Most Amazing Prophecies for the Comox Valley

Good Bye Summer, Hello Fall Abundance!

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 17:42:00 +0000

Much as I hate to admit it, Summer 2012 has come and gone. God has blessed us immensely over the summer at the Church. Perhaps the highlight is that we have a whole new musical outpouring, thanks to the lovely duo of Karen and Larry who moved here from up North in BC with their musical instruments and gorgeous praiseful voices. One Sabbath while they were playing in one of the city parks during a Church picnic, Michel's tricycle broke down. He was drawn by the music and has been to church every Sabbath since. God is Good!

Ed and I have been volunteering as 'greeters' with the Messiah's Mansion during its stop-over in Nanaimo. Today will be the second Sunday we go there for that event, and the final day of the presentations. This full-sized replica of the Sanctuary in the Bible is touring Canada. The Sanctuary demonstrates the Gospel in symbol. It is well worth seeing if you get the opportunity.

A young woman in our Church has begun her own devotional blog called Refresh With Tia. It is an exceptional piece of work, both spiritually and literally. It is also being carried in the Canadian Messenger. You will likely want to subscribe when you read it. Tell your teen and young adult friends about it.

Another Veggin' Out vegan cooking class is on the horizon (TBA) as well as a Fall 10-Days of Prayer (starting October 4th, 7pm at the Church). The Tuesday Bible Study-Prayer Group will likely be studying Preparation for the Final Crisis using a workbook by Brenda Hill --after Christmas. The workbook is $12 to order. Please talk to Pastor Cote if you are interested. There is a possibility of an evening time being offered as well as the Tuesday afternoon group.

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Summer Begins for the Comox Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 04:46:00 +0000

Today was indeed a High and Holy Day at our humble little church in Courtenay. The Holy Spirit poured in. There was our newly formed Praise Group made up of new attendees, Larry and Karen, and more seasoned members, and our adept AV man, Yan, and there was the energetic and energizing group from CYC (Canada Youth Challenge).

These young CYC folks "from away" (we're an Island, so I can say that?)have been coming each summer for a couple of weeks to market Christian and health ministry literature and talk to people about the Jesus who loves them. They are generally students at university or seminary who need a boost in helping to pay for their education. They camp in the Church (and at Campbell River church while there). And they bring their wonderful music and youthful enthusiasm and faith and exuberance and preaching skills to share with us. They are a great gift!

This year the seven hail from Moldova (2), Mexico (2), Jamaica, St. Lucia and Bahamas. They are Holy Spirit-led young people with a mission from God. If you are so led, please pray for them and the people they come into contact this week. Thank you and God bless you this summer!

To learn more about CYC, please click HERE to go to their website.

"Forks Over Knives"--Courtenay, BC, March 28

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Mark your Calendars! March 28th at 7 pm at the Florence Filberg Convention Hall, 411 Anderton St., Courtenay, the much esteemed documentary film on the health and longevity benefits of a healthy lifestyle with a plant-based diet will debut on the Courtenay Big Screen (well, biggish :) Admission Cost is by donation of a non-perishable food item for the local Food Bank. Seating is Limited so please call 250-338-5258 to reserve your place. This is a part of our Church's community service in promoting great health in our community.(a health ministry).

This is the perfect way to boost your (and/or your family's) plan to make healthy choices for your future. This is what some of the people who have seen Forks Over Knives have to say about it:

Absolute must see!

Excellent and all so true! Have never seen anything like it. Just bought a copy for my parents. This truth is spreading fast!

~J. D. Miller (Read his other Amazon reviews)

Life-Changing!...
~Pat Hand -Wish this was main stream information. This would seriously hit pharma and the health care industry, in the pocket book, so probably isn't ever going to happen. Some folk will not be willing to watch, others will watch and refuse to make changes, it is going to be up to the converts to get the word out and prove the results. Meanwhile countless folk are seriously ill, suffering and dying needlessly.

For myself and several family members, after 5 weeks on plant based eating, I am down an easy 13# and Cholesterol is down 47 points, don't need to lose weight, that OK too, the plan offers many options, so weight can be maintained.

My first goal is quality health and thanks to 'FoK' documentary and Dr McDougall's book 'DigestiveTuneup' I can see the great potential for that, just by simply doing what we do everday, eating, but for life, not death.

Life is Beautiful-- And Valuable!

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:03:00 +0000

The above video is one that many will shrink from watching... even Christians have ambivalent feelings about the "question of abortion." Perhaps we have grown up believing, or have been acculturated to believe, that "the right of abortion is a choice". Perhaps we, or someone close to us, has had an unwanted pregnancy that ended in abortion. For whatever reason, we might be able to make moral decisions in other areas where the value of human life is concerned, but when it comes to whether a human baby in a human womb is valuable, our moral vision blurs. Please watch this video. Did you make a change in your decision about the sanctity of life in the womb?

Super Heroes: Who Are They Striving To Replace in Your Life?

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:26:00 +0000

An example of just 1 of the Legion of Superheroes

Last night a friend on Facebook referred me to this very interesting movie "Replacement gods" that is normally available for purchase only, but for one week is being showed, in full, for free online. I highly recommend that you take advantage of the offer. Click HERE to watch it.

Most of us have wondered about the impact of the comic book superheroes on the lives of children we know... but do they actually have an impact if you don't subscribe to their entertainment value? Well, as a Christian it is important to know that YES, they DO IMPACT not only the innocence of our little ones, but also those of us who wouldn't think of renting a Superman or Spiderman video, let alone going into a movie theatre to see one.

This documentary is well-researched and produced by Battlefield Hollywood. It contains clips from old and current films and pretty shocking interviews with people "in the superhero biz" that support the film-makers' thesis that the superhero is actually a part of that age-old controversy between Satan and God that uses "counterfeits" of God's amazing and personal plan of Redemption through Jesus Christ to lull us into a stupor (that only the movies can do)and open our minds to accepting subtlety, distortions, and out and out lies about this divine Plan. THIS documentary film, Replacement gods, is masterfully done and you need to see it. See it for free this week only: http://goo.gl/x1sk9

Adventist Youth meet for their GYC in Houston, Texas 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:28:00 +0000

On the last weekend of 2011 youth and young adults met from all over the world for the annual GYC (Youth Conference) in Houston, Texas. As far as I know there were no attendees from our community, but there was a newly transferred (now ex-)member there (Ramona). There was a spiritual feast with speakers particularly gifted in addressing the needs and interests of young adults, along with "their" music, etc. I met a lovely woman on Twitter who volunteered to share with us about this primo GYC event. Thank you Jacquelyn for the following, which was lifted in its entirety from http://www.realtimebelievers.com/blogs/

GYC Resources

Posted by Jacquelyn On January - 4 - 2012ADD COMMENTS

For those that might be interested in what was shared at the 2011 GYC Conference in Houston, Texas, audio recordings for the plenary meetings, morning and evening devotionals are now available on the GYC website or you can watch the videos at the GYC Vimeo account.
Main Meetings
Wednesday Keynote Address: video | audio Thursday Plenary: video | audio Friday Plenary: video | audio Sabbath School: video | audio Sabbath Worship Service: video | audio Sunday Commitment Service: video | audio
Morning Devotionals by Charissa Fong
Thursday Morning: …

Operation Global Rain at the Comox Valley Adventist Church

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:31:00 +0000

Last January our Church held the 10 days of prayer as part of Operation Global Rain... it was a great opportunity for people to come together to pray for each other, for church family, for our community and for people in general. We will be doing this again on January 4th at 7:00 pm at the Church (4660 Headquarters Road) until January 14th. If you are struggling with any difficulties that you are finding too much for you to handle... if you have a family member who is dealing with drugs or discouragement and you really need some spiritual support... if you have dreams you want to see come alive in 2012... please join us! You can hear more about Operation Global Rain following:

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What Sister White Has to Say About Celebrating Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:19:00 +0000

I received this by email from our Pastor, Normand Cote, and thank him for the guidance from Sister White's writings around whether she approves "celebrating" (observing, taking part in, etc.) our Saviour's birth during the time that the rest of the Christian world celebrates. There are persons within our faith community who dwell on both far sides of the continuum of Christmas observance from those who whole-heartedly embrace the Santa Claus theme of the secular world to those who eschew any celebration on what they see as good as a conversion of a pagan feast. So, given that the same members in both camps generally have respect and admiration for the "Spirit of Prophecy," here is what Ellen G. White has to offer around the controversy of celebration of Christmas:

The Adventist Home

Chap. Seventy-Seven - Christmas

Christmas as a Holiday.--"Christmas is coming," is the note that is sounded throughout our world from east to west and from north to south. With youth, those of mature age, and even the aged, it is a period of general rejoicing, of great gladness. But what is Christmas, that it should demand so much attention? . . . {AH 477.1}

