September 2011
Current Issue in Page-Flip Format
The Seven “A’s” of Self-Control by Nadine Lawton
Pastor Andy Samuels reviewed some action steps that help with this Fruit of the Spirit.
Conference Stats, awards, happenings-----
Little One’s Clubhouse by Tabatha Pethtel
Big changes took place in this year’s nursery.
The Seven “A’s” of Self-Control By Nadine Lawton
From the Conference Crier
I have a secret. Don’t tell anyone, but I have a problem with self-control—and I’ll bet you do, too.
Whether it’s too much TV or Facebook, shopping, gambling, goss
iping, alcohol, or going back for seconds at a fellowship meal when your stomach is telling you that you’re already full, sometimes we just don’t know when “enough is enough” or more than enough.
There is help for that, as Pastor Steve Crouch mentioned at Monday morning’s Bible study. There’s probably a “whatever-your-addiction-is anonymous” for that. Usually those anonymous groups have a 12-step program to help you with those self-control issues.
At Monday night’s worship, Pastor Andy Samuels gave us seven steps to help us with our self-control. Here are those seven steps and the Scriptures that accompany each step:
Step 1: Admit your problem
Say it out loud so you hear yourself admitting you have a problem and stop denying that it’s there. We have all heard that at Alcoholics Anonymous you introduce yourself and admit to your addiction: “Hi, my name is Bill and I’m an alcoholic.”
So, look into the mirror and introduce yourself with the admission of your self-control problem. (James 1:14)
Step 2: Advance past your past
Don’t dwell on the past. Forgive yourself and move on. (Philippians 3:13-14)
Step 3: Address your feelings
But don’t let your feelings control you. Even if you don’t feel like making the change or feel that you can make the change, make the change anyway. (Titus 2:11-12)
Step 4: Accept that you can change
You can do it, you can do it! You can, you can! Be your own cheerleader. And know that your Head Cheerleader is supporting you also. (Philippians 4:13; Romans 12:2; Mark 9:23)
Step 5: Agree to accountability
Need a cheerleader that can give you a hug of victory, or that kick in the pants when you need it? Ask a friend or family member or coworker to hold you accountable.
Let them know what kind of support you need—encouragement or exhortation. Find someone who will stand by you, or be the one that you can lean on when you need help. (Ecclesiastes 4:12; Galatians 6:2)
Step 6: Avoid temptation
You can’t keep going back to the places or hang out with the people that prevent you from keeping your self-control. You don’t have to go down that broken road. All you have to do is turn around.
Take the narrow road, not the wide one. (Ephesians 4:27; 1 Corinthians 15:33)
Step 7: Anchor yourself with the power of Christ
The time you would spend giving in to that temptation should be spent with Jesus. Whether you spend the time reading His Word or spending time in prayer, you will be digging your anchor deeper into that solid rock that won’t let your house be smashed in the storm! (Phillipians 2:13)
If you really need the other five steps of an “anonymous” group, refer back to step 7 five more times. If you do that, you will have the true secret of self-control—and that is Christ’s control! SR
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"Living in the Fruit of the Spirit" July 31–August 6, 2011 Statistics Elections Awards/Recognitions Next year:
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The Camenga triplets (plus one) enjoying the shade of an early evening before vespers.
The latest version of Stained Glass
They came from around the world |
Little One's Clubhouse
Big changes in the Conference Nursery By Tabatha Pethtel, Metro Atlanta, GA
Do you ever have to stop and ask yourself whether or not God is actually calling you to do something? After praying about it and talking to others you respect, you make the decision whether or not to follow that calling.
Personally, if I do what God is calling me to do, I get a great sense of accomplishment and 
fulfillment. I know that God is pleased with my obedience.
In the summer of 2006 God placed a calling on my heart regarding the nursery at Conference. It was not a calling I immediately understood until last year’s General Conference in Springfield, Missouri. God placed a heavy burden on my heart and I was prepared to answer that calling. He called me to transform the nursery and give the children a more enriching program.
The nursery this year in Holland, Mich., took on more of a pre-school style. We renamed it, “The Little One’s Clubhouse.” The morning sessions were used for more structured play, snack, music and movement, and then a group lesson time. We had a total of 10 children and one infant throughout the week.
The children became quick friends and enjoyed seeing each other every morning as well as outside the “classroom.” Lessons for the week focused on the Fruit of the Spirit and how the Lord wants us to use the Fruit. As a group, we discussed Love, Joy, Patience, Goodness, Self-Control, and Faithfulness.
In the afternoon we allowed the children to nap, rest, or do quiet activities. This was a fantastic time for the children who attended. It gave them a chance to unwind and get the rest that young children so desperately need—especially during the long days at Conference.
Evening sessions gave the children a chance for fun and free time. There were movies about trains, planes, and trucks, and of course the Music Machine! The children were also given the opportunity to do crafts, color, read stories, construct with blocks, and build train tracks. There was dancing and instruments, as w
ell as parachute play and some crazy, awesome bubbles!
Transforming a program and breathing new life into it cannot happen without the support of families and other Conference attendees. All of this year’s volunteers cannot be thanked enough for their support, guidance and enc ouragement.
