Battle Creek Tabernacle

She Didn't Do Much…
   I didn't do much, today she said,  I just got breakfast and made the beds,
    And washed the dishes and swept the floors,  And helped outside with a few little chores -
   Like feeding the chickens and milking the cow--  It didn't take very long anyhow.

   Then I packed the lunches and braided hair, 
      And baked a pie and set it to cool,
   And got the children off to school, 
       --except the baby and little Tom.
 
   Then I washed a few of the baby's clothes, and a dress or two for the girls and me,
      And some shirts for the men, and hung them to dry,
   And started my cookin' and finished the pie.
 
   The baby was changed and bathed and fed, and tucked away for a nap in bed. 
      Then little Tom fell and hurt his knee, and there was no one to doctor it up but me. 
   Then I mended his kite, got him playing again,  and solved a squabble 'tween him and a friend.
 
   Then after lunch with dishes through,  I worked in the garden for an hour or two. 
      I ironed the clothes and hung them away;   And painted a cupboard blue and gray. 
 
   When the children came home from school at last,  I looked at the clock --it was four and past! 
      So clothes were changed and chores begun, And a little errand in town was run. 
   When supper was over and the dishes too,  there was still a little mending to do. 
 
   Then I helped with lessons before it was late,  And got the children to bed at eight. 
      But somehow I'm tired anyway,  Though I didn't really do very much today. 

    God Bless You Mothers--Thank you for all you do!!
 
 
Yo Youth from David Tenold
I have a good friend in the community. He’s not a Seventh-day Adventist. However, he loves the Lord and shares his faith wherever he goes. This past Sunday, as we were golfing at Marywood Country Club, he told me his Sunday School teacher didn’t believe in a literal, six day creation week. In her mind, each day of creation represented 1,000 years. My friend was somewhat confused at what he heard from this lady. He wanted to know what I believed regarding creation week. I told him that I believed each day of creation represented 24 hours. He pressed me. Why do you hold this view? I shared with him that the word day is linked with two other words, evening and morning.
 
Whenever we find this link in the Bible, without exception, it refers to a 24 hours.

Now what I find interesting is that many Christians are beginning to espouse this erroneous theory. They are called theistic evolutionists. They believe in God. And they believe He created the world. However, they don’t believe God created the world in six literal days. According to their understanding of the Genesis story of creation, it took God thousands of years to create our world. So what, right? Listen carefully. This understanding of how God made our world diminishes His creative power and strikes at one of our most cherished teachings, the seventh-day Sabbath. If you do away with a six day creation week, you strip God of His divine power and destroy the memorial of this truth--the Sabbath. And if God is stripped of His power, then we are without hope. Why? Because creation and the gospel can’t be separated. Jesus is creator and He is the one who lived and died to redeem humanity. His creative power was demonstrated in His healing miracles and His healing miracles culminated in the cross of Calvary. That’s why the apostle Paul wrote, “The preaching of the cross...is the power of God unto salvation.”
 
 
 
       No More Anniversaries

“This is a very sad anniversary,” said General Confer-ence President Ted Wilson in his message at the Battle Creek Tabernacle, where members and delegates to the Spring Meeting had gathered Sabbath, April 13, for the 11:00 a.m. worship service. “We should have been home by now!  The Lord has wanted to come long before this.  Why celebrate any more anniversaries when we could be in heaven?”  
Delegates from almost every country around the world came to Battle Creek and to the Historic Adventist Village to remember what the Lord has done for his people—they met on the 150th anniversary of organizing as Seventh-day Adventists.  In his Sabbath message, which was also carried live by satellite on the "Hope Channel," Ted Wilson explained why the anniversary was important, not as a time for celebration, but as a challenge for Adventists now. 
"We are celebrating 150 years here in Battle Creek because we don’t want to forget who we are, where we came from, and what God has in store for us as His people—a unique people with a unique message at a unique time in Earth’s history," Wilson said. "Jesus is coming soon!” 
 
 
Has Your Spring Sprung?
When you hear the word “spring,” what comes to mind?  Green grass, daffodils, cherry blossoms, and sunshine; rebirth as the rhythm of nature springs to life once again? Spring is a wonderful time of the year. 
There is another type of spring—a tightly coiled wire that after being stretched or depressed, springs back into shape. Bed mattresses have them and so do trampolines and cars. We sometimes think of the bounce-back effect when we comment, “Look at the spring in his step!” or “She’ll spring back in a few days!” 
When your soul is stretched out of shape, do you have what it takes to spring back?  You might not think you do, but God does!  His promise is found in the third meaning of the word “spring.” Before the convenience of indoor refrigeration, people used to store milk and other perishables in a cool water of a spring. 
If you’ve never seen the source of a gushing spring, drank from its clear water, or dipped your toes in it on a scorching hot day and felt instantly revitalized—it may be more difficult for you to understand the intensity of hope and healing that my stretched-out soul feels when I read the promise of Isaiah 41:17, 18:  “I will make…the dry land springs of water.” 
God is in the business of putting “spring” back into our lives. Not little trickles of spring nor a drop here and there. But He can open rivers in your life, if your life has become dry and barren.  He promises you not just a spring of water, but springs of water—Lord, flood our souls with Your springs of life.  Isaiah 41:17, 18:  “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”                                           Vicki Skinner, Bible Worker

