Theological Hmm: Servant Evangelism has opened the thoughts and plans of the church worldwide with the combination of showing kindness and serving that makes a church (and life) more attractive to outsiders and helps them arrive at a new definition of the Church – one that will draw them to church and into a relationship with Jesus. - Elmer Towns
Coming soon:
BIG THANK YOU AND WTG! We had six service projects on Fifth Service Sabbath. I can't wait to hear the 30-second takeaways in church this week. Can you imagine the number of invitations to church and goodwill we're going to generate among the poor in our community when we do this again on the other fifth Sabbaths JUN 29, AUG 31, and NOV 30? Do you think doing this will positively affect emerging generations? Are you happy the Sabbath is also a day for doing good (Luke 6:9)?
CHURCH PAINTING The sanctuary and foyer were painted. The wood in the foyer was also stained
PRAYERS Helen Konewka fell last week and is in Toledo Hospital. Dr. Burgess Bills has hospice by his side at Kingston of Perrysburg. Allan Wolfson has been hospitalized for a pending heart surgery. Thank you for keeping these TF members and their families in prayer
IN GOD'S WORD WE TRUST Join us SAT JUL 6 and SUN JUL 7 @ 9am until 9pm in the Toledo First Seventh-day Adventist Church for a two-day marathon reading of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Youth and special community guests will be present to take their 30 minute turn reading God's Word out loud back-to-back-to-back until we finish. Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet. And a light to my path." You and your friends will surely be blessed to hear it from beginning to end. To accomplish this monumental task, we need your help! One invitation has already been sent to a Congressional Medal of Honor winner who lives locally but we need 24 total readers each day (preferably 12 Toledo First members and 12 community guests). Are you willing to read? Do you know a community leader available that holiday weekend we could invite?They wouldn't need to be there all day. But would love to have a politician, police officer, EMS, fire, educator, non-profit leader, anyone really using their influence for good in Toledo present. There will be water and snacks available in the foyer throughout the day and you're welcome to bring your own food or cooler if you wish. The sanctuary Sabbath School class will not be meeting that day though other classes might be so check with your teachers. In God's Word We Trust!
YOUNG ADULT BIBLE STUDY BEGINS THIS SABBATH APR 6 with Joel Camick, good friend of Pastor Mike who has moved to Toledo. Joel (20-something) loves God like crazy and wants to hang out with other young adults who want to serve God too. Join him every Sabbath @ 2pm in church
RE-CHARGE HIGH SCHOOL GATHERINGAPR 6 The Ohio Conference invites high school aged youth to a high school gathering scheduled April 6 at 10:30am, Worthington SDA Church, Worthington, Ohio. Join us for food, worship, and games! Please bring a change of clothes including a jacket (if it's cold) you don't mind getting dirty because there will be afternoon service projects available involving paint, pets, and the great outdoors! For more information contact Edward Marton: 567.274.7087 or emarton@ohioadventist.org
DOCUMENTARY SHOWING: "GETTING TO 1"APR 6 This documentary that will give us tools to share about the available resources to combat the rising infant mortality rate
among black babies in Lucas County. Invite your friends and neighbors this Saturday night @ 7:30pm
SCRAPBOOKING APR 7 is from 10am - 8pm. Join the group! A great ordinary outreach
"SOUP" (sometimes its subs or pizza or tacos...) FOR YOU CONTINUES APR 10 (and concludes 5/22/19). We will be discussing Helmut Haubeil's book Steps to Personal Revival: Being Filled With The Holy Spirit" at 6:30pm. Books are available in the church office for a donation of $5 while supplies last. Let us show you how to lead a small group. Then you can tell others how somewhere else. Would make a great Six Week Group book
COMMUNION APR 13 It's time to re-commit our lives to loving and serving to very end (John 13:1). Join us!
YOUTH PIZZA MAKING APR 13 Join us in the kitchen right after church
YOUTH AV TEAM begins its maiden voyage making short video commercials for church at 3pm. Stay tuned!
