THE FOCUS
NEWSLETTER OF THE FORTUNA SDA CHURCH
2301Rohnerville Rd. Fortuna Ca 95540 fsdaoffice@yahoo.com
Vol. 91 No. April 2024
The Preacher Who Can’t Say Jesus
FROM PASTOR DAN
ELDER’S MEETING
Tuesday, April 2nd, at 6:00 Pastor’s Office
FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEONS
Valerie Wikander And
The Staff and Students
Of Fortuna Jr. Academy
FJA
RUMMAGE SALE
PATHFINDERS
April OFFERINGS
April 6 Local Budget
April 13 Hope Channel
April 20 Local Budget
April 27 NCC Advance
100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
MAR. 31 EASTER SUNDAY
APR. 1-2 NO SCHOOL-INSERVICE
APR. 06 HEALTH NUGGET
POTLUCK
GARY KLEMP’S SERVICE
APR. 4-7 MINDFIT
APR. 08 HIS WAY OF HOPE BEGINS
APR. 11 SCHOOL BOARD 4:00
APR. 13 PASTOR IN PETROLIA
APR. 15-19 FJA WEEK OF PRAYER
APR. 18 CHURCH BOARD 6:30
APR. 27 COMMUNION
PASSOVER SABBATH
MAY 02 NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
MAY 10-12 PATHFINDER WORK-A-THON
MAY 12 MOTHER’S DAY
MAY 26-27 WORK BEE AT RAC
MAY 30 FJA GRADUATION
LABELS MAKE CENT$
From Anita:
HOT LUNCH SCHEDULE
APRIL 3RD – HAYSTACKS
APRIL 10TH - BURGERS & FRIES
APRIL 17TH – BAKED POTATOES
APRIL 24TH - LASAGNA
APRIL ANNIVERSARIES
APRIL BIRTHDAYs
THE FOCUS
NEWSLETTER OF THE FORTUNA SDA CHURCH
2301Rohnerville Rd. Fortuna Ca 95540 fsdaoffice@yahoo.com
Vol. 91 No. 3 March 2024
Wedding In the Sky
FROM PASTOR DAN
Every now and then the media carries stories of people getting married in exotic places, such as underwater. But no wedding that I have heard of was more surprising than the one that took place on Monday, May 30, 2005, up on top of Mt. Everest.
At 29,035 feet (8,850 meters), Everest is the highest point on planet earth. Even in the summer the thin air is bitingly cold, and fierce winds rake the summit. The mountain is a killer; hundreds have lost their lives trying to conquer it. But two young Nepalese climbers conquered Mount Everest; Moni Mulepati, 24, and her fiancé, Pem Dorjee, 23. With the weather turning treacherous, they briefly took off their oxygen masks and donned plastic garlands as they exchanged vows.
No organ, no procession, no attendants for this wedding. Only a white carpet of snow and a breathtaking view. But there were guests – some friends who climbed with them and took pictures. Because of the perilous conditions, the ceremony was kept brief, only ten minutes. Then the newlyweds and their friends headed down the mountain and back to Kathmandu, surprising their parents with the news.
The wedding was unconventional, and not just for its locale. The bride is from the Newar community, and the groom is a Sherpa; an unusual pairing in a country where most marriages are arranged by parents and people tend to stick to their castes. “With our interracial marriage we also wanted to give the message that caste and race have no barriers when it comes to marriage,” said Dorjee, the groom.
What a wedding! What a couple. What courage – not only to climb Mt. Everest (can you imagine the incredible breathtaking views they saw?) but to cut across what their culture expected.
In Revelation 19:7 (NKJV) we read, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
There will be another wedding – a wedding in the sky. It will take place at the most desired place in the universe. No dangers there, no need for a quick ceremony and a hasty retreat.
Soon and very soon Jesus will take His bride, His beautiful bride. She will wear white, pure white, the fine linen of His righteousness. (Revelation 19:8, NKJV) What a day that will be! Let’s plan to be there and we all can be there through the power of God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit. May God richly bless you!
Pastor Dan
FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEONS
The fellowship lunches for the month of MARCH will be on Sabbath, March the 2nd and Sabbath, March 16th . Watch for more details about the type of meal we will be having. The potluck on the 2nd is ASIAN themed. Remember to bring enough food for your family and at least four more. If you see someone visiting on a potluck Sabbath, be sure and let them know and invite them over!!
Hello Church Family,
The rain has been keeping us all cooped up this past month and our students are full of energy. We had a field trip to the Marine Biology Lab in Trinidad and a birthday party for Dr. Seuss’s 120th birthday in February. We are excited about a Field Trip to Dick Taylor Chocolates the middle of March and then Spring Break at the end of the month. We currently have friends from the Crescent City Church staying on our campus and are happy to have them helping watch over things while they are down here for work.
