SABBATH ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS 

United Church of God, an International Association

North Canton & Youngstown, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; Wheeling, WV Congregations

SABBATH, APRIL 13, 2019

Church services this Sabbath:

Youngstown – 11 a.m.                                                                                 Wheeling – 11a.m. 

North Canton – 2 p.m.                                                                                 Pittsburgh – 2:30 p.m.

Dear brethren,

Once again we have arrived at the annual commemoration of the suffering and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the sins of all and for us. Remember, Christ died for our sins, yours and mine personally. 

God established the Day of Passover for His people to annually observe and remember the suffering and death of His Son to pay for our sins and those of all humanity.  Sin is the transgression of the law—God’s eternal, perfect law governing our conduct and relationship with God and our fellow human beings (1 John 3:4). Christ died so we could be forgiven of the death penalty incurred by our personal and collective breaking and violating that law of love. Savor the serious meanings of “…the wages of sin is death…“ (Rom. 6:23), and “…the soul that sins shall die” (Ezek. 18:4). 

It would be a truly, spiritually blind person who claimed no personal sin. That being said, the world is full of otherwise spiritually blind people—including at times—far too many times—ourselves within the Body of Christ. Our Savior (which means: one who saves) died for us and all on the annual day of Passover.  

At the original Passover, God literally “passed over” the very human, and thus sinful Israelites in ancient Egypt (read Exo. 12) when He sent the tenth of the Ten Plagues: the death of the firstborn. In due course, Jesus Christ came from the third heaven to live the perfect—sinless—human life. Then He gave His life as the just sacrifice for our sins. In fact, because as the Son of Man, Christ was also the Son of God, His sacrifice covered the sins of all the many, many billions of human beings as the history of earth unfolded and will yet unfold.

Those billions will each individually be called to the knowledge of the truth much like we few are called today—and all in God’s good time. As we prepare to keep God’s Passover this coming week, remember your calling to the truth. The world can wait a while for their calling, but we can’t!

Our time of salvation is now. Our time to repent of all our sins is now. Our time to faithfully follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God the Father is now. Our time to put sin out of our lives by overcoming it—is now! There is no so-called, second chance salvation. 

Let’s savor these next few days counting down to the Passover service and marvel at the incredible Lord and Master we follow in putting sin out of our lives during the Days of Unleavened Bread!

Keep the true faith—and spread it,

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Randy Stiver, Pastor 

Pastor’s contact information:  PO Box 1474, Massillon, OH  44648.  Home phone: 330-809-0566, cell phone: 740-739-7248. Email addresses: randy_stiver@ucg.org  or rpstiver@gmail.com (both come to the same location). For emails regarding scheduling (church events, visits or counseling), please copy my wife Linda ldstiver@gmail.com. Announcements should be sent to my email and copied to our daughter Amanda at anstiver@gmail.com as she helps process them each week.

1.    Church Circuit Calendar :  (please note three Youngstown time changes underlined)

April 12	Bible Study webcast	7:30 p.m. EST  –  How Christ & the Father Function Together (part 2)  (only Bible Study in April)  https://www.ucg.org/congregations/north-canton-oh/webcast
April 13	Sabbath	Youngstown – 11 a.m.; North Canton – 2 p.m.; Wheeling – 11 a.m.; Pittsburgh – 2:30 p.m.
April 18	Passover service	After sundown just past 8:00 p.m. in each of the four churches
April 19	Day of Passover	Night to Be Much Remembered meal just after sundown
April 20	1st Day of Unleavened Bread	Annual Sabbath/Holyday, 2:00 p.m. service for North Canton & Youngstown combined at Global Gateway, Pittsburgh & Wheeling combined at Chartiers Township Com. Ctr.
April  26	Last Day of Unleavened Bread	North Canton & Youngstown combined at Global Gateway 10:30 & 2:30 Pittsburgh & Wheeling combined at Chartiers Township CC 10:30 & 2:30
April 27	Sabbath	North Canton – 2:00; Youngstown – 11:00; Wheeling – 11:00; Pittsburgh – 2:30
May 4	Sabbath	Services webcast at 2:30 all four areas – General Conference of Elders annual meeting
May 10	Bible Study webcast	7:30 p.m. EST  –  Title to be announced  https://www.ucg.org/congregations/north-canton-oh/webcast

 

2.    LOCAL PRAYER REQUESTS: (*new or updated) – additional updates may be given during announcements at Sabbath services.

