GraceNotes A publication for sharing God’s love

March 2014

Who Kissed Me? Evangeline Booth, an officer in the Salvation Army and the daughter of its founder, stood with a few others at the entrance of a local police court and temporary prison, waiting for the gates to open. Abruptly their attention was attracted by the sound of shuffling feet, loud commands, and the shrill voice of a woman on the other side of the enclosure. The iron gates opened as six policemen wrestled a struggling woman through the passageway toward a waiting vehicle. The woman’s hair was disheveled and

matted. Her face blackened with bruises. Clots of dried blood marked her left temple. Her clothes and apron were bloodstained and torn. Cursing and swearing, she tossed her head wildly as she fought with the guards. With deep compassion, Miss Booth wondered what she could do. There was no opportunity to speak with the prisoner. Nor did prayer, song, money or counsel seem appropriate.

As the woman, struggling with the officers, approached, Miss Booth, on impulse, stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek. Wrenching herself free, the woman clasped her hands and cried to the grey skies, “Who kissed me? Nobody has kissed me since my mother died!” The fight drained out of her; she lifted the tattered apron, buried her face in its folds, and wept convulsively. Docile and broken, the woman was led away by the police. A few days later, Miss Booth visited the woman’s prison cell. She found her subdued, but still asking, “Who kissed me?” The warden thought her insane, but with Miss Booth she was friendly and receptive, especially when Miss Booth told her that it was she who had kissed her. Then Miss Booth spoke of the Savior, how He went to the cross to bear our sins and was wounded for our transgressions that He might put the kiss of pardon upon our cheeks and hearts. She lovingly led a sin-enslaved soul into the freedom of salvation in Jesus Christ. Adapted. Evangeline Booth “Who Kissed Me?” (Life and Health , January 1969 pg. 17)

The Pastor’s Pen Thy Word. . . . . .

It was a beautiful weekend in the Costa Rican country side. Our Pathfinder group had hiked a couple of hours to get to the camping site, set up the tents, and everything was ready. The site was amazing: we were in a nice field, on the west side a hill just a short distance away on the east side a forest with a river running through it. All we needed was the water and there was a crystal clear creek just about 200 feet from camp. I grabbed one of containers and with another of the leaders we went to get the water. What we did not realize was that with the hill on the west and the trees in the forest it would get dark faster than usual. By the time we had filled the container and turned around it was dark. We could hardly see each other. We took what we thought was our trail and started back, but it was not the same trail. This one took us deeper into the forest. The river started to sound louder every step we took, until we could hardly hear each other. The creatures of this forest

were loud too. Tree branches were hitting our faces. We were in trouble! I said to my friend “We need to stop and pray.” Right on the spot we knelt and prayed for God to deliver us. As soon as we got up from our knees we heard a faint calling and when we turned towards the sound, we saw little glimpses of light. As we got closer we could more clearly hear the voices of our Pathfinders calling for us and their flashlights led us directly to them. The next day, with plenty of day light we explored the area and realized that the spot where we stopped to pray was just a couple of steps from a cliff. A majestic waterfall was right next to the cliff. I still get chills when I remember the event. The one image that remains vivid in my memory was when we saw the light from the group that was looking for us. It was such a relief and a great guide for us. My friend and I walked towards the lights filled with confidence knowing that safety would be there.

We are living in dangerous days, spiritually dangerous. The Word of God and its truth is pushed further away from daily life. We are filling our minds with the opinions of others and with media that is running in total opposition to God’s will. Many are lost and don’t know it. Many are seeking a way out, but do not know how or what to do. The Bible says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet; and a light to my path.” [Psalm 119:105 NKJV] That is what you and I need to have in our lives, so we too can go out [like the Pathfinder group that saved my friend and I] and lead others to Christ. The Word of God is the light that the world needs today. Don’t wait any longer. Busy-ness will always get in the way. Get into God’s Word today and start filling up your mind with God’s great love for you. If you want ideas or tools for reading or studying your Bible do not hesitate to contact your pastors here at the Arden church. We will be glad to help. ~ Pastor Eli

Our Church Family Prayer & Shut-In list David Love Cornelia Thiede Gladys Brown Royce Brown Alice Huskins Jim Lewis Rosie Lewis Dottie Keppler

Louise Benson Gordon Burton Virginia Burton Susan Ye Cheryl Rubin Foulkrod Dolly Erskine Bill Onuska Emily Hodges

