A.U. Pre-Vet Club invites you to an Open House at the Agriculture Education Center (8225 Dairy Rd, Berrien Springs, MI) on Sabbath, April 17 from 3:00-5:00 pm. There will be lots of soft, cuddly animals to pet and learn about. Please wear a mask and maintain social distancing at this event.
SOLD OUT!
SOLD OUT! - Part 3
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonSince 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
Saturday, March 08, 2014
More In This Series
“SOLD OUT!”—3
□ Martyrs
-
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity has adopted a broad definition of
“martyr”: “Believers in Christ who have lost their lives prematurely, in situations of witness, as a result of human hostility.” (www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2013/10/2815601/)
- Frans Veerman, director of Open Doors’ World Watch List: “There is a huge gray area around the question of ‘martyrs.’ When Christians are isolated and denied clean drinking water and medical care because they are Christians and refuse to become Muslims—[and thus] they perish quicker than others—are they martyrs? In a strict sense, they aren’t. But when the whole mechanism behind [their deaths] is studied, we can say they are.” (www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/september/counting-cost-accurately.html)
- John Allen, The Global War on Christians: “The truth is two thirds of the 2.3 billion Christians in the world today live . . . in dangerous neighbourhoods. They are often poor. They often belong to ethnic, linguistic and cultural minorities. And they are often at risk. And ultimately I think making that point is more important than being precise about the death toll.” (www.worldwatchmonitor.org)
□ The Lord of Martyrs
- • John 16:1-3
- • Matthew 24:9
- John the Baptist
- Desire of Ages: “[Satan] had been unwearied in his efforts to draw away the
- Baptist from a life of unreserved surrender to God; but he had failed. And he had failed to overcome Jesus. In the temptation in the wilderness, Satan had been defeated, and his rage was great. Now he determined to bring sorrow upon Christ by striking John. The One whom he could not entice to sin he would cause to suffer. Jesus did not interpose to deliver His servant. He knew that John would bear the test. . . . But for the sake of thousands who in after years must pass from prison to death, John was to drink the cup of martyrdom. As the followers of Jesus should languish in lonely cells, or perish by the sword, the rack, or the fagot, apparently forsaken by God and man, what a stay to their hearts would be the thought that John the Baptist, to whose faithfulness Christ Himself had borne witness, had passed through a similar experience!” (224)
- • Revelation 2:10
- stephanos—Stephen
□ How then shall we live?
- Lord Jonathan Sacks in an address to Parliament, December 2011: “‘I have
- followed the fate of Christians in the Middle East for years, appalled at what is happening, surprised and distressed . . . that it is not more widely known. It was Martin Luther King who said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our
- enemies, but the silence of our friends.” That is why I felt I could not be silent
- today.’” (Liberty January/February 2014)
-
If you want to be involved politically:
S. 653: Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s653
Write your senators and petition the bill to be brought to the floor for a vote.
-
If you want to be involved spiritually:
Pray for Seventh-day Adventist prisoner Bruno Amah in Togo Pray for those incarcerated or suffering for their faith
-
If you want to be involved personally:
Jim Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he
cannot lose.”
-
Desire of Ages: “Of all the gifts that heaven can bestow upon men [and
women], fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and
the highest honor.” (225)
-
Will you follow the Lord of martyrs to where you will find both them and Him
today?
-
Desire of Ages: “Of all the gifts that heaven can bestow upon men [and
“R U willing 2 B SOLD OUT 4 Jesus?”
Pre-Vet Club Invites You to an Open House at Agriculture Education Center
Offering for April 17, 2021
One day Jesus saw a widow bring her offering to the temple. She gave two of the smallest coins in the temple monetary system. Embarrassed that her gift was so small, she waited until she thought no one was watching. Yet, Jesus commended her. “Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all.” Luke 21:3 How can this be?
The rich gave large coins. But the widow gave her heart as part of her offering. A Christian writer commented on this passage. “A heart of love and genuine faith in a worthy object is more acceptable to God than the most costly gift. The poor widow gave her living to do the little that she did.… It was this unselfish spirit and unwavering faith that won the commendation of Jesus.” {3SP p. 72}
We may think the size of our offering makes it valuable to God. But no, the size of the heart gives value to the gift. God will take the offering we givewith our hearts and magnify our offering into something special for His service.
