EPHESUS [March 2015]
The Official Magazine of the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church
PEOPLE
GOD
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Hot Topics
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Living in Jamaica 1
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Calendar of Events
What’s Inside...
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4 Diverse People, One God 8 What Seventh-day Adventists Believe 16 Where Are They Now? 17 18 12 Reasons Why Exercise is Good for Your Brain In the Pew Next to You 19 Financial Tips for Young Adults 20 Bible Game for Kids 21 22 Calendar of Events: March 24 Lord, Give Me the Wisdom to Understand Hot Topics
Three Issues Within the Adventist Church and How to Address Them
Demographics at Ephesus|Living in Jamaica|What Country Are You From?
Trinity
Shelly-Ann Bowen, Ph.D.
Pernestine Harris
A poem by Bobbie Jean Hough
Front cover image from McGill Publications 3
Hot Topics:
THREE ISSUES WITHIN THE ADVENTIST CHURCH AND HOW TO ADDRESS THEM by Pastor John Pooler, III
THE CHURCH AND
Homosexuality
According to the official statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church: “The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes that every human being is valuable in the sight of God, and we seek to minister to all men and women in the spirit of Jesus. We also believe that by God’s grace and through the encouragement of the community of faith, an individual may live in harmony with the principles of God’s Word. Seventh-day Adventists believe that sexual intimacy belongs only within the marital relationship of a man and a woman. This was the design established by God at creation. The Scriptures declare: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Gen 2:24, NIV). Throughout Scripture this heterosexual pattern is affirmed. The Bible makes no accommodation for homosexual activity or relationships. Sexual acts outside the circle of a heterosexual marriage are forbidden (Lev 18:5-23, 26; Lev 20:721; Rom 1:2427; 1 Cor 6:911). Jesus Christ reaffirmed the divine creation intent: “’Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,” and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?” So they are no longer two, but one’” (Matt 19:46, NIV). For these reasons Seventh-day Adventists are opposed to homosexual practices and relationships. Jesus affirmed the dignity of all human beings and reached out compassionately to persons and families suffering the consequences of sin. He offered caring ministry and words of solace to struggling people, while differentiating His love for sinners from His clear teaching about sinful practices. As His disciples, Seventh-day Adventists endeavor to follow the Lord’s instruction and example, living a life of Christ-like compassion and faithfulness.”
THE CHURCH AND
Worship Styles
Striking a balance is the key we must all hit when focusing on personal and corporate worship. One of the most beautiful pictures of a balanced and harmonious relationship is the orchestra. Each section of instruments plays its part as written by the composer and directed by the conductor. The voices of instruments are all made from different materials. They come in all shapes and sizes, with tone qualities and timbres uniquely their own. Yet they make beautiful music together. I agree that it’s of major importance that the Christian message is the core foundation and fulcrum of all that takes place in our worship experience. Generational gaps and personal preferences should seek consensus and cohabitation, as is the likeness of heaven. Instead of what divides us, we should seek Jesus Christ as our common source to make us one. The heart and mind of the worshipper can be deeply moved and motivated for consistency in holy living by the finely tuned greeting, an easy to follow and organized order of worship, uplifting and diverse songs throughout, ener4
gized and synergized corporate worshipers, and grounded sermons that speak to the here and now and elevate ones outlook for destination “Heaven.” Again, the key word is balance. Some churches focus on the spirit in a worship service. The praise and worship must be spirited, the preaching must be exciting, and the response must be emotional. On the other hand, some churches focus on the truth. Their approach to worship is purely intellectual with no outward response whatsoever. But Jesus told the woman at the well that true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth (John 4: 23). In order for the human body to be healthy, it must receive a balanced diet. Too much of anything can upset the body’s chemistry and cause it to be diseased. In addition, each part of the body is dependent upon the other parts to remain healthy. It is the same in the body of Christ. The Bible tells us, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you’” (1 Cor. 12:21, NKJV). In other words, we need each other and our unique differences to be complete. Each generation, each member, each nationality plays a vitally important part in maintaining the overall health of the “kingdom minded church.” I’ve seen positive signs that unity is on the horizon in the area of worship. But there’s more to be done. “Let’s commit together to pray for the healing of the church. We must all accept the challenge as members of Christ’s body to walk together, work together, serve together and especially worship together in unity, while celebrating our diversity.”
