Here’s our bulletin for tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving Orangevale friends! 

I found a recent saying that I would like to share, written by Catherine Pulsifer – “Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have”.  We are blessed as a church for stability and loving relationships. Each of you has special gifts and I, as your pastor (and on behalf of our elder team) would like to tell you how grateful I am for your talents!

Here is a special note of encouragement from those who organized the coat drive for Afghan children:

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“We distributed 350 coats and clothes at our very first winter clothing event this weekend! 

Over 50 families will be warm their first winter in the US thanks to our enthusiastic crew of volunteers, who set up our shop and helped our newcomers find the perfect coats and outfits to bundle up in, and VSP Global, Orangevale SDA Food and Clothes Closets,  Monterey Trail High School, and Fly Brave Foundation, who supported our event with their generous contributions of financial gifts, coats, and clothing.

We appreciate everyone for giving our newcomers a loving welcome by providing what they need to be comfortable this winter.”

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As we celebrate this season of gratefulness, I encourage you to appreciate even the smallest of ‘simple things’ and realize how much you are appreciated. As Galatians 6:9 reminds us, ‘So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.’ 

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving week!

Pastor Jon

We are so grateful for Angela Barbuta and the wonderful Thanksgiving videos she’s making for us each week.

 

Here’s our one from Nov 13.  We will be streaming a new one tomorrow.

 

Happy Sabbath, Orangevale.

 

We just finished up our second Baptismal Bible study for 5th-8th grade (due to a busy schedule it’s ended up being 9 boys).  We’ve had a great two sessions so far and we’ll be adding one for 5th-8th grade girls and hopefully one for all 4th graders interested after Thanksgiving break. I’m thankful for these students and their desire to follow Jesus day by day.

 

We continue reflecting on developing a heart filled with gratitude.  I came across an article by Bruce Feiler about gratitude.   You can find it in it’s entirety here: https://brucefeiler.bulletin.com/4528058667283313/

 

In this piece he talks about his family’s tradition of going around the Thanksgiving Table and sharing one thing they are each grateful for.  I have a suspicion that a lot of our families already make this a practice, but if you don’t, why not consider starting this as a new tradition.

 

Just the process alone teaches us to: wait our turn, listen to others, and be creative (the easy responses are quickly used and the farther around the table you are from the start, the more creative you have to be.)

 

Tomorrow I will share how Paul models gratitude in the first letter to the Thessalonians.  I hope to see you then.

 

Pastor Jon

 

Here is the bulletin for tomorrow.

 

Church family and friends,

It’s been fun this week, spending time with our Orangevale school kids daily for Week of Spiritual Emphasis.  As I’ve been sharing stories each day, one theme that has come out is the importance of ‘waiting’.  A phone call was a great example.  If you have a student, ask them about the phone!

Some people weren’t willing to wait a few minutes.  Some people were rewarded after waiting hours and some after waiting weeks.

Here is a great promise found in Isaiah:

Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)

Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

I hope that you’ll join us for Friday night vespers and a Sabbath worship thought to conclude our Week of Spiritual Emphasis. We will be continuing our focus on Gratitude and tie in our themes from this week. We hope to see you and your family.

Pastor Jon

Family and Friends, what a joy to be a part of such a wonderful church & school family. I’m thankful to our church volunteer, Angela, who is helping to capture your stories of gratefulness on video. Please join me starting this Sabbath as we are encouraged by messages of gratefulness from your family and friends. You’ll want to make sure that you catch our ‘Grateful Video’.

Last week, I blogged about ‘grumbling’ and the impact on our psyche. This sabbath, join our guest speaker, Norma Nashad as she shares a message entitled “Why care for an Orphan”.  She will share God’s heart for the orphan.  She will also have signed books available that tell her story, how God has cared for her and has given her a ministry for orphans. Come to be immersed in real and heartfelt stories that beg for prayer and Jesus’ leading. Come as we envision gratefulness from the eyes of an orphan. 

It’s great to worship together, online and in person! Welcome!!!

Pastor Jon 

Family and friends, join us this Sabbath as we continue our series on gratitude. What is gratitude? Last week, I asked if you have a short story or experience of gratitude to share.

 

This Sabbath, we celebrate Communion and turn our hearts toward Christ with great thankfulness. On November 13, we will continue our series on gratitude with a story on that gratitude killer — grumbling!

Consider a story that happened recently to my wife. Some of you may have heard this from the pulpit, but it’s worth sharing again.

 

She started out with an average few days on a recent work trip. The day of departure was laden with meetings that went in overtime along with long wait times for Ubers and airport security. When finally arriving just in time to the gate, she was directed to a shuttle en route to a smaller terminal. Finally, in line at the new gate, she was tired, hungry, hot, and ready to ‘grumble.’ Looking up, she saw an older man hobbling toward the line from afar. He was struggling to get there. As he got closer, he made eye contact and walked up directly to my wife. He looked at her and said, “I have been following you since before the shuttle; you dropped your watch in the other terminal. Here it is…” He turned around and slowly made his way to the shuttle and his flight in the other terminal. Tears came to my wife’s eyes, overcome with gratitude. She realized the power of grumbling.

 

Let’s practice gratitude. I look forward to seeing you this Sabbath and will watch for your stories of gratitude!