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Pisgah Post Edition E dit iti tion III III, II, V Volume olume 3 3,, IIssue ssue 6 S Saturday, attur urday y, J Ju July uly 6 6,, 2 2013 013
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Spiritual Disciplines
Discipline Six: The Discipline of Solitude he call of God over our lives is a call from noise to solitude; a place where Christians connect with God. Our fear of being alone drives us to noise. We speak when we have nothing to say, play music, watch television and play video games all to avert solitude. “In solitude the soul is laid bare to the inspecting eye of God, and every motive is scrutinized ... The soul communing with God.”— (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 189, 190). It is quite possible, however, to be a desert hermit and never experience solitude.
Jesus & Solitude Jesus inaugurated His ministry alone in a desert place for forty days of solitude with His Father (Matt. 4:1-11). Prior to His selection of the twelve disciples He spent an entire night in solitude (Luke 6:12). He instructed His disciples to, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place” (Mark 6:31). Following the healing of a leper Jesus “withdrew to the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16). In preparation for His most sacred work, Jesus sought solitude in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36). Richard Foster suggests that, “It’s in solitude we experience the silence of God and so receive the inner silence that is the craving of the heart.” Catherine de Haeck Doherty sums it up most succinctly, “All in me is silent and I am immersed in the silence of God.”
The Benefits of Solitude
The goal of solitude is to connect or reconnect with Heaven. Many are disconnected from God thus unable to hear His voice due to a lack of solitude. If regularly practiced in sincerity, this Spiritual Discipline will lead you into a growing, matured and vibrant relationship with God. Thomas Merton in his book, “The signs of Jonas” asserts, “It is in deep solitude that I find the greatness with which I can truly love my brother. The more solitary I am the more affection I have for them ... Solitude and silence teach me to love my brothers for who they are, not for what they say.” When practiced on your spiritual mountain, the Spiritual Discipline of solitude will be most beneficial and effective when you are journeying through your dark and desolate valley. Your valley experience includes, aloneness, sadness, confusion, even apathy. The valley is one of several conduits used by God to bring forth inner transformation. It is then you are mindful that the God of the mountain is still God in the valley.
Pastor Kevin Bryan
“It’s in solitude we experience the silence of God and so receive the inner silence that is the craving of the heart.” Richard Foster
As Christians we live in a society filled with noise and activity. In our homes Christians and non-Christians spend an inordinate amount of time listening to music, watch television, play video games, talking, texting, blogging and emailing. Some even go to bed with the television or radio on. As if that’s not enough we often do these activities while driving. God is calling His church to a new normal of solitude and silence so our relationship with Him might be strengthened.
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Are You Honest in Your Business Dealings? he story is told of men in a small Russian village observing the sale of a horse for the unbelievably cheap price of $500 Rubles. After the conclusion of the deal, the man approaches the seller and asks, “That horse was worth at least 2500 Rubles! How could you possibly sell it for so little?” the Seller sneered, “You idiot! That horse is so lame that in 2 blocks he would have to carry it home on his shoulders!” The man runs to the buyer and breathlessly asks him, “Do you realize that the horse you bought is lame?” The buyer guffaws, “Fool! Of course I know he’s lame! He has a nail in his hoof. As soon as I get it out, I’ll have a
perfectly good horse for only 500 rubles!” Running back to the seller, the man exclaims, “The horse has a nail in his hoof! Once he takes it out it would be perfectly fine.” The seller laughs, “You’re a bigger idiot than I thought! No one is going to buy a lame horse. I put the nail in the hoof to trick the buyer!” Huffing and puffing back to the buyer, “You’ve been swindled! He put the nail in the hoof to deceive you!” The buyer y shrugs g and throws up his hands, “It doesn’t matter.
The Rubles are counterfeit anyway!” What does the Bible say about deceiving or cheating someone in a business deal? “And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another” (Leviticus 25:14) The above forbids us to cheat others when buying and selling. If you ask: How is it possible not to try to influence a prospective customer to buy my merchandise? You should know that there’s a big g distinction in use. When the methods one might use customer the you try to show a cust True Value of a pproduct or service, it is ggood and However, what proper. How is done to conceal the defects of an item or purposefully omitpurposefu limitations ting the li service is of a servic deceitful and forbidThis is a den. Th basic pprinciple in bu business inte integrity.