THE CHURCH AND
The Role of Women in Ministry
What does the Bible teach regarding the role of women in the church? The Bible presents women as full participants with men in the religious and social life of the church. In the fifth year of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry, the priests went to Huldah the prophetess for counsel (2 Kings 22:13, 14). Women served as musicians and attendants at the tabernacle and Temple (1 Samuel 2:22, 1 Chronicles 25:5, 6, Psalm 68:24, 25). Women prayed aloud and prophesied in the church (1 Corinthians 11:5). They labored side by side with Paul and other workers in the Gospel (Philippians 4:3). In the closing chapter of Romans, Paul begins his greetings and commendations with women, and he includes several other women subsequently in the chapter (16:1-5, 6, 12, 13, 15). Widows (Acts 9:39) may have been an organized body for service in the New Testament church. But women did not serve as priests in the Old Testament (Exodus 28:1, Numbers 3:1-13) nor did they serve in the leadership/teaching role of elder or pastor in the New Testament (1 Timothy 2:11-14; 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Corinthians 14:33-36). Women’s ordination to pastoral ministry has been a hot topic for the Adventist Church for well over thirty years. This is what has caused so much controversy in our church today. As the General Conference meets in 2015 in Texas; the hope is that this issue will be finally put to rest. The concern of one end of the spectrum is that biblically there is no model to support women as pastors or women getting ordained. Secondly the other approach is that the Bible doesn’t distinctively state that we should not allow women as pastor or ordain them. So these are the tug of war arguments from both sides. My stance is that the vote for women as pastors and or ordination should be chosen by Divisions and or Conferences separately and not as a world church-voted issue. I believe that to universally vote women’s ordination would cause some serious unrest in cultures in other parts of the world that aren’t as liberal as the North American culture; and may present major unrest in our churches abroad. Furthermore, I also believe that local conference officials should host town hall meetings with local churches before sending any pastor. If churches had a choice it would limit unjustly subjecting women/men/ families to malicious intent, and dissatisfaction with leaders that are sent by the conference as oppose to appointed and chosen by the church. Local churches should have more of a say in those decisions. Let the church choose! 5
PRAYING FOR JULY 2015 GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION
NEEDS OUR HELP!
Women’s Ministry has partnered with Sabbath School to donate items to Sistercare, an organization that provides services and advocate for domestic violence survivors and their children. If you would like to donate items, please see Anne Jones or Nina Nelson for more information. 6
Family Life POTLUCK
Do you like to invite people to your home for dinner after church? Do you like to eat and fellowship with others every Sabbath? If so, the Family Life department wants you to be part of its potluck ministry! Once a month, a family will volunteer to host their home to families and individuals in the church, and families and individuals can volunteer to attend a potluck. If you are interested in being a host or attendee, please see Deryl and Janice Keith for more information.
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See Deryl and Janice Keith for more information.
Feature
PEOPLE
GOD
Taking a brief look at Ephesus’ diversity 8
There is neither Jew nor Greek, There is neither slave nor free,
There is neither male nor female; For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:28(NKJV)
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Demographics of
E P H E SU S
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Data taken from approximately 130 surveys
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Living In by Natasha Pooler
W
hen I think of growfluences based on people who were ing up, I experience brought to the island, such as Afa warm, peaceful ricans, Indians, Jews, Chinese and feeling. I have very fond memories others. We are truly a melting pot of of my childhood. I was fortunate to different cultures, and this is reflectgrow up on the beautiful island of ed in our motto -- “Out of Many, Jamaica which is located south of One People”. Cuba. We have a very rich culture, I remember eating food and in terms of size, the island is a like bammy and escoveitch fish, little over 4000 square miles in area, ackee and saltfish and breadfruit. with an approximate population of Bammy is a round flat bread that 2.8 million people. is made from grated cassava. It can The island is divided into 14 be served steamed, grilled or fried. parishes (equivalent to U.S. Cities) Mommy use to serve bammy with and I grew up in Mandeville, in the escoveitch fish. Escoveitch fish is parish of Manchester. Kingston is fish that has been seasoned and the country’s largest city and is the fried, and then left in a sauce of capital of the island. As the youngvinegar, onions, carrots and pepest in my family of three children, I pers for a few hours. Delicious! often experienced Ackee and saltfish quite a bit through (codfish) is our nathe eyes of my sibtional dish, and I ling brother and remember having an sister. My parents ackee tree in our yard. loved to travel, Oh to be so lucky! and so at least Ackee can be referred twice a month we would Ackee and saltfish, a to as fruit that needs to be staple in Jamaica all pile in the car and cooked. It