The twenty-fifth of December is supposed to be the day of the birth of Jesus Christ, and its observance has become customary and popular. But yet there is no certainty that we are keeping the veritable day of our Saviour's birth. History gives us no certain assurance of this. The Bible does not give us the precise time. Had the Lord deemed this knowledge essential to our salvation, He would have spoken through His prophets and apostles, that we might know all about the matter. But the silence of the Scriptures upon this point evidences to us that it is hidden from us for the wisest purposes. {AH 477.2}

In His wisdom the Lord concealed the place where He buried Moses. God buried him, and God resurrected him and took him to heaven. This secrecy was to prevent idolatry. He against whom they rebelled while he was in active service, whom they provoked almost beyond human endurance, was almost worshiped as God after his separation from them by death. For the very same purpose He has concealed the precise day of Christ's birth, that the day should not receive the honor that should be given to Christ as the Redeemer of the world--one to be received, to be trusted, to be relied on as He who could save to the uttermost all who come unto Him. The soul's adoration should be given to Jesus as the Son of the infinite God. {AH 477.3}

The Day Not to Be Ignored.--As the twenty-fifth of December is observed to commemorate the birth of Christ, as the children have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, you will find it a difficult matter to pass over this period without giving it some attention. It can be made to serve a very good purpose. {AH 478.1}

The youth should be treated very carefully. They should not be left on Christmas to find their own amusement in vanity and pleasure seeking, in amusements which will be detrimental to their spirituality. Parents can control this matter by turning the minds and the offerings of their children to God and His cause and the salvation of souls. {AH 478.2}

The desire for amusement, instead of being quenched and arbitrarily ruled down, should be controlled and directed by painstaking effort upon the part of the parents. Their desire to make gifts may be turned into pure and holy channels and made to result in good to our fellow men by supplying the treasury in the great, grand work for which Christ came into our world. Self-denial and self-sacrifice marked His course of action. Let it mark ours who profess to love Jesus because in Him is centered our hope of eternal life. {AH 478.3}

The Interchange of Gifts as Tokens of Affection.-- The holiday season is fast approaching with its interchange of gifts, and old and young are intently studying what they can bestow upon their friends as a token of affectionate remembrance. It is pleasant to receive a gift, however small, from those we love. It is an assurance that 479 we are not forgotten, and seems to bind us to them a little closer. . . . {AH 478.4}

It is right to bestow upon one another tokens of love and remembrance if we do not in this forget God, our best friend. We should make our gifts such as will prove a real benefit to the receiver. I would recommend such books as will be an aid in understanding the word of God or that will increase our love for its precepts. Provide something to be read during these long winter evenings. {AH 479.1}

Books for Children Are Recommended.--There are many who have not books and publications upon present truth. Here is a large field where money can be safely invested. There are large numbers of little ones who should be supplied with reading. The Sunshine Series, Golden Grains Series, Poems, Sabbath Readings, [NOTE: REFERENCE IS MADE IN THIS ARTICLE TO NONCURRENT PUBLICATIONS. AS THE PRINCIPLES SET FORTH IN THIS CONNECTION ARE APPLICABLE TODAY, THESE SPECIFIC REFERENCES ARE LEFT IN THE ARTICLE.] etc., are all precious books and may be introduced safely into every family. The many trifles usually spent on candies and useless toys may be treasured up with which to buy these volumes. . . . {AH 479.2}

Let those who wish to make valuable presents to their children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces procure for them the children's books mentioned above. For young people the Life of Joseph Bates is a treasure; also the three volumes of The Spirit of Prophecy. [NOTE: EARLY E. G. WHITE BOOKS PRECEDING THE PRESENT "CONFLICT OF THE AGES SERIES."] These volumes should be placed in every family in the land. God is giving light from heaven, and not a family should be without it. 480 Let the presents you shall make be of that order which will shed beams of light upon the pathway to heaven. {AH 479.3}

Jesus Not to Be Forgotten.--Brethren and sisters, while you are devising gifts for one another, I would remind you of our heavenly Friend, lest you should be unmindful of His claims. Will He not be pleased if we show that we have not forgotten Him? Jesus, the Prince of life, gave all to bring salvation within our reach. . . . He suffered even unto death, that He might give us eternal life. {AH 480.1}

It is through Christ that we receive every blessing. . . . Shall not our heavenly Benefactor share in the tokens of our gratitude and love? Come, brethren and sisters, come with your children, even the babes in your arms, and bring your offerings to God according to your ability. Make melody to Him in your hearts, and let His praise be upon your lips. {AH 480.2}

Christmas--a Time to Honor God.--By the world the holidays are spent in frivolity and extravagance, gluttony and display. . . . Thousands of dollars will be worse than thrown away upon the coming Christmas and New Year's in needless indulgences. But it is our privilege to depart from the customs and practices of this degenerate age; and instead of expending means merely for the gratification of the appetite or for needless ornaments or articles of clothing, we may make the coming holidays an occasion in which to honor and glorify God. {AH 480.3}

Christ should be the supreme object; but as Christmas has been observed, the glory is turned from Him to mortal man, whose sinful, defective character made it necessary for Him to come to our world.
481
{AH 480.4}

Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, the royal King of heaven, laid aside His royalty, left His throne of glory, His high command, and came into our world to bring to fallen man, weakened in moral power and corrupted by sin, aid divine. . . . {AH 481.1}

Parents should keep these things before their children and instruct them, line upon line, precept upon precept, in their obligation to God--not their obligation to each other, to honor and glorify one another by gifts and offerings. {AH 481.2}

Turn Thoughts of the Children Into a New Channel.-- There are many things which can be devised with taste and cost far less than the unnecessary presents that are so frequently bestowed upon our children and relatives, and thus courtesy can be shown and happiness brought into the home. {AH 481.3}
You can teach your children a lesson while you explain to them the reason why you have made a change in the value of their presents, telling them that you are convinced that you have hitherto considered their pleasure more than the glory of God. Tell them that you have thought more of your own pleasure and of their gratification and of keeping in harmony with the customs and traditions of the world, in making presents to those who did not need them, than you have of advancing the cause of God. Like the wise men of old, you may offer to God your best gifts and show by your offerings to Him that you appreciate His Gift to a sinful world. Set your children's thoughts running in a new, unselfish channel by inciting them to present offerings to God for the gift of His only-begotten Son.482{AH 481.4}

"Shall We Have a Christmas Tree?"--God would be well pleased if on Christmas each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship. [NOTE: REFERENCE IS MADE IN THIS ARTICLE TO CURRENT BUILDING PROJECTS. AS THE PRINCIPLES SET FORTH IN THIS CONNECTION ARE APPLICABLE TODAY, THESE SPECIFIC REFERENCES ARE LEFT IN THE ARTICLE.] Letters of inquiry have come to us asking, Shall we have a Christmas tree? Will it not be like the world? We answer, You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible. There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen and placing it in our churches, but the sin lies in the motive which prompts to action and the use which is made of the gifts placed upon the tree. {AH 482.1}

The tree may be as tall and its branches as wide as shall best suit the occasion; but let its boughs be laden with the golden and silver fruit of your beneficence, and present this to Him as your Christmas gift. Let your donations be sanctified by prayer. {AH 482.2}

Christmas and New Year celebrations can and should be held in behalf of those who are helpless. God is glorified when we give to help those who have large families to support. {AH 482.3}

A Tree Laden With Offerings Is Not Sinful.--Let not the parents take the position that an evergreen placed in the church for the amusement of the Sabbath school scholars is a sin, for it may be made a great blessing. Keep before their minds benevolent objects. In no case should mere amusement be the object of these gatherings. While there may be some who will turn these occasions into seasons of careless levity, and whose minds will not receive the divine impress, to other minds and characters 483 these seasons will be highly beneficial. I am fully satisfied that innocent substitutes can be devised for many gatherings that demoralize. {AH 482.4}

Provide Innocent Enjoyment for the Day.--Will you not arise, my Christian brethren and sisters, and gird yourselves for duty in the fear of God, so arranging this matter that it shall not be dry and uninteresting, but full of innocent enjoyment that shall bear the signet of Heaven? I know the poorer class will respond to these suggestions. The most wealthy should also show an interest and bestow their gifts and offerings proportionate to the means with which God has entrusted them. Let there be recorded in the heavenly books such a Christmas as has never yet been seen because of the donations which shall be given for the sustaining of the work of God and the upbuilding of His kingdom. {AH 483.1}

