CENTRAL HAPPENINGS & NEWS
Concerning Tithe: Recently some of you have come to me concerned about whether we, the pastors at Central, are advocating for a redirecting of the tithe dollar from its already established channels. Your questions were sparked because of what a presenter allegedly alluded to during a recent sermon preached from the church pulpit. I believe we were able to answer some of your questions adequately and alleviate some of the fears you might have had. But in case there are others in the congregation who still have questions, we want to take a few moments to clarify our position.
While we, the pastors at Central, want to be and are supportive of the ministry spoken about during the sermon hour and believe it is very needed at this time, we wouldn't encourage anyone to redirect their tithe from regular, established channels which supports the global efforts of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in taking the everlasting gospel to the entire world.
Withdrawing tithe from these channels would impact the effectiveness of the church’s outreach efforts not only in Northern California but also globally. Because we are a worldwide denomination and not a congregational church we encourage each of our members to support our unified, global mission by returning tithes through the established channels. Now we understand that there might be some exceptions to this rule, but we would discourage making these exceptions the rule.
If we were asked whether an individuals should give to this ministry we would encourage its support through offerings and love gifts, all the while remembering the needs of the local church. For the record, this ministry is a separate ministry of Central church. Therefore the pastors of Central church may not always embrace the views shared by this ministry.
If you still have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Pastor Mike or myself directly. For your convenience we are providing a link that will provide a thorough study in the writing’s of Ellen G. White on the question of tithe put together by the church’s Biblical Research Institute. Click here to read article. God bless you as you continue to support God’s work with your time, talents, and treasurers. – Pastor Chris
This Week (April 27-May 3): Tuesday @ 7:00 PM - Prayer Meeting with Pastor Chris – The Problem With Lust; Sabbath @ 9:00 AM Morning Manna –TBD; @ 9:30 AM - Central Study Hour with Pastor Mike + Children/Youth/Adult Sabbath School; @ 10:50 AM - Worship Service with Pastor Chris – Disappointed Expectations
Fighting Cancer Through Diet & Lifestyle Changes began last night and will continue April 29, 30, and May 5-7 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. Learn more about fiber, proteins, antioxidants, nutrition basics, and more through experienced presenters and doctors. Cooking demonstrations and food sampling also included. Cost is only $5/night or $20 if you register for all six classes on opening night. Tell a friend!
Israel In Prophecy Seminar: Plan to join us for this exciting seminar with Steve Wohlberg, speaker/director of White Horse Media. Presentations include: All Eyes On Israel, 7-Years Of Tribulation, & Israel, Babylon & Armageddon. Seminar will run from May 8-10 @ 7 PM each evening. Colorful invites for you to share are available at the church hostess desk.
Enjoy Working With Children? Teri Yan is looking for several individuals who can commit to a couple of hours the evenings of May 8-10 (Thursday, Friday, & Saturday) to help with a small children's program that will be conducted in conjunction with the Israel In Prophecy seminar. Your help is urgently needed so parents and grandparents are free to attend these important meetings. Please call Teri @ (916) 812-5556 if you can help. Please act now!
Discipleship University Bits & Pieces: Many have been asking whether the last three DU seminars were recorded and put on CD. The answer to that question is yes! You are welcome to pick up your copy from the CD Room whenever it is convenient for you. Others have asked when Pastor Chris will be concluding his seminar on "How to Study the Bible". A date has been set so please mark your calendars ad join us for Sabbath, May 17. Thank you for your interest and support in Discipleship University.