From Our Pastor's Desk...
Greetings
everyone!
The Spring Holy
Days are fast approaching. That means it is time for our annual object
lesson: eliminate sin from our lives. We picture this during Unleavened
Bread by removing all leaven and leavened products from our home (Exodus
12:15, 19; 13:7).
Leaven is a food
additive, which causes bread or bread products to rise. The apostle Paul
used this property of leaven to teach us that a “puffed up” attitude is sin
(compare 1 Corinthians 5:2 with verses 6-7).
Leaven includes
yeast, a biological leavening agent that produces fermentation, and chemical
leavening agents such as baking powder, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate),
and potassium bicarbonate.
Items such as
bread, cake, crackers, cookies and prepared cereals and pies that contain
leavening must be put out. Doing this is symbolic of putting both the
visible and hidden sins out of our lives.
Homemade cream puffs, angel food cake, popovers and sponge cake, while light and fluffy, need not contain any of the above ingredients. Most pie crust recipes (except for graham cracker crusts) are unleavened. However, these products, when purchased from stores or bakeries, frequently do include leavening. So check the ingredient list.
Even though pita bread, flour tortillas and graham crackers are flat, they do contain leavening. Even some brands of matzos marked "kosher for Passover" can also list baking soda or baking powder in the ingredients! So be careful.
Although the following ingredients are associated with leavening products; they are not, by themselves, leavening agents: brewer’s yeast, yeast extract (a flavoring), cornstarch and cream of tartar (a dry acid). Cream of tartar, being an acid, merely neutralizes the alkaline nature of baking soda and does not, by itself, cause dough to rise.
Homemade cream puffs, angel food cake, popovers and sponge cake, while light and fluffy, need not contain any of the above ingredients. Most pie crust recipes (except for graham cracker crusts) are unleavened. However, these products, when purchased from stores or bakeries, frequently do include leavening. So check the ingredient list.
Even though pita bread, flour tortillas and graham crackers are flat, they do contain leavening. Even some brands of matzos marked "kosher for Passover" can also list baking soda or baking powder in the ingredients! So be careful.
Although the following ingredients are associated with leavening products; they are not, by themselves, leavening agents: brewer’s yeast, yeast extract (a flavoring), cornstarch and cream of tartar (a dry acid). Cream of tartar, being an acid, merely neutralizes the alkaline nature of baking soda and does not, by itself, cause dough to rise.
As we remove
leavening from our homes, let’s besure that it is not just a housecleaning.
The physical actions that we take should more importantly remind of the
spiritual implication that we must apply to our lives so that we can “grow
up unto Christ”.
Have a great
Sabbath,
-Steve
SABBATH SERVICE TIMESSERVICES
This Sabbath –
March 6, 2010
All Churches
Combined at Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch –
Services - 2:30
PM
Followed by our
Winter Social!
See Map below
for location and address
Next Sabbath –
March 13, 2010 (Families for God Weekend)
Austin &
Mankato – 10:00 AM at the Ellendale Community Center (no potluck or bible
study)
La Crosse –
10:30 AM at the Sr. Center
Cedar Rapids
–11:00 AM at the Heartland Inn
Coming Soon:
Passover service – Sunday, March 28 7:30 PM
Night to Be Much
Observed – Monday Evening March 29
First Day of
Unleavened Bread – Tuesday, March 3
Sports Night –
Saturday, April 3
Last Day of
Unleavened Bread – Monday, April 5
If you plan to visit services please call (800) 550-4324 to verify location and time.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
IRONWOOD SPRINGS
WINTER SABBATH & SOCIAL
Our annual Youth Day
& Winter social at Ironwood Springs is now! Sabbath services will be at
Ironwood at 2:30 PM. We are planning a special Youth Day – our teens will be
serving in several areas. Parents are asked to make sure their teens arrive
early for special music rehearsal and to prepare for their areas of service.
