We hope. you consider joining Coming Together Ministries and Village Seventh-day Adventist Church for the Sexual Integrity Conference. A time of hope, healing, and biblical truth. Most sessions will be held virtually, with in-person meetings on Thursday and Friday, at 5:00 PM. Special care and privacy will be provided for those seeking personal healing. The featured speaker will be Dr. Richard (Dick) Davidson, from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. For details and registration, visit comingtogetherministries.org
The Pugwash Factor:
How to Respond to the Supreme Court's Same-Sex Marriage Decision
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
More In This Series
“The Pugwash Factor: How to Respond to the Supreme Court’s Same Sex Marriage Decision”
- The Supreme Court
- “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. . . . It would misunderstand these [same sex] men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” (http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-556_3204.pdf)
- The Creator
- Matthew 19:3-12
- Seventh-day Adventist Church: “Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus Christ to be both monogamous and heterosexual, a lifelong union of loving companionship between a man and a woman. In the culmination of His creative activity, God fashioned humankind as male and female in His own image; and He instituted marriage, a covenant-based union of the two genders physically, emotionally, and spiritually, spoken of in Scripture as ‘one flesh.’” (http://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/marriage/30/)
- S.D.A. Theological Seminary: “. . . a marriage between a man and a woman is the Edenic model for all time. This unique heterosexual marital form involving the sexual union of a man and a woman constitutes the divine paradigm, the ‘Creation order,’ for humanity from the beginning. This paradigm means that marriage cannot consist of the sexual union between a man and another man or a woman and another woman. This Creation pattern of marriage between a man and a woman remains the norm throughout Scripture.” (“Biblical View on Homosexual Practice and Pastoral Care,” draft 6 p 2)
- North American Division of S.D.A.: “The Seventh-day Adventist Church acknowledges the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Friday June 26, legalizing same-sex marriage across the United States. Even with the Supreme Court's decision, the Adventist Church maintains its fundamental belief that marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman. While the church respects the opinions of those who may differ, it will continue to teach and promote its biblically based belief of marriage between a man and a woman. The Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that all people, regardless of race, gender, and sexual orientation, are God’s children and should be treated with civility, compassion, and Christ-like love.” (http://www.nadadventist.org/article/1073743014/news/current-newspoints/newspoints-june-26-2015-supreme-court-on-same-sex-marriage)
- The Church
- Russell Moore: “We must embody a gospel marriage culture. We have done a poor job of that in the past. Too many of our marriages have been ravaged by divorce. Too often we’ve neglected church discipline in the cases of those who have unrepentantly destroyed their marriages. . . . We must hold our views and love those who hate us for them. We must not only speak Christian truths; we must speak with a Christian accent. We must say what Jesus has revealed, and we must say those things the way Jesus does—with mercy and with an invitation to live.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/06/26/why-the-church-should-neither-cave-nor-panic-about-the-decision-on-gay-marriage/)
- Justin Lee: “I’ve talked to many single Christians who find the church a challenging place to be at times. But for single gay Christians, there are even bigger hurdles. . . . Single gay Christians face the difficulties of singleness alongside potential condemnation for their orientation. And while all single people face challenges in our culture, the challenges faced by people who are single by choice or because they haven’t yet found the right person are different from the challenges faced by those who eagerly desire companionship but believe God requires celibacy even if they should fall in love in the future.” (Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs-Christians Debate 239-240)
- Seminary: “While being faithful to biblical teaching about homosexuality, we must also seek earnestly to understand and empathize with the struggles and challenges that face those who struggle with sexual immorality. . . . All persons, including practicing homosexuals, should be made to feel welcome to attend our churches while non-practicing gay persons should be welcomed into membership and church office. All should receive spiritual care from the church (Gal 6:1). We stand against any antipathy toward homosexuals as well as any cultural biases that fuel a lack of Christ-like love for them. . . . We strongly affirm that homosexual persons have a place in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” (Ibid 16, 17)
- Henri Nouwen: “God, help me to see others not as my enemies or as ungodly but rather as thirsty people. And give me the courage and compassion to offer your Living Water, which alone quenches deep thirst.”
High school students, join us for the first Satellite of the year next Friday, September 26 at 7:00 PM, in the Pioneer Youth Chapel! We’ll welcome the Sabbath with worship, music, and food as we launch our theme for the year: Ignite the Spirit, Awaken the Soul. Come as you are, bring a friend, and leave encouraged and inspired!
If you are currently facing the challenges associated with going through a divorce or separation, please consider joining DivorceCare. We are a grow group that aims to provide a safe, supportive, and encouraging place to process the difficult realities that separation and divorce can bring about. We meet in the Board Room on Wednesday evenings from 6:00-8:00 PM.
The Eau Claire SDA will host the FREE 2025 Pure Desire Summit which will be held on Sept 19, Friday: 6-9 PM and Sept 20, Saturday: 3:30-7:30 PM. The Summit is for men, women, and teens ages 14+ who are struggling with sexual brokenness/addiction or betrayal trauma and anyone who wants to learn how to help others or improve their own relationships with a biblically informed vision of relational wholeness. Register here: https://puredesire.regfox.com/virtual-attendees-pure-desire-summit-2025
Please join us for the next Master Guide Toolbox training event at the Andrews University Seminary, September 19-20! Please register at cye.org/toolbox for questions contact Cheryl Logan at cjhlogan@gmail.com.
You are invited to a GriefShare program in the Fireside Room at the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church. The 13-week class begins Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 PM. Help will be shared in a small group setting for those processing their emotions after the loss of someone they love. For more information or to register please contact Mike and Shirley Gammon at 989-427-5669 or Paul and Linda Pellandini 517-243-2767.
Pioneer Operating Budget
My favorite fruit is mango. A mango boasts an exotic and captivating flavor. The richness and complexity of a mango's taste make it a truly indulgent fruit! The initial taste is a burst of luscious sweetness, followed by a slightly tart undertone that provides a perfect balance.
In Psalm 34, we read, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no lack to those who fear Him.” This figurative language, "Taste and see that the Lord is good," invites us to not just believe in God's rich goodness, but actively experience it in our lives. To "taste" the Lord is to engage with faith in a deeply personal, intimate way.
Just as we use our sense of taste to savor and appreciate different flavors, we are called to savor and appreciate the richness and diversity of God's love, mercy, and grace. It means opening our hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit and allowing God's word to nourish and guide us. The goodness of the Lord is revealed in countless ways. It is present in the beauty of creation, in acts of kindness, and in the love we share with others. Today, let’s taste and see that the Lord is good by giving back our tithes and offering!
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Please join us for House of Prayer Wednesday evenings at 7pm in the Earliteen Loft for a time of singing, Bible study and prayer.
Small groups for PMC, known as Grow Groups, are now beginning for the fall semester. Please text "JOIN" to 269-281-2345 to view the groups and choose one or more that interests you. If would would like to lead your own group, text "LEAD" to the same number, and complete and submit the form.
It's time for children in Grade 5-12 to register to be part of the Evergreen Pathfinder Club for this school year. As we start our new year we hope you can join us as we have fun, learn about God and share the good news of salvation in a safe welcoming environment. Please text PMCEP to 269-281-2345 to receive the registration form. Questions please contact Errol.prentice@pmchurch.org