Bible Verse to Light Your Day
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“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him,” Romans 12:1 (
New Living Translation
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Rio Is Safe!
People from across the country and beyond have been praying for the safety of Rio Lindo Adventist Academy as the campus was threatened by the Kincaid fire. Yesterday Principal Victor Anderson reported: “The school is intact, and as far as we know, there was no fire damage to the school itself.” He has heard that some people will be allowed to return to the campus today or tomorrow.
Last Thursday, although there was no evacuation order, the school sent all of the students home amid reports that the winds would shift. Over the weekend, as the fire headed toward the school, several strike teams of firefighters were stationed on the campus because it is a flat area with good visibility—a great place to mount a defense. “The fire burned within a couple of miles, but they beat it back,” said Anderson.
The school still has no power, and new safety standards require a significant amount of work to be done before electricity can be restored. If an appropriate generator can be found, Anderson hopes Rio will be able to open in the near future. “We’re thankful that the school did not suffer any fire damage, we’re thankful that everyone is safe, and we’re thankful that we know that God is going to take care of us,” he said.
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Healdsburg Church Evacuates During 150th Anniversary Celebration
Last Sabbath, the Healdsburg congregation was prepared to celebrate their 150th anniversary—when the Kincaid fire changed their plans.
The program for the day included a sermon by North American Division President Dan Jackson, a special lunch, and a concert by musician Tad Worku. However, during Sabbath School, members received an evacuation order on their phones. Pastor Jimmy Painter called everyone into the sanctuary, and someone suggested that the program be moved to the Santa Rosa church.
After receiving an invitation from Don Smith, Santa Rosa senior pastor, the members went home to prepare for evacuation. At noon, a number of members came to the Santa Rosa church for the celebration—complete with sermon, lunch, and concert.
The Healdsburg church was organized in early December, 1869—“literally six years after the Adventist church itself was born,” said Painter. Healdsburg and Santa Rosa were the first Adventist churches founded west of the Rocky Mountains.
Amidst the fire and stress, church members were determined to celebrate the Lord’s leading in their congregation. “Healdsburg has had a history of being faithful,” said Painter. “We were trying to maintain that legacy for the day.”
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Family Fun Weekend
Last weekend, 55 Adventurer families came to Leoni Meadows to enjoy perfect weather and beautiful surroundings while they earned two Adventurer awards. "Seven Amazing Days was about creation, and Savvy Stewards taught them how to be good stewards of the earth as well as their talents, time, money, and bodies," said Alice Merrill, director of Adventurer ministries.
Families spent the weekend doing crafts, playing games, going on a scavenger hunt, singing, memorizing, and creating a few things themselves. Wild Things Inc. brought rescued animals to show to the Adventurers, including a skunk, a python, and a lemur.
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Principals’ Retreat
NCC school principals and preschool directors—and their families—gathered in South Lake Tahoe last weekend for a retreat planned by the education department. The speaker was Jose Marin, executive secretary. Those who attended enjoyed a Sabbath picnic on the beach and an evening banquet at a local Italian restaurant. Attendees paid special tribute to former Superintendent of Schools Bill Keresoma and his wife, Judy.
“The NCC education department plans this retreat every year to give our hard-working principals and directors a weekend of rest and relaxation,” said Barry van Iderstein, assistant to the superintendent. “We want to thank them for their ministry to our kids.”
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Youth/Pathfinder Mission Trip to Ivory Coast
Consider joining the NCC mission trip to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), March 18-30. The NCC will be working with Maranatha Volunteers International on this project.
Volunteers will be working on block construction of a church and school at the Abebroukoi church, which is located in a suburb of Abidjan that is densely populated and significantly Muslim. The congregation currently meets in a porch-like structure that has a roof but is otherwise open to the elements, and the children meet under a very basic wooden pole structure.
Depending on the volunteers who join the team, the group will also conduct local community outreach and children’s programs. The trip size is limited, so get your application in soon! The deadline is Dec. 5 when a non-refundable deposit is due.
Download a registration form
.
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Roy Hager and Robert Clark Retire
Two long-serving pastors are retiring, and their churches threw farewell parties for them last weekend.
Roy Hager
, associate pastor of the Lodi English Oaks church, is retiring after more than 41 years of service. He was a pastor in the Upper Columbia Conference before coming to the NCC, where he served as associate pastor of the Pacific Union College church and the Placerville church. We wish God’s richest blessings on Roy, Susan, and their family.
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Robert Clark
, pastor of the Red Bluff/Corning district is also retiring. He pastored in the Southern California Conference, as well as at several churches in the NCC, including Eureka and Orangevale. We pray for God’s abundant blessings on Robert, Ivy, and their family.
“Although we will miss Roy and Robert, we celebrate their service and leadership,” said President Marc Woodson. “Only in heaven will we know the many ways the Lord has used them to further His work.”
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Chico von Pohle Retires
On Tuesday, employees at the NCC headquarters held a farewell lunch for Chico von Pohle, longtime plant services director at the Pleasant Hill office. As part of his duties, he ran the NCC mailroom. During his career, he worked at Columbia Adventist Academy and San Pasqual Adventist Academy, among other places. “We appreciate Chico’s many years of service to our NCC employees and church members,” said President Marc Woodson. “We know the Lord has good things in store for him, Berit, and their family.”
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Spotlight on the Family
“Spotlight on the Family” focuses on practical ways for families and individuals to “engage your community with compassion,” one of the initiatives of the new NCC Strategic Plan.
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Happy every holiday! For a person in a nursing home, even small things can bring much cheer. Each holiday, make name cards for the food trays of the residents. They don’t have to be expensive or elaborate, just something colorful and cheerful with each person’s name to show that the card was made just for him or her.
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Adventist Book Center
Focus
Revisit the stories of Jesus in this life-changing daily devotional. Appreciate His beautiful character. Hear His profound truths in His simple messages. See His tender, loving care for those around Him. No element of His life is too small to provide insight. Find this 2020 devotional book by Elizabeth Viera Talbot for $19.99 at
our ABC store in Sacramento
.
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Church Planters BootCamp
The first North American Division Church Planters BootCamp West will take place at Pine Springs Ranch in the Southeastern California Conference, Nov. 7-10. H
ear practical teaching on how to plant a church from the best church planters in North America!
Register with AdventSource
.
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Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
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