# Seventh Day adventist



## angelk316

Is anybody on this board seventh day adventist


----------



## Belle Du Jour

angelk316 said:
			
		

> Is anybody on this board seventh day adventist



I'm not, but I have visited a 7th day adventist church several times.


----------



## pebbles

I'm not either, but I have a lot of family that is seventh day adventist.


----------



## webby

AJamericanDiva is Seventh Day...you could probably PM her, if she doesn't spot this thread


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

SDA Checking In!


----------



## good2uuuu

Checking in also!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

Here I is! Here I is!!! RabiaElaine is SDA as well!


----------



## kisz4tj

Really??? I am too!!!


----------



## kisz4tj

Which church do you go to?


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Which church do you go to?




Who me? I live in Manhattan, but go to Kingsboro Temple in Park Slope. Which do you attend?


----------



## kisz4tj

I'm gonna fall out.  I also go to Kingsboro!!!!!!!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I went to Kingsboro for years when I lived in NY. I also was a part of Haitian Mass.  My aunt still attends there.  Here name is Ketsia.



			
				kisz4tj said:
			
		

> I'm gonna fall out.  I also go to Kingsboro!!!!!!!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> I'm gonna fall out.  I also go to Kingsboro!!!!!!!



WHAT!!!! I was just telling Natalied that I don't know too many people there for the many years that I've been going!!! OK, world's tooooo small!!!! You better post a pic. Do you recognize my by pics in my album???


----------



## kisz4tj

No actually I don't.  I joined 2 years ago.  Does my face look familiar?   Do you hold any offices, are you always there?


----------



## aqualung

I was raised SDA, and I still attend regularly. I don't observe all the rules, but I like our prophecy, health, and education doctrine.


----------



## kisz4tj

My pic is my avatar.  Here's another


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> I went to Kingsboro for years when I lived in NY. I also was a part of Haitian Mass. My aunt still attends there. Here name is Ketsia.


 
Oh! I' am kinda really missing NY now. I was born and raised in NY. My father was in church administration in Northeastern Conf.  Unfortunately I never had the chance to visit Kingsboro. I have heard so many good things about that church though. My parents moved down to Hunstville, AL in 1989 during my senior year in college. 

Were  you part of Haitan Mass when they were at OC alumni weekend a few years back? That choir is OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!!  Oh my goodness!!!!  I'd so be in heaven if I could join a chior like that!!! No such luck in Minnesota though...lol!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> No actually I don't.  I joined 2 years ago.  Does my face look familiar?   Do you hold any offices, are you always there?



It's hard to really see your face from the lil' pic, that's why I said you should post one. I don't hold any office or anything. I have to admit that I am not always there in that I tend to travel a lot. We must make it a point to meet one Sabbath.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

megonw said:
			
		

> I was raised SDA, and I still attend regularly. I don't observe all the rules, but I like our prophecy, health, and education doctrine.



Hey Megon!!!  I think we all have our issues... for me, I still wear jewelry and cosmetics. My Uncle is a pastor at a church in Brooklyn and we have discussions about this. Other than that, there are foods that I consider unclean and will not eat, I'm into temperance, etc.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> My pic is my avatar.  Here's another



Your phase looks vaguely familiar. I'll be sure to let you know when I'm going to be there... like this Sabbath for instance. I'll be sure to look for you.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

No, I had already left. I left in 1997. I loved being in Hatiain Mass! But after I had my second child, I couldn't go to the rehearsals anymore. To tired! But it was so much fun!!!! 

The best part of Haitian Mass was that it was interdenominational. I would say half were Adventist and the other half mostly COGIC or Pentecostal. It's was funny b/c half the choir would start shouting or catching the spirit and the other half would just look at them



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Oh! I' am kinda really missing NY now. I was born and raised in NY. My father was in church administration in Northeastern Conf. Unfortunately I never had the chance to visit Kingsboro. I have heard so many good things about that church though. My parents moved down to Hunstville, AL in 1989 during my senior year in college.
> 
> Were you part of Haitan Mass when they were at OC alumni weekend a few years back? That choir is OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!! Oh my goodness!!!! I'd so be in heaven if I could join a chior like that!!! No such luck in Minnesota though...lol!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Oh! I' am kinda really missing NY now. I was born and raised in NY. My father was in church administration in Northeastern Conf.  Unfortunately I never had the chance to visit Kingsboro. I have heard so many good things about that church though. My parents moved down to Hunstville, AL in 1989 during my senior year in college.
> 
> Were  you part of Haitan Mass when they were at OC alumni weekend a few years back? That choir is OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!!  Oh my goodness!!!!  I'd so be in heaven if I could join a chior like that!!! No such luck in Minnesota though...lol!



Kingsboro's youth choir is good as well. You can check out the services online. www.kingsborosda.org. You can watch live on Sabbath mornings at 11am or see past services. The wonders of modern technology. I love it!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Yes you should definetely check out the services! I watch them periodically whenever I miss NY or when I need new praise team songs!



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Kingsboro's youth choir is good as well. You can check out the services online. www.kingsborosda.org. You can watch live on Sabbath mornings at 11am or see past services. The wonders of modern technology. I love it!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

This coming Sabbath evening 5:50pm they're having a concert , "Take Me Back: A Tribute to Gospel music"! I'll be sure to stay in Brooklyn all day.


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Kingsboro's youth choir is good as well. You can check out the services online. www.kingsborosda.org. You can watch live on Sabbath mornings at 11am or see past services. The wonders of modern technology. I love it!


 
Thanks for that link! I missed most of church in January due to either my son being ill or the servere sub zero weather that wraked havoc on my hubbys car. He had to use mine because he MUST be at the hospital. (I hate Minesota winters) I do tune in to WOCG, Oakwoods station. I hear the service from there. It's cool because that way I can share church with my folks since they attend Oakwood church.  With the Kingsboro link, I can actualy 'have church' at the appointed time...lol!


----------



## good2uuuu

By the way Diva, I love your albums! You really beat a face well. It takes talent to make people look good and not clownish, know what I mean?


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> No, I had already left. I left in 1997. I loved being in Hatiain Mass! But after I had my second child, I couldn't go to the rehearsals anymore. To tired! But it was so much fun!!!!
> 
> The best part of Haitian Mass was that it was interdenominational. I would say half were Adventist and the other half mostly COGIC or Pentecostal. It's was funny b/c half the choir would start shouting or catching the spirit and the other half would just look at them



As you should know, Kingsboro is a very spirited church. When I was growing up in the church, there was a time you dare not clap your hands in church. Just maybe it could be done in an evening service, possibly if not held in the church or maybe they'd even wave their programs so the paper would make that noise. Other than that, it was strictly "Amen". I love attending Kingsboro as I can stand to my feet, lift my hands as I praise the Lord. Sometimes when I think of the goodness of the Lord, I can't contain myself.


----------



## kisz4tj

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Oh! I' am kinda really missing NY now. I was born and raised in NY. My father was in church administration in Northeastern Conf.


Oh your Dad probably knows my grandmother.  She was the treasurer at NEC for awhile.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> By the way Diva, I love your albums! You really beat a face well. It takes talent to make people look good and not clownish, know what I mean?



Yes, why thank you! Imagine that! A SDA makeup artist!!!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Yes, why thank you! Imagine that! A SDA makeup artist!!!



ummm.......shhhhh.....don't tell anybody....but I love it too!


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> No, I had already left. I left in 1997. I loved being in Hatiain Mass! But after I had my second child, I couldn't go to the rehearsals anymore. To tired! But it was so much fun!!!!
> 
> The best part of Haitian Mass was that it was interdenominational. I would say half were Adventist and the other half mostly COGIC or Pentecostal. It's was funny b/c half the choir would start shouting or catching the spirit and the other half would just look at them


 
I know what you mean about that 'look'    I am so over that, but my folks are old school, so they still look.  I don't judge folks on  how they act or react during a song or service. I don't know what kind of hell the devil has put them through that week that they are so thankful to be on the other side of. Shoot, I gotta shout with them too sometimes. Lord knows I have my fair share of trial and tribulations. 

I also relate to having a kid and having to cut out the choir. Trying to keep up can really wear you out big time.


----------



## kisz4tj

I haven't been to KBT since the New Years Eve program.  Were you there?  Do you like the new Pastor?  If you plan to be there this Sabbath we should definitely get together for lunch or something.  I don't think I'll be staying for the concert tho.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Preach it sista!


			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> I know what you mean about that 'look'    I am so over that, but my folks are old school, so they still look.  *I don't judge folks on how they act or react during a song or service. I don't know what kind of hell the devil has put them through that week that they are so thankful to be on the other side of. Shoot, I gotta shout with them too sometimes. Lord knows I have my fair share of trial and tribulations. *
> I also relate to having a kid and having to cut out the choir. Trying to keep up can really wear you out big time.


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> As you should know, Kingsboro is a very spirited church. When I was growing up in the church, there was a time you dare not clap your hands in church. Just maybe it could be done in an evening service, possibly if not held in the church or maybe they'd even wave their programs so the paper would make that noise. Other than that, it was strictly "Amen". I love attending Kingsboro as I can stand to my feet, lift my hands as I praise the Lord. Sometimes when I think of the goodness of the Lord, I can't contain myself.


Thats exactly why I joined.  I needed to be in an atmosphere conducive to lively praise.  I don't make it as often as I'd like.  Lawd knows when I'm travelling from the BX the last thing I wanna do is beg the Lord for parking!!  I'm jus sayin'


----------



## good2uuuu

Ya know! So yau are in Atlanta natalied?  I have been trying to get there to live  forever. My cousins live there a well as a gang of other  friends.


----------



## good2uuuu

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Oh your Dad probably knows my grandmother. She was the treasurer at NEC for awhile.


 
Whose your grandma? Dad was prez from '67 to '85.  My brother lives in Jersey now, but he plays the piano all over the place. Kingsboro is not his speed of service  though.......


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Yes, why thank you! Imagine that! A SDA makeup artist!!!


Who'd a thunk it? EG White must be turning over


----------



## good2uuuu

BTW natalied, where do you go to church now?


----------



## kisz4tj

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Whose your grandma? Dad was prez from '67 to '85.  My brother lives in Jersey now, but he plays the piano all over the place. Kingsboro is not his speed of service  though.......


Ida Williams


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Yes, why thank you! Imagine that! A SDA makeup artist!!!


 
Hey, I have considered cosmetology myself. Now imagine this SDA PK as a make-up artist....lol! Not to mention that my parents are old and old school.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Atlanta is wonderful!!!  Its sort of like a mini NY   Come on down to biggest chocolate city in the South!



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Ya know! So yau are in Atlanta natalied? I have been trying to get there to live forever. My cousins live there a well as a gang of other friends.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> ummm.......shhhhh.....don't tell anybody....but I love it too!


----------



## good2uuuu

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Thats exactly why I joined. I needed to be in an atmosphere conducive to lively praise. I don't make it as often as I'd like. Lawd knows when I'm travelling from the BX the last thing I wanna do is beg the Lord for parking!! I'm jus sayin'


 
I feel ya. My parents were members of City Tab and on the rare Sabbath dad wasn't speaking somewhere we would go there. The problem was that we lived on Long Island close to Belmont racetrack. Why could they not be members of Linden Blvd?  City parking is such a mess!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I shared this with AJD. Me, my husband and some other families started a mission. We've been organzied for two years and the conference just told us we are able to get "church" status now. YEAH!!! We are a lay driven church. i.e. no pastor The conference has a pastor that "checks in" with us at least once a quarter. It's a lot of work but it's very rewarding. I was tired of being a pew warmer at a bigger church.



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> BTW natalied, where do you go to church now?


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> I shared this with AJD. Me, my husband and some other families started a mission. We've been organzied for two years and the conference just told us we are able to get "church" status now. YEAH!!! We are a lay driven church. i.e. no pastor The conference has a pastor that "checks in" with us at least once a quarter. It's a lot of work but it's very rewarding. I was tired of being a pew warmer at a bigger church.


 
That's fantastic! I know what you mean. You get restless warming the pew.  If I ever get back to the ATL, I'll have to check you out. I always end up at Berean though when I'm there. The 2 places I can find without help in ATL are Berean and Lenox Square. Leave it to me to sniff out the ritzy side of town


----------



## good2uuuu

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Ida Williams


  Oh my goodness! I know her! Saw her everyday while growing up.  Until I went to PFA I was at the conference office daily.  Small world !


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> That's fantastic! I know what you mean. You get restless warming the pew. If I ever get back to the ATL, I'll have to check you out. I always end up at Berean though when I'm there. The 2 places I can find without help in ATL are Berean and Lenox Square. Leave it to me to sniff out the ritzy side of town



I live 15 min from Berean.  I'm actually the secretary for the Sabbath Keepers Youth League which is a sports league started by parents at Berean. The league has since grown to include many other SDA churches and other denominations that worship on the Sabbath. That's another plus for Atlanta if you have kids.  

I work right across the street from Lenox!  It's VERY hard, but I TRY not to go unless I have too.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Thats exactly why I joined.  I needed to be in an atmosphere conducive to lively praise.  I don't make it as often as I'd like.  Lawd knows when I'm travelling from the BX the last thing I wanna do is beg the Lord for parking!!  I'm jus sayin'



Gurl, I know exactly what you sayin'!!!  I'm coming from the Upper Eastside of Manhattan, closer than you, but it takes an effort to have everyone ready so we can find parking and get a seat in the sanctuary. If it gets too late we go to New York United right here in the city at 110 street, across from Central Park. Either that or watch it on the computer.


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> I live 15 min from Berean. I'm actually the secretary for the Sabbath Keepers Youth League which is a sports league started by parents at Berean. The league has since grown to include many other SDA churches and other denominations that worship on the Sabbath. That's another plus for Atlanta if you have kids.
> 
> I work right across the street from Lenox! It's VERY hard, but I TRY not to go unless I have too.


 
The youth league is a woderful idea. My husband and I were discussing doing this in Nashville, but the Lord sent us here for these 3 years. I pray that we can get back to Nashville if ATL is not in the picture. That puts me close to my parents and close enough to ATL.

Do you know Rosalyn Warren or Nancy Howard (Howell) or Joe Howell? Just gotta ask You know we think everybody knows everybody....lol


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Have you attended Jules' Church- City Tab?  I only visited there b4 he arrived and it was very conservative.  He hasn't brought the "Kingsboro" atmosphere there?


			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Gurl, I know exactly what you sayin'!!!  I'm coming from the Upper Eastside of Manhattan, closer than you, but it takes an effort to have everyone ready so we can find parking and get a seat in the sanctuary. If it gets too late we go to New York United right here in the city at 110 street, across from Central Park. Either that or watch it on the computer.


----------



## kisz4tj

When you said your Dad was Prez I figured.  It really is a small world.  Yup I have fond memories of the office back in the day too.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Yes I know Joe.  My best friend used to date a friend of his when they were in NY.  His wife is pregnant now!  They attend Shiloh church.  My goddaughter's 'parents attend there.  Her mom is also a member of this board.  She knows Nancy very well.  Hopefully she'll show up in this thread soon.    



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> The youth league is a woderful idea. My husband and I were discussing doing this in Nashville, but the Lord sent us here for these 3 years. I pray that we can get back to Nashville if ATL is not in the picture. That puts me close to my parents and close enough to ATL.
> 
> Do you know Rosalyn Warren or Nancy Howard (Howell) or Joe Howell? Just gotta ask You know we think everybody knows everybody....lol


----------



## kisz4tj

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Do you know Rosalyn Warren or Nancy Howard (Howell) or Joe Howell? Just gotta ask You know we think everybody knows everybody....lol



I don't know about other denominations but when I come across other SDA's I definitely feel a sense of kinship.


----------



## kisz4tj

I watch it on the computer very often...in fact if it gets too late I don't see the point of sitting in the overflow room.  Might as well watch it online.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Who'd a thunk it? EG White must be turning over



You got that right. I'm one of those people that don't like to quote E.G. White. I've read some of her stuff and I was like "What???" I even read where she had something against taking photos. Her writings are very much a part of the Adventist experience. I don't like to deal with it personally, so I even have to wonder if I am truly Seventh Day Adventist or just a Seventh Day observer. I've been to Seventh Day Baptist and other churches too....

Thank goodness I can have discussions with my uncle over topics that disturb me... this being one of them. I have come to realize though that religion won't get me saved. It's my personal relationship with Christ. That's why I don't stress over it too much. Why did I take this quiz that told you what your religion was based on your beliefs and SDA was maybe #6 of their suggested religions that they thought I was. I should post the quiz here if I can find it. I believe they had me down as Church of the Latter Day Saints as first choice. Very interesting. I must look for the quiz.


----------



## good2uuuu

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> When you said your Dad was Prez I figured. It really is a small world. Yup I have fond memories of the office back in the day too.


 
Well, some memories are fond....lol.  I hated having to be there late at night when the folks were working. Talk about bored!  I'd wonder around the office, but not too much. Although Teddy Morgan and Brother Theodore were cool, there was one security guard who creeped me out.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> The youth league is a woderful idea. My husband and I were discussing doing this in Nashville, but the Lord sent us here for these 3 years. I pray that we can get back to Nashville if ATL is not in the picture. That puts me close to my parents and close enough to ATL.
> 
> Do you know Rosalyn Warren or Nancy Howard (Howell) or Joe Howell? Just gotta ask You know we think everybody knows everybody....lol



Hey, I know Joe Howell!!!! He was also friends with my pals Arthur Powell, Erica Powell (can't remember her married name), June Sewer and my Godsister Jackie Williams (can't remember her married name either!)


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> Have you attended Jules' Church- City Tab?  I only visited there b4 he arrived and it was very conservative.  He hasn't brought the "Kingsboro" atmosphere there?



I know City Tab is on the conservative side, hence I haven't visited. I don't know if it's changed since Jules' arrival, but somehow I doubt it. That's an old school church so I don't think they'll go for it... like Ephesus.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> I watch it on the computer very often...in fact if it gets too late I don't see the point of sitting in the overflow room.  Might as well watch it online.



Yup! I agree! I  "try" not to do this too often. There is a church walking distance from my house. I call it the J.Crew church. It has mixed ethnic backgrounds. I tend to fall asleep too easy though.


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> I have come to realize though that religion won't get me saved. It's my personal relationship with Christ. That's why I don't stress over it too much.


 Amen to dat Sista! 





> Why did I take this quiz that told you what your religion was based on your beliefs and SDA was maybe #6 of their suggested religions that they thought I was. I should post the quiz here if I can find it. I believe they had me down as Church of the Latter Day Saints as first choice. Very interesting. I must look for the quiz.


 SAY WHAT?!?!?  You've gotta find that quiz.


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> You got that right. I'm one of those people that don't like to quote E.G. White. I've read some of her stuff and I was like "What???" I even read where she had something against taking photos. Her writings are very much a part of the Adventist experience. I don't like to deal with it personally, so I even have to wonder if I am truly Seventh Day Adventist or just a Seventh Day observer. I've been to Seventh Day Baptist and other churches too....
> 
> Thank goodness I can have discussions with my uncle over topics that disturb me... this being one of them. I have come to realize though that religion won't get me saved. It's my personal relationship with Christ. That's why I don't stress over it too much. Why did I take this quiz that told you what your religion was based on your beliefs and SDA was maybe #6 of their suggested religions that they thought I was. I should post the quiz here if I can find it. I believe they had me down as Church of the Latter Day Saints as first choice. Very interesting. I must look for the quiz.


 
You know, the thing about EGW is that folks want to whip you over the head with her writings. Most people quote her out of context and that's unfortunate. She would most certainly turn over in her grave if she knew how much people throw her writings around and even place them above the Bible. She herself said that her writings are a lesser light and that the Bible is where we need to focus. Also, people forget that times were different then when she wrote. Modern conveniences were not around then, so, for example, tkaking a bath on Sabbath is not a big deal now like it was back then. It was a chore to pump water, heat it, fill the tub, dump it. You know? Today all we have to do is turn a knob and that's it. But, there are those who will condem you for taking a shower on Sabbath.  

Lemme get off my soapbox. Just want to say that I believe EGW is very important even thogh there are a couple of things I do question. Unfortunately all her writings are highly edited so we don't get to see complete manuscripts. This is why I turn to the Bible first.


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Hey, I know Joe Howell!!!! He was also friends with my pals Arthur Powell, Erica Powell (can't remember her married name), June Sewer and my Godsister Jackie Williams (can't remember her married name either!)


 
Joe is my cuz!!! And Jackie and I were running buds as kids.  LOL! I remember Arthur and Erica.  Nancy is his sister.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Amen to dat Sista!  SAY WHAT?!?!?  You've gotta find that quiz.



A-HA!!!! I found it!! I'd be curious to see what you guys get. Please let me know. Maybe I'll do it again to see what comes up.
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

She herself said that you should never ever take her writing over the holy scriptures.  I've come to realize some of her writings were meant for people in her time.  For instance, movies. Back in the day, movies were akin to bars, smoking and drinking and the like. I still enjoy reading her writings.

Remember, the one thing that makes Adventists different from ALL other religions is NOT the Sabbath.  It is the sanctuary message.

When my husband first proposed we considered Seventh Day Baptist.  He was Baptist. I was SDA.  Sounded like a perfect compromise right?!?  I gave him the great controversary to read after I had read it for the FIRST time (AND I WAS BORN ADVENTIST!). Then we both did independent bible studies (me in NY, and he in NC) and he ended up joing "my church"!  Boy, was his family pissed off!

Sounds like you might be still searching.  I'll keep you in prayer my Diva sista!



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> You got that right. I'm one of those people that don't like to quote E.G. White. I've read some of her stuff and I was like "What???" I even read where she had something against taking photos. Her writings are very much a part of the Adventist experience. I don't like to deal with it personally, so I even have to wonder if I am truly Seventh Day Adventist or just a Seventh Day observer. I've been to Seventh Day Baptist and other churches too....
> 
> Thank goodness I can have discussions with my uncle over topics that disturb me... this being one of them. I have come to realize though that religion won't get me saved. It's my personal relationship with Christ. That's why I don't stress over it too much. Why did I take this quiz that told you what your religion was based on your beliefs and SDA was maybe #6 of their suggested religions that they thought I was. I should post the quiz here if I can find it. I believe they had me down as Church of the Latter Day Saints as first choice. Very interesting. I must look for the quiz.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

ITA!!!!!!!



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> You know, the thing about EGW is that folks want to whip you over the head with her writings. Most people quote her out of context and that's unfortunate. She would most certainly turn over in her grave if she knew how much people throw her writings around and even place them above the Bible. She herself said that her writings are a lesser light and that the Bible is where we need to focus. Also, people forget that times were different then when she wrote. Modern conveniences were not around then, so, for example, tkaking a bath on Sabbath is not a big deal now like it was back then. It was a chore to pump water, heat it, fill the tub, dump it. You know? Today all we have to do is turn a knob and that's it. But, there are those who will condem you for taking a shower on Sabbath.
> 
> Lemme get off my soapbox. Just want to say that I believe EGW is very important even thogh there are a couple of things I do question. Unfortunately all her writings are highly edited so we don't get to see complete manuscripts. This is why I turn to the Bible first.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I took that same test!  It was about 3 years ago.  I think Adventist came up second BUT that was before I really studied the church the way I needed too!



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> A-HA!!!! I found it!! I'd be curious to see what you guys get. Please let me know. Maybe I'll do it again to see what comes up.
> http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> I know City Tab is on the conservative side, hence I haven't visited. I don't know if it's changed since Jules' arrival, but somehow I doubt it. That's an old school church so I don't think they'll go for it... like Ephesus.


 
I love Jules and I t hink he might have loosened the up a millimeter...lol. But yes, it is a conservative shurch. It's the last church my dad pastored before becoming conf. Prez.  Even though a lot of the churches are quite conservative, I do miss the organization and order. I like to have a spirited worship also. I don't need to be jumping over pews, but give me som life in my service.....lol. Maybe my folks are getting a little looser in their old age becaue the sometimes go to MAdison Mission in Hunstville. This surprised me, but then they live right down the street from there.  Don't think they'll ever embrace the lively services completely though.  I peronally like to see a good balance in the service of different types of music, etc. so that everyones tastes are acknowleged.


----------



## kisz4tj

Oh your folks moved to Huntsville.  I remember your Dad being very conservative and soft spoken.



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Maybe my folks are getting a little looser in their old age becaue the sometimes go to MAdison Mission in Hunstville. This surprised me, but then they live right down the street from there.  Don't think they'll ever embrace the lively services completely though.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> She herself said that you should never ever take her writing over the holy scriptures.  I've come to realize some of her writings were meant for people in her time.  For instance, movies. Back in the day, movies were akin to bars, smoking and drinking and the like. I still enjoy reading her writings.
> 
> Remember, the one thing that makes Adventists different from ALL other religions is NOT the Sabbath.  It is the sanctuary message.
> 
> When my husband first proposed we considered Seventh Day Baptist.  He was Baptist. I was SDA.  Sounded like a perfect compromise right?!?  I gave him the great controversary to read after I had read it for the FIRST time (AND I WAS BORN ADVENTIST!). Then we both did independent bible studies (me in NY, and he in NC) and he ended up joing "my church"!  Boy, was his family pissed off!
> 
> Sounds like you might be still searching.  I'll keep you in prayer my Diva sista!



Girl, you keep me in your prayers. I too was born Adventist... baptized twice. I already told Grandma (whose an ordained church elder) I ain't dippin' no more!!!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> You know, the thing about EGW is that folks want to whip you over the head with her writings. Most people quote her out of context and that's unfortunate. She would most certainly turn over in her grave if she knew how much people throw her writings around and even place them above the Bible. She herself said that her writings are a lesser light and that the Bible is where we need to focus. Also, people forget that times were different then when she wrote. Modern conveniences were not around then, so, for example, tkaking a bath on Sabbath is not a big deal now like it was back then. It was a chore to pump water, heat it, fill the tub, dump it. You know? Today all we have to do is turn a knob and that's it. But, there are those who will condem you for taking a shower on Sabbath.
> 
> Lemme get off my soapbox. Just want to say that I believe EGW is very important even thogh there are a couple of things I do question. Unfortunately all her writings are highly edited so we don't get to see complete manuscripts. This is why I turn to the Bible first.



That sums it up for me... Bible first and foremost.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Joe is my cuz!!! And Jackie and I were running buds as kids.  LOL! I remember Arthur and Erica.  Nancy is his sister.



