January 2009 Newsletter

Midtown Herald

Church Newsletter of the Midtown Seventh-day Adventist Church

No. 7

January 2009

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

When I read my newspaper or watch the news, I just cannot help but to come to the conclusion that it has never been this late before! If you haven't yet come to this conclusion, you haven't been reading the news-or the Bible! Those of us over thirty have a very strong sense that someone has pushed the fast-forward button. We don't seem to be walking into the future anymore. The future seems to be galloping into us! In fact, we can hardly get our breath before the next news program reminds us— it's never been this late before!

This is no time for half-hearted repentance, no time for a permissive gospel that promises a Savior from the penalty of sin but no Savior from the power of sin. This is no time for soft gospel-lite that doesn't produce overcomers.

This is no time for confusing confession for repentance, or for casual witnessing for Jesus, or for playing church! Too many dress up for weddings and dress down for church! Too many are making the Sabbath into a holiday, but not God's holy day! Too many think they can get closer to God on a mountain top or at the beach than in church! This is dangerous thinking my friends! Too many have been taking spiritual holidays, but now it is time to get back to reality. We are living in the end of the time of the end! It has never been this late before!

Events foretold in the Bible are now being fulfilled that were not even thought about 25 years ago! Let's take a look at some of the predictions that we have merely romanticized about for years. We need to trace carefully the rise of world esteem for the papacy, the exponential rise of natural calamities, the tsunami of New Spirituality that has swept over most evangelical churches, including some of our own. Let us take note of how major nations are becoming of "one mind," not only politically but also economically. This is drastically brought out as we look at the world's economic disaster of the last few months and how it is facing the worst economic collapse in history. It has never been this late before!

Let's also observe the remarkable attention that people everywhere are giving to psychic phenomena, as well as scrutinizing how satanic methods, successful since Eden (such as pretense, scapegoating, confusion, and coercion) are reaching their zenith in capturing the minds of young and old. It has never been this late before!

What can we do about all of this? Well, our first responsibility is to seek the promise of Jesus -- that He "will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Second, we need to be alert to reality. None of these issues will go away. They will only become more visible, more front and center. No one will escape, no matter how often they turn off their TVs or radios or cancel newspapers and weekly news magazines.

No matter how crushing future plans might turn out, no matter how terrifying circumstances may become, we will have the quiet confidence of knowing that we were not caught by surprise-'these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them" (John 16:4). What a time to be alive! It is later than we think!

Something to think about!

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are better off than 1 million that did not survive the week. If you have never experienced warfare, imprisonment, torture, or starvation, you are better off than 500 million in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are better off than 3 billion others. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your body, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 70% in this world. If you have money in the bank and in your wallet, you are in the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are alive and still married to one another, you are very rare, even in the U.S. If you can read this newsletter, you are better off than 2 billion people in the world who cannot read.

Statistics!

According to the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, the current world population is 6.7 billion. There are 2.2 billion professed Christians. The world population increases each day by 219,000, and net Christian converts per day are 79,000. The fastest growing Christian population is in China with 16,500 new converts daily. In 2007 there were 175,000 Christian martyrs (or 480 per day).

Pastor Fry

PROPHETIC COUNSEL

"Satan will have power to bring before us the appearance of forms purporting to be our relatives or friends now sleeping in Jesus. It will be made to appear as if these friends were present; the words that they uttered while here, with which we were familiar, will be spoken, and the same tone of voice that they had while living will fall upon the ear. All this is to deceive the saints and ensnare them into the belief of this delusion. I saw that the saints must get a thorough understanding of present truth, which they will be obliged to maintain from the Scriptures. They must understand the state of the dead; for the spirits of devils will yet appear to them, professing to be beloved friends and relatives, who will declare to them that the Sabbath has been changed, also other unscriptural doctrines. They will do all in their power to excite sympathy and will work miracles before them to confirm what they declare. The people of God must be prepared to withstand these spirits with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything, and that they who appear to them are the spirits of devils. Our minds must not be taken up with things around us, but must be occupied with the present truth and a preparation to give a reason of our hope with meekness and fear. We must seek from on high that we may stand in this day of error and delusion." (EW 87.2)

Pastor Fry

CHURCH NEWS

Last Day Event!