Messages To Young People-

Chap. 103 - Holiday Presents

The holidays are approaching. In view of this fact, it will be well to consider how much money is expended yearly in making presents to those who have no need of them. The habits of custom are so strong that to withhold gifts from our friends on these occasions would seem to us almost a neglect of them. But let us remember that our kind heavenly Benefactor has claims upon us far superior to those of any earthly friends. Shall we not, during the coming holidays, present our offerings to God? Even the children may participate in this work. Clothing and other useful articles may be given to the worthy poor, and thus a work may be done for the Master. {MYP 311.1}

Evils of Self-Indulgence

Let us remember that Christmas is celebrated in commemoration of the birth of the world's Redeemer. This day is generally spent in feasting and gluttony. Large sums of money are spent in needless self-indulgence. The appetite and sensual pleasures are indulged at the expense of physical, mental, and moral power. Yet this has become a habit. Pride, fashion, and gratification of the palate have swallowed up immense sums of money that have really benefited no one, but have encouraged a prodigality of means which is displeasing to God. These days are spent in glorifying self rather than God. Health has been sacrificed, money worse than thrown away, many have lost their lives by 312 overeating or through demoralizing dissipation, and souls have been lost by this means. {MYP 311.2}

God would be glorified by His children should they enjoy a plain, simple diet, and use the means intrusted to them in bringing to His treasury offerings, small and great, to be used in sending the light of truth to souls that are in the darkness of error. The hearts of the widow and fatherless may be made to rejoice because of gifts which will add to their comfort and satisfy their hunger. {MYP 312.1}

Gifts to God

Let all who profess to believe the present truth calculate how much they spend yearly, and especially upon the recurrence of the annual holidays, for the gratification of selfish and unholy desires, how much in the indulgence of appetite, and how much to compete with others in unchristian display. Sum up the means thus spent all needlessly, and then estimate how much might be saved as consecrated gifts to God's cause without injury to soul or body. {MYP 312.2}

Mites and more liberal gifts may be brought in, according to the ability of the giver, to aid in lifting debts from churches which have been dedicated to God. Then there are missionaries to be sent into new fields, and others to be supported in their respective fields of labor. These missionaries have to practice the strictest economy, even denying themselves the very things you enjoy daily, and which you consider the necessaries of life. They enjoy few luxuries.--Review and Herald, November 21, 1878. {MYP 312.3}
This Day With God(TDG)

Chap. 352 - Observing Christmas

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:9, 10. {TDG 360.1}

The 25th of December has long been commemorated as the day of Jesus' birth, and . . . it is not my purpose to affirm or question the propriety of celebrating this event on this day, but to dwell upon the childhood and life of our Saviour. It is my purpose to call the attention of the children to the humble manner in which the Redeemer came to the world. {TDG 360.2}

All heaven was interested in the great event of Christ's advent to earth. Heavenly messengers came to make known the birth of the long-promised, long-expected Saviour to the humble shepherds who were watching their flocks by night on the plains of Bethlehem. The first manifestation that attracted the notice of the shepherds at the birth of the Saviour, was a radiant light in the starry heavens, which filled them with wonder and admiration. . . . The astonished shepherds could scarcely comprehend the precious message borne to them by the angels, and when the radiant light had passed away, they said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child" (Luke 2:15-17). . . . {TDG 360.3}

What matchless love Jesus has manifested for a fallen world! If angels sang because the Saviour was born in Bethlehem, shall not our hearts echo the glad strain, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men? Although we do not know the exact day of Christ's birth, we would honor the sacred event. May the Lord forbid that any one should be so narrow minded as to overlook the event because there is an uncertainty in regard to the exact time. Let us do what we can to fasten the minds of the children upon those things which are precious to everyone who loves Jesus. Let us teach them how Jesus came into the world to bring hope, comfort, peace, and happiness to all. . . . Let the hearts of all respond with exceeding joy for the priceless gift of the Son of God.--Review and Herald, Dec. 17, 1889. {TDG 360.4}

Dr. Nedley talks about Depression, its Causes, and his Holistic Depression Recovery Program

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:56:00 +0000

Dr. Neil Nedley talking about Depression and its Causes with It Is Written's John Bradshaw

Ed and I are currently facilitators as part of a Nedley "Depression Recovery Program" in Campbell River. We are excited by the program and its focus on lifestyle changes that can help to heal depression. Dr. Nedley designed a program based on his extensive research and history of working with with people with depression in his practice of Internal Medicine.

The Depression Recovery Program is introduced in the community with two free informational sessions that provide inquiring people with an opportunity to "meet" Dr. Nedley in one of his video presentations, and to get to know what he has to offer through the eight-week video program.

Dr. Nedley says that he averages around a "90% cure" for depression using his lifestyle methods (with participants' focused work to carry out his methods as taught).

We are amazed by the changes we see in people over a very short period. And awed by how the Holy Spirit is working not just in the life of the depressed person, but in the lives of family members as well. Dr. Nedley's holistic approach includes, of course, a very strong spiritual component. He refers to it in the video above.

We hope to offer a Depression Recovery Program in the Comox Valley in 2012.

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Getting Your Life Back: Nedley Depression Recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:11:00 +0000

October 18- December 13, 2011 Campbell River

Down in the dumps? Feeling blue? Been Down so long it looks like UP? These idioms are how we generally frame mild to severe depression in our Western Society-- as a sort of sad, lonely, boring, worn out time in our life.

And it's true that it does encompass more than just that sad feeling. In fact, while women might cry a lot when depressed, men often just wander around with an empty burning feeling in their chests. Sometimes depression makes it hard to get out of bed. Sometimes it makes it hard to eat (or hard to stop eating "comfort foods").

And if you go to the Doctor you are generally going to get a prescription for a "mood-modifying" antidepressant drug, something that will "take the edge off" the intense sadness or emptiness-- but probably something with side effects that most of us are not keen on. For example, some of the side effects from taking Paxil, one of the more popular "happy pills", could include:
anxiety or nervousness
back pain
change in sense of taste
constipation
decreased or increased appetite
decreased sexual desire or ability
diarrhea
dizziness or drowsiness
dry mouth
flatulence
flu-like symptoms
headache
increased sweating
nausea or vomiting
shakiness
stomach discomfort or pain
tingling, burning, or prickling sensations
trembling or shaking
trouble sleeping
unusual tiredness or weakness
yawning
weight loss or gain
Does it not seem a little weird that if you are having trouble sleeping that you would take a pill that might create more "trouble sleeping" or increase your "anxiety and nervousness"??? (just asking)

I'm pleased to announce that our sister Church in Campbell River is bringing in Dr. Neil Nedley's 8-Week Depression Recovery Program... Dr. Nedley, a man of compassion and intelligence, developed this "lifestyle" program for overcoming depression through improving brain function. No one will be 'taken off' their meds by anyone in the Program, but there will be true benefits for anyone who comes out... and it is not unheard of that people will eventually 'grow out of' this debilitating disease if they 'work the program' as Dr. Nedley has set it up. Maybe you are interested, or maybe you know somebody who is. Give Pearl Kersten a call at 250-923-2383 to register and get more information. The classes are every Tuesday night starting October 18th at 7pm. Lifestyle Matters.

The Voice of Prophecy and a Spanish Inheritance...

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Today we got a letter in the mail from a Spanish lawyer (I mean, he lives in Spain) purporting a great family fortune lies in wait for my husband. We know that it is a hoax, of course, but on a whim we went looking for the Spanish branch of Ed's family (Zirkwitz) that has apparently passed away with no heir, no other person on the planet with the same surname to claim the substantial funds. For whatever reason, I went well beyond Google's first page (I actually found some other interesting quasi-genealogical information translated from Polish into sorry English about an Evangelical Lutheran Pastor in 1897 Poland, we believe to be the father or grandfather of Ed's cousin who lives in Germany). And there, on page 3, was an odd little piece of script from the Adventist Archives that mentioned that in 1971 the Voice of Prophecy Bible School had granted a certification of completion to its 500,000th Bible Studies student... my young boy-husband at age 21.

You can imagine how excited we were to find this blast from the past! We made something like eleven moves in the first five years of our marriage so this particular journal article (from page 5 of the Southern Union Record,) never made the cut. I DIDN'T study the Bible with VOP then (or ever) and wasn't baptized for another 22 years after this article was printed on December 11, 1971 (oddly enough, the first birthday of our oldest child). I do, however, have a recollection of the photographer coming to take Ed's picture for event. About four years ago at the Hope Camp Meeting Ed had the opportunity to talk to the Voice of Prophecy representative there and told him this story and we had our picture taken then, both of us. Whenever we mention that Ed was the 500,000th student of the Voice of Prophecy Bible School, people look at us a little sceptically. I praise the Lord for his good solid start with the VOP on KARI (Blaine, Washington) back in 1971 and for his willingness to continue to follow his Lord and Saviour until the end. God wants us to realize just how great a treasure we have been blessed with-- a monetary fortune could never measure up!