March 2013 statement totals:
Revenues:  $22,493.25; Expenses:  $29,905.86
resulting in shortfall of $7,412.61
 
Year-to-date as of March 2013: 
Revenues:  $215,975.53; Expenses:  $239,652.25
giving a shortfall of $23,676.72
 
 
 
Self Sufficiency

When it comes to self-sufficiency, back-to-basics and preparing for the future—this is a very passionate topic and a way of life for myself and our family.  The question arises—is it frugal to invest time and supplies in growing a garden?    In tending and harvesting that garden--you have gained skills that not only are becoming more rare in our disposable society, but you have exercised…Whether you are canning, preserving, freezing, pickling or dehydrating, you have learned skills that NO ONE can take from you. You won't lose them in a lay-off or company downsizing. You may be surprised that those skills may completely SAVE your budget in the event of a company downsizing or job loss.
 
Does it cost money to switch from a twenty-first century lifestyle of convenience foods and to-go boxes? It may cost a little up front, but the investment in being prepared pays off far more than the little green pieces of paper. It pays off in a feeling of assurance, caring for your family, confidence, health, and skills. These are things that the money can't buy anyway. That is the greater pay-off in this frugal investment of being prepared.
 
By Donna Miller of Millers Grain House and author of Surviving on Shoestring
 
They Are Remembered
Flossie Madeline (Madge) Pierce died April 21, at the age of 90.  She and her husband Oren moved to Battle Creek in 1957 and joined the Tabernacle Church.  Their three children are Edward, Richard and Sally—who attended the B.C. Academy.   
 
 
REVIVAL AND REFORMATION:  “God wants to bless. He is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him than are parents to give good gifts to their children. But many do not feel their need. They do not realize that they can do nothing without the help of Jesus. Therefore they labor hard, but see little accomplished. Satan is working with all his power to block up the way, and without special help from God, the cause of truth will not go forward.”  RH, July 24, 1883
 
No Fear!        By Kay Rizzo
What would you do if you had no fear?  To drive the “Pan American Highway” is on my “no fear” list.  The fear of violence from drug cartels and other criminal elements hold me back.  Visiting exotic locals like Casablanca, Alexandria, and the Middle Eat fall under the same fear. 
   
 At one point writing a book was on my “no fear” list until I discovered the promise, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)  I’ve learned that when God’s plans for me override my list of fears, nothing and no one can stop me. 
 
Today my “no fear” list includes helping to relieve hunger, especially for children; human trafficking in the U.S.; and rescuing abused children.  I know that if I open my heart and my pocketbook to these causes, God will work through me.  Make a list of five “no fear” and go ahead.  Dare to defeat your fears and, in the process maybe even change your world.
 
 
NEWS AND REPORTS:

YOU are INVITED to attend our annual church business meeting on Monday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the seminar room.  We will be approving our annual church budget and other topics for discussion and ratification.
SMALL GROUPS STUDY PROGRAM has been a part of the Tabernacle nurturing program for years.  Help us to update our list of groups that gather in homes by calling the church office.
Texas Adventist Community Services Disaster Response team gave immediate help following the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas.  They set up a receiving center and a collection center for receiving donated goods where they were helped by students from Southwestern Adventist University. In addition, the Mobile Distribution Unit, a semi filled with pre-packaged outfits of clothing, personal care kits, and blankets was deployed to serve the survivors.

FARM BOXES:  The Good News Farm Greenhouse at Great Lakes Adventist Academy is now delivering FarmBox produce to the Tabernacle each Wednesday.  Pickup hours are 2:00 - 5:30 p.m.  To order, go to www.GoodNewsFarm.org.
 
CHANGES IN OFFICE HOURS:  To facilitate the delivery and pickup of the FarmBoxes from GLAA, our church office hours have changed slightly on Wednesday and Thursday.  (Monday, Tuesday and Friday remains the same.)  The church office is now open as follows:  Monday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Tuesday Closed; Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
 
Camp Au Sable Volunteers:  You are invited to be a part of Camp Au Sable’s Family Volunteers May 5‑10 and October 13‑18, 2013.  They have all kinds of projects and need skilled and non-skilled volunteers. Bed, food, fun and work will be provided.  Call Julia at 989‑344‑1450 to register.
 
CLONED TREES:  A Michigan-based environmental group is unleashing its collection of clones. Archangel Ancient Tree Archive has spent 20 years tracking down and cloning the world's biggest and oldest trees propagating thousands of genetic copies of California coastal redwoods and giant sequoias. The group planted champion clones at nine locations in seven countries—Germany, Ireland, Wales, England, New Zealand, Australia and the U.S. (California and Oregon).