“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters,” Senator Alan Simp Simpson
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An Answer to Prayer iste is terr Chandra Cabrera knew te she wanted to get involved with a ministry at Mt. Pisgah. Not sure how she could be of service, her prayer was simply, “God, let me be useful.” In no time at all that prayer was answered when the nominating committee chose her to be Health Ministries Leader for 2013-14.
chase a defibulater for Mt. Pisgah and held a class that certified several members in CPR. The popular “Health Tips”, offered between Sabbath School and church by individuals who are experts in their field, are professionally presented and comprehensive in their content.
come for medical emergencies at Mt.Pisgah.
Sister Chandra comes to this position well qualified with sixteen years of experience as a Respiratory Therapist. Her job at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital reminds her daily of health issues that are important to everyone.
In her capacity as Health Ministries Leader, Sister Chandra oversees the “Health Care Professional” on duty every Sabbath. These medical professionals are on standby to administer first aid. They routinely tend to cuts, headaches, fainting spells and other medical emergencies. The Health Ministries Committee wants to stress the presence of Health Care Profesnals and the availability of defibrilsionals lators ors increases the chance of a itive positive out--
that good physical/spiritual health go hand in hand.
Along with her committee, comprised of several medical professionals, Sister Chandra wants to continually remind Mt. Pisgah that the importance of healthy living cannot be overstated. For Seventh-day Adventists, the Health Ministries message is not new, but often not practiced in daily life. She states, “Everyone should make the commitment to eat less fried food, add more fruits and vegetables to their diet, drink plenty of water, consume less meat and exercise regularly”. Since taking office as Health Ministries Leader, Sister Chandra and her committee have raised funds to pur-
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In addition to a Health Fair in July, and a walk-a-thon in October to raise funds for her committee, Sister Chandra plans to schedule a second CPR class. All these activities have one aim, to continually offer a reminder
Sister Chandra sums up the significance of healthy living this way, “People don’t realize how important health is until it’s gone. Don’t get to that point!” By: Nancy Wells
Rocky Road
by Barbara Rainey
e know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB Many couples experience a season of disappointed love in their marriage relationship. For our son Samuel and his wife, Stephanie, that season began the day after the wedding. Watching these two get married was one of the greatest delights of my life. Their wedding day rivaled any fairy tale with their long-anticipated first kiss at the altar, the Star Wars theme recessional music, and a horse-drawn white-carriage ride around historic Franklin, Tennessee, in absolutely perfect weather. And then began what they call the “honeymoon from hell”--missing their plane flight, a lost driver’s
license, no heat in their romantic hideaway, and more. Over the next few months, they clashed over their expectations about married life, their assumptions about their roles, and many other issues. Although most of these flash points were mistakes and misunderstandings, they still led to some raw feelings of grief and hurt. It was a long way from the horse-drawn carriage ride on their wedding day! I share this to remind you that disappointed love can occur at any point in your marriage, even after times of peak romance and unusual oneness. This season calls for a level of hard work that you never expected your marriage to actually require. This is when you discover that the love you’re looking for can’t be self-produced; it requires an understanding and compassion that can come from God alone and a courageous commitment from each spouse.
When love disappoints, as it does for all of us, don’t give up. God allows these times to bring us face to face with what we really value and to see that we can only love well when we are depending on Him. Disappointed love can be transformed by God into a deeper love that I call cherishing, committed love. And that kind of love is far better than fairy-tale love.
Discuss Are you able to talk openly about your seasons of marital disappointment? Talk together about how you can share the burden of your disappointments.
