Let’s celebrate the joy of Christmas with good food, warm community, and grateful hearts! Join us on December 20, from 9:00 to 10:30 AM, before our main worship service. Bring your favorite breakfast dish to share and enjoy a wonderful time of fellowship as we celebrate the season together.
Gone to the Birds
Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist - Part 1
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
"Gone to the Birds: Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist"—1
The Eagle
www.newperceptions.tv
- Isaiah 40:31
- "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
- Steps to Christ: "'God is love,' is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs . . . all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God, and to His desire to make His children happy." (10)
- Psalm 27:13-14
- "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!"
- Carl Jung: "Hurry is not of the devil. Hurry is the devil!" (Celebration of Discipline 13)
- Joyce Landorf God’s Waiting Room
Let me have my own way, Lord, let me have my own way.
You are the potter, (but don't forget!) I am the clay.
Now mold me and make me—if it doesn't hurt too much or cramp my style.
While I am moving, forging ahead and motor mouth still. - God's Waiting Room—Joseph, Moses, Jesus, Paul, You
- Jim Long: "If the only way to develop patience is to go through difficulty, we'd probably just as soon skip it. Every day brings some exasperation—some need, small or great, that forces us to exercise patience [or impatience, as the case may be]. . . . We struggle with patience because we don't like the circumstances we face. Patience is difficult because things feel out of control. The timing seems wrong; the wait drags on and on."(www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/1998/sepoct/8c5010.html)
- www.pmchurch.org/japanjournal
- Desire of Ages: "Christ rejoiced that He could do more for His followers than they could ask or think. . . . He knew that truth, armed with the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, would conquer in the contest with evil; and that the bloodstained banner would wave triumphantly over His followers. He knew that the life of His trusting disciples would be like His, a series of uninterrupted victories, not seen to be such here, but recognized as such in the great hereafter." (679)
"You wait . . . I win . . . You win"
On Sabbath, December 13, we will be having our annual Children’s Celebration of Christmas. This is the worship service where we bring a new unwrapped toy for a child up to age 16. Each year we partner with "Christmas Care" in providing gifts to 300+ families in our community who are not able to purchase their own. This is yet another way that Pioneer can participate in the 2nd part of our PIONEER strategic plan of Interacting and partnering with those in our community.
The annual Christmas Banquet for Seniors (ages 55+) is taking place on December 14 in the Village SDA Church fellowship hall at 1:00 PM. Pioneer members wishing to attend please call the church office to sign up at 269.471.6565 by Monday, December 8.
Thank you for choosing a tag from our Angel Trees! Please remember to text “BLESS” to 269-281-2345 to let us know who you selected. This helps us stay organized and coordinate gift collection if you won’t be dropping off your unwrapped gift during one of our services on Sabbath, December 13.
Andrews Academy will be presenting the 52nd annual Feast of Lights program on Friday, December 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM. The community is invited to attend this spectacular night of music, Scripture and drama honoring the King of Kings. It is an evening of lights, bells, instruments, choral singing, congregational singing, shepherds, a Nativity scene, and the retelling of a glorious Christmas story. Chorale and Orchestra will end the program with the Hallelujah chorus. The church sidewalks will be arrayed in Christmas lighting. The program will speak to your hearts of His wondrous love. All are invited to attend this free program held at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University.

Walk into the advent story... Share in the expectation... Experience God's Glory... Journey to Bethlehem - Come join take this FREE 1 hour walking journey through the Advent Story on December 14 from 5-8 PM. Meet shepherds, the wisemen, Roman soldiers, a Biblical marketplace, Mary and Joseph and discover why Christ came to this earth. Groups Leave from the Student Activity Center located at 6295 W Main St, Eau Claire, MI 49111. Tours leave every 10 minutes between 5 & 8 PM, December 14. No Reservations required, ALS interpreter available, please contact us in advance. Wheelchair accessible journey on paved sidewalk. Questions? Call or text 269-405-5026 or email us at Eauclairecritters@gmail.com.

Spring semester GROW Groups will begin the 1st week of February. If you would like to lead a group please text LEAD to 269-281-2345 or click the link below to submit the attached form on or before December 15. https://pmchurch.org/ministries/growgroups/register
Pioneer Women’s Ministries’ Advent devotionals will highlight a few of the promises of Jesus. To receive the “Red Letter Promises” daily devotionals by email for the first 25 days of December, text the word “ADVENT” to 269-281-2345. You can also receive a short daily text message preview of each day's devotional by providing your cell phone number when you register. We pray you will sense the nearness of Jesus during this holy season through these devotionals.

Give our Pioneer kids a gift this holiday season - your time, teaching or supporting Sabbath Schools, 10:30-11:30 AM each Sabbath. Text CHILDREN to 269-281-2345 or email childrenss@pmchurch.org to learn more.


Please join us for House of Prayer Wednesday evenings at 7pm in the Earliteen Loft for a time of singing, Bible study and prayer.