At the end of the week it could be clearly seen that God had His hand on the nursery program. You could see the excitement in all the children’s faces when they entered the classroom each day. We followed God’s calling and it was fulfilling and rewarding. So, look out for next year—it’s going to be another new adventure! SR
Awards and Recognitions
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| Andrew Camenga announces the Crystal Apple winner: Victor Skaggs. The Middle Island, W.Va. church (with Pastor Scott Smith) had the highest percentage of memory participants. |
Either the Boulder, Colo. church won the Scripture Memory Bowl, or Pastor Steve Osborn is preparing for a full-body security scan. | |
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| The Historical Society drew (and drew) numbers for prizes. Nick Kersten gave away a Bible, while Judy Parrish kept drawing… |
Finally!! An old man (Doug Mackintosh) won a 200-year-old book. | |
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Which church sent four delegates to Conference, none of whom live in the state where the church is located? |
| Kris North (l.) and Janet Butler assist in the presentation of the Robe of Achievement. Karen Payne (next photo) chairs the Robe Committee. |
Miriam Lawton Berg (r.) accepts the Robe on behalf of her grandmother, Dorothy Lawton. | |
Facebook breaks the news
While I was busy downloading photos and attending a luncheon meeting with General Council, former SR Editor Scott Smith alerted his Facebook friends to what had occurred Friday morning at Conference:
“SDB General Conference business sessions have just completed. Final business was a first reading of bylaw changes required to implement the reorganization of our Conference. There were some clarifications made by the Reference and Counsel Committee. The new bylaws passed by a significant (but not unanimous) margin. A request for a roll-call vote as the final vote next year was rejected by a closer margin. Debate was substantial but without rancor.” SR
It was SO hot---
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Love Gift 2011 From our SDB Women $250 for Shirley Morgan’s ministry in Nicaragua Thanks to Yvonne Stephan, Barbara Green and Marjorie Jacob for their diligent work as the Love Gift Committee. |
| Soon after the pastors voted on a hot topic at lunch… | |
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| …the fire alarm went off in the cafeteria, sending everyone outside to finish the meeting. (Really can’t blame the pastors; it happened at breakfast, too. High heat and humidity!) |
Card tricks for Jesus by Daniel Lovelace
From the Conference Crier
During Young Adult Pr
e-Con, we had the opportunity to minister to people in Holland, Mich., as they gathered for various street performances on nearby 8th Street. My group decided that I should catch people’s attention by doing card tricks, then tie it into sharing the Gospel of Jesus. My two partners would watch and pray for the people.
It was a great opportunity. I know God planted seeds and watered hearts that day.
The first time, a somewhat large crowd surrounded me watching my tricks. A few minutes later I’m telling them about our problem with sin and our need for Jesus Christ and the love and forgiveness that only He can offer.
I thought, Oh, my goodness—I’m street preaching and people are actually listening!! Of course all the credit goes to Christ. While my flesh likes taking undue credit, I know that I can do nothing apart from Him and am glad to have a part in His calling and plan.
Back at Pre-Con we watched a DVD that discussed the importance of private victories. These are times when God calls us to do something “small.” It could be opening the door for someone, talking honestly with someone else, offering a heartfelt encouragement, or even picking up trash off the floor.
Whatever the “small” test is, if we are obedient to God’s voice He will bless us for that. The more private victories we have, the more we lay a foundation for serving Christ in the future, perhaps in bigger, more “public” ways.
The video gave an example of the victories being like grains of sand, and the Holy Spirit being like the glue that holds it together. This creates a strong concrete foundation for powerful service to the Lord that can withstand enormous pressure.
Of course, to fight pride and self-dependence we nee
d to be reminded that it’s only by Jesus that we can have even the smallest victories over sin. But that’s His desire for us and He will help us if we rely on Him. If by His grace we are faithful to the Lord in the small things, by His same grace and power will He entrust us with the large “powerful” things.
May we keep serving and growing faithfully in Him.SR
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"A Nation cannot long endure. . ."
1790-1865 by James Skaggs, Madison, WI
Editor’s note: Jim Skaggs, a retired high school history teacher in Madison, Wis., hosts an impressive weblog at one-eternal-day.com. He cites various stories on religion and books, and had added articles about Seventh Day Baptists. He credits the books of Don Sanford as his sources. This article is the fourth in a series covering SDB history.
From the beginning of the Republic until the end of the American Civil War, the great political and moral question was—in Lincoln’s words—whether the nation could “endure permanently half slave and half free.”
Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the nation moved from political crisis to crisis as it attempted to accommodate increasingly incompatible positions about slavery. It was one of those questions not amenable to normal political compromise because of its fundamental moral implications.
The American Constitution provided for the end of the American slave trade and the British Empire abolished slavery in 1833. Most of the northern states had ended slavery by that time as well. A powerful political movement, motivated primarily by Christian moral conviction, was advocating the complete abolition of slavery in the United States.
Abolitionism
As the abolition of slavery became an important movement, Seventh Day Baptists were not equivocal on the issue. As early as 1836, the General Conference resolved that:
“…we consider the practice of holding human beings as mere goods and chattel, entirely subject to the will of their masters… is a practice forbidden by the law of God, at variance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which no human legislation can render morally right—which no worldly considerations can justify—and which ought to be immediately abandoned.
“Resolved, That the condition of more than two million of native Americans, unrighteously held in bondage, demands the sympathies and prayers of citizens, who are commanded to ‘remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them.’”
Subsequent Conferences adopted resolutions that were explicitly abolitionist. For instance, in 1849:
“…the sin of slavery is a high-handed outrage against the Majesty of Heaven and the Rights of Man, and that we have no fellowship with those who hold their fellow-men as slaves, or with those who aid or abet them.”
Joseph Goodrich, founder
of Milton, Wis., built the Milton
House, a secret stop on the
Underground Railway.
During those years the pages of the Sabbath Recorder were filled with accounts describing the iniquities of slavery and slave catchers. After passage of the Fugitive Slave Act (which allowed the pursuit of slaves into free states of the North), Seventh Day Baptists were among the active supporters of the Underground Railway, assisting fugitives escaping to freedom in Canada.
Unlike many other denominations, Seventh Day Baptists had few churches in slave states, and so there was little division on the question. A member of the Lost Creek church in Virginia (soon to be West Virginia) owned slaves he had inherited, and that elicited general condemnation from other Seventh Day Baptists.
