Regarding Repentance

When you’re asked, “How are you doing?” how do you normally respond?  Not a few are making it their goal to ensure the average person responds correctly.  One person offered this advice: “’I am doing good’ or ‘I am well.’  It is not, ‘I am doing well’ or ‘I am good.’”  If I don’t answer in the proper order, I trust the grammar police will be patient with me!

Of real importance, of course, is how a person is actually doing.  Far more important; how are they doing spiritually?  If I were to ask you, how would you answer?  The fact is, without a Savior, we are not “well” at all.  Restlessness and recklessness abound in our sad world.  Fortunately many are asking the same question today that they asked nearly two thousand years ago on the day of Pentecost, when, convicted of their need of a personal Savior, they cried out, “What shall we do?”  Then Peter the preacher responded, “Repent… every one of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins...” (Acts 2:38).

Now that’s a word you don’t hear too often - repent.  But let’s understand this. ...

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CENTRAL HAPPENINGS & NEWS

This Week (June 22 to 27): 

Tuesday @ 7:00 PM - Prayer Meeting with JeAnn Davis – “The First Christian Martyr – Acts 7”

Wednesday @ 6:30 PM - Church /Board Meeting - Pastor Interview

Wednesday @ 7:00 PM - Spanish Group Prayer Meeting

Various L.I.F.E. groups (in-home small group Bible studies) take place across Sacramento. To locate one near you contact our small groups’ coordinator Richard Anger @ (916) 681-3990

Sabbath @ 9:00 AM - Morning Manna – Richard Anger

Sabbath @ 9:30 AM - Central Study Hour with Pastor Chris Buttery + Children/Youth/Adult Sabbath School Classes

Sabbath @ 10:50 AM - Worship Service with Pastor Mike Thompson

Sabbath @ 1:00 PM - Small Group Ministry Luncheon

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Central Events

Pathfinder Investiture: This Sabbath, June 27 @ 2 PM in the sanctuary the Pathfinders will be invested during their annual investiture program.  Whether your children are a part of Pathfinders or not, all are welcome to attend to show support for this important ministry to our young people.  

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is coming! Please mark your calendars for July 6 to 10, 2015 for this years VBS – Plug into Power.  Invite your neighbor’s children to come along with you to enjoy activities, creative crafts, Bible stories, nature discoveries, memory fun, and Tool Man interviews.  Each evening begins at 5:30 PM and ends at 8:30 PM. This program caters for children between the ages of 1 and 12.

For more information go to https://zqh.orf.mybluehost.me/saccentral/vacation-bible-school/

Central Matters

Pastor Search Update: We have been in talks with the Northern California Conference for about a year to ascertain whether Central qualifies for a fourth pastor to be a part of the ministerial team.  Recently, conference administration informed us that a position was opening up which would allow Central to add another pastor to the team. An interview with a potential candidate has been scheduled with the church board this Wednesday, June 24.  We ask that you pray for God’s leading in this matter as we continue to build our ministerial team for a stronger and more effective ministry for Jesus.

Your Neighbor Thrift Store is in need of household items and blue jeans!  If you have these items to donate, please call them, (916) 457-6500. 

Important Survey: Our local church (along with others) has been selected to conduct an important survey spearheaded by the North American Division.  If you are a member of Sacramento Central please go the following link to complete the survey.  It should only take 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SDAMembers2015

Young Adult Small Group Ministry takes place every Tuesday at 7 PM at Pastor Michael’s house.  Call (423) 362-0907 if you would like more information.

If you want others to enjoy receiving this e-newsletter as much as you do, please invite them to sign up by going to https://zqh.orf.mybluehost.me/saccentral/central-happenings/

BULLETIN BOARD - An assortment of happenings, announcements, and resources from around the Seventh-day Adventist Church

News & Announcements

Are you in college? Are you a young adult? Do you like to play basketball? Come to the open gym night on Mondays from 7:30-9:30 at the Sacramento Adventist Academy gymnasium. This open gym night will continue on Mondays until July 6 when a church basketball league will begin. To register a team or to join a team for the league, contact Eric Tua at (916) 847-1464 or email him at eric.tua@ah.org.

Religious Liberty Alert: Assembly Bill No. 987 Needs Your Support. The Bill will clarify that employees requesting accommodation in the work place based on religious beliefs/practices are protected against retaliation. The Bill amends Government Code section 12940. Please call, email, or write your State Senator asking them to support this Bill. To find your representative you can look them up at http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

100 Days of Prayer for the 2015 General Conference (GC) Session began March 25 and will continue through to the end of the GC Session on July 11. Pray for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to be fully experienced by our church members and leaders during the GC Session.

Resources

Over the past few months a lot of information has been circulated on the topic of women’s ordination in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, an important topic that at its very core has to do with maintaining the church’s historical methods of Bible study.  

The question being asked right now is, “Who can be vested with ‘full ecclesiastical authority’ (Acts of the Apostles, p. 160) in the Seventh-day Adventist Church according to the Bible?”  It is a question about gospel order; whether we will maintain that order that says men have been given the humbling responsibility of spiritual leadership in the home as priest and in the church as elder/minister, or whether that order will be obliterated.  The current debate is not about whether women can minister to others.  That they certainly can and must do. 

To help you understand the issues, we are providing several resources below that we believe will be valuable to you as you study the issue out for yourself.  

http://www.womenministrytruth.com/

http://www.womensordination.com/

http://ordinationtruth.com/

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/50d0ebebe4b0ceb6af5fdd33/t/527970c2e4b039a2e8329354/1383690434980/nad-ordination-14-minority.pdf