Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Since 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.

Offering

Saturday, February 03, 2018
Program: 
Praise
We're Marching to Zion • Spiritual Medley • Pass Me Not, Oh Gentle Savior
Prayer
Against the Wall
José Bourget with Taurus Montgomery
Children's Story
In Heavenly Love Abiding • Finnish Traditional Melody
Kenneth Logan, Minister of Music
Worship in Music
With a Voice of Singing • Martin Shaw
PMC Sanctuary Choir; Marguerite Samuel, director
Sermon
"Tell Your Heart to Beat Again"
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card
Tithes & Offerings
"Holy Spirit, Gracious Guest" • 589 (tune of 305)
Kenneth Logan, Minister of Music

"Tell Your Heart to Beat Again"
www.newperceptions.tv

  • The Story
    • Danny Gokey
      Tell your heart to beat again
      Close your eyes and breathe it in
      Let the shadows fall away/Step into the light of grace
      Yesterday's a closing door/You don't live there anymore
      Say goodbye to where you've been
      And tell your heart to beat again
  • The Heart
    • Revelation 2:4 Message—"'You walked away from your first .'"
    • Matthew 24:12—"'Because of the increase of wickedness, the of most will grow cold.'"
    • Matthew 23:23/Luke 11:42—"'Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! . . . You have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy [] and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.'"
    • Luke 7:34; 15:1,2—"'The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a of tax collectors and sinners.'. . . Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This fellow sinners and eats with them.'"
    • Christ's Object Lessons: "When you see yourselves as sinners saved only by the of your heavenly Father, you will have tender pity for others who are suffering in sin." (210)
    • Romans 5:5 NLT—"For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his ."
      • People filled with the Spirit of God are filled with the of God—and people filled with the love of God will those the rest of the church and the rest of the world cannot find a heart to love.
      • William Blake: "We are put on earth for a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of ."
  • The Convictions
    • #1—We will never like Jesus did until we are daily baptized by the Holy Spirit like Jesus was.
      • Pray: "Pour Your love into me today."
        • Steps to Christ 94: "Our heavenly Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing. It is our privilege to drink largely at the fountain of boundless love."
      • Pray: "Pour Your love out of me today."
    •  #2—There is a hunger in this world for a place, for a people "who will me for who I am—a sinner in desperate need of God's saving grace and love."
      • Jerry Cook: "I say to you, that [individual] was restored only because God enabled us to love and accept and forgive him. , acceptance, forgiveness—those three things are absolutely essential to any ministry [church] that will consistently bring people to maturity and wholeness. If the church is to be the force for God in the world that it should be, it must learn to love people, accept them and forgive them." (Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness: Equipping the Church to Be Truly Christian in a Non-Christian World  11)
      • Romans 5:5-8
  • #3—I believe God is calling us as a congregation to embrace new DNA to become the most , the most friendly, the most caring church around.
    • Jerry Cook: "The minimal guarantee we must make to people is that they will be —always, under every circumstance, with no exception. The second guarantee is that they will be totally accepted, without reservation. The third thing we must guarantee is that no matter how miserably they fail or how blatantly they sin, unreserved forgiveness is theirs for the asking with no bitter taste left in anybody's mouth. . . . A church that can make that commitment to every person is a church that's learning to love and a church that will be a force for God". (11, 13)
    • Gregory Boyle: "We played the grooves off this record. Consequently, a line from the song found itself permanently etched in my brain—a mantra of sorts: 'Long lay the world in sin and error pining—'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.' Sure—it's a song about Jesus and Christmas, but how is it not the job description of human beings seeking kinship . . . remembering that we belong to one another, and letting souls feel their worth." (Tattoos on the Heart 196)
(Flyer, TV, Google search, name of person who invited you, etc.)
Fruit Delivery Next week

If you ordered fruits during the Pathfinder Fruit Fundraiser and requested shipment to PMC, the orders are anticipated to arrive on Tuesday, December 5th. The fruits may be picked up between 6 PM and 8 PM in the PMC Commons.

