SABBATH ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS 

United Church of God, an International Association

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

SABBATH, MARCH 16, 2019

Church services this Sabbath:

Youngstown – 1 p.m.                                                                          Wheeling – 2:30 p.m.

North Canton – 2 p.m.                                                                                    Pittsburgh – 10 a.m.

 

Dear brethren,

Speaking of reading the Psalms—which I hope we all are—you’ll notice in the coming week’s reading an interesting—and familiar story unfold in Psalm 105. It’s a musical recitation of God’s calling and election of ancient Israel as His nation on earth. 

Not that God was choosing to only work with Israel then, but He needed an example nation through which to introduce and represent His way of life and Himself to all the other nations. 

So God chose Israel, starting with its chief ancestor Abraham (v. 6) and his son Isaac whom He called “My anointed ones.” The great creator God would be represented and understood—or misunderstood—by the conduct of His servants. So it is, even today. As part of God’s true Church we represent Christ and the Father to our modern, “present, evil world” (Gal. 1:4).

God spoke through Jacob and Joseph in Canaan and Egypt (Ps. 105:17, 23). Through their leadership God made the budding nation stronger and stronger (v. 24-25). Over several centuries animosity gradually grew in “the land of Ham” against the Israelites. That’s longer than America has been a nation, thus there were inevitable ups and downs in the relations between the settled nation and the budding nation. 

Like an upset stomach, politics churn and turn—mostly for the worse. There must have been conflict (v. 24-25). There must have been Israelite exploration of the Mediterranean world because they lived in the Nile Delta region of Goshen—the nation’s gateway to the sea. In fact, there is ample evidence of the same.

Ultimately, Egypt dominated. God’s nation had lessons to learn that would be learned best by slavery. Yet, never worry. God monitors all things. At the precisely opportune time He chose Moses to free Israel from Egypt and begin its journey to the “Promised Land” (v.26).

With a strong arm—the ten plagues—God brought Israel out, and that with ample “back pay” for all their slaving. God fed them, shaded them and poured out of the rock the vast amount of water the young nation of Israel needed to survive the desert heat for 40 years (v. 37-41). Remember, God’s hand is not shortened that He can’t or will not provide very well, even for His spiritual Israel today!

God “remembered His holy promise” made to Abraham and to all the patriarchs in between and after. Finally, He gave His example nation its promised land, sending other nations to other lands (v. 42-44).

God did all this for ancient Israel “that they might observe His statutes and keep His laws” (v.45). Only they seldom kept God’s laws—laws that actually defined God’s way of life—the way of give. Instead, as openly documented in Scripture, Israel repeatedly broke and rejected God’s ways (1 Cor. 10:1-11). 

Suddenly a great, new door opened for what we extrapolate as “spiritual Israel”—that is, God’s true Church. In fact, “all these things happened to them [the ancient Israelites] as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Cor. 10:11).

The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread annually make us think of our calling to be overcomers and make things right—that our physical and metaphorical ancestors habitually made wrong! That’s spiritual opportunity! 

Keep the true faith—and spread it,

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)

March 22	Bible Study webcast	7:30 p.m. EST  –  Title to be announced  https://www.ucg.org/congregations/north-canton-oh/webcast
March 23	Sabbath	Youngstown – 11 a.m.; North Canton – 2 p.m.; Wheeling – 11 a.m.; Pittsburgh – 2:30 p.m.
March 30	Sabbath	Youngstown – 1 p.m.; North Canton – 2 p.m.; Wheeling – 2:30 p.m.; Pittsburgh – 2:30 p.m.
April 6	Sabbath	Wheeling – 10 a.m.; Pittsburgh – 2:30 p.m.; Youngstown – 1 p.m.; North Canton – 2 p.m.
April 12	Bible Study webcast	7:30 p.m. EST  –  Title to be announced  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, one service, North Canton & Youngstown combined at Global Gateway, Pittsburgh & Wheeling combined at Chartiers Township CC
April  26	Last Day of Unleavened Bread	North Canton & Youngstown combined at Global Gateway 10:30 & 2:00 Pittsburgh & Wheeling combined at Chartiers Township CC 10:30 & 2:00
April 27	Sabbath	North Canton – 2:00; Youngstown – 11:00; Wheeling – 11:00; Pittsburgh – 2:30

 

2.    Local Prayer Requests: (*new or updated) – some of these may be updated in the past week so please listen to the verbal announcements for those.

·        *Libby Dezso – recovering from flu, and now at Green Village Rehab at 708 Moore Rd., Akron, OH 44319 as of this afternoon (Friday) for therapy to regain her strength.

·        *Joe Szymkowiak – recovering at home from irregular heartbeat episode, making progress and thanks you for your prayers.

·        *Patty Stambaugh (in FL, but recently from Pittsburgh) – from elder Stan Martin: Patty Stumbaugh had a double mastectomy yesterday (March 14) at Advent Health hospital in Zephyrhills. Several of our brethren visited with her this evening and she is doing remarkably well and has a very positive attitude. Her address is: 9617 Silverbend Drive, Dade City, FL 33525

·        Dale Harmon – (North Canton):  Skin cancer and other ailments.

