September 9, 2021 | Newsworthy @ Gracepoint Adventist Church
Two people who were in church last Sabbath, Sept 4, have tested positive for COVID. We cannot be sure if they had contracted COVID by the time they were in church. They had symptoms this week. Neither person was sitting with the congregation in general and they are staying home this week.
This message is our attempt to keep you informed as we walk through COVID together.
Leah was as much a victim as her unsuspecting husband. She suffered under a heartless family culture that allowed her father to trade her like a piece on a chessboard. Born at a time and in a community where compliance with her father’s will was unquestionable. Her heartbreak at being part of this terrible scam must have been horrendous. You may know the story I’m thinking of already, but, just in case…
This Leah was the eldest of two sisters belonging to a family from Biblical Haran. Their father, Laban, hatched a ruthless plan to take advantage of Jacob’s passionate love for her younger sister, Rachel. On Rachel’s wedding day, their father replaced her with her older sister, who was dressed as a bride. Being veiled in the traditional manner, she managed to keep her identity secret until the sun rose the next morning.
Jacob, upon awakening, gets his first glimpse of his new wife. Now unveiled and in the soft light of morning, he realizes what has been done. Leah is forced to face the shame and his disappointment and anger. Her new husband rushes to object. Her father makes his excuses and binds the young man to seven more years of service in exchange for Rachel, his true love.
Leah cannot be cast-off in divorce; her father would not allow Rachel to be wed to Jacob. Rachel cannot change what has been done. She is the third victim of Laban’s duplicity. It doesn’t seem that she even had a wedding, she became the final bargaining piece in the game her father was playing.
The sisters are forced to live with their father’s actions for the rest of their lives, to say nothing of Jacob.
It’s an odd story in the Biblical narrative of the chosen. Jacob would become the father of the nation of Israel, his name would even be changed to Israel (One who wrestles with God), near the end of this story. This broken family group would have thirteen children, twelve sons, and a daughter.
We all can relate to the brokenness of their family because we all come from broken families. No person that you know has had a perfect life. It’s one of the ways we can grow in the kindness we give to others. As we look at some annoying person today, we can be sure that they have been knocked around by life too. We just don’t know their back story.
We are prone to generalizations about people living outside our skin. We make excuses for our mistakes and believe other people are decidedly wrong-headed or plain evil. Some are, most are not.
Would you be surprised if Leah felt unloved if Rachel felt some jealousy? Would Jacob’s lifelong distrust of Laban startle you? Me neither. And we know only a tiny bit of their story.
The call of God to love our neighbor is given by the one being that knows everyone’s back story. He knows the times they don’t deserve love is when they may need it the most. He knows that some are tough to love. He knows that we are too.
The Bible never tells us if the sisters ever buried the hatchet. I hope they did. I hope that they and their servants, (yes it gets worse) were able to settle in to be a caring family for those thirteen children. That their mutual husband learned to care for each of them and love them as Christ loves the church. That’s my hope. Only God knows. Only He could make this mess into the family of the promise, and the forefathers of Jesus.
Let my heart see through Your eyes, Lord.
Blessings,
Walt
Women's Discipleship Class Begins Sept. 18 Following the Worship Service
"Many women live under a cloud of personal guilt and condemnation," says Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. "Many are in bondage to their past. Others are gripped by fear of rejection and a longing for approval. Still, others are emotional prisoners."
In Lies Women Believe, Nancy exposes those areas of deception most commonly believed by Christian women—lies about God, sin, priorities, marriage and family, emotions, and more. She then sheds light on how we can be delivered from bondage and set free to walk in God's grace, forgiveness, and abundant life. Nancy offers the most effective weapon to counter and overcome Satan's deceptions: God's truth!
Book is available via Amazon and other retailers, if you need assistance acquiring a book, contact Anna McMillen (530-575-7291 or anmcmillen@gmail.com), Chapter 1 will be available in the lobby this Sabbath. A few books will be available at class on the 18th.
Tomorrow is Suicide Prevention Day
Suicide Prevention Day is Friday, September 10. If you’re struggling and have thought of harming yourself, know that help is available. Visit the North American Division Youth Ministry Department’s mental health site for articles, downloads, videos, and resources and contacts for your journey to healing. If you’re afraid you might hurt yourself, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255 or visit their website to chat online. Someone is always ready to listen.
Due to the fire damage at our beloved Leoni Meadows, this year's Christian Women's Retreat will be temporarily moved to Pacific Union College. Our retreat dates will also need to change to October 15-17 and October 22-24. We are sorry for the changes and are thankful for your understanding. https://www.ourchristianladies.com/copy-of-registration
For those needing refunds for canceling, they will receive a check in the mail. For others, with refunds due, refunds will be available during registration at PUC.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8, 9).
We still need a few more teachers!
Thank you to those who have recently joined the team and to those who were there from the start!!
office@graceisthepoint | 916-624-4877
Our next host dates for The Gathering Inn:
Wednesday, September 15,
& Wednesday, October 20.
If you have not signed up to volunteer, you may do so by emailing office@graceisthepoint.org.
Children's Storytellers!
Are you out there? We need you to volunteer to tell stories that we'll video record after church on selected Sabbaths to use in future weeks. You can use puppets if you'd like or you can use your own props. We will prerecord and edit them for you!
Please be sure to welcome the following members who joined our church family in 2021:
Audrey Welty joined our church by baptism.
Amira Simpson joined our church from White Memorial SDA Church.
Kendal Cornell joined our church from Carmichael SDA Church.
Garry, Dianne, and Andrew Binder joined our church from Auburn SDA Church.
William (Bill) Mattingly joined our church by baptism.
Samone Johnson-Smith joined our church by baptism.
Genesis Ceballos joined us by baptism.
Asher Thomlinson joined us by baptism.
Martin Christiansen joined us by profession of faith.
Lisia Albuquerque joined our church from Paradise SDA Church,
Linda Cornell joined our church from Carmichael SDA Church,
Andrea Polston joined our church from Pacific Union College SDA Church,
Carrie Purkeypile joined us from Antelope Hills SDA Church,
Lisa Brostovski and Sadako Lascelles joined us from Granite Bay Hilltop SDA Church,
Rena Jones joined us from Carmichael SDA Church,
Brooke Lewis joined us from Carmichael SDA Church and
Irvin and Anita Sprenger joined us from Minot SDA Church, Minot, ND.
Welcome to Gracepoint!
We hope that you find this newsletter helpful. If you have an event or something to share, please email gpnews@graceisthepoint.org