Here is the article for anyone who might be interested:

VOICE OF PROPHECY Bible Course Graduates Now Total 500,000

Bible study by correspondence has reached an important milepost at The Voice of Prophecy — a half million graduates since the English Bible school was begun in 1942. The young man who happened to be number 500,000 is Edwin E. Zirkwitz, 21, a Simon Eraser University student
in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Bible school records show that Zirkwitz began the Faith Bible course May 27 and completed the 40-lesson course just three months later. Upon discovery that Zirkwitz was the half-millionth graduate, W. W. Rogers, British Columbia radio-TV secretary, was asked to deliver the course diploma
and extend to him the congratulations of the entire broadcast and Bible school staff.

When Mr. Zirkwitz was enrolled, Pastor George Atiga, Bible school instructor, was assigned to care for his lessons. Pastor Atiga is one of 18 Bible instructors in the school each of whom receives and grades thousands of lessons every month from students in the 11 courses offered by The Voice of Prophecy. From the establishment of the Bible school until the first 100,000 students were graduated took 18 years. Last year 12,452 persons were graduated from the various courses. During the same period some 2,143 graduates accepted Christ and were baptized. Zirkwitz is now observing the seventh-day Sabbath and is attending the Vancouver Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he was baptized November 6. ~C. Elwyn Plainer

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Rabbi asks, "Who is This Ellen White?"

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 05:47:00 +0000

Painting by Elfred Lee found at Elfred Lee Relgious Art.com

Tonight I was going through some email, doing some filing, when I came across this interesting email (unread) from my Pastor from 2009. I'm thinking that this is likely somewhere online, but it merits being printed here as well:

Who is this Ellen White?

Artist Elfred Lee's Testimony of Rabbi Joe Kagan:

"I met Rabbi Joe Kagan at Weimar Institute in CA. His family had come from
Eastern Europe where his aunt had been raped while a priest stood over her
with a crucifix saying, "This is what you get for killing Christ." So you
can imagine the feeling of many Jews towards Christianity. American
Christians are not at all like Europeans.

His family moved to the US while he was young. At age 13 he debuted at
Carnegie Hall as a cantor. He had a beautiful, tenor voice. He received a
very high education and became a rabbi. I met him in his later years in 1978
after he had been on Ronald Reagan's staff in Sacramento as their research
man. If there were any questions about any subject, he was the one that did
the research and found the answers.

He had a very negative attitude towards Christianity. He would never touch
the New Testament. However, he knew the Jewish Old Testament (Torah)
extremely well as a highly educated rabbi would. One day he got hold of a
book called "Patriarchs and Prophets" by Ellen G. White. He read it with
astonishment and wanted to know who this Ellen White was. That is when I met
him. He was asking who is this Ellen G. White, and what university did she
attend. We told him she only had a 3rd grade education. "Then, where did she
learn Hebrew?" he asked. We told him that she never knew Hebrew, but was the
most prolific female writer in history and that this was only one of her
books.

He was amazed at her knowledge, saying that the information in this book
(Patriarchs and Prophets) is Mishnaic. The Mishnah is part of the Hebrew
scholarship. He said the Mishnah had only been translated into English 30
years ago and that only high-level rabbis knew this information. This is the
history of my people and it is very, very accurate. He also said that you
have to know Hebrew to be able to write like this because her sentence
structure is not
English, it's Hebrew...The rhythm, the meter, the arrangement of words and
expressions are not English. He said it's as if she wrote in Hebrew and it
was translated into English.

My family and I developed a strong friendship with Joe, his wife and son.
As we studied the Bible and some Ellen White books together one day, he
said, "I am convinced that Ellen White was inspired by the same source that
inspired the Hebrew prophets. I want to become a Christian. I accept Jesus
Christ as my Messiah." Now, he would not have come to Christ through reading
the Bible. Even though the Hebrew Bible is full of prophecies pointing to
the Messiah, it took Ellen White's writings to prove to him that Jesus
Christ was the fulfillment of all the Hebrew prophecies. And only then did
he pick up the New Testament and read about his Jewish Messiah.

Many times I saw him cry. I was in the middle of a painting commission for a
large mural called "Christ The Way of Life" for the world headquarters of
the Seventh Day Adventist church in Washington DC. He became very involved
with that painting. The painting had originally been inspired by James and
Ellen White who had commissioned an engraver to do a black and white drawing
of the subject. He confirmed to me that Ellen White's concept was very
accurate on the whole plan of salvation in both the Old and New Testament,
but that the engraver had misrepresented her concepts. So he helped me in
many details to make the painting historically and theologically accurate;
especially regarding the sanctuary section, the Hebrew writing on the cross
and the last supper scene. He told me to paint Jesus and his disciples at an
oriental style table, sitting on mats on the floor - not Roman couches as
the medieval artists painted. Further, he said their heads would be covered
and he made sure I painted the wine, the unleavened bread and the bitter
herbs and their symbolism exactly as they would have been. He approved of
the whole painting and we had an unveiling ceremony at the Auburn SDA Church
in late 1979. He had written a song to go with the painting and sat at the
organ as we unveiled the painting. He wept as he sang the words of Jesus on
the cross quoting Isaiah, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" He sang and sang and
wept and wept, his whole body shaking. There was not a dry eye in the whole
church. His voice was so beautiful.

The original painting hangs in the new SDA world headquarters in Silver
Spring, Maryland where they have posters and Bible studies of the painting.
I could never have done it without the inspiration of Rabbi Kagan and Ellen
White. I wish they were still alive!

We were at his secret baptism in the Bear River above Sacramento on Saturday
night Dec. 22, 1979. There were four of us present. He could not even tell
his wife and son that he was now a Christian. As he came up out of the cold
water praising God and singing to his new Messiah, he said, "I am now a
completed Jew. I have now accepted the Old and New Testament and the Messiah
that all Jewish prophets told us about!"

I was recently in Europe giving some workshops on art and some of my
archeological work in the Middle East. I happened to meet a Jewish family
from Israel. Shalom David was originally from Iraq and his wife from Chile.
They were now attending a college in Europe where I met with quite a bit of
opposition to the writings of Ellen White. This Jewish family invited me to
their home for Shabbat (Friday night supper.) It was a most enjoyable
occasion as his wife and beautiful children sang and celebrated the arrival
of Sabbath as Jews have done for thousands of years. I told them the story
of Rabbi Kagan and he got very excited. He said, "The same thing happened
to me! I would have rather burned the Bible then touch it! I wanted nothing
to do with Christianity, but I also read the writings of Ellen White and the
Spirit of God was on that woman. Her writings are as if she wrote in Hebrew.
You can definitely hear the Hebrew rhythm, meter and expressions in her
books. I also believe she was inspired by the same source as the Hebrew
prophets. And she has helped me fall in love with Jesus Christ, my Messiah."

I just met yesterday with a rabbi living here in California - Rabbi Ben. It
was a follow up to a Sabbath meal I was invited to this last Sabbath with
him and a group of Adventists. He went through the whole ceremony at the
meal just like Rabbi Kagan and as my new friend (Shalom David) in Europe
had. So yesterday we were talking over Hebrew ceremonies and how they are
still effective in healing disease.

Rabbi Ben told me that he has also had the same experience. He hated the
Bible but that Ellen White brought him to Christ and helped him read the New
Testament and fall in love with the Messiah. He also told me that he had
gone to visit one of the most influential rabbis in America who is in his
90s who must remain unnamed. While in this rabbi's library talking, he was
scanning the many, many books on his walls and there he saw the book
"Patriarchs and Prophets" by Ellen White. Rabbi Ben asked him about it and
where he had gotten it, "Why do you have this book by a Christian author?"
The rabbi said, "This as a very authoritative source on our history."

I recently shared this testimony on T.V. at 3 Angels Broadcasting Network.
My phone has been ringing day and night by interested people from as far
away as India and Australia saying, "we want to know more about Joe Kagan
and Ellen White."

The book "Patriarchs and Prophets" can be found in any Adventist Book Center
or at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists on old Columbia Pike,
Silver Spring, Maryland. Posters of "Christ The Way of Life" can be found
there...

Happy Easter!

Busy Sad Day at Church

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:06:00 +0000

Our dear sister "M" in a happier time (Harvest Festival)

Today was a busy day at Church. It reminded me of my stating in a prayer meeting that someday, according to the Spirit of Prophecy, "near the end" the Church doors will fly open and suddenly and we will be flooded by all of those souls we've been praying for and others who have just been waiting for us to be prepared to receive them. Could it be starting to happen?

