Since 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.
More In This Series
“Roommates, Bad Dates and Soul Mates”—3
www.newperceptions.tv
» Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
• #1—“Two are better than one” because you have someone to share the . (Financial benefit)
- “Research has shown the financial benefits of marriage. Long-term marriage offers a 77% better rate of return than staying single and total wealth of married persons increases 16% year over year. In other words, the you are married, the more money you make. . . . [I]f this was the reported returns on a stock growth fund, we’d all be jumping in.” (www.moneyunder30.com/financial-benefits-of-marriage)
• #2—“Two are better than one” because you have someone to help you . (Emotional benefit)
• #3—“Two are better than one” because you have someone to keep you . (Physical benefit)
• #4—“Two are better than one” because you have someone to help you . (Security benefit)
» A great love story most have never heard . . .
- C. S. Lewis: “We feasted on love; every mode of it, solemn and merry, romantic and realistic, sometimes as dramatic as a thunderstorm, sometimes comfortable and unemphatic as putting on your soft slippers. She was my pupil and my teacher, my subject and my sovereign, my trusty comrade, friend, shipmate, fellow-soldier. My mistress, but at the same time all that any man friend has ever been to me.” (Quoted in Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts 142)
- Les and Leslie Parrott: “If there is a lesson to be gained from this amazing love story, it must be that partners without a spiritual depth of oneness can never compete with the fullness of love that enjoy. Marriage, when it is healthy, has a mystical way of revealing God; a way of bringing a smiling peace to our restless hearts.” (142)
» The third strand
• Jeremiah 9:24—“Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know [yada] me, that I am the LORD.”
• Genesis 4:1—“Adam made love [yada] to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant.”
• God takes the same word for “making love” [yada] and declares “That’s what I want in a relationship with you—the between a husband and a wife—I want you to know me like Adam knew Eve.”
• Alan McGinnis: “There can be no intimacy without .” (The Friendship Factor 105)
• Alice Fryling: “[Sex] is an expression of intimacy, not the to intimacy. True intimacy springs from verbal and emotional communion. True intimacy is built on a commitment to honesty, love and freedom. True intimacy is not primarily a sexual encounter. Intimacy, in fact, has almost nothing to do with our organs. A prostitute may expose her body, but her relationships are hardly intimate.” (www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/three-lies-about-premarital-sex/)
• Don’t miss Adventist Engaged Encounter with Jeff/Twyla Smith (Nov 1-3).
• Ecclesiastes 4:12—“A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
- The Third Strand—Proverbs 18:24/John 15:13-14
- #1 Felt Need—How to grow a relationship with God
- Jennifer Schwirzer calls it “going .”
- “A New Way to Pray” (www.newperceptions.tv/newwaytopray)
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“Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners!”
We will show a four part series How to Be Rich by Andy Stanley 1/15 "Congratulations" 1/22 "Side Effects" 1/29 "Dollar Cost Living" 2/5 "Diversify"
Come and learn the Bible way: “I will not put my trust in riches but in HIM who richly provides.”
Something In Common Sabbath School meets in Room 141 at 10:30 am
Adventist Engaged Encounter (AEE) is a fun weekend intensive workshop for seriously dating, engaged, and newlywed couples. AEE is not group therapy, no sharing with the group required, and it IS a private, safe environment with 12 guided sessions by marriage mentors. AEE is a great tool to add to your relationship toolbox, but AEE IS NOT CRISIS COUNSELING. AEE IS designed to help you take your relationship to the next level of love, connection, focus, and commitment. Meetings will be held in the lower level of Nethery Hall at 6:30 PM.
I hope you will join us (online or in-person) for a worship journey we may never have been on together. "A Banner Unfurled" will be a fresh plunge into the shining truth about our Creator-Savior and His gift of the seventh day, the Sabbath, to humanity.
We won’t be arguing over which Day—we already know. But we will be creatively exploring how existentially/experientially the treasure of Christ embedded in the Day can reignite our pandemic-shadowed lives with new light and meaning this New Year.
I'm praying we'll never be the same again as a result of this exploration. And I hope you invite your friends and family to join us.
For your handy reference here is the lineup of our Pioneer winter Sabbaths in 2022:
–Pastor Dwight
Andrews University’s Children’s Learning Center, The Crayon Box, is looking for a dedicated, responsible, loving and creative individual to join our staff to teach and care for our Pre-K (4 year old) children. Must meet Michigan LARA requirements for Lead Caregiver. Must be available to work 9:00-3:00 Monday - Thursday. This position is temporary with the possibility leading to full time employment. Background check, finger printing, TB test and additional job related trainings required. Job requires much physical activity and a high energy level and accuracy and efficiency is required
The applicant:
Must be at least 18 years of age with high school diploma. Must meet LARA requirements for lead caregiver: a bachelor's degree or higher in early childhood education, child development, or a child-related field, associate’s degree or higher in early childhood education or child development or high school diploma with coursework in child-related field and experience. Must love children. Must have a warm and friendly personality with sensitivity to the feelings and needs of both children and adults. Must display a willingness to fulfill responsibilities in accordance with the center's philosophy and mission. Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.