Civil War
When war finally came, Seventh Day Baptists served the Union cause. The student bodies of Milton (Wis.) College and Alfred (N.Y.) University provided large numbers of volunteers, as did many of the churches, east and west.
Alfred students were accompanied by the school’s president who served as chaplain. The president of Milton College, W.C. Whitford, traveled to northern Virginia to visit his students in the Army of the Potomac.
Hosea W. Rood, of the
Twelth Wisconsin Regiment
Historians debate whether those who fought for the United States were primarily motivated by a desire to preserve the Union or to abolish slavery. It would seem that for Seventh Day Baptists, the causes were one and the same.SR
Source: Don Sanford’s A Choosing People: The History of Seventh Day Baptists, Broadman Press, 1992.
Ask yourself about---
The Gift that is in you by Pat Voyce, Pleasant Hill, Iowa
As I was reading my Bible one Sabbath, 1 Timothy chapter 4 stirred my soul. God drew me to the words, “Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given” (1 Tim. 4:14).
I began my personal interrogation:
What gift? I’m not good at anything. I don’t have any talents. Yeah, I did make it through the educational system, a career, and still show up a couple times a week to teach a class. Maybe there is a gift in there somewhere that made that possible.
My personal life plan was simply to not starve! If there’s a gift, how do I identify it?
Verse 15 answered, “Meditate on these things…”
What did I fall back on when the paths I chose failed? What do others turn to me for? What have I helped others with?
After a couple of things came to mind, I asked, “So what do I do now?”
Verse 15 continued, “Give yourself entirely to them…”
[It’s the Bible way of saying: “Show up and use it!”] “…that your progress may be evident to all.”
I have to admit receiving a sense of satisfaction that can come only from the Holy Spirit.
Verse 16 concludes, “Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”
That seems to be the “don’t give up” verse because whether we know it or not, others are touched by our actions.
Please ask yourself these questions. Let God lead you to the Gift that is in you and continue in it!SR
Autism: A multi-faceted disorder by Barb Green, Parish Nurse, Milton, WI
Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders. Often referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders, these include many signs, symptoms and accompanying syndromes from mild to severe.
The cause is unknown but scientific evidence indicates a potential for various combinations of factors—multiple genetic components that may cause the disorder on their own or in combination with undetermined environmental factors. It is not caused by bad parenting; autism is a biological disorder.
Autism affects the way a person perceives the world and it makes communication and social interaction difficult. Even in the first year, an autistic child may seem indifferent to other people and prefer being alone. A child may be slower in learning how to interpret what others are thinking and feeling. They may have difficulty regulating their emotions. This can take the form of such “immature” behavior as crying in class, or verbal outbursts that seem inappropriate to those around them.
A strange or overwhelming environment may make them lose control. They may break things, attack others or hurt themselves. Not all autistic children have the same symptoms. It is sometimes said that if you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism.
Communication difficulties include delayed language, using language in unusual ways, or conversing on a favorite subject at length without giving others opportunity to comment. Body language may not match what a child is saying. They are often less able to let others know what they need.
Repetitive behaviors may set an autistic child apart from other children. An example would be flapping their arms over and over, or walking on their toes. They may spend hours lining up toy cars, becoming extremely upset when someone moves one.
There can also be physical symptoms such as problems with digestion, sleep dysfunctions or unusual responses to sensory stimuli (vision, hearing, touch, etc.). A child may be hypersensitive to noise or the feel of their clothing.
Behavioral abnormalities observed in a child’s first year can serve as early markers for autism. They don’t diagnose the child, but serve as the need for further evaluation. These include: no big smiles or other warm expressions by 6 months; no back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by 9 months; no babbling or gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months; no words by 16 months; no two-word meaningful phrases by 24 months; and any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age.
If you have any concerns about your child’s development, speak to your doctor at once about screening for autism. Early intervention may be your child’s best hope.
Is there an autistic child attending your church or children’s programs? Can you imagine how courageous a parent needs to be to bring that child along, especially if they are new to the church?
What about the needs of that parent and the child? Parenting an autistic child is very stressful. The love and support of their church is essential. Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves—even those who are not exactly like us. We are all made in His image.
Here are some suggestions for ways to help:
•Avoid being judgmental about the cause of behaviors.
•Don’t stare or glare. Smile and be friendly.
•Ask a parent how you can help. Find out what works best for their child and what behaviors might be expected in Sabbath School, church or AWANA. Consistency is very important with autistic children.
•Become informed through your state society for autism or at .autismspeaks.org. Teachers and occupational/physical therapists who work with these kids in the school system are also wonderful sources of information.SR
Women’s Society page by Kristin Camenga
www.sdbwomen.org
2011 Robe of Achievement by Karen Payne, Dodge Center, MN
This year’s Women’s Society Robe of Achievement was presented at General Conference to Dorothy Brannon Lawton. She is an unassuming woman who loves the Lord and wants to do what is right. In her absence, granddaughter Miriam Lawton Berg accepted the Robe on her behalf.
Dorothy Glee Brannon was born the second of four children, and eldest daughter of a farm family from central Nebraska. Her parents, Riley and Marie Brannon, were members of the North Loup SDB Church.
After graduating from North Loup High School, Dorothy moved to Battle Creek, Mich., and attended a business school. It was there where she met her husband, Leon Lawton.
Dorothy and Leon were married in her home church and then moved to Salem, W.Va., where she worked to support them as Leon completed his Bachelor’s degree. This was the first of eight different ministry locations during their married life. They had four children: Duane, Gordon, Patty and Jeffrey.
The Lawtons served as missionaries in Jamaica for a total of eight years. While there, Dorothy directed the choir at the Charles Street SDB Church in Kingston, played the piano as needed and served as a treasurer.
