Isn’t it fascinating that words make up only about 7% of how we communicate? The way we say those words—our pitch, tone, volume, and pace—makes up 38%, and the biggest part, 55%, comes from what we don’t even say! Things like eye contact, posture, gestures, body language, and facial expressions do most of the talking for us. In fact, with 43 muscles in our faces, we can make over 10,000 different expressions (National Institutes of Health, 2023)! That’s one powerful face, wouldn’t you say? So next time you’re talking with someone, remember—they’ll remember most how you said what you said. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver" (Prov. 25:11).
Don't Cry
Don't Cry Alone
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, November 09, 2013
More In This Series
“Don’t Cry Alone”
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□ John 11:35
- “ .”
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Brennan Manning: “When Jesus wept . . . , the ground of all being shook, the source of all life
trembled, the heart of all love burst open, and the unfathomable depth of God’s immense,
inexhaustible revealed itself.” (Lion and Lamb 128)
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William Blake, “On Another’s Sorrow”:
Think not thou canst sigh a sigh, And thy Maker is not by:
Think not thou canst weep a tear, And thy Maker is not near.O He gives to us His joy,
That our grief He may destroy:
Till our is fled and gone He doth sit by us and . - Adam Clarke: “It is abolishing one of the finest traits in our Lord’s human character to say that he wept and mourned here because of sin and its consequences. . . . The soul of Christ was troubled, and he mingled his sacred tears with those of the afflicted relatives.”
- Clark Pinnock: “Scripture speaks of the of God. God’s heart can be close to breaking (Hos. 11). God knows his people’s condition and feels their pain (Exod. 3:7f). God and mourns over them. Even for Moab God says, ‘My heart ’ (Is. 15:5). The issue for Christians is not whether God could suffer but how God could . . . . He would be less than God if he lacked sympathy or refused to share in the suffering of creatures.” (Most Moved Mover 89)
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N. P. Wolterstorff: “. That is why he suffers. To love our suffering, sinful world is to suffer. God so suffered for the world that he gave up his only Son to suffer. The one who does not see God’s suffering does not see his love. God is . Suffering is down at the center of things, deep down where the meaning is. Suffering is the meaning of our world.
The of God are the meaning of history.” (In Pinnock Most Moved Mover 90)
- Isaiah 63:9—“In all their affliction, He was .”
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Desire of Ages: “His tender, pitying heart is ever awakened to sympathy by suffering. He
with those that weep.” (533)
- □ An anonymous letter
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□ Galatians 6:2
- “Carry each other’s , and in this way you will fulfill the law of .”
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It is not enough to know that God suffers with us—though He feels our pain, too often we cannot
sense His .
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1 Corinthians 12:26—“And if one member suffers, the members suffer with it; or if one
member is honored, the members rejoice with it.”
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“Jesus did not shun the weak, unfortunate, and helpless, but He helped such as needed help. He
did not confine His visits and labors to a class more intelligent and less faulty, to the neglect of the unfortunate. He did not inquire whether it was agreeable for Him to be a companion of the poorest, the most needy. These are the ones whose company He , the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”(2T 75)
- GROW Groups
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Frederick Buechner: “Sometimes, by the grace of God, I have it in me to be to
other people. And so, of course, have we all—the life-giving, life-saving, and healing power to be saints, to be , maybe at rare moments even to ourselves.” (The Longing for Home 28)
To carry and to care just like Jesus
With This in Mind...
Fellowship Dinner
Pioneer Commons
We will not be having fellowship dinner this Sabbath in the commons.
Katherine Smith Celebration of Life
We are saddened to share that Katherine Smith, 95, passed away on August 8, 2025, in Mesa, AZ, from complications of Alzheimer's. A former Associate Dean of Women and Pioneer Memorial Church co-Head Elder, she was a fixture in the Berrien Springs community for over 50 years. An informal Celebration of Life will be held at the Pioneer Memorial Church Commons on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 5-7 PM. Please join us as we share fond memories and fellowship together while enjoying a light supper. Share your favorite memory with Susie at livrefou@hotmail.com. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Neighbor to Neighbor at https://www.n2nhelps.com.