Apply online: https://www.andrews.edu/admres/jobs/show/staff_hourly
Pioneer Memorial Church is a place where serving others is its reason for being. There is a healing power in serving others. In the next few weeks, you will hear of opportunities to serve and heal. Respond to the call on your mind and heart. Serve as God leads you. Heal as God heals you.
Pioneer Operating Budget
Supernatural Protection
2 Timothy 4:18 “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
God has protected us from multiple supernatural powers. The apostle Paul speaks about his assurance concerning God’s protection and deliverance from every evil attack. God’s rescue from such supernatural powers was one motive leading Paul to constantly give God glory and worship. As a young boy, Eric struggled with frequent nightmares, dreaming of attacks by strange animals that looked like some of the divinities worshipped in his culture.
Frequently, he would wake up sweating and crying. As soon as he went back to sleep, the nightmares would return. To make things worse, Eric’s family would often hear strange noises on the steel roof of their house, like someone running or a stone rolling. The parents were convinced that their home was haunted and that the evil spirit wanted to kill their son. They tried every possible means to ensure protection from these supernatural attacks. Among many things, the parents would bring the boy to a Hindu priest for regular rituals, and once a year, they would do a pilgrimage to the grave of a priest. They vowed not to cut Eric’s hair until he turned 7.
Apparently, these strategies did not bring the little boy peace. Finally, they resolved to seek help from the God of the Bible. At bedtime, the mother would read Psalm 91 while laying hands on the boy’s head. Gradually, Eric began making the connection between a night without nightmares and prayers before sleeping. He became convinced of the existence of a God who is more powerful than the evil forces which were harassing him. For complete security, he dedicated his life to the powerful God.
Evil attacks may be visible or invisible, known or unknown, but they are a reality that many experiences. However, everyone and everything dedicated to God can be securely preserved. This week, as we worship with our tithe and regular offerings let us express thankfulness for the divine protection.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
It's a fresh new year, and it's time for a fresh new Grow Groups season! Grow Groups are Pioneer’s small groups that incorporate 5 S's: Shared interest, Spiritual touchpoint, Service project, Social event, Semester-based. That’s it, in a nutshell! Grow Groups are for EVERYONE—church members and nonmembers, local folks and our friends around the world are all welcome to join.
Right now we’re looking for leaders for both in-person and online groups. If you are passionate about something and want to use that passion to foster community and lead others to Jesus, we can probably help you turn that passion into a Grow Group! Let us know as soon as possible, because the deadline to sign up to lead a group is January 20. For more information please email growgroups@pmchurch.org or register your group today!
Erin Dockerty, a Pioneer member, is coordinating a virtual event in a private Facebook community where you’ll receive daily scripture & encouragement. Participate in the community at the level you are comfortable. Let's fight the overwhelm of this world with more of Jesus. Join at https://forms.gle/iMAQ2tFGMHqfuL9r8
Pioneer member, and now author, Joseth Howell, is excited to announce the release of her new children's science book, Water Wonderful World that would make a great experience gift for the holidays and beyond. Water Wonderful World is a beautifully designed heartwarming children’s nonfiction science book that will captivate young readers, parents, and teachers. Filled with lots of interesting facts about water from land and sea to the underground and air, colorful photographs, and wrapped in poetic flair to make science more appealing, it is poised to set young minds buzzing, and inspire them to appreciate the world all around. Children will learn about water conservation, the water cycle, water states, chemical composition of water, tides, water habitats and so much more. Also contained within its pages are fun-filled hands-on activities of water games, experiments, and art that kids and their families can enjoy together further strengthening family bonds and getting them exciting about STEM; and review
questions at the end of each chapter that parents and teachers can use to reinforce comprehension and mastery of concepts learned. Readers will also learn interesting facts about the continent where they live while discovering amazing facts about other continents too.
Enticing pictures and text a child can relate to makes Water Wonderful World a great read-aloud for the new reader and the perfect read-aloud book for all children. Available on Amazon and barnesandnoble.com.
Author Joseth Howell is a graduate of Rutgers and Columbia Universities.
On March 11-12 Lake Union Conference will be having an in person Prayer Conference event at the Embassy Suites in Plainfield, Indiana. The Our United Cry’s theme for this year’s Conference comes from John 17, “One With God, One with each other. As a Lake Union Conference family we need to come together in prayer especially in such a time that we are in right now. As a Union we need to come and together seek for the Holy Spirit. We will also be praying for the upcoming General Conference Session the following summer. We want every church in this great Lake Union to be represented in this conference. Looking forward to seeing you all there!