Pray Pray for a courageous commitment to weather the inevitable hard times of disappointed love. www.familylife.com
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8 If you would like us to celebrate your birthday or anniversary with you in the Pisgah Post, please email us at Communications@MtPisgahSDA.com
very ve ryy year in October a Miss/ Mr. Miami Union Academy is crowned to represent their school throughout the academic year. This year Mt. Pisgah’s own Abigail Anderson is running for Miss Miami Union Academy and she needs the full support of her church family.
tuition. She has a great appreciation for what her mother, Sister Simone Anderson, goes through to pay tuition for three children in Christian school. Abigail loves Miami Union Academy and wants the money she raises for the building fund to help her school rt facility. become a state of the art
To win the title “Miss MUA” students must have an above average GPA. They also compete in talent and oral presentation challenges. While points from these events and votes from the student body count towards a victory, fund raising is at the heart of this contest. The contestant who raises the most money wins. Along with the honor of holding the Miss/Mr. MUA title, winners receive a percentage of the money they raise and the school building fund gets the rest.
ers of Mt. PisSpeaking to the members ant our church gah, Abigail says, “I want y oriented to become more family and be a strong supportt system for our youth. Assuringg us that pport we with church family support nd not be can take on big tasks and afraid.”
Abigail Anderson is a lovely, poised young lady who can confidently articulate iculate her passion for Christ, hrist, her school, her church urch and her family. Not ot to mention, she tively participates actively in several minises at Mt. Pistries h. If she wins, gah. bigail wants to Abigail usee the Miss MUA ize money for he er prize her d her siblings’ and
form of cash, money orders or checks made out to “Miami Union Academy” memo: Abigail Anderson. All donations are tax deductable. For more information contact Abigail at: abbi1015@gmail.com or (786) 2318250. By: y Nancy y Wells
gail AnMt. Pisgah family, Abigail rves your derson needs and deserves me in the support. For the first time history of this contest, let’s see a member of our church take home the title, Miss Miami Union Academy. accceptAbigail will be acceptions ing contributi contributions buildding for the building fund in thee
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Is On The Move! ithh the backdrop of water it slides, hotdogs, hamburgers, popcorn and sodas our Community Services Ministry/the Pisgah Pantry took what they do twice a month to another level. Last month, on June 5th, our Community Services Ministry in partnership with the City of Miami Gardens Police department participated in the city’s “Stop the Violence – Splashdown”. An event organized to focus on the “good guys” and celebrate the positive students and families at the end of school year. This was truly a collaborative effort between the City of Miami Gardens Police Department, Mt Pisgah Community Services the Pisagh Pantry and their partners at Feeding South Florida and Farm Share. Our Community Services Ministry reached out to over 577 families/ households providing food to over 2, 644 individuals in those households. As a result of this collaboration, on that day over 15,360 pounds of food was distributed. These stats to quote Brother John Wells are, “Off the chain!” You may have missed that opportunity to be involved but there is still time! Every second and fourth Wednesday of each month our community services ministries serves food to over 300 families. This is done right from our own fellowship hall. As the summer months may give you a little extra free time on a 2nd or 4th Tuesday afternoon (from 2pm – 7pm) or Wednesday (from 12 noon -5 pm), pencil into your calendar a day to lend a hand. Not only will you be a blessing but you will be blessed.
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July is Cord Blood Awareness Month What is cord blood? lo The term “cord blood” od” is used to describe the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and the placenta after thee birth of by. a baby. Up until cently recently this afterbirth was discarded as medical waste. Cord blood contains stem cells that may be frozen and preserved for later use in medical therapies. The umbilical cord and placenta are rich sources of stem cells. These are different from both the embryonic stem cells in a fertilized egg or the stem cells obtained from a child or an adult. The stem cells in cord blood can grow into blood and immune system cells, as well as other types of cells.
Reasons to bank cord blood B Birth is a onetime opportunity to help society by donating your baby’s cord blood. 14
Cord blood contains stem cells that can save lives. Patients requiring a stem cell transplant can receive stem cells from one of three ssources: bone marrow, circul circulating blood, or cord blood. Th The first two exist in aall healthy adults, but ccord blood can only on be harvested and s stored at birth. It is much easier to match transplant patients with cord blood than with the two sources of adult donors. This is important for patients who come from minority or mixed race backgrounds. Hence, diverse cord blood donations to public banks can save many lives right now.
