A Pathfinder for Jesus Pray, Plan, Promote
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Volume 5 Pittsburgh Number 3 Seventh-day Adventist Church March 2020 Pray, Plan, Promote When I first entered the ministry, I remember something my conference president told me before I was even sent to my first assignment. He said, “You’ve got to have a plan and you’ve got to work the plan. If you do those two things, you’ll be successful.” Looking back, that was solid advice. This year, we have a plan. The plan is simple really. We’re going to offer an evangelistic series in the fall to try to reach people with the good news of Jesus’ soon return. We will have events leading up to that series so we can break down barriers and make new contacts. However, it occurs to me that if the plan only exists in the mind of the pastor, not much will happen. So, here’s what we’re going to be doing leading up to that series. We are going to pray; we are go- ing to plan; and we are going to promote. Let’s start with prayer. “Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse.” We certainly want God’s blessing on our series, so we have established a prayer team leader to make sure the meetings are bathed with our petitions to God. Esther Chacha (Pittsburgh) and Cindy Bennett (New Brighton) will be leading out our prayer teams immediately after church each Sabbath. They will be meet- ing with their groups, that all are welcome to join, in the room behind the organ at the front of the sanctu- ary. Hopefully the groups will swell so we can know we are working under the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, of course, we have to plan. The planning has already started. Budgets have been written. Ser- mons have been prepared. Timeframes have been adjusted. Advertising is being considered. All of this is done to make sure we have something to present and someone to present it to. But part of that planning will include each of you. We will need teams of willing, dedicated members to help us pull off our biggest event of the year. There will be registrars, childcare, ushers, people to prepare snacks, cleaning crews, music, and many other missions to fulfill. Hopefully you are planning to be a part of the team. Finally we have to promote. So often we want an evangelistic series to be totally professional. We hire a professional evangelist and professional musicians. We have professional banners to hang around the church. And, of course, we hire a professional graphic designer to make some awesome fliers that will be professionally printed and delivered to mailboxes by a professional postman. And if that’s all we do, we will have relatively few people at the meetings. But when each of us share with friends and neighbors about the meetings, that kind of promotion will do more than all the professionals we can hire. You are our best promoter. So please pray, please plan to help, and please promote. —Pastor Stewart Pepper A Pathfinder for Jesus Dear Pittsburgh Seventh-day Adventist Church, Twelve-year-old Seth Carter joined the Steel City Pathfinder Club a couple years ago. More recently, after he talked with his Hi, my name is Courtney. I have mom about wanting to be baptized, his mom let Mrs. Lisa know two young daughters. My youngest this exciting news. Mrs. Lisa connected Seth and his mom, was born with a severe case of club- Shani, with Pastor Pepper. and on Sabbath February 1, Seth foot. She’s not even two years old, made his public She has undergone 4 procedures, 3 of those being major surgeries. We stand for Jesus. Af- have been to Allegheny General ter his baptism, Mrs. Hospital twice in the past month. Lisa presented him I wanted to thank you so very with a Bible and a much for making those wonderful special Pathfinder blankets my daughter benefited from. She loved them, and pin. it provided comfort to my family during a time that was Congratulations, very difficult for us. It is so kind and thoughtful, and very Seth, and welcome much appreciated. to the family! Our family really can’t thank you enough. Courtney Coming Events • Pastor Pepper and Kathy return from vacation on March 2. • Beat the Winter Blues will continue on Sabbath afternoon (March 7 and 14) from 2-4 p.m. Come learn how to make great plant-based recipes, get some good exercise, and enjoy an in- spirational devotional. • The Second Annual UNO Tournament will take place at the church on Saturday evening, March 7. Come for vespers at 6:00 p.m., followed by the beginning of the tournament at 6:30 p.m. See the ad below for more details. • Mark your calendar! March 21 will be a high Sabbath. Blue