71 King Street Hamilton, Victoria. Bulletin & News. Sabbath October 24th, We WELCOME you to our Worship Services Today

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1 Issue No. 226 Taking the Three Angel s Messages to the whole world King Street Hamilton, Victoria Bulletin & News Sabbath October 24th, 2015 We WELCOME you to our Worship Services Today Song Service Sabbath School Church Service 9:45 am 10:00 am 11:30 am "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise" (Jeremiah 17:14, NKJV)

2 ~ Upcoming Dates & Announcements ~ Welcome - We welcome Peter Tung to the pulpit today and Lynette for Sabbath praise and worship. May God bless you and lead you in His truth always. Food Safety Training for Churches - Thankyou to all our members who attended the training course and to the Horsham church members who also attended. Certificates will be mailed to either the church clerk or to your private address, depending on what you indicated on the test. Next Prayer Meeting - November 4th at 5pm Please join us each fortnight for prayer and a short Bible study. Let s always keep the communication channels to heaven open. Prayer Request - Please continue to pray for Rosemary Barker, Norman Tyack, John & Gloria Tyack, Suzi, Russell Wareham, Trevor Aisbett, Roger Pearce, Peter Tyzack and family, Maria and John Franjic, Simon Novak, The Recipe Club, Trevor from the fish shop, Barbara Trimnell from recipe club, Francois s mother and the young people searching for Christ in our town. Please give thanks to God for our answered and unanswered prayers as well. Week of Prayer - Our week of prayer this year will be from this Sabbath October 24th til next Sabbath October 31st. Please organize small groups for prayer during this special week, whether by phone, Skype or gathering. Let s make this Week of Prayer count! Recipe Club - On October 27th is this month s recipe club meeting and Pastor Justin Bone will be demonstrating and giving a short health talk for the evening. Please come along and do bring your friends. Building Fund - On the first Sabbath of each month there will be a special offering collected for the building fund. This is to allow for the proposed works on the church building in the near future. Please dig deep and help support your local church. Communion Service - Our next communion service will be on Sabbath, November the 21st. Please prepare your hearts for this special time with Jesus. Visitor s Day - We are planning a special Visitor's Day for Sabbath November 14th. Visitor s day will feature a special musical item and an afternoon program. Please keep this date in mind and invite visitors and friends to this special open day. Prayer Vigilance - Do you know someone that needs prayer? If you do, then pray for them every day. Be consistent and bring your petition before God on their behalf. This prayer week, choose someone to pray for and pray for them 2

3 at least three times a day, morning, noon, and night and may God bless you. Combined Lunch - There will be a combined lunch on Sabbath, November 7th, 14, and 28th. ~ Further Reading ~ Ezra 1-6; Prophets and Kings pp: ~ Memory Verse ~ Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. [ Isaiah 1:18 ] ~ Bible Promises ~ The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. [ Psalms 34:7 ] ~ A Moment s Contemplation ~ If you have time for pleasure-seeking, you have time to seek and to serve the Lord your God. If you can read fiction and watch television, you can read the Bible truths, pray and watch diligently as your redemption draws nigh. 3 [ Anonymous ]

4 ~ Adventist News Network ~ ADVENTISTS UNDER FIRE FOR SABBATH AS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM SHRINKS WORLDWIDE A new Adventist Church survey of more than 220 countries finds cause for concern. Posted October 19, 2015, By Bettina Krause Seventh-day Adventists face challenges observing the Sabbath in nearly every corner of the Earth as religious freedoms grow increasingly restrictive and less stable worldwide, according to a new Adventist Church study. The 2015 Religious Freedom World Report uses the church s vantage point as a religious minority in many countries to assess how far and effectively governments are protecting religious freedom around the globe, the Seventh-day Adventist Church s public affairs and religious liberty department said Monday as it released the country-by-country report of 223 countries and territories. The report documents Sabbath-keeping difficulties experienced by Adventist students or employees in most world regions and in countries as diverse as Bangladesh, Belarus, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Romania, Russia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The 2015 Religious Freedom Adventists and other people of faith live World Report is also available as under particularly onerous conditions in a PDF (see the link at the end of many Central Asian countries and in places with the presence of strong religious fundamentalism, whether Hindu, Buddhist, or Islamic, the report says. Today, millions of people are suffering in many parts of the world, Ganoune Diop, director of the church s public affairs and religious liberty department, said in an introduction to the report. These are men and women who deliberately choose to remain loyal to their beliefs rather than compromise their conscience. Diop said the report, the ninth produced by the church since 1999, reveals international trends that are far from encouraging. 4

