OPEN DOORS Were You Present for the “Reopening” of the Grants Pass Seventh-Day Adventist Church on June 13? If You Were, You 70

July 2020 from the Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist Church Pastor: Charles Byrd Newsletter Editor: Melissa Derfler [email protected] OPEN DOORS Were you present for the “reopening” of the Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist Church on June 13? If you were, you 70. For twelve weeks, Sabbath rather than the “regular” soup kitchen. undoubtedly noticed some changes. services were only available online. Bible studies continued, only online. You were greeted at the door by He wanted to know, “What brought Church business was conducted via volunteers wearing masks. You were you back to church today?” Was it Zoom meetings and will be for a while. “checked in” and quickly led to an to participate in worship music? The The church office provided access assigned seat. (Did you remember congregation did not sing together, to such items as Sabbath School to sign up online?) You probably per current reopening guidelines. Was it to receive hugs? That was quarterlies and tithe envelopes. A noticed that every other pew drop-off location remains available at remained empty, to maintain physical also a disappointment. Were you surprised to learn that deacons would the church for tithes and offerings. distancing (“Angel Seating”). From For the most current information your assigned seat, members and usher you out of the sanctuary after about Sabbath services, Sabbath guests from different households the service? Pastor Byrd noted that School classes, and various meetings were distanced. Pencils, hymnals, whatever the reason for returning to and Bible studies during the week, tithe envelopes, and Bibles were not church, God is “happy you are here.” please visit our website, www. directly available in the pew racks. The church should be about coming grantspasschurch.com. You may have observed these things to be with the Father. Our presence ~Jennifer Burkes as a reminder that our world is not with the Father is a “gift.” safe. Safety, in this world surrounded He advised those listening to, “Let by sin, is a “calculated risk.” God be God.” He is in control of this In this issue... current situation. He is “big enough Pastor Charles Byrd spoke that Open Doors Sabbath on where we are indeed to work it all out.” In this world that 1 has spiraled out of control, where 2 The Good News About Fresh Herbs “Safe and Sound.” He noted that it was Announcements; Prayer Ministry a calculated risk to reopen the church are we truly safe and sound? “The 3 doors. In the decision to return to only time you will be safe and sound 4 Because You Prayed; Kid’s Corner is when you’re in the arms of the church, “We choose to take a certain 5 The Train of Modern Spiritualism amount of risk.” The Father made a Father, and when you recognize who Exercise for Health & Longevity He is—Love.” Are you taking shelter 7 calculated risk with man when He 8 Family Portraits: Carrie Hise “chose to let us choose sin and death.” in the Father’s arms? The doors to the church may have 9 July 2020 Church Calendar Not every case of COVID-19 results in Thoughts & Prayers death, but every case of sin does. been closed, but the heart of the 10 GP SDA School Graduations “For twelve weeks, I’ve had to church was not. Ministries such as 11 preach to an empty room,” Pastor Dorcas continued to provide limited 12 Pastor’s Page: Wanting Heaven! Byrd said to a congregation of about services following CDC guidelines. Brown bag lunches were provided, herbs are oil soluble, they are best absorbed when eaten with foods containing healthy, natural oils as found in olives and avocados. Researchers at Ohio State University paid about a dozen people to eat salads with or without avocado, one of the healthiest sources of fat, and then measured the amount of carotenoids that made it into everyone’s bloodstream. Those eating a The Good News About Fresh Herbs salad including half an avocado absorbed about 10 times more carotenoids than If you wanted a summer garden, it and even natural metabolic processes those eating the fat-free salad. is probably too late. But it is not too in our bodies. Free radical damage can Although herbs with the highest late to grow some culinary herbs. One lead to the onset of various diseases, as antioxidant activity belonged to the oregano of the nice things about growing your well as premature aging and cognitive family, other herbs such as rosemary, basil, own herbs is that you don’t need a lot impairment. thyme, cilantro, dill and parsley are also high of space. If you don’t have room for A USDA study compared the in antioxidants. All can be purchased at local even a small plot, you can grow them antioxidant activity of 39 commonly nurseries here in Grants Pass, or