·         *Dick Walters – (North Canton):  The heart rhythm procedure went well yesterday and he will soon go to a care center for physical therapy to regain his strength. Dick, Janice and all family appreciate your prayers.

·         *Lisa Williamson (Columbus):  Thanks you for your prayers and says that her heart condition symptoms are already improving.

·         *Regina Sageti – (North Canton):  Her home nurse came to her home for a visist this week and assessed that she is doing well in recovering from her fall off her porch. Regina thanks you all for your prayers! *Late in the week Regina reported that she has developed a problem where her wrist was broken.

·         *Val Maurer for her husband Ron – (Pittsburgh): “The Neurologist said they found water on Ron’s brain. He has been referred to a Neurosurgeon to have that taken care of. Then back to a Neurologist to deal with what they think is Parkinson’s disease. Please pray for God’s blessing and intervention according to His will for Ron, for wisdom and skill for the medical teams who will be caring for him. Also please pray for hope and peace for both of us.”

·         *Libby Dezso – (North Canton) Making progress at home. Latest test shows that her lungs are clear of congestion and that physical therapy to regain strength will begin next week. 

·         *Roland Armann – a member of God’s Church in Powhatten Point, OH is at 89 recovering from a stroke and but eager to begin attending in Wheeling when strong enough.

·         Dale Harman – (North Canton):  Skin cancer and other ailments, he thanks you for your continued prayers for general health and strength for an upcoming prostate procedure.

·         *Linda Ritter – (North Canton):  Experiencing restless leg syndrome and back pain.

·         Jenny Luchitz – (North Canton):  Severe bursitis and other symptoms.

·         Mitch Showers – (North Canton) Diagnosed with prostate cancer, surgery scheduled for late April.

3.    PASSOVER & DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD – all begins this coming week

·         Passover service – after sundown this Thursday evening, April 18, services at each of our congregation locations. Please arrive and be seated by 7:45 that evening (at all four congregations). The Passover service will begin just after sundown and is for baptized members only. The North Canton Passover service will be webcasted at https://www.ucg.org/congregations/north-canton-oh/webcast, in case you need to access it. Please be prepared for the footwashing at the Passover service. If you have any questions, please check with one of the elders or deacons.

 

Remember that since the Passover commemorates our Savior Jesus Christ’s death to pay the penalty of sin for each of us, the Passover service is a sober and prayerfully thoughtful service. 

·         Day of Passover – Friday, April 19 – (complete the de-leavening of our homes by sunset)

·         Night to Be Much Remembered – Friday evening, April 19 – gather together with other brethren for a special fellowship meal commemorating Israel’s exodus from Egypt – and our spiritual exodus from sinfulness of this world into the freedom of spiritual conversion in God’s true Church.

·         First Day of Unleavened Bread – Sabbath, April 20 – an annual Sabbath. Service time is 2:00 p.m. North Canton & Youngstown at Global Gateway. Pittsburgh & Wheeling at Chartiers Community Center. A single service with the holyday offering.

·         Days of Unleavened Bread – (avoid eating any leavened bread or leavening in other food products for the 7 days of the festival from sundown April 19 through sundown April 26)

·         Last Day of Unleavened Bread – Friday, April 26 – an annual Sabbath, a double service holyday with the holyday offering at the morning service. North Canton & Youngstown meet at Global Gateway. Pittsburgh & Wheeling meet at Chartiers Community Center.

4.    KINGDOM OF GOD SEMINARS 

Plans are afoot to conduct a Kingdom of God Seminar in each of our four church areas. Your fervent prayers will greatly and positively impact our effort! Our plan is to conduct the Wheeling area seminar first.

READ THE PSALMS BY PASSOVER!   This is “Home Run” week!

This is our final week of reading the Psalms. Be sure to go back and find various Psalms that pertain to the meaning of Passover and Unleavened Bread. [A plan is afoot to launch another Bible reading project between Passover & Pentecost. Will keep you posted!]

2019 Bible reading and fellowship project for all four of our upper Ohio River congregations.  If we’re all reading the same Psalms each week from now to Passover they will provide excellent discussion points during Sabbath fellowship. Song leaders, when possible please select one or two hymns from the assigned reading list for the week.