Does this mean we should not sacrifice as we give? Here are the words of Jesus. “For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.” Luke 21:4 The widow sacrificed with her heart. As a result, God blessed her gift.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Family Resilience Conference
Over the past year, families have been bombarded by all sorts of stressors and challenges, ranging from the minor to the major, mostly thanks to the pandemic. With limited access to face-to-face help and social interaction, some families have been trying to cope with depression, anxiety, grief, abuse, trauma, and the like, often without the assistance, they need. Others have been overworked and overwhelmed. Family relations may have become strained. And we’re not out of the woods yet. But there is, thankfully, a glimmer of hope. How will our families fare when this pandemic subsides?
Pastor Ben and the Family Life Committee have recognized these challenges for families and in response have organized a Family Resilience Conference. It is scheduled for Sabbath, April 17, 3:00 – 7:00 PM and will be presented via Zoom.
There will be two presentations at each hour on topics related to parenting and family relationships during times of crisis, healthy grieving, the need for nature, and how families can be resilient. These will be followed by a Family Fun Session at 6:00 PM where families can spend some time having fun together and with other families.
You can register online for all or just parts of the conference or text the word PARENT to 269-281-2345. If you have any questions, please contact Diane Helbley at diane.helbley@gmail.com.
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Alina Baltazar
Title: Family Resiliency
Description: All families go through difficulties, some handle it better than others. We will explore the concept of resilience and what helps families thrive in the face of adversity. This presentation will include practical tips to increase your family's resilience.
Diana Mitchell
Title: Successful Parenting in a time of Covid-19
Description: Coronavirus disease 2019 is changing family life. Children are out of school or childcare without access to group activities, team sports, or playgrounds. Parents and caregivers are attempting to work remotely or unable to work, while caring for children, with no clarity on how long the situation will last. Evidence shows that violence and vulnerability increase for children during periods of school closures associated with health emergencies, as well as rates of abuse increase. Learn how to build stronger relationships and divert and manage negative behaviors, and parenting stress.
Rosemary Bailey
Title: The Need for Nature
Description: We need nature for spiritual, mental, and physical health. Ellen White wrote, "Nature is the key to unlock the treasure house of God's word." Come learn the benefits of nature and find ways to make nature part of your family's life.
Jasmine Fraser
Title: Balancing and Strengthening Family Relationships in Times of Crisis and Uncertainty
Description: The most basic unit of society, the family, is formed by the interactions among its members. At the same time, the complexities of the family's relational environment influence each family member. In general, family relational interactions are dynamic and difficult, and in times of crisis, the process can lead to tension, which has negative effects on everyone in the family. While we navigate through the complexities of a global pandemic, it's important to rethink the basics of family communication and consider ways to reduce the negative effects of stress and transition from surviving to thriving.
Diane Helbley
Title: Creative Journaling
Description: We all need moments to ourself - to process, to find inspiration, to hear God's voice. In this session, we will explore the benefits of journaling and look at various ways to incorporate all aspects of our lives into a journal. Have some paper and a pencil handy to try out some ideas.
Stacey Nicely
Title: Necessary Hurt: Exploring Healthy Ways to Grieve the Loss of a Loved One
Michigan Conference Women's Ministries Retreat 2021
This Women's Ministries event will be live-streamed from Camp Au Sable. The theme is "Warrior not Worrier".
April 16 – 18, 2021
Streaming at www.michiganwm.com
Ruth Murdoch Elem. School Kindergarten Visitation Days
We are happy to invite you to a Kindergarten Visitation for both parent and child on April 21 and 22 at Ruth Murdoch Elementary School. A $50 coupon will be given to those in attendance—toward the 1st month's tuition. Please call 269-471-3225 to schedule an appointment, with three or four families coming at a time, for a brief meeting. You will be able to meet the teacher, see the room with some projects set out, and meet a few of the other students who will be coming to Kindergarten. There will be a gift for parents and a craft bag for students. Masks required. A Zoom meeting will be available for those who can't attend.