Returning to the U.S. they moved back to Battle Creek where she “held down the home” while Leon traveled extensively for the SDB Missionary Society as the Home Field Evangelist. After two years they moved to Brookfield, N.Y., where Dorothy taught Sabbath School.
After the children had graduated from high school, Dorothy filled an opening in the Missionary Society office and served as the secretary to the Executive Vice President (her husband) for 11 years. She served on the Missionary Society Board of Managers for 38 years. Upon retirement, she enjoyed being a pastor’s wife again while Leon pastored the Waterford, Conn., SDB Church.
Her beloved husband of nearly 64 years passed away just one year ago. Dorothy now lives in an assisted living center. She keeps a jigsaw puzzle going much of the time for anyone to stop by and help her with it.
She enjoys reading and has even learned how to operate a computer so she can communicate with her family. She has always been a gracious hostess.
It is an honor and privilege to award this Robe and plaque to Dorothy Glee Brannon Lawton.
Dorothy Lawton received the Robe at her home in Rhode Island.
The Women’s Society Robe of Achievement is given each year during SDB General Conference to one woman who has had an influence or contributed “beyond the limits of her own community and church.” The recipient must be a committed Christian, an active member of a local Seventh Day Baptist church, shown special service with her family/community, and served in some phase of denominational effort.
If you know of a woman who should be considered for this award, please nominate her! Forms should be submitted to the Women’s Board Robe of Achievement Committee by sending an e-mail to the committee chair, Karen Payne, at karen.payne1127@gmail.com. The deadline for the 2012 Robe is March 31, 2012. Further info about past recipients and the nomination form can be found at sdbwomen.org under the Robe of Achievement tab.SR
Scripture Memory Verses: 2011-2012
Conference Theme: "Be Ready"
The Scripture Memorization Program for 2011-2012 Conference Year will focus on Conference President John Pethtel’s theme: “Be Ready.”
These verses were chosen to be memorized by the family. Anyone who prefers may memorize one or more of these verses from a different Bible version.
A list of persons from each church who have completed this Scripture Memorization Program should be submitted to the Board of Christian Education Office. The postmarked deadline is July 1, 2012. Certificates for those who memorize all verses will be distributed at the 2012 General Conference.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
| Youth/Adult | Junior | Primary | |
| October | Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44) | Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 24:44) | Therefore you also must be ready. (Matthew 24:44a) |
| November | Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. (Ezekiel 38:7) | Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts. (Ezekiel 38:7) | Be ready and keep ready. (Ezekiel 38:7a) |
| December | I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready. (1 Corinthians 3:2) | I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. (1 Corinthians 3:2) | I fed you with milk, not solid food. (1 Corinthians 3:2) |
| January | So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:8) | We were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves. (1 Thessalonians 2:8) |
We were ready to share with you. (1 Thessalonians 2:8b) |
| February | But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. (Nehemiah 9:17b) | But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful. (Nehemiah 9:17b) | You are a God ready to forgive. (Nehemiah 9:17b) |
| March | Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. (Titus 3:1) |
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient. (Titus 3:1) | Be ready for every good work. (Titus 3:1) |
| April | The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31) | The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31) |
The victory belongs to the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31b) |
| May | Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2) | Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season. (2 Timothy 4:2) | Preach the word. (2 Timothy 4:2) |
| June | Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7) | Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory. (Revelation 19:7) | Let us rejoice and exult. (Revelation 19:7) |
| -or- | 1 Thessalonians 1 | ||
The Nick of Time, by Nick Kersten, Librarian-Historian
A Man in the Middle
Shortly before our General Conference sessions in 2009, the granddaughter of longtime SDB pastor and leader Rev. Loyal F. Hurley contacted me. She had sorted through her grandfather’s papers and was wondering if our Society would be interested in items that pertained to his involvement with the denomination.
Naturally, we were quite happy to receive the items, and made arrangements to pick them up after that Conference in Lancaster, Pa. The papers came back to the SDB Center in Janesville where they awaited further processing.
We were glad to get all of this information from the family, because Rev. Hurley was an important figure in SDB life for several decades. Born in Garwin, Iowa in 1886, he attended Milton (Wis.) College and the University of Iowa. His biography in Seventh Day Baptists in Europe and America, Vol. 3 indicates a lifetime of service: pastorates in Garwin, Adams Center, N.Y., Riverside, Calif., Walworth, Wis., Chicago, Ill., Salem, W.Va., and Salemville, Pa.; a professorship at Alfred School of Theology (teaching Bible); a field worker and evangelist for the Missionary Society; and two terms as a member of the SDB Commission (1934-1937 and 1948-1950). Rev. Hurley also wrote tracts and other materials. He spent more than 50 years in service to SDBs in a wide variety of roles.
Last year, Society President Janet Thorngate decided to process the documents during a visit to Wisconsin so we could add them officially to the collection. The processing requires that materials be sorted and an inventory be taken. Naturally, this process is both fascinating and time-consuming. It may take some time to discover what any particular letter or document or photograph is, and what importance it might have—so Janet spent the better part of a week going through the papers.
She discovered some amazing letters. As noted above, Loyal was a member of the Commission from 1934-37. His time of service corresponds with the end of the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy among SDBs. Some of you may be aware that the controversy ended around the time of the adoption of our 1937 Statement of Belief.
As it turns out, Loyal Hurley was indeed involved with the events surrounding the closing of that public disagreement. Included in his papers is correspondence with members from both camps. Loyal never officially declared his stance on the issue, and as such was in communication with both sides.
Though we did not read the letters in detail, it is clear that they represent the view we did not previously have access to: the role of those in the middle of the two groups, trying to hear concerns of both sides as they brought the controversy to a close. While we haven’t painstakingly pored over the letters, we know they will provide vital new understandings of SDB life during that debate.
These understandings wouldn’t be possible without the donation of the Hurley family, for which we are exceedingly grateful. A couple of e-mails and phone calls were all it took to have this important collection of letters and papers preserved for future generations.
