Ejax Connections Spring 2014 - The Ephesus Seventh

Ephesus Jacksonville Connections
Spring 2014
Volume 1 Issue 1
Pastor Mark and Sandra Brown
O
n October 27, 2012, Mark Brown was introduced as the new pastor at
the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church (Ephesus) in Jacksonville,
FL. Pastor Brown came to Ephesus from the Mt. Pisgah Seventh-day Adventist Church in Miami Gardens, FL where he served six years as pastor.
In a meeting dubbed “Meet the Browns”, the Ejax Connections team had the
opportunity to sit with the Browns and ask probing questions, in an effort to
get to know the first family.
(Continues on page 4)
In This Issue
Meet the Browns
1
Welcome
2
Honoring a Centenarian
3
The Place for Applause
6
A Word from the Treasurer
8
Learning and Growing
10
Books
13
Ejax Rewind
14
“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith
and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—
guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
( 2 Timothy 1:13-14 )
T
he journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. This
Chinese saying gives us all courage to tackle any challenge.
Congratulations to Bro. Orville Arscott who developed this newsletter, and with the help of his assistants, they have started a project
that will continue for years to come.
As we move forward in this age of technology and information, it is
refreshing to note that we have here in Ephesus, another mode of
communication that will inform all of the happenings in
our church. I crave your support for the Communication Department, so that there can be a smooth continuity to this project.
Again, congratulations Ephesus; may God continue to grant you
the resources to promulgate the gospel as we strive to Resurrect,
Rebuild and Restore.
Go with God and be a blessing.
Pastor M.A. Brown
G
reetings to you from the Elders’ Department of Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church. Welcome to the first issue of the
EJax Connections Newsletter. Thanks to the communication team,
we now have an additional medium for sharing information. With
our newsletter, we also have the opportunity to take the gospel beyond our walls in a cordial manner, hastening the coming of our
savior, Jesus Christ.
We will constantly be improving and adding to the newsletter’s content and invite your feedback. Please tell your family and friends
about our new publication, and that it can be easily accessed by
going to, EphesusSdaJax.org, and clicking the newsletter link.
I pray that the Lord will be with you and your families; we invite you
to visit us for worship in the near future. God bless you and keep
looking up.
Yours in Christ.
Elder Walter James
W
hen the sun slipped below the horizon on December 31, 2013, a new year rolled in. With it came opportunities for growth
and change. Our forty-day campaign of fasting and prayer prepared our hearts and set the stage for this growth. As
part of our own expansion and growth, we’re excited to launch our Ejax Connections Newsletter.
The newsletter is launched with the aim of reaching not just our church members, but the wider audience of our local and global
community. It is my hope that you will find value in its content and that it will assist you in your spiritual growth. Each issue will
contain a feature article based on a local event or member, a scholarly article, ideas for personal growth, info on church events
and announcements.
Every three months, subscribers will receive a downloadable PDF file via email. The Newsletter will also be posted on our
church’s web site (www.EphesusSdaJax.org). Feel free to share this newsletter with friends and family.
We welcome your feedback and contributions to future issues and look forward to our publication being a valuable part of your
life.
Orville Arscott
2
By Orville Arscott
Mercedes Harris
O
n November 16 2013, Mercedes Harris celebrated her
one hundredth birthday with family, friends, and
church members at the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist
Church (Ephesus) in Jacksonville, FL where she has been
a lifelong member.
pate in church activities, the family tradition of service continues; her son, Dwayne Harris now serves as an elder at
Ephesus.
Her family remembers the work ethic and family values she
not only taught but demonstrated over the years. Many
members, now adults, remember being taught Christian valBorn on November 12, 1913 in Jacksonville, Florida, Merues while attending the day-care she ran from her home.
cedes Harris is the second child born to Mr. and Mrs. Jo“She would always tell us ‘Honor thy father and thy mother
seph Singleton, charter members of Ephesus, a 107 year
old Seventh-day Adventist institution consisting of a church, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy
God giveth Thee’ “ recalled LaShawn Smith, her grandschool and daycare facilities.
daughter. Other family
Mercedes hails from a family whose heritage is rich in Chris- members also recalled
tian service and dedication. This rich heritage along with
fond memories of her, inher personal conviction led her to dedicate her life to the
cluding that, “she attended
Lord’s service at an early age. Her brother, Harold Singlecamp meeting faithfully,
ton served as the first president of the South Atlantic Conand stayed in the same
ference, one of the first Seventh-day Adventist conferences cabin on 66 Parkway for
established to serve African American congregations in the many years.”