But besides the pleasure in having so many folks to worship with there was a sadness and a tension that kept me from doing any sort of dance of praise. Many individuals are burnt out after exhausting weeks of commuting, work, study, looking after small children alone, etc. And most shocking and saddening for me was the announcement that my friend M. who had gone to Seattle to the Canadian embassy to be interviewed to apply for a Work Visa had been turned down. It makes no sense to me. Here we were, her sister, her brethren in Christ, all ready to do a dance of celebration with her, and poof! no party. Her sister valiantly suggests that sometimes God closes one door before opening another... well, I'm anxious to see what that "other door" has behind it!

Update to the above:
So delighted to share the good news that 'Sister M' was only in Seattle for a couple of days before she received a call about a nanny-ing job in New York and flew off there to get to work pronto. Do we serve a faithful God or what?

Thank you for your prayers, and on-going prayers are also appreciated!

Finding Rest Again

http://www.adventistreview.org/issue.php...

In your faith life, there's hope if you find yourself in a desert.

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Revival and Reformation Alert: Adventist Church Becomes the Fastest Growing Church

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0000

Just passing this along...

http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-03/adventists-grow-other-churches-decline

The Christian Century

Thinking Critically. Living Faithfully.

Adventists grow as other churches decline

Mar 16, 2011 by G. Jeffrey MacDonald

(RNS) Rest on the Sabbath. Heed Old Testament dietary codes. And be ready for Jesus to return at any moment.

If these practices sound quaint or antiquated, think again. They're hallmarks of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the fastest-growing Christian denomination in North America.

Newly released data show Seventh-day Adventism growing by 2.5 percent in North America, a rapid clip for this part of the world, where Southern Baptists and mainline denominations, as well as other church groups are declining. Adventists are even growing 75 percent faster than Mormons (1.4 percent), who prioritize numeric growth.

For observers outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the growth rate in North America is perplexing.

"You've got a denomination that is basically going back to basics ... saying, `What did God mean by all these rules and regulations and how can we fit in to be what God wants us to be?'," said Daniel Shaw, an expert on Christian missionary outreach at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. "That's just totally contrary to anything that's happening in American culture. So I'm saying, `Whoa! That's very interesting.' And I can't answer it."

Seventh-day Adventists are asking a different question: Why isn't the church growing much faster on these shores, which is home to just 1.1 million of the world's 16 million Adventists? Despite its North American roots, the church is growing more than twice as fast overseas.

"We don't feel that we're growing very much, and that is a source of concern, especially for North America," said Ron Clouzet, director of the North American Division Evangelism Institute at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. Hispanic Adventists are "the one group that is growing very well," he added. "If we didn't have that group, we would look even more dismal."

With Saturday worship services and vegetarian lifestyles, Seventh-day Adventism owns a distinctive niche outside the Christian mainstream. But being different is turning out to be more of an asset than a liability.

Since the mid-19th century when the movement sprang up in New Hampshire, Seventh-day Adventism has had an urgent mission to bring the gospel -- with a distinctive emphasis on Christ's imminent second coming -- to the ends of the earth. Adventists find the essence of their mission in Revelation 14:12, where the end of the age "calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus."

The church's traditional, global focus is now bearing fruit in new ways. Newly arrived immigrants in the United States often come from parts of Latin America or Africa where Seventh-day Adventism has long-established churches, schools and hospitals.

Those who migrate from Brazil to Massachusetts, or from Mexico to Texas, are apt to find familiarity in a local Adventist church led by a pastor who knows their culture and speaks their native language, said Edwin Hernandez, a research fellow at the Center for the Study of Latino Religion at the University of Notre Dame.

Immigrants aren't the only ones embracing Seventh-day Adventism. Many in the general public have noticed Adventists tend to be superstars of good health and longevity; research shows they tend to live 10 years longer than the average American. With strong track records for success in health and education, Adventists find they get a hearing among skeptics who share those priorities.

Publicized research on Adventists' health "has helped bring some objective evaluation of Adventism... particularly all up and down the West Coast," said G. Alexander Bryant, executive secretary for the denomination's North American division. "So we talk to people about our lifestyle."

Some newcomers to Adventism also appreciate the church's clarity about what's expected of Christ's followers. Diana Syth of Kent, Wash. attended many types of Protestant churches for years. But she said she "never got the information I needed to know about what it meant to be a Christian" until she and her husband learned of Seventh-day Adventism from a sibling six years ago.

"My (adult) son has seen a change in us," Syth said. "He sees a new calmness in us. There's hope where there wasn't hope before."

Adventists are also reaping the rewards of their extra efforts in evangelism. Responding to a national initiative, more than 80 percent of the 6,000 Adventist churches in North America staged weeks-long outreach events in hotels and other settings in 2009.

Bryant said in an ordinary year, one-third to one-half of Adventist congregations put on such events, and North American church growth rates would hover around 1.7 percent -- still high enough to top the rates of other large denominations in North America.

Creativity seems to be paying dividends, too. The church has seen some of its strongest gains come in non-religious regions such as the Pacific Northwest. In Washington, for instance, the denomination has established "Christian cafes," where people can relax and ask questions without feeling the pressures of church.

"You're not necessarily inviting them to church," Bryant said. "You're just sitting around, talking with people, building relationships -- and slowly talking to them about Christ."

________________________________________________

Share the "Million Strong Prayer Force" Promo

Help make this prayer chain, a million strong. Share the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =Z139AbfXhLY

I pledged as member of the Million Strong Prayerforce to support through my prayers and actions the initiatives that are geared toward revival and reformation. I pledge to help these initiatives go “viral” by sharing announcements with my own chain of contacts by word of mouth, email, and or texting.

Join the Million Strong PrayerForce Now.

By joining and encouraging others to join the MSPF, you strengthen the chain of communication for revival and reformation. Each member of the MSPF is encouraged to create his or her own chain of contacts. Revival alerts will be sent out whenever an initiative is put into action. When a "Revival Alert" is sent out to the MSPF, each member in turn alerts his or her own chain of contacts via email, word of mouth or texting.

As a MSPF member, you will be among the first to know what Revival and Reformation initiatives are on the horizon, and how you can participate, as well as help make it go viral. Our very first initiative is to reach the "Million Strong" mark. Share with your church, your conference, your social networks, your friends across the country and across seas to become a part of the MSPF. Lets see how quickly we can reach the one million mark!

Your Ideas are Important Too!

As part of the MSPF, your ideas are important to us. Please share your visions and ideas for other ways in which revival and reformation can be brought to the church on a global scale. You can email your ideas to millionstrongprayerforce@gmail.com. We will take the best ideas and do what we can to work with them.

Please check out the following sources on Revival and Reformation.

www.operationglobalrain.com

www.revivalandreformation.org

www.armebiblecamp.com

www.amazingfacts.com

www.goglow.org

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First Visit Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0000