Ellen Ingulfsen Kirsten Strang Doyle Trantham Clarence Omans Bruce McDowell Debbie Strum Ernestine (Cole) Moore Carla Butcher

Our purpose, by God’s grace, is to reflect His character in our community, to demonstrate a quality of life that attracts all to be reconciled to Him, and to present inspirational material in a manner that will encourage people to be loving, maturing disciples of Jesus Christ. First service begins at 8:15 am followed by Sabbath School at 9:30 each Saturday morning. Second service begins at 10:45 am. To find the church, travel about 1.5 miles east from I-26 on Hwy 280 (Airport Road). Our staff welcomes your comments and inquiries about the programs and ministries of the church. Regular church office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00-5:00, Friday 9:00-12:00. Max Hammonds, reporter.............................................. 242-1100 Gail Bremner, editor...................................................... 685-1011 Eli Rojas, Senior Pastor.................................................582-3905 Carla Butcher, reporter...................................................693-3396 Jeff Wait, Youth Pastor...................................................513-4325 Jean Davey, reporter .................................................... 891-2814 Church email [email protected]

inging His Praises A “Morsel” This morsel of gospel "bread" is intended for people who are not perfect, who have sins to confess, who struggle with temptations, who know what it is to kneel before the Lord in shame, in humble, tearful repentance, day after day. Well, if you fit the category, here is an encouraging story about a man who has just told seven despicable lies in his efforts to climb over somebody else in order to get himself to the top. The man's name? Jacob. He has deceived his poor old blind father and assumed a deceptive identity in order to secure a fabulous inheritance that by law should have gone to his brother Esau, and which his sincere old father had fully intended to give to Esau. But now Jacob has succeeded in place of Esau; but the joy and exhilaration he should have experienced at having reached the top is dissipated by an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame.

Prayer Requests

Forced to flee into exile, Jacob is so loaded with self condemnation that he lies down to sleep without being able to say a good-night prayer. Exhausted by guilt, he finds relief only by sleep so deep that a stone pillow gives comfort. Then in a dream, the Lord God gives him a message: there is a ladder reaching from where he is up to the top of heaven and there above it stands God. (Note: Jacob does not "climb" that ladder! Angels do, up and down.) And what does God say to poor Jacob who feels like he's nothing? "You rascal, you liar, you thief! How do you think I could ever bless you??!!" No, a thousand times no! God repeats the seven fantastic promises He had previously made to Abraham, renews them all

to Oustanding Sinner Jacob, and does not ask Jacob to promise one blessed thing in return. Read it in Genesis 28:11-22. Does that mean that God approves telling lies? Also, a thousand times no! But the gratitude Jacob experiences at knowing he is forgiven, cleansed, redeemed, accepted in Christ, chosen by God to salvation, changes his heart and saves his soul from ruin and despair. And who are you? By grace, a child of Jacob. Identify with him, please. ~ Robert J. Wieland

Every Tuesday morning at 9:00 and evening at 6:30 we have an intercessory prayer meeting. If you have a prayer request, come pray with us or fill in the information below, cut out and send to: Arden SDA Church, 35 Airport Road, Arden, NC 28704, or E-mail your request to: [email protected]. Prayer Request: ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Name _____________________________________________  Phone _____________________________________________

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Family Ties First Thursday of Each Month February through June Dinner With The Doctor 2014

First Thursday First Thursday of each Month Supper served at 6:00 pmof Presentation at 6:45 –Each 7:45 pm Month February February 6 – Shawn Collins, CRNA, PhD Hypertension –through the Silent Killer June March 6 – Jeff Viar, MD 2014 Diabetes – the Current Epidemic April 3 – Stuart Yoon, DDS First Thursday of each Month The Truth from the Tooth Supper served at 6:00 pm May 1 – Dewayne Butcher, MD Presentation at 6:45 – 7:45 pm Cancer Prevention June 5–6 Max Hammonds, MPHPhD February 6- –Jeff Shawn Collins, CRNA, March Viar, DOMD, Heart andCurrent Brain Attack Hypertension – the Silent Killer Diabetes - the Epidemic March 6 – Jeff Viar, MD Call 828-684-6700 for Reservations Diabetes – the Current Epidemic Arden SDA Church April 3 – Stuart Yoon, DDS 35 Airport Road, Arden, NC The Truth from the Tooth May 1 – Dewayne Butcher, MD Cancer Prevention June 5 – Max Hammonds, MD, MPH Heart and Brain Attack