United States. Her sister, Juanita, is married to Ralph Peay,
Mercedes is a gifted seamformer president of the South Atlantic Conference of Sevstress and over the years
enth-day Adventists.
would be seen donning her
In his tribute, Mark Brown, pastor of the Ephesus church,
own creations and designs.
congratulated Mercedes Harris on achieving this
She loved doing crossword puzzles, reading and other
milestone and thanked her for her long and faithful
wholesome activities, she believed, an idle mind was danservice to the work of God.
gerous.
Mercedes Harris holds the distinction of being Ephesus’
When presented with a cake and flowers to mark the occalongest serving pianist, a position she held for over sixty
years. Along with serving as church pianist, she has served sion, overwhelmed with joy, she humbly and graciously said
as choir director, school treasurer and board member, Sab- a simple “Thank you.”
bath School teacher, Adventist Youth Society leader and
treasury board member. Though, no longer able to partici3
Meet the Browns
Continued from page 1
Lydia Hanson: Pastor Brown, can you tell us a bit about
yourself, where you were born, places you have lived ?
Pastor Brown: I was born in Manchester, England, I
moved to Jamaica with my family when I was six years
old. During my second year of college I migrated to the
United states. So, I've lived in England, Jamaica and the
United States, in different areas.
Kacey Williams: Where did you go to college?
PB: During my first year I went to Northern Caribbean
University which is in Mandeville, Jamaica; I then transferred to Oakwood University in Huntsville,
Alabama.
Jacksonville’s a place I’ve never stopped in my life before now. I’ve always passed through Jacksonville on
my way to or from New York.
KW,LH: What’s the most difficult part of ministry for you?
PB: This interview; no, I’m just kidding. The most challenging part of ministry is chairing board meetings.
KW: Can you explain that a little more?
PB: In board meetings there are so many individuals
with so many opinions. Having a board with over
twenty five individuals who are deemed leaders of the
church, sometimes their ideas clash with each other
and with mine.
KW: What drives you to continue daily?
KW: Sis. Brown, how did
you meet Pastor Brown?
PB: Feeling “The Call” of ministry on me. Realizing
that God has done so much for me, and he is using me
to help others. My motto then is, “If I can help someone as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain”.
Sis. Brown: (laughing)
Do you guys really want
to know ?
LH: Who or what were some of the influences or mentors you had?
(Everyone chuckles, we are eager to hear)
SB: I met him in 1984; he was just out of college and he
was assisting the pastor of the church I attended during
a series of tent meetings and I saw him walking around.
What stood out for me about him was; one night my
friends and I were all sitting in the back and someone
was handing out cookies while the service was in progress, we all were eating. He was standing outside and
saw everything. He came over and asked “Where is
mine?” He then took one of the cookies and had it. I
thought that was so different for a student pastor, he
wasn’t snobbish, he was down to earth.
(Pastor Brown rolls his eyes)
SB: He doesn’t remember that
KW: Yes, we can see it on his face
“If I can help
someone as I
pass along, then
my living shall
not be in vain”
LH: What was your initial reaction when you heard you‘d be
moving to Jacksonville?
PB: The professors I had in school such as, Elder
Cleveland, Henry Wright and one individual who was
not in school with me as he is a bit older that I am; but
Barry Black was also one who influenced me.
KW: Sis Brown, who is/are your favorite author(s), musician
(s), song(s), bible verse(s)?
SB: For musicians, I like Donnie McClurken, the Heritage Singers, Bob Marley and The Carpenters. My favorite authors are, Mark Finley and I like Sandra Brown.
