Our medical professionals are on the front line of this epidemic and we want to show them love and support. In the next week or two, we want to send a prayer caravan to drive around the hospital. We'll let them know ahead of time that we'll be praying—and perhaps honking our horns—at a designated time. To get more information and to register, please click below and select the prayer caravan option. We'll see you soon!
Prepared?
Turning Young Parents Into Vital Mentors
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 07, 2020
Program:
Introit
The Pure in Heart • Patrick Hawes
Songs of Praise
Open The Eyes Of My Heart • I Am A Friend of God • Living Hope
Prayer
Amen • Patrick Hawes
Pioneer Life
Rodlie Ortiz
Children's Story
Nathan Fernandez
Kum Ba Yah (Come by Here) • Philip Jones
Worship in Music
Jubilate Deo (Rejoice in God) • Dan Forrest
Homily
Dwight K. Nelson
“PREPARED?—Turning Young Parents Into Vital Mentors”
Connect Card, Tithes, & Offerings
Pioneer Operating Budget
Hymn of Commitment
Lead Them, My God, to Thee • 653
Benediction
More In This Series
PREPARED?—Turning Young Parents into Vital Mentors
www.newperceptions.tv
7 Mentoring Practices for Parents with Children
• Practice #1—Parents must worship the of the child. (Luke 1:67-68)
—It’s one of the great laws of parenting: You can’t pass on what you don’t .
• Practice #2—Parents must declare the of the child. (Luke 1:60-63)
• Practice #3—Parents must pronounce the of the child. (Luke 1:76)
—Gary Smalley and John Trent: “Before the children can walk, they should be carried on the Sabbath and on the Holy Days to their father and mother to receive their blessing. After they are able to walk, they should go to them of their own accord, with body bent and with head bowed, to receive the Blessing.” (The Blessing 33)
• #4—Parents must focus on the of the child. (Luke 1:68-79)
—Donna Habenicht (How to Help Your Child Really Love Jesus):
• Show your children Jesus’ love through love: Hug your baby while you say, “Mommy loves you and Jesus loves you.”
• Paint a picture of Jesus: Instead of “Oh my, how sad you have made Jesus,” emphasize a smiling Jesus, “How happy Jesus is with what you have just done.”
• Encourage spontaneous with Jesus: “Jesus Christie feels so sad . . . please help her to feel happy soon.”
• Joyfully introduce Jesus through and pictures about His life: My Bible Friends is a beautiful way for youngsters to meet Jesus, and so is a picture of Jesus surrounded by children hanging in your child’s bedroom.
• “Remind them that Jesus hurts when they hurt. That He would love to take them in His arms and comfort them. Tell them Jesus can be their best friend, their forever friend . . . who never abandons them.” (130)
• “The most important and impressive thing you can do is to show your children openly how much love Jesus, and they will learn to love Him, too.” (130)
• Practice #5—Parents must confirm the of the child. (Luke 1:76-79)
—Re John the Baptist: “From childhood his mission had been kept before him, and he had accepted the holy trust.” (Desire of Ages 101)
• Practice #6—Parents must seek the Spirit’s of the child. (Luke 1:67, 80)
—Desire of Ages: “Even the babe in its mother’s arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their earliest moments.” (512)
• Practice #7—Parents must control the of the child. (Luke 1:15, 80)
—Q: How can parents today create a “wilderness environment” for their children? A: You control what comes into your .
—The very word “wilderness” suggests “less” is better.
• Less .
• Less .
• Less .
“Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”
Prayer Car Caravan for Our Medical Professionals
GC 100 Days of Prayer Commence
This week I learned of our world church headquarters appeal for prayer throughout the global Seventh-day Adventist family. Originally timed to end during the recently-postponed General Conference session in Indianapolis, our church leaders are calling us to now focus 100 days of praying (March 27-July 4) on behalf of the global coronavirus pandemic. There could hardly be a more urgent need for earnest praying!
A pastor friend of mine, Jim Moon, pointed out a two-verse juxtaposition I'd not noticed before: "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a pestilence among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13-14). While everyone knows the beloved prayer call in v 14, few of us connect it with the preceding divine action in v 13. "A pestilence among My people" certainly could represent a global pandemic like the coronavirus COVID-19. While Satan is the originator of destructive calamities, what more faith-appropriate response is our collective prayers to the One who can deliver this nation, this world, these people, from the grips of pestilence.
So let's join together in humbling ourselves before God and praying and seeking His face—that our world might be saved and our faith community might yet be mobilized to share the glad tidings of Jesus' soon return.
- Pastor Dwight
2nd Quarter Adult Sabbath School Lessons
Due to the COVID-19 stay at home mandate, Pioneer is unable to provide physical copies of the Adult Sabbath School Lesson at this time. Both teacher's edition and standard edition are available online for free.
Livestreaming Schedule
Pioneer will be worshipping online online until further notice. We look forward to having you join us there.
9:00 AM ET - Pioneer at Worship
10:30 AM ET - Sabbath School
11:45 AM ET - Pioneer at Worship
Home Visits
The Board of Elders, under the leadership of Bryan and Becky von Dorpowski, has responded to the immediate spiritual and emotional needs of our oldest Pioneer members. Recognizing many of them will chose to protect themselves from the coronavirus by limiting their time in the wider community and thus missing the weekly fellowship that worship and Sabbath School provided, the elders will be focusing on those Pioneer members in their 70s, 80s, 90s and 100s—and will be reaching out by phone to visit with them. (In order to protect the health of our members our elders will not be making home visits at this time.)
If you know of an at-risk member who needs personal attention, please call Claudia Sowler 269.471.3134. The elders are praying these targeted phone calls will bring the ministry of our Good Shepherd Savior to these who have faithfully walked with Him throughout their lives.
Family, Faith, and Fun!
During this time of potential boredom and cabin fever, enjoy these fun ideas for spending quality time together as a family.
After the long winter of gray and brown, get outside and look for all the buds, sprouts, and new leaves you can find. Try to identify what each one is. You can use your phone to look on the Internet or use an app like Pl@ntNet to identify leaves. Currently, you can see things like crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, snowdrops, moss, ferns, ramps, and wild chives. It is so nice to be reminded that even when things look bleak, God is still there and recreating!
You can also "adopt a friend" each day or week! Send several encouraging and kind notes to a friend via text, email, Messenger, etc. Let them know you are thinking about them and even praying for them.
Sponsored by the Family Life Committee
Volunteer for the Most Vulnerable
We are looking for teams of volunteers that can help people who are more vulnerable in our community to run errands such as picking up groceries and medicine. We're also asking for volunteers to make calls and pray for our members and community.
COVID-19 Grow Group Update
Community and gathering in some form remains vital. We have asked Grow Groups of more than ten people to start meeting online. For Grow Groups of less than ten people, we're asking them to practice safe social distancing of at least six feet—as per the CDC.
Love on the Move
Over the summer and fall of 2019 Pioneer underwent significant physical renovation—including a new roof and a major Sanctuary makeover. During the same time congregation leaders engaged in multiple conversations about our missional renovation—how does a faith community like Pioneer seriously engage and impact the people around us for Christ? From this dialogue emerged a fresh new expression of our Pioneer mission: "Love on the Move."
Campus News
For more events impacting our local university campus, please visit www.andrews.edu/agenda.