71 King Street Hamilton, Victoria. Bulletin & News. Sabbath November 7th, We WELCOME you to our Worship Services Today

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1 Issue No. 228 Taking the Three Angel s Messages to the whole world King Street Hamilton, Victoria Bulletin & News Sabbath November 7th, 2015 We WELCOME you to our Worship Services Today Song Service Sabbath School Church Service 9:45 am 10:00 am 11:30 am Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [ Romans 9:21 ]

2 ~ Upcoming Dates & Announcements ~ Welcome - We welcome Neil Donelan to the pulpit today for Sabbath praise and worship. May God bless you and lead you in His truth always. Next Prayer Meeting - November 18th 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, Grangeburn Office Supplies staff, 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. A Special Prayer Request for François Mother - who is currently very ill. Please pray for her recovery and healing. Also for François to have the strength to endure these times. Believe with all your heart and petition God for His intervention and healing power. May His glory fall upon her and make her whole Building Fund - Today 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. Combined Lunch - There is a combined lunch today after the divine service. All are welcome to join us for a light meal and fellowship. There will also be combined lunches on the following dates this month: November 14, and 28th. Visitor s Day - We are planning a special Visitor's Day for Sabbath November 14th. Please keep this date in mind and invite visitors and friends to this special open day. Communion Service - Our next communion service will be on Sabbath, November the 21st. Please prepare your hearts for this special time with Jesus. Recipe Club - On November 24th is the next and final recipe club meeting for the year and our breakup party. Each member is asked to bring a dish (something vegetarian/vegan and healthy), together with the recipe. If you want to, you can replicate something demonstrated during the year. If you wish to pre-order the 2015 recipe booklets, please see Lynette or Shaun. The recipe booklets will be $5 each, covering the 2015 recipe demonstrations and 2015 breakup party. These booklets will be available in early Please come along for a great evening and do bring your friends. 2

3 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 at least three times a day, morning, noon, and night and may God bless you. BEWARE OF SCAMMERS - Council has been made aware of people operating in the Hamilton area door-knocking and claiming to have Council permission to inspect properties and roofs. These people are not Council staff nor do they have permission to doorknock or undertake works. Please be alert and exercise caution when opening your door to unidentified strangers! ~ Memory Verse ~ A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; [ Psalms 103:1-3 ] ~ Bible Promises ~ The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. ( Psalms 145:9 ) ~ Reflections ~.. The city, New Jerusalem shone in the heavens as the sun lights our world. The gate, a single solitary pearl of great stature opened before me revealing a path of pure gold, transparent as fine glass. I walked upon the streets gazing at the wondrous sights that surrounded me. I couldn't speak; but my surroundings shone with righteousness and our Creator s majesty; And then I saw the King... 3 [ THE DREAM ]

4 LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONFIRMS BRAIN HEALTH BENEFITS FROM EATING DARK CHOCOLATE In addition to improving cardiovascular health, dark chocolate can also help with learning and memory. October 28, 2015 Loma Linda, California, United States Susan Onuma A Loma Linda University research team, led by Lee Berk, DrPH, has confirmed that the consumption of dark chocolate (cacao) benefits brain health. Berk presented these findings earlier during the 45 th annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago, Illinois. ~ Adventist News Network ~ The research team s initial studies [istock Photo] have shown that absorbed cacao flavonoids penetrate and accumulate in the brain regions associated with learning and memory, resulting in nerve-altering and protective proteins that promote nerve cell growth, increase brain function and brain communication, improve blood flow and promote the formation of blood vessels in the brain and sensory systems. Cacao or dark chocolate (70 percent cacao content) is a major source of flavonoids, powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components with known processes shown to be beneficial to cardiovascular health. We have for the first time shown that there is a possible connection of neuroelectric activities that initiate the mechanisms of cacao's beneficial effects on brain reasoning and intellect, synchronization, memory, recall, mood and behavior, Berk says. He feels that neuroelectric activity initiation and modulatory control of acute and chronic action from cacao flavonoids on brain state will need further investigation, but he also senses that it is the wave of the future for assessing effects on brain state modulation by healthy chocolate. 4