I was in SDA from 1-8 grade. I take it you were at Westchester Area SDA school with Jackie? I was at Bronx Manhattan SDA for 1-5, then RT Hudson for 6, then moved to Dallas where I met Erica and Arthur while going to City Temple SDA and attending the school of the same name. After that, I went to a Health Professions HS. I went to Arthur's wedding.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

OK... how bout when I retook that quiz they said I was 100% SDA. Hmmm... was I having amnesia when I took it first? :scratchch


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> OK... how bout when I retook that quiz they said I was 100% SDA. Hmmm... was I having amnesia when I took it first? :scratchch


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> A-HA!!!! I found it!! I'd be curious to see what you guys get. Please let me know. Maybe I'll do it again to see what comes up.
> http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html



Well looks like I'm a protestant.  SDA was #5 on the list


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Well looks like I'm a protestant.  SDA was #5 on the list



Welll..... at least you're a Christian, right???


----------



## kisz4tj

Both my girls to go RT Hudson now.  My oldest went to Bx-Mnht for Pre-K.


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Welll..... at least you're a Christian, right???


 I guess


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> I was in SDA from 1-8 grade. I take it you were at Westchester Area SDA school with Jackie? I was at Bronx Manhattan SDA for 1-5, then RT Hudson for 6, then moved to Dallas where I met Erica and Arthur while going to City Temple SDA and attending the school of the same name. After that, I went to a Health Professions HS. I went to Arthur's wedding.


 
Actually, when I say Jackie and I were running buds as kids, I meant before school and at the campground....lol! I actually went to Linden for school till 3rd grade, than homeschooled then went to Bethesda 7th and 8th grade then off to PFA.  I got family in Dallas also. My cousins wife is a dentist out there. They are Marvin and Diane Earle. Don't know how long you were in Dallas or if you even met them.  Now Erica I met at OC.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Girl, you keep me in your prayers. I too was born Adventist... baptized twice. I already told Grandma (whose an ordained church elder) *I ain't dippin' no more!!!*





When my hubby got baptized, I thought about going for it a second time. But I never did! Lookin' at how I was living I probably should have. I definietely was not  a :littleang When I left my parents house (ya know the type: conservative carribean parentsO and went to college, I WAS OFF THE CHAIN!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

My best friend and her sister went to Pine Forge.  What years were you there?



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Actually, when I say Jackie and I were running buds as kids, I meant before school and at the campground....lol! I actually went to Linden for school till 3rd grade, than homeschooled then went to Bethesda 7th and 8th grade then off to PFA. I got family in Dallas also. My cousins wife is a dentist out there. They are Marvin and Diane Earle. Don't know how long you were in Dallas or if you even met them. Now Erica I met at OC.


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> OK... how bout when I retook that quiz they said I was 100% SDA. Hmmm... was I having amnesia when I took it first? :scratchch


 
 And you wear jewry, too! LOL. Just messin' with ya. Ya know, as far as that can of worms issue is concerned, I can honestly say at this point in my journey I have no religious reasons for not wearing it. I just don't think that for me it's necessary or pratical, even though there is some gorgeous jewelry out there. I am however debating in my mind about a wedding band(don't like getting hit on). I even looked up to see what EGW has to say and the conclusion is that it's just not really necessary. No 'thou shalt not' or anything. Just that it's not necessary especially if its beyond your means, and a simple small band is not beyond my means.


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> My best friend and her sister went to Pine Forge. What years were you there?


 
I was there '82 to '86 and know a lot of folks who where there at other times.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Actually, when I say Jackie and I were running buds as kids, I meant before school and at the campground....lol! I actually went to Linden for school till 3rd grade, than homeschooled then went to Bethesda 7th and 8th grade then off to PFA.  I got family in Dallas also. My cousins wife is a dentist out there. They are Marvin and Diane Earle. Don't know how long you were in Dallas or if you even met them.  Now Erica I met at OC.



When I became a flight attendant, I sent my daughter to City Temple for 1st and 2nd grade. I had Diane work on her teeth. I know the Earles. This world is tooooooooo  small!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't been to a campmeeting in ages!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> And you wear jewry, too! LOL. Just messin' with ya. Ya know, as far as that can of worms issue is concerned, I can honestly say at this point in my journey I have no religious reasons for not wearing it. I just don't think that for me it's necessary or pratical, even though there is some gorgeous jewelry out there. I am however debating in my mind about a wedding band(don't like getting hit on). I even looked up to see what EGW has to say and the conclusion is that it's just not really necessary. No 'thou shalt not' or anything. Just that it's not necessary especially if its beyond your means, and a simple small band is not beyond my means.



I'm at that place too. My husband, who is a new believer compared to me, is against it. So I stopped wearing my wedding band about 2 or 3 years ago. He says that the jewlery issue is best understood in the context of the sanctuary. So we wil be doing a Bible study onit together. Sometimes its sad b/c I grew up SDA and he has to explain to me, the religion I grew up with. But I'm not complaining, that is his job as the "priest" of our home. I'm really fortunate in how he has embraced "the message".


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> And you wear jewry, too! LOL. Just messin' with ya. Ya know, as far as that can of worms issue is concerned, I can honestly say at this point in my journey I have no religious reasons for not wearing it. I just don't think that for me it's necessary or pratical, even though there is some gorgeous jewelry out there. I am however debating in my mind about a wedding band(don't like getting hit on). I even looked up to see what EGW has to say and the conclusion is that it's just not really necessary. No 'thou shalt not' or anything. Just that it's not necessary especially if its beyond your means, and a simple small band is not beyond my means.



Gurl, I feel as long as it isn't gaudy. My ears are pierced, but I did not pierce my daughter's. She sometimes says she wants hers pierced, but I discourage her. I wear a wedding band and engagement ring.

My hubby isn't a baptized SDA. My uncle married us here in my resident lounge... I had a small wedding. I incorporated the exchange of rings in our ceremony. Of course my uncle wouldn't marry us without counselling. My husband is a Christian and we both worship on the Sabbath. He told me that although he already's been baptized, he'd like to be baptized into the SDA church. While I don't discourage him, don't you think baptism symbolizes the death of the old sinful man and putting on a Christ-like character? Would it be necessary to do it again? I don't say anything to him, but I wonder to myself.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> I was there '82 to '86 and know a lot of folks who where there at other times.


Did you know a Sam Bagley or the Holmes sisters?


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> I'm at that place too. My husband, who is a new believer compared to me, is against it. So I stopped wearing my wedding band about 2 or 3 years ago. He says that the jewlery issue is best understood in the context of the sanctuary. So we wil be doing a Bible study onit together. Sometimes its sad b/c I grew up SDA and he has to explain to me, the religion I grew up with. But I'm not complaining, that is his job as the "priest" of our home. I'm really fortunate in how he has embraced "the message".



Very good!


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> Did you know a Sam Bagley or the Holmes sisters?


 
Yes I know SAm and Kimmie and Nicci! Nicci's son is my godson!!!!!

Is that why you look familiar? You actually do look like you could be related to Kimmie and Nicci.


----------



## Barbi

I've been an SDA for several years now.


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Gurl, I feel as long as it isn't gaudy. My ears are pierced, but I did not pierce my daughter's. She sometimes says she wants hers pierced, but I discourage her. I wear a wedding band and engagement ring.
> 
> My hubby isn't a baptized SDA. My uncle married us here in my resident lounge... I had a small wedding. I incorporated the exchange of rings in our ceremony. Of course my uncle wouldn't marry us without counselling. My husband is a Christian and we both worship on the Sabbath. He told me that although he already's been baptized, he'd like to be baptized into the SDA church. While I don't discourage him, don't you think baptism symbolizes the death of the old sinful man and putting on a Christ-like character? Would it be necessary to do it again? I don't say anything to him, but I wonder to myself.


 
Now I always thought that if you have already been baptized then you could join the SDA church on profession of faith. I could be wrong though. I never asked dad about that one.  If he wants to be baptized, than that wouldn't hurt anything.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Yes I know SAm and Kimmie and Nicci! Nicci's son is my godson!!!!!
> 
> Is that why you look familiar? You actually do look like you could be related to Kimmie and Nicci.



I only know Sam. I don't know his sisters very well, if thats who you are referring too.My husband is attorney like Margo. We went to a Sothern Union attorney function 5 years ago and that's where we met them.  They were very instrumental and the founding of our mission group.   We have Sabbath lunch together often.  When I renovated my investment property, Sam guided me through the process and gave me A LOT of help.  I've met his parents though.  SJ and my sons are good buds!  

Once again, small world!!!


----------



## good2uuuu

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Gurl, I feel as long as it isn't gaudy. My ears are pierced, but I did not pierce my daughter's. She sometimes says she wants hers pierced, but I discourage her. I wear a wedding band and engagement ring.
> 
> I can agree with that. I actually  have more issue with folks and their fancy aht addicition. Some of those hats are sooooo gaudy!!!!  If I showed up with a simple strand of pearls and some pearl studs, I would draw much less attention that those hats, which by the way are NOT cheap.  But don't get me started!!! lol!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

This is my understanding as well.  I think a lot of people "like" to do it but don't "have" to do it.



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Now I always thought that if you have already been baptized then you could join the SDA church on profession of faith. I could be wrong though. I never asked dad about that one. If he wants to be baptized, than that wouldn't hurt anything.


----------



## RabiaElaine

SDA checking in!!!  I go to Corona SDA in Corona Queens in New York.  Corona is more on the old school end, but things are changing.  Our pastor is quite young and he and his wife are right now preaching a series on issues facing men and women.  It's been quite good so far.  Anyway, even though Corona is not as lively as Kingsboro (which I love and visit on occasion), I grew up there so it's my home church and I love it.  Music is a very important part of Corona's service always has been always will be, we have 6 active choirs.

It's so good to meet some Adventist women that care about their hair and general beauty, which I believe is biblical, just read about the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.  She was gorgeous and took care of herself.  She had a healthy hair of head, so our journey is very much in line with biblical teachings about women.

Anyway, as for EG White, I have had issues with some of her writings.  My mother put it into perspective for me.  She told me to remember the time in which Ellen was writing and to also remember that she was a woman writing at that time.  Ellen however is very specific when she says that we should stay modern to the times in which we live in the way we dress and live our lives, but always keep God first.  I do need to read more of her writings to better understand her though.

One of my issues as a young single SDA woman is that there don't seem to be very many young single SDA men that are spiritually minded, and that don't just play church, around for me to meet.  My last boyfriend wasn't SDA.  And the guy that I'm seeing now, I won't call him my boyfriend just yet since we are building a foundation for a relationship, used to be SDA but is now non-denominational.  He is the most spiritually minded young man I've ever been with.  It's frustrating because I know that we shouldn't be unequally yoked, but I sometimes feel that I am more unequally yoked with some SDA men who just play church but half the time they are there they are just checking women out and never read there bibles.  Anyway that's my frustration, does anyone else feel that way?


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Barbi said:
			
		

> I've been an SDA for several years now.



Hi Barbi,

Megonw is a Bostonian SDA as well. What church do you go to?


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> I only know Sam. I don't know his sisters very well, if thats who you are referring too.My husband is attorney like Margo. We went to a Sothern Union attorney function 5 years ago and that's where we met them. They were very instrumental and the founding of our mission group. We have Sabbath lunch together often. When I renovated my investment property, Sam guided me through the process and gave me A LOT of help. I've met his parents though. SJ and my sons are good buds!
> 
> Once again, small world!!!


 
Ooops! My bad! When you said Holmes sisters I was thinking Grant....lol. Nicci's married name is Holmes.....lol Erase that!  I don't know Sams sisters.


----------



## Bublnbrnsuga

Can someone explain to me what SDA is? What do you all believe?


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I totally understand!  I wish you were here in Atlanta!  I have 1 male cousin and 2 male friends who are SDA (not playing church, but grounded), single and searching.  I know they get frustrated too.  

I have friends in NY who say the same as you do.  Where are the grounded single SDA men?  I will keep you in prayer RabiaElaine! Have you looked at any of the online Adventist dating websites?



			
				RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> SDA checking in!!! I go to Corona SDA in Corona Queens in New York. Corona is more on the old school end, but things are changing. Our pastor is quite young and he and his wife are right now preaching a series on issues facing men and women. It's been quite good so far. Anyway, even though Corona is not as lively as Kingsboro (which I love and visit on occasion), I grew up there so it's my home church and I love it. Music is a very important part of Corona's service always has been always will be, we have 6 active choirs.
> 
> It's so good to meet some Adventist women that care about their hair and general beauty, which I believe is biblical, just read about the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. She was gorgeous and took care of herself. She had a healthy hair of head, so our journey is very much in line with biblical teachings about women.
> 
> Anyway, as for EG White, I have had issues with some of her writings. My mother put it into perspective for me. She told me to remember the time in which Ellen was writing and to also remember that she was a woman writing at that time. Ellen however is very specific when she says that we should stay modern to the times in which we live in the way we dress and live our lives, but always keep God first. I do need to read more of her writings to better understand her though.
> 
> One of my issues as a young single SDA woman is that there don't seem to be very many young single SDA men that are spiritually minded, and that don't just play church, around for me to meet. My last boyfriend wasn't SDA. And the guy that I'm seeing now, I won't call him my boyfriend just yet since we are building a foundation for a relationship, used to be SDA but is now non-denominational. He is the most spiritually minded young man I've ever been with. It's frustrating because I know that we shouldn't be unequally yoked, but I sometimes feel that I am more unequally yoked with some SDA men who just play church but half the time they are there they are just checking women out and never read there bibles. Anyway that's my frustration, does anyone else feel that way?


----------



## good2uuuu

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> SDA checking in!!! I go to Corona SDA in Corona Queens in New York. Corona is more on the old school end, but things are changing. Our pastor is quite young and he and his wife are right now preaching a series on issues facing men and women. It's been quite good so far. Anyway, even though Corona is not as lively as Kingsboro (which I love and visit on occasion), I grew up there so it's my home church and I love it. Music is a very important part of Corona's service always has been always will be, we have 6 active choirs.
> 
> It's so good to meet some Adventist women that care about their hair and general beauty, which I believe is biblical, just read about the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. She was gorgeous and took care of herself. She had a healthy hair of head, so our journey is very much in line with biblical teachings about women.
> 
> Anyway, as for EG White, I have had issues with some of her writings. My mother put it into perspective for me. She told me to remember the time in which Ellen was writing and to also remember that she was a woman writing at that time. Ellen however is very specific when she says that we should stay modern to the times in which we live in the way we dress and live our lives, but always keep God first. I do need to read more of her writings to better understand her though.
> 
> One of my issues as a young single SDA woman is that there don't seem to be very many young single SDA men that are spiritually minded, and that don't just play church, around for me to meet. My last boyfriend wasn't SDA. And the guy that I'm seeing now, I won't call him my boyfriend just yet since we are building a foundation for a relationship, used to be SDA but is now non-denominational. He is the most spiritually minded young man I've ever been with. It's frustrating because I know that we shouldn't be unequally yoked, but I sometimes feel that I am more unequally yoked with some SDA men who just play church but half the time they are there they are just checking women out and never read there bibles. Anyway that's my frustration, does anyone else feel that way?


 
Corona?? I remember it well! is Lawrence Brown still there? The last time Iwas there was in the fall of '98. My husbands singing group, the Brothers of NAshville stopped by for a minute. We were there because of the Hoespedales' . Russell was part of the group then. I assume you know Carnetta Williams? I love what they did rennovating the church. I remember when, way back in the day.....lol.

I also want to add that you are not alone. I have a couple of friends in the same situtaion with the brothas of the church.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Bublnbrnsuga said:
			
		

> Can someone explain to me what SDA is? What do you all believe?



SDA stands for Seventh Day Adventist.

We believe in the following

*1. The Holy Scriptures:*

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God's acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)

*2. The Trinity:*

There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)

*3. The Father:*

God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)

*4. The Son:*

God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested God's power and was attested as God's promised Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)

*5. The Holy Spirit:*

God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)

*6. Creation:*

God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord made "the heaven and the earth" and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work. The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was ``very good,'' declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)

*7. The Nature of Man:*

Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)

*8. The Great Controversy:*

All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)

*9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ:*

In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God's law and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God's triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)

*10. The Experience of Salvation:*

In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example. This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God's law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)


see my next two posts for continuation......


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> AJamericanDiva said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gurl, I feel as long as it isn't gaudy. My ears are pierced, but I did not pierce my daughter's. She sometimes says she wants hers pierced, but I discourage her. I wear a wedding band and engagement ring.
> 
> I can agree with that. I actually  have more issue with folks and their fancy aht addicition. Some of those hats are sooooo gaudy!!!!  If I showed up with a simple strand of pearls and some pearl studs, I would draw much less attention that those hats, which by the way are NOT cheap.  But don't get me started!!! lol!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See, that's my argument with my uncle... what if it's expensive cars, clothing, watches, etc? Where exactly is the line drawn? So if I come in my studs, yet another is wearing Manolo Blahnik shoes, I will be the one to be looked down upon? I know God thinks it's OK to enjoy the fruits of your labor... as long as you are using some of those funds to further the ministry, giving appropriate tithe and offering.
Click to expand...


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

*11. The Church:*

The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)

*12. The Remnant and Its Mission:*

The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness. (Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)

*13. Unity in the Body of Christ:*

The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)

*14. Baptism:*

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)

*15. The Lord's Supper:*

The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again. Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service is open to all believing Christians. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)

*16. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries:*

God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God's varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)

*17. The Gift of Prophecy:*

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)

*18. The Law of God:*

The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in every age. These precepts are the basis of God's covenant with His people and the standard in God's judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments. This obedience develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being. It is an evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow men. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives, and therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)

*19. The Sabbath:*

The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)

*20. Stewardship:*

We are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)



*...one more post needed......
*


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

*21. Christian Behavior:*

We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)

*22. Marriage and the Family:*

Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the Christian a marriage commitment is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered into only between partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence of the relationship between Christ and His church. Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that the person who divorces a spouse, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although some family relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of the church. God blesses the family and intends that its members shall assist each other toward complete maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love and obey the Lord. By their example and their words they are to teach them that Christ is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants them to become members of His body, the family of God. Increasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)

*23. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary:*

There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His intercessory ministry at the time of His ascension. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent. (Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; 1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)

*24. The Second Coming of Christ:*

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ's coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times. (Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)

*25. Death and Resurrection:*

The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev. 20:1-10.)

*26. The Millennium and the End of Sin:*

The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints in heaven between the first and second resurrections. During this time the wicked dead will be judged; the earth will be utterly desolate, without living human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan and his angels. At its close Christ with His saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected, and with Satan and his angels will surround the city; but fire from God will consume them and cleanse the earth. The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever. (Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)

*27. The New Earth:*

On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will have passed away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love; and He shall reign forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)



ok.......phew....done!


----------



## good2uuuu

Natalie, where did you get the ready reference from for what we belive? I need to download it to my files in that precise manner. Please tell me you didn't type it all out. I'm too lazy............


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

ITA.  ANYTHING can be an idol!



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> good2uuuu said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See, that's my argument with my uncle... what if it's expensive cars, clothing, watches, etc? Where exactly is the line drawn? So if I come in my studs, yet another is wearing Manolo Blahnik shoes, I will be the one to be looked down upon? I know God thinks it's OK to enjoy the fruits of your labor... as long as you are using some of those funds to further the ministry, giving appropriate tithe and offering.
Click to expand...


----------



## AJamericanDiva

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> SDA checking in!!!  I go to Corona SDA in Corona Queens in New York.  Corona is more on the old school end, but things are changing.  Our pastor is quite young and he and his wife are right now preaching a series on issues facing men and women.  It's been quite good so far.  Anyway, even though Corona is not as lively as Kingsboro (which I love and visit on occasion), I grew up there so it's my home church and I love it.  Music is a very important part of Corona's service always has been always will be, we have 6 active choirs.
> 
> It's so good to meet some Adventist women that care about their hair and general beauty, which I believe is biblical, just read about the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.  She was gorgeous and took care of herself.  She had a healthy hair of head, so our journey is very much in line with biblical teachings about women.
> 
> Anyway, as for EG White, I have had issues with some of her writings.  My mother put it into perspective for me.  She told me to remember the time in which Ellen was writing and to also remember that she was a woman writing at that time.  Ellen however is very specific when she says that we should stay modern to the times in which we live in the way we dress and live our lives, but always keep God first.  I do need to read more of her writings to better understand her though.
> 
> One of my issues as a young single SDA woman is that there don't seem to be very many young single SDA men that are spiritually minded, and that don't just play church, around for me to meet.  My last boyfriend wasn't SDA.  And the guy that I'm seeing now, I won't call him my boyfriend just yet since we are building a foundation for a relationship, used to be SDA but is now non-denominational.  He is the most spiritually minded young man I've ever been with.  It's frustrating because I know that we shouldn't be unequally yoked, but I sometimes feel that I am more unequally yoked with some SDA men who just play church but half the time they are there they are just checking women out and never read there bibles.  Anyway that's my frustration, does anyone else feel that way?



See, that's why after counselling and seeing how spiritual minded my hubby was my uncle was able to marry us. When we took the compatability test, he was too shocked that we were so compatable.... opposites.. me extrovert, outgoing, him laid back... but the common thread is that we both loved the Lord. I've dated Adventists and non-Adventists, so I've seen both of the spectrums. When I first told my hubby that they may not wed us as we're "unequally yoked" he was like, "WHAT? We both believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour". That ended that. Furthermore, he goes to church with me. He used to eat unclean foods, but no longer does. We don't have any problems. I couldn't have married a better man. That's just my situation. ... but I do know about the single SDA scene. It can be a tad depressing.


----------



## RabiaElaine

natalied said:
			
		

> I totally understand! I wish you were here in Atlanta! I have 1 male cousin and 2 male friends who are SDA (not playing church, but grounded), single and searching. I know they get frustrated too.
> 
> I have friends in NY who say the same as you do. Where are the grounded single SDA men? I will keep you in prayer RabiaElaine! Have you looked at any of the online Adventist dating websites?


 
I heard that there are a lot of grounded men in Atlanta...I have some friends (married) that moved down there.  I have not looked at any but a woman at my church has used them and she had a boyfriend from one of them for a while but they broke up, she's dating someone else now, I don't know where they met.

I'm not sure if I want to try the websites...I feel I should give it more time.  Besides I am starting to become of the belief that the man is supposed to choose you (I just finished reading on of Michelle McKinney Hammond books...she's great), so I'm not sure how I feel about seeking them out.  But maybe I could do it just to expand my scope of friends anyway (sigh).


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

GIRL NO!  I'm to lazy too!

http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html




			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Natalie, where did you get the ready reference from for what we belive? I need to download it to my files in that precise manner. Please tell me you didn't type it all out. I'm too lazy............


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Corona?? I remember it well! is Lawrence Brown still there? The last time Iwas there was in the fall of '98. My husbands singing group, the Brothers of NAshville stopped by for a minute. We were there because of the Hoespedales' . Russell was part of the group then. I assume you know Carnetta Williams? I love what they did rennovating the church. I remember when, way back in the day.....lol.
> 
> I also want to add that you are not alone. I have a couple of friends in the same situtaion with the brothas of the church.


 
Pastor Brown no longer pastors our church...he pastors Lebanon now I believe. He is still very much involved at our church because his daughter still is, she's in our Pathfinder club and participates in all of our children/youth/church events. Corona's a weird church that way, pastor's kids always remain at Corona despite where their father's are moved to.  

I know the Hospedales very well.  Caranetta, i know very well for many years, she still attends Corona.  Yes the church rennovated itself a while back, it does look good...we hope to get a bigger church though, we are starting to bust at the seams.


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> GIRL NO! I'm to lazy too!
> 
> http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html


 
Well duh! I spend most of my time on the Little Friend site for the kids.....lol. I can't tell you the last time I actually went to Sabbath School for myself!  Thanks for the link!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I teach primary two Sabbaths a month.  But the other Sabbaths, there is always something else I have to do so I don't attend adult class regularly.  My husband teaches adult and it peeves him when I'm not in his class if I'm not teaching the kids  I don't prepare my adult lesson.  He has threatens to call on me when I come. 

I did go a couple of weeks ago and do you know he had the NERVE to call on me even though he KNEW I didn't prepare!  Good thing I'm a quick thinking sista and was ablet to answer



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Well duh! I spend most of my time on the Little Friend site for the kids.....lol. I can't tell you the last time I actually went to Sabbath School for myself! Thanks for the link!


----------



## good2uuuu

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Pastor Brown no longer pastors our church...he pastors Lebanon now I believe. He is still very much involved at our church because his daughter still is, she's in our Pathfinder club and participates in all of our children/youth/church events. Corona's a weird church that way, pastor's kids always remain at Corona despite where their father's are moved to.
> 
> I know the Hospedales very well. Caranetta, i know very well for many years, she still attends Corona. Yes the church rennovated itself a while back, it does look good...we hope to get a bigger church though, we are starting to bust at the seams.


 
good1 Ya'll were in there pretty tight the last time I was there. Yep, I know Lawrence from way back, though he has a few years on me.  Caranetta and I were at Linden to gehter in elementary school although she is a year ahead of me. We were at OC at the same time also.  I so miss NEC pathfinders. I never had the chance to be in a Pathfinder due to having to be at a different church each week  (dad had to speak at different churches each week) and my parents schedule.  I just always loved watching the enthusiasm and order. I really want my kids involved in pathfinders, but they don't really have any up here, and the club that does exist starts at 5th grade. I really wanted my kids to be Eager Beavers and Adventurers. I pray that we will end up where the Pathfinders are alive and well.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I don't see it as you necessarily seeking them out.  You put your profile up and wait for them to contact you. 

It's good to meet people! That's what I tell my cousin. Just get out there and meet new people!

Humm.......maybe I could put the two of you in contact?  I'll send you a PM.



			
				RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> I heard that there are a lot of grounded men in Atlanta...I have some friends (married) that moved down there. I have not looked at any but a woman at my church has used them and she had a boyfriend from one of them for a while but they broke up, she's dating someone else now, I don't know where they met.
> 
> I'm not sure if I want to try the websites...I feel I should give it more time. Besides I am starting to become of the belief that the man is supposed to choose you (I just finished reading on of Michelle McKinney Hammond books...she's great), so I'm not sure how I feel about seeking them out. But maybe I could do it just to expand my scope of friends anyway (sigh).


----------



## RabiaElaine

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> See, that's why after counselling and seeing how spiritual minded my hubby was my uncle was able to marry us. When we took the compatability test, he was too shocked that we were so compatable.... opposites.. me extrovert, outgoing, him laid back... but the common thread is that we both loved the Lord. I've dated Adventists and non-Adventists, so I've seen both of the spectrums. When I first told my hubby that they may not wed us as we're "unequally yoked" he was like, "WHAT? We both believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour". That ended that. Furthermore, he goes to church with me. He used to eat unclean foods, but no longer does. We don't have any problems. I couldn't have married a better man. That's just my situation. ... but I do know about the single SDA scene. It can be a tad depressing.


