Life @ Montrose, April 23, 2010
WORSHIP THIS SABBATH
ABC BOOKMOBILE
On May 9 from 4 to 6 pm the ABC Bookmobile is coming to our church. Orders can be placed in advance up through April 26 by calling 1-800-765-6955.
WESTERN SLOPE CAMP MEETING
This summer's western slope camp meeting will be held from Thursday evening, June 3rd, through all-day Sabbath, June 5th at Spring Creek Adventist School. The meetings will begin with a keynote by our conference president, Elder Gary Thurber, on Thursday evening. On Friday there will be seminars and presentations by our two featured speakers for the weekend, Elder Jim Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate, and Gary Gibbs, the associate director of The Hope Channel. Andrea Jacobsen, a highly desired youth speaker from Andrews University, will be with the youth in the youth tent. The ABC will also be coming out and children's programs are being planned. Please plan to save the date!
THE PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE
Gunnison (9 AM) and Montrose (11 AM): Pastor Campbell is preaching on Romans 12:20-21 on "Overcoming Evil With Good."
ADVENTIST HERITAGE CLASS
The class will begin--despite delays--next week! Southern Adventist University has asked me to develop their online Adventist heritage class, which I will teach this summer. In preparation for this I am going to teach the class for members in our own congregation. College credit will be available for those willing to pay tuition. For anyone else who is interested in just auditing the class just to learn you are welcome to come, too (the majority of our church members who have college degrees already I suspect may find this class helpful as a review). Classes will begin on Tuesday evening, April 20, and continue weekly on Tuesday nights.
The class will begin--despite delays--next week! Southern Adventist University has asked me to develop their online Adventist heritage class, which I will teach this summer. In preparation for this I am going to teach the class for members in our own congregation. College credit will be available for those willing to pay tuition. For anyone else who is interested in just auditing the class just to learn you are welcome to come, too (the majority of our church members who have college degrees already I suspect may find this class helpful as a review). Classes will begin on Tuesday evening, April 20, and continue weekly on Tuesday nights.
ABC BOOKMOBILE
On May 9 from 4 to 6 pm the ABC Bookmobile is coming to our church. Orders can be placed in advance up through April 26 by calling 1-800-765-6955.
WESTERN SLOPE CAMP MEETING
This summer's western slope camp meeting will be held from Thursday evening, June 3rd, through all-day Sabbath, June 5th at Spring Creek Adventist School. The meetings will begin with a keynote by our conference president, Elder Gary Thurber, on Thursday evening. On Friday there will be seminars and presentations by our two featured speakers for the weekend, Elder Jim Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate, and Gary Gibbs, the associate director of The Hope Channel. Andrea Jacobsen, a highly desired youth speaker from Andrews University, will be with the youth in the youth tent. The ABC will also be coming out and children's programs are being planned. Please plan to save the date!
SCHOOL YARD SALE
A big thank you to everyone who helped to make the school yard sale last Sunday a success. A total of $877 was raised to support our church school.
THE PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE
Spring is one of my favorite times of year as the new blades of grass make their way out of the ground, and as the trees around town are filled with blossoms. The smell of freshness and new life is a wonderful small as well as feeling. It reminds me of the Bible promise: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor. 5:17).
Last week was rather busy between dealing with issues related to our school. As I think all of our church family is aware, due to extenuating circumstances Carlton Mason, our school board chair, announced in church two weeks ago that Ruth Whitlow will be finishing out the school year. We will also be looking for another school teacher for next year so if you know of a potential applicant please let Carlton know.
I had the privilege last Thursday evening to participate in a conference sponsored by the Adventist Theological Society, the same organization that sponsored my participation to go to India last fall, on creationism. My paper was the history of Adventist views on creationism. More information about ATS and the conference is available at: http://www.atsjats.org/article.php?id=73 . The Hope Channel filmed the lectures so they will be broadcast some time in the near future.
Then on Sabbath I went with our elders on a sort of elder's retreat down to Farmington, New Mexico, to listen to Dr. Russell Burrill, professor emeritus from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Society at Andrews University, talk about discipleship and church growth. I think all of the elders who were able to go were impressed and one of the key areas that I heard all of our elders share with me is that they would like to see our church work on small groups. Stay tuned for more details.
This past week our family had a personal milestone as our son, David, turned a year old! It is hard to believe that it was just about a year ago that he joined our family and what a joy he has been in our lives. Every day is amazing and reminds me how fortunate we are.
Another highlight this last week was that our school hosted the western slope spelling bee. We had schools from across the western slope (Cortez, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs) who were all here to participate. Also, our church hosted the annual PREACH seminar during which we invited fellow clergy can fellowship and learn how to improve their preaching (http://preach.ministerialassociation.com/ ). One pastor told me how he started attending these seminars as a pastor in southern California and he is so thankful our church continues to host them.
Despite all of the business I pray that God will richly bless you. I asked the kids this morning during chapel at our school if they were facing any storms in their lives (talking about Jesus rescuing his disciples as told in Matt. 14). The kids all raised their hands. Then I asked them if they knew that Jesus was their friend ready to rescue them. They again all raised their hands. I pray that each of you will remember that Jesus is there for you today, and every day.
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