Theological Hmm: The academic dean of one of the Seventh-day Adventist college boards on which I served once asked the question, "Why must there be a Negro History Week celebrated from year to year? Why not a Hispanic week, Asian History Week or other ethnic history weeks? Why must there be a national holiday set aside in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King? My response was, "It is because when the secular and religious books were written, Blacks were not included unless they had done something bad, shameful or evil." – Charles Edward Dudley, Sr.
Here's the latest version of the school addition. The Church Building Committee, working with Dave Pate as project manager and IPS and Poggemeier Architectural, has developed a recommended plan for proceeding this June with the proposed project. Initial cost estimates are $4.4 million, with an additional 10% contingency added to cover possible bid overruns (total cost up to $4.8 million).
Paying for the project has been studied by the Church Finance Committee. Since planning began, the School Building Fund has swelled from $600,000 to nearly $1.5 million due to a few large gifts by supporters. Additional church funds currently available include $322,000 in the Capital Improvement Fund and $170,000 in a Memorial Fund, with an additional $100,000 already approved from the Ohio Conference. This totals approximately $2.1 million, leaving up to $2.75 million to raise or finance from the Columbia Union Revolving Fund (CURF).
Our church presently receives $150,000 in annual income from the cell tower lease to 4 companies. Using this income (which is scheduled to gradually increase over time) will repay the principal amount ($2.75 million) over 18 years. Interest on the loan would be paid by continuing contributions by the congregation. Since CURF loans carry interest rates which vary dependent on the financial environs, this amount would initially be around $100,000 / year for a $2.7 million loan, and most likely would decrease in future years as the principal is paid down.
Uncertainties exist: Interest rates may escalate and cell company renters may change. Nonetheless, the Church Finance Committee has recommended the church approve the project as a primary evangelistic endeavor over the next two decades. We have been supporting a church school like Toledo Junior Academy since 1919 (103 years!) And we pray this addition allows us to provide an even greater impact in the lives of students and families in NW Ohio for years to come.
We will be discussing this proposal at church prior to voting this Sunday February 27 @ 2:30pm. Hope to see you there!
VOTE VIA GOOGLE FORM We are planning on discussing and voting on the school addition during a special business meeting February 27, 2022 @ 2:30pm. Toledo First members are welcome to attend. Church members who are out of state but want to vote will be eligible to do so by using this link to vote via Google Form.
Anxiety and Depression don’t discriminate. They don’t care about beauty. They don’t care about money. They don’t care about fame. They don’t care how many advanced degrees a person may have. They don’t care about glamorous TV jobs. And they certainly don’t care about beauty queen titles. Cheslie Kryst had all of those things and more. Her future looked bright. But that doesn’t mean that she wasn’t also struggling. Like many others inside and outside Scripture. Join us for Part 3 of this series on Mental Health.
Speak towards the definite purpose you have to fulfill for Christ. (Excerpts from The Desire of Ages pp.248, 254-256)
Reading Revelation Six Week Group continues Wednesday March 2, 2022 at 7pm socially distanced in the church fellowship hall. Join us!
PATHFINDERS resumesnext Tuesday, March 1st, at 5:30 pm in the church fellowship hall. Pathfinders will also meet March 8th and 15th. Please bring a parent, your mask, and a friend!
FEB 26 Mental Health Part 3 - Faithfully Dealing With Suicide
MAR 5 How To Win Friends For Jesus Part 1 - Imitate Christ's Words
MAR 12 How To Win Friends For Jesus Part 2 - Imitate Christ's Actions
MAR 19 How To Win Friends For Jesus Part 3 - Help People Belong
MISS A MESSAGE? Did you know you can read the sermon notes via Google Docs by clicking this link for Pastor Mike's Sermons?
DAD JOKE OF THE WEEK I misplaced my thesaurus and feel terrible; just terrible, really terrible.
When the entire European Christian world accepted Sunday as a day of worship, Blacks in Ethiopia still kept the seventh-day Sabbath, in accordance with the teachings of the Bible. Ethiopians were keeping the Sabbath when the slave trade began in 1441, and they were still keeping the Sabbath in 1935 when Benito Mussolini of Italy declared war at the beginning of World War II. This fascinating read is available new and used on Amazon.
Feel like you’re at the ’22 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing as you slide down the icy Toboggan Run at speeds of 40 mph on Sunday, February 27th! Toledo First is headed to Pokagon State Park for a day of fellowship, thrills, and maybe a little whiplash! Meet us in the church parking lot at 10:30 am Sunday and bring winter hats and gloves. It's only $5 per rider and that includes pizza! There will be a 15-passenger van for those who need a ride. Children under 8 years old need a chaperone. See you on the ice!
Toledo First Church is canceled ONLY WHEN Lucas County is declared a Level 3 Snow Emergency. Otherwise, church will be open. Exercise caution on the roads and sidewalks this winter! For more info see Snow Emergency Levels in Lucas County.
SAVE THE DATES APRIL 21-24, 2022 for our Spring evangelistic effort entitled Serpentine Prophecy based on the serpent's words whispered to Eve in Genesis 3:4 "You will not surely die." Ever since, people have been thoroughly confused about what happens when you die. Novelists like Stephen King, author of The Shining, have popularized this misinformation. So Shawn Boonstra, speaker for Voice of Prophecy, filmed on location in the same "haunted" hotel room King made famous. After preaching for 30 minutes to introduce each session, he turns it over to local churches, like ours, to lead small group Bible study. Make plans now to attend! Click here for more info.
Calling all Cooks! A new edition of Toledo First’s “Cooking is Caring” cookbook is still underway! Please send your recipe ideas to Darla at: darlalarkwordsmith@gmail.com.
PANERA BREAD GIVE AWAYS CONTINUE FRIDAYS 10-11am
CURRENT ZOOM MEETING ID If you (or a senior you know) have limited or no internet access but want to listen to church (11am) on your phone, you can call 1 (312) 626-6799 (*long distance charges may apply) and enter Meeting ID 980 4326 7076. When prompted, please also add the password: 4909.
There is a beautiful Sabbath School app now available for download. Search your app store for "Sabbath School & PM."
TruthLink online Bible studies offer doctrinal clarity while showing the centrality of God's love.
AMAZON SMILE Simply by starting your Amazon shopping at smile.amazon.com and selecting Toledo Junior Academy as your charity of choice, a percentage of your purchase will go to TJA. Thanks for your support!
ELLEN WHITE WEBSITE The internet is a blessing and a curse. One blessing comes in the form of a website sharing balanced Seventh-day Adventist explanations of Ellen White and the 25 million words, 100k pages, and 49 books she wrote with a third grade education during her lifetime. The curse comes from the myriad of sites sharing inaccurate or intentionally misleading conclusions regarding her ministry. Whether others find her writings helpful or not, shouldn't one make that decision on reputable sources? One of my favorite quotes from her pen is: "Truth can afford to be fair."
Looking for an Adventist recipe like Special K Loaf? Click the pic for more info.
CHERRY STREET MEALS Volunteers are always needed to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner especially on Sundays. You can call Community Relations Manager Susan Graalman at 419-214-3357 or 419-214-3419. You can also email her at volunteer@cherrystreetmission.org.
To see the latest additions to the growing list click the pic.
This organization sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church helps our understanding of nature and its relationship with the Biblical revelation of the Creator God. Click logo to see their site.
