World Session:
Meetings End With Greetings And Challenge
Capping
10 days of meetings in which, as public affairs director Dr. John Graz
said, “St. Louis was the center of the world for 25 million Seventh-day
Adventists”. Delegates to the movement’s 58th General
Conference Session heard words of thanks from a city official – and a
challenge from the world church president, Pastor Jan Paulsen.
“I have been asked to give a final
challenge, but what I say applies to me as much as to you,” Paulsen
declared. “We as a people, we have been entrusted with a message of
hope; God’s forgiveness and hope of the future he wants to give us.”
He added, “We have to tell the
world that this loving, caring Savior is soon returning. And we have
been given the responsibility to bring this to the world. Are you – am
I – ready to make this our primary task?Paulsen stressed the need for
Adventists to become “uncomfortable” with merely sitting in church.
Believers, he said, need to witness to what we have found in Christ.
“Now is not the time for anyone to
be a spectator, to grow too comfortable with the church pew in which he
is sitting” Paulsen said. “Now is the time….to step fully onto the
stage and take up our role as Christ’s hands and Christ’s voice as a
world that needs healing and to feel his touch. Have you been touched
by Christ’s healing hand? Tell somebody about it.”
He declared, “I can think of no
greater failure than for us to leave this place…and take up business as
usual. Our world is too large, the needs are too many and too great,
and our Lord’s instruction is clear we cannot walk away from it…Christ
says, “Go, and I will go with you.”
Earlier Charles Bryson,
representing St. Louis Mayor Frances G. Slay, thanked Adventist members
for their first-ever Session visit to the fabled “Gateway City.”
“We know you have done much to
improve the quality of the city of St. Louis since you have been here,”
Bryson said. “Your youth have canvassed our streets, providing St.
Louisans with information on your beliefs. Proceeds from (sales of the)
ADRA (stand) are helping our local charities; you held a ‘Show-Me
Health’ project to provide health screenings and information. You have
given us much.”
But, Bryson added, “We also hope
that we have given you something as well. We hope you have found our
city to be warm and friendly…We are sorry to see you go, but we are glad
to have met you, glad to have hosted you and certainly we welcome your
return.”
The evening concluded with the
renowned “Parade of Nations,” representing Adventist activity in more
than 200 countries around the world.
Vacation Bible School
The one-week of “Friends Forever”
Vacation Bible School at Shiloh was short and sweet. Twenty-nine
children ages 2-12 joined the Friends Forever Club House looking forward
to a week of fun and learning. Six Captains and three junior assistants
helped club members learn about being a friend to others, the qualities
of a good friend and most of all making Jesus their best friend. In
Survival Skills, members were educated on Fire Safety by our local Fire
Department and all got to ride on the fire truck, which was definitely a
treat. Captain Sharon Fowler led out in helping the children use their
imagination and creativity in Arts and Crafts. The week culminated with
Children’s Church under the fitting theme, “Children Talk to Jesus” and
Graduation of all twenty-nine children during the Adventist Youth Hour.
Vacation Bible School Director Laurie Bullard thanks all who assisted to
make Vacation Bible School 2005 a tremendous success.
Personal
Ministries
§
All
Community Services and Adventist Men Leaders, and assistants are asked
to meet with Pastor Moncur at the Shiloh Church on Sunday morning, July
24, at 10:00 a.m. Matters to be discussed are: Hurricane Preparation,
Community Services Leaders Training Certification and plans for the
Annual Community Services Exhibition.
§
All
Personal Ministries Leaders, assistants and secretaries are asked to
meet with Pastor Moncur at the Shiloh Church on Sunday, July 24, at
12:00 noon.
§
All
Sabbath School Superintendents and assistants are asked to meet with
Pastor Moncur on Sunday, July 24 at 9:00 a.m. at the Shiloh Church.
Youth
Ministries
Camp is here again!!!
Registration is currently going on for Camp Yacayeke 2005. Forms are
available from your Pathfinder or Youth Directors or at the Mission
Office. Please note that the dates for Camp are July 31 – August 7,
2005.
PLEASE
REGISTER TODAY
If you are willing to assist Camp
Yacayeke 2005 as an Instructor or Counselor please contact Pastor Bain
as soon as possible.
Additional
Highlights of GC.
It might be of interest to note that in
addition to the three officers of our world church being reelected, Jan
Paulsen, Matthew Bediako and Robert Lemon –President, Secretary and
Treasurer, respectively, the same took place in the case of our
Inter-American Division. Yes, Elder Israel Leito, Juan Perla and P.
Filiberto were returned. Additionally, it was pleasing to us from West
Indies Union to learn of the re-election of Pastor Leon Wellington to
the office of Vice President. Also, congratulations are in order for a
new comer, Pastor Balvin Braham, president of the West Jamaica
Conference, who was voted to serve as an Associate Director in the
Department of Youth Ministries. Pastor and Mrs. Jensen Trotman of The
Caribbean Union, were also voted to the offices of Family Life, Women
and Children Ministries, respectively
The 59th General Conference
Session will be held in 2010, in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta Georgia.
Start planning now
Upcoming
Events
-
Aug. 14 -
27 – Jesus In Me Youth Extravaganza. Speaker: Dr. David King
-
Aug. 27 –
NBM Youth Debating Competition
-
Aug. 28 –
Youth Summer Splash
Thought
For The Week
“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend…..Why should
the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the
key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse where are
treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?
---Steps to
Christ, p.93
Happy
Sabbath
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