Home and School are busy collecting donations for our next rummage sale which we hope to have in April or May. If you have nice, clean things that you would like to donate please contact Tim Whitchurch. We really appreciate all the hours that he and his volunteers put into this fundraiser.
We are currently looking for a new Home and School leader for next year. If you have any interest please contact Pastor Dan, Tim, or any of the school staff.
Also, we are currently searching for a compatible teacher/principal for our school next year. Miss Celia has been a blessing to us this year, but her commitment is over at the end of the year. Please pray for the Lord to help us find someone that will fit in with our school, its students, staff and mission.statement. If you know anyone that you think may be interested point them our way. Thank you for continuing to support our students.
The Staff and Students
Of Fortuna Jr. Academy
PRAYER SABBATH
Remember the 4th Sabbath of the month is our time of unified prayer after church in Pastor’s office. This month it will be on Sabbath, March 23rd. Please join us. If you can’t join us but have prayer requests, please share them with someone who is going, and we will include them.
PATHFINDERS
Our Pathfinders and our pathfinder leaders want to thank eveyone who came out and supported them at their Enchilada dinner. They appreciate the love, support and fellowship of their church family . The kids continue to work on their quilting honor and gearing up for their big trip to Wyoming!!
MARCH OFFERING
Mar.02 Local Budget Mar.09 Adv. World Radio
Mar.16 Local Budget Mar.23 Local Conference
Mar.30 Local Budget
ADULT SABBATH SCHOOL CLASSES
There are three adult study classes for you to attend each Sabbath. There is a class in the front, on the left side of the church. A class downstairs in the room marked “blue room”. Also, a class in the Pastor’s office. The studies begin at 10:00. You are invited to attend any or all!!
he series “Upheaval” is currently on Wednesday nights at 6:00. The first evening they met, there were approximately 23 people attending! The last Wednesday of this series is March 27th.
Kevin Barnhart will be facilitating a four day presentation entitled “Mindfit”. Looking at ways to minister to others and learning ways to help our mental and emotional health through the gospel. Ways to handle stress, loss, grief. Things all of us are familiar with in today’s world. Talk to Kevin or Pastor Dan for more information. Fourn nights, April 4-7 at 6:00pm in the sanctuary.
After the completion of this series, we will begin another series on Monday, April 8th. This series is entitled “Share Him”. The meetings will be M/W/F each week. We will soon have more information regarding this series. We will be doing mass invitations again. There are quite a few meetings but we hope you can attend some or all and bring someone with you. Please pray for all involved, all who attend and for the Holy Spirit to lead.
REACH OUT,
YOU ARE LOVED.
If you are personally experiencing a need for individual, compassionate, intercessory prayer and support, we now have a dedicated TEXT number that someone from the church will respond to. They will contact you and see how they can minister to you. These folks have a heart to reach out and be there for their fellow members.
The number to TEXT is 1-833-255-027
MAR. 02 HEALTH NUGGET/ AND POTLUCK/ASIAN THEME
MAR. 09 PASTOR- MIRANDA
MAR. 10 BARBARA KANEN’S CELEBRATION
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
MAR. 14 SCHOOL BOARD
MAR. 16 POTLUCK
MAR. 17 ST. PATRICK’S DAY
MAR. 23 UNIFIED PRAYER SABBATH
MAR. 27 UPHEAVAL ENDS
MAR. 28 CHURCH BOARD
MAR. 30 COMMUNION ? ?
MAR. 31 EASTER SUNDAY
APR.4-7 MINDFIT
APR. 08 SHARE HIM BEGINS
May 02 NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
*Wednesday nights 6-7 Upheaval
*Saturday nights 6-7 The Chosen
*Share Him. M/W/F at 6:00 starting APRIL 8TH
KARRIE HAHN
When we are reeling with the immediate pain of an acute injury, our bodies instinctively reach to protect the injured area. If we stub our toe, we reach down and grab it quickly and apply gentle pressure. This instinctive response of our physical bodies gives us a glimpse of what life in the body of Christ should look like. When one member of the body of Christ experiences suffering and pain, other members should instinctively and immediately come to their aid with loving care, compassion, and support. The church is repeatedly called the Body of Christ in the bible. If one member suffers and the other members ignore or fail to come to the aid of the member in need, then severe dysfunction is present in that church body. To be sure, some of us have experienced the pain that comes when the Body of Christ does not respond to our suffering. Perhaps our wounds were even inflicted within the church itself. As much as we strive to obey the Lord’s will for the church, it will never function perfectly in this world. Our hope, therefore, is not in a perfect church but rather in the perfect Lord of the church who sees our struggles, hears our cries and is faithful and merciful to us in our distress. Christians have the perfect opportunity to visibly and tangibly display the glory of a relational, healing God when we minister to members of our own church body. And as we grow in this love through the power of the Holy Spirit, may the world increasingly look and say of us, “See how they love one another!”
Karrie Hahn is an editor for Christian publications and a certified biblical counselor.
March Birthdays & Anniversaries