Pioneer Children's Activity Bags
We are grateful that so many families enjoy using the children's activity bags during services. To help maintain this ministry and manage costs, please return the bags and all items inside after each use. We also ask that the contents be handled with care so they remain in good condition for others to enjoy. Thank you for helping us keep this resource available and welcoming for all our children.
Locations for Men's and Women's Foot-washing (Ordnance of Humility)
Due to ongoing renovations to in the Children's Sabbath Schools under the sanctuary locations of the Men's and Women't Foot-washing has been changed.
The Women's Foot-washing will occur in the Youth Chapel. For the Youth Chapel, please exit the Sanctuary through the front piano-side doors.
The Men's Foot-washing will occur in the Earliteen Loft. For the Earliteen Loft, please exit the Sanctuary through the front organ-side doors; then proceed up the stairs or use the elevator to reach the Earliteen Loft.
The Family Foot-washing will occur in its normal location - the Commons Area. For the Commons Area, please exit through the front Sanctuary doors and proceed down the stairs to the lower level.
Offering for November 1, 2025
Pioneer Operating Budget
“Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years” (Deuteronomy 8:4, NIV). When the Israelites trusted in God for their needs and were faithful to Him, He always came through. Imagine clothes and sandals that did not wear out over 40 years of use! Now that is the miracle of God. That is a testimony of His love and care of His children.
In our family, my wife and I remind ourselves that everything we own belongs to God! The first microwave we purchased as a married couple became a living testimony of God’s faithfulness. This microwave, after ten years of usage, became a topic of discussion. My wife said, “Any time now, I want to replace this microwave when it stops working!” One morning, the microwave stopped working! My wife rejoiced at the thought of a replacement. I didn’t know anything about fixing appliances. Well, as I was visiting a church member that afternoon, he heard of our dilemma and offered to look at the appliance. In two minutes, he said, “Pastor, here’s the problem. I replaced the fuse and it is now working!” The cost of the fuse? Twelve cents. That microwave continued to work for a total of 21 years—to my wife’s dismay— until we finally donated it to a family member! Our God is always good! Let’s see how God will take care of our needs today.
—Melvin Santos, Kansas/Nebraska Conference in partnership with the North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Time Change
Clocks will "Fall Back" on Sunday morning at 2 AM so we all can get an extra hour of sleep this weekend.
Andrews Academy - Penny Arcade
Andrews Academy invites all seventh and eighth graders to Penny Arcade, Saturday night Nov. 8, 2025. This is a fun evening of games, activities & food; all for just pennies. Get to know Andrews Academy students better as you and your seventh & eighth grade friends enjoy Penny Arcade from 7 - 9 PM. Due to costs, we can only open this to 7th & 8th graders & Andrews Academy students, this is not open to siblings and families. Parents can drop your child off at 7:45 PM and pick them up at 9 pm. If you have any questions please contact the school at 269-471-3138.
Adopt-a-Student
Looking for a simple way to bless a student this semester? Consider adopting one! Whether you’re a family or an individual, you can offer warmth, encouragement, and a sense of home to a student who’s far from theirs. Together, we can help students thrive! Reach out to learn how you can adopt a student and make a real difference. Contact Mari Bowerman at belong@pmchurch.org
Something in Common Sabbath School
Starting Point video series with Andy Stanley: Everything has a beginning. Every person, every idea, every journey starts somewhere. Whether it's one small step in a new direction or a major event, from that point forward nothing is ever the same. It's not always comfortable. It's not always easy. But it's a start. This 8-part series ends December 6, 2025. Everyone is welcome. PMC Boardroom. 10:30-11:30 Sabbath mornings.