Dear Church Family,

Timely words:

Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected.

White, E. G. (1911). The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan (Vol. 5, p. 592). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

As religious aggression subverts the liberties of our nation, those who would stand for freedom of conscience will be placed in unfavorable positions.

White, E. G. (1952). Welfare Ministry (p. 137). Review and Herald Publishing Association.

Already the question of an amendment to the Constitution restricting liberty of conscience has been urged upon the legislators of the nation.

Testimonies for the Church. (1855). (Vol. 5, p. 711). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Satan will excite indignation against the humble minority who conscientiously refuse to accept popular customs and traditions. Men of position and reputation will join with the lawless and the vile to take counsel against the people of God. Wealth, genius, education, will combine to cover them with contempt. Persecuting rulers, ministers, and church members will conspire against them. With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow their faith. By false representations and angry appeals they will stir up the passions of the people.

Testimonies for the Church. (1855). (Vol. 5, p. 450). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

By their fruits, you shall know them. Remember, in the last days, it will be about deception. You expect this from the wicked but not from ministers & church members unless you cloak it as righteous anger. May we wake up to the peril before us.

In the news:

1.This Sabbath I am going to depart from our series on the book of John to address the topic of religious liberty and a growing concern with regards to whose narrative we are listening to. For some time we have been hearing real concern from Adventist church leadership on this point and it is my hope we can address some of these concerns in our study this Sabbath. The Bible says if it were possible that even the very elect would be deceived. May we avoid such a deception. The title of the message is, “Holy War, Insider Info, and Today’s Religious Rhetoric.”

2. This Sabbath for AYA, we will enjoy a concert with Scott Michael Bennett from It Is Written. Come and enjoy this sacred concert at 7 p.m. at the church.

3. Just a reminder per vote by the church board, masks are encouraged at church and your help in protecting one another is appreciated.

4. Our midweek study on Galatians began this week. Next week we will pick up with chapter 1 verse 13. We gather each Wednesday at 7 p.m. via ZOOM. You can access the link via the church web site.

5.  We will celebrate the foot washing service and the Lord’s supper next Sabbath, September 11, during the worship hour..  Please note that we will take precautions for COVID with ample spacing in the breakout rooms for the foot washing and pre-packaged containers for the emblems.  Let us prepare our hearts this week in anticipation for this sacred service.

6. The NE TN Campmeeting that was scheduled at the Oaks for Sept 17-18 has been cancelled due to COVID.

7. Dr. Norman McNulty has agreed to come to Greeneville since camp meeting was cancelled and will share with us Friday evening, Sept 17, as will the GAA Band. Then on Sabbath, Sept 18, he will speak for the preliminaries at 9:30 a.m. at Sabbath school and for the worship hour at 11 a.m.. Then Sabbath afternoon at 3:30 p.m. he will speak on current events as they pertain to last day events.

8. Your Health Lecture series will have a program September 14 at 6:30 p.m. with Dr. Dianne Coffee presenting. Her talk is entitled, “Toughen Up! Fall Prevention Deserves Your Attention.

9. I wanted to share with you this message from Pastor Ivor Myers entitled,, “The Great Reset & The Coming Crisis.” We must use great caution as Adventists that we don’t allow Satan to taint the message we’ve been given in these last days. I encourage you to check it out by clicking here.

10. Please stop by the literature room to pick up next quarter’s Sabbath school quarterlies.

11. Here is another installment in our Greener Pastures series on how to make elderberry syrup.

In His Service,

Pastor Jeremy