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.
How To Quantify Your Happiness
How To Quantify Your Happiness: In the Churchyard of Cambridge
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, May 17, 2014
More In This Series
“How to Quantify Your Happiness: ‘The Churchyard in Cambridge’”
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□ Susan Reimer on the latest Journal of Consumer Research study
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“‘While people tend to define happiness in terms of excitement,
enthusiasm and high stakes arousal, people define happiness in terms of calm, peacefulness and low states of arousal,’ the authors wrote. We still love thrills as we age, the researchers found. experiences give young and old almost the same amount of pleasure. But happiness from experiences as people got older.” (South Bend Tribune 3-2-14)
- Ninety-three year old essayist Roger Angell on aging: “‘We’ve outgrown our ambitions. If our wives or husbands are still with us, we sense a trickle of contentment flowing from the reliable springs of routine, affection in long silences, calm within the light boredom of well-worn friends, retold stories and mossy opinions.’” (Ibid)
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“‘While people tend to define happiness in terms of excitement,
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□ Jesus in Acts 20:35
- “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “In the Churchyard at Cambridge”:
“Dust is in her beautiful eyes”—a graphic depiction of the unassailable truth that you can’t it with you.
Thus the poet can describe “Christian charity”—the charity of —as “the richest and rarest” of .
- The way Jesus Himself lived: “He went about doing ” (Acts 10:38).
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□ Tim Aka in End Game Economics: Understanding the Financial Crisis through Scripture
- “It has become painfully obvious the world is suffering under a tremendous burden of debt. From Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain in the European Union, to Japan, China, and of course the United States, nations have become saddled with unstainable amounts of debt.” (8)
- “Individuals have also taken on great amounts of debt to try to attain and maintain a lifestyle. . . . Of course there are those who are truly impoverished without the necessities of life, but the majority of us have all we need for a comfortable life. Yet we don’t realize the extent to which has played a role in the creation of this lifestyle.” (8-9)
- USDTA: “Credit card debt in the USA currently amounts to a total debt of about billion dollars. The average credit card debt per credit card owning household is dollars. This is the total credit card debt divided by the number of households with credit cards. Credit card penalty fees in the US add up to about billion dollars a year.
- “Approximately million credit cards are currently in use in the United States, with credit card users having an average of cards each. There are about 176.8 million credit card users in the US. Every year, about billion credit card solicitations are mailed in the USA.
- “Students are particularly likely to have credit card debts and they are also likely to have multiple credit cards. The average credit card debt of a new graduate is dollars, with about 20 percent of graduates having credit card debts of more than dollars.” (http://www.usdta.org/credit-card-debt-in-the-usa.php)
- Romans 13:8 NLT—“Pay all your , except the debt of love for others.”
□ God in Malachi 3:10
- “The 90 Day Tithe Challenge”
- “The 90 Day 2nd Tithe Challenge”
- “The first tithe was strictly for the support of the priests and Levites [Numbers 18:21; Deuteronomy 14:22]. The second tithe [Deuteronomy 14:23, 28-29] provided either for a sacred family feast before the Lord or for a table provided by Jehovah for orphans, for the poor, and for ‘strangers’ within the land. Levites were eligible to partake of all such feasts. The provisions among Israel for the needy encouraged the practice of true religion. The apostle James expressed the same principle for the Christian church (James 1:27).” (SDA BC 1:1003)
- Desire of Ages: “Having undertaken our redemption, [God] will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary to the completion of His work. No truth essential to our salvation is withheld, no miracle of mercy is neglected, no divine agency is left unemployed. Favor is heaped upon favor, gift upon gift. The treasury of heaven is open to those He seeks to save. Having collected the riches of the universe, and laid open the resources of infinite power, He gives them into the hands of Christ, and says, All these are for man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than Mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving Me.” (57)
“Test Me . . . Again”
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. 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.