 
Tad depressing is right.  I went and visited the non-denominational church that the guy I'm seeing attends, the young men are are so 'Out there for the Lord'.  That's the only way I can put it.  It was strange for me to see a guy who wasn't singing, or who wasn't preaching just praising God and thanking him for all that he's done in his life, and it was real.  I'm glad that your husband is deciding to change his lifestyle for himself...he will be healthier that way.  If he does baptize Adventist at some point, it's very good that it won't be because you pressured him too.  I know some women who have done that, it has backfired on them big time.  I'm glad that you found that right man for you AJD.  You go girl  .

I don't know what will happen with this guy I'm seeing.  We actually had a very deep discussion about where we are going with this yesterday.  We've decided that we are building a foundation for a relationship at this point (we've been seeing each other on and off for about 8 months now, we've been steadily on for about 5 months now).  We don't want to just attach a label to our relationship just yet just because we've been seeing each other for some time now, at first I wanted to but now I don't that's pointless if there is no foundation.  We both have stuff to still learn about each other before we enter into a serious relationship.  We also are seeking the Lord regarding this so that we make the best decision.  My parents are going to freak at some point if we do enter a serious relationship because he's not SDA, and I need to decide if I can handle that.  We both stated that while we are not attaching a label to the relationship, that there is no one else in the picture on either side.  Is this stupid, help me out?


----------



## good2uuuu

You know, I'm glad this thread was started. I hope we can keep it going. At first I wasn't going to participate in this particular forum because I felt that it excluded those who are not Christians but have other spiritual beliefs, but, I need this particular thread because being Black and SDA in Minnesota is no joke. I often feel like I'm loosing my spritiual edge due to the lack of fellowship that I am use to.  It's really wonderful to hear about the happenings in other churches, especailly NY and Atl, since I know folks from both places and can relate. This is good.


----------



## mohair

Hi All,

I am SDA also.  I attend Shiloh in Smyrna, GA (suburb of ATL).


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> good1 Ya'll were in there pretty tight the last time I was there. Yep, I know Lawrence from way back, though he has a few years on me. Caranetta and I were at Linden to gehter in elementary school although she is a year ahead of me. We were at OC at the same time also. I so miss NEC pathfinders. I never had the chance to be in a Pathfinder due to having to be at a different church each week (dad had to speak at different churches each week) and my parents schedule. I just always loved watching the enthusiasm and order. I really want my kids involved in pathfinders, but they don't really have any up here, and the club that does exist starts at 5th grade. I really wanted my kids to be Eager Beavers and Adventurers. I pray that we will end up where the Pathfinders are alive and well.


 
Maybe you should start up your own Adventure's club with some other parents.  That's how they get started, because there is a need for them.  I'm sure you are not the only one.  You should really think about it.  I think the Adventurer/Pathfinder Club is excellent.  I learned a lot of life skills there that translated to school, then college, then the workforce.  I encourage all parents to put their kids into Pathfinders.  It's not perfect but trust me it's still well worth it in the end for your kids.


----------



## good2uuuu

mohair said:
			
		

> Hi All,
> 
> I am SDA also. I attend Shiloh in Smyrna, GA (suburb of ATL).


 
Hi! You know, I ahve been racking my brain to remember which church my cousin got married in and I believe it was Shiloh. She got married in October '02. I assume this is where her memebership is also.


----------



## RabiaElaine

natalied said:
			
		

> I don't see it as you necessarily seeking them out. You put your profile up and wait for them to contact you.
> 
> It's good to meet people! That's what I tell my cousin. Just get out there and meet new people!
> 
> Humm.......maybe I could put the two of you in contact? I'll send you a PM.


 
That's true I need to have a larger group of friends even both men and women.


----------



## mohair

I know Nancy!!  I love her.  Thanks to her, we now work together as well.


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> See, that's why after counselling and seeing how spiritual minded my hubby was my uncle was able to marry us. When we took the compatability test, he was too shocked that we were so compatable.... opposites.. me extrovert, outgoing, him laid back... but the common thread is that we both loved the Lord. I've dated Adventists and non-Adventists, so I've seen both of the spectrums. When I first told my hubby that they may not wed us as we're "unequally yoked" he was like, "WHAT? We both believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour". That ended that. Furthermore, he goes to church with me. He used to eat unclean foods, but no longer does. We don't have any problems. I couldn't have married a better man. That's just my situation. ... but I do know about the single SDA scene. It can be a tad depressing.



I've felt for a long time that that scripture is never completed.  Doesn't scripture say unequally yolked with "unbelievers"?  Not just unequally yolked.  You were definitely blessed.


----------



## good2uuuu

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Maybe you should start up your own Adventure's club with some other parents. That's how they get started, because there is a need for them. I'm sure you are not the only one. You should really think about it. I think the Adventurer/Pathfinder Club is excellent. I learned a lot of life skills there that translated to school, then college, then the workforce. I encourage all parents to put their kids into Pathfinders. It's not perfect but trust me it's still well worth it in the end for your kids.


 
Actually, there was one, but the parents dropped it. Same thing with the childrens choir. No one wants to do these things. We only have 17 more months here, then we'll be gone. I hope there will be more interest where we go.  If the Lord wills it that we go back to NAshville, than there will be no problem because my old church has all these things.


----------



## RabiaElaine

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> I've felt for a long time that that scripture is never completed. Doesn't scripture say unequally yolked with "unbelievers"? Not just unequally yolked. You were definitely blessed.


 
The scripture says unequally yoked with unbelievers.  Different people interpret that different ways.  I personally believe that you can be unequally yoked with a Seventh Day Adventist that has no real connection with the Lord and only calls themselves SDA.  I haven't made up my mind about whether I could marry someone who believe in the Lord and has a relationship with him, but isn't an SDA, right now I'm seeing someone like that.


----------



## good2uuuu

mohair said:
			
		

> I know Nancy!! I love her. Thanks to her, we now work together as well.


 
Small world! Though I confess to not keeping in touch as I should, she's my girl. Her, Lilli and Joe are the closest relatives to my age that I have.  That's the main reason I want to live in Atl. I just want to be close to famliy.


----------



## good2uuuu

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> The scripture says unequally yoked with unbelievers. Different people interpret that different ways. I personally believe that you can be unequally yoked with a Seventh Day Adventist that has no real connection with the Lord and only calls themselves SDA. I haven't made up my mind about whether I could marry someone who believe in the Lord and has a relationship with him, but isn't an SDA, right now I'm seeing someone like that.


 
Exactly. There are so many claiming to be SDA but not remotely connected to what it means. Thern there are those who are not SDA, but are so connected spiritually. The only resolustion is to earnestly pray for guidance in these situations.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

No. This is not stupid. You just have to be prayed up! The safest place to be is in God's will. I know I could not be married to a man who didn't keep the Sabbath. With children, it would make things too difficult. But that's me. 

You have to decide if YOU could live with that and if that is what God wants for you. I know you know this but its worth repeating, don't go into a relationship thinking that he will change later. 

He's non-Denominational now. That's were he is. You sound grounded in SDA. I believe families should worship together. Esp. when there are children involved. Are you willing to go to church on Sunday? These are decisions you must face. 

My husband was not Adventist when we started dating or when we got engaged. We did a bible study and came to the same beliefs before we were married BUT I had made up my mind that I would not go through with the marriage unless he accepted the Sabbath. Lucky for him, he did. I told him this after we were married.  He was upset after I told him, but he got over it.  

ETA: BTW,I was not "practicing" Adventism when my hubby and I got engaged

I don't believe in wasting time while you are dating. If you see a future with him, pursue the relationship. If not, move on! Time is too precious. JMHO.



			
				RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Tad depressing is right. I went and visited the non-denominational church that the guy I'm seeing attends, the young men are are so 'Out there for the Lord'. That's the only way I can put it. It was strange for me to see a guy who wasn't singing, or who wasn't preaching just praising God and thanking him for all that he's done in his life, and it was real. I'm glad that your husband is deciding to change his lifestyle for himself...he will be healthier that way. If he does baptize Adventist at some point, it's very good that it won't be because you pressured him too. I know some women who have done that, it has backfired on them big time. I'm glad that you found that right man for you AJD. You go girl  .
> 
> I don't know what will happen with this guy I'm seeing. We actually had a very deep discussion about where we are going with this yesterday. We've decided that we are building a foundation for a relationship at this point (we've been seeing each other on and off for about 8 months now, we've been steadily on for about 5 months now). We don't want to just attach a label to our relationship just yet just because we've been seeing each other for some time now, at first I wanted to but now I don't that's pointless if there is no foundation. We both have stuff to still learn about each other before we enter into a serious relationship. We also are seeking the Lord regarding this so that we make the best decision. My parents are going to freak at some point if we do enter a serious relationship because he's not SDA, and I need to decide if I can handle that. We both stated that while we are not attaching a label to the relationship, that there is no one else in the picture on either side. Is this stupid, help me out?


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Exactly. There are so many claiming to be SDA but not remotely connected to what it means. Thern there are those who are not SDA, but are so connected spiritually. The only resolustion is to earnestly pray for guidance in these situations.


 
This is exactly what I've been struggling with, and praying to the Lord about.  I have never really dated or met (that was available anyway) a man who is SDA and grounded.  What's a girl to do?  I will catch hell's fire, if I marry a man who is spiritually grounded but not SDA from my parents.  I doubt they would attend my weddingerplexed .  Does anyone here believe that we should not marry anyone if they are not SDA...even if the man is spiritually grounded in the Lord??


----------



## RabiaElaine

natalied said:
			
		

> No. This is not stupid. You just have to be prayed up! The safest place to be is in God's will. I know I could not be married to a man who didn't keep the Sabbath. With children, it would make things too difficult. But that's me.
> 
> You have to decide if YOU could live with that and if that is what God wants for you. I know you know this but its worth repeating, don't go into a relationship thinking that he will change later.
> 
> He's non-Denominational now. That's were he is. You sound grounded in SDA. I believe families should worship together. Esp. when there are children involved. Are you willing to go to church on Sunday? These are decisions you must face.
> 
> My husband was not Adventist when we started dating or when we got engaged. We did a bible study and came to the same beliefs before we were married BUT I had made up my mind that I would not go through with the marriage unless he accepted the Sabbath. Lucky for him, he did. I told him this after we were married. He was upset after I told him, but he got over it.
> 
> ETA: BTW,I was not "practicing" Adventism when my hubby and I got engaged
> 
> I don't believe in wasting time while you are dating. If you see a future with him, pursue the relationship. If not, move on! Time is too precious. JMHO.


 
Girl u just answered my question.  I do see your point and believe you are right about thinking I'm going to change a man.  That is definitely not my intent.  I also don't want to have to fight with this man on Sabbath mornings about going to church.  I don't mind attending other services for a certain program, like I've attended his church for certain concerts and things, but I don't plan on attending a non-denominational church on a regular basis.  Yes I do need to examine this and pray about this some more.  Don't you wish the Lord would just come down to you so that you know it's him talking to you, sometimes I'm not always sure what the Lord's will is in my life, maybe that's just me.  I'd love to get an email from the Lord every once in while telling me what he wants me to do in all areas of my life.


----------



## kisz4tj

We all know that not SDA's are not the only ones that will be caught up in the air...so having said that I can't imagine being burnt to a crisp for marrying someone who loves the Lord and serves him with an open heart.


----------



## kisz4tj

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Don't you wish the Lord would just come down to you so that you know it's him talking to you, sometimes I'm not always sure what the Lord's will is in my life, maybe that's just me.  I'd love to get an email from the Lord every once in while telling me what he wants me to do in all areas of my life.


 You and me both!!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I have no doubt that God will answer your prayers.  Ask Him for a sign and then wait until he tells you to move. Pray and fast. Fast and pray. If this relationship is important to you, make this a priority in your prayer life as well.



			
				RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Girl u just answered my question. I do see your point and believe you are right about thinking I'm going to change a man. That is definitely not my intent. I also don't want to have to fight with this man on Sabbath mornings about going to church. I don't mind attending other services for a certain program, like I've attended his church for certain concerts and things, but I don't plan on attending a non-denominational church on a regular basis. Yes I do need to examine this and pray about this some more. Don't you wish the Lord would just come down to you so that you know it's him talking to you, sometimes I'm not always sure what the Lord's will is in my life, maybe that's just me. I'd love to get an email from the Lord every once in while telling me what he wants me to do in all areas of my life.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I agree, there are many sheep not of this fold.  I just wouldn't want to deal with issues or be put in a place where I would have to compromise my beliefs for my husband or argue him down b/c he wants to do something on the Sabbath that I didn''t.  Marriage is hard enough.  

I know people who choose to go down that path.  Their husbands don't respect the Sabbath and they are constantly in a state of turmoil.  I will agree that there are some exceptions.  

I also feel its important for a family to worship together.  If he's willing to accept the Sabbath and respect my beliefs within Adventism, then cool. If not, for me that spells big trouble down the road.



			
				kisz4tj said:
			
		

> We all know that not SDA's are not the only ones that will be caught up in the air...so having said that I can't imagine being burnt to a crisp for marrying someone who loves the Lord and serves him with an open heart.


----------



## RabiaElaine

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> We all know that not SDA's are not the only ones that will be caught up in the air...so having said that I can't imagine being burnt to a crisp for marrying someone who loves the Lord and serves him with an open heart.


 
You are absolutely right about SDA's not being the only one in heaven...we all know about the email joke about Room #8, don't we .  I'm still struggling with the second part since right now anyway I don't know any SDA men that are like that, which is why maybe I should open myself up to meeting more people. But right now I'm not sure that the Lord wants us to put ourselves in that situation with someone who serves the Lord but doesn't accept his Sabbath even though the truth has been revealed to him.  I'm praying on this one.


----------



## kisz4tj

Tis true.......





			
				natalied said:
			
		

> I agree, there are many sheep not of this fold.  I just wouldn't want to deal with issues or be put in a place where I would have to compromise my beliefs for my husband or argue him down b/c he wants to do something on the Sabbath that I didn''t. * Marriage is hard enough.  *
> 
> I know people who choose to go down that path.  Their husbands don't respect the Sabbath and they are constantly in a state of turmoil.  I will agree that there are some exceptions.
> 
> I also feel its important for a family to worship together.  If he's willing to accept the Sabbath and respect my beliefs within Adventism, then cool. If not, for me that spells big trouble down the road.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Dating non-Adventist men and marrying them are TWO SEPERATE ISSUES. If you meet a non-SDA who is interested or open to the Sabbath and to Adventism, why not date? Now, if they are like "Heck No" to the Sabbath issue, I say RUN. Run Forest. RUN!!!




			
				RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> You are absolutely right about SDA's not being the only one in heaven...we all know about the email joke about Room #8, don't we . I'm still struggling with the second part since right now anyway I don't know any SDA men that are like that, which is why maybe I should open myself up to meeting more people. But right now I'm not sure that the Lord wants us to put ourselves in that situation with someone who serves the Lord but doesn't accept his Sabbath even though the truth has been revealed to him. I'm praying on this one.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> This is exactly what I've been struggling with, and praying to the Lord about.  I have never really dated or met (that was available anyway) a man who is SDA and grounded.  What's a girl to do?  I will catch hell's fire, if I marry a man who is spiritually grounded but not SDA from my parents.  I doubt they would attend my weddingerplexed .  Does anyone here believe that we should not marry anyone if they are not SDA...even if the man is spiritually grounded in the Lord??



I'm married to a non-Adventist, so I don't think I should even answer. 
...and yes, my parents, ordained church elder Grandma and the entire lot were at the wedding.


----------



## kisz4tj

natalied said:
			
		

> Dating non-Adventist men and marrying them are TWO SEPERATE ISSUES. If you meet a non-SDA who is interested or open to the Sabbath and to Adventism, why not date? Now, if they are like "Heck No" to the Sabbath issue, I say RUN. Run Forest. RUN!!!


 ...


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Yeah, but your husband practically is!!!!


			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> I'm married to a non-Adventist, so I don't think I should even answer.
> ...and yes, my parents, ordained church elder Grandma and the entire lot were at the wedding.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> Yeah, but your husband practically is!!!!



Ok... um,  this is true... However, I will state for the record that I couldn't bother dating a man who felt like we should have pork in the house or the kids could eat it, when I don't... or one that didn't believe the 7th day to be Sabbath... that's for sure. It would create too much grief!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Tell me if this describes your husband:

When I met my husband:
1) He hated liquor.  
2) Didn't care for clubs and "partying" (though we met at his fraternity's party!)
3) Couldn't stand smoke.
4) Though swine was vile.


Outside of the Sabbath, he was Adventist and didn't even know it!



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Ok... um,  this is true... However, I will state for the record that I couldn't bother dating a man who felt like we should have pork in the house or the kids could eat it, when I don't... or one that didn't believe the 7th day to be Sabbath... that's for sure. It would create too much grief!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> Tell me if this describes your husband:
> 
> When I met my husband:
> 1) He hated liquor.   He was an alcoholic!
> 2) Didn't care for clubs and "partying" (though we met at his fraternity's party!)  Didn't mind... would play music LOUD when drunk!
> 3) Couldn't stand smoke.  Was a smoker!!!
> 4) Though swine was vile.  Ate pork and could cook some mean seafood dishes... curried shrimp, lobster....so I'm told as I didn't partake of these, but my worldly friends sure did love it! I'm messing up your theory ain't I???
> 
> 
> Outside of the Sabbath, he was Adventist and didn't even know it!



Funny thing is that we first started dating when I was in college. He drank and smoked. YUCK! I left him because of his serious drinking problem, despite the fact that we were together 3 years as there was no way I'd marry anyone in this condition, muchless have kids. We managed to stay in touch over the years. I was close to his mom. He kept begging me to give him a chance. I got pregnant with the next relationship, then he had a child as well (there are 7 months between the kids). He told me how he accepted the Lord as his Savior and he no longer drank nor smoked. He told me he'd go to church with me and the whole nine. After much pleading, I gave him a chance. I told him that going to church with me would be something he'd have to do on his own. Not because he was trying to win me over. Well, we got married in 2002 and God couldn't have given me anyone better. We just had our first child together April of last year. Since he gave up those addictions, he cannot stand them. The funny thing is that he couldn't stand it when he was younger. Once he joined the US Army, he came back a drinking and smoking fool. God has delivered him. He knows that his body is a temple.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Wow! You two have a beautiful testimony!  Have you ever shared it publicly? Outside of LHCF of course



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Funny thing is that we first started dating when I was in college. He drank and smoked. YUCK! I left him because of his serious drinking problem, despite the fact that we were together 3 years as there was no way I'd marry anyone in this condition, muchless have kids. We managed to stay in touch over the years. I was close to his mom. He kept begging me to give him a chance. I got pregnant with the next relationship, then he had a child as well (there are 7 months between the kids). He told me how he accepted the Lord as his Savior and he no longer drank nor smoked. He told me he'd go to church with me and the whole nine. After much pleading, I gave him a chance. I told him that going to church with me would be something he'd have to do on his own. Not because he was trying to win me over. Well, we got married in 2002 and God couldn't have given me anyone better. We just had our first child together April of last year. Since he gave up those addictions, he cannot stand them. The funny thing is that he couldn't stand it when he was younger. Once he joined the US Army, he came back a drinking and smoking fool. God has delivered him. He knows that his body is a temple.


----------



## RabiaElaine

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Ok... um,  this is true... However, I will state for the record that I couldn't bother dating a man who felt like we should have pork in the house or the kids could eat it, when I don't... or one that didn't believe the 7th day to be Sabbath... that's for sure. It would create too much grief!


 
So your husband believed in the Sabbath before you married?


----------



## RabiaElaine

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Funny thing is that we first started dating when I was in college. He drank and smoked. YUCK! I left him because of his serious drinking problem, despite the fact that we were together 3 years as there was no way I'd marry anyone in this condition, muchless have kids. We managed to stay in touch over the years. I was close to his mom. He kept begging me to give him a chance. I got pregnant with the next relationship, then he had a child as well (there are 7 months between the kids). He told me how he accepted the Lord as his Savior and he no longer drank nor smoked. He told me he'd go to church with me and the whole nine. After much pleading, I gave him a chance. I told him that going to church with me would be something he'd have to do on his own. Not because he was trying to win me over. Well, we got married in 2002 and God couldn't have given me anyone better. We just had our first child together April of last year. Since he gave up those addictions, he cannot stand them. The funny thing is that he couldn't stand it when he was younger. Once he joined the US Army, he came back a drinking and smoking fool. God has delivered him. He knows that his body is a temple.


 
Awwww what a nice love story  with a happy ending.  And I've Diva's child in church he sure is cute and her daughter is beautiful just like her mommy !!!


----------



## RabiaElaine

I would just like to take a commercial break to say.... I love this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You ladies are giving me a chance to get some things off my chest with some fellow church sisters!!! And since we are so real on LHCF it really helps that everyone is going to give you their real opinion. Honestly I needed this release today. Thanks girls  ...let's keep this thread going.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> I would just like to take a commercial break to say.... I love this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> You ladies are giving me a chance to get some things off my chest with some fellow church sisters!!! And since we are so real on LHCF it really helps that everyone is going to give you their real opinion. Honestly I needed this release today. Thanks girls  ...let's keep this thread going.



Me too!!!  I truly believe LHCF was a Godsend to me AND my hair!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> I would just like to take a commercial break to say.... I love this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> You ladies are giving me a chance to get some things off my chest with some fellow church sisters!!! And since we are so real on LHCF it really helps that everyone is going to give you their real opinion. Honestly I needed this release today. Thanks girls  ...let's keep this thread going.



yeah, let's!!! I'm sure the thread starter will be shocked when she comes back to pages and pages of thread!


----------



## RabiaElaine

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> yeah, let's!!! I'm sure the thread starter will be shocked when she comes back to pages and pages of thread!


 
I know it's growing mighty fast.  I've been on this thread most of the day and not the hair care ones surprisingly .  But it's good to have some fellowship online.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> So your husband believed in the Sabbath before you married?



He started attending church w/me when we hooked up. There were days when I didn't feel like going to church and he'd be like "Let's go! Gotta get charged up for the week." Made me feel ashamed of myself, so I'd go.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Awwww what a nice love story  with a happy ending.  And I've Diva's child in church he sure is cute and her daughter is beautiful just like her mommy !!!









 Awwww... shucks!!!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Believe me.  I know the feeling.



			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> He started attending church w/me when we hooked up. There were days when I didn't feel like going to church and he'd be like "Let's go! Gotta get charged up for the week." Made me feel ashamed of myself, so I'd go.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

natalied said:
			
		

> Believe me.  I know the feeling.



Girl.... I thank God he sent this man to help keep me "in line."


----------



## good2uuuu

Yep. This is a great thread! I happen to be home today because my son is sick. This is really a blessing to me because I don't have the opportunity to just let my hair down, so to speak, amongst the sistas of the faith since we moved here.  It's great to be able to do this even though it's all online an not in person. and this thread has really taken off!!!! Let's keep it going strong!


----------



## angelk316

I am glad I stared this thread. I thought I was by myself. I was raised in the adventist church all my life. My father and brother are not strict adventist. But my mother and sister believe in the old school teachings.  when it comes to religion I dont do what people tell my to do I do what God tells me do. I have a personall relationship with God so I know when he is speaking too me. I do believe in the Sabbath. I am strugglinh with the jewlery issue. I am praying on that though. I am 22 years old and  I have never worn jewlery, and I am tired of looking plain. I am thinking about starting to wear jewlery, but I know my mother would seriously disprove of it.

Do any of you guys have strict adventist parents that are old school? and are totally against the things you do?

The dating issue, I have not dated a man who is SDA. My current BF is very spritual but he does not believe in religion. I think God has sent him to me.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Girl.... I thank God he sent this man to help keep me "in line."



It does feel like that some time!   But your right, they are Godsends!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

angelk316 said:
			
		

> I am glad I stared this thread. I thought I was by myself. I was raised in the adventist church all my life. My father and brother are not strict adventist. But my mother and sister believe in the old school teachings.  when it comes to religion I dont do what people tell my to do I do what God tells me do. I have a personall relationship with God so I know when he is speaking too me. I do believe in the Sabbath. I am strugglinh with the jewlery issue. I am praying on that though. I am 22 years old and  I have never worn jewlery, and I am tired of looking plain. I am thinking about starting to wear jewlery, but I know my mother would seriously disprove of it.
> 
> Do any of you guys have strict adventist parents that are old school? and are totally against the things you do?
> 
> The dating issue, I have not dated a man who is SDA. My current BF is very spritual but he does not believe in religion. I think God has sent him to me.



Thanks for starting the thread. DId you anticipate coming back to many pages? I am guilty of wearing jewelry. My family is of that old school generation, but me being a grown woman and all don't even bother with me. Ultimately it's between you and God. That's my take on it. Sure, I was raised to not wear it. I pierced my ears at 26. I was always sneaking makeup and jewelry to school, sure to take it off before I got home. I still don't see anything wrong with it... but that's ME. Once again, it's ultimately between you and God.


----------



## aqualung

angelk316 said:
			
		

> Do any of you guys have strict adventist parents that are old school? and are totally against the things you do?


 
Yes, I do. I'm 3rd generation SDA. My sibs and I read the Bible through entirely multiple times, and we read a lot of EG White.

I was homeschooled until 8th grade, and my parents are fundamentalist types. My mother didn't even want us exposed to Pathfinders and SDA school systems before college for fear of corruption. (Her generation went through Pine Forge and Oakwood, and she's disappointed that so many in her clique are now "Sadventists" who don't observe all the doctrine.)

The SDAs in the youth group at Boston Temple are all over educated. They rationalize away their disagreements with the doctrine (jewelry, makeup, voting, female ministers) as part of their "personal relationship with Jesus Christ." All their movie going and wine tasting has my mom pitching fits. Everyone has informed commentary about EG White's credibility or lack thereof. Nobody attends church except on Sabbath.

The SDAs at the black Cambridge church are more traditional. EG White is preached from the pulpit. Pathfinders, Adventurers, Wed night prayer mtg, etc meet regularly. 

I have difficulty escaping the all-or-nothing way of thinking, so I feel guilty over my violations of the doctrinal does and don'ts. My grown sisters wear a little makeup. I don't wear makeup often, but I have cheap jewelry. All my siblings are conservative and responsible people. Maybe that was the point. (Even Mom danced a little disco in the 70s.)

I hope to marry an SDA so that I don't have to explain my eccentricities. I want engagement and wedding rings. I'll raise my kids with exposure to the denomination, but I'd be equally disappointed if they are irrationally zealous or entirely atheist. 

Best to avoid the extremes.