5 We are tremendously excited about what these findings could potentially mean for brain health, Berk says. Cacao can regulate various levels of sensory awareness and evenly increases power spectral density (uv 2 ) of different electroencephalographic (EEG) frequencies. The most profound finding is that the EEG gamma wave band frequency which is associated with the brain s highest level of mental processing, enhanced memory and recall, and physiological benefits is the frequency that is most meaningfully increased above all other brain frequencies, Berk continues. Berk says that this study provides unbiased evidence that the EEG gamma wave band frequency (γba) is started by different cacao sensory awareness tasks ranging from prior conditioned experience to acute cacao consumption, with later modulation for brain, behavioral and physiological benefits. This may open the door for potential restorative uses of high concentration cacao (70 percent) for individuals with memory/recall or dementia and aging-related issues, he says. Further studies are in progress by Berk s research team at Loma Linda University Health to investigate these questions. ~ Adventist News Network ~ THE CHURCH'S INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION DROPS 690,000 NAMES IN MAJOR MEMBERSHIP AUDIT Leaders say with 1 million people baptized over five years, the Church is steadily growing. November 03, 2015 Miami, Florida, United States Libna Stevens / Adventist Review The Seventh-day Adventist Church s Inter-American Division surpassed its goal of baptizing at least 1 million new members over the five years, but it also removed more than 690,000 members during the first major audit of its books. The two figures, presented in a report by division executive secretary Elie Henry at ongoing division year-end meetings, represent steady evangelistic growth across the region and an aggressive plan among leaders to keep the membership books more accurate. 5

6 The Inter-American Division baptized 1,046,766 new members from January 2010 through June 2015 and removed 690,366 names from its books during an ongoing audit that began in 2012, Henry said in his secretary s report to 140 leaders attending the weeklong meetings at the division s headquarters in Miami, Florida. Membership now stands at 3,606,078, making the division the largest in the world church. Members worship in 21,179 congregations in 24 unions and 125 conferences and missions. We are dealing with more real figures of what membership looks like thanks to the hard work of most of church unions in keeping accurate numbers, Henry said. This is about being honest with ourselves and realizing that we are responsible for those who have left the church, he said. We are learning who they are so we can proceed in reaching them. A church clerk from the Central Mexican Union displays her church s records book during a training held recently in Mexico City. [Image courtesy of Elie Henry/IAD] Reaching them means connecting with them in the best possible ways, said Edgar Redondo, president of the North Colombia Union, which was the first to audit its churches. The union saw membership drop to 92,000 from the previous 167,000, a removal of 75,000 names from the books of 1,410 congregations. This was the first time in more than 40 years that the books in our churches were checked thoroughly, Redondo said. The union has identified about 30,000 names as members who left the church. Others died, moved to other regions, or simply disappeared. Redondo said the large reduction in membership caused some initial concern, but the findings have spurred local church leaders and laypeople to reach out to former members. We are determined to rescue our members who left, he said. The Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union lost about 12 percent of its membership, or 21,300 people, through the audit, but the remaining 198,000 members in 2,671 congregations are how able to befriend those who left, said the union s executive secretary, Abraham Sandoval. Our local church leaders were trained properly and were clear that auditing church 6

7 records was not about grabbing a large broom and cleaning out the books without investigating thoroughly, he said. Now we can have on-target rescue plans to reach members who have left the church because we are dealing with real numbers. Ten other unions are currently auditing its books in line with automated standards set by the Adventist world church, Henry said. The Guatemala Union has seen membership drop from 18,000 to 6,000 in one conference alone. The Dominican Union has audited 60 percent of its territory and plans to complete the process next year. But the work has been slow in some places. The Haitian Union, which has the largest membership of in the division, with more than 433,000 members, hopes to complete the auditing of its books by The lack of computers in churches across its two conferences and two missions has slowed down the process, said Pierre Caporal, executive secretary for the church in Haiti. In addition, many church records were lost in a 2010 earthquake. Caporal said Haiti s final membership figures could be larger than the current numbers once the auditing is completed. Most of our 1,046 churches and congregations have two services every Sabbath, and some even three, and they are packed to the max, he said. So looking at the crowded churches tells us that there could be more members than what we have had in our figures. Gerson Santos, associate secretary of the Adventist world church, encouraged attendees not to be discouraged by a shortage of pastors and stressed that more church members should become actively involved in sharing the gospel in their communities. He underscored that the audits were good for local churches. If more people are registered in the books than show up in church, then the church is dying, he said. But if you have more people in your pews, your church is growing. ~ God s Little Book of Prayer ~ HE CAN DO IT One of the qualities of God is that He is immutable. He does not change, hence His mighty acts that were performed for others in the Bible. He is more than capable of doing for you today, what He did in Bible times. [ Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6 ] 7

