Isn’t it fascinating that words make up only about 7% of how we communicate? The way we say those words—our pitch, tone, volume, and pace—makes up 38%, and the biggest part, 55%, comes from what we don’t even say! Things like eye contact, posture, gestures, body language, and facial expressions do most of the talking for us. In fact, with 43 muscles in our faces, we can make over 10,000 different expressions (National Institutes of Health, 2023)! That’s one powerful face, wouldn’t you say? So next time you’re talking with someone, remember—they’ll remember most how you said what you said. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver" (Prov. 25:11).
2017 Holiday Season
Have Yourself a Windy Merry Christmas
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight 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.
Offering
Saturday, December 02, 2017
Program:
Praise
O Come Let Us Adore Him • Bread of Heaven • Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
Prayer
José Bourget
Children's Story
Festival Fanfare for Christmas • John Wasson
Worship in Music
And the Mountains Echoed: Gloria! • Robert Longfield
Sermon
"Have Yourself a Windy Merry Christmas" • Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
O Come—A Carol Cycle
More In This Series
“Have Yourself a Windy Merry Christmas”
www.newperceptions.tv
- The Missing Person
- John D. Witvliet": "Our Christmas cards, carols, and crèches delight in the characters of the Christmas story. In pageants, there are a lot of parts to go around: Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus; the angels, the shepherds, and Magi; perhaps even Elizabeth and Zechariah, Simeon and Anna. But for all the times and ways the story is told, one key participant is almost impossible to find: the ." (Christianity Today December 2017 p58)
- Missing No Longer
The Holy Spirit Shows Up . . .
- #1—In .
- Luke 1:15—"'Your son will be filled with the even before he is born.'"
- Desire of Ages: "Even the babe in its mother’s arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their moments." (512)
- #2—In a .
- Luke 1:35—"'The will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'"
- #3 —In an .
- Luke 1:41—"When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the ."
- Luke 1:67—"His father Zechariah was filled with the and prophesied, 'Praise be to the Lord!'"
- #4—In a .
- Luke 1:80—"And the child grew and became strong in the ."
- “[The Holy] Spirit loves to the children and discover to them the treasures and beauties of the Word. The promises spoken by the great Teacher will captivate the senses and animate the soul of the child with a spiritual power that is divine.” (Child Guidance 495)
- Jean Twenge: “. . . many tech CEOs strictly regulate their own children’s technology use. When New York Times reporter Nick Bilton talked to Apple cofounder and CEO Steve Jobs in late 2010, he asked Jobs if his kids loved the iPad. 'They haven’t used it,' Jobs said. 'We how much technology our kids use at home.' Bilton was shocked, but he later found that many other tech experts also limited their children’s screen time, from the cofounder of Twitter to the former editor of Wired magazine. So even people who love technology—and make a living off of it—are cautious about their kids using it too much. As Adam Alter put it in his book Irresistible, ''t seemed as if the people producing tech products were following the cardinal rule of drug dealing: Never get high on your own supply." (iGen 292)
- #5—In the .
- Luke 2:25-26—"Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the was on him. It had been revealed to him by the that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the he went into the temple courts... and took the child in his arms and praised God."
- Christmas primer on how to be daily baptized with the Holy Spirit:
- #1—The Set-up:
- 15 minutes every morning—alone with Jesus.
- Read one story from the Gospels—reread it to relive it.
- #2—The Ask:
- "Please baptize me with the same Holy Spirit that baptized Jesus in the story I just read."
- "Morning by morning [Jesus] communicated with His Father in heaven, receiving from Him daily a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit." (Signs of the Times November 21, 1895).
- #3—The Thank-you:
- “Thank you for the fresh baptism I’ve received from you today.”
- 1 John 5:14-15—"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him."
- #4—The Go:
- Proverbs 3:6 Message: "Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track."
- Move into the world with your Friend the Holy Spirit.
- Download the free book: www.steps-to-personal-revival.info
- #1—The Set-up:
"And with that He breathed on them and said,
'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:22)
With This in Mind...
Fellowship Dinner
Pioneer Commons
We will not be having fellowship dinner this Sabbath in the commons.
