October 1, 2021 | Newsworthy @ Gracepoint Adventist Church

Gracepoint YouTube Livestream link here.

Download the Gracepoint bulletin here.

Join us this Saturday, October 2, 2021
10:00 am Live In-person Service
11:30 am Adult & children's discipleship class(es)
11:30 am Second Look

OCTOBER 2 - NCC Religious Liberty Panel at 3:00 pm (Vaccine Mandates & Religious Liberty)
https://www.facebook.com/NorCalAdventistsinAction
https://www.youtube.com/c/Nccsda

The October 2nd Potluck is canceled.
The next Potluck is November 6th - it will be a Thanksgiving theme.

OCTOBER is PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH!
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Choices
 
It’s up to you. That is one of those phrases that sounds like an entirely open opportunity but often feels like a trap. Consider this scenario – three of your friends are together for a lunch meeting. It's casual and intended to be fun. You ask, “Where do you two want to eat?” The reply is, “It’s up to you.” Do you think, “Wow, what a great opportunity to pick my favorite place?” Or do you think, “Oh no, what if I pick the wrong place?” “Do those guys have food issues?” I don’t want to be the sole arbiter of the decision, because I want everyone to enjoy the lunch and the place! Tensions rise, you try to dodge the decision, but they insist. You pick a place, not because it is your favorite, but because it is the kind of place where anybody can find something to eat, so everyone gets a generic safe meal. Ah, choice.
 
Choice – It is freedom, and it is responsibility. It assumes an outcome created by the freedom you’re about to exercise. It also eliminates all other related options of that moment. It gives you agency and authority, and it throws you open to criticism. Sometimes we are paralyzed by choice. Researchers have discovered that the fewer choices, say 6 instead of 20, the more engagement people have with both products and programs. (Have you walked into the cereal aisle lately?)
 
Moses lays a big one of these moments on the people of Israel in the thirtieth chapter of Deuteronomy. He has been explaining the call of God on the nation and enumerating the rules that will govern them with God as their leader. (Btw – If you are reading the rules of the Old Testament you must distinguish between national and individual rules as well as applications.)
 
Moses summarizes with these clear and somewhat terrorizing words, “... I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life. ...” (Deut. 30:19) 
 
It is at once hopeful and exciting and so frightening. If you choose the right thing, sign here, you will have blessings and life. However, if you choose the wrong thing the consequences will be curses and death! I can hear the music rise with tension as my metaphorical pen is about to meet the paper.
 
It should be easy to choose right, right? What’s the problem?
 
Let me look at a less consequential choice, back to the cereal aisle. So, you walk into the aisle at your local store, and there are forty feet of shelves in front of you, there are four shelves from floor to six feet high, making 160 feet of shelf space with what seems like thousands of choices. So how do you ever decide? Most of us are out of that aisle in a few minutes. Why? It’s because you have come with a plan, a strategy, and an outcome governing your choice. For example, we plan to feed our kids cereal that does not have too much sugar. That just eliminated a majority of the boxes in front of you. Next, we expect to stay within our food budget. That eliminates either buying a large variety or the most expensive brands. In two quick defining thoughts you have made this a much easier choice. You scan for a favorite, and you are out of the aisle in less than three minutes.
 
Yes, I know cereal is not, “blessings and curses.” (Well, unless you feed your five-year-old a load of sugary cereal.) But the evaluative process that looks toward outcomes, makes it easier. That is why Moses places this decision before the nation in terms of big-picture outcomes.
 
“Choose life” is the close of this presentation. Do you have governing principles for your free choice? Yes, I know that will make me less free. But do I need all the possible choices? If I don’t want to cause pain, some choices drop off the list. But it doesn’t really seem like a loss.
 
I love that God through Moses is pleading with them to choose life. The words still echo. Life is the best choice.
 
 
Wisdom, Blessings, and Understanding.
 
 
Walt
 

 
“... I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life. ...” (Deut. 30:19)
 
PS – This week at Gracepoint I will be talking about “Living Your Best Life”
 
 
https://tinyurl.com/gpfalltea
Women's Discipleship Class continues 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.
Leoni Meadows
Executive Director Craig Heinrich reports that Leoni Meadows Christian Camp & Retreat Center has begun the process of restoration. “The well guy was here and made good progress on activating two of our three wells,” he said. “Things are looking up!” Donate to the Leoni Meadows Recovery Fund.

Children's Discipleship Teachers Needed!

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 date for The Gathering Inn:
Wednesday, October 20.  

If you have not signed up to volunteer, you may do so by emailing office@graceisthepoint.org.
NCC Upcoming Events

This Sabbath, Oct. 2 - Don’t miss Finding a Way Forward: Vaccine Mandates & Religious Liberty, a dialogue between Christians with diverse views. Moderated by Steve Allred, NCC religious liberty liaison, the online discussion will feature several physicians and attorneys, along with President Marc Woodson. Watch on the NCC YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Oct. 8-9 - The NCC African American Ministries virtual convocation, Engaging the Vision, Living the Dream, will be a time of inspiration and encouragement. Wesley Knight, pastor of the Revision church in Atlanta, will be the guest speaker.

Oct. 22-24 - Juniors and seniors in academy, high school, and home school are invited to attend Surge, this year’s Jr/Sr Retreat with speaker Kent Rufo, Pacific Union College chaplain.

Oct. 23 - The NCC Prison Ministries Rally & Training Day will be held at the Sacramento Central church.

Every Thursday - The NCC Prayer Team invites you to join the weekly conference-wide prayer call.

Learn about other events throughout the conference.
Exercise class is back!
Tuesdays at 9 am

Bible Study class is back!
Tuesdays at 10 am


Both of these classes will practice social distancing.

Office Hours

10-5 Monday - Thursday
10-1 - Friday


916-624-4877
office@graceisthepoint.org

 


Please be sure to welcome the following members who joined our church family in 2021:

Oleg Tarsiuk joined us from Sacramento Slavic SDA Church.
Joe & Sylvia Franklin joined us from Victoria SDA Church, Loma Linda, CA.
Terence & Diane Leslie joined our church from Carmichael SDA Church.
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.

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