Since it is a bit
more rustic, it would be acceptable to wear nice casual clothing. Following
services we will be providing a catered meal. The social committee has
planned for all aspects of the meal, so there is no need to bring any food
items unless you were specifically contacted to do so.
 | Services - 2:30 PM |
| Dinner (provided) - 5PM. |
| Snow Tubing ($11) - 6:05 - 8 PM |
| Sleigh Rides ($4) - 6:30 PM |
| Carnival Games - 8:15 PM |
Following services
please remove all your belongings from your chairs and take them to your cars.
That will expedite the set up for our evening meal. Volunteers are needed to
assist Tracy Riess in setting up tables and chairs. As soon as the tables are
set and the food is ready, we’ll begin the buffet dinner.
Our congregation
provides for the cost of the meal but if you'd like to make a donation to
defray costs it is much appreciated. A donation box is located in the back of
the hall on the beverage table.
The evening will
bring a host of activities. After sundown (6:05 pm) all those interested in
snow tubing should meet in the foyer. John Whynaucht will review safety rules
for the hill and collect $11 snow tubing fee before proceeding to the hill. At
6:30 pm we'll begin the sleigh rides. The cost of the sleigh ride is $4 per
person and will also be collected before going on the ride.
At about 8:15 pm we
will begin the carnival games in the Chapel. Join in the fun and win tickets
that can be redeemed for special prizes at our prize booth.
A special activity
during the carnival will be a clown judging contest. What is it? It’s a dress
up like a clown contest! So we need young and old clowns, big and small
clowns... so all you clowns out there: get your costumes ready and be the
best dressed clown.
We will also have a
cake walk during the evening. This is the only carnival game that will require
a donation of 50 cents to participate for a chance to win a delicious cake or
plate of bars. The funds raised will be donated to our local youth
scholarship fund.
FAMILIES FOR GOD WEEKEND
Families for God
will be held the weekend of March 12 to 14th
2010. Please take a few moments to register if you plan on attending. The
registration form can be downloaded at the website (http://ffg.ucgmpls.org
). The deadline for registration and hotel reservations is February 20th.
Saturday night will be a variety show, and if you would like to participate
please contact Jerry Reynolds at his email address
Jerome.reynolds@gmail.com
SPORTS NIGHT APRIL
3rd AT THE ROCHESTER FAMILY Y!
All congregations
are invited to attend our “Sports Night” to be held Saturday night, 8PM
April 3 at the Rochester Family Y. Activities include: swimming, volleyball,
basketball, racquetball, as well as a kid’s play area. There is something
for everyone. We’ll also have board games, cards and snacks as well. We
hope you’ll plan to attend an evening of activity and fellowship.
Address: Rochester
Family Y 709 1st
St SW, Rochester See you there!
PRAYER REQUESTS
From Roy Demarest,
pastor, Orlando/Jacksonville, FL: Johanna Japhet, a deaconess in the
Orlando, Florida, congregation, seems to be doing a little better. She can
eat some things very sparingly, but has to be careful. Her colitis is still
causing her problems with digestion, but she has been sleeping a little
better. She has been taking IV fluids with vitamins. This is done in-home
twice a week to insure she gets enough nutrition since she can’t eat too
much. Yesterday she had the first chemo infusion of a new series. The
medication she is taking now is given when others haven’t worked. Hopefully
this will take care of the tumor which has spread across her intestines,
causing the colitis. She has fluid building up in her abdomen again, and
will have it drained next week. Everyone’s prayers and the many cards she
has received have been greatly appreciated. 4167 Westgate Road Orlando, FL
32808
From David Treybig,
pastor, St. Petersburg/Tampa, FL: On Tuesday, the doctors closed Georgia
Veller’s wound and she was transferred out of ICU to a regular hospital
room. The next morning she had some difficulty breathing because of her
asthma, which was complicated because of all the time she has spent laying
down over the past two weeks, but this passed and Georgia soon began gaining
strength. She is now is good spirits and exceeding expectations as she is
sitting up and standing on her remaining leg. The therapist is working with
her in the hospital with the expectation that she will be able to go
directly home from the hospital. She thanks everyone for all the prayers,
cards, and notes of encouragement.
