MESSAGE. Tomorrow is my last message from the “Crossing Over the Desert” series. I’d like us to concentrate on the most profound message of the Advent movement: the good news of the soon return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please read Matthew 25-1-13.
In a world filled with violence, tension, and pain we see a bright ray of hope. Jesus is coming soon. Everything will be different. No dying children. No hunger. No more young people struggling with alchohol or drugs. No more political tension. What a wonderful beginning of new things. His Second coming is not doomsday, but a New Beginning.
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MINISTRY. Last Friday night twenty four visitors come to the opening night of the”Thunder in the Holy Land” Bible study group. I am sincerely thankful to pastor Ken Crawley and Leanne, for leading the study. Pastor Aubrey and Vlad Zubkov were there to help in several discussion groups after the presentation. Please, continue to invite your friends and neighbors. The study will continue weekly at 6:30 pm every Friday.
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On Sunday morning our men gathered for the famous Haney Hungry Hombres breakfast. I feel bad that I could not be there, but I heard some great reports! Thank you, Edymar, for your leadership.
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Monday night the Health Ministry team got together to discuss plans for the next few months. I was very much impressed with their creativity. In the next few weeks you’ll be hearing a lot about the New Start Challenge. This will be a great way to lower our blood pressure, learn how to breath right, and cook not only healthy, but appealing looking and deliciously tasting meals.
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The Season of a Change ministry had its regular monthly meeting on Thursday afternoon. Lupina and her team beautifully decorated the fellowship hall. There was lots of food and a sweet concert presented by the OAKS chimes.
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On Friday morning we were short on parking spaces around the church as grandparents of our OAKS students gathered in the Fellowship hall. OAKS presented an outstanding concert! I felt proud of our school. Thank you OAKS staff and teachers for your superb work.
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The Valley Sign company had a few setbacks with EPB in bringing power to our new LED signs. I was told this morning that company engineers are waiting for an electrical permit to install the secondary feeder circuits to the signs. I trust that in the next couple of weeks our new signs will be shining bright with colorful messages.
The permit for the new big sign by I-75 has been finally issued by the Hamilton county office and the company will start working on the foundation early next week. I can’t wait!
HELP NEEDED. There will be a sign up sheet in the church lobby for Election Day volunteers. We need volunteers to take shifts from 8am – 8pm. The volunteers can help hand out water and assist those in wheelchairs/walkers.
I pray that tomorrow we’ll make an extra effort to meet our monthly local budget goal. Thank you, church family, for your consistent generous support of our church ministries.
PRAYERS. Your prayers are needed for George Mackel, little girl Zoe, and Celeste Crosby.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
Last weekend nature was confused seeing Galena and I sleeping in a tent. Thunder and rain were trying hard to send us back home to our warm bed. However, we prevailed and after 24 hours the rain stopped and we could see beautiful patches of the blue sky. 😊 34F in the morning was not the most pleasant temperature for taking a bath in a freezing cold creek, but we had a wonderful time with our daughters and sons-in-law. It was an awesome adventure hiking to the summit of the Chimney Tops, sitting by the fire wrapped in a blanket, and eating fire-roasted potatoes! What can beat that? Knowing that no one in the whole wide world would be able to reach me on my phone because of the “no service” display on the screen of my phone was definitely a huge bonus to my first ever tent-camping experience 😀.
Happy Sabbath,
Peter
Ooltewah Seventh-day Adventist Church 