A treasure-trove of information was brought into our collection thanks to the generous actions of one family. Praise God for their thoughtfulness!SR
Focus on Missions by Kirk Looper
Charitable Hearts
This year’s General Conference meetings are over and we’re all settled back home. Usually, when I look back on Conference I think of the meetings and business that took place.
This year was different for me. I remember the generosity and charitable hearts of those who were there. I remember the special needs that were presented during the meetings and the heartfelt response from so many.
I praise God for the concerns expressed for recovery and basic needs. It was tempting to let people know of all the other things that had come into the office during the week leading up to Conference.
I remember the response to the hungry orphans in our churches in Uganda. Many attendees wanted to know specifics about the children. I explained that there were over 3,000 children associated with the six SDB churches located in Uganda.
Over half of them stay in or around the churches, and most will spend the night on the church floor or at the homes of those in the congregations. They are fed, clothed, and medicated by our church members. Blankets are also supplied by the churches. It is important for the younger ones to sleep inside at night since wild dogs will attack the small children while they are asleep.
During Conference several offerings were taken to collect funds to send to Uganda. A bucket was also set out to add more gifts between offerings. At the end of the meetings we had collected over $2,500 for the orphaned children. The SDB Christian Social Action and Disaster Relief Committee matched those funds with another $2,500.
All of these donations were sent to Uganda and used to purchase food, clothing, water and medicine. We appreciate those willing to donate and thank them profusely. We continue to collect donations for this project so the children can live, mature, and take on the adult responsibilities of the country.
Another project that came before the Conference was the illness of of
one of Pastor Al Paypa’s sons, Joshua. Pastor Paypa is the General Secretary of the Phillipine Conference. The young boy (about 2 years old, pictured right) came down with Scarlet Fever that advanced into a critical condition known as Kawasaki’s Syndrome.
He was badly infected and had to be placed in the hospital. They needed funds ($3,000) for the hospital stay and medication. Through the donations of a few and some from the Missionary Society the funds were sent before the end of the week. Again, we were helped by the CSA and Disaster Relief Committee with the provision of $700. We appreciate this support and encourage all to donate to help support this Committee. We are thankful to all who participated in this project.
Donations were also received for missionaries Craig and Alicia Mosher from the Berlin, N.Y., church who are going to Malawi in September. This project needs many more contributions to bring it about. Who knows, maybe they will enjoy the work so much they will want to return to Malawi and make it an ongoing project!SR
The Beacon September 2011
Youth "Survive" Pre-Con
On Wednesday at Conference, the youth led Vespers, sharing what they had learned at the “Survivor”-style Pre-Con. It was directed by Pastor Steve James with help from TV-Survivor Mike Skupin.
Reflections by Leanne Lippincott-Wuerthele
Old age: The best part of life
This past June, I turned 66. In canine years, that’s 462 years old. (No wonder I feel so “dog tired” all the time!)
When I was younger, I didn’t relish growing old. As a teenager, 35 seemed ancient. At the 40-year mark, I viewed my life as already half over. “The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength” (Psalm 90:10, NIV).
Then in 1999, my attitude abruptly changed. When you’re diagnosed with cancer—and survive it—you quickly learn to appreciate birthdays. Here are some quotes about growing old:
“Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” Benjamin Franklin
“My mother is going to have to stop lying about her age because pretty soon I’m going to be older than she is.” Tripp Evans
“The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” Muhammad Ali
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln
“You can live to be 100 if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be 100.” Woody Allen
“I didn’t get old on purpose, it just happened. If you’re lucky, it could happen to you.” Andy Rooney
“If wrinkles must be written upon our brow, let them not be written upon our heart; the spirit should never grow old.” James A. Garfield
“By the time you know what to do, you’re too old to do it.” Ted Williams
“You know you are getting old when all the names in your black book have ‘MD’ after them.” Harrison Ford
“By the time you’re 80 years old you’ve learned everything. You only have to remember it.” George Burns
“Old age at least gives me an excuse for not being very good at things that I was not very good at when I was young.” Thomas Sowell
“When people tell you how young you look, they are also telling you how old you are.” Cary Grant
I especially enjoy the old-age quotes from that well-known prolific writer, Author Unknown. Here are four:
–The more you complain, the longer God lets you live.
–The older you get, the more you tell it like it used to be.
–There’s always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look at it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don’t hurt.
–Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege.
Unlike today, the elderly were held in high esteem in Bible times: “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” (Job 12:12). “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect of the elderly” (Leviticus 19:32).
Former President Ronald Reagan lived to be 93, and was almost 70 when he assumed office. He often joked about old age, frequently at his own expense: “Middle age is when you’re faced with two temptations, and you choose the one that will get you home by 9 o’clock.” “I’ve already lived about 20 years longer than my life expectancy at the time I was born. That’s a source of annoyance to a great many people.” “When I go in for a physical, they no longer ask how old I am. They just carbon-date me.”
As June 22nd comes and goes every year, I especially like C.S. Lewis’ philosophy regarding old age: “Autumn is really the best of seasons,” Lewis wrote. “And I’m not sure that old age isn’t the best part of life.”SR
by Executive Director Rob Appel
We need to get ready!
From the Executive Director's report
This past year has been both typical and unusual. As far as the travel was concerned it was very typical. I covered 47,000 miles attending 55 separate meetings, visiting 33 churches, five Associations, six ecumenical functions, and four college campuses. Some additional and necessary meetings are not included in these statistics.
I teamed up again for a second phase of leadership training in Jamaica with Pastors Andrew Samuels and George Calhoun. The seminar was aimed more specifically on the role of pastor as leader. This team also presented an abbreviated form of both phases at Pastors’ Conference and General Conference. And speaking of Pastors’ Conference, I volunteered to be the cook. What is noteworthy is that they all lived to talk about it.
