OPENING MUSIC
“Wake! Awake! For Night Is Flying” • Wayne Wold
“Arise, My Soul, Arise!” • Dale Wood
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP
Ben Martin, Associate Pastor
“END-TIME MESSAGE & MISSION”: A HYMN CYCLE
“God Has Spoken Through His Prophets” • words 413, st. 1, 3; mel. 191
“Jesus Calls Us” • words 285, st. 1, 2; mel. 191
“O Zion, Haste” • 365, st. 1, 2
“Seeking the Lost” • 373, st. 1, 3
“I Love to Tell the Story” • 457, st. 1
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
“We Would See Jesus” • 494, st. 1
Evelyn Savory, Pioneer Member
WORSHIP IN MUSIC
“I Love to Tell the Story” • W. Fischer / Brenton Offenback
OFFERTORY
“Jesus Calls Us; O’er the Tumult” • Emma Lou Diemer
CHILDREN’S STORY
Rosemary Bailey, Pioneer Member
SCRIPTURE READING
II Peter 1:16-19 NKJV
Favour Adesina, Pioneer Member
WORSHIP IN MUSIC
“In Thee Is Gladness” • Daniel Kallman
MESSAGE
“Why We Are Here—Part 1: Our Finest Hour”
Shane Anderson, Lead Pastor
HYMN OF COMMITMENT
“Hail Him the King of Glory” • 202
CLOSING MUSIC
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” • Max Reger
OPENING MUSIC
“Wake! Awake! For Night Is Flying” • Wayne Wold
“Arise, My Soul, Arise!” • Dale Wood
CALL TO WORSHIP & PRAYER
Ben Martin, Associate Pastor
CHORAL INTROIT
“I Love to Tell the Story” • W. Fischer / Brenton Offenback
PRAYER
Ben Martin, Associate Pastor
PRAISE
“We Have This Hope / Jesus Is Coming Again”
“Still”
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Evelyn Savory, Pioneer Member
BAPTISM
Ruben Andrew Colon with Jose Bourget
WORSHIP IN MUSIC
“In Thee Is Gladness” • Daniel Kallman
OFFERTORY
“Jesus Calls Us; O’er the Tumult” • Emma Lou Diemer
CHILDREN’S STORY
Rosemary Bailey, Pioneer Member
SCRIPTURE READING
II Peter 1:16-19 NKJV
PRAISE
“Blessed Assurance” • “Cornerstone”
“I Will Bless the Lord at All Times”
MESSAGE
“Why We Are Here—Part 1: Our Finest Hour”
Shane Anderson, Lead Pastor
HYMN OF COMMITMENT
“Hail Him the King of Glory” • 202
CLOSING MUSIC
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” • Max Reger
Offering for May 17, 2025
Pioneer Operating Budget
Author Melvin Santos Speaking: When our kids were old enough to work, it warmed our hearts when we saw them buying gifts for each other for special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas, or no occasion at all. They received great joy in seeing their siblings’ reactions when opening the gifts.
God too, loves a cheerful giver. I learned in my study of giving that our motives for giving are important. Giving results from two motives -- either from unselfish love, or for personal reward.
The gifts exchanged between couples may serve as an example of unselfish devotion. On the other hand, many gifts are not gifts at all, but a means to an end. They may be given to promote, to influence, or to bribe. Some give out of pressure or obligation.
God measures the gift by the motive of the giver. But “the offering from the heart that loves, God delights to honor…. If we have given our hearts to Jesus, we also shall bring our gifts to Him. Our gold and silver, our most precious earthly possessions, our highest mental and spiritual endowments, will be freely devoted to Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us.” (Desire of Ages, p.65)
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings
The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.
Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback. Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.
Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!
- May 13, Tuesday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
- May 18, Sunday, 9:00 - 11:00 AM
- May 22, Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (Zoom only)
House of Prayer Series Led By Pastor Dwight Nelson
“How to Pray for Rome NOW: Following Jesus in Today’s Headlines”
House of Prayer Spring Series, 7 PM, Pioneer Earliteen Loft, May 2025
- May 7 “The Sea Beast and Jesus” (Revelation 13)
- May 14 “The Little Horn and Jesus” (Daniel 7 & 2 Thessalonians 2)
- May 21 “The Purple and Scarlet Woman and Jesus” (Revelation 17)
- May 28 “The Babylonian Queen and Jesus” (Revelation 18)
“Prophecy is fast fulfilling. More, much more, should be said about these tremendously important subjects. The day is at hand when the destiny of every soul will be fixed forever. This day of the Lord hastens on apace. . . . Great pains should be taken to keep this subject before the people. The solemn fact is to be kept not only before the people of the world, but before our own churches also, that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly. The fearful warning of the prophecy is addressed to every soul. Let no one feel that he is secure from the danger of being surprised. Let no one's interpretation of prophecy rob you of the conviction of the knowledge of events which show that this great event is near at hand.” (Fundamentals of Christian Education 335)
Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings
The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.
Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback. Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.
Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!
May 13, Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 PM
May 18, Sunday, 9:00-11:00 AM
May 22, Thursday, 7:00-9:00 PM (Zoom only)
Holding Onto Jesus
Sunday, May 25, 3-5 PM Pioneer Youth Chapel What do we do when our life is shaken by illness, a great loss, or some other devastation? How do we find God when it feels like He isn’t there? Women of all ages are invited to hear Emily Gibbs share her testimony, and explore ways that we can have resilience in the midst of difficult experiences. Register by texting TRIALS to 269-281-2345. Questions? Email women@pmchurch.org.
AdventistGiving Online (AGO) Contributors
Your faithfulness is very much appreciated. To ensure that your donations are properly credited to your account, when contributing through Adventist Giving, please log in under your name, instead of contributing as a "Guest."
Adventist Seniors of Michiana Meeting May 18.
Seniors 55 and up are invited to the Adventist Seniors of Michiana program to be held in the PMC Commons May 18. Bring a dish and enjoy the potluck starting at 1 PM followed by a program featuring Ken Denslow, recently retired Lake Union Conference President. His topic will be Project Amigo and Other Missions. For any questions call Cheryl Doss at 269-277-0767
Love on the Move
Would you like to make a difference in our community? God's Hands 4 Kids has ways you can do that. GH4K loves the "True religion way to love the least of these" James 1:27. The Foster Parent Appreciation Dinner is being held on May 16 in a church in our community. We are working with the Berrien County Department of Health and Human Services to put this on. We are looking for childcare help. Also seeking gift baskets, gifts or gift cards. For more information contact Carol Jordan at Godshands4kids@gmail.com There is a presentation this Friday evening from Unaccompanied Refugee Minors. Ask for more info if interested.
Music Camp at Pioneer!
The Institute of Young Musicians for Christ is excited to be having a music camp at Pioneer Memorial Church! At our music camps young people ages 6-17 are offered an immersive, week-long musical experience. Our quality musical training—combined with fun, friends, and faith-building encounters— provides a truly incredible opportunity. The camp offers tracks for children 6-12 with or without musical experience and a track for teenagers with significant musical experience. To learn more and register, visit iymcsda.org/michigan. We hope to see you there!
Lamson Hall Upgrades with Maranatha
From May 11–June 8, 2025, Maranatha Volunteers International will be working at Andrews University to update the Lamson Hall residential rooms and suite bathrooms. Please consider volunteering and letting your family and friends know of this opportunity. All individuals (including local) should sign up at the Maranatha website: https://maranatha.org/volunteer-opportunities/.
