Pioneer Women's Ministries invites you to share in the joy of the season by registering for this year's Advent devotionals, "Why Did Jesus Come? Going beyond John 3:16." Join us as we dig deeper into God's amazing love, care, and deep desire to spend eternity with us. Devotionals will be sent daily December 1-25, 2024. You can receive a brief synopsis of each day's devotional by text and the full devotional by email by texting the word ADVENT to 269.281.2345. We look forward to sharing this blessed season with you.
A DIY Guide
A DIY Guide to Better Mental Health: Saving Your Sanity
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
More In This Series
"A DIY Guide to Better Mental Health: Saving Your Sanity"
www.newperceptions.tv
» BAD NEWS
• Generation Z:
• American Psychological Association: “This generation is significantly more likely (27 percent) than other generations, including millennials (15 percent) and Gen Xers (13 percent), to report their mental health as fair or poor, the survey found. They are also more likely (37 percent), along with millennials (35 percent), to report they have received treatment or therapy from a mental health professional, compared with 26 percent of Gen Xers, 22 percent of baby boomers and 15 percent of older adults.” (www.apa.org/monitor/2019/01/gen-z)
• APA: “More than nine in 10 Gen Z adults (91 percent) said they have experienced at least one physical or emotional symptom because of stress, such as feeling depressed or sad (58 percent) or lacking interest, motivation or energy (55 percent). Only half of all Gen Zs feel like they do enough to manage their stress.” (Ibid)
• Baby Boomer Plus:
• Alzheimer’s Association: “By 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s dementia is projected to reach 7.1 million — almost a 27 percent increase from the 5.6 million age 65 and older affected in 2019.” (www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures-2019-r.pdf)
• Dean and Ayesha Surzai: “While every chronic disease you can think of . . . is in decline, deaths due to Alzheimer’s have increased nearly 87% in the last decade. The next decade could be even worse: 10 percent of people over the age of sixty-five will develop some form of dementia, and people over the age of eighty-five have a 50 percent chance of developing the disease. . . . Alzheimer’s may in fact be America’s third-most deadly disease, behind only heart disease and cancer. The question is no longer if we will develop the disease, but when.” (The Alzheimer’s Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age 2)
» GOOD NEWS
• Our Depression—Jesus
• Isaiah 53:4
• Psalm 88:1, 14, 18
• Derek Kidner: “There is no sadder prayer in the Psalter. . . . [with] its witness to the possibility of unrelieved suffering as a believer’s earthly lot.” (Psalms 2:316, 319)
• Business Insider: “According to a report analyzing data from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Index, major depression diagnoses are rising at a faster rate for millennials and teens compared with any other age group. Since 2013, millennials have seen a 47% increase in major-depression diagnoses. . . . The most prominent symptom of major depression is ‘a severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair,’ according to Harvard Medical School.” (www.businessinsider.com/millennials-mental-health-burnout-lonely-depress...)
• Psalm 22:1-2, 6
• Desire of Ages: “Christ’s agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had in nowise abated, but He who was its object was strengthened to meet its fury. He came forth calm and serene. A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man.” (694)
• Our Dementia—Jesus
• John 21:18
• Wes Youngberg: “I tend to think of dementia as a temporary cognitive impairment associated with recent exposures to one or more dementogens that collectively cross a threshold level, leading to decreased functionality in judgment, communication, organization, and the normal functions of daily living.” (Memory Makeover: How to Prevent Alzheimer’s and Reverse Cognitive Decline the Natural Way 33)
• Dean and Ayesha Sherzai: “If we had to name a single food that plays the biggest role in the development and progression of Alhzeimer’s, it would be . . . . is one of the most destructive compounds we can ingest, and we’re consuming more of it now than at any other point in human history.” (100)
• Dale Bredesen: “Chronic inflammation [the body’s response to what it perceives is an “attack”] can arise . . . when we regularly ingest inflammation-triggering foods such as sugar. . . . Sugar is like fire, a source of energy but very dangerous. . . . Our bodies recognize sugar as poisonous, and therefore rapidly activate multiple mechanisms to reduce its concentration in our blood and tissues.” (The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline 48-49)
• Our Dependence—Jesus .
• Hebrews 2:13
• Ministry of Healing 249: “If in our ignorance we make missteps, the Saviour does not forsake us. We need never feel that we are alone. Angels are our companions. The Comforter that Christ promised to send in His name abides with us. . . . Those who suffer most have most of His sympathy and pity. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and He desires us to lay our perplexities and troubles at His feet and leave them there.”
"I will put my trust in Him"
Following the second worship service, there will not be a fellowship dinner this Sabbath.
Michigan Advance Partners
“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”(Exodus 40:34) Years ago, members of Metropolitan Church in Plymouth, Michigan, decided to build a “tabernacle” to praise His holy name!
Unfortunate things happen on this side of eternity – sometimes to earthly tabernacles. Regrettably, water dripping from a leaking roof drenched the carpeting in various parts of the church building. This prompted the church to initiate a fundraising campaign for the repairs and updating of the church interior. Simultaneously, an indoor pipe burst, producing serious flooding to the entire interior, which caused the immediate need for major repair of the entire church interior.
Given the serious water damage, the Church Board requested financial assistance from the Michigan Conference MAP Department. It was inspiring to witness firsthand the benefits of the monthly, sacrificial giving to MAP by the members of the Michigan Conference. The church was granted $8,536.50, which was used to defray part of the large expense of roof repair. Michigan Advance Partnership is integral to sustaining our churches in Michigan. True to its name, it does act as a Partner when one of the churches requires assistance. Funds used to assist the churches are generated through generous donations by members of all Michigan churches during a special appeal made every last Sabbath of every month. Therefore, when you contribute – you are MAP.
The Book of Exodus records; “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do, and the people were restrained from bringing more . . . “(Ex. 36:5-7) Thank you for your faithful support of MAP and all of our sister churches.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Would you enjoy meeting sister outdoors-people? Group membership is for women but members are welcome to bring along friends or family members on the hikes. We welcome people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. No experience needed. During the winter we will hike once a month.
All are invited to our annual program, "Joy to the World," as our children (ages 0–12) celebrate everything that makes this joyful holiday season: Thanksgiving, Winter, Christmas and New Year's! Following the concert, a donation will be collected for our center. "Joy to the World" will be held in the Howard Performing Arts Center.
Come and enjoy music performed by Raleigh Pettey, baritone, and Jonathan Clough, pianist—an evening celebrating God's gift of music through singing.
On Sabbath, November 23, at 3:30 PM in the PMC Commons, there will be an organizing and planning meeting for Grow Group leaders and for those who are interested in small group ministry.
We invite you to take part in the Feed the Need, Pioneer’s annual Thanksgiving food collection coordinated by the Evergreen Pathfinder club. The club dropped bags in the community last weekend. They will return to pick them up on November 17.
You can also bring your donation of non-perishable food to church on Sabbath November 23. As part of "A Feast of Hymns" Pathfinders will collect the food bags during the Procession of Thanksgiving.
If you know of a family in the area who needs food this upcoming holiday season call Pioneer at 269.471.6565 to submit their name to receive a food bag/box.
Join the AU Department of Music voice students for their annual 'We Sing' Voice Vespers. This year marks the 10th year and features a tribute to the iconic singing duo 'Hale & Wilder'. Robert Hale and Dean Wilder sang over 4,000 sacred concerts. The voice
students and special guests will present selections from their repertoire. Marcelo Martins joins as a guest accompanist.
Dinosaur Encounter is coming to Berrien Springs High School on December 7, 2024. Reserve your tickets at dinoencounter.com/pmc