5 In spite of an unprecedented global mobilization to promote religious freedom, the state of religious freedom in the world remains bleak, he said. Recent data collected by the Adventist Church as well as by other watchdog agencies point to a global religious freedom landscape with more restrictions and less stability. Even more sobering, Diop said, is a rapidly growing threat by socalled non-state actors such as terror organizations and militia groups in many regions. The World Report is unique in that it brings a distinctly Adventist perspective to reporting on religious freedom issues. Each country s entry includes a political and social overview, a survey of relevant law, an analysis of religious freedom protection in practice, and a summary of the Adventist Church s recent experience within that jurisdiction. Diop said the World Report aims to document and highlight ongoing challenges and to affirm the Adventist Church s long-standing recognition of religious freedom as a foundational human right that undergirds all other freedoms. In past years, the World Report has been cited in a number of international reports, including those produced by the United Nations Human Rights Commission and the U.S. State Department. This year s World Report is available online as a PDF at irla.org/world-report-2015.pdf. Two Reader responses Just for thought provoking... * It is difficult for me to see how we, as a people, can hold the Sabbath in such reverence as to die rather than desecrate it's hours in the future when at this time we have so diluted it's sacredness that Sweet Tomatoes restaurants have their busiest time on Sabbath afternoons, post-service times. That is citing just one compromise that we seem to have accommodated in the last fifty years. There are many, many more. How will we stand as Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego if we refuse to take such a stand now? To whom do we show loyalty? * We also need to ask ourselves personally where each one of us has grown slack, not only in Sabbath-keeping, but in other areas as well. I think of the recent shootings in Roseberg, OR. If we had had a gun pointed at us, and would have known that we were facing certain death for replying that we were a Christian, would we have said yes? A very, very sobering thought! 5

6 The Adventist Review shares the following world news from Religion News Service as a service to readers. Opinions expressed in these reports do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Review or the Seventh-day Adventist Church. -- Editors US, CANADIAN DENOMINATIONS TO SIGN MUTUAL RECOGNITION PACT The churches will recognize each others members, ministers, and sacraments. Posted October 15, 2015, ~ Adventist News Network ~ BY ADELLE M. BANKS 2015 Religion News Service Two of North America s most liberal Protestant church groups have teamed up and agreed to recognize each other s members, ministers and sacraments. The United Church of Christ and the United Church of Canada will celebrate their full communion agreement on Oct. 17 at a church in Niagara Falls. Leaders from the two denominations will sign the agreement during the service. Full communion means the two denominations will recognize each other s members, ordained ministers and sacraments. The Rev. Karen Georgia A. Thompson, ecumenical and interfaith officer of the United Church of Christ, said the ceremony s location near the Canadian-U.S. border symbolizes the groups desire to work together. It shows unity through international lines, she said. Both church groups have been supportive of social justice work, ordination of women and inclusion of LGBT people. The United Church of Canada, the country s largest Protestant denomination, has recently been embroiled in a controversy over a suburban Toronto pastor who is an atheist. Leaders of the Canadian church are reviewing the ordination of Rev. Gretta Vosper, author of With or Without God, and her supporters have mounted a letterwriting and fundraising campaign. The United Church of Canada has about 3 million members in more than 3,500 congregations. The United Church of Christ has close to 1 million members, with 5,100 U.S. churches. 6

7 ~ Keep The Faith Ministries ~ BRITAIN TO CONFRONT NON-VIOLENT EXTREMISM The British home secretary, Theresa May, has vowed to systematically confront and challenge extremist ideology. She said the government is creating new counterextremism curbs on those who spread hate. But she also said that non-violent extremism would not go uncontested because in the past it led to the erosion of women s rights, the spread of intolerance and bigotry and the separation of some communities from the mainstream. She said the new laws would govern neo-nazi ideology as well as Islamist doctrine. We will systematically confront and challenge extremist ideology, exposing it for the lie it is. And we will thwart its destructive consequences, she continued. We will disrupt all those who seek to spread hate and we will prosecute all those who break the law. Those who are deemed to be radical preachers will be banned from posting material online and anyone convicted of extremist activity will be barred from working with children. And for those deemed to be a threat, there will be required deradicalization classes. While Muslim leaders warned that the strategy risks alienating Muslims, the new laws and regulations will eventually target those who are labelled radical because they teach the Bible principles concerning other religions. Islamic radicalism is used as the reason to legitimize new laws that will eventually target those who preach the Bible s teaching concerning false worship of any kind. While the new measures include upgrading schools and public institutions to make sure they are adequately protected, investigation into the use of Sharia law in the UK, tougher powers the broadcasting regulator to take down television and radio channels that include extremist content, and insist that internet service providers do more to remove extremist material and identify those responsible for it, the measures also include closure orders for premises used to support extremism, extremism disruption orders to stop individuals from engaging in extremist behaviour. Imagine the British government closing down Christian churches and schools and blocking Christian content on the internet, radio and television in the name of preventing extremism. While it doesn t seem likely at the moment, but those who preach the Bible principles on same-sex relationships, give the fullness of the three angels messages including the call to come out of Babylon, would likely be considered to be extremists. 7