I also like “Stand” by Donnie McClurken. There’s one
chorus I also love and it goes like this, “I cast all my
cares upon You, I lay all my burdens down at Your
feet”. Those are some of my favorites. My favorite Bible text is taken from 2 Corinthians 4 verses 7 –9. It
reassures you that when you pass through the waters,
He'll be with you and when you pass through the fire,
you'll not be burned and I’ve taken that personally.
LH: Sis. Brown, can you tell us something we don’t know
about Pastor Brown?
PB: My initial reaction was, Ja.. .Who? Jacksonville?
Ahh, I thought it was too far away from South Florida.
4
SB: Pastor Brown plays the recorder, it’s little wind instrument that looks like a flute.
LH: Sis. Brown, what’s his favorite meal?
SB: He loves barbecued chicken wings along with
Ackee and codfish
and I asked God to show me if she was the right young
lady for me, and He said, "No. This is the young lady
for you, (gesturing to Sis. Brown)." So he did answer
my prayer.
(everyone chuckles)
KW: Sis. Brown, can you answer the same question?
LH: What is your vision for our church ?
PB: My vision is for us to have a gymnasium. I’d also
like us to have a high school, a nursing home and a bigger day care.
KW: What were your occupational dreams when you were
younger?
PB: My dream was to become a concert pianist
SB: I wanted to be a nurse
KW: If you were to become the president of the youth division, what plans would you implement to keep our youth in
church?
PB: I would approach this from a social aspect, which is
why I mentioned earlier that I would like to see us have
a gym. There aren’t enough social activities on Saturday
nights or weekends. From that one endeavor, the youth
would bring other youth to the church. If we had a gym,
we could host these activities; whether it be volleyball,
netball, basketball or skating. We could even have self
defense lessons and Tae-Kwan-Do classes. I’d also like
to have a video arcade where the youth could play video
games so they would have things to do on a Saturday
night. This would provide our youth with other options
beside basketball which is seasonal. They would then
invite other young people to come, and from engaging
in these social activities they would be inclined to come
to church. So my plan would approach it from a social
aspect, the religious aspect would then follow.
KW: Sis. Brown, can you also answer that question?
SB: My dream is to see a café. I’d like maybe once per
quarter or twice per year to setup the cafeteria with tables and chairs and bring in local Adventist bands to
provide live music.
LH: Pastor Brown, if it’s not too personal, can you share one
time in which the Lord answered your prayer?
SB: The fact that he became a pastor was an answered
prayer. He struggled through the first ten years trying
to find a job as a minister. God arranged it wherein one
day we were at camp and spoke to a pastor who told
him what he needed to do to get into prison ministries.
So he stared out as a Prison Chaplain which led to his
ordination. So that was my answered prayer.
LH: Why isn’t the first family leading the Men’s and Women’s
Ministry departments?
PB: I believe the inclusion of the membership is very
important. As
the leader of the
congregation,
I’d like to see
other qualified
individuals take
on these roles.
I also believe
that delegating
responsibility to others while I oversee is the best approach. Secondly, the Women’s Ministry leader is a
member of the board, and it is my policy not to have my
wife sit on the same church board that I’m chairing.
Reason being, after I get beat up by board members,
when I go home, I need to have someone who will
soothe and hug me, not someone who is just as
wounded as I am.
KW: Ok, we’re at the last question. Pastor Brown, what are
your final words of encouragement to people who are having
problems and losing faith?
PB: Don’t give up, don’t give in, the Lord will see you
through (Pastor Brown slowly nods his head).
LH: That concludes our questions, thank you Pastor and
Sis. Brown
PB: When will this be aired?
KW: We aren’t sure yet, we don’t have a date.
PB: Yes, sure. I was engaged to another young lady
5
By Ángel Manuel Rodríguez
C
lapping during church services is
becoming more and more popular in
many of our churches, so your church is
not unique in this respect. Clapping is
mentioned in the Bible as an expression
of social and religious feelings. But the
ideas associated with this gesture are not
always the ones we associate with in our
culture.
Four Hebrew verbs are used to express
the action of clapping (macha‘, nakah,
saphak, and taqa’), and all of them contain, as would be expected, the idea of
striking something or someone. They are
used in conjunction with the noun
"hand" (Hebrew kaf) to communicate the
action of clapping ("striking the hands").