Pioneer Live on Roku
We are pleased to announce the availability to view worship, both 9:00 AM and 11:45 AM services, on Roku® devices and enabled TVs! On your Roku device simply search for "Pioneer Memorial Church Live" and add the channel to your Home screen. You can also sign into your Roku account and add it here. If you need assistance adding our channel please send an email to webteam@pmchurch.tv.
–Media Ministry
Does Prayer Work?
Join ASAP Ministries and the Stevensville Seventh-day Adventist Church for a special Spring Week of Prayer, April 12-17. Attend in person or via Zoom to discover the power of prayer through Spirit-filled presentations and united prayer sessions led by
missionary and ASAP Ministries' Prayer Coordinator Gem Castor. Visit asapministries.org for more details, including Zoom login information.
Free Tax Prep!
If you earned $57,000 or less you can have your 2020 income tax prepared for free by IRS certified volunteers at Andrews University. This is a drop-off only site with limited space. Please call 269-471-6538 Thursday, Friday or Sunday 12:30 – 5:00 PM (don’t leave a message) or email Cidfreetax@gmail.com to schedule an appointment to drop off your documents. Appointments can be made for any Sunday afternoon March 21 – April 11 (12:30 – 4:30 PM). Drop-off site will be at Andrews University, Buller Hall, room 203 by appointment only.
Will Prepare
- Wages, salaries, etc. (Form W-2)
- Interest Income (Form 1099-INT)
- Dividends Received (Form 1099-DIV)
- State Tax Refunds (Form 1099-G)
- Unemployment Benefits (Form 1099-G)
- IRA Distributions (Form 1099-R)
- Pension Income (Forms 1099-R, RRB-1099, CSA-1099)
- Social Security Benefits (Form SSA-1099) (RRB-1099)
- Gambling Winnings (Form W-2G)
- Education Credits (Form 1098-T)
- Child Tax Credit
- Earned Income Credit
- Health Insurance Statements (Forms 1095-A, B or C)
What to Bring
- For married filing joint, both spouses must be present
- Photo identification for you and your spouse (if filing joint return)
- Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number documents for you, your spouse, and dependents
- Birth dates for you, spouse, and dependents
- A copy of last year’s tax return
- All Forms W-2, 1098, and 1099 Form 1095-A (Marketplace Health Insurance)
- Information for other income
- Information for all deductions/credits
- Total paid to day care provider and their tax ID number
- For direct deposit of refund, proof of account
40 Days of Prayer Challenge
The Pioneer Family is invited to join Stephen Farr and @Unmistakablymelissa for a very special 40 Days of Prayer Challenge March 31 – May 9, 2021. Melissa and Stephen will be going through the devotional book "40 Days Prayers and Devotions to Prepare for the Second Coming," by Dennis Smith. Each day you can join them on Instagram for a Live re-cap and a special time of prayer. Melissa will also be sharing each day on her YouTube channel.
The goal of this challenge is to empower you and a partner to strengthen your prayer time, to encourage you to pray for others, to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and to pray together as a community for the Second Coming of Jesus. By joining this challenge, you are becoming a part of a revival that is beginning right here at Andrews University and is already reaching people around the world. You are joining in our shared mission to be World Changers for a changing world. You are joining in praying that Andrews University, its staff, faculty and students will be blessed now and, in the years, to come with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We want to see revival. We want to see "His Kingdom Come and His will Done on Earth as it is in Heaven." We want to be part of preaching the gospel to the world as a witness to all the nations and we want to see Jesus coming again in the clouds. Amen
If you'd like to join in the challenge, the book can be ordered on Amazon or at www.spiritbaptism.org. Live sessions will be recorded each day and uploaded to Instagram, YouTube, and Andrews University Graduate Student Association Facebook Page and multiple other platforms.
"Thank you so much for joining us in this 40 Days of Prayer Challenge. I can't wait to hear and share the miracle stories that happen during and after this challenge."
–Stephen William Farr, Andrews University Graduate Student Association Student Chaplain
Media Team Volunteers
The Pioneer Media Team is looking for additional volunteers for its local audio and global television ministry. Members volunteer at least 1 time every 3 Sabbaths, for both the 9:00 AM and 11:45 AM services. Current needs include Platform Manager, and various Audio Technician positions. Extensive experience is not required to volunteer and training is provided. Volunteers should be at least a Junior in high school for media roles.