is a pod the size have an adventure to visit family or of your fist that is bright red when just have fun out of town. it’s mature. When you open the Some of my greatest memo- pod, there are three or four sections ries surround food. To me, every- of golden flesh, topped by glossy thing tastes better in Jamaica! We black seeds. The seeds are discardhave a unique culinary blend which ed, and the golden flesh is washed can be attributed to the fact that we and boiled in water, or sauteed in have several different culinary in- oil before having saltfish added to it. If you ever have the opportunity Pictures on left: to experience Jamaican food, this is Top: 5-year-old Natasha Pooler certainly a dish to try! You’ll either Middle: 6-year-old Pooler (center) with siblings Tanya (right) and Nigel (left) at James love it or leave it. My husband got a Bond Beach in Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica chance to experience real authentic Bottom: Pooler playing dress-up ackee several years ago when we 12
travelled to Jamaica, and he has to me as we would also stop by the Jamaica, so while the temperature been in love ever since. Breadfruit roadside to eat roasted corn and to may get a little cool at night, we can also be served with ackee as it is have jelly coconuts. didn’t have snow to contend with. a starch and can be boiled, roasted, On the way back home, In Jamaica the official lanbaked or fried. we would often stop at a bakery in guage is English, but our national How could I forget dumpSpanish Town that always seemed language is Patois. Patois is a form lings? Mommy would also of broken English. One of the “I won’t ever forget my serve dumplings with ackee common terms is “evry-ting and saltfish as a traditional irie” which means “everything roots...I’m singing, ‘...this Jamaican breakfast. Dumpis good.” Though some may lings are made out of flour is Jamaica, my Jamaica... find it odd, it isn’t uncomand made into a dough mon at all to hear a Chinese this is the land of my mixture in the shape of a individual speaking Jamaican birth!’” medium sized ball, then Patois with a full Jamaican acfried or boiled. It’s a perfect cent! accompaniment to most meals and to have hot, fresh bread. The bread My experience of Jamaica is treated like bread. was so hot that we would have to wouldn’t be complete without We have several different leave the bag open. Inevitably, one touching on the beaches. The types of fruits, but mangoes and loaf of bread would never make beaches are beautiful. If you get a apples are my favorite. During the the trip home. We would all talk chance to make it to Jamaica, an mango season, it is not uncommon and sing and enjoy the ride while island favorite is Dunns River Falls. for Jamaicans to get so full from eat- grabbing hunks of warm bread. This is a famous waterfall in Ocho ing mangoes that a meal or two is Being the youngest, I was always Rios and is a major tourist attracskipped. One of our Jamaican folk stuck in the middle of the backseat. tion. The falls are about 180 feet songs says “wash yuh pot, tun dem I felt like I always had an advantage high and 600 feet long. Everyone dung, mango time”In essence the because I usually ended up holding has fun climbing the falls and you song is saying, “wash your pot, and the bread…and this meant easy ac- certainly feel a sense of accomplishturn them down to dry – you won’t cess for me! ment once you get to the top! Be need to cook for a while because it’s At Christmas time we careful though…some areas can be mango season!” One of my favorites always had black cake and sorrel to a bit slippery. is the East Indian mango. look forward to. Sorrel is a popular So as you can see, we have Jamaican apples (otahiete drink made from a red plant. No a rich culture. I could go on and apples) are shaped like a pear. It has Jamaican Christmas is complete on because I love Jamaica. I came a deep burgundy outside and it is without bottles of the red drink to the U.S. in the 90s and began white on the inside. I can remember brewed with ginger. to study here during some of the we would go to visit our grandpar- Let’s not forget Grand Mar- roughest times of my life because ents once a month in ket night. On Christmas we recently suffered the loss of my the country in St. CatheEve we would go out mother. This gave me an innate rine. The ride was about on the town to celpush to do well in school and a 2 hours long, and when ebrate. When we were reason for advancement for all the we got there we would old enough our parents sacrifices that my parents made to often be hungry. Once would often allow us to ensure that I could be here. we arrived, my siblings go out with friends to When I go back home my Otahiete apples and I would immediateshop. They would give family takes special care to prepare ly rush to sit under his huge apple us money for Christmas and we foods that aren’t easily accessible tree. We would shake the tree so that would go on the town. As I look in the U.S., and we take family the really ripe apples would fall off, back, it’s so funny that the money trips that are reminiscent of my or my cousins would climb the tree, that they gave us as gifts we would childhood. I won’t ever forget my and we would just sit and eat apples often turn around and use to purroots…I’m singing , “…this is Jafor hours on end. Good times. That chase gifts for them! What was also maica, my Jamaica…this is the land trip in particular was always special great is that we don’t get snow in of my birth!” 13
Esther Munoz Dominican Republic
Olive Sease Jamaica
Delia Eastman Panama
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Oliver Page England
WHAT ARE YOU FROM?