Fellowship Dinner

There will be a fellowship dinner, following the second worship service in the commons on the lower level. Visitors are always welcome.

Offering for December 2, 2023

Pioneer Operating Budget

December starts off the Christmas season in earnest for many people, even if merchants have been pushing the need to buy gifts for weeks already. What makes the Christmas season special for you? Is it the music, the decorations, special foods, family gatherings, or the gifts—what you might receive, as well as what you might give?

Gift-giving can be problematic. What if someone gives you a gift, but you don’t have one to give in return or vice versa?! Which matters more: the amount of money you spend on the gift or giving a “perfect gift” to a particular person? Let’s reverse that; what if someone gives you a gift and it’s not something you’ve ever wanted or will ever use? Should you put on a happy face and say something like, “How can I ever thank you enough for this gift?”

Each Sabbath we collect an offering as you give your gifts to God. We don’t limit this to the Christmas season because Christmas happens every time we come to church. We come to worship the greatest gift of all time—the gift of God coming to this earth in the form of Jesus Christ.

Our gifts, whether they are wrapped in beautiful Christmas paper or given as cash or checks or through online giving with a credit card, show our thankfulness to God.

So, “Merry Christmas!” And let’s take this opportunity to give our gifts to God.

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Soup for Students

Pioneer Young Adult Ministries is hosting Soup for Students. All Collegiate-aged individuals are welcomed to attend and enjoy soup and a touch of home while studying for finals.  Volunteers can contact Prescott Khair (prescott.khair@pmchurch.org)

You Visited Me

Jesus said, "When I was in prison, you visited Me."  If you have a heart for reaching out to a lonely person in need of encouragement while incarcerated, have I got a person for you!  Please contact Sue Wein (whitewsu@andrews.edu).  I will give you the details and help you in connecting with her.

Bring a Toy, Spread some joy.

In just a few weeks, on December 9, we will be having our annual Children’s Celebration of Christmas. This is the worship service every year where we bring a new unwrapped toy for a child up to age 16. These gifts will go to families in our community who are not able to purchase gifts. This is yet another way that Pioneer can be Love on the Move!

4th Annual "First Advent" Reflections

It is time to join the 4th Annual "First Advent Reflections". This Christmas season the Pioneer Women’s Ministries Team is delighted to invite you to reflect on Handel's "Messiah".

A daily email and a text will be sent to the ladies who sign-up. To register text the word "Hallelujah" to 269-281-2345

Wind Symphony Christmas Concert: Christmas Through the Ages

Bring in the sounds of the season with the Wind Symphony’s Christmas concert, “Christmas Through the Ages” on Saturday, December 2nd at 8:00 PM at the Howard Performing Arts Center. The program will feature familiar holiday tunes that will have you tapping your toes and singing along! Selections include a lively version of Carol of the Bells by Sean O’Loughlin, a fun arrangement of a famous John Philip Sousa march, Christmas and Sousa Forever by Julie Giroux, the ever popular Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson, as well as a few other surprises. We look forward to having you join us as we begin to celebrate the Christmas season.

Love on the Move - GH4K

Would you like to show "Love on the Move" to foster, adoptive, kinship families in our community? This is your invitation to join God's Hands 4 Kids in doing just that. Could you make a pan of lasagna for GH4K's Connect Support Group Christmas Celebration on December 8 delivering ready to serve. For details and to sign up go to our website GH4K.org There will be more opportunities to give shared there. Godshands4kids@gmail.com

Howard Center Presents "Welcome Christmas: Peace on Earth"

The award-winning Andrews University Singers and Chorale conducted by Stephen Zork collaborate with the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marc Élysée in the 25th annual presentation of Welcome Christmas. The theme of the concert is “Peace on Earth” and comprised of a festive garland of heartwarming and endearing sacred and secular symphonic choral works and carols. The variety of musical offerings encompass Giacomo Puccini’s “Gloria” to Harry Simeon’s choral setting of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Join us for this special concert featuring special guest soloists and presenters.

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