That's right; you can be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the LAST DAY service of the Columbia Midtown SDA Company, on the LAST DAY in February. On February 28, Gary Moyer, Executive Secretary of the Carolina Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, will be here at Midtown to organize us into a church! This is a unique opportunity to witness the organization of a new church, something most of us never get to take part in. Be sure to be here on the LAST DAY of February, and invite all of your family members and friends, to say goodbye to the Midtown Company and hello to the new Midtown Church. We would especially be happy to see a large turnout for the Organization Service during the Worship hour at 11. Our normal Fellowship Lunch will follow.

Discover Bible School

Our Discover Bible School, under the direction of Doris Sheriff, is adding students on a regular basis as we reach out with our doorknob hangers advertising WBAJ and containing Steps to Christ as well as our Bible course enrollment card. A great big thank-you to all who take part in this ministry.

The Conqueror's Seminar at Midtown in September

Elder Gary Moyer, Conference Secretary, will deliver the sermon on Sabbath morning, September 12, and hold an afternoon seminar on how to conquer bad habits: overeating, temper, sin, etc. Be sure to attend this special service, and invite all your family and friends as well.

WBAJ

Did you know that you can hear Pastor Fry's sermons one week delayed on WBAJ (890 am)? So that if you miss one of his sermons, or would like to hear it again, you can tune in to WBAJ and hear it. Beginning in January, Pastor Fry will be on WBAJ every Thursday evening at 5:00 pm. Also, listen to the weekly Sabbath School program on Sabbath mornings at 8:00 to prepare for our own Sabbath School at 10. Pastor Doug Batchelor teaches the same lesson each Sabbath that we will be studying later that day.

Bill Mathis

A Memorial Service was held on January 18 for William (Bill) Mathis, who passed away on January 6. The service was held at the First Church in Lexington, and was attended by many friends and church family members. Gary Beihl offered opening prayer, Mary Ann Fry read from Psalms 116, Karen Covington read a poem, and Charles Davis read a testimony from the pastor who baptized Bill. Pastor Fry delivered the message, Mary Gene McPherson was the organist, and Bob Garner offered a testimony and closing prayer. We know that Bill would have been happy to know that he had so many friends who loved him dearly.

Child Dedication

On January 10, all four of Jacob and Brittany Pawlowski's children were dedicated to our Lord at a special Child Dedication service. Go to our website, MidtownChurch.net, to see photos of this special day.

Attendance

Attendance at our January 10 worship service was 61, a record high! Thanks to all of you for inviting your family members and friends to come and worship with us. We're also getting significant numbers of visiting travelers and other interested visitors, many of whom find us on the internet. In fact if you Google "SDA church in Columbia SC", you'll find us at the top of the list of almost 16,000 entries returned! Our Google listing is complete with a map to our church, as well as a picture of our building. Thanks to the Lord for His help in getting our presence known to all who seek.

Prayer Request Cards

You'll notice that verbal Prayer Requests are being replaced by our new Prayer Request cards. If you have any prayer requests to bring to the Lord during Worship Service, and again at our midweek Prayer Meeting, please fill out one of the Prayer Request cards and give them to one of our Deacons at the start of the service.

Baby Shower

It's a Boy! Congratulations to Ronelin and Ken Zearfoss on the birth of their son due in April. We'll be holding a baby shower for the Zearfoss family on Saturday, January 31 at 7:00 PM. Please, everyone, come out to this festive occasion right here at the Capital Senior Center.

Bob Sitko

CHURCH BOARD ACTIVITY

At our Church Board meeting on January 6, the members discussed our financial condition, especially our building fund, and postage funding for newsletters and our Bible School. Also discussed were a Nurture Ministry and visitation of members.
The Board nominated Bob Garner to serve the unfilled position of Head Deacon.

Motions were passed to:

1. Advertise our church in the Yellow Pages of the phone book. Our new ad should appear in the new directories being distributed in February.
2. Move our Discover Bible School from our Evangelism account into its own account.
3. Officially sanction Gary Moyer's seminar to be held in September.
4. Use the Capital Senior Center for future board meetings.
5. Defer implementation of online donations pending further study.