Olalekan Awolaru Nigeria
Mildred Pack Ghana 15
WHAT SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTISTS BELIEVE:
The 28 Fundamental Beliefs
2. Trinity
The 28 Fundamentals Doctrine of God 1. Word of God 2. Trinity 3. God the Father 4. God the Son 5. God the Holy Spirit Doctrine of Man 6. Creation 7. Nature of Man Doctrine of Salvation 8. Great Controversy 9. Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ 10. Experience of Salvation 11. Growing in Christ Doctrine of the Church 12. The Church 13. Remnant and Its Mission 14. Unity in the Body of Christ 15. Baptism 16. The Lord’s Supper 17. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries 18. Gift of Prophecy Doctrine of the Christian Life 19. Law of God 20. Sabbath 21. Stewardship 22. Christian Behavior 23. Marriage and the Family Doctrine of Last Things 24. Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary 25. The Second Coming of Christ 26. Death and Resurrection 27. The Millennium and the End of Sin 28. The New Earth
There are two major sources of evidence for the existence of God. The book of nature and the Scriptures. Everyone can learn of God through nature and human experience. David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Human behavior also gives evidence for God’s existence. In the Athenian worship of the “unknown God,” Paul saw evidence of a belief in God. Said he, “The One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). The Bible does not prove God’s existence. It assumes it. Its opening text declares, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible describes God as the Creator, Sustainer and Ruler of all creation. God’s revelation through creation is so powerful that there is no excuse for atheism, which arises from a suppression of divine truth or from a mind that refuses to acknowledge the evidence that God exists (Psalm 14:1; Romans 1:18-22, 28). Is there only one God? What of Christ, and the Holy Spirit? In contrast to the heathen of surrounding nations, Israel believed there was only one God (Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4, Isaiah 45.5; Zechariah 14:9). The New Testament makes the same emphasis on the unity of God (Mark 12:29-32; John 17:3; 1Corinthians 8:4-6; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1Timothy 2:5). This monotheistic emphasis does not contradict the Christian concept of the triune God or Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy 16
Spirit; rather it affirms that there is no pantheon of various deities. Although the Old Testament does not explicitly teach that God is triune, it alludes to a plurality within the Godhead. At times God employs plural pronouns such as “Let Us make man in Our image” (Genesis 1:26); “Behold the man has become like one of Us” (Genesis 3:22); “Come let Us go down” (Genesis 11:7). Various references distinguish the Spirit of God from God. In the Creation story “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). Some texts not only refer to the Spirit but include a third person in God’s work of redemption: “And now the Lord God [the Father] and His Spirit [the Holy Spirit] have sent Me [the Son of God]” (Isaiah 48:16). The first advent of Christ gives us a much clearer insight into the triune God. John’s Gospel reveals that the Godhead consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal persons having a unique and mysterious relationship. While the Godhead is not one in person, God is one in purpose, mind, and character. This oneness does not obliterate the distinct personalities of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Nor does the separateness of personalities within the Deity destroy the monotheistic thrust of Scripture, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God. Excerpts from Seventh-day Adventist Believe . . .28 A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrines
?
where
are they
now
Shelly-Ann Bowen, Ph.D.