I also led the North Central Association’s men’s retreat last September at Camp Wakonda in Wisconsin. And working with Ron Elston, we organized a gathering of those interested in SDBs in Phoenix, Arizona in April.
In December and April, I went on spiritual retreats. Since 2008 I have scheduled these times into my itinerary. They have become beneficial to me personally and I think to the Conference as a whole.
During these spiritual retreats I pray and fast. I find myself in a better position to be open and available to God. I become a better listener to what God has in mind, and also obedient to His vision.
Listening to God is not like turning on the radio and scanning the channels until you find what you want to listen to. You don’t get to choose what you listen to. God chooses the programming. Your choice is whether you are going to listen or not.
So what did God say to me?
God told me that we Seventh Day Baptists need to get READY! But, “Get ready for what?” you may ask.
Let me explain it with an analogy from the movie “Field of Dreams.” James Earl Jones delivers a line toward the end of the movie where he says, “The people will most definitely come.”
Seventh Day Baptists, the people will most definitely come. For reasons they don’t know about, they will come to our churches, our Associations and our Conference. That was the vision that God gave to me.
We currently have people coming from other groups who are interested in the Sabbath and Seventh Day Baptists—simply because of who we are and our Statement of Belief and its clarity to them. We have a lot to offer to those who accept the Biblical truth through our way of doing church.
However, we need to get our house in order if we are going to be able to help other individuals and groups acclimate to the SDB way of doing things. At this point in time we are simply not ready to accept, nurture, teach, comfort and have the patience that it will take to move people, groups, churches, or even whole denominations within our current composition. It isn’t that we are not capable; we simply don’t have the infrastructure to pull it off at this time.
One thing God made crystal clear to me is that we need to adjust our attitude toward outside groups. People will come to us who have been hurt by Christian and non-Christian organizations. And when they come they bring all that hurt baggage with them. We have probably all witnessed this in our own churches.
Now consider if we have a large amount of people coming to us with that “baggage” in tow? How are we going to deal with it? It will take a determined plan of action and a spirit of unity to accept the challenge.
Another thing that God revealed is that we can be very suspicious of people, especially those coming to us from particular outside groups. Sometimes our suspicion turns into paranoia or even non-action towards these persons. We have to be strong enough with our own belief and structure that we are able to move these people forward with little or no problems. Oh yes, we still need to be on guard—but let’s guard ourselves from “within our gates” instead of keeping people outside our churches.
The vision that God gave me was one of preparedness. We need to “Get Ready, They are Coming!” God revealed that we are going to have individuals, groups, churches and even whole denominations coming to the Seventh Day Baptist Conference of churches and wanting to be a part of us! We have to be ready for this.
We have to be on the forefront of accepting and loving these people. We need to be READY… and that starts with you and me.
Seventh Day Baptists, the people will most definitely come. We can be ready for this event!
With God’s vision in mind—Together We Can!SR
Denominational Dateline
September 2011
3 --SE Atlanta church dedication and Pastor Barry Dailey’s installation—Rob Appel,
Gordon Lawton
10-- Christian Education Sabbath
12-16-- Vacation—Appel
23-25 --North Central Association, Grand Rapids, Mich.—Appel, Lawton
30-2 --Allegheny Association, Alfred Station, N.Y.—Appel, Andrew Camenga
October
3-4-- Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Washington, D.C.—Appel
5-6-- West Virginia Wesleyan College and Host Committee—Appel
7-9-- Mid-Continent Association, Thornton, Colo.—Appel
14-16-- North Central Association Men’s Retreat, Milton, Wis.—Appel
22-23-- Memorial Fund quarterly/annual meeting, SE Atlanta, Ga.—Morgan
Shepard, Appel
23--- BCE Board of Directors, Alfred Station, N.Y.—Camenga
23--- Missionary Society meeting, Ashaway, R.I.—Clint Brown
November
4-6-- Tract Council annual meeting, SDB Center—Kevin Butler
10-22-- Pastor Leadership Training seminars, Brazil—Appel
December
3-5--- Coordinating Leadership Team, SDB Center
Financial Faith by Morgan Shepard
Every number has a face . . .and every face has a story
These special magnets were handed out at Conference in Holland, MI
“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30).
If you missed the 199th General Conference in Holland, Mich., you missed a lot! Numbers abounded everywhere! Here are some highlights:
• In response to the need to help the Ugandan SDB Conference’s work to feed orphans, over $2,500 was given throughout the week. The Christian Social Action and Disaster Relief Committee matched that so over $5,000 was raised.
It takes 35 cents per day to feed an orphan. This $5,000 will feed 3,000 orphans for five days! The need is still great and gifts can be given through the SDB Missionary Society.
• The Sabbath morning Conference offering at Hope College’s Dimnent Chapel totaled over $14,400! Half of this will go toward PROP (Pastor’s Retirement Offering Project) and the other half will be distributed among all the Boards and Agencies. Thank you for your faithful giving.
• The 2012 General Conference Combined Budget was approved for $1,373,144. This includes $105,720 for PROP and the old retirement plan (see the last SR for more details). The Conference Services budget also includes a tithe in 2012 to PROP and the SDB World Federation as they prepare for their 2013 meetings in the Philippines.
The Memorial Fund’s presentation was about numbers and how every number has a face and a story. Highlights included:
• Over $4.6 million in loans for buying/building new churches and renovating existing churches. Six church projects are creating 1,200 new seats!
• Almost $310,000 was distributed back to churches and Boards/Agencies in 2010. Another $167,000 was given out as grants for missions and new ministries.
• Over $40,000 provided in scholarships and 529 College Savings Accounts in 2010.
2011 is more than half over and so far you’ve given $202,000 of the budgeted $214,000. Thank you so much for your faithful support!
