September 2009 V OL U M E 10

ISSUE 9

Pathfinders: Camporee 2009

After long months of

fundraisers, preparation
and anxious waiting, our
Pathfinder group went to
Oshkosh, Wisconsin to the
5-day event sponsored by
the North American Division
of Seventh-day Adventist.

This year’s theme was “Courage to

Stand”, and you have to have courage to stand in front of
over 35 thousand people and sing. Congratulations to
Ashley and Brittany Howard, we are so proud of you
two, and all our youth that participated.

Go to page 7 to read some of the comments of our Path-

finders.

In this Issue:

International Day··········· 3
The Big One ················ 6
Talent Tent Winners:
Mission Trip ················ 9 Ashley and Brittany Howard
Church @ Work ·········· 10
 Have you ever thought about what
really makes you happy? May I suggest there
is no true happiness until we've established friendship
and fellowship with the Lord? And there is no possibility
of establishing that fellowship apart from the cross of Je-
sus Christ.

After all, God has said, "I will forgive you." But, He can
only forgive you at the foot of the cross! Why is
this? Because only through Christ's death on the cross
can we be forgiven and reconciled to God. That's why we
must come to the cross, repenting of our sins and trusting
Christ alone to save us. But human pride can get in the
way, and keeps us from admitting we are sinners! Or, we
think we don't need saving! ONLY when we leave our
pride at the cross can our hearts be open to God's re-
deeming grace!

When we come to Jesus, God imparts His righteousness

to us. It's as if an accounting entry has been made in the
books of heaven, declaring us righteous for Christ's
sake. The "Divine Bookkeeper" cancels our debt!

Listen to what God says, "I will forgive their iniquity; and
their sins I will remember no more."(Jer. 31:34) What a
wonderful Saviour! What a wonderful Heavenly Fa-
ther! Yours for letting Him "forget," Pastor and Sharon
Webb

Page 2 The Church Courier

 We want to update you on our plans for the International Sabbath
for our Church. Just this past week, I spoke with the lady who has the
booths and made a plan to borrow them. The date will be Sabbath,
March 13, 2010. I know it seems far away, but there is a lot of planning
and work that goes into a successful day that we can all be proud of and
enjoy.

Our intention is to make a whole day honoring the many diverse

nationalities of our Church Family. This is not official - this is the plan
according to Martha Getlinger, but what I would like us to do that day
is: Sabbath morning after Sabbath School study have a parade of flags
representing all the nationalities in our church (or in the world - the vote
is still out on that) and have the national anthems played at that time. I
don't know if I can make that happen or not. I would like volunteers to
wear something representative of their country if they are willing. Also
since it is the second Sabbath, I would have liked foods representative
of the different countries as well. But, since we will have the booths set
up already for the night program, I don't know if we can make that hap-
pen. That remains to be seen. In the evening, we will have a Vespers
with an International flair, I hope. And finally after sunset we will have
the International Food Festival in our Fellowship Hall with the booths
decorated to symbolize certain countries and members dressed in the
different costumes of their country and two or three different samples of
food that are prominent in that country. We will be selling tickets and
the tickets will be used to purchase whatever food sample you would
like to try.

I would like our Adventurer and Pathfinder Club to be involved,

possibly selling ice cream samples and being ushers and helpers direct-
ing folks that need help, etc.

You can see there is a lot of planning and organizing still to be

done. Next month, we will have a sign up sheet in the Church Courier
with jobs that you can volunteer for, such as "I would like my country to
have a booth," "I would be willing to carry a flag in the parade of
flags," "I would be willing to wear a native costume for the morning
service, vespers service or food fest service," or I would be willing to
prepare food for one of the booths." More later...Martha

Vol. 10 Issue 9 Page 3

The New Port Richey SDA Church is now on Facebook.

If you have been in hibernation for the last few years and have never
heard of Facebook, it's basically a social networking site. It's very sim-
ple to use and is actually quite handy. It will let you keep in touch with
old friends, share pictures, send messages, share links and videos, etc,
etc.

You do have to make an account to use Facebook, but it's very easy and
simple to do; and it's free. Visit www.facebook.com to sign up.

To become a fan of our church's page, after you login to your Facebook
account, type in the search box "New Port Richey SDA Church" and
press enter. In the results you will see our Facebook site; click the link
"Become a Fan".

The Internet can be a great tool but remember you must surf the web
responsibly and always use common sense.

See you online!

The NPRSDA.ORG Team!