Shelly-Ann Bowen, Ph.D., left the Ephesus SDA Church family in November 2014, after more than 10 years living there, and relocated to Atlanta, Ga., after accepting a position to work as a consultant through ICF International in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) Branch at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Each time I pull up to the CDC gates and see the blue sign, I have a moment of awe in the wonder of our great God who, in spite of my imperfect love for Him, is interested in every aspect of my life and consistently manifests His unconditional love,” Dr. Bowen said. Dr. Bowen vividly remembers two life-defining moments while growing up in Jamaica which
enlightens us on why she stands daily in an indescribable space of gratefulness to God. The first moment is when she declared a singular vision to her first-grade teacher: To find a cure for the incurable disease that afflicted her classmate and friend’s mother. She still does not know what disease her friend’s mother had, but her friend missed multiple school days, and Dr. Bowen missed the fun of walking home after school with her. The second “Ah-ha!” and defining moment came in high school after she studied a Junior Sabbath School lesson that focused on the formula, “JESUS + EDUCATION = SUCCESS.” She then received clarity on what would produce and enhance excellence in her love for school and learning. She made a commitment to Christ and reached for the stars when
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it came to academics. Today, Dr. Bowen is leading a phenomenal team whose key purpose, among others, is to provide technical assistance to the United States and its five territories as they implement programs to reduce risk factors associated with childhood and adult obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and to address management of these chronic diseases. This is no easy feat, yet the complexity of this task brings an excitement because there is comfort in knowing that God is continually instructing and guiding with His loving eye (Psalm 32:8 NIV). Dr. Bowen charges others to find and acknowledge the desires that God has placed on their hearts and to trust God when His gentle cues nudge them in the right direction to where He wants them to move. article and picture by Shelly-Ann Bowen
12 reasons why EXERCISE
is good for your
BRAIN
Submitted by Gwen Preston, Health Ministries committee member
1.
the qualities of discipline, dedication and determination.
Exercise will make you feel better!
Exercising releases endorphins, making you feel happy and positive about yourself. Don’t we all want that?
7. Self-discipline.
It also helps you develop the skills of compliance and adherence. These skills will have a positive effect in all areas of your life.
2. Overall mood booster!
Exercising regularly will release tension. This translates into solved problems with depression and stress.
8. Exercise can help with addiction recovery.
3. Confidence.
As mentioned before, exercise can help you to develp discipline. Overcoming addictions can become a lot easier when a workout routine is in place.
When you exercise and relieve that tension while taking care of yourself, you can’t help but be proud of your accomplishments. You feel like a brand new you, and you know you look good.
9. It helps combat depression.
Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Exercise induces “happy chemicals” to be produced more abundantly
4. Gain a high pain tolerance.
Exercise can make you sore sometimes. At first it might be horrible, but after it happens a few times you learn how to deal with it. This leads to an overall increase in your pain threshold.
10. Fitness reduces anxiety.
Using your energy in an effective way helps you to relax better.
5. Work to improve your brain power!
11. Ever heard of “runner’s high?”
Exercise causes your body to create more brain cells and connections. This means your brain becomes more powerful and has a greater capacity for learning.
That’s right! Vigorous exercise can make you feel great.
12. Concentration.
6. Exercise improves your character.
Exercise can boost your concentration and mental awareness. Information from TreadmillReviews.com
Sticking to an exercise routine will help you to develop
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PEW YOU! In The
Next to
Pernestine Harris Pernestine Harris relocated back to South Carolina from New York in 2009 to be closer to her family. She has two children, four grandchildren and a great grandson whom she loves very much. She worked in telecommunications as a supervisor and spent two and a half years in nursing school in Manhattan, N.Y. Harris was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the early 1970s after a neighbor, whom Harris observed going to church every Saturday, invited her to attend a service. Since becoming a member of the Adventist church, Harris has served in many positions including head deaconess, head usher and assistant clerk. She started attending Ephesus when a fellow member told her about the church van that picked up members without transportation. Harris posesses a kind and caring spirit, is a woman of prayer. She is also passionate about sharing the gospel, telling others about God and motivating people. Harris thanks God for His tender-loving care and looks forward to the day Christ comes to take us back to heaven. 19
Financial Tips for Young Adults From Investopedia.com
1. Learn Self-Control
The sooner you learn the fine art of delaying gratification, the sooner you’ll find it easy to keep your finances in order. Although you can effortlessly purchase an item on credit the minute you want it, it’s better to wait until you’ve actually saved up the money. Do you really want to pay interest on a pair of jeans or a box of cereal?
2. Know Where Your Money Goes Realize how important it is to make sure your expenses aren’t exceeding your income. The best way to do this is by budgeting. Once you see how your morning java adds up over the course of a month, you’ll realize that making small, manageable changes in your everyday expenses can have just as big of an impact on your financial situation as getting a raise.
3. Start an Emergency Fund One of personal finance’s oft-repeated mantras is “pay yourself first”. No matter how much you owe in student loans or credit card debt and no matter how low your salary may seem, it’s wise to find some amount - any amount - of money in your budget to save in an emergency fund every month. Having money in savings to use for emergencies can really keep you out of trouble financially and help you sleep better at night. Also, if you get into the habit of saving money and treating it as a non-negotiable monthly “expense”, pretty soon you’ll have more than just emergency money saved up: you’ll have retirement money, vacation money and even money for a home down payment.
