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Knowing the Time
Knowing the Time How important is it to know the time? From ancient sundials to the recent atomic clock, knowing the time has been one of the most important essentials to everyday life. There is another clock, however, that should draw our utmost attention. It is the great prophetic clock of Bible prophecy. In Matthew…
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Thirty-Two Years of Trial
Thirty-Two Years of Trial Thirty-two years ago, Gilbert Poole Jr. was a very different man. And, if he had been shown his future, he probably would never have believed it. Poole grew up in the backcountry of North Carolina, where the mountains rest, lazy in their blankets of grass. It was peaceful there, and some…
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Temperance Reimagined
Temperance Reimagined In 2017, the state of Michigan legalized the delivery of alcohol by mail. The following year, Michigan voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana. And then came the pandemic. Ever since early 2020, alcohol and marijuana use has been skyrocketing. Take marijuana for instance, which saw $135 million in Michigan sales in December 2021…
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Man Camp: Fighting Like Jesus
Man Camp is an annual event held at Camp Au Sable in Grayling, Michigan. This is my second time going. I can describe it in three words: fun, Fun, FUN! Everyone got matching shirts with the theme that said: How Real Men Fight. 1 Cor. 9:23-27. This was my brother Brody’s first time going to…
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Would the Community Notice Your Absence?
Would the Community Notice Your Absence? “If your church disappeared today, would anyone other than the church members even notice?” I read in December from the Adventist Community Services offering appeal. As I reflected on that question, I can truly say the answer is “yes.” But why? Why am I so confident in my church? For these reasons: This past…
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The Mission Field Comes to Ann Arbor
One chilly afternoon, Ann Arbor member Karen Yang saw Vincent, an Adventist Rwandan teen, walking with a friend to the bus stop. She pulled over to offer a ride, which they happily accepted. Vincent’s friend had just arrived from a refugee camp in Rwanda. She took them to their temporary home, a hotel, and met…
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Harbor of Hope: How One Church Lived up to Their Name
Harbor of Hope: How One Church Lived up to Their Name In 2018, health officials in Benton Harbor began noticing an alarming rise in lead poisoning cases. After performing multiple tests, the city discovered that the water system was tainted due to corrosion in the original lead water pipes. The city reached out to partner…
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Winning the Battle Against Doubt
Winning the Battle Against Doubt Some say February is the coldest month in Michigan, and I think they may be right. As a pastor, there was many a Sabbath when church leaders called me early, wondering if we should cancel services on account of the ice, bitter temperatures, or a freak blizzard. Yes, February is…
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Looking Back and Moving On
Looking Back and Moving On The 50th Year Anniversary of the First Flint Seventh-day Adventist Church became a homecoming Sabbath for many members, new and old. One hundred and twenty-five people attended the anniversary Sabbath on October 2, 2021. Most of the guests also stayed for a delicious and bountiful potluck served afterward by church volunteers. …
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One Day Getaway: Women’s Ministries Event
One Day Getaway: Women’s Ministries Event Sabbath, October 23, was a special day for over 100 women who attended the Michigan Women’s Ministries One-Day Retreat held at the beautiful Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester, Michigan. The day was brisk and occasionally rainy, but inside the large, white event tent, everyone was comfortable and anticipating the…
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ASPIRE Adds 11th Grade
ASPIRE Adds 11th Grade January 24, 2022. The Education Department is pleased to report that today, the Conference Board of Education has approved ASPIRE Academy to pursue offering 11th grade for the 2022-2023 school year and will offer the 12th grade for the 2023-2024 school year! Additional details will be provided in short order from ASPIRE Academy…
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The Gift
The Gift We give gifts for all kinds of occasions… birthdays, welcomes, farewells, weddings, baby showers, retirements, graduations, Christmas, and sometimes for no special occasion… just because! Of all the gifts you have personally received, is there any one gift that stands out in your memory? There is for me, but ironically, I didn’t receive…
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Refugee and Immigrant Ministries
Refugee and Immigrant Ministries With these large people groups comes a unique opportunity: instead of going to other countries, the mission field comes to us. Michigan is a hub for immigrants and refugees. Dearborn is home to a large Arab population, a number of Burmese have resettled in Grand Rapids, and a cluster of Laotian…
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The Turning Point
The Turning Point On September 11, 2021, Dave Fowler was baptized at the Kalamazoo church. He chose only to be baptized after a series of events showed him that the church he needed to be part of was the Adventist church. Fowler was not raised Adventist—in fact, he was a regular member of the local…
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Press Release: Alyce Blackmer Passes
Alyce Blackmer Passes Alyce Marie Blackmer went to sleep in Jesus on December 17, 2021, at the age of 60. Alyce was born in Lansing, Michigan, on January 11, 1961, the daughter of Lyle and Marion (Fuller) Lawrence. Alyce was a member of the Lansing Seventh-day Adventist Church and worked for several years in the…
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New Summer Camp Hiring Protocols
Summer Camp Hiring Process Shortly after each summer, applications and reference forms can be accessed at the Camp Au Sable website. All potential new camp staff and returning staff may apply (now) by clicking the appropriate button below. Please note the following changes in the application process:
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What Do You Fear?
What Do You Fear? There is one challenge that all of us share and that is the pandemic. What do you fear? What challenges are you facing? There is one challenge that all of us share and that is the pandemic. COVID has been the source of sorrow, pain and tears. It is also surrounded…
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David Pano Appointed As New Literature Ministries Director
David Pano Appointed As New Literature Ministries Director The Michigan Conference Executive Committee appointed Pastor David Pano to serve as the new Literature Ministries director, a position left vacant when Pastor Kamil Metz took a call to serve with the Indiana Conference. Pano was born in Bolivia and gave his life to the Lord in…
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Tithing and Spiritual Growth
“It is now time for the worship in giving portion of our service today. The offering today is for local church budget. This morning’s appeal is about a man named Johnny. Johnny recently was placed in a situation where he had to decide between being faithful to the Lord in his giving or spending his money in…
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Camp Au Sable Cooking Show Continues with Second Season
Camp Au Sable Cooking Show Continues with Second Season GRAYLING, MI—Food can change lives. It can heal, injure, make, or break someone’s health. It’s a major part of our health message, and something that our church pioneered. On that principle, the collaborative efforts of Camp Cuisine, a food ministry operated at Camp Au Sable by…