DATES / PSALMS / HYMNS

Jan. 13-19:  Psalms 1 - 10   (Hymnal pages 1-9, 117, 137)

Jan. 20-26:  Psalms 11 – 21   (Hymnal pages 10-12, 118, 131, 136, 144, 145, 161) 

Jan. 27- Feb. 2:  Psalms 22 – 32   (Hymnal pages 13-20, 119 - 121, 125, 127, 144, 180) 

Feb. 3-9:  Psalms 33 – 43   (Hymnal pages 21-25, 91, 119 - 121, 127, 138, 183) 

Feb. 10-16:  Psalms 44 – 54   (Hymnal pages 26-32, 118, 122, 127, 129, 168, 183) 

Feb. 17-23:  Psalms 55 – 65   (Hymnal pages 33-35, 123, 138, 180) 

Feb. 24 – Mar. 2:  Psalms 66 – 76   (Hymnal pages 36 - 39, 92, 144, 180) 

Mar. 3-9:  Psalms 77 – 87   (Hymnal pages: 40-45, 47, 117, 124 – 128) 

Mar. 10-16:  Psalms 88 - 98   (Hymnal pages 46, 48-56, 127, 129, 130, 144, 162) 

Mar. 17-23:  Psalms 99 – 109   (Hymnal pages: 57-66, 113, 114, 126, 131, 135, 136, 145) 

Mar. 24-30:  Psalms 110 – 118   (Hymnal pages: 67- 70, 143) 

Apr. 1-6:  Psalms 119 – 128   (Hymnal pages: 71-77, 93, 98, 118, 130, 143)

Apr. 7-13:  Psalms 129 – 139   (Hymnal pages: 78 - 81, 129, 132, 187) 

Apr. 14-19:  Psalms 140 – 150   (Hymnal pages: 82 87, 95, 120, 134 - 138, 159) 

INTRODUCTION: The Psalms are divinely inspired songs. Many were written by King David and the rest by other leaders and priests in ancient Israel. Summaries are written by your pastor (lifted from his ABC Writings Class handout). Note that Ps. 129 to Psalms 134 are the remainder of the “songs of ascent” that faithful Israelites sang going to and returning from God’s three annual holyday seasons in Jerusalem.

Psalm	Type or types	Commentary
Ps. 140	Imprecatory, lament	A cry for deliverance from evil and evil people – 1-3. God is the strength of our salvation – 6-7. Denouncement of the wicked – 8-11.
Ps. 141	Imprecatory, lament	A prayer against the deeds of the wicked – 5-6, but acceptance of correction from the righteous – 5.
Ps. 142	Lament	Reflections on when David was trapped in a cave. Likely one of the two times he was hiding from Saul (1 Sam. 24, 22). Lesson: even when we feel overwhelmed, totally alone and very low – 3-4, 6, God is there as our refuge - 5 to help, deliver and bless us 7.
Ps. 143	Lament, penitential	Lament for personal weakness and exterior troubles – 2-3. Solution: meditate on God’s history of intervention for His people to build faith and spiritual motivation – 5-6.
Ps. 144	Praise, lament, penitential	The LORD is our Rock – 1. The great “what is man” question – 3 (cited in Heb. 2:6). David’s response to God’s intervention is to “sing a new song” to Him – 9, so should we sing our thanks to God in prayer and hymns. David asks for God’s intervention so that Israel would have a happy, stable society – 11-15. “Pillars” are used to describe young women in terms of beauty and dignity. This latter section has a prophetic Millennial application.
Ps. 145	Wisdom, praise (acrostic)	Addresses how great God is – 3, and how that appreciation and wonder of His greatness – 13 should be passed from one generation to another – 4, prophetic Millennial theme. More Kingdom of God prophecies of God elevating the righteous – 10-21.
Ps. 146	Praise	Don’t trust in man – 3, but trust in God. True happiness comes from trusting God who keeps truth forever – 5-9. Millennial prophecy – 10.
Ps. 147	Praise	Praise to God is beautiful – 1. Building Jerusalem and 2nd Exodus – 2. God heals the heart – 3 (see Ps. 51:10-12). God numbers and names all the stars – 4. Contains considerable Millennial prophecies.
Ps. 148	Praise, wisdom-creation	The whole universe – 1-4, and all the earth’s creation serve as praises to God’s greatness. He is Creator of all of them – 5-6. God’s name alone is exalted – 13 and none other.
Ps. 149	Praise	God can be praised with appropriate songs, musical instruments and even dance – 3-4. Praise to God by His saints is a two-edge sword in that it exalts God and denounces evil at the same time – 5-9.
Ps. 150	Praise	The fifth and final book of the Psalms ends with a great song of praise to God: in heaven – 1, for His great actions – 2, with auspicious music and dance – 3-5, and by all His creation.

End