Adam Alter put it in his book Irresistible, ''t seemed as if the people producing tech products were following the cardinal rule of drug dealing: Never get high on your own supply." (iGen 292)
  • #5—In the .
    • Luke 2:25-26—"Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the was on him. It had been revealed to him by the that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the he went into the temple courts... and took the child in his arms and praised God."
  • Christmas primer on how to be daily baptized with the Holy Spirit:
    • #1—The Set-up:
      • 15 minutes every morning—alone with Jesus.
      • Read one story from the Gospels—reread it to relive it.
    • #2—The Ask:
      • "Please baptize me with the same Holy Spirit that baptized Jesus in the story I just read."
      • "Morning by morning [Jesus] communicated with His Father in heaven, receiving from Him daily a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit." (Signs of the Times November 21, 1895).
    • #3—The Thank-you:
      • “Thank you for the fresh baptism I’ve received from you today.”
      • 1 John 5:14-15—"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him."
    • #4—The Go:
      • Proverbs 3:6 Message: "Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track."
      • Move into the world with your Friend the Holy Spirit.
    • Download the free book: www.steps-to-personal-revival.info

"And with that He breathed on them and said,
'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:22)

Offering for June 7, 2025

Pioneer Operating Budget

Author Melvin Santos Speaking: For many years gardening was often a challenge to us. It seemed like the vegetable plants we planted and cared for preferred to die! We never harvested anything. It was very disappointing. Every year, we would try again but with the same results.

Finally, after watching enough YouTube channels on how to garden successfully, we learned that you need to have the right soil, watering system, and care. So we followed the recommendations. For the first time, we were able to grow tomatoes, kale, and zucchinis. We were amazed to see such a big harvest. Gardening became one of our favorite hobbies in the summer!

One of the things we learned was to plant several dozen varieties of vegetables. Not just one kind! We wanted to produce enough crops so we could share with our neighbors. We were able to do just that this past summer.

The apostle Paul used farming terminology to convey the principles of giving. “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6, NKJV). Likewise, remember that when we return our tithes and offerings, every time we give liberally, we are sowing bountifully so we can also reap bountifully. God will multiply the funds we give back to him. His miracles will abound! 

North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Adventist Seniors of Michiana Meeting June 8

Seniors 55 and up are invited to join the Adventist Seniors of Michiana meeting on Sunday, June 8, for a feast for the eyes as well as a good meal. Daniel Weber, Chair of the Department of Film and Communication at Andrews, will inspire and delight us with "Thousands of of Pictures, Thousands of Stories from around the world: Looking through the lens of a photographer”. Come with a dish to share at the potluck starting at 1:00 PM in the Village Church Fellowship Hall. Call Cheryl Doss at 269-277-0767 with any questions.

Iris Bloom Time

 The iris bloom time has started, the sign is out at 8875 Kephart Lane, Berrien Springs, come see and smell the many iris that will be blooming in the next few weeks. Share with your friends.

Something in Common Sabbath School

Something In Common Sabbath School presents The Five Love Languages DVD series.

  • 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.

Lamson Hall Upgrades with Maranatha

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/.