The North Pacific Union Gleaner for 1980
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Bible Reading Provides Blessings By Max C. Torkelsen President, NPUC How are you coming with your daily national Version and have found it a Bible reading? personal blessing to me. This new trans- You will recall that earlier in the year lation is quite accurate theologically, we suggested the possibility of all of our and the freshness of the language makes members' reading through the Bible in it pleasant reading. 1980. Bookmarks were distributed If you are not already enjoying the widely, giving an idea of how much to blessings which come from daily Bible read each day. A slogan, "Back to the reading, plan to get started today. Your Bible in the '80s," was printed on each eternal destiny will most certainly be card. influenced by your knowledge of God's In my travels around the Northwest, I word. 1,4 have talked to many members who are following the plan of reading the Bible daily. By this time, you should be read- ing in II Kings to be up to date. It's not too late to get started. A few hours of reading will put you right on a couple of the photography workshops. Or, schedule with countless other members better yet, the next assignment you have in LETTERS some remote corner of the globe, why not in the North Pacific Union Conference. stop by Bridger and pick me up; I will be glad Letters on nontheological topics are wel- to handle the photography end of it for you. As you well know, the Bible is one comed for publication. The editor reserves the Lee Lucas book that can be read over and over right to reject letters and where necessary, to Bridger, Mont. again. New thoughts come to a person edit for continuity and space requirements. each time he reads. After all, it should Letters must be signed and should not be over 250 words in length except, where, in the There are some weeks when it doesn't be so—the Holy Scriptures are God's editor's discretion, more space is available. pay to come to work. We shot two rolls of black message to man. Address letters to Editor, Box 16677, Port- and white film during the Kodiak dedication. Reading the Bible puts one in touch land, OR 97216. A gentleman, who shall be cloaked in anonym- ity, developed the film for us and ruined both with the Creator and allows the Holy rolls. Spirit to give guidance, comfort and That same week, another film processor strength. It is with profound gratitude that we ac- ruined four rolls of color slides, fortunately I have been reading in the New Inter- knowledge the generous gifts of our brothers not the Kodiak pictures. Not having anything and sisters in the North Pacific Union Con- to use with the Kodiak dedication, we had a ference for the building of our Stevensville black and white picture made from a slide, log church. We praise God for His loving hardly a good means of reproduction but the care and provision. We thank and love each best we could do under the circumstances. one of you. We apologize to the Kodiak members for the LEANER Mrs. Violet Peressini NORTH PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE lack of photographic coverage of their special 0 Stevensville, Mont. event. (USPS 394-560) Now to reader Lucas. He has attended a Address all correspondence to: number of our workshops and has sat in as we I just finished reading your article in the GLEANER, discussed better photography. We accept the March 17 GLEANER about the new church North Pacific Union Conference chastisement from our coworker who is com- in Kodiak, Alaska. I was very impressed P.O. Box 16677. Portland. OR 97216 munication secretary of his local church. With with the exciting story — you do a great job (5031255-7300 friends like him, we know things will surely get of reporting, Mort. However, I was some- better. Vol. 75, Number 7 April 7, 1980 what disappointed in the picture of the Incidentally, we receive many letters from church. Editor. Morten Juberg GLEANER readers. Those of general interest I would like to make a suggestion. The next Assistant Editor, Ed Schwisow are published and all are answered. We even time we have a communication congress in the Published by the North Pacific Union are thankful for letters like the one from our Portland area, I would suggest that you take Conference of Seventh-day Adventists friend Lee Lucas. It keeps us humble. time out from your busy schedule and attend Please Note—Every reasonable effort is made to screen both editorial and adver- tising materials and to avoid error in this publication. But the North Pacific Union Conference GLEANER does not accept responsibility for categorical or typo- graphical errors, nor for advertisers' About the Cover claims. Litho U.S.A. CP29056 Ground squirrels are not seen as often in the damper, west- ern portions of the Northwest, but to those living on the east Second-class postage paid at College side of the Cascades, they are more familiar. Place, Washington. Published semi- Richard Wilmot, who took the cover picture, is pastor of the monthly at Color Press. Subscription, $6 John Day and Long Creek, Ore., churches in the Idaho Con- per year. ference. POSTMASTERS: Send form 3579 to North Pacific Union GLEANER, P.O. Box 397. College Place, Washington 99324. GLEANER April 7, 1980 page 2 awaiting 'Babylon the Great.' " She writes, "In a large degree through our Does Anyone Care? publishing houses is to be accomplished the work of that other angel who comes By Kenneth J. Holland down from heaven with great power, and who lightens the earth with his glory." A small boy, admitted to a modern These Times can the lonely people of "Solemn is the responsibility," she hospital for minor surgery, was placed our country learn what being born again says, "that rests upon our houses of in a room where a wall speaker made it really means? Would Time, Newsweek, publication." —Testimonies, vol. 7, p. possible for nurse and patient to talk to or U.S. News & World Report devote 140. each other without the nurse's having to an entire issue to the prophecies of Solemn too must be the responsibility leave her desk. Daniel and Revelation? Could they in- of all who have means to participate in After Bobby was awake from the struct people how to overcome a poor the distribution of our missionary litera- anesthetic, the nurse called his room self-image? Could they reveal how ture and enlighten the earth with the and asked, "Bobby, how are you feel- Satan works to destroy the souls of glory of God. ing?" men? There was no answer. Again, "Bob- Dear Abby, whose column is read by A Modern Parable by, are you all right? How are you feel- millions, is unable to tell her fellow The Lord Jesus often spoke in para- ing?" Still there was no answer. A Americans how to prepare for eternity bles. The following contemporary para- third time the nurse was more insistent, — to learn the practical, unpresumptu- ble, despite its inadequate theology, "Bobby, answer me. How are you feel- ous and exciting steps to take for the speaks rather powerfully to us ing?" journey into immortality. The brilliant Seventh-day Adventists. Back came a small, timid voice, "I'm columnist Jack Anderson doesn't really A good man died and went to heaven. all right, wall." understand the spiritual battle going on Upon approaching the keeper of the In commenting on this experience, for the souls of men. gates, he made the strange request to George Vandeman says, "Too many What secular journal probes the se- visit hell a few days before taking up his people are talking to the wall, and count- crets of real prayer—the prayer that gets heavenly residence. ing the flies on the windowpane and beyond the ME focus, beyond preten- Permission was granted. He was playing games with the wallpaper. Too sion? What journals, other than These amazed at what he found below. many people are calling the time of day Times and Signs, proclaim the funda- He saw huge banquet tables piled just to hear a human voice. And training mental, life-enriching doctrines of the high with delectable foods fit for kings. parakeets to say, 'I love you.' And swal- Bible? Who else writes of judgment to But all the people were emaciated, lean, lowing terror-reducing drugs to try to come, the nonimmortality of the soul, anemic. Knives and forks six feet long relieve their hurt!" God's holy Sabbath? What other publi- were strapped to their hands and fingers The trouble is that nobody seems to cation can offer hope for the 1980s by so that they could never reach their care. writing of the resurrection life available mouths. They could not get one bite of A Personalized Message to all men? Now we have resurrection food. Once again, we approach the time for life in the abiding Christ; soon we will The visitor had enough. He hurried sending our missionary journals, These have it even more gloriously in the com- back to heaven, and on entering there, Times and Signs, to those who are ing Christ. he saw practically the same scene: the "talking to the wall." We who publish What other publication would devote same kind of banquet tables, the same these magazines are doing our best to an entire issue to the final events on kind of long knives and forks strapped provide warm, personalized messages Planet Earth? What other publication to the hands and fingers of the people.