Déjà vu vs. Vuja de

Ever heard of Vuja de? I hadn't either. Until I began reading Adam Grant's new book, Originals: How Non-conformists Move the World. Grant, the 36 year old American psychologist and author who teaches organizational psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has spent the last ten years researching the how's and why's, the in's and out's, of originality. read more

Feature Announcement

Two Grateful Thank You's

On behalf of the Pioneer Family, I would like to express two very grateful Thank-you’s to God for two vital groups of volunteers.

THANK YOU #1—for all our Pioneer volunteer leaders and team members who have so faithfully and creatively served this congregation through every church ministry over these past two years. From our Nursery Sabbath School on to every age-ascending Sabbath School division—from the traditional Cradle Roll to Kindergarten to Primary and Junior and Earliteen and Teen and Adult Sabbath Schools—there is no collective ministry that is larger and works harder than all of you women and men and youth who volunteer hours every week to delivering your 60-minute program—God bless you and thank you!

And to our team of elders, who model spiritual leadership, by leading a GROW Group, shepherding the flock, and guiding our worship—we thank God for your dedicated ministry for Christ. And for our burgeoning teams of deacons, deaconesses, greeters, host and hostesses, and ushers—God bless you, too, for your cheerful faithfulness from Sabbath to Sabbath. Without our Sabbath morning ministry teams, Pioneer would simply not be Pioneer.

And to all our volunteers GROW Group leaders, associate leaders, and GROW Group participants—growing disciples for Jesus is what you, too, do—and we collectively thank God for you. And for our youth organizations—Adventurers, Pathfinders—where our young are shaped through training and recreation into youthful disciples for Jesus. And for our many ministry committees—from Finance to Flowers to Funeral Dinners, from Social to Family Life to Home and School to Prayer Ministry, from Traffic Ministry to Jail Ministry, et al—you are the heartbeat of Pioneer in between Sabbaths week after week—and we thank you!

All of your hard work and devoted service are a legacy for the new leaders who are joining the Team.

THANK YOU #2—for all our new Pioneer volunteer leaders and team members whose names appear on the multi-paged report of our Nominating Committee that we will vote on this Sabbath. Whether you’re a first time leader or a returning veteran volunteer, it’s an honor to thank you on behalf of our congregation for your cheerful willingness to say YES to the invitation of the Nominating Committee to serve this congregation. I believe the Spirit of God has guided our leadership selection team, whose mission has been to fill every volunteer position here at Pioneer. And I believe He guided in your selection, so I and all of us are praying that God will anoint and empower you every day of this new two-year journey for His calling in the adventure ahead. “For such a time as this,” you have come into the service of God’s Kingdom. And we are grateful for you.

A special expression of gratitude to David Nowack and members of the Nominating Committee (our leadership selection team) for making the hundreds of phone calls it always takes to line up a list of leaders this long! The individuals on this committee, as you will note, are listed on the last page of their report.

And so this Sabbath, June 30, in both worship services we will not only vote this brand new slate of leaders but during our worship, we will collectively gather before God in “A Pioneer Prayer for Leaders.” And I hope that you’ll be able to attend one of the two services (9 AM and 11:45 AM). What better moment for dedication than on the day before our new term begins—and what better place for dedication than at the foot of the cross.

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)

—Dwight K. Nelson

Feature Announcement

Summer Exercise Classes

H2OFit
Monday & Wednesday • 7:30-8:15 AM
Beaty Pool—July 2 to August 22 (no July 4 class).

ToBoFit
Tuesdays & Thursdays • 5:00-5:50 PM Lamson Hall Health Club— resumes July 10 to August 9.

These FREE classes are co-ed and part of the PMC Health Ministries. They are open to anyone 18 years and older. Check out www.HealthTent.org for updated schedule postings.