Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

Carmichael Seventh-day Adventist Church

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

Simply Thankful

November 30, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • John 1:1–3, John 1:14

As we turn the corner from the simplicity of Thanksgiving and head toward the often chaotic preparations for Christmas, can we just stop for a bit and take a breath? Ahhhh, yes, not just a breath of air, but a breath of God...the Spirit of God and His real presence among us rather than the presents around us. Over the remaining weeks before Christmas I'm going to focus on celebrating the very basic reality of the incarnation...the birth of the Christ...the ultimate Gift of God. You are going to hear me refer to the simplicity of the message and the simple testimony we can share with those we interact with on a daily basis. I'll explain more about the concept of simply sharing what God has revealed to us as individuals in my message this Sabbath. I am praying that as a church and as individuals we might deliberately make time to center our minds on what Jesus might want to say to us this Christmas.

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

December 14, 2024 • Pastor Benji Ferguson • Galatians 4:4–7

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

December 7, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Psalm 8:3–4

Take the time for a few minutes to put away the hustle and bustle of preparations and navigating the highways and the aisles and just consider the vastness of God and all of his creation! Where does God dwell? How does he occupy his time? It is so hard to imagine that God could actually be interested in my small broken life...but he is! God sent his Son to rescue me from this dark world and then to literally live within my heart...and your heart...all at the same time. That is pretty hard to wrap my poor addled brain around. This Christmas, as we encircle the tree with our gifts, may we unwrap the Gift with the tag that reads, "From God, with Love"! And, even more, may we open the gift and wear the covering with joy, and then find someone who needs to know that the same gift is waiting for them to open. Merry Christmas!

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

November 23, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Esther 4:14–16

We are certainly living in a time of political uncertainty not only on a national level, but as we look at the global picture as well. I'm writing this a week before our national elections. Obviously, at this time I have no idea how things are going to have turned out on November 5 or whenever they get it settled. Additionally I read of North Korean soldiers in Russian uniforms heading toward Ukraine. Add to that the continually unsettled drama in the Middle East and we have plenty to be concerned about if we choose to focus on that. As a Christian I don't feel that I am called to weigh in with opinions regarding any of these issues. I would ask that we simply be a people of prayer, even to the point of fasting, and speak up with a confident message of hope...hope that leads to assurance...based on the promises that we have in God's Word. I believe with all my heart that God has given us a Messiah and a message for such a time as this!