----------



## good2uuuu

angelk316 said:
			
		

> I am glad I stared this thread. I thought I was by myself. I was raised in the adventist church all my life. My father and brother are not strict adventist. But my mother and sister believe in the old school teachings. when it comes to religion I dont do what people tell my to do I do what God tells me do. I have a personall relationship with God so I know when he is speaking too me. I do believe in the Sabbath. I am strugglinh with the jewlery issue. I am praying on that though. I am 22 years old and I have never worn jewlery, and I am tired of looking plain. I am thinking about starting to wear jewlery, but I know my mother would seriously disprove of it.
> 
> Do any of you guys have strict adventist parents that are old school? and are totally against the things you do?
> 
> The dating issue, I have not dated a man who is SDA. My current BF is very spritual but he does not believe in religion. I think God has sent him to me.


 
My parents are very old school and were pretty strict on me. There are some things and views thatI hold to myself and things I wear, though not outlandish, only when I know I won't be seeing them(a dress a couple of inches above my knees) And I'm 36. Just no need to rock the boat and get a sermon....lol. As far a jewelry, ask yourself why you rally want to wear it. Personally, and  this is a view I would not share witih my parents, I have no religious reason for not wearing it. After studying in the Bible and seeing what EG White had to say, my conclusion is that it is just not necessary for me or practical, especially if it is beyond my means. There is no 'thou shalt not' in there. There is some nice jewelry out there that is conservative and not 'attention seeking' but again, what would be my purpose for wearing it?


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Yeah.  My parents are Haitian. They were strict though not as bad as some of my other family members.  

When I came home to visit one summer from college I had the "audacity" to wear jewlery. My dad freaked. By the next day, the earrings were gone! Nowhere in sight! I told my Dad "papy, I want my earings back"

Do you know what he said?  

He said, "I'll pay you not to wear them."

And of course a poor college student like me said.

"Sure!"

I took the money and bought myself a new set of earrings when I got back to NY

I don't wear jewelry anymore. 


Anyway, my parents have loosened up along the years. And I've gotten more strict. We are not at the exact same place but much closer than we ever were before. My parents now belong to the mission me and my husband started and they enjoy (gasp!) Praise team! You should see them. Its kind of funny when you think about how we used to worship growing up.

We attended Maranatha in Queens. Its a Haitian church.  VERY CONSERVATIVE!


			
				angelk316 said:
			
		

> I am glad I stared this thread. I thought I was by myself. I was raised in the adventist church all my life. My father and brother are not strict adventist. But my mother and sister believe in the old school teachings. when it comes to religion I dont do what people tell my to do I do what God tells me do. I have a personall relationship with God so I know when he is speaking too me. I do believe in the Sabbath. I am strugglinh with the jewlery issue. I am praying on that though. I am 22 years old and I have never worn jewlery, and I am tired of looking plain. I am thinking about starting to wear jewlery, but I know my mother would seriously disprove of it.
> 
> Do any of you guys have strict adventist parents that are old school? and are totally against the things you do?
> 
> The dating issue, I have not dated a man who is SDA. My current BF is very spritual but he does not believe in religion. I think God has sent him to me.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I would also like to add that I find Adventism to be a blessing in its totality.  *Not the traditions,* but the actual fundemental beliefs. I am proud to call myself a Seventh-Day Adventist because I believe the 27 fundemental beliefs are sound and bible-based. 

I have no problem telling people of Ellen White either. As long as we don't put her writings above the Bible, like she stated, I think her writings can be a blessing to many. The curator of the Library of Congress has said that the Desire of Ages is the _best_ comprehensive book on the life of Jesus outside of the Bible. The curator IS NOT Adventist. I have also heard that the radio commentator Paul Harvey has quoted her. Steps to Christ is the best selling religious book outside of the Bible. Many people of other faiths use it. This is a testimony to her writings. (And yes, I have seen the anti EGW sites. And I've read the rebuttal site!)

Thanks Angel for starting this thread! I'll keep you in prayer. As long as you stay in His will, he will reveal the wonderful plan He has in store for you. It doesn't matter if your family agrees with you or not. Only God's "opinion" matters!


----------



## taivillo

Hello SDA checking in.  I hope I am not to late.  I am sooooo excited we are all one happy family connected through someone we know.  I know Joe , Lilli, and Nancy Howell very well.  I also Remember Prez Earle as Prez back in the day.  I remember IDA Williams Sec of Conference for years.  I once worked at the conference when I was in college.  My best friend Natalied told me about this thread and I could not wait to get on to meet my Sis in Christ.  
This is a great thread.  I use to come to Kingsboro alot. My sisters and I last sang there in April 2002. Love the church.  
I know Carnetta from Corona church.  I also know the Bell family.  I'm not sure if they are still there but wow.
I know Jackie and Joceylyn Williams.  
I attended PFA 89-90.
This is truly a small world.  I always wondered if there were some other SDA sistas on this forum.


----------



## hOnii

i'm SDA as well!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

hOnii said:
			
		

> i'm SDA as well!



Hi Honii,

I used to live in Florida.  What church do you go too?


----------



## good2uuuu

taivillo said:
			
		

> Hello SDA checking in. I hope I am not to late. I am sooooo excited we are all one happy family connected through someone we know. I know Joe , Lilli, and Nancy Howell very well. I also Remember Prez Earle as Prez back in the day. I remember IDA Williams Sec of Conference for years. I once worked at the conference when I was in college. My best friend Natalied told me about this thread and I could not wait to get on to meet my Sis in Christ.
> This is a great thread. I use to come to Kingsboro alot. My sisters and I last sang there in April 2002. Love the church.
> I know Carnetta from Corona church. I also know the Bell family. I'm not sure if they are still there but wow.
> I know Jackie and Joceylyn Williams.
> I attended PFA 89-90.
> This is truly a small world. I always wondered if there were some other SDA sistas on this forum.


 
Well dang girl! You know my cousins and my daddy and also went to PFA? It's a VERY small world!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Taivillo is one of "Holmes sisters" I was asking if you knew earlier!


			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Well dang girl! You know my cousins and my daddy and also went to PFA? It's a VERY small world!


----------



## hOnii

natalied said:
			
		

> Hi Honii,
> 
> I used to live in Florida.  What church do you go too?



Brandon SDA. 

I used to church hop, so I've been some of everywhere in the Tampa area.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

I used to live in Miami.  I wished I had met you b4 November.  I went on a cruise that left from Port of Tampa.  The cruised ended 8 a.m. on Sat.  I wanted to go church be me and DH didn't know anyone.  So we hung out at the airport until our flight left at 4 p.m.


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> Taivillo is one of "Holmes sisters" I was asking if you knew earlier!


 
Ok! Well see, she knows me indirectly then....lol. My brain did a crazy thing earlier when you asked and I was thinking about  some other sisters.....lol.


----------



## good2uuuu

We attended Maranatha in Queens. Its a Haitian church. VERY CONSERVATIVE![/QUOTE]

You went to Maranatha? I remember it well!  When I was little I hated when dad had to speak at the french or hispanic churches because he's already long winded, then you add a translator and you got a good 3 hour sermon on  your hands.....lol! Torture for a small child.  But, the fellowship was always wonderful afterward.


----------



## good2uuuu

hOnii said:
			
		

> Brandon SDA.
> 
> I used to church hop, so I've been some of everywhere in the Tampa area.


 
Do you know Robert Watkins, Nicole 'Niki' Powell or the Mitchells (Alphonso, Ozzie, Lisa?


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

It was torture for me too!  My DH is AA but even if he was Haitian I wouldn't go to a Haitian church!  



			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> We attended Maranatha in Queens. Its a Haitian church. VERY CONSERVATIVE!
> You went to Maranatha? I remember it well! When I was little I hated when dad had to speak at the french or hispanic churches because he's already long winded, then you add a translator and you got a good 3 hour sermon on your hands.....lol! Torture for a small child. But, the fellowship was always wonderful afterward.


----------



## prettygrl

I'm not a Seventh Day Adventist, but everyone in my family is...
I still follow the dietarty laws though


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> It was torture for me too! My DH is AA but even if he was Haitian I wouldn't go to a Haitian church!
> 
> 
> So you heard some of dads sermons then....lol! Seriously, he is a good speaker, but the long winded part would do me in, even at AA churches.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

To know if your dad spoke there I would have had to be paying attention
We left there when I turned 12.  We moved to Miami.




			
				good2uuuu said:
			
		

> So you heard some of dads sermons then....lol! Seriously, he is a good speaker, but the long winded part would do me in, even at AA churches.


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> To know if your dad spoke there I would have had to be paying attention
> We left there when I turned 12. We moved to Miami.


 
  

So in Miami, did you know Edmond and Edwins Charles? I'm sure you know those Ryan boys though.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> So in Miami, did you know Edmond and Edwins Charles? I'm sure you know those Ryan boys though.



I think I know Edwins.  I was in 9th and he was in 12th grade at GMA (Greater Miami Academy).  If its the same Edwins, he was in the same class with my cousin.  They had a singing group together.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

taivillo said:
			
		

> I know Jackie and Joceylyn Williams.
> This is truly a small world.  I always wondered if there were some other SDA sistas on this forum.



These are my godsisters....


----------



## AJamericanDiva

prettygrl said:
			
		

> I'm not a Seventh Day Adventist, but everyone in my family is...
> I still follow the dietarty laws though



Hey, Prettygrl!!!


----------



## taivillo

I know Roger & Randy Ryan


----------



## taivillo

good2uuuu
I was in my girlfriends wedding and your parents were there. Her name is Robin Gellineau. She lives in Tenn., Nashville  I was so happy to see your dad.  I've always admired him through the years.  I took a pic with him.  If I can find it I will post it so you can see it.


----------



## good2uuuu

taivillo said:
			
		

> good2uuuu
> I was in my girlfriends wedding and your parents were there. Her name is Robin Gellineau. She lives in Tenn., Nashville I was so happy to see your dad. I've always admired him through the years. I took a pic with him. If I can find it I will post it so you can see it.


 
Awww. That's so sweet! DAd would love to hear that. I'm sure he enjoyed taking that picture. After all these years, he still the same peopel loving person he always was. I was at the wedding Hubby and I moved here from NAshville June '03. Carlin use to be our choir director till he decided to do something different. Were  you at Robins Shower at Mark & Sherrie's house? I was there.  I so miss NAshville.


----------



## prettygrl

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Hey, Prettygrl!!!



Hey AJamericanDiva!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Question for all:

How do you feel about hymns?  I am praise team leader at our church. The format for the past two years has been 4 praise team songs and 1 opening hymn.

Now, a few people want 1 Sabbath a month to be all hymns.  OK.  Cool.
I still don't like it. But I can go with the flow.

Now, one person wants 3 Sabbaths out of the month to be 4 hymns and 1 praise & worship song.  Of course, I about had a heart attack.  I doubt this motion will pass in the church but the thought of it was like "I wouldn't even want to go to this church to sit through that."

Mind you, I love my church.  I am a founding member.  My DH sits on the board.  And I even delivered the message on more than one occasion.

But I can't stand most hymns.  I don't like the music.  I think they are very Euro-centric and I don't feel anything when I sing most of them.  Now I'm not talking all the songs in the hymnal b/c they're are some non hymns in the Adventist hymnal.  

Other Adventist look at me like I'm crazy for not liking hymns.  Like I'm betraying the church or something.  How do you guys feel about hymns?  Do you feel its part of the whole experience of being Adventist?  Or is just a preference?


----------



## kisz4tj

Wow, I go away and there's a zillion more pages...So Diva are we going to do a meet and greet on Sabbath?


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> Question for all:
> 
> How do you feel about hymns? I am praise team leader at our church. The format for the past two years has been 4 praise team songs and 1 opening hymn.
> 
> Now, a few people want 1 Sabbath a month to be all hymns. OK. Cool.
> I still don't like it. But I can go with the flow.
> 
> Now, one person wants 3 Sabbaths out of the month to be 4 hymns and 1 praise & worship song. Of course, I about had a heart attack. I doubt this motion will pass in the church but the thought of it was like "I wouldn't even want to go to this church to sit through that."
> 
> Mind you, I love my church. I am a founding member. My DH sits on the board. And I even delivered the message on more than one occasion.
> 
> But I can't stand most hymns. I don't like the music. I think they are very Euro-centric and I don't feel anything when I sing most of them. Now I'm not talking all the songs in the hymnal b/c they're are some non hymns in the Adventist hymnal.
> 
> Other Adventist look at me like I'm crazy for not liking hymns. Like I'm betraying the church or something. How do you guys feel about hymns? Do you feel its part of the whole experience of being Adventist? Or is just a preference?


 
I like a fair number of hymns, but you are right. They can be kinda boring.  How about 2 and 2? Pick more intersting hymns and then maybe everyone will be happy for the most part.

I think hymns are definately an important part of the Adventist worship experience, but not the only important part. I like a balanced service where the types of music are mixed so everyone can be blessed.There is plenty of other music out there that enahces the worship expereince. Plus not everyone can relate to hymns.  When I attended PFA Iwas in the choir all 4 years and we sang hymns, anthems and spirituals. what I loved about that experience was singing the different arrangements of the hymns. The harmony and all the different parts. So, to be honest, I actually would rather hear and sing hymns that have been arranged into a more interesting presentation.  

I  have to go now becaue I have a splitting headache and need to take something.  I don't know  how much sense what I wrote aboe makes. I hope you can understand what I was trying to say, cause right now, I'm not sure I can. I'll try to explain myself better later.


----------



## taivillo

No I did not attend  Robin's shower.  I flew in the Friday of the wedding and I attended church and the rehersal.  I was in her speech choir.  Robin actually called me yesterday. I have to call her back .  Small world


----------



## RabiaElaine

taivillo said:
			
		

> Hello SDA checking in. I hope I am not to late. I am sooooo excited we are all one happy family connected through someone we know. I know Joe , Lilli, and Nancy Howell very well. I also Remember Prez Earle as Prez back in the day. I remember IDA Williams Sec of Conference for years. I once worked at the conference when I was in college. My best friend Natalied told me about this thread and I could not wait to get on to meet my Sis in Christ.
> This is a great thread. I use to come to Kingsboro alot. My sisters and I last sang there in April 2002. Love the church.
> I know Carnetta from Corona church. I also know the Bell family. I'm not sure if they are still there but wow.
> I know Jackie and Joceylyn Williams.
> I attended PFA 89-90.
> This is truly a small world. I always wondered if there were some other SDA sistas on this forum.


 
The Bell's still attend, Easton Bell anyway.  His parents moved to Ohio earlier this year.


----------



## RabiaElaine

natalied said:
			
		

> Question for all:
> 
> How do you feel about hymns? I am praise team leader at our church. The format for the past two years has been 4 praise team songs and 1 opening hymn.
> 
> Now, a few people want 1 Sabbath a month to be all hymns. OK. Cool.
> I still don't like it. But I can go with the flow.
> 
> Now, one person wants 3 Sabbaths out of the month to be 4 hymns and 1 praise & worship song. Of course, I about had a heart attack. I doubt this motion will pass in the church but the thought of it was like "I wouldn't even want to go to this church to sit through that."
> 
> Mind you, I love my church. I am a founding member. My DH sits on the board. And I even delivered the message on more than one occasion.
> 
> But I can't stand most hymns. I don't like the music. I think they are very Euro-centric and I don't feel anything when I sing most of them. Now I'm not talking all the songs in the hymnal b/c they're are some non hymns in the Adventist hymnal.
> 
> Other Adventist look at me like I'm crazy for not liking hymns. Like I'm betraying the church or something. How do you guys feel about hymns? Do you feel its part of the whole experience of being Adventist? Or is just a preference?


 
For me I like both.  It really depends on how you sing the hymns.  It can be lively or very dreary.  If you sing the hymns with some praise and worship tone it can be very good, especially if you have multiple instruments.  At Corona we don't have a drumset yet, but we have a very expensive keyboard piano (it looks like a grand piano but it's really a key board).  The keyboard can play all different types of sounds.  We've got a great pianist who can make you Jam to some hymns when he uses different sounds and techniques.  

I do like the hymns for some of the messages that they give, such as the Sabbath hymns explaining why we worship on Sabbath.  I do believe that an Adventist church should sing hymns because they are a part of who we are as adventist, now that does not mean that you need to completely replace praise and worship because I love me some praise and worship.  I wish my church would do more praise and worship, and we are getting there. Caranetta often does the praise and worship.  Anyway I think it's truly how the congregation sings during the hymns and how the choral director directs it.  I say maybe you can incorporate hymns into your praise and worship do some of each so that both parties can be satisfied.


----------



## taivillo

Do you know Omar Bell?


----------



## RabiaElaine

taivillo said:
			
		

> Do you know Omar Bell?


 
I've met him but don't know him well, he lives in Ohio or Pennsylvania, I know his brother Easton very well.  My family and his are good friends.


----------



## hOnii

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Do you know Robert Watkins, Nicole 'Niki' Powell or the Mitchells (Alphonso, Ozzie, Lisa?



the names dont ring a bell. what church do they go to?


----------



## good2uuuu

hOnii said:
			
		

> the names dont ring a bell. what church do they go to?


 
I'm not sure. They are in the Tampa/St. Pete area so I just though I'd ask. One more couple  is Faith Weir Felder and Eddie Felder. She's  a doctor in Tampa.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Wow, I go away and there's a zillion more pages...So Diva are we going to do a meet and greet on Sabbath?




Yup! Yup! Yup! I betta set the alarm. I'll be wearing braids... you've seen my album. More than likely I'll be sitting in the back row as I have the boy....


----------



## taivillo

I know Eddie Felder and the whole Felder family.  I did not know he and his wife moved to Florida.  I heard Thommy is in D.C.


----------



## good2uuuu

taivillo said:
			
		

> I know Eddie Felder and the whole Felder family. I did not know he and his wife moved to Florida. I heard Thommy is in D.C.


 
Yep. They have been there for years. You know, I forgot about Thommy...lol! Eddie and Thommy's cousin Janice is my girl.  All at OC back in the day. Man oh man.


----------



## good2uuuu

Just wanted to say Happy Sabbath everyone! Have blessed fellowship during these hours. Now, I'm off to finish gettin' ready.


----------



## kisz4tj

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Just wanted to say Happy Sabbath everyone! Have blessed fellowship during these hours. Now, I'm off to finish gettin' ready.


Happy Sabbath!


----------



## TransitioningK

I am very interested in learning more about the SDA faith.  Could somone go into a little deeper about the dietary laws and the reason why people (women) should not wear jewlery or make-up.

Besides those beleifs stated above, what makes you all different from the Baptist faith?  I am watching one of the recorded services from Kingsboro Temple and it seems very much like my church, and I am Baptist.

Thanks, I am looking forward to learning more.

TK


----------



## Dymondz7

I grew up as and SDA, went through the private schools, etc.   But I no longer practice.   Why do you ask?


----------



## hOnii

TransitioningK said:
			
		

> I am very interested in learning more about the SDA faith.  Could somone go into a little deeper about the dietary laws and the reason why people (women) should not wear jewlery or make-up.
> 
> Besides those beleifs stated above, what makes you all different from the Baptist faith?  I am watching one of the recorded services from Kingsboro Temple and it seems very much like my church, and I am Baptist.
> 
> Thanks, I am looking forward to learning more.
> 
> TK



well, i for one wear jewelry and make-up, so i cant really say anything about that.

SDA's observe the seventh day as the sabbath as stated in the bible and so we arent supposed to engage in "wordly things" from sundown friday to sunset saturday. its hard.. but hey.

sda's also believe that when you die, you do not go straight to heaven, you stay in the ground, until Jesus comes. then you are judged along with those who are still living (as to going to heaven or hell).

sda's dont eat pork, or certain seafoods. i cant recall the exact wording on the seafood issue.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

Hi TransitioningK! 
I too wear jewelry and makeup, but I abide by the dietary laws as written in Leviticus 11:1-47. Here is the link. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=3&chapter=11&version=51 Most Adventists do not wear jewelry or makeup as they have interpreted from 1 Peter 3:3. Here's the link http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 peter 3:1-4;&version=51; Hope this helps!




			
				TransitioningK said:
			
		

> I am very interested in learning more about the SDA faith.  Could somone go into a little deeper about the dietary laws and the reason why people (women) should not wear jewlery or make-up.
> 
> Besides those beleifs stated above, what makes you all different from the Baptist faith?  I am watching one of the recorded services from Kingsboro Temple and it seems very much like my church, and I am Baptist.
> 
> Thanks, I am looking forward to learning more.
> 
> TK


----------



## AJamericanDiva

It was nice meeting you, Kisz4tj!!! Girl, the concert was wonderful... It was a tribute to gospel music. I sure do hope they have it available on video or dvd. They sang all of my old gospel favorites.. "Lord, I Love you", "There is no way I can live without you", "Don't wait 'til the battle is over, shout now!", "Oh Happy Day"... and the list goes on. It was sooo spiritually uplifting. I need to re-join the youth choir... now called "Exhaltation Ministries".




			
				AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Yup! Yup! Yup! I betta set the alarm. I'll be wearing braids... you've seen my album. More than likely I'll be sitting in the back row as I have the boy....


----------



## AJamericanDiva

P.S. Did you see the Youth Choir's 5th Anniversary Concert? Here's the link. http://www.kingsborosda.org/youth_page.htm


----------



## RabiaElaine

TransitioningK said:
			
		

> I am very interested in learning more about the SDA faith. Could somone go into a little deeper about the dietary laws and the reason why people (women) should not wear jewlery or make-up.
> 
> Besides those beleifs stated above, what makes you all different from the Baptist faith? I am watching one of the recorded services from Kingsboro Temple and it seems very much like my church, and I am Baptist.
> 
> Thanks, I am looking forward to learning more.
> 
> 
> Hi TransitioningK,
> 
> There was a post earlier on this thread with our 27 Beliefs, they are all biblically based. Look for the post earlier on this thread.
> 
> I hope that helps.


----------



## TransitioningK

Thanks ladies.

The link for the childrens choir is not a direct one.  Do you know what date it was held?


----------



## AJamericanDiva

TransitioningK said:
			
		

> Thanks ladies.
> 
> The link for the childrens choir is not a direct one.  Do you know what date it was held?



The Youth Choir link is above. Click it and then a page comes up saying Youth something or the other. On that page you see a pic that says "Click on picture to view KBT Youth Choir 5th Anniversary" It isn't the children's choir, but teen up until 30's or so.... yeah, we 30 somethings still hang with the youth choir.


----------



## kisz4tj

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> It was nice meeting you, Kisz4tj!!! Girl, the concert was wonderful... It was a tribute to gospel music. I sure do hope they have it available on video or dvd. They sang all of my old gospel favorites.. "Lord, I Love you", "There is no way I can live without you", "Don't wait 'til the battle is over, shout now!", "Oh Happy Day"... and the list goes on. It was sooo spiritually uplifting. I need to re-join the youth choir... now called "Exhaltation Ministries".



Hey Diva, it truly was great to meet you and your family.  Who woulda thought we'd meet at church  Lil Papa is just DELICIOUS.  I'm sure the concert was off the hook.  I've thought about joining the choir.  I guess I'm too intimidated.  I'm a contralto.  I've gotta peep that link.


----------



## RabiaElaine

Hey Ladies,


I'm going to Dallas this weekend for a convention, does anyone know of a good SDA church to attend while I'm there??

Thanks in advance .


----------



## good2uuuu

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Hey Ladies,
> 
> 
> I'm going to Dallas this weekend for a convention, does anyone know of a good SDA church to attend while I'm there??
> 
> Thanks in advance .


 
http://www.dallascitytemple.org Don't know why the adress and phone number are not on the web page. This is the only church I have been to in Dallas. Even though it has been several years since I was there, I remember that the service was good.

HTH!

Actually, the address and phone number are on the contact us page.


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> http://www.dallascitytemple.org Don't know why the adress and phone number are not on the web page. This is the only church I have been to in Dallas. Even though it has been several years since I was there, I remember that the service was good.
> 
> HTH!
> 
> Actually, the address and phone number are on the contact us page.


 
Thanks so much girl!!


----------



## good2uuuu

No prob! Enjoy your Dallas trip. Wish I were going......lol.


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> No prob! Enjoy your Dallas trip. Wish I were going......lol.


 
Thanks...It will be my first time there.  I've never been to Texas.  I'm excited, I wish you could go too and show me around.


----------



## good2uuuu

Well, I would have to rely on my cousins for the showing around part. I don't know Dallas at all. My cousins are the Earles, Marvin and Diane, incase you get to church and run into them.  They are cool people.


----------



## ChasingBliss

Heeey! I cannot believe that I saw this thread so late. I too was raised SDA, I havent been to church in years though. I went to an SDA school too. Anyone ever heard of Hanson Place? I went to Hanson Place Church for many years as well. 

Can anyone tell me why in all these years are the only two high schools in existence still Greater NY Academy and North Eastern Academy? My daughter is getting ready to graduate from Jackson Heights SDA and it really bothers me that besides sleepaways like Blue Mountain Academy and Pine Forge(sp?) those two high schools are our only options.


----------



## good2uuuu

HoneyLemonDrop said:
			
		

> Heeey! I cannot believe that I saw this thread so late. I too was raised SDA, I havent been to church in years though. I went to an SDA school too. Anyone ever heard of Hanson Place? I went to Hanson Place Church for many years as well.
> 
> Can anyone tell me why in all these years are the only two high schools in existence still Greater NY Academy and North Eastern Academy? My daughter is getting ready to graduate from Jackson Heights SDA and it really bothers me that besides sleepaways like Blue Mountain Academy and Pine Forge(sp?) those two high schools are our only options.


 
Hey! I know Hanson Place! We didn't get by there much though. I went to Linden school till 3rd grade, then home school then Bethesda for 7th and 8th grade, then Pine Forge.  I personally was not about to go to Northeastern, not that I have anything against it, but I did not want to have to get up that early to go to the conference office to catch the bus every day.  Folks were a little upset with my dad because they sent me to PFA instead of Northeastern (he was chairman of the board), but, I think the best decision was made. 

I guess there are no other schools because of the money it would take, among other things (politics, dare I say). That's a whole nother subject! lol!


----------



## levette

I am  a SDA as well.  I have been once since the age of 10.  I couldn't believe how long this thread was on this subject.  Anybody going to Oakwood's Alumni weekend.  I just made my reservation.  It will be March 24-March 27, 2005


----------



## RabiaElaine

HoneyLemonDrop said:
			
		

> Heeey! I cannot believe that I saw this thread so late. I too was raised SDA, I havent been to church in years though. I went to an SDA school too. Anyone ever heard of Hanson Place? I went to Hanson Place Church for many years as well.
> 
> Can anyone tell me why in all these years are the only two high schools in existence still Greater NY Academy and North Eastern Academy? My daughter is getting ready to graduate from Jackson Heights SDA and it really bothers me that besides sleepaways like Blue Mountain Academy and Pine Forge(sp?) those two high schools are our only options.


 
I know Hanson Place.  One of my former pastor, pastored there.  His name was Pastor Hoyte, he passed last year or the year before.