The phrase is used in several different
ways.
1. It is an expression of joy at the ascension of the king: This is a social function
of the gesture. When Joash was introduced as the legitimate heir to the throne,
those who were present clapped their
hands and shouted, "Long live the
king!" (2 Kings 11:12, NIV). A religious
usage is found in Psalm 47:1, where the
psalmist invites all peoples to clap their
hands because the Lord is being proclaimed as king over the earth. In Psalm
98:8 the people are exhorted to praise the
Lord and the hills to clap their hands because the Lord is coming as king and
judge of the earth.
2. It is an expression of joy on account of
God's saving actions: The return of the
people of God from their captivity in
Babylon is described by Isaiah as an act
of redemption. What the Lord will do for
His exiled people is so wonderful and
glorious that even nature will rejoice. In
this context the prophet personifies the
trees of the field and describes them as
clapping their hands as a gesture of joy
(Isa. 55:12).
3. It is an expression of disgust and anger: Balak was angry because Balaam
blessed the people of Israel instead of
cursing them, and he showed his displeasure by clapping his hands (Num.
24:10). Ezekiel clapped his hands in disgust after seeing the evil practiced in
Judah (Eze. 6:11). The Lord clapped His
hands in anger and disgust as a reaction
to dishonest gain and to the blood spilled
by His people in Jerusalem (Eze. 22:13;
21:14, 17). This symbolic action on God's
part is followed by His judgment against
unrepentant sinners.
New Testaments. In fact, I didn't find the
phrase in the entire New Testament.
Therefore, there does not seem to be any
biblical parallel to what takes place in our
churches today.
You may ask, "Why do we do it?" I'm not
sure. I suspect that we incorporated clapping into our services from our cultural
environment. Clapping is usually associated with the entertainment industry, but
has become very popular in televised
evangelical religious services. Perhaps
we copied it from them.
Leaving aside the issue of cultural influence, I suppose that what really matters
is that each person be fully aware of the
reasons he or she claps in church. Motivation becomes extremely important in
this context. Is it an expression of joy in
the Lord and His saving power? Is it only
a physical expression or a substitute for
what used to be the audible amen? Or is
it a recognition of the good performance
of the singer or the preacher?
4. It is an expression of malicious glee:
This meaning is found exclusively in the
context of defeated enemies. In the
prophecy against Nineveh God announces that all those who will hear about This time, as you can see, I have more
His judgments will clap their hands over
questions than answers.
the city and its misfortune (Nahum 3:19).
The Ammonites clapped their hands and
rejoiced with malice when Israel was being destroyed by the Babylonians (Eze.
25:6). It is this same contempt and hos- Copyright: Biblical Research Institute of the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventtility that those passing by the ruins of
®
Jerusalem expressed by clapping their ists : https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org.
Reprinted
with permission.
hands (Lam. 2:15). This gesture was
indeed a sign of hostility and derision.
This and other articles are available at: https://
adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/church/
There is no clear evidence that this ges- place-applause
ture was part of worship in the Old and
6
A Word from the Treasurer
By Arline Arscott
W
hen first presented with the opportunity to contribute to the newsletter, I
thought long and hard about what my first article
should cover. Should I use the opportunity to
promote online giving, should the article be
about money management or should I provide
tips on becoming debt free? Then it hit me,
achieving success in any of these three areas
will not be possible unless we are faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us. So, first,
let’s commit to being faithful stewards and in
returning God’s tithe and supporting the local
church with our offerings. Only then can we
expect to receive God’s blessing on our financial
efforts.
Let’s begin with managing one of our most important resources, our finances. Debt is an obligation that requires us to repay the lender.
Many of us have the mindset of “buy now, pay
later.” I caution you, be wise in your choices.
The Bible clearly states, “The borrower is the
servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22: 7). Ellen
White advises us to “Shun Debt—you must see
that one should not manage his affairs in a way
that will incur debt.... When one becomes involved in debt, he is in one of Satan’s nets,
which he sets for souls" (The Adventist Home,
page 392). This month, I’ve compiled a list of
methods to help you get out of debt. Try these
tips to begin eliminating debt.