Birth is also a one-time opportunity to store your baby’s cord blood for your own family. Transplant patients recover better when they receive stem cells from a related donor, instead of an unrelated donor. If a first degree relative of your baby needs a stem cell transplant, the baby’s cord blood stem cells could be a suitable match. Plus, there are now emerging therapies in which children use their own cord blood stem cells to help the body repair itself. In the future, children whose parents saved their cord blood will have better access to those treatments.
There is virtually no reason not to save your child’s cord blood. Some people are concerned that the clamping of the umbilical cord should be delayed so that the baby can receive the blood in the cord. Studies have shown that babies whose cord clamping was delayed by two minutes have slightly less anemia up to six months after birth. However, there is no benefit to waiting more than two minutes to clamp the cord and collect the cord blood.
Cord Blood can be used to treat a variety of Blood and Marrow Disorders such as: • Leukemia • Lymphoma • Beta Thalassemia • Sickle Cell Disease • Aplastic Anemias • Bone Marrow Cancers • Cystic Fibrosis • Inherited Metabolic Disorders plus many more disorders
There is virtually no reason not to save your child’s cord blood. This blood will be discarded unless you decide to bank or donate it. Ask your Obstetrician how you can offer this life saving, life changing blood to someone in need! http://parentsguidecordblood.org
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Frozen Yogurt Sundae With Bananas and Chocolate Sauce Recipe courtesy of Sara Quessenberry & Kate Merker Realsimple.com
Hands-On Time: 10 Min
• • • • •
Total Time: 10 Min
Serves: 4
1/4 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 pint low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt 2 bananas, sliced 1/4 cup unsalted roasted almonds, chopped
Directions: 1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cocoa. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heatt and simmer, stirring, until s. Let cool slightly. slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Divide the frozen yogurt and bananas nanas among bowls and top with the chocolate saucee and almonds.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving): • Calories 362Calories From Fat 24% • Protein 12g • Carbohydrate 61g • Sugar 41g • Fiber 4g • Fat 10g • Sat Fat 3g • Sodium 57mg • Cholesterol 65mg
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Preaching Seminar & Workshop 5:00 pm
Guest Speaker Dr. R Clifford Jones 6:30 pm
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Prayer & Praise Service 7:30 pm
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Prayer & Praise Service 7:30 pm
Pisgah Food Pantry 2-4:30 pm
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Guest Speaker: Pastor M. Braithwaite
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Children’s Church
Guest Speaker: Pastor M. Howard
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Women’s Ministry Retreat
FACES Rehearsal 7:30 pm
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FACES Rehearsal 7:30 pm
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Lisa Page Brooks Concert @ 7:00 pm
Youth Church Adventurer Induction
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Preaching Seminar & Workshop 7:30 pm
FACES Rehearsal 7:30 pm
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Saturday Saturday
Prayer & Praise Service 7:30 pm
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Friday Friday
Guest Speaker: Pastor G Fluerinond
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Thursday Thursday
Pisgah Food Pantry 2-4:30 pm
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Prayer & Praise Service 7:30 pm
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Wednesday Wednesday
KINGDOM ROCK - Vacation Bible School July 14 - 20, 2013
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Tuesday Tuesday
Kelvin Trocard Edeline ‘Dee Dee’ Severe Simone Laing Karen Greene Tannysha Yearby Elder Steve Williams Jasmyn Williams
If you would like to place an ad for your business in the pisgah post please contact us at Communications@MtPisgahSDA.com
FACES Rehearsal 1:00 pm
Women’s Ministry Sunday Workout
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Mt. Pisgah Yard Sale
FACES Rehearsal 1:00 pm
Pathfinder Meeting 9:00 am
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FACES Rehearsal 1:00 pm
Dist 5 Pathfinder Honor Day (North)
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FACES Rehearsal 1:00 pm
Preaching Seminar & Workshop 9:30 am
Pathfinders @ 9 am Pathfinder Parent Mtg 11 am
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Pastor on Vacation July 8 - August 1
Sunday Sunday
Jondra Grier Jessica Garcon Nancy Wells Peggy Joseph
Communications Team