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. Once you’re able to recognize that you’re suffering from stress, you can take a number of steps to manage the condition: • Maintain a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables • Think realistically about the cause of stress; are you mak- • Physical activity relieves tension and increases absorption ing a mountain out of a molehill? of vitamins and minerals • Change your attitude • Social support—lean on your friends, acquaintances, co- • Be organized and set realistic goals workers, relatives • Reduce stress at work • Relax—put aside time each day to read, play, pray

e anxious for nothing, but in every- B thing by prayer and supplication, Individuals will differ in their use and preference for using certain coping strategies over with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of others. These differences in coping styles are usually reflective of differences in personality. God, which surpasses all understanding, Rigidity in coping is less likely to produce a desirable outcome than is flexibility in coping, or will guard your hearts and minds through being able to fit the most appropriate coping strategy to the demands of different situations. Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV) —Elizabeth Shniper and Your Health Ministries Team

Do you find yourself in a rut with what to prepare for a healthful meal for your family, or are you looking for a new exercise rou- tine? Sabbath Afternoon’s from February 8 to March 14 from 2 - 4 PM, our church will be offering a free 6-week Beat the Winter Blues class. Tailored specifically for Pittsburgh, this class will feed your body, mind and spirit, with plant-based cooking demon- strations and an exercise class, followed by an inspirational devotional. All ages are welcome. If you’re interested in assisting, or attending, please reach out to Elizabeth Shniper. Join A Guys Night Out Women’s Ministry as we participate in the Question: What do you get when you put twelve guys, pizza, snacks, and a bunch of games in a room together? Answer: A lot of fun! Dan Seigfried, head of Men’s Ministry, hosted a Guys Night Out at the church Saturday evening, February 22. The evening began with a devotional that included a good time of sharing. This was followed by games of Taboo, Pit, Gotcha, Citadels, and a little basketball. The guys played late into the Sunday, May 10, 2020 evening and enjoyed the In Schenley Park time together, even the younger “guys,” some of (Contact Kathy Pepper for more details.) the sons of the those that attended. You’ve been praying for your prayer partner in secret all year. Now it’s time to reveal who you are at the PRAYER PARTNER LUNCHEON

Sabbath, March 28 (after the worship service)

Bring a dish to share with everyone for the Luncheon and a revealing gift for your prayer partner. A Pathfinder Bible NOTE:Experience On Sabbath, February 1, after potluck, our PBE (Pathfinder Bible Experience) team tested their study skills after spending months digesting the study books for 2020 which were the fol- lowing: parts of Ezra & Nehemiah (including SDA Bible Com- mentary summary), Hosea, Amos, Jonah, and Mi- This year’s PBE team — cah. “Winning” is not a priority, rather an added reason to Ahlora Chubeck, Emma study God’s Word. Connor, and Seth Carter — Many questions would have been tough for anyone of any with their teacher, Vicki age, so when they got a particularly difficult question right they Connor. were overjoyed to hear the pastor promise them a dozen donuts for their victo- ry spoils! Congratulations! Our team was Pathfinders Study Creation small this year, but they hope to be joined in the coming years by the Adventurers in the Science Bible Fun group who are gearing up for the The Pathfinder Honor for the month of Feb- experience as they become Pathfinders! ruary was Creationism taught by Pastor Pepper. Did you know that neither Creation nor Evolution are science? To be science something has to be Observable, Testable, & Repeatable. If it does not adhere to all three, then it is a theory which An Annual Trip to the Nursing Home can only be accepted by faith! Community Service is a significant part of the annual cur- Another point was Irreducible complexity-- riculum for our Pathifinders, while a highly suggested activity the more complex something is the less chance it for our Adventurers. For over 10 years, our Steel City clubs have just randomly happened. You my friend are very traveled to local senior care facilities to provide some much ap- complex, this means you were designed, not a preciated entertainment for a group of seniors who are no longer product of infinite random chances. Speaking able to live on their own and see few people outside of their fa- about random chance, what are the odds that all cility. Having a group of young people from our Steel City the steps that led to you just happened? clubs spend some time with these seniors is one of the most Well, let’s start small, 10 to the 1st power = meaningful outreach programs that benefits the senior audience 10, and 10 squared, which is 10 to the 2nd power= and is a growth experience for our 100. Each power 3,4,5,6….. increases the total club members. number by 10 times, so 10 to the 10th power is a This was our 6th outreach at the barely comprehendible 10 billion. All the atoms Arden Courts Memory Care Facility in the universe amount to about 10 to the 81st (also where Elisaphan Musabyimana power, yet they estimate the chance of life just works), with entertainment that in- happening at a staggering 10 to the 40,000th pow- cluded a special poem written by Ste- er. ve Erstfeld, gymnastics by Emma Mu- If your heads about to explode, I’ll make it sabyimana, a Jericho skit, and a varie- simple for you. There is no chance life just hap- ty of musical selections. Eliava Lu- pened—it was designed, you were designed. hatwa’s rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle God created Little Star had many in the audience you with love, singing along—something we need to saved you with remember for next year. love, and sus- tains you with love!