From Larry Walker,
pastor, Bend/Medford/Roseburg, OR: Barbara Richards died peacefully early
Sunday morning, Feb. 28, with her family by her side. Prayers were certainly
answered in that she never suffered and the end came quickly. All of her
family members who traveled in to see her were able to do so by the evening
before. She was a wonderful mother, wife, friend, and member of God’s
church. We look forward to seeing her in the Kingdom. The entire family is
so grateful for the prayers, cards and encouragement received during this
time. Memorial services are being planned for Saturday, March 6. For
further information, please contact Jeff Richards at
jeff_richards@ucg.org.
Cards can be sent to her husband, Robert, at: 60096 Navajo Rd Bend, OR
97702
From Mitchell
Knapp, pastor, Watertown/Sioux Falls, SD; Omaha, NE; Des Moines, IA: Janice
Spieker has been on a combination of chemo and radiation treatments for two
weeks and is tolerating it well, so far. Doctors were able to reduce the
swelling around the tumor, so her dizziness has lessened. She will have a
month of this daily treatment, then have no treatment for a certain time,
then be tested to see how it has worked, and go from there. Janice is in
good spirits, and greatly appreciates all your prayers, cards, and support
that have been very encouraging. Please continue your prayers for her
complete healing. 42220 194th St.
Willow Lake, SD 57278-6415
Willow Lake, SD 57278-6415
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
SERMONS / SERVICES
ONLINE
If you are ill and
unable to attend services or would like to listen to other sermons, you can
access online sermons from many different congregations and ministers. You can
listen online or download them at the UCG members site at:
http://members.ucg.org
On the Sabbath, the
following congregations offer an on Demand video or audio of Church services:
Garden Grove, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Lafayette, IN; St. Paul,MN;
Akron/Youngstown, OH; Cincinnati East, OH; Salem/Albany OR; Nashville, TN;
Seattle, WA; Spokane, WA
You can access these
on the Sabbath by going to:
http://members.ucg.org/webcast At the bottom of the page are links to
the various sites. By visiting the links you will see when the video and audio
files will be available online and what software is needed to access the
files.
For up to date information on the feast sites see: http://feast.ucg.org/
PHONE HOOKUP TO
SERVICES IN AUSTIN
If you are ill and
unable to attend services, we now have an easier way to listen to services
from home. You simply use your cell phone and follow the instructions below.
Why is this the best
way to connect?
1. Audio of Services
will be clear and easy to hear.
2. Using your cell
phone will not cost you anything. (If you have free long distance on
weekends.)
It’s like calling in
to join a conference call. You don’t need to let us know you are hooking up.
You may call in anytime prior to the beginning of services or even after
services have begun. If you call before we have connected on our end there
will be silence until the sound system at services is ready. Once setup, you
will be able to hear the service.
Unfortunately, this
will only work when we are at locations with Internet access. Therefore, it
will work when we meet in Austin, but does not work in Ellendale.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR
PHONE HOOK-UP TO SERVICES
(using your cell
phone’s free long distance)
Remember: This works
when we meet in Austin, but not when we meet in Ellendale.
1. Dial 305-848-8888
2. Wait for
Recording
3. Dial 1
4. Wait for
Recording
5. Dial this number
as your conference code 507-383-9064#
6. Wait for
Recording
7. Dial 1 to Confirm
8. Listen to Sabbath
Services.
***Be sure to
MUTE
your phone. Otherwise other people on the conference call will hear everything
you say or do.
WINTER WEATHER
Winter weather has
arrived and with it comes the possibilities of difficult travel. We will
cancel services if weather conditions do not allow safe travel and call
everyone through our church calling network. Unfortunately, we are unable to
determine if the road conditions in your specific area will be safe. If
travel in your area seems to be hazardous, please do not attempt to come to
services. Please be sure that we have your most recent phone numbers so we
can be sure to contact you in case of a change in services.