8 Needless to say the Muslim Council of Britain was highly critical of the plans, saying the government was using a misguided conveyer-belt theory analysis that conflates terrorism with subjective notions of extremism and Islamic practices. The strategy will reinforce perceptions that all aspects of Muslim life must undergo a compliance test to prove our loyalty to this country, said Dr. Shuja Shafi, the secretary of the Council. He added that the measures would be seen as a means to address the anxieties of a minority of people against Muslims and their religious life rather than the scourge of terrorism itself. The Labour party criticized Mr. Cameron, the Prime Minister for implying earlier this year that the whole Muslim community quietly condones extremism. Freedom of speech is now under assault in the name of fighting terrorism and extremism at least in Britain. Non-violent extremism could eventually expand and cross over to take in those that believe and teach the Bible, particularly as it relates to Revelation 14:6-12 and Revelation 18:1-4. Giving the last warning message from the Bible could easily land one in difficulty with the British authorities. Source Reference: Counter-extremism: May targets all those who spread hate ~ Solution to Last Week s Quizzle ~ Who am I? : - My name is Gabriel; October 27th 2015 HAMILTON CHURCH WEBSITE Website: Church Hamilton.sda.church@gmail.com Facebook: Mobile App: 8

9 ~ From the Spirit of Prophecy - Think About: ~ Darkness Before Dawn by (E.G. White) The Impending Conflict (chapter 6, pages ) The Road to Ruin Through spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith; but at the same time he works as a destroyer. His temptations are leading multitudes to ruin. Intemperance dethrones reason; sensual indulgence, strife, and bloodshed follow. Satan delights in war, for it excites the worst passions of the soul and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another, for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God. {DD 33.2} Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. It is God that shields His creatures and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. But the Christian world have shown contempt for the law of Jehovah; and the Lord will do just what He has declared that He would He will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same. Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. He will favour and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them. {DD 33.3} While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast. "The earth mourneth and fadeth away," "the haughty people... do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." Isaiah 24:4, 5. {DD 33.4} 9

10 ~ For The Kids ~ We are continuing our journey through the letters of the alphabet. What other Bible things can you think of that begin with this letter? 10

11 ~ Weekly Devotional ~ The Hungry and Thirsty Shall Be Filled Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God; and "God is love." It is conformity to the law of God; for "all thy commandments are righteousness;" and "love is the fulfilling of the law." Righteousness is love, and love is the light and the life of God. The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ. We receive righteousness by receiving Him. Not by painful struggles or wearisome toil, not by gift or sacrifice, is righteousness obtained; but it is freely given to every soul who hungers and thirsts to receive it.... No human agent can supply that which will satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. But Jesus says: "... I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." As we need food to sustain our physical strength, so do we need Christ, the bread from heaven, to sustain spiritual life, and impart strength to work the works of God. As the body is continually receiving the nourishment that sustains life and vigour, so the soul must be constantly communing with Christ, submitting to Him, and depending wholly upon Him. As the weary traveller seeks the spring in the desert, and, finding it, quenches his burning thirst, so will the Christian thirst for and obtain the pure water of life, of which Christ is the fountain.... We need not seek to quench our thirst at shallow streams; for the great fountain is just above us, of whose abundant waters we may freely drink, if we will rise a little higher in the pathway of faith. The words of God are the well-springs of life. As you seek unto those living springs, you will, through the Holy Spirit, be brought into communion with Christ.... You will know that Christ is leading you; a divine Teacher is at your side. (Sons and Daughters of God Ellen G White - page 304) 11

12 ~ Sabbath Services ~ Service This Week Next Week October 24th October 31st Divine Service Week of Prayer Week of Prayer Sabbath School Peter Tung Peter Roberts ~ Sunset Times ~ Sunset Sabbath (Tonight) 7:57 pm DST Sunset Next Friday 8:04 pm DST This Week: Next Week: ~ Church Offering ~ Local Church Budget Local Church Budget ~ Church Cleaning ~ October 25th November 7th 2015 Amber Morris November 8th November 21st 2015 Tung Family ~ Garden Maintenance ~ October 25th November 7th 2015 Volunteer Needed November 8th November 21st 2015 Peter Tung ~ Church Website ~ Website : Hamilton.sda.church@gmail.com - Contact Details - Pastor Justin Bone