http://sxc.hu

When I visit a church I've never been to before, this is what I look at:
*The church website — yes, I know there are some folks who think that the idea of a church website is just so much techy surfeit-- an unnecessary frill-- but I want you to know that I look for the church's website before I attend, and furthermore, it may be useful for you to know that our church website's home page has had over 22,000 hits-- I don't think those are all from church members. What does the website tell me about the congregation. I certainly don't go looking for stuff in the phone book so much any more... and I imagine all those folks roving around with I-Pads and other mobile devices are more apt to find you online and phone you from there.
*I take a good look at the parking arrangements. I understand that some churches have outgrown their parking lots (a good thing) but it is nice to be able to find a spot, as a visitor, and I particularly like those parking lots that have spots clearly marked just for visitors-- or whose regular members are trained to leave several spots close to the church entrance for visitors.
*I know it may sound petty or shallow, but I DO look at the landscaping and the shape of the "physical plant"... what does a sagging roof with moss-covered shingles tell me? How about huge pot-holes in the parking lot that almost take out one's tranny?
*I know many people who are either frail with some ambulatory issues or in wheelchairs-- accessibility is something I take in during my first visit-- are there wide entry doors to the inside and into the bathrooms? If there is a lunch or some other event on another level, is there an elevator or wheelchair ramp/lift? Are there stairs only going up into the Church? Are there specially-designated parking stalls and places to pull one's wheelchair into in the sanctuary (movable chairs vs. long pews)? Is the parking lot gravelled or bumpy, making wheelchair navigation, walking in heels, etc., very challenging?
*If attending a Bible Study, prayer meeting, or other event in the evening, are the entrances and parking lot adequately lit? Is the front door open, preferably with a greeter or some instruction about where to go in the big, quiet building?
*Are the Greeters enjoying their role? — Do they look at me, smile, seem interested in meeting me, or do they look bored (or worse, irritated)?
*Directional Signs — am I able to find my way to the meeting room or the washroom without having to ask strangers who look like they might not know the way either?
*Does an usher or some guide show me the way to the Sanctuary and actually take me to a seat or am I left to stand gawking around for a place to squeeze into myself, not knowing whether there are other family members coming back to the family place I take up?
*Do the regular members actually interact with me-- even smile-- ask me my name, shake my hand, seem interested in meeting me-- or do I feel like I've landed in the middle of the Ice Fields without a skidoo?
*Are visitors greeted from the pulpit? How? Are we made to stand up in a sea of strangers and introduce ourselves? Is there a time in the beginning of the service where we are warmly greeted by church members who look like they want to know us?
*What does the Bulletin tell me about the congregation and the service? Are there contact numbers and events that I might want to know?
*What are some of the 'sounds' I come across-- lots of feedback from a seemingly incompetent sound crew? microphones on too loud or not loud enough? babies crying incessantly? teens smacking each other around out in the hall during the service? parents snarling at their small children? A piano that badly needs to be tuned? Too little music? Too much music?
*Does the church smell of drains and last week's cabbage roll fellowship lunch?
*Are the walls bare? Are they cluttered with printed signs and tacky pictures?
*Is the carpet ratty and dirty? Is the floor dusty and scuffed up? Could the church stand a good cleaning? Is the floor so polished up that every step is a risk?
*The central feature I have come for- the sermon: is it strong and Spirit-led, or dry and full of allusion to platitudes and cute poems in forwarded emails? Does the speaker move outside the pulpit to address us, seek interaction with the congregation, have passion in his/her voice, seamlessly pray and praise God?
*When the service is over, am I engaged in conversation? Invited to stay for lunch or asked to join someone in their home for lunch? Or do people rush past me or just huddle up in little cliques of people they know and ignore me while I pretend to read the bulletin board?
*Like most first-time attendees, I don't take the initiative to greet anyone-- does anyone go out of their way to greet me?
*What do YOU look for when you visit a church for the first time? Please take a couple of minutes to answer the poll in the right side bar--> You'll be surprised how important first impressions are as to whether or not you or others return to the Church after that first visit....
*If you want to find out how your church can change some of its "first impressions" into more warm, hospitable, welcoming actions that will ensure that people come back a second, third, fourth time and opt to make your church their "church home",click here to learn more.

Report from ADRA Japan re Earthquake Response

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:36:00 +0000

· An ADRA staff member arrived in Fukushima. Though there was some damage, the situation is somewhat under control. Based on the assessment and discussion at the Prefecture Council, there is not much support required, so ADRA Japan staff will continue heading north, aiming to reach Sendai city, where the damage was extreme.

· ADRA Japan responded initially attending people that were stranded in the central Tokyo area. A temporary rest area was set up at the Tokyo Central Adventist Church as the subway and trains were not available for people to return home and the streets were too cold for stranded people to spend the night. ADRA Japan responded to approximately 200 people in those initial operations.

· ADRA Japan is planning to work hand in hand with the Japan Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

· Chris Ishii, ADRA Japan’s Executive Director, arrived safely at the ADRA Japan Tokyo office. Chris was attending a meeting close to the Haneda Airport when the earthquake struck. Due to the lack of available public transportation, he had to spend the night where the meeting was held.

· ADRA Japan has dispatched an assessment team to the affected area with 2 vehicles loaded with distribution materials such as plastic sheets and food. They are planning to distribute hot meals to 1,000 people at evacuation centres in the area. Beneficiaries will be selected in cooperation with each concerned city or municipality.

· Atsushi Suhara, ADRA Japan Program Officer, flew to Natori with the Civic Force (Emergency Response Team, Japan) to assess the level of the damage. The damage was so devastating that Atsushi ran out of words to utter. You can see his pictures at http://blog.canpan.info/adrajapan/category_29/

· First reports indicate how much people appreciate ADRA Japan’s efforts:

- "Is it possible to get a Onigiri (Japanese traditional rice-ball) here? I learned from Twitter that you are supporting people who could not go home tonight," a middle-aged lady entered into the ADRA Japan’s rest-area. She was offered some food and tea, and she rested for a while. When she left, she said “Thank you very much for your help – please use this to buy more food and tea for other people in need,” and she handed 3,000 yen (approximately $25) to ADRA Japan staff.

- “Is there anything I can do?” A young man who received some food and tea at the rest-area stood up from his chair, tapped one of the ADRA Japan staff member’s shoulder. He kindly volunteered to assist the operations.

· Initial updates from the Education Department of the Japan Union Conference:

- A junior high school in Ibaraki prefecture (north of Tokyo, south of Sendai) is damaged – the chapel roof fell off, major cracks have developed in the wall of boy’s dormitory, street walls near teacher’s houses fell down, and a major road connecting the school to town is damaged.

- The elementary school in Chiba prefecture is about 10 km away from the oil terminal that caught fire, but sustained no major damage.

- The junior high school in Ibaraki sustained major damage.

- Other schools are all fine.

· The ADRA network has pledged financial support to the relief efforts. ADRA Canada will contribute $8,000 initially. Depending on the response from our donors we may increase our support. Your donations to ADRA Canada will make a difference! Donate online or by phone.

Houses swept out to sea burn following the tsunami and earthquake in Natori City in northeastern Japan March 11, 2011. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire. "Reuters/Yomiuri, courtesy Trust.org - AlertNet".

Subject: Here's some Amazing SDA News from Japan!

----------------------------------

Hello everyone,

Just thought you may be interested in the following incredible story that we heard from the Tokorozawa Seventh-day Adventist church today.

On 11th March at 2:46 p.m. a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast off the city of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture recently. Most buildings were flattened in the earthquake, and minutes later, a huge tsunami followed, and swallowed everything in its path. In Miyagino district the earthquake flattened almost everything. The ensuing tsunami swallowed almost everything in its past. TV pictures have shown what appears to be absolute devastation in the area. It has been recognized as the most heavily damaged area in this disaster. Most homes were lost. Most, but not all was lost.

There was a shelter in the midst of the storm. It has been reported that the tsunami waves reached 40 – 50 meters high. These huge waves, somehow were unable to flood one small piece of land. Mountains of water mysteriously did not touch one piece of land. That land was special to someone. It was a place where people come to worship Sabbath after Sabbath. Yes, the destruction was severe, but in the raging flood and the shaking earthquake, there was a place that was not destroyed. Many will probably not believe it even if they saw it with their own eyes; but believe it or not, the SDA church there still stands as of today - undamaged.

The church pastor was wondering how many people could show up for church that Sabbath, 12th March. Three people managed to attend church. According to the report today, all the church members have been verified as being safe. No life was lost among the church members.

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1Cor.2:9

Daniel Mahr

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Happy Sabbath-- Tweeting the Lesson Study

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 05:57:00 +0000

Wow, praise the Lord, just tweeted out the Week's lesson study at http://twitter.com/comoxadventist for anyone who might be interested in that kind of thing. I met a new friend from Indiana. She and her husband carried on the study off-line after a while with a discussion about how jealousy is based on pride. I may well do this again another Friday night. My husband is immersed in his own preparations for tomorrow's lesson at Church (which means he is listening to a variety of Sabbath School programs on the internet).

What an interesting week this has been! My friend K. included me in on a Facebook messaging with another friend in Norway (we use Google Translate) to compare notes daily on the weather. It turns out that the Norwegian friend is also a Seventh-day Adventist believer! We were fairly blown out of the water when we looked at the odds of that happening with such a "random" invitation to be added as a friend. K. chose someone in Norway (her roots) who had the same family name, that was all. As far as she knows, she is the only person in Canada with her particular family name who is Adventist.So, if in Canada there are just slightly more than 1 in 500 (.2% of 34M) people who are Adventist, and in Norway there are 1/1000 people are Adventist (.1% of 5M) people, what are the odds of finding a friend on Facebook who has the same last name as you and is Adventist? I will have to ask my statistician friend, Paul, but I would think they are pretty minuscule. In any case, it has been a delight to find out... and to know that there is more to this adventure than God has currently revealed... We all agree that it is definitely a God-thing!

Must go to bed now. Happy Sabbath all friends reading this!

Toys and Books for Little Ones in Church

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:48:00 +0000

Perhaps not everyone agrees with me, but I believe that small children, at least up until they begin school, should have "take-to-Church bag" of toys, perhaps a paper activity and books that will happily content them during the less child-understood parts of the service. The idea is to make the experience of being in God's House with God's 'other' Children (big and small) a pleasantly anticipatory and peaceful, happy time that leads to reverence and worship as the child comes to know and love Jesus. I have a few suggestions for parents and grandparents to consider that might or might not suit different children's personalities and needs. Many of the ideas I have picked up just from observing the small children and their parents in my local church. I hope the choices below will add to making your Sabbath a delight:

Felt Books: If you were a baby in the Church, you likely had a granny or mommy who put a felt book together for you. If you are new in a Church environment, you might have seen a parent holding one of these with their baby, or there may be one in the Beginner's Sabbath School room that you could borrow. The felt books are often do-it-yourself affairs where parents or grandparents buy a package containing felt pages and various items related, often, to Bible stories, that need first to be cut out and either glued or sewed into a book. They are usually set up with little pockets, peekaboo windows, etc. that engage most tots in quiet discovery mode for at least a few minutes. If they have the status of "special Sabbath toy" then there will be new excitement to play with them for several months during early childhood.