Regarding schools, that bothers me too.  I don't have kids yet, but I know that my kids will not be attending either school.  I don't know why we as God's people, have to be so sub par in the education that we provide for our kids.  I plan to move my kids to the suburbs like my mother did and have them go to school there.  I don't believe that God is happy with what has happened to His schools.  Anyway that's my little vent.


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Well, I would have to rely on my cousins for the showing around part. I don't know Dallas at all. My cousins are the Earles, Marvin and Diane, incase you get to church and run into them. They are cool people.


 
Thanks for the recommendation.   The service was lovely!!!!!  I did not meet your cousins but all the people at the church were very nice.  A couple came and picked me up from my hotel and dropped me back after lunch.  I really enjoyed it. 

Thanks again, and Happy Sabbath to everyone!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Hi Levette,

I live in Atlanta and I've never been to Alumni.  I've heard that its something you HAVE TO experience.  Maybe one year.  What church do you go to?  Do you live in the Southeast?



			
				levette said:
			
		

> I am a SDA as well. I have been once since the age of 10. I couldn't believe how long this thread was on this subject. Anybody going to Oakwood's Alumni weekend. I just made my reservation. It will be March 24-March 27, 2005


----------



## ChasingBliss

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> I know Hanson Place. One of my former pastor, pastored there. His name was Pastor Hoyte, he passed last year or the year before.
> 
> Regarding schools, that bothers me too. I don't have kids yet, but I know that my kids will not be attending either school. I don't know why we as God's people, have to be so sub par in the education that we provide for our kids. I plan to move my kids to the suburbs like my mother did and have them go to school there. I don't believe that God is happy with what has happened to His schools. Anyway that's my little vent.


 
I feel you. Ive heard so many not-so-nice-things about both schools and it's really frustrating. I dont want to send my daughter to a public school especially not in NYC....*sigh* Im thinking about moving myself.


----------



## good2uuuu

levette said:
			
		

> I am a SDA as well. I have been once since the age of 10. I couldn't believe how long this thread was on this subject. Anybody going to Oakwood's Alumni weekend. I just made my reservation. It will be March 24-March 27, 2005


 
Have enough fun for me. This is the first year EVER i won't be going. I'm so sad about it. May parents live in Huntsville and we always use this time to be together. Plus that Sabbath is my daughters 2nd birthday and we won't get to have the ususal family celebration.


----------



## good2uuuu

RabiaElaine said:
			
		

> Thanks for the recommendation. The service was lovely!!!!! I did not meet your cousins but all the people at the church were very nice. A couple came and picked me up from my hotel and dropped me back after lunch. I really enjoyed it.
> 
> Thanks again, and Happy Sabbath to everyone!


 
I'm so glad you had a good time! The people are very nice there. 

I knew Pastor Hoyte. I was surprised he passed. My folks attenended the funeral. He was really nice. He showed my family a wonderful time when we visited Barbados when he was there.


----------



## zora

Hey, I'm not SDA but have gone to Kingsboro.  I know the head deacon, Troy.


----------



## AngelicRose07

las vegas SDA over here! i didnt realize there were so many on this forum!


----------



## RabiaElaine

HoneyLemonDrop said:
			
		

> I feel you. Ive heard so many not-so-nice-things about both schools and it's really frustrating. I dont want to send my daughter to a public school especially not in NYC....*sigh* Im thinking about moving myself.


 
I live in Northern Westchester, my parents moved here before I started the 6th grade, it was one of the best things they could have done for my education.  Both my sister and myself got into NYU for college with some scholarships.  There are a lot of opportunities at the public schools in this area.  I do have a cousin that went to Greater and now he's finishing his last year at MIT, so it really depends on the type of student you are.  However I plan to give my child as many advantages as I possibly can.


----------



## RabiaElaine

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> I'm so glad you had a good time! The people are very nice there.
> 
> I knew Pastor Hoyte. I was surprised he passed. My folks attenended the funeral. He was really nice. He showed my family a wonderful time when we visited Barbados when he was there.


 
Yes Pastor Hoyte was a great man.  I did not get to attend his funeral though.


----------



## shinyblackhair

Newly baptized SDA over here!!

I am interested in discussing with you all your views on caffeine drinks/chocolate. My hubby and I feel that this is more a EGW teaching rather than a Biblical principal. We don't eat pork/shellfish/ or consume alchol, however neither of us feel that tea or coffee is a spiritual hinderance or a sin. 

Where do you all stand on this issue and any insight that we may be overlooking is most certainly welcome.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Hi SBH!

I LOOOOVVVEEEEEEE chocolate. That is my weakness! Chocolate cake, chocalate candy bars, hot chocolate, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookies, I could go on and on and on. But I also realize that chocolate is not good for me. Just like a host of other things. Ellen White also speaks about the dangers of sugar. And now the world is agreeing with her on the needs to limit sugar. She was way ahead of her time with the dangers of sugar, smoking and a lots of other things.

 I don't believe she calls these individual acts a sin. I believe she lays out in her books what God revealed to her as what is and what is not best for our bodies. Caffeine is a stimulant. Is is good for my body? That is the principle I think she is trying to portray in her books on healthful living. I don't think smoking is mentioned in the Bible but I cannot see how smoking is acceptable in God's sight. 

I believe not caring for your temple properly is an offense to God. My body is the temple of God therefore I am required take care of it accordingly. 
1 Cor 3:16 -17 says
 Know ye not that ye are the temple of  God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God  destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Now I know I'm not there yet. I still eat chocolate occasionally (like I said b4, its a weakness), I don't exercise consistently,I love me some cake, and occasionally I'll have a diet coke (the kind that has caffeine in it). But I am slowly and surely reducing these things from my diet and trying to exercise more often. 

 God has brought me a mighty long way. I gave up all meat except fish last year, and gave up fish this January. Its not that I believe eating clean meats is a sin. But for me, God has revealed his plan for my life and that includes heathlful living. That includes abstaining from smoking, eating less sugar, avoiding white bread, eating more fruits,vegetables, and nuts and abstaining from meat. 

We all are not given light at the same time. But the light you have received you are responsible for knowing and following. Therefore, what God has revealed to me, he might not have revealed to you. And vice versa.

_Here is a quote from EGW's Ministry of Healing that sums it up for me:

In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God's original plan for man's diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food. 
_
Bottom line: God's knows what best for us. Not only in what we do but also what we eat



			
				shinyblackhair said:
			
		

> Newly baptized SDA over here!!
> 
> I am interested in discussing with you all your views on caffeine drinks/chocolate. My hubby and I feel that this is more a EGW teaching rather than a Biblical principal. We don't eat pork/shellfish/ or consume alchol, however neither of us feel that tea or coffee is a spiritual hinderance or a sin.
> 
> Where do you all stand on this issue and any insight that we may be overlooking is most certainly welcome.


----------



## good2uuuu

weaveitup said:
			
		

> las vegas SDA over here! i didnt realize there were so many on jthis forum!


 
Please fill me in on the happenings and church activites there. Nevada is one of the states my hubby is considering getting his license in and if he does, I refuse to live anywhere but Las Vegas. I need to be areound people, not in the middle of the dessert.


----------



## good2uuuu

natalied said:
			
		

> Hi SBH!
> 
> I LOOOOVVVEEEEEEE chocolate. That is my weakness! Chocolate cake, chocalate candy bars, hot chocolate, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookies, I could go on and on and on. But I also realize that chocolate is not good for me. Just like a host of other things. Ellen White also speaks about the dangers of sugar. And now the world is agreeing with her on the needs to limit sugar. She was way ahead of her time with the dangers of sugar, smoking and a lots of other things.
> 
> I don't believe she calls these individual acts a sin. I believe she lays out in her books what God revealed to her as what is and what is not best for our bodies. Caffeine is a stimulant. Is is good for my body? That is the principle I think she is trying to portray in her books on healthful living. I don't think smoking is mentioned in the Bible but I cannot see how smoking is acceptable in God's sight.
> 
> I believe not caring for your temple properly is an offense to God. My body is the temple of God therefore I am required take care of it accordingly.
> 1 Cor 3:16 -17 says
> Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
> 
> Now I know I'm not there yet. I still eat chocolate occasionally (like I said b4, its a weakness), I don't exercise consistently,I love me some cake, and occasionally I'll have a diet coke (the kind that has caffeine in it). But I am slowly and surely reducing these things from my diet and trying to exercise more often.
> 
> God has brought me a mighty long way. I gave up all meat except fish last year, and gave up fish this January. Its not that I believe eating clean meats is a sin. But for me, God has revealed his plan for my life and that includes heathlful living. That includes abstaining from smoking, eating less sugar, avoiding white bread, eating more fruits,vegetables, and nuts and abstaining from meat.
> 
> We all are not given light at the same time. But the light you have received you are responsible for knowing and following. Therefore, what God has revealed to me, he might not have revealed to you. And vice versa.
> 
> _Here is a quote from EGW's Ministry of Healing that sums it up for me:_
> 
> _In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God's original plan for man's diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food. _
> 
> Bottom line: God's knows what best for us. Not only in what we do but also what we eat


 
I totally agree, and I too am a chocoholic.


----------



## AngelicRose07

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Please fill me in on the happenings and church activites there. Nevada is one of the states my hubby is considering getting his license in and if he does, I refuse to live anywhere but Las Vegas. I need to be areound people, not in the middle of the dessert.



theres a great church on j street. you probably dont know where that is but the people seem really nice. i havent been consistent on going but id love to be. ive noticed alot of the people are west indian...which i REALLY like


----------



## good2uuuu

weaveitup said:
			
		

> theres a great church on j street. you probably dont know where that is but the people seem really nice. i havent been consistent on going but id love to be. ive noticed alot of the people are west indian...which i REALLY like


 
Ok. That's good to know. Now, tell me a little about what it's like living in vegas for 'us' black folk....lol. I have really had some culture shock moving from Nashville to Minnesota, so I gotta know!  We do plan to vist there one day soon, so than I'll get a better perspective. Thanks for your input!


----------



## RabiaElaine

I totally agree with Natalied!!!  I also have a chocolate weakness, a chicken weakness, and have the occasional beef patty.  I don't think these things are sins but God knows what is good for us.  You should note that Ellen G. White also had a weakness for chicken I believe, but she eventually gained the victory! I hope to do the same one day.





			
				natalied said:
			
		

> Hi SBH!
> 
> I LOOOOVVVEEEEEEE chocolate. That is my weakness! Chocolate cake, chocalate candy bars, hot chocolate, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookies, I could go on and on and on. But I also realize that chocolate is not good for me. Just like a host of other things. Ellen White also speaks about the dangers of sugar. And now the world is agreeing with her on the needs to limit sugar. She was way ahead of her time with the dangers of sugar, smoking and a lots of other things.
> 
> I don't believe she calls these individual acts a sin. I believe she lays out in her books what God revealed to her as what is and what is not best for our bodies. Caffeine is a stimulant. Is is good for my body? That is the principle I think she is trying to portray in her books on healthful living. I don't think smoking is mentioned in the Bible but I cannot see how smoking is acceptable in God's sight.
> 
> I believe not caring for your temple properly is an offense to God. My body is the temple of God therefore I am required take care of it accordingly.
> 1 Cor 3:16 -17 says
> Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
> 
> Now I know I'm not there yet. I still eat chocolate occasionally (like I said b4, its a weakness), I don't exercise consistently,I love me some cake, and occasionally I'll have a diet coke (the kind that has caffeine in it). But I am slowly and surely reducing these things from my diet and trying to exercise more often.
> 
> God has brought me a mighty long way. I gave up all meat except fish last year, and gave up fish this January. Its not that I believe eating clean meats is a sin. But for me, God has revealed his plan for my life and that includes heathlful living. That includes abstaining from smoking, eating less sugar, avoiding white bread, eating more fruits,vegetables, and nuts and abstaining from meat.
> 
> We all are not given light at the same time. But the light you have received you are responsible for knowing and following. Therefore, what God has revealed to me, he might not have revealed to you. And vice versa.
> 
> _Here is a quote from EGW's Ministry of Healing that sums it up for me:_
> 
> _In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God's original plan for man's diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food. _
> 
> Bottom line: God's knows what best for us. Not only in what we do but also what we eat


----------



## AngelicRose07

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Ok. That's good to know. Now, tell me a little about what it's like living in vegas for 'us' black folk....lol. I have really had some culture shock moving from Nashville to Minnesota, so I gotta know!  We do plan to vist there one day soon, so than I'll get a better perspective. Thanks for your input!



i havent really noticed any racism out here. i mean, it exists...hell i went thru 9th and 10th grade with the KKK all up in the highschool. but even then racism wasnt really bold. 

 the people here are generally nice and our ghetto isnt as ghetto as alot of other states. so the worst of our city is better than the worst of other cities(make sense, lol). but it shouldnt be too much of a culture shock living out here..just be aware that it gets about 115-120 in the summer...ouch!


----------



## good2uuuu

HAha! Wait till I tell hubby about the 115 to 120 in the summer! He can't STAND hot weather....lol! Thanks for responding!


----------



## levette

You know, chocolate is also one of my weaknesses.  I love chocolate candy and will impulsively eat it without a second thought.  I never really think about caffeine being in chocolate.  Does it mean that we are not supposed to eat it?  

The other day, I was reading a website re: E.G. White.  I ran across something that she was quoted saying that before  when a person  decides to get right with the the Lord or prior to his 2nd coming , they would get off of meat.  What do you'll think about that?  

I still struggle with the meat issue.  I don't eat the unclean meats, but I love chicken and fish.


----------



## Bklynqueen

I was born and raised a Seventh Day Adventist.  Am now a backslider


----------



## AngelicRose07

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> HAha! Wait till I tell hubby about the 115 to 120 in the summer! He can't STAND hot weather....lol! Thanks for responding!



lol, then vegas DEFINATELY isnt the place for him


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

> levette said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You know, chocolate is also one of my weaknesses. I love chocolate candy and will impulsively eat it without a second thought. I never really think about caffeine being in chocolate. Does it mean that we are not supposed to eat it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You decide. Question is: it good for my body?  Is it what God would have me put in my body?
> http://my.webmd.com/content/article/49/40053.htm
> 
> Though there seems to be some benefits to caffeine according to WebMd, most articles show there are significant downsides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The other day, I was reading a website re: E.G. White. I ran across something that she was quoted saying that before when a person decides to get right with the the Lord or prior to his 2nd coming, they would get off of meat. What do you'll think about that?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I think light is progressive. As I get closer to God, I notice I don't need "worldly" things as much. I don't have to run out and see the latest movie. Or get the latest R&B cd. I am becoming more content with reading his Word, praying, spending time with my family & friends, or meeting new people. I do believe in the last days the choice between what is wrong and what is right will be abudantly clear.
> 
> Please quote the book, chapter, and page where this is stated. If it was a website critical of her work, I wouldn't be surprised if was taken out of context. This happens quite often.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I still struggle with the meat issue.  I don't eat the unclean meats, but I love chicken and fish.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I struggled with it too. I grew up SDA. My husband converted in 9 years ago and has been vegetarian ever since. I on the other hand, just gave it up last year. It's not easy but neither is getting proper exercise!
Click to expand...


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> http://www.dallascitytemple.org Don't know why the adress and phone number are not on the web page. This is the only church I have been to in Dallas. Even though it has been several years since I was there, I remember that the service was good.
> 
> HTH!
> 
> Actually, the address and phone number are on the contact us page.



I was going to say "City Temple". My parents go there and I'm a former member. I'm all late and stuff. It's at 1600 Bonnie View Lane in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

HoneyLemonDrop said:
			
		

> Heeey! I cannot believe that I saw this thread so late. I too was raised SDA, I havent been to church in years though. I went to an SDA school too. Anyone ever heard of Hanson Place? I went to Hanson Place Church for many years as well.
> 
> Can anyone tell me why in all these years are the only two high schools in existence still Greater NY Academy and North Eastern Academy? My daughter is getting ready to graduate from Jackson Heights SDA and it really bothers me that besides sleepaways like Blue Mountain Academy and Pine Forge(sp?) those two high schools are our only options.



Of course I heard of Hanson Place in Brooklyn. As for the schools, your guess is as good as mine!


----------



## AJamericanDiva

zora said:
			
		

> Hey, I'm not SDA but have gone to Kingsboro.  I know the head deacon, Troy.



I saw Troy tonight at prayer meeting... my first prayer meeting in a long time. The hubby was like, "Let's go..." It was his first.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

shinyblackhair said:
			
		

> Newly baptized SDA over here!!
> 
> I am interested in discussing with you all your views on caffeine drinks/chocolate. My hubby and I feel that this is more a EGW teaching rather than a Biblical principal. We don't eat pork/shellfish/ or consume alchol, however neither of us feel that tea or coffee is a spiritual hinderance or a sin.
> 
> Where do you all stand on this issue and any insight that we may be overlooking is most certainly welcome.



Hi, Shinyblackhair!
Welcome to the SDA family!   I remember growing up when we weren't allowed to drink Coke, coffee or any other caffeinated drink for that matter. I do remember however that there was no restriction on chocolate in our household, be it a bar or hot chocolate. I personally don't see anything wrong with it, as long as it is done in moderation. I don't really drink soda anyhow, but I like chocolate and will eat it once in a while. I drink coffee maybe twice a week tops, and even then there is sooo much milk in it that it's more like coffee flavored milk. Caffeine can be considered a drug and when ingested on a regular basis people can have withdrawals when they don't get it. When that happens, then I see it as a problem. Just my two cents.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

Bklynqueen said:
			
		

> I was born and raised a Seventh Day Adventist.  Am now a backslider



Well, at least you're honest!  You're in Bklyn, why don't you pay a visit to my church in Park Slope... Kingsboro Temple. It's very lively and I think you'll like it.


----------



## Bklynqueen

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> Well, at least you're honest!  You're in Bklyn, why don't you pay a visit to my church in Park Slope... Kingsboro Temple. It's very lively and I think you'll like it.




My cousin goes to Kingsborough.   I'll think about it.  Maybe I can get my daughter into Cradle Roll even though she may be too young ( 19 months).  I like lively churches, I used to go to Emmaus in Flatbush and used to leave in the middle of the sermon, I was that bored.  I'll let you know.


----------



## kisz4tj

Bklynqueen said:
			
		

> My cousin goes to Kingsborough.   I'll think about it.  Maybe I can get my daughter into Cradle Roll even though she may be too young ( 19 months).  I like lively churches, I used to go to Emmaus in Flatbush and used to leave in the middle of the sermon, I was that bored.  I'll let you know.



Your daughter isn't too young for cradle roll.  Definitely not, no age is too young.  I can attest that they have a great sabbath school for both kids and adults.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Please visit Kingsboro is a wonderful church.   When I first moved to Atlanta and started going to the "supposed" equivalent hype church in Atlanta, I cried.  Nothing could replace that Kingsboro void. I guess that's why my DH, friends and family felt the need to start a Mission.  We are only 25 deep but we have CHURCH!

Even though Kinsboro is a bigger than average SDA church, it was (I hope it still is) warm, friendly, service-oriented, family-oriented, singles-oriented, young people-oriented, old people-oriented,everybody-oriented, progressive, Bible believing, truth speaking, music-loving church. 

BTW, your daughter isn't too young, I started taking my son to Kinsboro craddle roll before he turned 1!



			
				Bklynqueen said:
			
		

> My cousin goes to Kingsborough.   I'll think about it.  Maybe I can get my daughter into Cradle Roll even though she may be too young ( 19 months).  I like lively churches, I used to go to Emmaus in Flatbush and used to leave in the middle of the sermon, I was that bored. I'll let you know.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

Bklynqueen said:
			
		

> My cousin goes to Kingsborough.   I'll think about it.  Maybe I can get my daughter into Cradle Roll even though she may be too young ( 19 months).  I like lively churches, I used to go to Emmaus in Flatbush and used to leave in the middle of the sermon, I was that bored.  I'll let you know.



I don't think they're ever too young for Cradle Roll. I will be taking my 10 month old.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

Yes, it is! This weekend we had family life weekend. It was awesome. I've rejoined the choir too.



			
				natalied said:
			
		

> Please visit Kingsboro is a wonderful church.   When I first moved to Atlanta and started going to the "supposed" equivalent hype church in Atlanta, I cried.  Nothing could replace that Kingsboro void. I guess that's why my DH, friends and family felt the need to start a Mission.  We are only 25 deep but we have CHURCH!
> 
> Even though Kinsboro is a bigger than average SDA church, it was (I hope it still is) warm, friendly, service-oriented, family-oriented, singles-oriented, young people-oriented, old people-oriented,everybody-oriented, progressive, Bible believing, truth speaking, music-loving church.
> 
> BTW, your daughter isn't too young, I started taking my son to Kinsboro craddle roll before he turned 1!


----------



## good2uuuu

Hey ya'll Kingsboro folks! I finally got thear some of theservie this weekend! The sermon was of the hook!I have never heard the story of Hosea and Gomer broken down like that even though I have always know what it represents.  I plan to Check out more services in the future.


And Bklynqueen, 19 months is defiantely not to young for cradle roll. Both my babies have been going since 3 or 4 weeks old.  They love to hear the songs and the stories and play, and when old enough, they love the crafts. Of course my son loves the snacks.........
Take care ya'll!


----------



## toinette

SDA checing in as well!!!! i was raised SDA mostly because of my grandma, but i dont go to church anymore (or observe the sabbath). i do still follow the dietary restrictioncs though, but i think thats more cuz i have no desire to eat pork and crustaceans and that other stuff. like someone else said, i;m a backslider. 

here's a question for my non-observant SDA's: even though you dont "officially" practice SDA, do you feel that you could ever convert to something else? this is just a question that i've wonddered abut myself and i dont feel that i could ever be anything but SDA. how bout y'all?


----------



## Bklynqueen

Thanks for the responses everyone.   I've decided that  I will go to Kingsboro on Easter weekend.  I've just started to teach Delilah ( my daughter) "Yes, Jesus loves me" and she loves it!  So as long as there is a lot of singing, I think she'll be entertained. LOL.


----------



## Bklynqueen

toinette said:
			
		

> SDA checing in as well!!!! i was raised SDA mostly because of my grandma, but i dont go to church anymore (or observe the sabbath). i do still follow the dietary restrictioncs though, but i think thats more cuz i have no desire to eat pork and crustaceans and that other stuff. like someone else said, i;m a backslider.
> 
> here's a question for my non-observant SDA's: even though you dont "officially" practice SDA, do you feel that you could ever convert to something else? this is just a question that i've wonddered abut myself and i dont feel that i could ever be anything but SDA. how bout y'all?




When I was younger, I've toyed w/ the idea of converting to Muslim but has since changed my mind because the laws seem to benefit men more than women.  I belive all religions have a bit of truth in them,I say I'm more spirtual that religious.  I also practice the dietary laws for the same reason, tried the uncleaned foods, hated it and have no desire to try it again.


----------



## kisz4tj

Anyone a member of blacksda.org?


----------



## toinette

Bklynqueen said:
			
		

> When I was younger, I've toyed w/ the idea of converting to Muslim but has since changed my mind because the laws seem to benefit men more than women.  I belive all religions have a bit of truth in them,I say I'm more spirtual that religious.  I also practice the dietary laws for the same reason, tried the uncleaned foods, hated it and have no desire to try it again.



thats so weird because i've been thinking about Islam a lot lately. I took a class on it and everything they were saying was making so much sense to me.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

good2uuuu said:
			
		

> Hey ya'll Kingsboro folks! I finally got thear some of theservie this weekend! The sermon was of the hook!I have never heard the story of Hosea and Gomer broken down like that even though I have always know what it represents.  I plan to Check out more services in the future.



Yup! I agree. The speaker was definitely off the hook. Broke down the story in a modern day equivalent. Good laughs to be had as well.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

kisz4tj said:
			
		

> Anyone a member of blacksda.org?



No, I guess I should look into this.


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

AJamericanDiva said:
			
		

> No, I guess I should look into this.



Does anyone know any nice single Adventist black women b/w ages of 26-34 in Atlanta?  I've got a couple of male friends I would like to set up.  They are having a hard time finding good Adventist women in ATL.  Don't ask me why!


----------



## MomofThreeBoys

Does anyone know of a successful Adventist beauty salon?  My sister is interested in opening up a salon that would be closed on Sabbath and I'm wondering if there are any success stories out there.


----------



## kisz4tj

I don't know of one, but I can certainly sympathize with potential business ventures that need to be closed on Saturdays and early on Fridays.


----------



## levette

No, not in Atlanta, However, one of my good friends is 34 yrs old and single and a SDA christian.  She has never been married.  I hope she can find someone.


----------



## AJamericanDiva

Just checking in on you guys.... Holla!


----------



## divya

Hey ladies!!!! How are you all doing?

We should be conversing more.


----------



## divya

*Sunday must be protected as day of worship, pope, in Austria, says*

By John Thavis
9/10/2007

Catholic News Service (www.catholicnews.com)
VIENNA, Austria (CNS) – Celebrating Mass in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral, Pope Benedict XVI urged Austrian Catholics to protect Sunday as a day of spiritual focus in an increasingly busy world. 

Modern Christians need an appointment with the Lord to give them a sense of direction and help them move beyond "the bustle of everyday life," the pope said Sept. 9.

And in an innovative touch that seemed to reflect the pope's recent attention to "green" issues, he suggested that Sunday be celebrated not only as a day of rest but as "the church's weekly feast of creation."

Referring to the biblical account of creation, the pope said that Sunday, as the first day of the week, saw the dawning of the created world, the day on which God said: "Let there be light."

For the early church, he said, Sunday gradually assimilated the traditional meaning of the seventh day, the Sabbath, the day God rested. But Sunday is also "the feast of thanksgiving and joy over God's creation," he said.

"At a time when creation seems to be endangered in so many ways through human activity, we should consciously accept this dimension of Sunday, too," he said.

The pope, on the final day of a three-day trip to Austria, began the liturgy with a procession along a street in front of the famed gothic cathedral. Rain that had fallen steadily throughout the morning stopped as the pontiff, dressed in lime-green vestments, waved to well-wishers who crowded the sidewalks and waved yellow bandanas.

Inside the packed cathedral, the pope was treated to the choral and orchestral music of the "Missa Cellensis," the Mass Joseph Haydn composed in honor of Mary in 1782.

In his sermon, the pope said Sunday has been transformed by Western society into leisure time. Leisure is important in "the mad rush of the modern world," but, unlike worship, it often lacks direction, he said.

He noted that for early Christians, Sunday Mass was not a commandment but an inner necessity -- a time to meet Christ.

"Without him who sustains our lives with his love, life itself is empty," he said.

In Austria, according to polls, regular weekly church attendance among Catholics has declined steadily over the last 30 years and today may be as low as 10 percent.

The pope also examined the radical nature of Christ's call to his disciples and, in a sense, to all his followers: the injunction to "leave everything behind" in order to be totally available for him and for others.