The only way to lead a symphony is to turn your Call 828-684-6700 Reservations back to theforcrowd, Arden SDA Church the35 critics, theArden, court. Airport Road, NC

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March 6 – Jeff Viar, MD – April 3 – Stuart Yoon, D 4. God will still honor the First Thursday praises of His people. The Truth Supper serve May 1 – Dewayne Butch 5. There will still be GodPresentation at anointed preaching. Cancer Pr June 5 – Max Hammon February 6 – Shawn Co 6. There will still be singing of praise to God. Heart and Hypertens 6 – out Jeff Viar, MD 7. GodMarch will stillCall pour 828-684-670 blessings upon His people. Diabetes – Arden SD April 3 – Stuart D 8. There will still be room at Yoon, 35 Airport Ro the Cross. The Truth May 1 –love Dewayne Butch 9. Jesus will still you.  Cancer Pr 10. Jesus will still save the lost 5 –toMax when June they come Him. Hammon   Heart and 3. The Holy Spirit will still move.. Diabetes

It is great To Remember Who Is Really In Control, that; Calland 828-684-670 “the Word of the Lord endures Arden SD forever.” 1 Peter 1:25

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Unfinished Symphonies Monteiro Released From Prison Seventh-day Adventist Pastor Antonio Monteiro was released from prison January 13, 2014 in Lomé, Togo, ending a nearly two-year ordeal that kept him and four others detained. In a split decision, a verdict was handed down by the court that acquits Seventh-day Adventist pastor Antonio Monteiro and sentences Adventist Church member Bruno Amah to life in prison. The decision by the Lomé Court of Appeals comes nearly 22 months after the two men and others were detained in March of 2012 without trial and solely on the accusation of one man who was described as a “pathological liar” in a court-ordered psychiatric exam. That man, Kpatcha Simliya, who was also detained, was also convicted in the ruling and sentenced to life in prison. Todd McFarland, an associate general counsel for the Adventist world church headquarters, who was with the defense team at this weekend’s trial, said the ruling also included two other men— Beteynam Raphael Kpiki Sama, who was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined 10 million CFA francs (US$20,800),

and Idrissou Moumouni, who was acquitted. Still in prison is Adventist Church member, Bruno Amah, who was convicted by a jury and sentenced to life in prison. He is considering his legal options, including appealing the decision. Church officials expressed “mixed feelings” over the court ruling, which acquitted some and convicted others. “The acquittal of Pastor Monteiro is good news and we are happy for him and his family. We are surprised and very sad about the condemnation of Amah,” John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the Adventist world church, said yesterday. Monteiro today was greeted outside of prison by his legal team and officials from the denomination’s Sahel Union Mission, where Monteiro had worked since 2009 as the Family Ministries director. Church officials for the denomination’s West-Central African Division, based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, said Monteiro will receive appropriate care back in his home in Cape Verde. ~ Silver Spring, Maryland Adventist News Network.

Morrocan Carrot and Chickpea Salad Dressing: 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 10 ounces carrots, shredded on a box grater or sliced whisper thin 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15- ounce can, drained and rinsed). 2/3 cup dried pluots, plums, or dates cut into chickpea sized pieces. 1/3 cup / 30 g fresh mint, torn To make the dressing, first toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant and lightly browned, a minute or two. Let cool, and grind to a powder with a mortar and pestle. In a bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, ground cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, chickpeas, dried pluots, mint, (and optional almonds, and rose petals) Gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tuning Fork Gout ~ The Disease of Kings Several of the major characters in Charles Dickens’ novels suffered from inflammatory arthritis. As Dickens described it, an attack of this arthritis would last for several days, would be very painful with a high fever and a red, swollen joint – usually the big toe, but sometimes the ankle or knee. Almost always this character would be rich, overweight, and gluttonous, consuming large amounts of meat, rich desserts, and alcohol. Common among the rich and affluent, it was known as “the rich man’s disease.” “The king of diseases and the disease of kings” – it was called gout. Modern medicine has discovered that genetics plays a large part in developing gout. The disease occurs nine times more frequently in males, peaking at age 70-75. The underlying cause is an elevation in uric acid in the blood stream, usually as a result of the inability of the kidney to excrete uric acid in the urine. The excess uric acid crystallizes in the joints of the body, sometimes in the tendons and occasionally under the skin. In the joints the uric acid crystals cause an immune inflammatory reaction that results in a hot, red, painful joint, ultimately leading to the crippling total destruction of the

joint. Uric acid can also crystallize in the kidney causing blockage and/or kidney failure. Where does the uric acid come from? Look at the description of the character in the Charles Dickens’ novel. High meat intake, especially the “sweetbreads” (kidney, liver,

brains, and other internal organs), seafood (both crustaceans as well as fish), and high-fructose products contribute to the increase in uric acid. (Interestingly, high protein vegetable sources do not cause an elevation of uric acid.) Large alcohol intake decreases the kidney’s ability to excrete the uric acid and causes dehydration, increasing the concentration of the uric acid in the blood and the joints.