Soft Toys: For most children, stuffed animals on their own will not suffice, unless it is a familiar "stuffy" or "blankey", in which case it should be referred to in times of distress for comfort and calming. But for pleasurable and quiet, non-invasive activity with soft toys, it helps most if there is a 'play kit' that accompanies the figures. This should also be made of quiet material (cloth is desirable). Following along the lines of the felt book, above, it is wise to make the toy kit part of the "special Sabbath toys" so that there is some identification with its being reserved for the peaceful, connectedness they experience in the Sanctuary. Having a Bible stories theme will further emphasize the specialness of Sabbath. Some examples might be the simple but very imagination-stimulating Noah's Ark pouch to the left. My granddaughter, up to age 3+, played with a sort of Teddy Bear's Picnic kit that contained all the little dishes and teddy bears, a tree, etc. in a circular fabric bag. I put it up on the top of one of my cupboards and when she came to visit she would ask, "Is it Sabbath tomorrow?" It was a little bit difficult for me not to give in and just give it to her to play with when she asked, but she had a lot of toys here and over time recognized the bears as a "special Sabbath Toy".

The Bag: Children, even wee tots, look for opportunities to be responsible for their stuff, to be a "good helper". Parents and grandparents can encourage this growth by providing them with a bag of their choosing -- again, their "special Sabbath" bag-- to pack with their Sabbath toys and books. If it remains packed all week, so much the easier on Sabbath! In our Church I notice that different bag styles are favoured by different kids. Jakey is very proud of his hiker's backpack, for example, while Nicholas prefers a small wheeled bag that looks like a mini suitcase (maybe it is?) It is definitely helpful if the child can have a part in choosing the "special Sabbath bag". He/she is more apt to take ownership for it and the contents therein.

Other Suggestions:(1)Mom/Dad or Grandma/Grandpa should still bring another bag containing light healthy snacks (not junkfood that will wire them up, and not so much that they are eating through most of the service), diapers, wet ones, bottles, extra clothing, etc. Leave some room in the 'other' bag so that you scoop and stuff anything that didn't make it into their bag when the service is over and they are heading out. (2)Bring some extra 'share-able' toys. Explain to the child that "this is for a little girl or boy if they want to play with you quietly at Church" and get their feedback if they are 'of an age' to do that. Advance notice is always a good thing where toddlers and sharing toys is concerned. This also encourages sharing, which is a basic Christian principle of being unselfish and serving of others. (3)If you didn't bring any toys with you, you can either avail yourself of the parent room (if there is one) or borrow a soft toy or two from there until next week. You might also be offered a share-toy from another child or parent. Monitor your child's use and make sure the said-toy gets back to the offering child-parent at the end of the service. And if your child and you were in the parent room during the service, be sure to supervise your child's putting away of all things at the end (a HUGE issue with deaconesses and others who use this room).

Borderline and Definitely What Not to Bring: I'm not the Churchtime Toy Nazi here, but I will suggest that there are definitely toys and things that stimulate more aggressive and noisy play that should likely be disallowed into the "special Sabbath bag": noise-makers like sirens, jack-in-the-boxes, and musical toys, any toy weapons and police/military-type little cars, planes, etc., talking and squawking toys, etc. My granddaughter hauls a chorus line of Barbies with her almost everywhere-- I think they are a rather inapprorpriate toy for Church, so focused on superficiality of looks, and the commercially-influenced "ideal woman's body" (and preferred ethnicity, I would add). However, she plays quietly and innocently with them, arranging them in families in what space she can rig up in our line of chairs. She keeps their clothes on. They don't bungy-jump in Church. The little boys her age all have fleets of their favourite matchbox and dinky toy vehicles and play harmoniously and quietly together, or parallel to each other. Other toys that might garner the odd dirty look, especially if your child is a little too extraverted, are super-hero toys, the line of quasi-occult toys (Pokemon type stuff), fairytale toys and books (such as all the Disney toys with the fairytale themes like the Rapunzel kit), Bratz style dolls (really showing up as mini-adults with 'tude), and big, cumbersome toys that take up the whole row or create a child-magnet in an area that is made up of older folks who come to hear the sermon. I'm not saying that such toys are "evil" per se, just that they do tend to take the focus on Jesus and the splendid real men and women (and children) of faith in the Bible. Sometimes they are indeed evil, and it is difficult to appreciate why a parent would allow a wizard doll into a child's bag, for example. Gum, candy bars, chocolate cake, fried chicken, and soft drinks are not appropriate snacks and are guaranteed to attract unwelcome comments from people who invested in the pews or who don't like sticky hands on their backs or sugar-wired kids screaming and jumping around. Look to see what the other parents are feeding their kids for nibbles. Read an article on 'healthy snacks' on the Internet and begin practicing by feeding them to your child at home. And turn your own cell phone off when you come in.

The foregoing is just based on my personal experience, observation, research and opinion couched as helpful suggestions. I believe that our small, precious children are more vulnerable to alien influences that we often have any idea are taking place. There is ever the need to thoughtfully, compassionately, and prayerfully provide both the little ones-- and all other Church attendees-- with the safest, happiest, most reverential experience possible for them to base the rest of their spiritual journey on. Tall order, but we're up to it.

When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come to Him, He was speaking to His followers in all ages—to officers of the church, to ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing the children, and He bids us, Suffer them to come; as if He would say, They will come if you do not hinder them. ~Ellen White "The Desire of Ages" p. 517.

*thank you to German photographer Roli Seeger for the image of the baby -- found at Stock Xching.hu

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Walking Across America With Leo Schreven

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Speed-talking Leo Schreven is known in and outside Adventist circles as a motivational speaker "on steroids". The thing about Leo is that he 'walks the talk'. He gives Prophecy Seminars AND he has taught masses of people about Bible principles for a good and healthy life. He obviously lives that principled life: he is trim, energetic, active (very), sharp, and always looking for new ways to get the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ out there!

For the last year or so Leo has been using the social network media to promote his work and projects. He has the Goallpower.com site where you can download his All Power life mastery seminar, purchase his latest book called "Rich God Poor God" and donate to his pet causes, one being an effort to get 144,000 people to sign a petition (and support financially) an ad about the Sabbath in the upcoming Superbowl.

Another important project is his Walk Across America, which officially began on February 9, 2011 from Jacksonville, Florida, and will wind up a hundred days later (May 19) in San Diego where Leo will celebrate his 50th birthday. According to today's TV news coverage, this is something that Leo has had on his "bucket list" since he was a much younger guy. (I don't even remember knowing about bucket lists until very recently-- that is an indication of how far out of the highly-motivated-loop I must have been at 20! I don't honestly think I thought beyond turning 30, which seemed awfully old to me then). Leo will be answering people's questions about his lifestyle and introducing the idea to many of the wonderful Biblical principles that can lead people away from a life of bad habits, despair and disease to a lifestyle of joy and abundance.

I will be following him daily in the videos that come out... you can too!

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How To Memorize Scripture in Four Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 23:52:00 +0000

I saw a video recently with a man talking about his reasons for beginning to memorize scripture (starting with the Book of Matthew). I personally am always impressed with evangelists and pastors who can confidently spiel off a bunch of scripture related to what they are talking about. I'm also impressed with my friend's young children who have memorized a great whack of scripture in their very tender years at their Christian schools. Even if they don't fully understand what they are reciting now, they will in years to come as the Scripture comes up for them.

I wonder why it seems easier to learn "junk" stuff (i.e., the lyrics to some adolescent love-lost song, or a meandering slightly off-colour joke with a complicated punch line) and remember those same meaningless words years later? As a sixty-year old adult with a diminishing memory I find it quite difficult to remember scripture word-for-word, and its location.