We want to welcome our new

members Dale and Mary Engle
coming from the St. Joseph SDA
Church in St. Joseph, MI.

Congratulations to all the new

members that got baptized re-
cently, they are: Santiago Ortiz, Milagros Vazquez, Marisol
Brewer, Yomanda Brewer, Immanuel Brewer, Emmanuel
Brewer, Ivan Vazquez, Christian Vazquez, Antonia St. Hilarie,
Joyce Zapata, and Lillian Scoggans. God bless you and guide
you all always.
Page 4 The Church Courier
 PIXIE PIN-UPS
DO YOU KNOW ME?
If you think you know this church member, sub-
mit your guess to us, either by phone or email.
You can submit your baby pix by email or di-
rectly to us. Photos can be black and white or
color and will be promptly returned. For more
information please contact us.

August baby was: Brian Hershey

Brian served in the Army, Navy, and Ma-
rines. You can watch a tribute to our Church
Clue: This little girl
veterans on our webpage at www.nprsda.org/ came from the East
Tribute. then the West.

Our winners were: Arlene Learman, Martha Getlinger

Sandra Bishop, and Pastor Webb.

Thanks for participating!

Think about it…

• “God gives us the ingre-

dients for our daily
bread, but He expects
us to do the baking.”

• “You can't assume that

kindness is an inherited
trait. It is learned be-
havior." -Katie Couric

• Joy is the flag that is

flown in the heart when
the Master is in resi-
dence.

Vol. 10 Issue 9 Page 5

 THE BIG ONE!
By Gary D. Grimes

No! I’m not writing about the Big Earthquake supposedly coming to Cali-
fornia. I’m writing about The Big Sin that started it all! The fruits of the
Big Sin are disease, evil, war, plagues, and death. The Big One started in
heaven eons ago. The Bible describes the origin of The Big Sin in Ezekiel
28:11-18 and Isaiah 14:12-14.

The Big One, the Big Sin, started with a creature in heaven named Lucifer
who declared he was god. It is the creature saying I do not need the Crea-
tor God in my life. I can do quite well without God because I am a god
too. It is a creature declaring his independence of the Great God. It is a
creature living his life apart from God.

God was not caught by surprise by the Big Sin in heaven. You can only
imagine the great patience the God of love and mercy used in heaven to
try to bring Lucifer back from the precipice of sin. Finally, Lucifer crossed
the line from which he could not return. He became Satan, forever the
adversary of God. He was now doomed to eternal death, the second death,
from which there is no resurrection.

“There was war in heaven” between Michael (Jesus) and the dragon
(Satan). Revelation 12:7. Satan “prevailed not; neither was their (evil
angels) place found any more in heaven” Revelation 12:8. Satan “was cast
out into the earth” and his angels with him (Revelation 12:4). Jesus said,
“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven”.

Now the war of the creature trying to be the Creator was transferred from
heaven to this earth. Sure enough, there it is again in the Garden of Eden.
Satan, in the form of a serpent medium, saying to Eve, “ye shall be as
gods”. Genesis 3:5. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the
Garden of Eden the Big One, the Big Sin was established here on earth.
Since then Satan has been trying to take us down to eternal destruction
with him self. I Peter 5:8.

What about you? Are you living your life apart from Jesus? Are you
practicing the Big One, the Big Sin in your life? Next month we will
study from the Bible how you can overcome and have victory over the Big
One, the Big Sin in your life.

Page 6 The Church Courier

 continued from page one: Pathfinders: Camporee 2009

A few days before our Pathfinder group got ready for the
Camporee at Oshkosh I asked a few of them: What are you
expecting from this Camporee? These were their answers:

Brittany - for the weather to be really hot somedays and others

days really cold. I expect to have fun and to make new
friends.

Miranda - to be cold because we are all the way up there. A

lot of worship and a lot of loud noises in the middle of the
night.

Liam - to be fun, educational, and to make friends

and to know more of God.

Garret - to know more about God and to have fun

with other SDA youth.

Nicholas - a blessing and a good time with my good friends.

Joe - to be really tired.

Ms. Koch - exhaustion!

We know they had a lot of fun, they get tired, and the met
new friends. Above all these, the best thing is that we all
made this experience possible with our prayers, donations,
and time.

We are happy to know that our youth group got to know more
about Gods loves, and that they learned how to share this
great news with others.

Vol. 10 Issue 9 Page 7

 An amazing gift for you!
When we work an eight-hour day and receive eight hour’s pay
for our efforts, that is a WAGE.