8 ~ Keep The Faith Ministries ~ WCC COLLABORATES WITH VATICAN ON CLIMATE CHANGE The World Council of Churches proclaimed a right to hope in a world threatened by climate change on April 28 by World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Rykse Tveit at the Vatican. Climate change makes crystal clear what kind of change is needed for a sustainable future, he said. Humanity has a right to hope, the right to a future, a right to life itself. No power on earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity and for life in just and sustainable communities. Tveit was part of the high-level invitees at the Vatican event, along with other religious leaders, academics, scholars and policy makers. The meeting emphasized the role of religious leaders in promoting climate justice. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, who also participated in the conference, said, Religious leaders, we the peoples need your moral leadership to address climate change. Echoing the pope, Tveit said, [Churches in the past] did not question the unsustainable development path of industrialized societies with the reckless consumption of natural resources and the ever growing use of fossil fuels. We have to acknowledge these sins of the past in order to be credible today, Tveit said. We have called for actions, for a just and binding treaty among the nations to commit the nations of the world to change, Tveit added. The churches connected to the ecumenical movement are being quickly drawn into supporting the papal push for protection of the climate. They are being encouraged to fight for a global government to defend the climate. All the world wondered after the beast, Revelation 13:3 Source Reference: WCC takes part in Vatican climate change meeting 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 ) Man s Conscience Is Free God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan's constant resort to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce is compulsion by cruelty. Through fear or force he endeavours to rule the conscience and to secure homage to himself. To accomplish this, he works through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God. {DD 35.1} Those who honour the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law will present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil authorities as ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of justice, commandment keepers will be misrepresented and condemned. A false colouring will be given to their words; the worst construction will be put upon their motives. {DD 35.2} ~ Further Reading ~ Matthew 8:1-4; 14-17; 9:1-8; Mark 1:21-2:12; Luke 4:31-5:26; The Desire of Ages pp: November 24th

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 ~ Adorned With Divine Loveliness One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4 Exalted powers are within the reach of every one. Under God's supervision, a man may have an uncorrupted, sanctified, elevated, ennobled mind. Through the grace of Christ, man's mind is qualified to love and glorify God, the Creator. The Lord Jesus came to our world to represent the Father.... Christ was the express image of His Father's person; and He came to our world to restore in man God's moral image, in order that man although fallen, might through obedience to God's commandments become enstamped with the divine image and character. God wants children to be lovely, not with artificial adornment, but with beauty of character, the charms of kindness and affection, which will make their hearts bound with joy and happiness. Girls should be taught that the true charm of womanliness is not alone in beauty of form or feature, nor in the possession of accomplishments; but in a meek and quiet spirit, in patience, generosity, kindness, and a willingness to do and suffer for others. They should be taught to work, to study to some purpose, to live for some object, to trust in God and fear Him, and to respect their parents. Then as they advance in years, they will grow more pureminded, self-reliant, and beloved. It will be impossible to degrade such a woman. She will escape the temptations and trials that have been the ruin of so many. Christ was sent as our pattern and shall we not show that we have all His love and kindness and... charms? And the love of Jesus Christ will take possession of our characters and our lives, and our conversation will be holy and we will dwell on heavenly things. (Sons and Daughters of God Ellen G White - page 318) 11

12 ~ Sabbath Services ~ Service This Week Next Week November 7th November 14th Divine Service Neil Donelan Pastor Justin Bone Sabbath School Peter Tung Pastor Justin Bone ~ Sunset Times ~ Sunset Sabbath (Tonight) 8:12 pm DST Sunset Next Friday 8:19 pm DST ~ Church Offering ~ This Week: Local Church Budget Special Offering: Church Building Fund Next Week: WMB General (Global Mission) ~ Church Cleaning ~ November 8th November 21st 2015 Tung Family November 22nd December 5th 2015 Roberts Family ~ Garden Maintenance ~ November 8th November 21st 2015 Peter Tung November 22nd December 5th 2015 Peter Roberts ~ Church Website ~ Website : Hamilton.sda.church@gmail.com - Contact Details - Pastor Justin Bone