The aim, the pope said, is to "create oases of selfless love in a world where so often only power and wealth seem to count for anything."

The pope acknowledged that the idea of leaving behind family, friends and the good things of life strikes many people as strange.

Not everyone can make such a commitment, he said, but everyone should recognize the truth in Christ's call -- that "whoever wants to keep his life just for himself will lose it." Love demands going out of oneself, and leaving oneself, he said.

Afterward, the pope stood on a platform outside the cathedral and blessed a crowd of several thousand, his red cloak flipped up occasionally by a brisk wind. Many had stood in the wet weather for hours to get a glimpse of the German pontiff, and they cheered as the sun finally broke through.

The pope spoke about Mary's unconditional "yes" to God despite inner hesitation, and said her cooperation in the divine plan remains a model for all Christians.

http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=25308


----------



## divya

*Pope: Sunday Worship a “Necessity” For All*



Pope: Sunday Worship a “Necessity” For All
September 17, 2007 | From theTrumpet.com
Pope Benedict XVI says your life depends upon worshiping on Sunday.


“Sine dominico non possumus!” “Without Sunday [worship] we cannot live!” Pope Benedict xvi declared during a mass on September 9 at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.

Speaking on the final day of his three-day visit to Austria, the German pope voiced a strong call for Christians to revive Sunday keeping as an all-important religious practice.

“Give the soul its Sunday, give Sunday its soul,” he chanted before a rain-soaked crowd of 40,000.

Benedict said that Sunday, which he stated has its origin as “the day of the dawning of creation,” was “also the church’s weekly feast of creation.”

Warning against the evils of allowing Sunday to become just a part of the weekend, the pope said people needed to have a spiritual focus during the first day of the week, or else leisure time would just become wasted time.

Sunday worship, he warned, was not just a “precept” to be casually adhered to, but a “necessity” for all people.

In the opening greeting, the archbishop of Vienna said a movement in Austria had been initiated to protect “Sunday from tendencies to empty [it] of its meaning.”

In Austria, most businesses are restricted from operating on Sunday. However, some business groups are pressuring the government to be allowed to open, a move Roman Catholic groups vehemently oppose.

During Benedict’s trip to Austria, he called for Europe to look to its Christian roots, to trust in God and to defend traditional values.

The pope has been very vocal about Europe’s Christian—or Catholic—roots, and is pushing to have them included in the European Constitution. Although laws concerning Sunday worship are currently determined by individual nations, look for the European Union to eventually gain jurisdiction over the work week—which is one big reason the Catholic Church is so intimately involved with the evolution of the EU. For more on the Catholic Church and Europe, read “The Pope Trumpets Sunday” by the Trumpet’s editor in chief. •

http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=4260.2491.0.0


----------



## divya

Please see the sermons from 12/29/07 and 01/05/08.  Pastor Wright talks about the pope's statement and meeting regarding the implementation of Sunday worship...

http://www.cpcsda.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=10254

With love.


----------



## kgard7777

Yes I heard the first sermon pastor Henry Wright preached and I am about to hear the second one 

Be blessed!


----------



## aqualung

The devotional is good this year. Excerpts summarizing each chapter of the Conflict of Ages series & a couple of other books.

Love Makes a Way
http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0816322317


----------



## Sui Topi

whoa divya thats scary...the times are upon us for real


----------



## dicapr

Thanks for keeping us aware!


----------



## divya

aqualung said:


> The devotional is good this year. Excerpts summarizing each chapter of the Conflict of Ages series & a couple of other books.
> 
> Love Makes a Way
> http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0816322317



Thanks! I'm going to check this out!


----------



## caribgirl

Hey Ladies, I am an SDA also!!  Glad to know that I'm not alone on this forum. Thanks Divya for keeping us and other religious groups on this board aware! God bless!


----------



## divya

This is quite interesting...and something to watch...

"The National ID Card That Isn't, Yet"
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,191857,00.html


----------



## AJamericanDiva

divya said:


> Please see the sermons from 12/29/07 and 01/05/07.  Pastor Wright talks about the pope's statement and meeting regarding the implementation of Sunday worship...
> 
> http://www.cpcsda.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=10254
> 
> With love.



Imma go and listen to this...


----------



## AJamericanDiva

While we're on the topic, here's T.D. Jake's take on the Sabbath...
http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/the_potters_house/20070620/


----------



## divya

AJamericanDiva said:


> While we're on the topic, here's T.D. Jake's take on the Sabbath...
> http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/the_potters_house/20070620/



Something else! 

The sermon by Pastor Wright on 01/05/08 responds to it...

http://www.cpcsda.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=10254


----------



## Stiletto_Diva

Hey I'm SDA too. Well technically I was raised SDA, majority of my family is SDA and I believe that SDA is the only way, but i don't practice living the SDA waynono:. It's hard when there isn't a big SDA community where you live and all your friends want to party on Friday night, go shopping on Saturday, then hit up the clubs on Saturday night. And i'm not just talkin about my friends who aren't SDA. I'm also refering to them "BADventist" also. Ya'll pray for me, I'm trying to live right


----------



## divya

Mz. Princess said:


> Hey I'm SDA too. Well technically I was raised SDA, majority of my family is SDA and I believe that SDA is the only way, but i don't practice living the SDA waynono:. It's hard when there isn't a big SDA community where you live and all your friends want to party on Friday night, go shopping on Saturday, then hit up the clubs on Saturday night. And i'm not just talkin about my friends who aren't SDA. I'm also refering to them "BADventist" also. Ya'll pray for me, I'm trying to live right



I completely understand. It's a challenge sometimes to walk the straight and narrow.  I believe I'm the only SDA at my school - wish there was just one other person. So yes, I will pray for you.  Please pray for me too.

We need to keep this thread going too.  The times are changing right before our eyes...encouragement is very necessary.


----------



## juicee428

*sda* checkin in


----------



## caribgirl

Mz. Princess said:


> Hey I'm SDA too. Well technically I was raised SDA, majority of my family is SDA and I believe that SDA is the only way, but i don't practice living the SDA waynono:. It's hard when there isn't a big SDA community where you live and all your friends want to party on Friday night, go shopping on Saturday, then hit up the clubs on Saturday night. And i'm not just talkin about my friends who aren't SDA. I'm also refering to them "BADventist" also. Ya'll pray for me, I'm trying to live right


 
I'm the only SDA in my family! It can never be easy but prayer is the key! Keep believing and remembering what is true! I'll be praying for you too- pm me if you want !


----------



## nipday

Hey ladies!!!

I'm SDA, born and raised, now living in the MD/VA/DC area. I'm originally from Charleston, SC (South Atlantic Conference). This thread is so encourging to me right now--thanks for starting this!


----------



## candiel

Mz. Princess said:


> Hey I'm SDA too. Well technically I was raised SDA, majority of my family is SDA and I believe that SDA is the only way, but i don't practice living the SDA waynono:. It's hard when there isn't a big SDA community where you live and all your friends want to party on Friday night, go shopping on Saturday, then hit up the clubs on Saturday night. And i'm not just talkin about my friends who aren't SDA. I'm also refering to them "BADventist" also. Ya'll pray for me, I'm trying to live right



Another SDA checking in!!

Mz Princess, I've been struggling recently also. It's very, very hard.


----------



## divya

nipday said:


> Hey ladies!!!
> 
> I'm SDA, born and raised, now living in the MD/VA/DC area. I'm originally from Charleston, SC (South Atlantic Conference). This thread is so encourging to me right now--thanks for starting this!



Hey! I'm from that area though I'm living in Richmond now.  I'll be home for part of the summer. What church do you go to?


----------



## nipday

divya said:


> Hey! I'm from that area though I'm living in Richmond now. I'll be home for part of the summer. What church do you go to?


 

Hey divya!! I go to New Life SDA in Gaithersburg, MD. Which church do you go to in Richmond--Ephesus?


----------



## divya

nipday said:


> Hey divya!! I go to New Life SDA in Gaithersburg, MD. Which church do you go to in Richmond--Ephesus?



Ok! Have to visit there soon! 

I go to both Patterson and Ephesus, depending on the week.  I'm actually a member at Community Praise in Alexandria. Not going to change membership b/c I plan to move back to the D.C. area.


----------



## divya

Maybe we should have a LHCF Adventist Meet and Greet Sabbath! There are good number of us on here!


----------



## kgard7777

I am  struggling with the sabbath keeping too! We all need to pray for each other.. I think God is truly weeding out the people who will make it to the kingdom vs. who won't in these very last days.. 

Just seeing the pope the other day broadcasted on every channel gave me chills!


----------



## divya

Hope everyone had a Happy Sabbath!


----------



## jtwinn

Wow... I've been lurking on this site for a while.  This is my first post.  I am 3rd gen SDA.  Currently backsliding as I'm in Boston(not really feeling the fellowship here).  I've been to Berea, Boston Temple and Cambridge.  I love Cambridge the most but I miss my home church in southern CT. After reading thru the majority of this thread I felt compelled to post.  Be encouraged! 

Check out these sites (they help keep me grounded):

http://www.praizevision.com/
www.churchpond.com
http://www.3abn.org/
http://www.ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/08b/index.html
www.biblegateway.com
http://www.amazingfacts.org/


----------



## divya

^^^Thanks for the sites! 

This is my first time seeing the first one. Looking at the clip, does anyone know if Lloyd Mallory is directing the Sligo church choir regularly?


----------



## jtwinn

I'd think so... Isn't he an assoc. pastor there?


----------



## divya

jtwinn said:


> I'd think so... Isn't he an assoc. pastor there?



Really? Nice. I haven't been to Sligo since a child...maybe it's time to visit.


----------



## Akemi

I'm a Seventh-day Adventist!! I attend the Jerusalem French Speaking SDA Church in Philadelphia, North Philadelphia Church sometimes, and Trinity Temple in Newark, NJ when I'm away at school!!


----------



## divya

Happy Sabbath ladies! 

I'm off to church here in England. It's going to be my first time. It's about 40 mins away by bus/walking combined and I'm walking about 30 mins of the way. LOL! For once I am glad for the cool weather so that I am not sweating when I get there. 

Take Care ladies and God bless!


----------



## divya

*Sunday Shopping Banned in Croatia*
Croatian Shops to Be Closed on Sundays as of Jan. 1 in Concession to Catholic Church

The Croatian parliament has passed a law forcing shops to close on Sundays in a concession to the Roman Catholic church.

The church has campaigned for years for Sundays to be devoted to family or Mass in Croatia, which is almost 90 percent Roman Catholic. But Croatians have begun spending weekends in shopping malls that have flourished across the country in the past few years and remain open seven days a week.

The law adopted Tuesday and goes into effect Jan. 1. It allows Sunday shopping over the summer and Christmas holidays.

The law also allows stores in gas, bus and train stations to open on Sundays year-round, along with those in hospitals. Bakeries, newsstands and flower shops are also exempt from the ban.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=5378375

 Please pray for Adventists and any other Sabbath keepers in Croatia! The time is drawing near!


----------



## cupcakes

Checking in!


----------



## rara171

SDA checking in!

An adventist attending San Diego State University...

GASP!

...no, i didn't go to Oakwood...
(insider for some of you)

LOL.


----------



## divya

Happy Sabbath ladies! 

Rara, I didn't go to Oakwood either but did attend Pine Forge for 1 year.


----------



## rara171

divya said:


> Happy Sabbath ladies!
> 
> Rara, I didn't go to Oakwood either but did attend Pine Forge for 1 year.




O ok. Its interesting that you went to Pine Forge and not Oakwood...

why was that?

I know that when I decided against Oakwood my family and some friends were disappointed. They thought I was going to become this giant heathen. lol.

It's my second year and I am still very much an Adventist.


----------



## divya

rara171 said:


> O ok. Its interesting that you went to Pine Forge and not Oakwood...
> 
> why was that?
> 
> I know that when I decided against Oakwood my family and some friends were disappointed. They thought I was going to become this giant heathen. lol.
> 
> It's my second year and I am still very much an Adventist.



Well, I went to Pine Forge my junior year of high school.  It was great spiritually but needed some improvement in other areas. It was also expensive. Plus I wanted to come home and graduate with all my friends back home for senior year.

As for Oakwood, my parents never really pushed it like that. They converted to Adventism a few years before I was born so there is no Oakwood legacy there. There were other people who wanted me to go to Oakwood, but it wasn't for me. If I had attended an Adventist school, it would have been Andrews or CUC.


----------



## rara171

divya said:


> Well, I went to Pine Forge my junior year of high school.  It was great spiritually but needed some improvement in other areas. It was also expensive. Plus I wanted to come home and graduate with all my friends back home for senior year.
> 
> As for Oakwood, my parents never really pushed it like that. They converted to Adventism a few years before I was born so there is no Oakwood legacy there. There were other people who wanted me to go to Oakwood, but it wasn't for me. If I had attended an Adventist school, it would have been Andrews or CUC.




Totally agree.
Oakwood wasn't for me and all the other adventist schools are out there are in the boonies....not really my style.

I think Oakwood is lacking in certain areas that i find important in a university. It wasn't for me. I talked to God about it and I think I made the right decision.

It hasn't been easy all the time (especially when I lived in the residence halls), but i think everyone is entitled to their own choices.


----------



## divya

rara171 said:


> Totally agree.
> Oakwood wasn't for me and all the other adventist schools are out there are in the boonies....not really my style.
> 
> I think Oakwood is lacking in certain areas that i find important in a university. It wasn't for me. I talked to God about it and I think I made the right decision.
> 
> It hasn't been easy all the time (especially when I lived in the residence halls), but i think everyone is entitled to their own choices.



 You and I are completely on the same page.  A lot of people push Oakwood, which is fine because it is our university. However, people have to understand that it simply is not for everyone.  Honestly, I had good grades/scores coming out of high school and wanted to go to a well-ranked school. There were tough times. but I would still choose it over Oakwood.  It was also in-state and far less expensive. You'll be fine as long as you keep your eyes on God and continue to study His Word.


----------



## divya

Have any of you ladies studied the sanctuary message in detail? If so, could you recommended a good book with all the Scriptural references? 

I realize that this is one of our core beliefs, one that I have not studied in depth. I would really appreciate a recommendation...


----------



## divya

Not sure if this was posted previously, but there is now a website with C.D. Brooks' sermons.  For those who may not know of him, he's an old rock in our faith...known for preaching the gospel message straight.  

http://cdbrooks.com/

Under the Sermons tab, you can find recent sermons and under Archives are lots of older sermons. Tonight my family and I listened to number 44 in the Archives - "I Want My Church Back!"  It was powerful. Makes you take a second look at the issues/struggles in our faith and put things into perspective. 

May you all have a blessed Sabbath!


----------



## JinaRicci

Wow @ this thread!  It's cool to see so many SDAs.  Are most of all you still on here? 

Divya- thanks for the link.  I love hearing CD Brooks speak too.  I just listened to the one on Ghosts and Zombies.  He broke it down!  "The safest place to be at midnight... is in a cemetery."  LOL but so true.


----------



## blessed7777

Hi!

I am SDA and still on her and there are a few others


----------



## blazingthru

Yep SDA here for life. Not born and raised though.


----------



## Pussinboots

SDA checking in.


----------



## divya

*German Court Enforces Day of Rest*
_Germany's Highest Court Strictly Enforces Day of Rest, Bans Sunday Shopping_

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/court-rules-shopping-sunday-germany/story?id=9236076


----------



## shinyblackhair

divya said:


> Have any of you ladies studied the sanctuary message in detail? If so, could you recommended a good book with all the Scriptural references?
> 
> I realize that this is one of our core beliefs, one that I have not studied in depth. I would really appreciate a recommendation...



I am a former SDA (actually I believe I am somewhere in this thread when I was still SDA) however, the "Sanctuary and IJ doctrine" pretty much lead me out of the church because of the fact that it is completely unscriptural. I haven't "officially" left the SDA church and am still a member in fact, but these unresolved issues have caused me and my husband (who was born and raised SDA) to stop going. No body can answer my questions and provide a reasonalbe explaination of this "doctrine".


----------



## dicapr

shinyblackhair said:


> I am a former SDA (actually I believe I am somewhere in this thread when I was still SDA) however, the "Sanctuary and IJ doctrine" pretty much lead me out of the church because of the fact that it is completely unscriptural. I haven't "officially" left the SDA church and am still a member in fact, but these unresolved issues have caused me and my husband (who was born and raised SDA) to stop going. No body can answer my questions and provide a reasonalbe explaination of this "doctrine".


 
I understand having some questions about the doctrine of the SDA church.  I have some questions about somethings that we preach also and at one time was ready to walk away.  I was convicted that it was o.k. not to agree 100% with everything the church preached.  Actually, the Lord showed me that I could still worship with the SDA and remain a member even if I didn't agree with everything. ( I have found that there is a fateful group in the church that agree with most but not all of our beliefs.) .  May the Lord lead you and guide you in your decisions.


----------



## divya

shinyblackhair said:


> I am a former SDA (actually I believe I am somewhere in this thread when I was still SDA) however, the "Sanctuary and IJ doctrine" pretty much lead me out of the church because of the fact that it is completely unscriptural. I haven't "officially" left the SDA church and am still a member in fact, but these unresolved issues have caused me and my husband (who was born and raised SDA) to stop going. No body can answer my questions and provide a reasonalbe explaination of this "doctrine".



Thanks for responding. I asked the question earlier this year and have since truly studied that doctrine for myself. I believe my experience may be a bit different from others though. I learned the sanctuary and IJ message _completely_ via the Scriptures. Some people choose to teach and learn it differently but guess that is a choice in approach. I studied with a book called _1844 Made Simple_ as a guideline that goes through it the doctrine with _nothing_ but the Holy Scriptures. It really solidified my faith. 

I was raised SDA and understood basic doctrine but recently am delving into the great details. So this was actually my first personal study of the issue. My family raised us on the Holy Scriptures first and foremost and only read Spirit of Prophecy as a supplement. In my belief that's the way it should be - so the sanctuary message had to be understood this way for me. 

How did you come to study the sanctuary message and IJ? Was it a completely Scriptural approach?


----------



## divya

dicapr said:


> I understand having some questions about the doctrine of the SDA church.  I have some questions about somethings that we preach also and at one time was ready to walk away.  I was convicted that it was o.k. not to agree 100% with everything the church preached.  Actually, the Lord showed me that I could still worship with the SDA and remain a member even if I didn't agree with everything. ( I have found that there is a fateful group in the church that agree with most but not all of our beliefs.) .  May the Lord lead you and guide you in your decisions.



I respect this.  I've studied quite a few other faiths/religions and chose the SDA faith for myself. There has been nothing comparable. One of the things that keeps me here is that we are a _movement_. That how we began and how many continue today. I generally even refrain from using the term _denomination_ (as a preference) as it seems less descriptive of the faith. The fact that the leaders of faith periodically reexamines our doctrine together is very important to me. So is that fact that we are encouraged to study and reexamine issues for ourselves so that we are living according to the light we have. Even my parents disagree on certain issues, but both are still searching, growing...moving. There are approaches or interpretations that individuals take to our doctrine that I disagree with. I do, however, embrace the core tenets of the faith and definitely appreciate the _movement_ way of life.


----------



## shinyblackhair

divya said:


> Thanks for responding. I asked the question earlier this year and have since truly studied that doctrine for myself. I believe my experience may be a bit different from others though. I learned the sanctuary and IJ message _completely_ via the Scriptures. Some people choose to teach and learn it differently but guess that is a choice in approach. I studied with a book called _1844 Made Simple_ as a guideline that goes through it the doctrine with _nothing_ but the Holy Scriptures. It really solidified my faith.
> 
> I was raised SDA and understood basic doctrine but recently am delving into the great details. So this was actually my first personal study of the issue. My family raised us on the Holy Scriptures first and foremost and only read Spirit of Prophecy as a supplement. In my belief that's the way it should be - so the sanctuary message had to be understood this way for me.
> 
> How did you come to study the sanctuary message and IJ? Was it a completely Scriptural approach?



Thanks for replying. I first found out about the sanctuary and IJ through the Sabbath School lesson study about 3 years back. Honestly, I wish I were still blissfully ignorant of this teaching because my family would still be faithfully worshipping with my dear, dear brothers and sisters at my church. I have not found another church that feels like family since. No other church feels right, yet this teaching is a complete and utter stumbling block. 

I was not born an SDA, though my husband was. I was baptized into the church in January of 2005 along with my husband. I just wish I could go back, but the thing is that the IJ is a *fundamental* belief of the church...sometimes I think that we will just go back and just ingore the fact that we promote this doctrine, but I don't know...

If you remember a while back I posted a thread for non-SDA churches. I believe in the Sabbath, and many, many other things are SO positive, but just this one teaching...

I get so sad when I think about what my family has missed out on back at our home church. My Pastor visits and calls and prays for us...


----------



## blazingthru

I am a new SDA, I come across questions. I been so fortunate I can find the answers to them and struggle no more. but I do struggle with the SDA saying they are the remnant Church that is the only thing I have an issue with but not a concrete issue. I believe with my heart and soul that they have the truth and that they are following the commandments and the testamonies of Jesus Christ. I just don't know if any church can just out and say that still I press on as long as the church is holding on to the true teachings in the bible I will remain forever. This is what I found and for me I have no issues with it.  I hope it helps, if not I still would want to know why so I can do some more research. 

*The Investigative Judgment in Matthew*



In Desmond Ford's Critique of the Third Quarter 2006 Adult Sabbath School, he asks the following question:

“Furthermore, if we placed a New Testament in the hands of the Lesson author and asked for evidence of an attenuated Investigative Judgment, to what would he turn?”

To the New Testament book of Matthew. Here the Investigative Judgment is taught by Jesus Christ himself:

Matthew 22:1-14
(1) And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
(2) The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
(3) And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
(4) Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
(5) But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
(6) And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
(7) But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
(8) Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
(9) Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
(10) So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
(11) And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
(12) And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
(13) Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(14) For many are called, but few are chosen.

There are 5 points we want you to notice here:

Point # 1: Once the wedding was furnished with guests, the king comes in to “see” those present. While seeing, he finds a man unprepared for the wedding (verse 11). With all the people that were present the king found one unprepared individual there. The king’s “seeing” and finding this certain individual must have therefore been an investigation he performed upon those who were there.

Point # 2: This is not a scene of heaven, but of earth, because both “good and bad” are present. This means that when the king “investigates” those present, he is investigating those upon the earth.

Point # 3: The king can be none other then God himself. If God, then he has to be in heaven, looking (investigating) down upon the earth, for God on earth would result in the destruction of the earth by reason of his glory. Therefore God, from heaven, is investigating both the good and bad people on earth.

Point # 4: After the king performs the “investigation” of the people at this wedding, he finds a man unprepared and as a result pronounces a “judgment” upon him (verse 13). This is therefore an “Investigative Judgment” because along with the investigation there was a Judgment.

Point # 5: This scene of the “Investigative Judgment” takes place before the Second Coming. Notice what Jesus says in Luke 12:

Luke 12:36-37
(36) And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
(37) Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

Notice in verse 36 how it specifically says that Jesus will come “from” the wedding. If therefore the wedding and the marriage were the same event, how is it that he comes “from” the wedding to pick up his children? The marriage, says John the Revelator, is the Second Coming:

Revelation 19:7
(7) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

If the above verse were read in context, you will find two very important points:

A) Just before verse 7, all those in heaven proclaim, “True and righteous are his Judgments…” (verse 2) God has performed a Judgment in heaven upon the wicked on earth before Jesus’ Second Coming. The greek word translated “Judgments” here is “krisis” which can be subjectively (for) or objectively (against). In other words, God just finished performing either subjective or objective Judgments upon people before the coming. This is why we read of both “good and bad” in the Investigative Judgment (the wedding) of Matthew 22. An objective Judgment was pronounced upon that “great whore” –verse 3.

B) Right after this verse, a scene of the Second coming of Jesus Christ is seen:

Revelation 19:11- 21
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God… And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

The fact that verse 7 says that the marriage “of the Lamb is come” and that his wife has “made herself ready” shows how both Christ and his bride (the true church) will be “united” with him at his Second Coming. The “marriage” is the “unity” of Christ with his bride the church… as a marriage is the unity of a man with his wife.

That the Investigative Judgement is taught by Jesus Christ himself should be good enough for our critics... we hope.


----------



## blazingthru

this is from the site that divya mentioned thanks Divya. I have to post, I want and hope all SDA are in unity. 
Introduction: Last week we studied one of the most important prophecies of the Bible. We learned, from Daniel 9:22-27, that the specific dates of the coming of Jesus the Messiah were revealed hundreds of years in advance through Gabriel's message to Daniel. As far as I am concerned, this is the most important message of Daniel. God reveals to His people not only the details of the sweep of history, He reveals the timing of the coming of His Son. Of course, we learned a number of other important things as well. We learned that the sanctuary will be rebuilt and then destroyed again. We learned that the gospel will go from being a message directed to the Jews to a message for all of us today. There are, however, a few "loose ends." (Aren't there always?) One unresolved question is the meaning of the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14. Let's dig into Daniel to see what other secrets God has revealed to us today!


The Sanctuary 


Read Daniel 8:13-14. Put yourself in Daniel's place. If you had a short "wish list" about the future, what would be on it? (Recall that Daniel had been taken from his home when he was a very young man. He would want to return to his native country, Judah.) 


What would come to Daniel's mind when the sanctuary was mentioned in his vision? (Daniel would surely think about the sanctuary (temple) that was built by Solomon. See 1 Chronicles 22:17-19.) 


Did Solomon's temple exist at the time of Daniel's vision? (No. The Babylonians had destroyed Jerusalem and Solomon's temple. This was part of the tragedy of his youth. He had been taken captive, and the important institutions of his country had been destroyed. This included the city of Jerusalem and Solomon's temple, the center of Jewish worship.) 


When Daniel heard that the sanctuary would be "reconsecrated" (NIV) ("cleansed" NKJV) what would he logically think was going to happen? (It is logical to believe his first thoughts were that Solomon's temple would be rebuilt. This vision of the future could be about one of Daniel's most dearly held hopes - that the Jewish worship center would be back in operation.) 


What other possibilities might come to Daniel's mind when he heard about the sanctuary being reconsecrated? (Read Psalms 102:19, Exodus 25:8-9 and Hebrews 8:1-5. Moses had originally been given "the pattern" so that the sanctuary in the wilderness was modeled after the sanctuary in heaven. Solomon then built a permanent version of the sanctuary to house the ark of God and to continue the worship and the sacrificial services. Only the copy on earth had been destroyed. The heavenly original still existed. Since the sanctuary on earth had been destroyed, Daniel might have thought this had something to do with the sanctuary in heaven.) 


What time frame is given for the sanctuary being reconsecrated? (2,300 days.) 