Please continue to remember us as we Unite, Encourage and Equip your local SDB church in fulfilling the Great Commission.SR
by Gordon Lawton, Dean
Director of Pastoral Services
October is Pastor Appreciation Month
When we come to depend on someone for their leadership in the life of our church, it is easy to forget to say “Thank you” and “You are appreciated.”
Designating October as Pastor Appreciation Month began in the 1990s and has grown in the last few years. A story that appeared in the Sept-Oct 1996 Saturday Evening Post places the origin of Pastor Appreciation in 1992 with a layperson, Jerry Frear.
Focus on the Family tells of their beginnings for Clergy Appreciation:
“We believe that the concept of clergy appreciation started with the Apostle Paul as he was establishing the first Christian churches. In 1 Timothy he wrote, ‘The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching’ (1 Tim. 5:17). And in 1 Thessalonians he said, ‘Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work’ (1 Thess. 5:12-13).
“Accordingly, over the centuries… pastors have been recognized and honored—either formally or informally—by many denominations and local churches at various times of the year. It has been a longstanding practice.”
Focus on the Family named and began emphasizing Clergy Appreciation Month in 1994. They reminded congregations that it was biblical and proper to honor their pastoral staffs and pastoral families throughout the year, but suggested that they set aside the month of October for a special tangible tribute. For those churches that preferred a single weekend, they recommended the second weekend of the month.
October may not fit with the schedule of your congregation or pastor. That’s okay. This is only one of the opportunities we have to “appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction” (1 Thess. 5:12, NASB).
Need another time to show appreciation? What about the anniversary of your pastor’s service to the congregation? Or the anniversary of your pastor’s ordination or accreditation? A marriage anniversary or other significant event can give an excuse for you to say, “We appreciate you.”
What about doing it on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January? That’s the only U.S. holiday that honors a pastor who was also a Baptist. Additional resources can be found on-line by searching “pastor appreciation ideas.” (Some places to look are in the box.)
As you consider how to show your appreciation, you may want to know how long your leader has served as a pastor, or their date of ordination or year of accreditation. Contact the Center on Ministry (com@sdbministry.org) for these dates and other ideas about showing appreciation to your pastor.
A final caution: “When an employer gives a bonus or ‘love gift’ to an employee it is simply additional salary and should also be included in the W-2 box 1. Honorariums or gifts that are received by the minister from individuals to whom he ministers or from whom he receives support are to be included on Schedule C. Two court cases… involved ministers who had received three or four large special occasion offerings each year on a regular basis and had not included them on their tax return. Both ministers were assessed large sums of income tax and Social Security tax for three years plus many penalties and several years of interest by the time the court decisions were final. Only small gifts of merchandise are non-taxable.” (From B.J. Worth’s Income Tax Guide for Ministers, 2009 Edition, p. 16.)
If you want to give cash, understand that taxes—including the full self-employed social security and Medicare taxes—will be due on the gift. This will reduce it by at least 25%. So you may want to read the full discussion in the Worth Tax Guide and maybe increase the gift amount in consideration of taxes due. SR
New Members
Alfred Station, NY
Kenneth Chroniger, pastor
Joined after baptism
Robert Caldwell
Little Rock, AR
Jeffrey Monroe, pastor
Joined after baptism
Brent Lowrance
Vonda Lowrance
Milton, WI
George Calhoun, pastor
Joined after baptism
Sydnee Palmer
Joined after testimony
Brittany Kersten
Lacey Groelle
Brittany Nieman
Nashville, TN
(Branch of Paint Rock, AL)
Joined after testimony
Geraldine Saha
Births
Call.—A son, Isaiah Lance, was born to Lance and Perla Call of Milton, WI on September 17, 2010.
Rayburn.—A son, Preston Aaron, was born to Joe and Shawn (Wagner) Rayburn of Texarkana, AR on April 18, 2011.
Looney.—A son, Matthew Slayde, was born to Matt and Jenna (Richards) Looney of Texarkana, TX on April 21, 2011.
Harris.—A son, Isaac Gutknecht, was born to Joshua and Margot (Walker) Harris of Janesville, WI on April 24, 2011.
Jara.—A son, Matias Andres, was born to Andres and Cathy (Payne) Jara of Colorado Springs, CO on May 5, 2011.
Ashley.—A son, Luke Jeremiah Livingston, was born to Keith and Natasha (Reynolds) Ashley of Toronto, ON on May 13, 2011.
Kersten.—A son, Isaac Shawn, was born to Randy and Marcy (Payne) Kersten of Janesville, WI on June 1, 2011.
Wethington.—A son, Barrett Michael, was born to Sean and Amanda Wethington of Big Rapids, MI on June 21, 2011.
Inabnit.—A daughter, Naomi Lee, was born to Eric and Erin (Burdick) Inabnit of Algona, WA on June 29, 2011.
Smalley.—A daughter, Raya Faith, was born to Daniel and Rachel Smalley of Portage, WI on July 2, 2011.
Marriages
Rubio – Garcia. Abel Rubio and Maria Garcia were united in marriage on May 15, 2011 in Big Rapids, MI. Pastor Bernie Wethington officiated.
Lawton – Tremlin. Philip Andrew Lawton and Amanda Rose Tremlin were united in marriage on May 22, 2011 at the Milton (WI) SDB Church. Pastor Bernie Wethington officiated.
Bee – Mattison. Rev. Dr. Ernest K. Bee Jr. and Yvonne Hazel Mattison were united in marriage on June 15, 2011 at the Alfred Station (NY) SDB Church. The Rev. Dr. Kenneth D. Chroniger officiated.
Obituary
Thorngate.—Dr. David Thorngate, 85, died at his home in Monterey, Calif., on September 1, 2010 after a long battle with cancer.
