EPHESUS Preview Issue [May 2013]
4 Ask the Pastor 6 Pathfinder Campout
22 Baptism
In This Issue Ask the Pastor
4 Pathfinder Campout
What is Pray4Togo and why is CeCe taking a picture with the Big Chicken? Click on this picture to find out!
6 Run Like Divas
8 Healthy Congregations
16 BMORe Update
17 Baptism
18 Remembrance
24 Pray4Togo
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Vacation Bible School July 7—11, 2013
Save the Date!!!
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Ask the Pastor Pastor Pooler answers your questions
soon. The Text came to mind in which Paul stated "lest while I preach to others I myself should become a castaway" (1Cor. 9:27). If you have time First off let me say read the first part of that Thank God! And thanks verse and you'll see for the compliment. I had where I was failing to do gone to the hospital to visit my part. As I thought of some church family and family and being unnecesas I was walking down the sarily unhappy I thought to hall I recognized all the myself "Why not walk out pain that everyone was in. on Average!" The Holy Spirit tapped me My plan was to fast a on the shoulder and said I can't maintain your health couple of days to cleanse my mind, body, and ask much longer if you don't for the Holy Spirit to actimake some changes What is your weight loss plan—how are you losing the weight? You look great!—Sister W.
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vate the formula for success in me. Effort + Consistency \ Balance = Success 1. Vegetable based diet (no junk food) and fish
long as God desires to ensure that the most amount 2. Exercise 30 to 45 minutes a day 5 to 6 days of His people can be saved and stay saved. a week (heavy cardio). Matthew 24:36 makes it 3. Don't step on the scale clear that we are on God (keep my motivation lifethe Father’s time table. style change, not weight I'm most comfortable with loss). that. If I chose a time I 4. Cut out on eating late. could be causing more 5. Stop letting stress over- damage than good. I would do like the prophets whelm and eat me. of old and simply say 6. Serious communion/ "Lord thou knowest." In devotion with God to stay other words, I'll leave that motivated. to God and say like John 7. Plan ahead so I don't in Rev. 22:20 "‘Surely I fall back into old patterns. come quickly.’ Amen. (Choose my meals wiseEven so, come, Lord Jely). sus." every once in a while.
If Jesus lets you pick how long it'll be until He returns, how much time would you choose?— Sister M.
Have a question for the pastor? Please send it to Tiffiney Miles at tiffalmil@yahoo.com
Wow! That’s a tricky question. I often think about the story of King Hezekiah. If you get time read 2 Kings 20... I think I will stay safe and say as 5
Amphibians
Birds
Edible Wild Plants
Pathfinder and Ad Reptiles
Insects
Trees
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n April 5-7, the Ephesus Adventurer and Pathfinder Club participated in an annual campout at Sesquicentennial Park in Columbia, SC. The club members spent
Above: The Pathfinders and Adventurers sit around a campfire during their annu Border: Only a few of the many Nature Honors that the Pathfinders and Advent two days in a primitive environment, sleeping in tents and spending time in nature. “This is an opportunity for our Pathfinders [and Adventurers] to be able to move out into the atmosphere in an area where they would be able to experience Christ in nature, and at the same time, able to live with the minimal amenities to be able to make it through the week6
end,� says Olive Sease, the director of the Ephesus Pathfinder Club. Another importance of having the campout is to prepare the youth to trust in God in the Last Days before the returning of Jesus. The weekend was also about collecting honors to prepare for the upcoming Investiture Service, so the
Grasses
Mammals
Fungi
dventurer Campout Seeds
Animal Tracking
ual Campout at Sesquicentennial State Park. turers can obtain. Mouse over the badges to find out about each honor. club members participated in many activities that focused on Nature Honors. Some of the activities included nature walks, , first aid training, and studying birds and seeds. The club members even had the opportunity to study and track deer. “It was a very beautiful Honor...we saw where [deer] were traveling in packs, and we saw that they traveled
Stars
alone, just by tracking their footprints. It was awesome, “ say Olive.
people were able to roast potatoes around a large campfire.
On Sabbath afternoon, the church was invited to Sesquicentennial Park to have worship with the Pathfinders and Adventurers. The club members shared in creative ways what they had learned and experienced during the weekend. Saturday night concluded with a social in which
Olive Sease hopes that church members will continue to support the Pathfinder and Adventurer ministry and that many more youth will be involved with the ministry.
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RUN
LIKE Ephesus women conquer the streets of North Myrtle Beach
Right: The Divas Half Marathon begins as 5,500 women race in North Myrtle Beach. 8
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Left: Catherine Sylvester is making good time in the beginning of the race. Above: Teisha Hunter (left) and Shelly-Ann Bowen (right) support each other by racing together.