ADDICTION SMALL GROUP TRAINING APR 13 Martin W. Hall, Executive Director of the Adult & Teen Challenge of NW Ohio will be at Toledo First on Sabbath afternoon APR 13 @ 2pm in the Youth Room (hallway to the east / right of sanctuary) to begin training volunteers interested in helping or facilitating a small group for those struggling with addictions
ADDICTED? GET HELP HERE Martin W. Hall, Executive Director of the Adult & Teen Challenge of NW Ohio, welcomes anyone struggling with addictions to join his "Overcomers" group that currently meets at Compelled Church (8970 Jackman Rd, Temperance, MI 48182) on Mondays at 6:30pm in Room B-17
CHERRY STREET BREAKFAST VOLUNTEERS Breakfast is served from 6:45-8:45 7 days a week. Whether you are volunteering as an individual, family or group, they would love to have you! For additional information on signing up, contact Susan at sgraalman@cherrystreetmission.org or 419-214-3419
BATTLE PLAN CHURCH CHAT CONTINUES Encouraging texts and prayers are being solicited three times a day via group text. If you're willing to help, drop your mobile number on the card from the bulletin in the offering plate when it comes around. Or text Brandi Myers at (765) 716-2190 with your preferred time (7a, noon, or 7p). Then, each day at the appropriate time, you can text a prayer or verse or short devotional thought to encourage her and others. Please note: if you do not have unlimited data, messaging and data rates may apply. See your carrier for more info
¡VIVA VENEZUELA OUTREACH! In Venezuela, churches offer resources when they are hard to secure with the country in crisis. So if you want to help, you can donate non perishable food, over the counter medicine, and toiletries items in the black box on the table in the foyer
FREE PANERA BREAD available FRI 9-10am. Come to side door under canopy. To reach the most people outside our church (which is the point of all our ordinary outreach efforts), left over bread will now be donated on Fridays after 10am and no longer available after. Sorry for any inconvenience
CAN ALZHEIMERS DISEASE BE PREVENTED AND EVEN REVERSED? Dr. David's presentation is now archived online and available to be viewed here
SUMMER CAMP MOHAVEN REGISTRATION Once again, our 50/50 deal for young campers 6-17 is available. All you have to do is register online at ohiosdayouth.org/camp-mohaven and pay your half while adding a message that Toledo First will be paying the balance. The church will be notified and pay the balance. Cub Camp (Ages 6-9) is JUN 9-16; Junior Camp (Ages 9-12) is JUN 16-23; Horse Camp 1 (Ages 8-12) is JUN 23-30; Tween Camp (Ages 12-15) is JUN 30 - JUL 7; Horse Camp 2 (Ages 13-17) is JUN 30-JUL 7; and Teen Camp (Ages 15-17) is JUL 7-14. Questions? Contact (937) 853-8456; youth@ohioadventist.org
CAMPANAS CRISTALIS Our bell choir, Campanas Cristalis, is raising money to purchase an additional large silver bell. To give, please mark your tithe envelope accordingly and place in the offering plate
SPANISH ADVENTIST GROUP OF TOLEDO meets each Sabbath in the Fellowship Room from 9:00am - 12:15pm. Please keep hallway and kitchen noise to a minimum
WOMEN'S PRAYER GROUP meets after worship in the church office
OPEN TABLE CONTINUES Mondays. Please pray for our volunteer's ministry to Lorie as she re-acclimates to life after being rescued from human traffickers
SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY GROUP 10am-12noon for Bible Study with Regina Davis—at church and continues Sundays same time. Everyone is invited
JOIN YOUR ENTIRE CHURCH FAMILY FOR I REMEMBER WHEN ON APR 14 Please sign up to let us know you’re coming to the “I Remember When” Party on Sunday, April 14, 5pm. If you can bring something, please check the “food and drink donations” and let us know what you’ll bring. We’d love to have you join the fun—reminisce, chuckle, sing, and play a game or two. It’ll be fun for all!
BAPTISM APR 20 Easter is a great time to be baptized. Romans 6:3-4 says, "3 Have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives."
