Out of His deep love for humanity, God changes our lives and asks us to move His love into our community and world. We are uniquely positioned at Andrews University to share the story of God’s love from the residence halls to the farthest parts of the earth. We accomplish our mission by engaging people across generations to be disciples of Jesus through the process of Connect. Grow. Serve. Go.
Pioneer Media supports the local ministry needs related to classroom and teaching technology. It also creates content for and manages Pioneer's online presence and produces our broadcast television program.
We have volunteer teams that help you to serve the church and the neighborhood in a variety of ways. The best place to serve is where you’re using your God-given gifts, talents, and passions the most.
Your financial gift helps support ministry here at Pioneer. From local to global ministry, keeping our facility safe and clean, to outreach and family growth activities, it all provides a space to worship, learn, and grow together. We invite you to Give Purposefully, Give Faithfully, and Give Joyfully.
Dwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Sing Praise to God • No. 29 st. 1-2, 4 congregation; st. 3 choir only
Words of Joy: from Psalm 100
Anthem of Joy
Psalm 23 • Craig Courtney
Prayer of Rejoicing
Vivian Raimundo
Words of Joy: from Psalm 98
Benie Shyirakera
Response of Rejoicing
Hymns of Joy in Creation
Homily
“A DIY Guide: How to Thank Your Healer”
Dwight K. Nelson
Hymn of Thanksgiving
Now Thank We All Our God • No. 559
Letters of Thanksgiving
For the Beauty of the Earth • Kenneth Logan
Invitation to Giving
What Gift Can We Bring? • Donna Kasbohm / Kenneth Logan; st. 1 solo; st. 2 women; st. 3 all; st. 4 men; st. 5 all
Procession of Thanksgiving: Gifts of Food, Song, Tithes and Offerings
Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart! (No. 27, st. 1-2) The Lord Is My Light (No. 515, st. 1-2) For the Beauty of the Earth (No. 565, st. 1, 3) ’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (No. 524, st. 1, 3) To God Be the Glory (No. 341, st. 1, 3) Praise God, From Whom All Ble
(Timothy Jennings, The God-shaped Brain: How Changing Your View of God Transforms Your Life 57-58)
• #1—Worship a God of love and reject God-concepts that induce .
- 1 John 5:18—”Perfect love drives out fear.”
• #2—Practice regular meditation on some aspect of God’s character of love at least minutes per day.
- Neil Anderson: “Because Satan’s primary weapon is the lie, your defense against him is the truth. . . . When you expose Satan’s lie with God’s truth, his power is broken. . . . We are not called to dispel the darkness; we are called to turn on the light. Deceiving spirits are like cockroaches. They come out only at night, and when you turn on the light, they head for the shadows.” (Victory Over the Darkness 162)
- Ellen White: “When the enemy comes with his darkness, sing faith and talk faith, and you will find that you have sung and talked yourself into the light.” (Mind, Character and Personality 650)
• #3—Be truthful and eliminate falsehood of any kind from your mind.
- Timothy Jennings: “This is particularly important for those who have suffered abuse. Abused children, because of the level of brain development, will misconstrue the meaning of the abuse and [will conclude] . . . typical falsehoods such as, ‘I’m ugly. I’m gross. I’m nasty, dirty, disgusting and unlovable.’ . . . While the facts of history can not be changed, the adult who has suffered abuse can reevaluate the historic event and apply the truth, that the awful feelings once experienced belong to the event, not to the self. The application of truth is healing.”(57)
• #4—Live to .
• #5—Establish relationships with people of loving and character, and terminate destructive and exploitive relationships.
• #6—Trust God with your and your life’s outcomes.
- Jennings: “One of the greatest sources of worry and fear is trying to make life turn out the way we want, rather than simply choosing what is right. . . and trusting God with the outcome.” (57-58)
• #7—Live in harmony with the physical design protocol for life such as regular sleep, drink plenty of water, exercise mind and body regularly, avoid toxins, and eat a balanced diet.
• #8—When mistakes are made, resolve as soon as possible, forgive those who mistreat you, and don’t hold to anger or grudges as such emotions activate the body’s inflammatory cascade.
• #9—Resolve , as unremedied fear truly destroys.
• #10—Wake up .
- Ministry of Healing:
“When you open your eyes in the morning, thank God that He has kept you through the night. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon, and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven.” (253)
“My life is Christ nothing else really matters.”
Offering for December 20, 2025
Pioneer Operating Budget
My then six-year-old son came up to me and said, “Dad, I need a lot of money, and I need to make it fast!” I smiled and inquired, “Why do you need a lot of money quickly?” I didn’t know what my son was thinking of doing with all this fast cash and why he needed the funds so urgently. I thought maybe he wanted to buy a new toy or bike for himself. He said, “Well, Mom’s birthday is coming up and I want to buy a nice gift for her!” That sure cheered my heart, and so I gave him the funds! My son was asking for money, not for selfish reasons but out of love for his mom.
When I think about church offerings, every gift we give should be measured by the unfathomable Gift of heaven. The greatest offering we received from God is Jesus, and there is no way we can measure His love and sacrifice for us. Anything we give would appear as nothing in comparison. “How vain the endeavor to measure with mathematical rules, time, money, and love against a love and sacrifice that is measureless and incomputable!” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol.4, p.119). Let’s return our tithes and offerings in response to the abundance of God’s love for us.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Church Office Holiday Closure: 12/22-12/26 & 12/29-01/02
Please note that the church office will be closed from December 22 to 26 and again from December 29 to January 2 for the holiday season. We will reopen on January 5. Our church services will proceed as always. If you have any announcements, please submit those no later than December 19. Thank you for your understanding. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year!
Christmas Blessing Opportunity
Be part of a Christmas blessing this year! Chiang Mai Adventist Academy, which serves primarily Buddhist students from around the country, is looking for a set of Bible story felts to use in teaching the Bible in their Sabbath schools. FARM STEW missionaries will be going to Thailand in January and deliver them. If you have a felt set you would like to donate or would like to donate towards buying a new set, please contact Deby Andvik. (andvik@andrews.edu or call/text 269-277-4145)
Pioneer Women’s Ministries’ Advent devotionals will highlight a few of the promises of Jesus. To receive the “Red Letter Promises” daily devotionals by email for the first 25 days of December, text the word “ADVENT” to 269-281-2345. You can also receive a short daily text message preview of each day's devotional by providing your cell phone number when you register. We pray you will sense the nearness of Jesus during this holy season through these devotionals.
House of Prayer
Pioneer Earlyteen Loft
Please join us for House of Prayer Wednesday evenings at 7pm in the Earliteen Loft for a time of singing, Bible study and prayer.