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4. Start Saving for Retirement Now
Just as you headed off to kindergarten with your parents’ hope to prepare you for success in a world that seemed eons away, you need to prepare for your retirement well in advance. Because of the way compound interest works, the sooner you start saving, the less principal you’ll have to invest to end up with the amount you need to retire, and the sooner you’ll be able to call working an “option” rather than a “necessity”.
5. Take Control of Your Financial Future If you don’t learn to manage your own money, other people will find ways to (mis)manage it for you. Understanding how money works is the first step toward making your money work for you..
Bible Game for
Kids
Word Scramble
Animals of the Bible Look at the scrambled letters in the box and guess the animal found in the Bible.
1. QLUIA 2. KDY N E O 3.
O IN L
4. RN E S P T E Answers: 1. Quail 2. Donkey 3. Lion 4. Serpent 21
OF
MARCH
Museum Events $1 General Admission to the Museum on the first Sunday of every month The Pathfinder club takes advantage of this special price and now you can too. Look for these exhibits: “Courage: The Vision to End Segregation and the Guts to Fight for It”: Explore the story of a powerful grass-roots “people story” behind the Supreme Court’s landmark Civil Rights decision Brown v. Board of Education. “The Life and Times of Robert Smalls”: Robert Smalls was born an enslaved person on April 5, 1839, in a small cottage in Beaufort, SC. By the time he died in 1915, Smalls had served five terms in the United States Congress.
Every Month
Every First Sunday
South Carolina State Museum
EdVenture Children’s Museum
If you are a Bank of America cardholder, enjoy free admission to EdVenture on the first full weekend of every month! Family Night: Join us every second Tuesday of the month from 5- 8pm and receive $1 admission!
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March 26
J Fit Fair
This free event promotes health and fitness, lifestyle, nutrition, creative crafts, demonstrations, healthy bites, entertainment, and hands-on activities at the Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center. Event starts at 8 a.m. and ends at noon.
March 27 - 28
Youth and young adults from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia come together for fellowship and worship. March 27 and 28 at the River Oaks Convention Center in Orangeburg, S.C.
Sunset Calendar
REMINDER
March 7 - 6:24 p.m. March 14 - 7:30 p.m. March 21 - 7:36 p.m. March 28 - 7:41 p.m.
It’s a great time to check all your smoke detectors and change batteries as needed.
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Lord, Give Me the Wisdom to Understand a poem by
Bobbie Jean Hough Lord, give me the wisdom to understand. All I know for sure is to have faith in Jesus and not in man. I see the evil in this world and it’s hard to bear. Lord I cry out to You, “Does anyone care?” We never know what each new day will bring, but we pray for the best. Satan is attacking full force, taking no time out to rest. People are hurting and falling apart. Where is the compassion that should come from their hearts? Are we not sisters and brothers? Are we not to love one another? Why do people accept sin in this world to be alright? This world has become so dark, you wonder, where is the light? The Bible teaches that Satan will rule this earth for a time. Your Word says, “I am God, make no mistakes, this world is mine!” Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me, “Don’t be in bondage to evil, you have been set free.” We must hold on to God’s unchangeable hands. Only those who kept their faith in God will stand. Pray for those who mistreat you. Treating others fairly is the Godly thing to do. Never give up on God’s love as long as you live. Hatred can’t win as long as we have love to give. This life we are traveling is not an easy road. We must try to continue our Christian journey until we reach our goal. Lord, give me the wisdom to understand. Help me to take the right steps as I walk this earthly land. I have faith that one day everything that happens in this world will be made clear. I will live in this wicked world facing my enemies without fear. The wickedness in this world will vanish away. Until then I will live by Your Holy Word, trying to do exactly what it says. 24
Come Worship with Us!
EphesuS
S E V E N T H -DAY A DV E N T I S T CH URCH
7709 Wilson Blvd. Columbia, SC 29203 803.786.2800 Pastor John Pooler, III Service Times Wednesday Night Prayer and Bible Connection.............................................. 7 p.m. Morning Prayer Service (every 3rd Sabbath).................................................... 8 a.m. Sabbath School................................................................................................ 9:15 a.m. Worship Service................................................................................................... 11 a.m. AYS............................................................................................One hour before sunset 25
Every department, Every ministry, Every member, has a story for Christ. Share it with us.
EphesuS
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
www.ephesussda.org