most can successfully in small pots and keep them used herbs grown in the same location be easily started from seeds. on a balcony, deck or even a window sill. and conditions. On a per gram fresh Rosemary, a perennial herb that The most popular food flavorings weight basis, oregano and other herbs grows well in southern Oregon, has in America are sugar, salt, ketchup ranked even higher in antioxidant activity been found to enhance memory. Even and mustard, and the closest thing than fruits and vegetables, Oregano was the aroma of rosemary has this memory resembling an herb on most plates is a found to have 42 times more antioxidant boosting effect. A study on rosemary sprig of parley for eye appeal. But, if we activity than apples, and 4 times more at Northumbria University in England would add some culinary herbs to some than blueberries. found that just exposure to rosemary can our main dishes we would increase their A salad enhancement study was boost memory. The researchers found nutritional value substantially. done at the Universitia di Urbino in that students working in a room that Researchers with the U.S. Department Italy. With the understanding that it’s contained the aroma of rosemary - in of Agriculture have found that herbs, in the antioxidants that give fruits and the form of an essential oil - achieved addition to making food tastier, are an vegetables their anticancer, antiviral, and between five and seven percent better abundant source of antioxidants and anti-inflammation properties, scientists results in memory tests. could provide potential health benefits experimented with adding different fresh The ancient Greeks claimed that when supplementing a balanced diet. herbs to salads and measuring their rosemary “comforts the brain,…sharpens Herbs have higher antioxidant activity resultant total antioxidant content. They understanding, restores lost memory, by weight than fruits and vegetables, found that adding just a single sprig of [and] awakens the mind”. Greek scholars including garlic. fresh herbs (the weight of 3 paper clips wound rosemary sprigs in their hair The abundance of antioxidants help worth of thyme, sage or marjoram- when studying for exams to help them neutralize the damaging effects of free -a kissing cousin of oregano) literally remember what they learned. radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are doubles the antioxidant power of a bowl When harvesting herbs in your own dangerous electrically charged atoms of salad. It’s almost like eating two salads garden or herb pots, the ideal time for and molecules that can destroy cells. for the price of one! The researchers continued on next page They are produced by environmental conclude: “We stress the need to introduce and internal pollutants such as cigarette aromatic herbs as a seasoning supplement smoking, herbicides, excessive exercise, in the diet of every age group.” stress, radiation, car exhaust fumes Since many antioxidants found in 2 Prayer The Women’s Study Group is meeting each Ministry Tuesday at 2 pm in the Junior / Earliteen Room. We are currently finishing up the book Early Writings “The Scriptures and will begin a new study admonish us to using Pastor Marvin Clark’s ‘pray without study from prayer meeting ceasing.’ This does many years ago on End not mean that we Time Events. If you are are to spend all of interested in joining this new study, please contact our time on our Donna Griffith. knees in formal prayer. It does mean that we Lomacang (weekly sermons) must live and serve our Lord in / Doug Batchelor (weekly 8 the atmosphere of prayer.” sermons) and I am sure there Dr. Hurd broke his leg and “We have come to serious are many more. is in Regency Room 11. He would love visitors! times. Events in our world Although it is important Although you can’t go in- call upon every follower of to know the times, it is more side, window visits can be Christ to be totally in earnest important to know the God of arranged. in our relationship with God. the times. And that is where To strengthen this relationship prayer and Bible promises and satisfy our emotional and come in. So here are two of Good News About Fresh Herbs, cont. from page 2 spiritual needs, we must learn my favorite Bible promises picking is in the morning after the dew the power of prayer.” from the book of Isaiah: “Fear has dried but before the sun gets hot. Very serious words taken not, for I am with you; Be not This helps ensure the best flavor and from the book Prayer by Ellen dismayed, for I am your God. storage quality. Freshly picked herbs can White. The times we are living I will strengthen you, Yes, I be stored in an open or a perforated plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper are far more serious then any will help you.

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