God and His wisdom must have first place in our
lives. God is the Owner of everything. With that
said, I’ll restate, we must be faithful to God by
returning a tenth of our income/increase; this is
the minimum testimony of our Christian commitment. So, no matter how much in debt you are,
your tithe must be set aside. The Lord promises
to bless us if we are faithful, test Him, we can
access His wisdom and receive the many blessings. Read Deuteronomy 26:5, 8-11; Malachi
3:11; Prov. 3:9; Matt. 6:33.
est. Next, make a list of all your expenses and
your income. You can do it!
Pay the minimum amount due on all your debts
EXCEPT the one with the highest interest rate.
You must pay more than the minimum payment
every month on the high interest rate debt, as
much as you possibly can. You must pay off the
credit card with the highest interest rate first, and
the rest in descending order.
Get the best interest rate possible, it may require
you to switch credit cards every six to eight
months.
As you eliminate one debt, you must apply the
money you have been paying that particular
company to paying off another credit card. After
you have paid off all your debts, apply the
money you were paying all those months to a
savings account. (Yes, Happy Savings!)
Live within your means; think before you spend.
Keep your expenditures within the limit of your
income. Never spend money you don’t have or
spend on unnecessary things. Keep one credit
card for emergency. Let’s face it, if you don't
borrow money, you will not be in debt. Ellen
White states in The Adventist Home, page 393,
“You ought not to allow yourself to become financially embarrassed, for the fact that you are
in debt weakens your faith and tends to discourage you; and even the thought of it makes you
nearly wild.”
By putting God first, you will receive His wisdom
and blessing for managing what he has entrusted to you. By eliminating debt, you are free
to partake in advancing the cause of God and in
helping others - thereby storing up treasures in
heaven. May God continue to bless and guide
us as we strive to be faithful stewards.
Make a sincere covenant with God that by His
blessing you will repay your debts and not be
enslaved to your lender (s).
The first step is to take a true look at what you
owe by making a list of all your debts; mortgage;
credit cards; loans, highest interest rate to low-
7
By Kevin and Denise Jackson
J
“How can I help?” you ask. Here’s how:
acksonville United Pathfinders have switched their fundraising efforts into high gear. With only a few weeks before their international camporee in Oshkosh, WI, club members have embarked on a
whirlwind of fundraising efforts which include, cakes by
the Jacksons, car washes,
yard cleaning, dinner sales,
yard sales and other efforts.
Jacksonville United is petitioning your prayers and support in meeting their transportation goal of $8,800.00. Will
you help?
1.
Make tax deductible contributions
2.
Sponsor a Pathfinder or
two
3.
Support our fundraisers
4.
Pray without ceasing
We don’t want our Pathfinders to miss this international event of a lifetime. Contact the
directors, Kevin and Denise Jackson or Carolyn Jones at 904
-412-2167. You can also donate via our website,
www.EphesusSdaJax.org by clicking the Online Giving link.
Thanks for your support and may God bless you.
8
I will praise thee; for I
am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are
thy works; and that my
soul knoweth right well.
Psalm 139:14
Coming Events
Communion Service
April 5
Church Business Meeting
April 5 after AYS
Men’s Ministry Movie Night
April 26
M C Strachan Youth Federation
May 2— 4
True N Hearts Tea/Fashion Show
May 4
Education Day
May 17
SEC Camp Meeting
June 19-28
9
Learning and Growing
By Orville Arscott
T
his quarter’s Learning and Growing tip comes
from one of my neighbors. During a recent conversation, she told me about the Duval County Public
Schools’ Parent Academy. The Academy aims to promote parental involvement, foster personal and individual growth and enhance student achievement by offering free courses at schools, libraries, community centers, government offices, and faith-based institutions.