Let's back up a minute and read the context for the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14. Read Daniel 8:9-13. What sanctuary do you think is being described in these verses? (In Lesson 5 of this series (on Daniel 8), we concluded that this "horn" was the Pagan and Papal phase of Rome. Thus, this would be the rebuilt sanctuary promised to Daniel.) 


If this is true, could Gabriel be speaking of a literal 2,300 days - a little over six years? (No. This had to be symbolic days (meaning a day equals a year), not literal days. We know that Rome was hundreds of years in the future. 


Read Daniel 8:19-26. This is Gabriel's explanation of the "vision of the evenings and mornings" and he says it concerns "the distant future." Is there any possible way that the 2,300 days are literal days? (I cannot see any way that this is possible!) 


So, what happens at the end of this 2,300 years? What does it mean for the sanctuary to be reconsecrated? What sanctuary are we talking about? Is this the end of the world? 


Living in the twenty-first century, we know that thereafter the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt and for hundreds of years Jews held their daily sacrifices and worshiped God in the sanctuary. We also know that in 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed the sanctuary. Given our knowledge, what sanctuary do you think is being referred to in Daniel 8:14? (Read Daniel 8:17. Since this is a vision "of the end," and since we know the sanctuary on earth was destroyed almost 2,000 years ago, that logically leaves only the sanctuary in heaven as the subject of this vision.) 


What argument can you make that the vision might refer to a sanctuary that is again rebuilt in Jerusalem before the world ends? (Such an argument would deny that Jesus is the Messiah. It would ignore Jesus' High Priestly ministry in heaven referred to in Hebrews. If the Jews rebuilt a temple in Jerusalem it would be to continue the same sacrificial system which Jesus fulfilled by His life and death.) 


Read Hebrews 9:8-12. What does this suggest about the possibility of a new temple being built in Jerusalem? (Hebrews tells us that the temple on earth was both an illustration and an impediment to Jesus' work for us in heaven. The idea that it would be rebuilt at some time before the Second Coming of Jesus is completely at odds with Hebrews and the entire concept of Jesus fulfilling the symbolism of the sanctuary service.) 


The reasonable conclusion, based on what we know about history, and our understanding of the gospel, is that the sanctuary to be reconsecrated (cleansed) is the heavenly sanctuary.


----------



## blazingthru

The Nature of the Cleansing 


If Daniel 8:14 is about reconsecrating (cleansing) the sanctuary in heaven, the logical question is, "Why would it need to be cleaned?" 


Read Leviticus 16:32-34. These three verses describe in summary form a yearly event for the Jewish people. Can you tell me about this event? (Throughout the year the people would come to the temple to sacrifice an animal for the forgiveness of their sins. Symbolically, the shed blood of the animal transferred the sin from the person to the sanctuary. Then once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the sanctuary itself was cleansed of all of these sins which had accumulated over the year. On that day the High Priest entered the Most Holy place of the sanctuary.) 


What about the sins of the people? Were they completely taken care of during the year? (Read Leviticus 16:29-30. It appears that the cleansing of the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement was the final act in the removal of the sins from the people.) 


Since the sanctuary on earth was patterned after the sanctuary in heaven? Do you think there is a parallel activity in heaven? If so, what is it? (According to the text in Hebrews that we previously read ( Hebrews 9:11-12), Jesus is the sacrifice for the heavenly sanctuary. He is also the High Priest who enters the Most Holy Place.) 


When Daniel 8:14 tells us that the sanctuary will be reconsecrated (cleansed) could it mean that after the 2300 day period the Day of Atonement in heaven will take place? (That seems to be what is meant. Since the sanctuary could not be the sanctuary on earth, it must be the sanctuary in heaven. Hebrews tells us that Jesus will enter the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary - so it makes sense that this is the meaning of Daniel 8:14.) 


The Meaning of the Day of Atonement. 


Let's review a minute. The sanctuary referred to in Daniel 8:14 is the sanctuary in heaven. The historical meaning of the cleansing of the sanctuary is the Day of Atonement. So, the next question is what would be the meaning of a Day of Atonement in heaven? Read Daniel 8:26-27. Did Daniel understand what it meant to reconsecrate the sanctuary in heaven? 


Notice that verse 27 says that Daniel did not understand the vision. Did he not understand any of it? (This is the Ram/Goat/Horn vision of the first half of Daniel 8. Gabriel told Daniel about the meaning of the Ram and the Goat. It was only the horn and the 2,300 days that was not specifically explained. Since Daniel calls the this (v.26)"the vision of the evenings and mornings" it must be the 2,300 days that most specifically created the mystery.) 


What do you think the Day of Atonement in heaven represents? Is this the beginning of the judgment? The end of the judgment? The Second Coming of Jesus? 



In trying to solve this mystery, it sure would be nice to know when this 2,300 years ended. What do we need to know to determine this? (When that period of time started.) 


Does Daniel 8 say when the 2,300 year period begins? (No. Indeed, Daniel 8:26 seems to say the details are "sealed up" for now.) 


Let's re-read what we studied last week: Daniel 9:25-27. We have some very hard dates from this. Does this sound like the same subject matter? (Yes. I'm quite certain that Daniel is not understanding what sanctuary Gabriel is speaking about, but we are back to the theme of the future of the sanctuary and its "desolation.") 


Let's make the assumption - a reasonable one - that our "Seventy Weeks" message of Gabriel in Daniel 9 is a further answer and explanation of Gabriel's message of Daniel 8. Since we concluded last week that the seventy weeks began in 457 B.C., where does 2,300 years end? (1844 A.D. The title of our lesson is "1844 Made Simple." The math is surely simple, but I'm far from sure any other aspect of this is simple!) 


If we are right about tying the two prophecies together and starting them in 457 B.C., what does that clarify about the previous question about the nature of the cleansing of the sanctuary, this Day of Atonement? (It does not mean the end of the world - unless God is simply delaying His coming. We know from the parallelism in the visions we have studied that the end of the world starts with a judgment of the righteous and ends with the Second Coming of Jesus. Historically the judgment and the "conclusion" to sin, occurred within the Day of Atonement.) 


What should the reaction of a Christian be to this prophecy? (The message is important, it came straight from the throne of God by Gabriel. The message is reliable - because all of the other prophecies given to Daniel came to pass. Whether 1844 was the "target time" for Jesus' Second Coming, or whether it begins the time of the final judgment, our main conclusion should be that Jesus' Second Coming is imminent. Something very important is happening in heaven and it has to do with our Messiah bringing sin to its final conclusion.) 


Friend, are you ready for the judgment? For the Second Coming? Are you looking for your Savior to return?


----------



## divya

shinyblackhair said:


> Thanks for replying. I first found out about the sanctuary and IJ through the Sabbath School lesson study about 3 years back. Honestly, I wish I were still blissfully ignorant of this teaching because my family would still be faithfully worshipping with my dear, dear brothers and sisters at my church. I have not found another church that feels like family since. No other church feels right, yet this teaching is a complete and utter stumbling block.
> 
> I was not born an SDA, though my husband was. I was baptized into the church in January of 2005 along with my husband. I just wish I could go back, but the thing is that the IJ is a *fundamental* belief of the church...sometimes I think that we will just go back and just ingore the fact that we promote this doctrine, but I don't know...
> 
> If you remember a while back I posted a thread for non-SDA churches. I believe in the Sabbath, and many, many other things are SO positive, but just this one teaching...
> 
> I get so sad when I think about what my family has missed out on back at our home church. My Pastor visits and calls and prays for us...



Bless your heart Shiny. This is an emerging issue in our church and will continue to be one in the future. The SDA church needs to teach our entire doctrine completely Scripturally to those incoming. You should not have heard of the sanctuary message and IJ only via the Sabbath school lesson after joining. I know our church is not a perfect one though, and guess it is something we all have to remember. 

The sanctuary message and the IJ are actually the beliefs that are unique to our faith, as opposed to the well-known seventh-day Sabbath belief. However, it was predicted sometime ago that our faith would begin to downplay its complete message. The Sabbath School lesson is _not_ the method to first expose someone to these beliefs at all. That is just so saddening. My heart goes out to you and your husband, and I pray that you are able to come to understanding of these matters via Scripture alone. 

If you can, maybe check the book _1844 Made Simple_. It's a very little book that just points you to Scripture that you can analyze on your own. It should give you a totally different perspective than the Sabbath school lesson. Hopefully the explanation of the IJ that Blazingthru has posted is helpful as well.

Keep searching the Scriptures and praying, as I am sure you already do. I know things must be very hard for you, being separated from your church family. However, as you are faithful to God, and He in turn will be faithful to you and lead you in the right path. God bless you and your hubby sis! 

*Psalm 48:14 *_For this God is our God for ever and ever: *he will be our guide even unto death.*_


----------



## divya

As I am home sick this Sabbath, I decided to read up on treatment of Christmas within our faith. Of course, the holiday is not Scriptural, which is why it receive no official regard within our doctrine. However, I also found this thought interesting....



> *Christmas is Coming*
> 
> "Christmas is coming," is the note that is sounded throughout our world from east to west and from north to south. With youth, those of mature age, and even the aged, it is a period of general rejoicing, of great gladness. *But what is Christmas, that it should demand so much attention?* This day has been made much of for centuries. It is accepted by the unbelieving world, and by the Christian world generally, as the day on which Christ was born. When the world at large celebrates the day, they show no honor to Christ. They refuse to acknowledge Him as their Saviour, to honor Him by willing obedience to His service. They show preference to the day, but none to the one for whom the day is celebrated, Jesus Christ.
> 
> The twenty-fifth of December is supposed to be the day of the birth of Jesus Christ, and its observance has become customary and popular. but yet *there is no certainty that we are keeping the veritable day of our Saviour's birth.* History gives us no certain assurance of this. The Bible does not give us the precise time. Had the Lord deemed this knowledge essential to our salvation, He would have spoken through His prophets and apostles that we might know all about the matter. *But the silence of the Scriptures upon this point evidences to us that it is hidden from us for the wisest purposes.*
> 
> In His wisdom the Lord concealed the place where He buried Moses. God buried him, and God resurrected him and took him to heaven. This secrecy was to prevent idolatry. He against whom they rebelled while he was in active service, whom they provoked almost beyond human endurance, was almost worshiped as God after his separation from them by death. *For the very same purpose He has concealed the precise day of Christ's birth; that the day should not receive the honor that should be given to Christ as the Redeemer of the world--one to be received, to be trusted, to be relied on as He who could save to the uttermost all who come unto Him. The soul's adoration should be given to Jesus as the Son of the infinite God.
> 
> http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/Christmas.html
> *



As we see further down in the link, we are certainly forbidden in taking part in Christmastime activities but counsel is that it should be limited. A tree, if we must have one, should only have donations for the poor on them (angel tree) as opposed to the usual decorations. Our actions should be towards others and not self, so that Christ will be glorified. So what I gather is that the season should be for service to others in Christian love. Any other thoughts?


----------



## JinaRicci

Thanks for sharing that Divya.  I hope you're feeling better today.

I see Christmas as an opportunity for witnessing & for teaching kids about giving to others.  It should be less about all the things we can get and more about what we can give.  Sometimes we lose sight of that... But that is the true meaning of Christmas- mirroring the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.  I agree with you- in doing so we should become more selfless and point others to Christ. 

My view on Christmas is that it is a celebration of his birth & life much like the world celebrates and honors all mothers or all fathers on one particular day.  We should be clear though to note that Jesus wasn't actually born on this day.  I am glad that God hid the true day from us- some people with that birthday might think they are better than others or that they are Christ!

The message of Christmas also gets diluted when the focus is placed on Santa and Frosty and all that other stuff.  I could never understand how people who don't believe in Jesus still celebrate *Christ*mas but that's how- the celebration now can have nothing to do with Christ.  I think we as Christians shouldn't get caught up in that and should do our part to make sure that the honor continues to be given to Jesus.


----------



## divya

JinaRicci said:


> Thanks for sharing that Divya.  I hope you're feeling better today.
> 
> *I see Christmas as an opportunity for witnessing & for teaching kids about giving to others.*  It should be less about all the things we can get and more about what we can give.  Sometimes we lose sight of that... But that is the true meaning of Christmas- mirroring the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.  I agree with you- in doing so we should become more selfless and point others to Christ.
> 
> My view on Christmas is that it is a celebration of his birth & life much like the world celebrates and honors all mothers or all fathers on one particular day.  We should be clear though to note that Jesus wasn't actually born on this day.  I am glad that God hid the true day from us- some people with that birthday might think they are better than others or that they are Christ!
> 
> The message of Christmas also gets diluted when the focus is placed on Santa and Frosty and all that other stuff.  I could never understand how people who don't believe in Jesus still celebrate *Christ*mas but that's how- the celebration now can have nothing to do with Christ.  I think we as Christians shouldn't get caught up in that and should do our part to make sure that the honor continues to be given to Jesus.



Completely agree with the bold. I do hope that as time goes on, we are all able to see how the holidays can be used to be a real blessing to others. But yes, plenty people who don't believe in Christ celebrate Christmas, because it's largely secular. Also, in some religions, it's acceptable to simply add another deity to those already celebrated on particular days (Hindus, Orisha faiths etc.) . Seeing that has helped me to understand the danger than can arise when we don't emphasize the truth about Christmas - that Jesus wasn't born on Christmas and that honor or recognition of Christ cannot be confined to a day or season. But all in all, we have to make the best of it...and that as you have noted, is mirror Christ's sacrifice for us. 

Merry Christmas!


----------



## livinbyproverbs31

Happy Sabbath, everyone!


----------



## JinaRicci

Hey, you're up early. Happy Sabbath to you too! I love Sabbaths like this.  It's snowy and beautiful and just perfect.


----------



## tyrablu

Happy Sabbath!!!!


----------



## cia_garces

rara171 said:


> O ok. Its interesting that you went to Pine Forge and not Oakwood...
> 
> why was that?
> 
> I know that when I decided against Oakwood my family and some friends were disappointed. They thought I was going to become this giant heathen. lol.
> 
> It's my second year and I am still very much an Adventist.



Girl, I am from Huntsville so I can tell you right now, anybody who goes to Oakwood to AVOID heathens is in for a rude awakening. There are MANY a heathen at Oakwood...just like they were at my Methodist college...and just like they are everywhere.


----------



## cia_garces

You guys... Can we talk for real? I mean like for real, for real? I've been considering becoming SDA but... Eh. I'm just not sure. I'm currently in the process of learning and figuring out which way I want to go but I don't think I could go back to a Sunday church having learned what I've learned. But I'm still very unsure about committing to adventism. 

I have tons of questions but I'll start with a few....

I read some where in this post about someone wanting more "church" when they go to church. Who on here feels like that? And what do you feel "having church" means? 

For those of you who have considered something else, are considering something else or have completely left adventism, why? I'm gonna go ahead and assume that if you're raised sda then your tendency to question if what you know as the truth is really true or if it's true b/c that's what you were raised to believe is greater.


----------



## Jenibo

I've been SDA for over a year now. Only one in my family. It hasn't been easy, but I thank God for showing me the truth. I've been fortunate to meet people who have encouraged me- including a couple of ladies on this board.

I've ben learning alot- but sometimes I feel like i'm being over-stimulated with knowledge!  Just this past 3 months alone i've been convicted about my entertainment choices, music, clothing, diet, jewelry,.... And more.

I would like to know which speakers and pastors you ladies like. I really enjoy listening to Ivor Myers and Walter Veith. I just discovered Nyse Collins and his health sermons... Very interesting stuff.


----------



## cia_garces

Jenibo said:


> I've been SDA for over a year now. Only one in my family. It hasn't been easy, but I thank God for showing me the truth. I've been fortunate to meet people who have encouraged me- including a couple of ladies on this board.
> 
> I've ben learning alot- but sometimes I feel like i'm being over-stimulated with knowledge!  Just this past 3 months alone i've been convicted about my entertainment choices, music, clothing, diet, jewelry,.... And more.
> 
> I would like to know which speakers and pastors you ladies like. I really enjoy listening to Ivor Myers and Walter Veith. I just discovered Nyse Collins and his health sermons... Very interesting stuff.



See, I don't get convicted about jewelry or clothing b/c I'm not someone who's very attached to and ruled by it. I probably need to study more, but I don't understand the big deal with jewelry. I try to be respectful and not wear gaudy or a ton of jewelry when I go to an SDA church, but I normally don't do that anyways.


----------



## Xaragua

cia_garces said:


> See, I don't get convicted about jewelry or clothing b/c I'm not someone who's very attached to and ruled by it. I probably need to study more, but I don't understand the big deal with jewelry. I try to be respectful and not wear gaudy or a ton of jewelry when I go to an SDA church, but I normally don't do that anyways.



I want to know more regarding Seventh Day Adventists and jewelry. I was born from a SDA family, about two years ago, I pierced my ears and I wear jewelry from time to time.


----------



## dicapr

I am a born and raised SDA and wear earrings on the regular basis-even to church.  I believe that the key belief about jewelery is the issue of adornment.  I agree that our adornment should be on the inside and not what we place on our bodies.  With that being said, what is adornment to one person is not adornment to someone else.  I personally feel more adorned in a pair of strappy heels than I do in my earrings.  For someone else that may not be the case.  With all things we must be open to the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.  The question we must really ask ourselves is that if we were convicted to give these things up would we ?  I also wear make-up which is not an issue in white churches but can be in a black church.


----------



## cia_garces

joseelie said:


> I want to know more regarding Seventh Day Adventists and jewelry. I was born from a SDA family, about two years ago, I pierced my ears and I wear jewelry from time to time.





dicapr said:


> I am a born and raised SDA and wear earrings on the regular basis-even to church.  I believe that the key belief about jewelery is the issue of adornment.  I agree that our adornment should be on the inside and not what we place on our bodies.  With that being said, what is adornment to one person is not adornment to someone else.  I personally feel more adorned in a pair of strappy heels than I do in my earrings.  For someone else that may not be the case.  With all things we must be open to the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.  The question we must really ask ourselves is that if we were convicted to give these things up would we ?  I also wear make-up which is not an issue in white churches but can be in a black church.




I think I could give up jewelry if I was REALLY convicted to by the Holy Spirit, or at least I think I would be. If it's purely based on the Holy Spirit, then I think it would deal with each person accordingly. Kind of like the difference between one person winning the lottery and the other. God knows that if one person one the lottery it would take their focus off of God, so he wouldn't allow them to have it. But it wouldn't change or diminish the other person's life. 

But whatever. I'm just thinking and assuming outloud. I think all three of us just need to up our studying and figure it out...with the Holy Spirit's guidance of course. Either that or just watch 3ABN non-stop for a month.


----------



## tyrablu

cia_garces said:


> I think I could give up jewelry if I was REALLY convicted to by the Holy Spirit, or at least I think I would be. If it's purely based on the Holy Spirit, then I think it would deal with each person accordingly. Kind of like the difference between one person winning the lottery and the other. God knows that if one person one the lottery it would take their focus off of God, so he wouldn't allow them to have it. But it wouldn't change or diminish the other person's life.
> 
> But whatever. I'm just thinking and assuming outloud. I think all three of us just need to up our studying and figure it out...with the Holy Spirit's guidance of course. Either that or just watch 3ABN non-stop for a month.



Hey y'all,

From what I remember the wearing of jewelry has to do with a number of things: 

1. Being in the world, but not being of the world.
2. Having other false idols etc. before God
3. Do you remember when Moses went up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, and when he returned the children of Israel had made the Golden Calf? 

There maybe something else that I am missing so please forgive me as I am a bit rusty. I only just recently started going back to church after a brief (long ) absence.

ETA: If y'all really want to start a study group, I'm interested.


----------



## dicapr

cia_garces said:


> I think I could give up jewelry if I was REALLY convicted to by the Holy Spirit, or at least I think I would be. If it's purely based on the Holy Spirit, then I think it would deal with each person accordingly. Kind of like the difference between one person winning the lottery and the other. God knows that if one person one the lottery it would take their focus off of God, so he wouldn't allow them to have it. But it wouldn't change or diminish the other person's life.
> 
> But whatever. I'm just thinking and assuming outloud. I think all three of us just need to up our studying and figure it out...with the Holy Spirit's guidance of course. Either that or just watch 3ABN non-stop for a month.


 
I have to agree with you.  I have not been convicted to give up my earrings and to remove them just to go along with what the church preaches feels dishonest to me.  At the same time, I would give them up if I was shown by the Holy Spririt that it was not for me.  I have studied jewelry for myself and have come to the conclusion it was the attitude that came along with the display of wealth rather than the objects themselves.  God specifically told them he took away the jewelry that he gave them because of their bad attitude and the fact that they forgot who gave them their riches.  If jewelry was the problem, God would have never given it to them.  The problem remains that when some individuals gain riches, they forget that they need God.


----------



## dicapr

tyrablu said:


> Hey y'all,
> 
> From what I remember the wearing of jewelry has to do with a number of things:
> 
> 1. Being in the world, but not being of the world.
> 2. Having other false idols etc. before God
> 3. Do you remember when Moses went up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, and when he returned the children of Israel had made the Golden Calf?
> 
> There maybe something else that I am missing so please forgive me as I am a bit rusty. I only just recently started going back to church after a brief (long ) absence.
> 
> ETA: If y'all really want to start a study group, I'm interested.


 
That would be good.  I could use some encouragement because to tell you the truth I've got one foot in and one foot out of the SDA church.  I've been going to another Sabbath Keeping church about 1 or 2Xs a month a bit now.


----------



## Jenibo

dicapr said:


> I have to agree with you.  I have not been convicted to give up my earrings and to remove them just to go along with what the church preaches feels dishonest to me.  At the same time, I would give them up if I was shown by the Holy Spririt that it was not for me.  I have studied jewelry for myself and have come to the conclusion it was the attitude that came along with the display of wealth rather than the objects themselves.  God specifically told them he took away the jewelry that he gave them because of their bad attitude and the fact that they forgot who gave them their riches.  If jewelry was the problem, God would have never given it to them.  The problem remains that when some individuals gain riches, they forget that they need God.



I had a bible study with my pastor and he showed me places in the bible where God gave them jewelry.  He showed me that whenever God was telling someone to take there jewelry off- it was because they were being punished. Now I only wear my small studded earrings instead of my more flashy things.

On clothing... I feel some of the teachings are a little extreme- but I do agree with modesty. I watched "Truth About Jewelry and Adornment" by Isaac Olatunji Jr and he talked about causing our brethren to stumble. From the EGW quotes and 1 Tim 2:9 we are to dress plainly and modestly. The notes to the sermon even list all things "we shouldn't wear" including trousers and vests.


----------



## dicapr

Jenibo said:


> I had a bible study with my pastor and he showed me places in the bible where God gave them jewelry. He showed me that whenever God was telling someone to take there jewelry off- it was because they were being punished. Now I only wear my small studded earrings instead of my more flashy things.
> 
> On clothing... I feel some of the teachings are a little extreme- but I do agree with modesty. I watched "Truth About Jewelry and Adornment" by Isaac Olatunji Jr and he talked about causing our brethren to stumble. From the EGW quotes and 1 Tim 2:9 we are to dress plainly and modestly. The notes to the sermon even list all things "we shouldn't wear" including trousers and vests.


 
I also only wear studs as an act of modesty. Big, flashy jewelry isn't my style anyway.  I like things understated.  I make sure my clothing is not too revealing but I don't have a list of what I won't wear.  I've found that modesty can be linked to body shape just as much as the actual piece of clothing.  My sister and I have two different body shapes and used to share clothes when we were kids.  A shirt on her (flat chested) that would be cute but with me (DD) would be too revealing.  A pair of slacks on me (flat butt) was fine but on her ( big booty) looked too revealing.  I judge my clothes by the reflection in the mirror rather than having a list of what is inappropriate.


----------



## Jenibo

dicapr said:


> I also only wear studs as an act of modesty. Big, flashy jewelry isn't my style anyway.  I like things understated.  I make sure my clothing is not too revealing but I don't have a list of what I won't wear.  I've found that modesty can be linked to body shape just as much as the actual piece of clothing.  My sister and I have two different body shapes and used to share clothes when we were kids.  A shirt on her (flat chested) that would be cute but with me (DD) would be too revealing.  A pair of slacks on me (flat butt) was fine but on her ( big booty) looked too revealing.  I judge my clothes by the reflection in the mirror rather than having a list of what is inappropriate.



That's a good way of looking at it. The pastor on the vid encouraged long sleeve tops and long flowy skirts. He even encouraged  veils. My older friend at church keeps her hair covered for church and covers it when she prays. She has taught her granddaughter to do the same. She said that the 3 angels removed their crowns before they entered God's presence- and our hair is our crown and glory... You get the jist. I will have to study that soon.


----------



## cia_garces

dicapr said:


> That would be good.  I could use some encouragement because to tell you the truth I've got one foot in and one foot out of the SDA church.  I've been going to another Sabbath Keeping church about 1 or 2Xs a month a bit now.





tyrablu said:


> Hey y'all,
> 
> From what I remember the wearing of jewelry has to do with a number of things:
> 
> 1. Being in the world, but not being of the world.
> 2. Having other false idols etc. before God
> 3. Do you remember when Moses went up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, and when he returned the children of Israel had made the Golden Calf?
> 
> There maybe something else that I am missing so please forgive me as I am a bit rusty. I only just recently started going back to church after a brief (long ) absence.
> 
> ETA: If y'all really want to start a study group, I'm interested.



Sure, why not. Study to shew thyself approved, right?


----------



## cia_garces

I'm thinking that for me, I have to operate from the bible to the SDA church. Not from the SDA church to the bible. I'm not an SDA, so I don't hang on its every word or believe everything to be law, but... I don't know. I stay confused about this. It's like every week I have to start off with, "Okay, what do I believe? I believe there is a God. I know this to be true. And I believe in Jesus. I know this also to be true." And now that I think about it, I haven't even gotten to the Holy Spirit. erplexed You sure you wanna do this bible study? 'Cause this is what you're gonna be workin' with?


----------



## dicapr

cia_garces said:


> I'm thinking that for me, I have to operate from the bible to the SDA church. Not from the SDA church to the bible. I'm not an SDA, so I don't hang on its every word or believe everything to be law, but... I don't know. I stay confused about this. It's like every week I have to start off with, "Okay, what do I believe? I believe there is a God. I know this to be true. And I believe in Jesus. I know this also to be true." And now that I think about it, I haven't even gotten to the Holy Spirit. erplexed You sure you wanna do this bible study? 'Cause this is what you're gonna be workin' with?


 

Sure. We would love to study with you. We all have times in our lives where we have to stop and ask ourselves where our beliefs stand.  There is nothing wrong with that.  However, we must always make sure that our beliefs are in line with the bible and not from our own understanding.  And that is where everything gets tricky.  I used to ask my mom how can we all read the same book, all profess to have the truth, and all come to different conclusions?