Calendar for March: Please respond to the email from the Sab., Mar. 7—Adventurer Bible Fun 2 p.m. Leadership team Sun., Mar. 8—Club Mtg. 10 a.m. NOTE: with questions about Sab., Mar. 21—Outreach—TBA schedule options for Sun., Mar. 22—Club Mtg. 10 a.m. March, April, May. New Brighton Seventh-day Adventist Church Volume 5 Number 3 March 2020

Note: The information in this section pertains to the New Brighton Church only, although anyone is welcome to attend any of their events.

 Join us on Sabbath, March 14, for our monthly Fellowship Dinner.  The next Business Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. All members are welcome and encouraged to at- tend.

Come Join Us Have you been to Sabbath School recently? If you haven’t, you’re missing out! We have great discussions and would welcome A Snow Job more people. A big shout out goes to Michael Roberts and Then after Sabbath School, we have a wonder- his boys. They have taken over the parking lot ful fellowship meal followed by more discus- snow removal job. After our most recent snow- sion on current events and how they line up storm, Pastor Pepper was heard to say, “The with the Bible and E. G. White. Or we watch parking lot and the sidewalk looked 3ABN sermons and discuss them. Whatever perfect!” we do we always enjoy Sabbath afternoon to- Great job, guys! gether as a family. We really appreciate your hard work. Conference Bulletin Board

720 Museum Road Hours: Need to Contact the Reading, PA 19611 Monday-Thursday Office? Phone: 610-374-8331 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Fax: 610-374-9331

Friended: Women’s Conference One-day Retreat: April 18, 2020 Weekend Retreat: April 17-19, 2020 Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg, Pa. In 2020 the Pennsylvania Conference is embarking on the big- Plan now to join us for this special retreat weekend as Janet gest initiative ever attempted before to Reach Everyone Every- Page, General Conference Ministerial Associate for Prayer where with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and we and Ministry Families, shares God’s Word as we celebrate 30 need your help! Our goal is to have 120 churches, small groups, years of Women’s Ministries in Pennsylvania Conference. and/or church plants all across the Pennsylvania Conference Janet was our first women’s ministries director, beginning this conducting evangelistic meetings at the same time. 120 in 2020. life-impacting ministry here and is joining us to celebrate 30 All starting on the same opening night October 9, 2020—so years. save the date and get involved!

Other speakers include Erica Jones, Shalini David, and Paige United together to fulfill the mission will have several ad- Engle. vantages:

The weekend will include main worship presentations, a teen • Shared advertisement and promotion through Facebook track, breakouts, and gatherings just for young adults. We’ll ads, social media, billboards, television, radio and newspa- also offer “speed seminars” Sabbath afternoon and “speed pers friending” Sabbath morning. (Note breakouts and tracks for • Partnership with SermonView Marketing, Seminars Unlim- teens/young adults will also be offered during those times.) ited and Saturday evening will feature a celebration banquet as we • Conference subsidies totaling thousands of dollars to help recognize women’s ministries leaders who have impacted the local churches financially their churches and communi- ties and others who have To do this, we need your help! We need Total Member In- shared God with women in volvement to pull this off. powerful ways. What can you do? Come for one-day or for the entire weekend, but don’t • Pray for 120 in 2020 miss this exciting weekend. • Talk to your pastor and say “Pastor, we want to know more Bring your girlfriends, your about the 120 in 2020 Conference-wide Initiative” teens, your young adults, and those you’re hoping to build • We are looking for leaders and lay-members willing to a stronger friendship! conduct an evangelistic meeting in their area • Everything you will need to do a meeting will be provid- To register go to https:// ed—professionally done PowerPoint slides from It Is Writ- paconference.org/ ten; training sessions on the material, and coaching and womensministries/. mentoring throughout the year

Mark your calendars for Camp Meeting 2020

Join us on the campus of Blue Mountain Academy for camp meeting beginning Tuesday, June 9-Sabbath, June 13, 2020. It’s a shorter week in order to provide our pastoral team the oppor- tunity to attend the North American Division ministerial confer- ence before General Conference session, but it will be a power- ful few days of worship, seminars, music, and fellowship for children, youth and adults.

2nd Sabbath of each month of each 2nd Sabbath

Fellowship Dinner: Fellowship

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New Brighton Seventh Brighton New

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Pittsburgh Seventh Pittsburgh

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