Katherine Smith Celebration of Life
We are saddened to share that Katherine Smith, 95, passed away on August 8, 2025, in Mesa, AZ, from complications of Alzheimer's. A former Associate Dean of Women and Pioneer Memorial Church co-Head Elder, she was a fixture in the Berrien Springs community for over 50 years. An informal Celebration of Life will be held at the Pioneer Memorial Church Commons on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 5-7 PM. Please join us as we share fond memories and fellowship together while enjoying a light supper. Share your favorite memory with Susie at livrefou@hotmail.com. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Neighbor to Neighbor at https://www.n2nhelps.com.
Pioneer Children's Activity Bags
We are grateful that so many families enjoy using the children's activity bags during services. To help maintain this ministry and manage costs, please return the bags and all items inside after each use. We also ask that the contents be handled with care so they remain in good condition for others to enjoy. Thank you for helping us keep this resource available and welcoming for all our children.
Locations for Men's and Women's Foot-washing (Ordnance of Humility)
Due to ongoing renovations to in the Children's Sabbath Schools under the sanctuary locations of the Men's and Women't Foot-washing has been changed.
The Women's Foot-washing will occur in the Youth Chapel. For the Youth Chapel, please exit the Sanctuary through the front piano-side doors.
The Men's Foot-washing will occur in the Earliteen Loft. For the Earliteen Loft, please exit the Sanctuary through the front organ-side doors; then proceed up the stairs or use the elevator to reach the Earliteen Loft.
The Family Foot-washing will occur in its normal location - the Commons Area. For the Commons Area, please exit through the front Sanctuary doors and proceed down the stairs to the lower level.
Offering for November 1, 2025
Pioneer Operating Budget
“Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years” (Deuteronomy 8:4, NIV). When the Israelites trusted in God for their needs and were faithful to Him, He always came through. Imagine clothes and sandals that did not wear out over 40 years of use! Now that is the miracle of God. That is a testimony of His love and care of His children.
In our family, my wife and I remind ourselves that everything we own belongs to God! The first microwave we purchased as a married couple became a living testimony of God’s faithfulness. This microwave, after ten years of usage, became a topic of discussion. My wife said, “Any time now, I want to replace this microwave when it stops working!” One morning, the microwave stopped working! My wife rejoiced at the thought of a replacement. I didn’t know anything about fixing appliances. Well, as I was visiting a church member that afternoon, he heard of our dilemma and offered to look at the appliance. In two minutes, he said, “Pastor, here’s the problem. I replaced the fuse and it is now working!” The cost of the fuse? Twelve cents. That microwave continued to work for a total of 21 years—to my wife’s dismay— until we finally donated it to a family member! Our God is always good! Let’s see how God will take care of our needs today.
—Melvin Santos, Kansas/Nebraska Conference in partnership with the North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Time Change
Clocks will "Fall Back" on Sunday morning at 2 AM so we all can get an extra hour of sleep this weekend.
Andrews Academy - Penny Arcade
Andrews Academy invites all seventh and eighth graders to Penny Arcade, Saturday night Nov. 8, 2025. This is a fun evening of games, activities & food; all for just pennies. Get to know Andrews Academy students better as you and your seventh & eighth grade friends enjoy Penny Arcade from 7 - 9 PM. Due to costs, we can only open this to 7th & 8th graders & Andrews Academy students, this is not open to siblings and families. Parents can drop your child off at 7:45 PM and pick them up at 9 pm. If you have any questions please contact the school at 269-471-3138.
Adopt-a-Student
Looking for a simple way to bless a student this semester? Consider adopting one! Whether you’re a family or an individual, you can offer warmth, encouragement, and a sense of home to a student who’s far from theirs. Together, we can help students thrive! Reach out to learn how you can adopt a student and make a real difference. Contact Mari Bowerman at belong@pmchurch.org
Something in Common Sabbath School
Starting Point video series with Andy Stanley: Everything has a beginning. Every person, every idea, every journey starts somewhere. Whether it's one small step in a new direction or a major event, from that point forward nothing is ever the same. It's not always comfortable. It's not always easy. But it's a start. This 8-part series ends December 6, 2025. Everyone is welcome. PMC Boardroom. 10:30-11:30 Sabbath mornings.