He was born April 21, 1925 in Liuho, Kiangsu, China, the second of four sons of SDB missionaries Dr. George and Helen Shaw Thorngate. David attended high school at Shanghai American School. When World War II threatened, he transferred to Alfred-Almond (N.Y.) Central School where he graduated in 1943.
The U.S. Navy V-12 Program sent him to Holy Cross University and started him in Medical School at Western Reserve University where he received his M.D. degree in 1949. His residency training in internal medicine was interrupted when he was called up for active duty in 1951 and sent to Korea to serve as a battalion aid surgeon. He was awarded the Silver Star for valor.
Still in the Navy, David met and married Mary Ann Dunn in Spokane, Wash., in 1952. After residency training and achieving Board certification, he started his practice in Monterey in 1954 as part of a multi-specialty group with his father and brothers. His particular interest was cardiology.
He was baptized in the Rock River (Wisconsin) in 1936 and actively participated in the Monterey SDB Fellowship while it was in existence.
David retired in 2000 but maintained his interest in medical activities and volunteered with community organizations in Monterey.
He is survived by a son, David, of Carmel Valley, Calif.; a daughter, Debra Davis of Tucson, Ariz.; two granddaughters, Courtney and Taylor; his brother Stephen Thorngate of Whitewater, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann, and his brothers George IV (Briar) and Philip.
Death Notice
George D. Bottoms, 93, of Belmont, NY died on August 14, 2011.
More from Conference 2011 . . .
Budding musicians at the Children's program
Clint Brown (Texarkana) was announced as the new Missionary Society Executive.
Althea Rood at the Women's Banquet.
Harmonizing in Chewa: The Lozanis from Malawi and former missionaries Bettie and David Pearson.
Pastor Brent Hannah of the Salem, WV, church.
WANTED: Your Favorite Recipes!!!
We are compiling a new Summer Christian Service Corps Cookbook and we 
need your recipes!
Our goal is to have the cookbook ready for distribution at Conference 2012, so all recipes are due by November 4. We are using a company that has a website, so logging in and submitting your recipes is super easy!
Step 1: Go to .typensave.com
Step 2: Log in
• Contributor– Enter your name, or the name of the original author of the recipe
• Group Log-in– SCSC1
• Password– sabbath
• Click ‘submit’
Step 3: Begin by clicking ‘Add Recipe’
• Double-check the contributor name
• Add the name of your home church as the second contributor (e.g., Shiloh)
• Select the Category
• Fill in the recipe
• Check spelling!
• Click on ‘preview the recipe’ and make sure it looks good
• Click on ‘save’ and that’s it!
Step 4: Continue with another recipe. ‘Add Recipe’
Please share as many recipes as you’d like!
No access to the internet? No problem—simply fill out the form and mail your recipes to:
Katy Bofinger
2 Carriage Knoll Court
Langhorne PA 19047
Carol Scull
110 Mckishen Rd
Pittsgrove NJ 08318
Althea Rood
PO Box 122
Dodge Center MN 55927
Questions?? Please contact Carol Scull: 856-358-2981 / carol.scull@gmail.com or
Katy Bofinger: 609-364-2887 / kate.bofinger@gmail.com
Happy Cooking!!
Kevin's Korner
Over the tracts [sic] of time
Following a short update of our purpose and introducing our Board chairman (Joel Osborn), members and committee chairs, I launched into a bit of nostalgia for this year’s Tract Council program at Conference.
The journey back in time was caused by an epiphany I had back in June. While talking to this year’s Summer Christian Service Corps team members about the work of the SR and Conference communications, it struck me that only two or three of the older college-age students were even born when I began working at the Center!
I enjoyed reviewing all of the changes that have occurred just since I’ve been stationed in Janesville (and during the SCSCers’ lifetimes), and it made me wonder how Recorder readers from the past would react if they could see all of the huge strides in print technology. And what if someone from the future could visit and give me a heads-up to what’s coming?
Realizing that this has NEVER BEEN DONE in literature or film, I suggested these titles for the program:
“SR Wonderful Life” (say it quickly)
“A Conference Carol”
“Joel and Kev’s Excellent Adventure”
“Tract to the Future”
Here’s how it played out for the Conference program. I had my 1980s self meet up with a guy reading a Recorder in the 1880s. (Steve James even brought a big black-and-white newspaper for a prop.)
Topics covered: Moving to the “wild territory” of Wisconsin; the advent of desktop publishing; and the amazing new “fax” machine.
After Pastor Steve, John Pethtel took to the stage as a reader of the pamphlet-sized SR of the 1940s (still printed weekly at that time), talking to me when I worked in the 1990s.
Topics covered: Moving the printing to Canada; trimming down the print staff (again); capturing files onto a zip disc and “overnighting” it.
Jeanne Yurke then sat at the table as someone from the 1970s, just after the switch to the current-sized monthly magazine. The setting was today.
Topics: the exponential increase in computing power and speed; reviewing the pdf, full-text and Page-Flip computer versions of the SR.
Finally, my 2011 self was greeted by someone from the future (played ironically and iconically by historian Nick Kersten).
Topics: He couldn’t reveal details, but he did say something about Morgan Shepard and a mushroom; then laughed maniacally when I naively asked what kind of paper the Recorder was printed on in the future—and if there was an editor.
I believe that the backwards look reminded all of us to keep moving forward. I can’t wait to see what the fledgling and excited New Media Committee will have for us down the road.SR
More from Conference---
Marlo and Fiona Siolo greeted us with a happy song from the South Pacific.
Future members of Stained Glass?
Great program, kids!!
President Steve Rogers
provided steady leadership
through the
business.
Our excellent Conference Choir. Thank you
Duska Davis for directing!
Terrific trio from Toronto: the Reynolds Sisters (Natasha, Ruth and Paula).