I’ve compiled a short list of courses that may interest
our readers. A complete course listing is available by
clicking this link. For readers of our print publication, the
catalogue can be accessed via: duvalschools.org
>Parents > Parent Academy > Parent Academy
Catalog: Spring2014 or by typing the below web ad-
Course Name
dress in your browser’s address window:
http://dcps.duvalschools.org/site/handlers/
filedownload.ashx?
moduleinstanceid=13177&dataid=9643&FileName=PA%
20Catalog%20Spring%202014%20Rev%200317-14.pdf
Date
Location
(Refer to the online catalogue for addresses)
Intro to Computers and Mobile Devices
5/2/2014
West Regional Branch Library
Investing: The Next Step
4/16/2014
Murray Hill Branch Library
Keep Your Home-Foreclosure Intervention
4/17/2014
Edith Brown Community Center
5/15/2014
Emmett Reed Community Center
Multiple dates
and times are
offered, see
schedule
5/6/2014
The Microsoft Store
St. John’s Town Center
5/21/2014
Murray Hill Branch Library
MICROSOFT COURSE OFFERINGS:
Word 2013 Fundamentals
Excel 2013 Fundamentals
PowerPoint 2013 Fundamentals
Three Keys to Successful Saving
Southeast Branch Library
10
11
Adventist Colloquialisms
Adventist
Believer in Adventism, the doctrine of the nearness of the Second Advent and the end of the world/age
Badventist
Cladventist
Adventist exhibiting a poor example
Adventist clothed with a full suit of Gospel armor and covered with Christ’s righteousness
Dadventist
Fadventist
Fatherly Adventist
Adventist drawn to every latest craze
Gadventist
Adventist on the go but to little purpose
Gladventist
Happy, grateful, pleased, willing Adventist
Gradventist
Adventist holding an academic degree or diploma
Ladventist
Male youth Adventist
Madventist
Angry Adventist
NADventist
Adventist working for the North American Division
Padventist
Adventist disinclined to leave personal living quarters
Sadventist
Unhappy, downcast Adventist
Tadventist
Boy Adventist
Wadventist
Adventist in possession of a considerable amount of money
12
I Am Not An Octopus
By Pat Goffe
Reviewed by Kacy’Anne Williams and Lydia Hanson
In the book, clear examples are given of instances in which
family members burdened Mrs. Jones with chores, even
I Am Not An Octopus is an excellent read for families. It
though she was already busy with other chores. One family
teaches lessons on how
to be appreciative of each
member gobbled his breakfast in record time and hurried back
family member and offers
lessons in lending a help-
to find out how Mrs. Jones’ disappearing act turned out.
to his room to escape having to help clean up. Read the book
ing hand. The book is
based on Mrs. Jones, a
caring mother and wife.
Family members know
they can rely on her to
either pick up or clean up
after them. This leads
Mrs. Jones to start feeling
as if she is unappreciated. To change her family’s mindset, she decides to do a disappearing act, hoping this
will send the message that she is not an octopus!
Mrs. Jones is a hard working mother of three uncooperative
children and a complaining husband. Let’s look at the Joneses
as if they were a baseball team playing against another team.
Like any normal baseball team, they would have to work together to win the game. As it stands, the Jones family, is losing the game because team members are relying on the number one player (mom) to do all the work. The Joneses will
have to realize that working together is good, and it’s also what
God wants. God is on their team because He loves them.
Lydia Hanson and Kacy’Anne Williams are students in Jacksonville, FL.
They can’t leave Him stranded on first base, they have to get
him to home base. They can help by praying, doing the dishes
and cleaning their rooms.
13
Forty Days of Prayer & Fasting 2014 Revisited
For the second year of what has now become an annual
event, members of the Ephesus and Breath of Life
churches held their “Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting”
revival series of meetings.
Led by Pastor Mark Brown, the event kicked off on December 31, 2013 with a combined communion service hosted by Ephesus.
Over the ensuing forty day period, members engaged in daily fasting and prayer.
Each weekday was set aside for designated prayer and fasting activities.
The event culminated on February 9th with the burning of the
prayer scroll. Members now look forward to the yearly event
and use the opportunity to gain spiritual revival.
Ephesus Recognizes Honor Roll Students
On Saturday, February 14, during midday services, the Education Department held its Honor Roll Recognition ceremony.