IMMERSION YOUNG ADULT RETREAT APR 19-21 Ohio Conference invites you to a high school gathering scheduled APR 6 at 10:30am, at Worthington SDA Church. Enjoy food, worship, and games! Q’s? contact Edward Marton: 567.274.7087 or emarton@ohioadventist.org
STOP THE BLEEDING APR 23 If someone were to be stabbed or even shot in front of you, would you know what to do to help them? A free class is being offered by ProMedica to teach people what to do in a trauma situation. Join our church security team members in the Fellowship Hall for this important one hour class @ 7pm
ABBREVIATED CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING APR 23 There will be an abbreviated church business meeting in the Youth Room (off east hallway) on TUE APR 23 @ 6:30pm prior to the Stop the Bleeding class in the Fellowship Hall @ 7pm
YOUTH SPRING CAMPOUT at Camp Miakonda either May 3, or 17 (the first nice weekend of those two dates.) So save the date(s) and start collecting water guns and asking your parents if they will come help us play Bible Smuggler again! Contact Jen Landeros for more info
MOTHER'S DAY TEA MAY 11 coming soon. Stay tuned for more info
MEN'S RETREAT AT CAMP MOHAVEN MAY 17-19 All men ages 16 and older are invited to be part of the annual Ohio Conference Men’s Retreat at Camp Mohaven May 17-19. Ask at the church office for a brochure or visit www.ohioadventist.orgfor details
JESUS MADE INVITATIONS SO WILL WE Save the dates NOV 13-20 for our fall "If it's important to God..." evangelistic series preached by me where I hope all our small groups will gather
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE is a half hour television talk show focused on living a full, healthy and balanced life. It features panel discussions, interview and demonstration segments focused on whole life health, including fitness, nutrition, relationships. outlook and more. You can find the programs each week on Sky Angel Faith and Family TV, Uplift TV, DirecTV channel 368 or 378, Hope Channel, NRB Network, faithfortoday.tv, lifestyle.org, Roku, AppleTV, and AmazonFire TV. Please check these networks’ websites for air times or call Faith for Today at 805.955.7681
LEADERSHIP TRAINING ARCHIVE is avail online. So if you missed it 12/1, you can now watch and send me your TF Takeaways
JESUS MOVIES What's your fave? Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey, Faith, Hope & Love, Christmas Grace; The Nativity Story; The Star; The Conscientious Objector (2004); The Ultimate Gift; Shadowlands; The Shack; Cutback; Soul Surfer; Grace UnPlugged; End of the Spear; The Mission; Beautifully Broken; Running for Grace; Steve McQueen: American Icon; The Resurrection of Gavin Stone; Expelled - No Intelligence Allowed; Is Genesis History?; God's Not Dead; Fireproof; War Room; The Case for Christ; The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry; Amazing Grace; Once I Was a Beehive; I Can Only Imagine
GEOSCIENCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE If you've never heard of the Geoscience Research Institute, here's their website https://www.grisda.org Established in 1958, this organization is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a mission to discover and share an understanding of nature and its relationship with the Biblical revelation of the Creator God. It has all kinds of resources and articles related to intelligent design and evolution and dinosaurs and many other interesting subjects. I enjoy reading their quarterly email update. You can subscribe by clicking here and filling out the form asking to be included in their quarterly e-newsletter
ONLINE BIBLE STUDIES The Discover Bible Study series is online. Anyone can enroll and complete them in the privacy and comfort of their own home. Good for friends and family interested in becoming acquainted with the Bible and finding answers for facing the issues and challenges you deal with every day. Remember and refer others to this website: biblestudies.com
PRAYERS AND PRAISES Because we need to be praising God with our lips (Psalm 63:3), here's another alternative...email CathieH directly at heathcs@sbcglobal.net with your praise. Yes, it can be anonymous, if you prefer. Just specify in your email you don't want your name mentioned. You can still write your prayers & praises and put them in the box at the foot of the cross in the foyer at the courtyard exit doors. Cards and pencils are provided
BEST COMMENTARIES ON DANIEL AND REVELATION Want a chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse practical but thorough commentary on the book of Daniel or Revelation from an Adventist viewpoint? Here's what I use and recommend Daniel: Wisdom to the Wise and Revelation of Jesus Christ
NEW SERMONS Please see church website for sermon archives and more info at tfsda.org
APR 6 - Remember Me (Pastor Mike preaching from Luke 23:26-43)
APR 13 - Deep Sorrow (Pastor Mike preaching from Luke 23:44-49) *Also Communion
APR 20 - Buried (Pastor Mike preaching from Luke 23:50-56) *Also Baptism
APR 27 - TBA (Tom Sandy preaching)
OUR WELCOME We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, y no habla ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds. We welcome you if you sing like Andrea Bocelli or can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re just browsing, just woke up, or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism. We welcome service dogs and their handlers. We welcome Muslims, Jews, politicians, and sinners like us. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk- food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems, or you’re down in the dumps, or you don’t like “organized religion;” we’ve been there too. If you blew all your offering money at the casino, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, who work hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or come because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church. We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid, or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers, doubters, bleeding hearts...and you.
OUR STORY Our church website at the very bottom of the home page has an excellent downloadable resource featuring our story and explanation of our unique Christian Adventist emphasis. It's called the Toledo First Assimilation Manual and if you've never read it, I would encourage you to do so. And don't forget, God loves you like crazy. And so do we (2 Corinthians 5:13-14 NLT)