----------



## cia_garces

dicapr said:


> Sure. We would love to study with you. We all have times in our lives where we have to stop and ask ourselves where our beliefs stand.  There is nothing wrong with that.  However, we must always make sure that our beliefs are in line with the bible and not from our own understanding.  And that is where everything gets tricky.  I used to ask my mom *how can we all read the same book, all profess to have the truth, and all come to different conclusions*?



Yeah... What gives with that? 

I always wonder if I favor Christianity b/c that's what I grew up knowing? Like if I'd been born Jewish or Buddhist, would I be having the same dilemma with Judaism or Buddhism but still know that I will essentially return to them? *sigh* So much to learn and wrap my mind around....


----------



## Jenibo

Happy sabbath everyone! Hopefully you ladies were more prepared than I was


----------



## divya

Happy Sabbath ladies! I've missed you all, and hope to be back regularly soon. Special welcome to Cia. Praying for you and all of us in our search for more truth, in seeking our Lord.


----------



## tyrablu

Happy Sabbath everyone!


----------



## cia_garces

Jenibo said:


> Happy sabbath everyone! Hopefully you ladies were more prepared than I was



Happy Sabbath!!! 

Speaking of preparation, if you guys only knew what I had to go through to get a quarterly... Since many of you have been familiar with adventism long before I have, I'm pretty sure you guys know that you can just go to church and get one. Well, I didn't know that. So I took upon myself to call around and see who had one. The closest place that had them in stock was 15 minutes away. In 5 o'clock traffic it was more like 40 minutes. I'd gotten the closing time of the store mixed up with another store I had to go to that night, and got there 30 minutes after it closed.  It actually turned out to be a good thing. My sda friend told me to just go to church the next sabbath and get one. So not only did I find a church (I'm new to the city I live in), but I also saved 4 bucks!!!


----------



## blazingthru

what happen to the study? Cia, I am new too, I been SDA for two years almost come August. Don't worry about the little stuff they become clearer over time. I wear make up once in a while but is very light, I don't wear jewerly at all, none perhaps a brooch every blue moon. that's about it it doesn't' bother me and whats funny, I spent thousands on the best I could find and now I wear nothing. I wouldn't let these things be an issue for you. I go to a great great Church, there is no pressure there, Pastor said to me one time, there are more things to worry about then wearing jewerly. He said besides the young come to service without jewerly but he runs into them and they don't even look like they have ever stepped foot in the church and so its not pushed in my church as strongly. But I would say 75% of the members don't' wear jewerly some where wedding bands and so forth, I probably would wear a band. I don't know,


----------



## AJamericanDiva

cia_garces said:


> Happy Sabbath!!!
> 
> Speaking of preparation, if you guys only knew what I had to go through to get a quarterly... Since many of you have been familiar with adventism long before I have, I'm pretty sure you guys know that you can just go to church and get one. Well, I didn't know that. So I took upon myself to call around and see who had one. The closest place that had them in stock was 15 minutes away. In 5 o'clock traffic it was more like 40 minutes. I'd gotten the closing time of the store mixed up with another store I had to go to that night, and got there 30 minutes after it closed.  It actually turned out to be a good thing. My sda friend told me to just go to church the next sabbath and get one. So not only did I find a church (I'm new to the city I live in), but I also saved 4 bucks!!!



You do know they have the Quarterly online, right? www.ssnet.org
Also, if you can't make it to church there are several you can watch online. www.praizevision.com as well as www.churchpond.com. Praizevision will be celebrating their anniversary this Sabbath & will be having a concert with Youthful Praise & other guests. You can watch online too, this coming Sabbath afternoon.


----------



## Jenibo

There is also a quarterly app for your phone


----------



## JinaRicci

I didn't know they had a phone app. Speaking about the quarterly, anyone interested in studying it on this forum?  It would be nice to study with all of you.


----------



## divya

JinaRicci said:


> I didn't know they had a phone app. Speaking about the quarterly, anyone interested in studying it on this forum?  It would be nice to study with all of you.



Yes, absolutely! And we just started a new one, so it would be great to start now.


----------



## JinaRicci

Cool. Thanks Divya!  I will work on starting a thread.


----------



## blazingthru

oops sorry wrong post.


----------



## tyrablu

Happy Sabbath ladies!!!!!


----------



## Jenibo

tyrablu happy Sabbath to you as well and all the ladies on this forum


----------



## tyrablu

Giving this thread a *Happy Sabbath* bump


----------



## livinbyproverbs31

Happy Sabbath everyone!


----------



## candiel

Happy Sabbath ladies!! Mine started out crazy but I'm determined not to let the devil steal my joy.


----------



## tyrablu

Happy Sabbath ladies. I'm glad to be ushering in the Sabbath on my B-Day!!!


----------



## JinaRicci

Happy Birthday Tyrablu!!!!  Happy Sabbath All!


----------



## blazingthru

tyrablu said:


> Happy Sabbath ladies. I'm glad to be ushering in the Sabbath on my B-Day!!!



Today is my birthday happy Sabbath everyone 

Sent from my PC36100 using PC36100


----------



## divya

*Adventists' back-to-basics faith is fastest growing U.S. church*
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, Religion News Service

Rest on the Sabbath. Heed Old Testament dietary codes. And be ready for Jesus to return at any moment.

If these practices sound quaint or antiquated, think again. They're hallmarks of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the fastest-growing Christian denomination in North America.

Newly released data show Seventh-day Adventism growing by 2.5% in North America, a rapid clip for this part of the world, where Southern Baptists and mainline denominations, as well as other church groups are declining. Adventists are even growing 75% faster than Mormons (1.4 percent), who prioritize numeric growth.

For observers outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the growth rate in North America is perplexing.

"You've got a denomination that is basically going back to basics ... saying, 'What did God mean by all these rules and regulations and how can we fit in to be what God wants us to be?'," said Daniel Shaw, an expert on Christian missionary outreach at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. "That's just totally contrary to anything that's happening in American culture. So I'm saying, 'Whoa! That's very interesting.' And I can't answer it."

Seventh-day Adventists are asking a different question: Why isn't the church growing much faster on these shores, which is home to just 1.1 million of the world's 16 million Adventists? Despite its North American roots, the church is growing more than twice as fast overseas.

"We don't feel that we're growing very much, and that is a source of concern, especially for North America," said Ron Clouzet, director of the North American Division Evangelism Institute at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. Hispanic Adventists are "the one group that is growing very well," he added. "If we didn't have that group, we would look even more dismal."

With Saturday worship services and vegetarian lifestyles, Seventh-day Adventism owns a distinctive niche outside the Christian mainstream. But being different is turning out to be more of an asset than a liability.

Since the mid-19th century when the movement sprang up in New Hampshire, Seventh-day Adventism has had an urgent mission to bring the gospel — with a distinctive emphasis on Christ's imminent second coming — to the ends of the earth. Adventists find the essence of their mission in Revelation 14:12, where the end of the age "calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus."

The church's traditional, global focus is now bearing fruit in new ways. Newly arrived immigrants in the United States often come from parts of Latin America or Africa where Seventh-day Adventism has long-established churches, schools and hospitals.

Those who migrate from Brazil to Massachusetts, or from Mexico to Texas, are apt to find familiarity in a local Adventist church led by a pastor who knows their culture and speaks their native language, said Edwin Hernandez, a research fellow at the Center for the Study of Latino Religion at the University of Notre Dame.

Immigrants aren't the only ones embracing Seventh-day Adventism. Many in the general public have noticed Adventists tend to be superstars of good health and longevity; research shows they tend to live 10 years longer than the average American. With strong track records for success in health and education, Adventists find they get a hearing among skeptics who share those priorities.

Publicized research on Adventists' health "has helped bring some objective evaluation of Adventism... particularly all up and down the West Coast," said G. Alexander Bryant, executive secretary for the denomination's North American division. "So we talk to people about our lifestyle."

Some newcomers to Adventism also appreciate the church's clarity about what's expected of Christ's followers. Diana Syth of Kent, Wash. attended many types of Protestant churches for years. But she said she "never got the information I needed to know about what it meant to be a Christian" until she and her husband learned of Seventh-day Adventism from a sibling six years ago.

"My (adult) son has seen a change in us," Syth said. "He sees a new calmness in us. There's hope where there wasn't hope before."

Adventists are also reaping the rewards of their extra efforts in evangelism. Responding to a national initiative, more than 80% of the 6,000 Adventist churches in North America staged weeks-long outreach events in hotels and other settings in 2009.

Bryant said in an ordinary year, one-third to one-half of Adventist congregations put on such events, and North American church growth rates would hover around 1.7% — still high enough to top the rates of other large denominations in North America.

Creativity seems to be paying dividends, too. The church has seen some of its strongest gains come in non-religious regions such as the Pacific Northwest. In Washington, for instance, the denomination has established "Christian cafes," where people can relax and ask questions without feeling the pressures of church.

"You're not necessarily inviting them to church," Bryant said. "You're just sitting around, talking with people, building relationships — and slowly talking to them about Christ."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-03-18-Adventists_17_ST_N.htm


----------



## blessed7777

Hope My fellow SDA's all had a wonderful Sabbath!


----------



## divya

This gay marriage issue is something else, so question for us as SDAs who truly are believers in religious freedom...

Should we be supporting a legislative ban on gay marriage? 

Since we believe in the separation of church & state, should we vote to preserve the freedom of choice or to restrict it since it concerns marriage?

I have see us on both sides of issue...

DISCUSS.


----------



## divya

....will make this a separate thread...


----------



## Galadriel

My grandma's SDA. I've visited her church before. The congregation was very welcoming and very sweet. Btw, are a lot of SDA peeps vegetarians? it seemed a lot of church-goers there were vegetarian.


----------



## AlwaysNatural

Galadriel said:
			
		

> My grandma's SDA. I've visited her church before. The congregation was very welcoming and very sweet. Btw, are a lot of SDA peeps vegetarians? it seemed a lot of church-goers there were vegetarian.



Yeah, I'm not though. At church luncheons they usually make a lot of vegetarian food because of trying to send out a strong health message. I however go over to this jamaican ladies house on sat. And eat delicious oxtail, chicken, ackee and salt fish. Alladat lol.


----------



## divya

Galadriel said:


> My grandma's SDA. I've visited her church before. The congregation was very welcoming and very sweet. Btw, are a lot of SDA peeps vegetarians? it seemed a lot of church-goers there were vegetarian.



Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I believe around 40 percent of us are vegetarian (some estimate a bit more or less). Health is a major part of our beliefs.


----------



## Galadriel

divya said:


> Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I believe around 40 percent of us are vegetarian (some estimate a bit more or less). Health is a major part of our beliefs.



 I wish more religious communities would have that attitude toward health. My grandma really loves her SDA community; I think she's a deaconess there. She's very involved, goes to prayer and Bible study, and I love having discussions with her about these.


----------



## divya

Galadriel said:


> I wish more religious communities would have that attitude toward health. My grandma really loves her SDA community; I think she's a deaconess there. She's very involved, goes to prayer and Bible study, and I love having discussions with her about these.



More and more people are becoming health conscious so hopefully it will change over time. Also for SDAs, health is doctrinal though, and that's the major reason for the significant focus.

[email protected] your grandma. That's very sweet. I love seeing older people happy with their church life. It keeps them in such good spirits as they grow older. God is good.


----------



## levette

divya said:


> More and more people are becoming health conscious so hopefully it will change over time. Also for SDAs, health is doctrinal though, and that's the major reason for the significant focus.
> 
> [email protected] your grandma. That's very sweet. I love seeing older people happy with their church life. It keeps them in such good spirits as they grow older. God is good.




I wish I had the stamina to abide by the vegetarian lifestyle but my love for deep fried fish, turkey barbecue,  fried chicken, and chinese chicken with broccoli has prevented me from going back to the veggie lifestyle.. I feel like a SDA reject


----------



## divya

levette said:


> I wish I had the stamina to abide by the vegetarian lifestyle but my love for deep fried fish, turkey barbecue,  fried chicken, and chinese chicken with broccoli has prevented me from going back to the veggie lifestyle.. I feel like a SDA reject



Oh girl, no. It's not a requirement to be a vegetarian. It just sounds yummy!


----------



## divya

Christ and Salvation

QUESTION:  Is it possible for people who never hear about Jesus to be saved?

By Angel Manuel Rodríguez 

Christians have offered different answers to this question. I will offer some thoughts that have helped me reach my own conclusions, examine some biblical evidence, and make some remarks of a theological nature.

1. Salvation Through Christ and Mission: Some Christians deny that there can be salvation apart from a knowledge of Christ. This could be called the exclusivist answer. Some biblical passages appear to support this view.  For instance, Jesus said: “Now this is eternal life: that  they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3, NIV). Peter reaffirmed this conviction: “Salva-tion is found in no one  else” (Acts 4:12, NIV). In  fact, the gospel comm-ission requires that the knowledge of salvation through Christ be pro-claimed to every person (Matt. 28:18-20; cf. Rev.  14:6-12). Salvation req-uires faith in Jesus (Rom. 1:16; 10:9; Acts 16:30-34). The saving death of Jesus and the exclusive claim that salvation is only through Him is the very foundation of the mission of the church. This is what the Lord commanded us to do, and we, in humble submission to Him, go and fulfill the mission.

2. The Mission Remains God’s Mission: Another aspect of this question is this: Mission did not originate with the church, but with God; and it remains His. He initiated it by sending His Son as our Savior (John 3:16). Every aspect of the earthly ministry of Jesus was a fulfillment of God’s saving mission for the human race. At the close of His ministry, Jesus said to the Father He had completed “the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4, NIV).

The Spirit is personally involved in the divine mission. Jesus was filled by the Spirit in the fulfillment of His mission (e.g., Isa. 11:1-5; Matt. 3:16, 17). The church itself was empowered by the Spirit to fulfill its mission (Acts 1:8). The deep connection between the church and the Spirit indicates that, although the church was brought into existence for mission, the mission is God’s mission. It is being fulfilled by the Spirit through the church. In the presence of believers the Spirit, in agreement with divine design, uses them to accomplish God’s mission.

3. Mission and the Spirit: But what would God do in the absence of Christian believers? I propose that the Spirit continues to be responsible for the realization of the mission. When the visible expression of the people of God is not accessible in a region of the world, be it for political, religious, or any other reason, God’s saving mission to the world is not deactivated. God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4, NIV). A good example of this is found in the experience of Cornelius, a gentile who feared God but who did not have a Christian to teach him. In that situation the Lord directly spoke to him in a vision and guided him to Peter (Acts 10:1-10). God has not left Himself without witnesses among nations living in spiritual darkness. At times He raised prophets among them and divine light reached them (cf. Num. 24:2). Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to be “the true light that gives light to every man” (John 1:9, NIV). This suggests that non-Christians who live out of contact with the people of God, when touched by the Spirit, sincerely yearn for something better (cf. James 1:17). They then experience the saving power of God on the mind and character. Their knowledge may be extremely limited, but they have been transformed by His grace and unknowingly became children of God through Jesus. The Spirit implanted the grace of Christ in their hearts and without knowing about Jesus they have been blessed by His saving grace.

This work of the Spirit does not legitimize non-Christian religions or allow for religious pluralism. Of course, in His work the Spirit could use fragments of truth that may be present in any religion, but He is not bound by such elements. Grace is directly mediated to people by Christ through the Spirit. Neither does the work of the Spirit make witnessing irrelevant. On the contrary, the work of the Holy Spirit prepares the way for the church to fulfill its mission more effectively. 

Angel Manuel Rodríguez is director of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference.

http://www.adventistworld.org/article/524/resources/english/issue-2009-1004/christ-and-salvation


----------



## divya

Wherever there is an impulse of love and sympathy, wherever the heart reaches out to bless and uplift others, there is revealed the working of God’s Holy Spirit. In the depths of heathenism, men who have had no knowledge of the written law of God, who have never even heard the name of Christ, have been kind to His servants, protecting them at the risk of their own lives. Their acts show the working of a divine power. The Holy Spirit has implanted the grace of Christ in the heart of the savage, quickening his sympathies contrary to his nature, contrary to his education. The “Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9), is shining in his soul; and this light, if heeded, will guide his feet to the kingdom of God.

http://m.egwwritings.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=COL&lang=en&pagenumber=384


----------



## JaneBond007

The savage?  LOL. ^^^ Anyhoo, that's similar to our teachings as welll.  Right and wrong written on the heart of all men and those who are good live to the fullness of their knowledge of G-d.  We all know when we do wrongly.  One who lives to the best of truth he knows can also inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.  G-d is Judge.


----------



## blazingthru

Florida Adventist Congregation’s
Radio Station Yields Baptisms
In Leesburg, population 19,000, local media outreach touches lives (Posted April 18, 2013)

BY MARK A. KELLNER, news editor

The mid-Florida town of Leesburg, some 48 miles northwest of Orlando,  was once known for its production of watermelons. Today a new kind of “crop” is growing there: people interested in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, thanks to a local, church-owned FM radio station.

Already two people have been baptized as a result of the outreach, and enough interests are present that the North Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church has hired a Bible worker to assist those wanting to learn more about Adventism.

The venture began as the burden of a group of Christian laymen in the area. Raul Ortiz and his group obtained a license for a radio station from the Federal Communications Commission. They received the call letters and frequency WGTT 91.5 FM, and were assigned a broadcast area. Next they needed to find a location, central to the broadcast area, where they could establish their radio station. As Raul stood at the ideal location on Emeralda Island Road in Leesburg, Florida, his dream was fading fast as he viewed nothing but the countryside and a pecan orchard. There was no building to rent, and he had no money to build.


A RADIO STATION, TOO: North Lake Church in the northern region of Lake County, Florida, is home to WGTT 91.5 FM.  [PHOTO: Chester Graham]
After some time elapsed, Raul revisited the area and was surprised to find a church built on the site of the pecan orchard. Amazingly, it was home to an Adventist congregation! He was elated and decided to present the possibility of a radio station to North Lake church members.

Members expressed an interest, but they had no available money for the project and no experience operating a radio station or preparing programming. Shawn Lathrom, pastor at the time, remembered a retired physician he met years before. He contacted Linda De Romanett, owner of the Family First Radio Network in Keene, Texas. She was interested in purchasing the station if the church would provide a place for operation.

Engineers determined that the new station could be permanently located at the church with a radiated power of l,600 watts. A room was constructed in the church attic with adequate electricity and an air conditioner. The station began broadcasting in May 2011 with a 24/7 schedule covering a radius of 24 miles.

Family First Radio Network provides the programming with time alloted for locally produced programs and advertising. Speakers are largely well-known Adventist evangelists, and a number of time slots feature health presenters.

“We didn’t know it would get good coverage, but the amazing thing is that it [the signal] reached out farther than we thought it would,” said Obed Graham, the station’s general manager and a retired president of the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He added, “We didn’t know, when we built this church, that there was a radio station already available here. They didn’t know we were going to build a church here, but the Lord works things out in mysterious ways, and it’s just kind of amazing to watch how He works.”

One of the ways God worked was in bringing David and Sandra Yandoh to the North Lake church, where they were baptized in December 2012. After a disappointing experience with a secular holiday music broadcast on another Christian station, Sandra, a former cancer patient at Florida Hospital Waterman, was searching for truth.

“After the holidays I looked for another station and found WGTT 91.5 FM, which I later learned broadcasts from North Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church,” she wrote in Florida Focus, the conference’s quarterly magazine. “This station was different. Rather than music, the format was preaching and teaching, which really appealed to me.”

Sandra contacted Florida Hospital Waterman chaplain Fay Rose, who was happy to help with Bible studies.

“God has orchestrated this whole thing,” Rose recounted in a video report on the radio station. “Having me meet Sandra when I met her, [and] having the church decide to have this wonderful broadcast from their steeple.”

Pastor Ric Pleasants, who has led the North Lake congregation for the past two and a half years, said the station has been part of the church’s growth from 99 members to a current roster of 250.

“This radio station is an impact radio station, from the way I’m viewing it,” Pleasants told Adventist Review in a telephone interview. “It has enhanced not only outreach, but also a sensitivity to new people coming in.” n

                                                                                             —with information from the Florida Conference


----------



## blazingthru

Happy Sabbath! My rest has arrived.


----------



## levette

Yes, thank you Lord for the Sabbath!!!


----------



## mz.rae

I had a great time when I visited an two SDA churches a while back the people were very welcoming more so the first church I visited. I was in awe at the differences between the services the first church I went to was mixed with a lot of people from different races and countries I believe the pastor was from India, and the worship style was more singing hymns with every week being a different style of music (Gospel, Instrumental,etc.). The other SDA church was mostly black and reminded me of a Baptist church service. I haven't been in awhile and miss it even but am still on the fence about Sabbath keeping.


----------



## luthiengirlie

I'm not an SDA but I am a Messianic and my bestest ffriend is an SDA... we have very similar beliefs regarding the Dietary Laws and the Feast.. I will read through this thread to learn mor..


----------



## blazingthru

mz.rae said:


> I had a great time when I visited an two SDA churches a while back the people were very welcoming more so the first church I visited. I was in awe at the differences between the services the first church I went to was mixed with a lot of people from different races and countries I believe the pastor was from India, and the worship style was more singing hymns with every week being a different style of music (Gospel, Instrumental,etc.). The other SDA church was mostly black and reminded me of a Baptist church service. I haven't been in awhile and miss it even but am still on the fence about Sabbath keeping.


 
[email protected] So was I for a while, I had to study it out for about a month, it took me a month of studying. I had to have every single question answered. I had to look up the info myself. Now they have a great website with every single question one could have about the Sabbath. answered by the word of God. www.sabbathtruth.com. After a while it started making sense to me and I with my family accepted it. We been keeping the Sabbath for five years now. Its not hard at all. Its not a burden. its not you can't do this or that its all about what you can do and what your willing to do. I love the Sabbath.


----------



## mz.rae

blazingthru said:


> [email protected] So was I for a while, I had to study it out for about a month, it took me a month of studying. I had to have every single question answered. I had to look up the info myself. Now they have a great website with every single question one could have about the Sabbath. answered by the word of God. www.sabbathtruth.com. After a while it started making sense to me and I with my family accepted it. We been keeping the Sabbath for five years now. Its not hard at all. Its not a burden. its not you can't do this or that its all about what you can do and what your willing to do. I love the Sabbath.



Thanks blazingthru for posting the site I'm going to check it out.


----------



## divya

*New Movie is about Evangelical Pastor who Adopted Adventist Doctrine on Hell*
.
Submitted: Jun 6, 2012
By AT News Team

Hell and Mr. Fudge is a feature drama about a young pastor in a small town in Alabama, the son of an Evangelical publisher, who wrote a book advocating the Seventh-day Adventist position on hell. It kicked up a storm among Evangelicals and got the pastor fired.

It is based on a true story. Edward Fudge is today an attorney in Houston and well-known as a speaker on Bible topics. Robert Brinsmead got him started on research to support the traditional Christian view that hell is a place where the lost burn forever, miraculously kept alive by God so He can torture them endlessly, according to Religion New Service (RNS).

In 1982 Fudge published his 500-page volume The Fire that Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment which presents the results of his in-depth study. He told RNS that when he started the study he expected to find strong support in Scripture and historic Christian documents but was convinced otherwise. The book is now in its third edition.

In many ways Fudge’s story is parallel to that of Rob Bell, the pastor of an Evangelical mega church in Michigan who was on the cover of Time magazine last year because of the reaction to his book Love Wins in which he too adopts the Adventist view on hell. Conservative Evangelical leaders spoke out against Bell and his book.

*Fudge and Bell point out that the Bible clearly teaches that the “lake of fire” is an act of annihilation, not a place of endless torment. They both make the point that the traditional view misconstrues God’s character and is a stumbling block to nonbelievers. All of these are points that Adventists have advocated and RNS says “is now fairly widely accepted by leading evangelical preachers and Christian scholars.”*

The movie won a Platinum Award at the Houston Film Festival and the production company is looking for a distributor. It was created by LLT Productions of Angwin, California, head by Pat Arrabito, a member of the Adventist Church. The company previously produced a documentary series on the history of the Sabbath with Hal Holbrook as the narrator.

http://www.atoday.org/article/1220/...pastor-who-adopted-adventist-doctrine-on-hell


----------



## Haddasah

divya said:


> *New Movie is about Evangelical Pastor who Adopted Adventist Doctrine on Hell*
> .
> Submitted: Jun 6, 2012
> By AT News Team
> 
> Hell and Mr. Fudge is a feature drama about a young pastor in a small town in Alabama, the son of an Evangelical publisher, who wrote a book advocating the Seventh-day Adventist position on hell. It kicked up a storm among Evangelicals and got the pastor fired.
> 
> It is based on a true story. Edward Fudge is today an attorney in Houston and well-known as a speaker on Bible topics. Robert Brinsmead got him started on research to support the traditional Christian view that hell is a place where the lost burn forever, miraculously kept alive by God so He can torture them endlessly, according to Religion New Service (RNS).
> 
> In 1982 Fudge published his 500-page volume The Fire that Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment which presents the results of his in-depth study. He told RNS that when he started the study he expected to find strong support in Scripture and historic Christian documents but was convinced otherwise. The book is now in its third edition.
> 
> In many ways Fudge’s story is parallel to that of Rob Bell, the pastor of an Evangelical mega church in Michigan who was on the cover of Time magazine last year because of the reaction to his book Love Wins in which he too adopts the Adventist view on hell. Conservative Evangelical leaders spoke out against Bell and his book.
> 
> *Fudge and Bell point out that the Bible clearly teaches that the “lake of fire” is an act of annihilation, not a place of endless torment. They both make the point that the traditional view misconstrues God’s character and is a stumbling block to nonbelievers. All of these are points that Adventists have advocated and RNS says “is now fairly widely accepted by leading evangelical preachers and Christian scholars.”*
> 
> The movie won a Platinum Award at the Houston Film Festival and the production company is looking for a distributor. It was created by LLT Productions of Angwin, California, head by Pat Arrabito, a member of the Adventist Church. The company previously produced a documentary series on the history of the Sabbath with Hal Holbrook as the narrator.
> 
> http://www.atoday.org/article/1220/...pastor-who-adopted-adventist-doctrine-on-hell



I will look into the film, but it's a  stretch to say that Rob Bell adopted the SDA view on hell, Bell doesn't believe that hell exists SDA's do.


----------



## blazingthru

No SDA's use the term Hell for the grave,  we do not believe that "souls" are in hell burning in torment. its a contradiction of scripture and actually it is plain common sense, if we are sentence before the hearing then that was an unfair trial.  We must have a hearing and be told what our chargers are then we are sentence. But this is for the Lost, not the Saints.  God is a Fair and Just God.  Its really something to consider then to run after what is traditionally known and is false and totally not encouraging at all.


oh and to add, I probably won't see it anyway. I don't believe that it would be accurate, simply from reading about him.


----------



## NewYorkgyrl

Jump......


----------