Deloris Washington,
education secretary,
stood at the lectern
and announced the
names of students
who achieved academic excellence
during the first quarter of 2014. In order to have been recognized, students had to earn B
grades or higher during the first grading period.
Ms. Washington believes the recognition honor roll students receive can
be a powerful motivator for others, and encouraged other students to strive
toward becoming honor roll students.
Online Giving Launched
On Saturday, February 1, 2014, Arline Arscott, treasurer, announced the
news, “Ephesus has launched online giving….” After a brief description on
how the service works, Ms. Arscott showed a short video clip, familiarizing
potential users with Adventist Giving. She reminded congregants that use
of the service is optional and is not meant to replace the custom of contributing to the offering plate on Sabbath, but rather, provides an added layer
of convenience.
A How– To guide has been posted on the rear bulletin board, offering
setup instructions for the first time user.
New Officer Induction
Induction services were held on January 8, 2014
for church officers serving for the 2014-2016
term. In a service led by Mark Brown, church
pastor, newly elected officers responded to
questions on their commitment and affirmed
their dedication.
Black History Month
During February, Ephesus celebrated
Black History month with a host of events
and activities.
As is traditional during the month, James
E. Weldon’s, Lift Every Voice and Sing was
sung as the opening and closing hymn for
Sabbath services. Members also used the
month long celebration as opportunity to
don African attire. The church's foyer was
decorated with the stories of African American Adventist pioneers. The AY department also presented a program which emphasized the accomplishments of these
pioneers. The Breath of Life church closed
the month-long activities with a special AY
presentation on February 22.
Lydia Gets Cool
Our own
Lydia Hanson was
recently interviewed by
Fox 30’s
Tracey “Dot
Com”
Collins as
part of the
station’s
Cool Schools program. Tracy Dot Com and
the WAWS Action News team aired live
broadcasts from the campus of Hendricks
Avenue Elementary School during the Morning Show on January 13, 2013. The broadcasts featured student interviews, music,
and cheering. The Cool Schools program
recognizes schools with curricula and activities that set them apart from other area
schools. What made Hendricks Avenue
School so cool? Music, art and a walkathon
fundraiser with a bold goal of raising
$50,000!
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Have You Heard?
NAD Reacts to Lifetime Channel’s Reality Television Show
In a NewsPoints bulletin, dated March 8, 2014, the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, responded to the character portrayals of a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and his family
on Lifetime Channel’s Reality Television Show, Preacher's Daughters. The opening episode of the
second season featured a young Adventist battling alcoholism. This prompted a news release
from the denomination's North American Division. The bulletin stated:
It has come to our attention that a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and his family are included in a reality television show on
the Lifetime Network.
Although we were unaware of the family’s involvement in this program, and it misrepresents some of the standards and
principles of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we care deeply about the issues raised. It sheds light on the challenges
that are unique to pastors and their families, and we empathize with their experience.
The message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a one of hope and wholeness. We value the sanctity of the family
unit and seek to do all we can to strengthen, support and help them grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
In 2013 the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America started development of a video series to address these types
of issues in hopes that it will help to spark conversation and lead to resolutions. A sample of this series can be found at
www.vimeo.com/nadadventist/pastorsfamily. More information about the series can be found at http://
bitsy.spinics.net/1014.
To learn more about the Seventh-day Adventist Church and our beliefs, please visit www.mywaytojesus.com .
Inquiries regarding this subject should be referred to Dan Weber, Communication Director for the Seventh-day Adventist
Church in North America at [email protected].
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Pastoral Visits
If you or a loved one would like a visit from the pastor or an elder,
please contact Walter James at 904-768-0085. Thank you for your
help in this matter.
Newsletter Team
Contact Us
Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church
2750 W. Edgewood Ave.
Jacksonville, FL. 32209
904-768-0085
Editor
Sandra Brown
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Orville Arscott
Visit us on the web at: EphesusSdaJax.org
Assistant Editors
Denise Jackson
Pat Goffe
Reporters
Kacy’Anne Williams
Lydia Hanson
Photographers
Jerome Barksdale
Orville Arscott
Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church
Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church
2750 W. Edgewood Ave.
Jacksonville, FL. 32209
PLACE
STAMP
HERE
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