It stands to reason that since the Bible is our foundation for witnessing about how Jesus changed our lives, we will want to have a good arsenal of memorized Scripture at our command. The following is the method that I am going try:

(1) I carefully read and understand the piece of Scripture that I want to memorize. Now, just as carefully and even more diligently, I memorize the location of the piece of Scripture I want to memorize.
If someone has a Bible handy (preferrably if I have a Bible handy) I can quickly look up the passage that relates to the question or the statement I want to make. And there are always people who say something like: "I don't know where it is in the Bible, but it says "such and thus""... I could be the person who knows where it says 'such and thus' in the Bible! (This might be rather tedious but effective: I will repeat the location over and over, emphasizing syllables, accenting the words in different places, writing it down, of course, with the verse it comes from.
(2) Next I will break the verse into 3 or more pieces, repeating each piece of the verse until I have it cold, and then adding on the next pieces as I repeat and learn them. (I will also add the location as I go so that it is clear how it works in there)
(3) Next I will write it out 10 or more times, including the location. And I do mean "hand" write it out... the brain-eye-hand coordination involved in handwriting is an important part of remembering what it is that I am writing, a little different than typing it out. Finally, I will transfer it onto a strip of paper and cover the paper with scotch tape or some sort of laminate, and then will punch a hole into the end and put a key ring through it. This little key ring-Bible verse will go into any pockets of clothes I wear.
(4) In effect, I will already have learned the Scripture in three steps (above). However, because my memory tends to be short and unreliable, I will now have the opportunity to reach into my pocket and go through the various memory verses when I am waiting around for something (like my computer to load a page, for the bus, etc.) This step provides some maintenance learning.

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Are You Up For The Daniel Challenge?

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:55:00 +0000

I thought that YOU might be interested in an email I got this week about an opportunity to improve your health and lifestyle with non-intrusive weekly email support over 10 weeks through something called THE DANIEL CHALLENGE. If you have read the Old Testament Book of Daniel, you will know that Daniel and his brilliant young friends, captives in Babylon, denied themselves the pleasure of eating all the rich foods and alcoholic beverages that were offered to them and instead ate "plain" vegetarian fare and drank water. And we are told that they thrived in health and were blessed physically, mentally, and even spiritually by this simple regimen. You can read more below and join THE DANIEL CHALLENGE yourself:

We are preparing to launch a weekly e-newsletter for The Daniel Challenge

Hi! This is Jared from The Daniel Challenge. We want to welcome you to our growing group of people taking back their health, and you signed up for our list via The Daniel Challenge Website in the past few months.

We look forward to keeping you posted about interesting and important news, updates, recipes, testimonials and more. Below is a video by the author of 'The China Study', it is an amazing look into the most cutting edge research coming out of the scientific world. I hope you enjoy. Also, please send us your testimonials so that we can feature them on the site for others to be encouraged by. Just yesterday, Oprah revealed that her entire staff of 378 people went vegan for a week and the results were amazing.

If you are interested in hosting a Daniel Challenge event at your school, church, or corporation, please contact us and we can share with you more about how it works. We have over 16 locations around the world beginning Daniel Challenge events in the coming weeks including Harvard University, Bowie State University, a number of churches as well as an event in Johannesburg, South Africa.

We look forward to seeing the results you are about to experience...

Be in Good Health,
The Daniel Challenge

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Suggestions on How To Read the Old Testament in Four Months

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:20:00 +0000

I have a very busy dear friend, new to the faith, who wants to read the Old Testament through in the next four months prior to heading off to ARME Bible Camp.

Here are some suggestions on how she (and you, perhaps) can achieve this reading of the OT in less than a year (gleaned from the Internet, of course). You will not be doing much "in depth" study but it will be a survey of the panarama that is God's Holy Word, an introduction that can be built upon later when the actual bible study (read: digging for Gold) begins. My friend has already devoured the New Testament. The Old Testament and most of what is in it are preparations-- or and types and examples of – the things fulfilled and waiting to be fulfilled in the New Testament, so for her, reading the Old Testament will be done "in the light of" the New Testament, if you will. For example, it really makes a difference that she has read John 1:1-5 before reading Gen. 1:1-31. It helps to understand the Old Testament role of the entity that we later came to know as Jesus and how the entire physical universe was made by Him and for Him.

So, here are those suggestions on how to read the Old Testament in 4 months:

Put aside a specific time to do the reading. Don't diverge from that. Write it down as an appointment in your daytimer. Personally, I find that early morning (the 'still of the day' in our house) is a good time, but some people like to read the OT in the evening (particularly if they are also reading the NT and want to read the OT 'in the light of' of the New Testament).
Read the Old Testament in the same place every day. Being able to concentrate without interruptions and distractions is an important part of accomplishing the reading goals you might have. Getting away from the Computer is not a bad thing (lest you be tempted to check your email or Facebook :) )
Have your printed reading schedule on a clipboard with blank pages for notes under the schedule. Check off what you have read as you go (don't forget to do this: when you have a high pace you might end up re-reading books and verses and getting behind schedule because of that).
Have your Concordance, dictionary, etc. close-by in your special reading spot.
Ask the Holy Spirit to be with you as you read, to provide understanding and discernment.
Reading out loud can be helpful if you are having difficulty keeping on track (find yourself reading the same sentence over and over)
Listen to the Bible read aloud (such as the KJV by actor Max McLean at Bible Gateway) This might be most useful if you follow along in your Bible as Max reads. If you miss a day of reading, this might be one way to catch up gracefully.
Form a group with others who want to read the Old Testament with a similar completion goal. As long as there are two of you present, Jesus is present, and you can take turns reading aloud. The Old Testament is steeped in the culture of the time, and reading it in a non-contemporary English version can be a challenge on its own. You might want to refer to the Bible Commentaries or Patriarchs and Prophets and Prophets and Kings after you have done your daily readings.
Read from a Children's or Youth's Bible for a clearer, more expressive story. Read from more than one version of the Bible.
You might want to build in some movies or plays or music tracks ("The Ten Commandments" or "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", for example). While there might be some of the culture of the time depicted in a useful way, there will also be a lot of discrepancy that you will notice if you have read the corresponding Bible stories.
Start today. If you read 15 pages of the Old Testament through each day you will complete it in 4 months. If you read for 30 minutes a day (about 200 words a minute) you will complete the reading of the Old Testament in under 4 months. Pray for guidance and perseverence! Pray for more time for study and reflection! May God bless you in your reading!

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Jesus Wept: The Bible and Human Emotions (1st Quarter Adult Sabbath School 2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 06:51:00 +0000

This quarter's Lesson Study book looks at us as 'emotional beings'-- created to have a range of emotions that make us human. We also look at the the emotional reactions that our world evoked in Jesus: "Jesus wept" (John 11:35); "...he (Jesus) looked round about them with anger" (Mark 3:5) and other examples of Jesus expressing sorrow, despair, and grief.

This quarter we learn biblical principles about how we can understand our emotions and seek power from God to "bring them under His sovereignty." We examine how various Biblical characters expressed their emotional reactions to the events in their lives. There is quite a lot we can learn from their lives that we can apply to our own.

The quarterly is authored by Dr. Julian Melgosa, the dean of the School of Education and Psychology at Walla Walla University. You can listen it in advance of Sabbath online at Amazing Facts and with the Forrest Lake Church class (through Hope TV). You can also download the lesson book online. And NOW it is also available for people who want to use their Kindle to follow along!
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Please join us in person-- or in the comfort of your own livingroom with your family-- to pray for the outpouring of the early and latter rain, for revival and reformation. 7 pm, Every Evening, January 5th to 14th, 2011 at the Comox Valley Church, 4660 Headquarters Road. See more at Operation Global Rain

SDAs Praying 24/7 For Salvation of Loved Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:57:00 +0000

Do you have a family member or a friend you want to have a loving and trusting relationship with God? I think it is fair to say that most of us Christians love someone who we just know would be happier, have peace and joy, if only they would surrender their heart unto God, or if they would return from their foray into the World, or if they would just begin reading the Bible, humble themselves and pray.

Well, a new member in our Church-- Jodie-- has followed up on her experience of having God direct her to set up a way for our loved ones to be bathed in salvation prayer for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I challenge you to swap that daily extra hour of TV, Facebook (my personal bane), texting, mall-grazing, tanbedding, gaming, over-cleaning, obsessing, ebay-ing, over-working-out (anorexia athletica)... you know your own personal addiction and/or life-wasting niche... and join up to pray for someone's life in Jesus... "Keep company with God. Get in on the best." ~Psalm 37:4 (The Message).

Come to SDAs Praying 24/7 on Facebook--> http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_107269566005754
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Seventh-day Adventist: Remember Your Name

noreply@blogger.com (Cynthia Zirkwitz) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:16:00 +0000

First Seventh-day Adventist
congregation gathered here

As Seventh-day Adventists, we have the wonderful privilege of teaching a "two-word sermon" every time we tell someone what faith community we belong to... If you haven't already heard it, please listen to this inspired message by Elder Ted Wilson, the President of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church: Remember Your Name

The following daily video devotionals are from the Revival and Reformation site:

Seeking God for Revival 2011

Devotionals

Read the Devotional for Today - Taken from Ye Shall Receive Power by Ellen G. White

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