The board also voted to thank Doris Sheriff for the fine job she did as Treasurer last year, and for her help in preparing the financial reports required by the Conference Audit committee, who were impressed by the accuracy and completeness of the information.

The next Board meeting will be on February 3 at the Capital Senior Center.

Bob Sitko

A NOTE FROM OUR TREASURER

Building Fund

Our goal of $100,000 is slowly gaining ground. We have a total of $56,000 so far. Keep praying and working towards our goal so we will be able to purchase our own much-needed church building.

Thanks to all who are donating to our Church Building Fund by purchasing boxes of our delicious and nutritious Fund Raisins. We now have regular or Vanilla yogurt covered varieties. So far, we've received over $60 in our donation jar for these Fund Raisins.

Mary Grace McPherson

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS

Members who will be celebrating their birthdays soon:

Penny Beihl on February 25
Josh Baynard on March 25
Gladys James on March 26

MIDWEEK AT MIDTOWN

Attendance at our Midweek at Midtown Prayer and Bible Study hour continues to remain high. If you haven't yet stopped in, it's never too late. We welcome all members and visitors to join our group and participate in the Bible Study. We also pray for the needs recorded on our Prayer Request cards from our Worship Service. Stop by any Wednesday evening at 6 PM here at the Capital Senior Center.

Bob Sitko

FELLOWSHIP LUNCHES

Come join us for good food and fellowship every second and fourth Sabbath after the Worship Hour. It is a great time to get to know each other.

BITS OF WISDOM

Faith is never more than one generation away from extinction.

It is a great irony that Jesus, who HAD power within Him that He could have used, relied constantly upon a Source from above Him. And yet we, who have nothing within us, tend to depend upon what we don't have. Jesus, as fully God, lived as a man through dependence upon God. And yet we, who are human, try to live as God through our lives of independence from God.

Just for today I will be happy. Happiness is from within (when Jesus is there); It is not a matter of externals!

Mary Ann Fry

HEALTH BITES

All Junk Foods are Contaminated! The Freedom of Health publication warns the wise to stop polluting their blood stream with processed foods, embalmed with ingredients that read like a chemistry textbook. The Hydrogenated oils, artificial additives, emulsifiers and multiple shelf life extenders are chemicals that are not meant for human consumption. A virtual slow suicide, a guaranteed quick weight gain, and the promotion of multiple side effects such as indigestion, depressed mood, low energy, headache, allergy symptoms, hemorrhoids and colon disease are considered a small price to pay in order to gain the enormous financial profits to the ever enlarging Junk Food Manufacturers. The food industry understand that fresh produce is the lowest profit item in the grocery store. The highest profit items being processed foods such as ice cream, sweet rolls, breakfast cereals, candies, soft drinks, white flour products and salted snack foods. The good news in 2009 is that elimination of these contaminants from your system will result in God-given blessings of improved health, reduced dental caries, improved cognition and a substantial financial savings in grocery bills.

Karen Covington

TIP OF THE MONTH

For a refreshing summer cooler, put 4 cups of watermelon chunks (no seeds), 1 cup of ice, and the juice of half a lime into a blender. Blend until smooth.

VESPERS

Friday Night Video Vespers

Each Friday, at 6 PM, you can watch an inspirational sermon from one of our church's great speakers, such as Dwight Nelson, Steve Wohlberg, C.D. Brooks, or others. The program lasts about an hour, and is a great way to start the Sabbath. These video programs are held in various members' homes in the downtown Columbia area, so check our website, MidtownChurch.net to see who is currently hosting them and the location.

Bob Sitko

SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS

Quarterlies

Our new Sabbath School Quarterlies, The Prophetic Gift, are available for you to pick up any Sabbath during Sabbath School. These quarterlies are effective in January, so be sure to get yours soon if you haven't already done so.

Church Location

Midtown Church meets at the Capital Senior Center on Park Circle, behind Maxcy Gregg Park, Sabbath (Saturday) Morning at 10 AM for Sabbath School and 11:00 AM for the Worship Hour. Please come and join us for fellowship and worship.