·        Vicki Edgell – (Wheeling):  Continuing to recover from her broken hip.

·        Linda Ritter – (North Canton):  Recovering from heart surgery.

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

·        Pam Bickel – (North Canton):  Increased MS symptoms.

·        Jaxon LaBorde – grandson of Rose Szymkowiak – awaiting treatment for a very rare disorder, but young Jaxon still needs your prayers for healing.

·        Mitch Showers – diagnosed with prostate cancer

·        Dale Harmon – age-related health concerns

 

3.     Ohio River Spokesmen Club –  First meeting – THIS  SUNDAY - 1 - 4 PM

This Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. will be our first four-church, combined Spokesman Club in Steubenville, OH at the YWCA (320 North Fourth St., Steubenville, Ohio  43952). For those attending this first meeting, please be ready to give a 3 to 4 minute icebreaker in the speech section of Club.

Men, take advantage of this remarkable program for learning public speaking, building strong friendships in the Church and enjoying some of the most enjoyable experiences of your life!

Special note to men in North Canton: we will coordinate carpooling. Mr. Stiver will be taking his minivan.

4.    PASSOVER & DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD

·        Passover service – after sundown Thursday evening, April 18, service is for baptized members, services at each of our congregation locations

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

·        Night to Be Much Remembered – Friday evening, April 19 – gather together with other brethren for a special fellowship meal where possible

·        First Day of Unleavened Bread – Sabbath, April 20 – an annual Sabbath. North Canton & Youngstown at Global Gateway. Pittsburgh & Wheeling at Chartiers Community Center. A single service day 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 20 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.

5.    Night to Be Much Remembered– North Canton church

For those signed up to go to the Chateau Michele restaurant for that important evening, please pick up the flyer on the information table that has pertinent information and details.

6.    Kingdom of God Seminars – after the spring holydays

Plans are afoot to conduct a Kingdom of God Seminar in each of our four church areas beginning in late May on into early summer. Your fervent prayers will greatly and positively impact our effort!

READ THE PSALMS BY PASSOVER!

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. Songleaders, please select two or three of the hymns that correspond with the past week’s reading.

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.

PSALM 99 – This a royal psalm that focuses on God’s rule in v. 1, that He loves justice in v. 4, and the He is also the “God-who-forgives” v. 8.

PSALM 100 – This is a song of thanksgiving psalm. Special music for Sabbath is joyful, glad and singing (as in harmonious) – 1-2. Sing praises to God for He is “good” – in the ultimate sense. 

PSALM 101 – This royal psalm of David compares to Psa. 15 as a list of righteousness vs. sin. It’s a summary of God’s way of life.

PSALM 102 – A penitential (repentance) psalm describing the feelings of repentance, the transience and often loneliness of life (v. 3-11) followed by praise for the eternal permanence and love of God. A very encouraging psalm taken as a whole.

PSALM 103 – This is one of the great wisdom psalms of David. God forgives sin and heals us physically and spiritually v. 1-3. He deals mercifully and generously with us – 10. He removes our sins as far as east is from west v. 12. Lesson: there is a great wisdom derived from the fact that God is merciful to us—and we should be to others.

PSALM 104 – A wisdom-creation psalm. Retells the creation in soaring poetry. Description of angels v. 4. The proper, moderate use of wine v. 15. God created His calendar in v. 19. Cyclical process of God creating animals—and plants, then exterminating them until He had selected the flora and fauna for the age of man v. 27-30. This latter accounts for the immense fossil record.

PSALM 105 – A praise, wisdom, history psalm – Poetic recounting of the positive experiences of God’s intervention in Israel’s early history. God remembers His covenant with Abraham—and his descendants—forever v. 8-9. This explains in principle not only the Tribes’ destiny in the Promised Land, but also in their centuries of wandering and final inheritance of the prime places on earth near the end of the age v. 42-44. Lesson: recounting the history of God’s intervention in the past strengthens our faith in His interventions in the end time and on our behalf today.

PSALM 106 – This wisdom-history psalm is the final psalm of Book 4. Parallels the account of Ps. 105, but chronicles Israel’s rebellions toward God and the consequences. Ends with a great cry to God to rescue His people from their captivity among the gentiles v. 47. Concludes with a doxology—a blessing to God.

PSALM 107 – This trust psalm is the final Psalm of Book 4. Parallel account of Ps. 105, but chronicles Israel’s rebellions toward God and the consequences. Ends with a great cry to God to rescue His people from their captivity among the gentiles v. 47. Concludes with a doxology—a blessing to God.

PSALM 108 – In this beautiful trust psalm David calls for beautiful music and praise in song v. 2-3 for God to defend the tribes of Israel v. 8-9 and lead them out of trouble v. 12.

PSALM 109  – This imprecatory lament is a sad song about betrayal by accusers, describing beforehand the choice that Judas Iscariot made and the result of the loss of his apostleship v. 8 (see Acts 1:20). Describes the sense of betrayal that Jesus endured at the end of His human life. Powerful denouncement of the accusatory spirit.