When we compete with an opponent and receive a trophy for

our superior performance, that is a PRIZE.

When we receive something in recognition for our service or

achievement, that is an AWARD.

But when we can earn no wage, can win no prize and deserve
no award — yet we receive such a gift — that is unmerited
favor. That is undeserved kindness. That is GRACE.

Softball it’s over…

We want to congratulate the

Orange team, the Orioles, for
winning this season.

In celebration and fellowship all

the teams had a meal, awards
and, remembered all the play-
ers thru video and photos.

To see the pictures go to the

C h u r c h w e b p a g e :
www.nprsda.org/gallery

Page 8 The Church Courier

 Mexico Mission Trip
by Christie Menendez-Rodriguez

I miss Mexico!! I miss the HOT, HOT SUN. I

miss shoveling cement into buckets! I miss our
slave driver Chris. (inside joke for those that went
to Mexico). I miss Pastor Daniel, he was so inspi-
rational when he spoke. I miss playing soccer with the Mexican
children (by the way, that was the highlight of the trip). I miss
the church we attended. There was a feeling of love in that
church that had no a/c. yes! church service in 100 DEGREES
HEAT.

But all that mattered that day was the gratefulness of those peo-
ple and the fire for God they had inside them. They have so little
in our human perspective, but in reality they have SO MUCH!

I think this Mission trip was to help us "the missionaries” under-

stand that materialism is not
what brings happiness.....Its our
relationship with HIM-OUR
LOVING FATHER WHO AL-
WAYS HAS HIS ARMS OPEN
FOR US. This is where our de-
pendency should be every single
day of our lives.

Anyways, I had to come back because I missed my family and

especially my church family! But there is always next
year....Hope to "work" beside you all next time.

Memory text. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ

who strengthens me.

Vol. 10 Issue 9 Page 9

 I am in need of
a piano, in ex-
cellent/ good
“YOUNG AT working condi-
HEART” CAMP at tion. If you or someone you know
Camp Kulaqua— has one please call Hazel Powell @
October 18th—22nd, 813-469-3012.
2009. This is a camp
for adults, 50 years COMMUNITY SERVICES
and older. This year
the theme is As we get closer to winter, we have
“Oktoberfest.” Ap- some needs to share. For the home-
plications can be less, we can use blankets, men’s
found in the church and youth clothing, kitchen uten-
sils, men’s and children’s shoes and
office.
linens, either bed or bath. You may
give a donation to the Community
Save the Services Dept. in your tithe enve-
date...WOMEN’S lope and they will purchase the
MINISTRY, “Women food. Also, more volunteers would
of Spirit Day” April be appreciated. Thank you for
17th, 2010 at St. Peters- whatever you will do to help
burg SDA Church. us...Bob Powell, Director

Lifeline Screening

Our Church will once again be in-

volved in the LifeLine Screening
program for health. We have cho-
sen Wednesday, November 4 as
the date the Lifeline Screening
crew will come to our Fellowship Hall and offer five different
screenings that could save your life. We’ll have more to
share as the time draws closer.

Page 10 The Church Courier

From the Editors that God planned
everything that hap-
Take a look at this line: pens to us. Our own
wrong choices many
GODISNOWHERE times get us into
trouble. Paul is tell-
ing us that even when
Did you read it as “God
disaster and tragedy
is nowhere? Or are you
strikes, God can use
an optimist who read it This newsletter is
the results of our bad
as “God is now here?” published monthly
decisions, the results
of tragedy, loss, and by the NPR SDA
“And we know that all Church. If you have
disaster to work for
things work together for any comments to
our good. So, in
good to those who love make about the
light of this reality,
God, to those who are the
that not only opti- newsletter, wish to
called according to His
mism is logical, it is make a donation, or
purpose.” (Romans 8:28 )
unavoidable. wish to submit an
If there is a reason for article, please send
So be optimistic, it to the church or
Christians to be opti-
God is now here, to us.
mistic, it is in the prom-
God is with us!
ise of this scripture.
We have every reason
-Omayra
to rejoice and celebrate,
whatever our circum-
stances.
I don’t think this means

Contact Us
Alexander Ortiz Omayra Rivera
727-365-2892 727-372-0052

nprcourier07@gmail.com

NPR Seventh-day Adventist Church

6424 Trouble Creek Road
New Port Richey, FL 34653
727-848-4567
www.nprsda.org/newsletter

Vol. 10 Issue 9 Page 11

NPR Seventh–day Adventist Church
6424 Trouble Creek Road
New Port Richey, FL 34653