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What do you get when you combine feather boas, tiaras, tutus, lots of pink, and fifty-five hundred women? You get the Divas Half Marathon. The Divas Half Marathon is a chance for women run or walk 13.1 miles in style. According to the official website, the Divas Half Marathon
is the “most fun and glam women's half marathon series in the nation.� The marathon is hosted in several cities such as Long Island (New York), SoCal (California), and San Juan (Puerto Rico). On March 28, 2013, the Divas Half Marathon 11
was held in North Myrtle Beach, and seven women from the Ephesus church were able to participate in the 13.1 mile race. The idea to get Ephesus women involved in the Divas Half Marathon came from Gwen Pres-
ton, who has participated in several marathons in the past, who held a meeting for women who were interested in participating in the marathon. Most of the women began training months in advance. While training with other women for the marathon, one of the participants, Teisha Hunter, also trained with her husband, Will Hunter. “I’ve been helping her train since January,” says Will. “I gave her running techniques and I tried to push her a little bit when she wanted to give up.” On the day of the marathon, the ladies were more than ready to for the race to start. When asked how she felt, N’Zisa Barnes said, “Great! Pumped! Ready to run!” At 7:00 in the morning, fifty-five hundred women embarked on a 13.1mile journey through North Myrtle Beach. While racing, some of the Ephesus women were able to endure by receiving support from each other and support from other runners. Having a positive mindset also helped the ladies make it to the end. Olive Sease said, “After the 10 mile [marker] I was like, ‘I feel okay! I can do it!’ And I get happy after that.” Right: The Ephesus Women who participated in the Divas Half Marathon (From left to right): Sonja Johnson, Catherine Sylvester, Olive Sease, Patty Thomas, Shelly-Ann Bowen, Teisha Wells, N’Zisa Barnes
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Given only three and a half hours to finish the marathon, the Ephesus ladies all finished the race under the time limit. At the finish line, the ladies were given a medal, a carnation, and some refreshments for a job well done. When asked if they would do it again, most of the Ephesus ladies said, “Yes!” Next year’s Divas Half Marathon will be on April 27, 2014 and women are able to register now. Left: Michael Thomas (left) and Will Hunter (middle) are waiting to see their wives, Patty Thomas and Teisha Hunter, at the finish line. Lance Depass (right), Teisha’s son, waits with them.
Singles Ministry Presents Check Your Baggage! Join us as we have an open discussion of our second topic:
TOXIC BAGGAGE! Tuesday, May 28 at 7:00pm 14
South Atlantic Conference Camp Meeting 2013 June 6 – 15 Grace Through Every Generation: Remembering, Rejoicing, Rededication
MyRon Edmonds
Jose Rojas
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Reposted from the South Atlantic Conference 16
BMORe
Update
The 12-week BMORe program has come to a close, but the impact of the program still lingers. Here’s what some church members had to say about BMORe.
“[BMORe] has been very inspirational. I’m more conscious about what I eat and thinking more about physical exercise. My father’s diabetic, and it somewhat runs in our family, and I think that this class has just really impacted my life. The more I learn about it, the more I am going to implement it and be an example to others, as well as my family.”—Sonja Burrell
“Being a part of BMORe has caused me to think more healthy and to plan my meals according to what’s going to enhance me to be healthier, to be able to control my diabetes and hypertension better. And it’s prompted me to be motivated to exercise, which I have not been doing for quite a while. I’ve enjoyed the program. It’s awesome!”—Betty McNeal
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What’s BMORe? Click the March issue below for a recap!
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Baptism Sabbath, April 20, 2013 Four people become a part of the Ephesus Family
Left: Former Baptist pastor James Robinson with Pastor John Pooler 19
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Left: Mother, Danielle Harris, and son, Devonte Harris, with Pastor John Pooler and First Elder Phil McNeal Next Page: Business owner Nicole Goin with Pastor John Pooler and First Elder Phil McNeal 21
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The Measure of a Man Not how did he die, but how did he live? Not what did he gain, but what did he give? These are the units to measure the worth Of a man as a man, regardless of birth. Not, what was his church, not what was his creed? But had he befriended those really in need? Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer, To bring back a smile, to banish a tear? Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say, But how many were sorry when he passed away. Author Unknown
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“The event raises awareness about the imprisonment of Pastor Antonio dos Anjos Monteiro and church member Bruno Amah, imprisoned on false charges since March 2012.�
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO LEARN MORE 26
Come Worship With Us!
Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church 7709 Wilson Boulevard Columbia, SC 29203 803.786.2800 Pastor John Pooler, III Service Times Sabbath Morning Praise and Worship Sabbath School Divine Worship Service AYS Wednesday Night Prayer and Bible Connection
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8:00am 9:15am 11:00am One hour before sunset 7:00pm
Every department, Every ministry, Every member, has a story for Christ. Share it with us.
www.EphesusSDA.org
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