As in our Dickens’ character, gout occurs more frequently in those who are overweight, have high blood pressure, and increased insulin resistance (known as metabolic syndrome and the major cause of Type II diabetes.) To be sure, not every case of gout occurs in an obese, gluttonous consumer of alcohol (since 60% of the problem is a genetic dysfunction). In addition, the medical management of gout involves the judicious use of several kinds of medications to manage the acute flair-up and the long-term control of the level of uric acid. However, the major lifestyle interventions recommended to decrease uric acid levels and decrease the frequency of gout attacks include discontinuing the use of meat (including poultry) and sweetbreads, seafood, and alcohol, increasing the use of Vitamin C foods, and avoiding obesity. Are you getting the Dickens’ picture? Living the lifestyle of a pauper – a lacto-vegetarian diet low in rich foods and high in Vitamin C, sufficient exercise to maintain ideal body weight, and avoidance of alcohol – will help to control “the rich man’s disease” in those whose genetics predispose them to the gout. ~ Max Hammonds, MD

Family Focus Our family focus this month features Mark Shepard. Mark has been attending the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church for many years and joined in December, 2013. Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, he was raised Seventh-day Adventist and his Dad was the Educational troubleshooter for SDA schools. Because of this, they moved as a family to many places including Tampa, Miami, and Oneco, Florida; Western North Carolina; Washington, DC, and eventually back to Miami. He attended many different SDA schools growing up and graduated from Southern Missionary College which is now Southern Adventist University. His degree is in Food Service Management. Mark has worked all his career in the Food Service industry. He heard of a job opening at the Fletcher Park Inn and decided to apply for that position. When he arrived for his interview, he was told that the position had already been filled, but there was another opening at Park Ridge Hospital. So he applied for it and was hired. That was 17 years ago when he made the move from Florida to North Carolina. He worked for Park Ridge Hospital for ten years, Givens Estates Retirement Community for five years, and is currently looking for another job in the Food Service Industry. He is continuing to work though and is employed in the cleaning services industry. Mark enjoys traveling and has visited every state in the US except for Maine. One of his favorite hobbies is something called “grab bagging”. He goes to thrift stores where they sell bags of items for $1.00 which have not sold in their store. He goes through them and keeps what he can use, and then donates the rest to different charities. Mark has attended several churches in the area including Arden SDA church ever since he moved here. He has developed many friendships at Arden and he decided to make Arden his church home. He joined in December of last year and we are so very happy he did. Welcome Mark!

While praying one day a woman asked, “Who are you, God?” He answered, “I Am.” But, who is I AM? she asked. He replied, “I Am Love, I Am Peace, I Am Grace, I Am Joy, I Am Strength, I Am Safety. I Am Shelter. I Am Power, I Am The Creator, I Am The Comforter, I Am The Beginning and The End, I Am The Way, Truth, and The Light.” With tears in her eyes she looked toward Heaven and said, “Now I understand. But, who am I?” God tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes and whispered, “You Are Mine.”

March Birthdays

2 Glenn Cutchens 23 Gordon Burton 3 Elaine Velez 23 Sara Williams 4 Michael Creamer 24 Heather Darnell 7 Robert Kistler 24 Christopher Viar 7 Jeremy Pettit 25 Roza Tamas 9 Karen Roesner 26 Chris Allen 11 Amy Strange 26 Dolly Erskine 12 Janet Davis 27 Cindy Cottrell 13 Donna Trantham 27 Courtney Hodges 13 Ginnie Hakes 28 Dominique Carter 13 Bill Onuska 29 Julie Tullock 14 Ron Krum 29 Charlene Ingulfsen 18 Jim McKee 29 Richard Leonard 19 Danny Myers 30 Holly Clark 21 Nancy McDaniel 30 Art Hudson 23 Paula Stepp