Mountain Academy’s Bel Canto Chorale will be performing Snow Prayers Answered for the worship service at 11:15 a.m. Then in the evening, La Aside from dedicated Sonnette bell choir will close the Sabbath with a vespers pro- skiers, it's not often that gram beginning at 7:00 p.m. Following their performance, the you hear people in the Aerial Aires Gymnastics Team will present their show. You Pittsburgh area openly won’t want to miss any of this special day. speak about prayer for a • Want to start getting in shape for spring and summer activities? substantial snowfall, but Join the Fitness Club on Sundays, March 22 and 29 at 8 a.m. it was pretty clear that the in the fellowship hall. prayers for snow by some Social Committee mem- • Attention Prayer Partners: The annual Prayer Partner Lunch- bers were heard and an- eon will be held on Sabbath, March 28, after the worship ser- swered when 3" to 6" of vice. Bring a dish to share and a gift for the revealing of your snow fell in the Pittsburgh area prayer partner. just 24 hours before our event— Elders Schedule: this after a winter when few March 7 - Daniel Connor people had to use a snow shovel March 14 - Nick Guyach before that date! The fresh snow, that was also gone within March 21 - Elisaphan Musabyimana 24 hours of the social, was the March 28 - Dan Seigfried highlight of a fun-filled evening for young and old alike who Greeters Schedule: jumped on their sleds and tubes to speed down the front yard hill March 7 - Irene Young on the Connor's property. March 14 - Carey Miller and Sarah Chubeck Forty people showed up for March 21 - Vicki Connor an evening of sledding, March 28 - Irene Young charades, Uno, sharing food, a campfire, s'mores and socializing that began with a thought-filled vesper program provided by Dan- Get ready to play UNO!!! iel Connor and Irene Young tuning up her guitar to lead our song service. Saturday evening, March 7 is the date for Our thanks goes out to our second annual UNO Tournament the Connor family who opened their house to our church family, cleared the snow If you enjoy playing UNO, then plan on joining our second annual UNO Tour- from their driveway, transported and set up everything re- nament and try to unseat our 2019 champions: Derek, Lizzy, Owain, Elisap- han and our Grand Champion Nadege. quired to put togeth- er this special social • Tournament will be held at the church event. • Vespers at 6:00--tournament begins at 6:30 • 3 age groups: A friendly 11 and under UNO game at the winter so- 12-17 cial—a warm 18 and older up for the UNO • Bring snacks to share Tournament on March 7??? • Drinks provided by the Social Committee The Bridge and The New Brighton Spot are monthly publications of the Pittsburgh and New Brighton Seventh-day Adventist churches. Pastor—Stewart Pepper. Editor—Kathy Pepper. If you have questions, comments, or news items, you may contact Kathy at 304-992-5920/[email protected]. Don’t Worry, Be Happy od has given us the power of choice; Stress occurs every day and is a normal part of human functioning. It can have some bene- G it is ours to exercise. We cannot change our hearts, we cannot control our fits, such as increasing motivation, but excessive or chronic stress can lead to health problems, thoughts, our impulses, our affections. We such as ulcers, hypertension, and heart disease. cannot make ourselves pure, fit for God's Stress can come from a variety of sources, including: work, interpersonal relationships, service. But we can choose to serve God, finances, personal loss, and personal threats. we can give Him our will; then He will work in us to will and to do according to People can respond to pressure in different ways depending on several factors, such as His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature their personality, beliefs, and past experiences. Some people may function well when they are will be brought under the control of stressed, while others may not. It’s often described as a “fight-or-flight” response. Unfortu- Christ.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of nately, the body can overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as traffic jams, Healing, 176 (1905). work pressure, and family difficulties. Reducing stress involves both identification, and developing strategies to cope. Chronic stress doesn’t develop overnight, but there are many factors that can gradually contribute towards it, including pushing yourself too hard, difficulty relaxing, headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, ulcers, depression, fixation on small issues, and difficulty making decisions.