Weekly Bulletins

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

May 4, 2024 • Bobby Peña • Jeremiah 10:12–13

I love the hymn, “I Surrender All.” It’s a beautiful song and a message we easily sing. But how often do we stop to think about what we’re really singing in that hymn? Are we saying that we’ll surrender some things, or the easy things, the things we choose? No, we are declaring that we are surrendering all. All, everything, all of it…..to God. It makes me think of the line, “don’t say it if you don’t mean it.” For us to fully surrender to God it means we have to fully trust in who God is, the power of God, the almighty-ness God. It means our view, our perspective has to be of a God that can move mountains, a Big God, the biggest, the one and only true God. Do we have that perspective of God? Or do we (at least sometimes) have a view of God that is less than that? Maybe our perspective is of a little God that really can’t handle it all, that we think might not be worthy of surrendering all. That we think we have to help along. I think He is that Big God, and I think He’s proven it over and over again. Let’s take a look. Think about it and we’ll see you on Sabbath as we dive into it together.

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

April 27, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • John 15:5–8

Trees are majestic! I love to visit the Redwoods or the Sequoia forests. Some of them are just amazing to gaze at, or to sit beneath and feel so small. Then there are the giants that have fallen and exposed their root systems and I am even more entranced. As much as I love to look at the tallest and broadest trees I am. somehow humbled when I see the massive root system that has held them in place and provided them with nourishment, sometimes through centuries of time. The church is sometimes compared to a tree. It is a tree that is to bear fruit, but that only happens if we rely upon the roots for life and support. Only as we are securely connected to the vine and to the Root can we have life. We need to feed that which gives us life.

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

April 20, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Psalm 24:3–6

Jesus often talks about how He wants to live with us, and literally live in us. He wants to be IN our house, that is IN my heart and mind. Then He tells us that He has gone to prepare a place for us so that we might soon live with Him...in His house and in His presence. Personally, I can't wait for that day. This world is truly not my home, as much as I love family and nature and all the good things God has provided for me here. In the midst of all the beauty here I see daily so much pain and fear and hatred. I see a world that is broken and often appearing very dark. But then I am reminded of the words of David when he declared that even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with me and have no need to fear. The promise is that I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Never forget!

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

April 13, 2024 • Pastor Benji Ferguson • Proverbs 19:20–23

As I was looking for what I'd want to talk about this week I'm going to be leaning into my Youth Pastor role. It's a natural place for me. Right now I'm thinking about our senior class at church. I'm also thinking about all of our College students who are about to graduate. I'm thinking about the interviews that happen at the school and the decisions leadership must make there. Our Ministry development committee met this week and so I'm thinking about the leadership transitions we are making in our different ministries here at the church. This seems to be a season of decision making for a lot of people. 

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

April 6, 2024 • Ingrid Wray

This is Ingrid Wray's story of her mother's amazing courage, but even more, her amazing faith in the God who guides us even in the valley of the shadow of death. Try to imagine the challenges a young mother, who by the age of 24 has already had four girls and has lost one of them to illness in a refugee camp. She is then forced to take the remaining three girls, gather a few clothes and documents and flee on a horse drawn wagon for six months to avoid the Russian armies. Later, reunited with her POW husband the family is able to settle near Berlin and build their own home, but a few years later they are forced to escape from East Germany as political refugees. The youngest daughter, only eleven years old, has to be the last one to leave the home and must find her way across the border to West Germany on her own.

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

March 30, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Mark 16:1–3

The resurrection...is everything! We think of the crucifixion and Jesus taking the weight of the world's sins upon Himself and providing atonement for us and we bow down and worship Him, as we should! But, the crucifixion, without the resurrection, brings no hope. He's alive! As a result we have more than a hope. We have a promise not only of eternal life some day, but the reality of a living Savior in our world today with His living Spirit literally within us. Yes, we have this Hope that burns within our heart...hope in the coming of the risen Lord!

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

March 23, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • John 9:39–41

Have you ever written something, perhaps a whole article or even a book, and then gone back to edit it? I find that i am my own worst editor. Why? Because as I look back over what I have written I find that too often I see what I intended to write, rather than what's actually on the page. Do we often read Scripture the same way? We are familiar with the story. We know our teachings! Do we read His Word each time with new eyes, ready to see something we missed before? Let's not get so caught up in what we "know" that we miss the miracle He wants to show us!

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

March 16, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Matthew 25:31–36

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment...the one that all the law hangs on...is that we would love Him with everything we've got and then turn around and love our neighbors like we would want to be loved. And so, we distribute clothing to the homeless and we operate a Food Bank and we do other community service projects that we can hide behind. But how often to we personally engage our neighbors? How easily to we personally connect with some who are not so easy to love? And, how willing are we to really connect with our youth and show them that we truly do love them? The message this week is, "Where's Waldo?"

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

March 9, 2024 • Pastor Pedro M Trinidad • Matthew 6:31–33

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

March 2, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Acts 2:17–18

I think we have a problem in many churches today. It's in all denominations and in most churches. The problem is our youth. I'm not talking about their behavior or their music or any other topic that you may think of. I'm talking about their involvement in our churches. We think we're doing them a favor when we let them lead some music (within our parameters) or read the Scripture or take up the offering. The problem arises when they want to actually be involved in leading the church. The biggest challenge comes when they want to change something and that makes us very nervous. I wonder if God would allow them to lead.  

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

February 24, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • John 4:13–14

There are so many stories in the Bible that we know so well that we don't really look at the whole story and its message. Its like trying to edit your own work. You miss needed corrections because you read what you intended to say, rather than what you actually wrote. In today's story I want us to truly embrace the fear and the discomfort of this broken woman as she is forced to face her own greatest need. Then perhaps go take a long look in the mirror as you pray for guidance.         

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

February 17, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • John 20:19–20

So often in my devotional thoughts I think of the disciples just before and just after the crucifixion. What all must have been going through their minds? Their anxiety levels must have been off the charts. We worry so much about things we don't understand. Waiting for a diagnosis is far harder than dealing with whatever the results are. And then, just try to imagine, in the midst of your fear, Jesus simply appears by walking through the wall. Today we'll look at three examples of Jesus calming them with the simple word, "Peace," but always followed by something that they desperately need for the future. Pastor Marvin

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

February 10, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • John 17:1–3

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

February 3, 2024 • Pastor Pedro Trinidad • Psalm 103:1–5

Carmichael SDA Church Bulletin

January 27, 2024 • Pastor Marvin Wray • Matthew 26:20–22