May 2021 Carolina's 10,000 P5
1. REMEMBERING THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE GIFT FOR OUR FREEDOM
On Monday, May 31, our nation will commemorate its traditional Memorial Day holiday. It is a day that we set aside to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
On this day the flag of the US is to be flown to the half pole till noon and to the full post after noon till the evening on Memorial Day. In 1868, then congressman James Garfield (who eventually became the 20th President of the United States) made the following remark in his address at Arlington National Cemetery:
“I am oppressed with a sense of the impropriety of uttering words on this occasion. If silence is ever golden, it must be here beside the graves of fifteen thousand men, whose lives were more significant than speech, and whose death was a poem, the music of which can never be sung.”
In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which encourages Americans to observe a moment of silence at 3 p.m. local time to remember those who have died in service.
Most people think of Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, but it is also one of America’s most solemn civic holidays. It is important for Americans to take the time to stop and remember those who have given their lives to uphold and defend the Constitution and especially pray for those who have suffered an incomprehensible loss of loved ones.
To put it simply, Memorial Day is for the American troops who didn't come back home to be celebrated with a homecoming party or quietly retire from their branch of service. Sadly, they died in the field of combat and instead returned home under solemn circumstances, inside flag-draped coffins.
In our nation’s capital, bustling city centers, and quiet green parks across our great country, monuments stand dedicated to great military leaders, service members who performed acts of valor, and singular moments of victory. Occupying their rightful place of honor, these monuments proudly display the gratitude of a nation, and movingly bring-to-mind our solemn obligation to never forget those who gave their lives so we could live ours in peace and security.
Join me this month in thanking God for their courage and for the amazing gift of freedom that you and I enjoy here in our homeland. As Christians, we look forward to that glorious eternity when the heartache of death and sorrow will be erased from our memory.
2. PRAYING FOR OUR CHURCH SCHOOLS
As we began this school year last August, our teachers, our churches, and our school boards worked tirelessly together to safeguard the reopening of our schools and minimizing the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus by ensuring that our schools follow federal guidelines of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), state and local guidelines, and the directives of the Emergency Response Team of the Carolina Conference.
As a result, we can thank the Lord that none of our teachers or students in our Carolina church schools have lost their lives or have been affected in any significant manner by this dangerous viral epidemic that has tragically impacted over 400,000 lives in the United States alone.
We need to never forget in uplifting our church schools, our teachers and the precious lives of our children and youth that have been entrusted to us. They are our sacred treasure to be educated and nurtured to become a blessing on earth and a saved soul for all eternity.
As we close the pages of our 2020-2021 school year, we highlight our fourth and final list of educators from our largest church school in the Carolina Conference. Please uplift them in our prayers this month.
3. PRAYING FOR OUR PASTORS & THEIR CHURCH DISTRICTS
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these words of encouragement were penned for our churches: “Ask of me, and I will answer your requests. The promise is made on condition that the united prayers of the church are offered, and in answer to these prayers there may be expected a power greater than that which comes in answer to private prayer. The power given will be proportionate to the unity of the members and their love for God and for one another.” [9MR, 303]
Praying for our pastors is very important. They are serving God and the attacks of the enemy are relentless. They must be covered in our prayers on a daily basis. Our prayers should be personalized by saying the title of pastor along with their name since they hold a position of sacred trust for God’s remnant church.
Why not pray specifically for our pastors by name using these seven needs and scriptural promises:
For Protection from Satan — "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
For Protection from Our Own Sinful Hearts — "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." (James 1:14-15)
For Deep Spiritual Encouragement — "For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine." (Romans 1:11-12)
For Wisdom — "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (James 1:5)
For Doctrinal Faithfulness — "By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." (2 Timothy 1:14)
For A Healthy Body — "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:27)
For A Strong Marriage & Family — "Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church." (1 Timothy 3:2-6)
PASTOR CHURCH(ES); COMPANIES & GROUPS
1. Tom Hughes ......................................................................................................................................Pastor
Myrtle Beach SDA Church
2. John Huskins ................................................................................................Retired Interim Pastor
Tryon SDA Church
3. Victor Jaeger ...................................................................................................................................Pastor
Columbia First SDA Church Lexington Spanish SDA Church* Columbia Spanish Mission SDA Group*
4. Sung Jang .........................................................................................................................................Pastor
Columbia Korean SDA Church
5. Courtney Jimenez ................................................Assistant Children’s Ministries Pastor
Asheville Foster SDA Church
6. Henry Johnson II ........................................................................................................................Pastor
Greenville South SDA Church
Pickens SDA Church*
7. Cornelius Kamei .........................................................................................................................Pastor
Beaufort SDA Church Hilton Head SDA Church
*Serving as an overseeing pastor in partnership with a Volunteer Lay Leader (VLL) or a Volunteer Lay Pastor (VLP)
4. PRAYING FOR OUR DEPARTMENTAL MINISTRIES
Last year, starting with our April, 2019 issue of P5, we began highlighting a department of the conference each month – not so much as to give a full-length report of all that they have been doing or are accomplishing, but rather to simply uplift in our prayers all our leaders and their faithful service. The ministries of the Carolina Conference are basically structured under 6 organizational departmental functions. They include:
1. The Adventist Christian Book Center
2. Camp Meeting
3. Administration
4. Outreach
5. Church Ministries
6. Children & Young Adults
Over the past few months, we have focused our prayers with the departmental functions of
Administration and Outreach. We continue our focus on the next department that is designated as a vital part of the Church Ministries in the Carolina Conference:
During this month of April, I invite you to prayerfully uplift our
Children’s Ministries Department under the leadership of Kathy Russell and her secretary, Jayme Rouse.
The goal of the Children’s Ministries Department is to provide training and resources for the Children’s Ministries leaders in our churches across Carolina Conference. It is their desire to give encouragement and share ideas with children’s ministries leaders to help them point the children of their church and community to Jesus’ love and salvation freely provided to them.
Through the use of active learning experiences in Sabbath School, camp meetings, Vacation Bible School (VBS) and many other children’s evangelistic outreach opportunities, we want each child to be introduced to the love of Jesus in such a way that they will want to love Him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love their neighbors as themselves. Since children are special gifts from the Lord, let us each determine that we will do all in our power to influence the children we meet by reaching out to them in a positive way for Jesus!
5. SATURATED WITH THE WORD – Fundamental Belief # 22 – Christian Behavior
As a President’s Prayer Partner, we again invite you to truly be a people of the Word. As Seventh-day Adventists, we embrace 28 Fundamental truths that are based on the Bible alone. This is the second cycle in our emphasis on these vital beliefs that are centered in Christ as our Savior and as our Lord.
Let’s continue to place His Word prayerfully in our hearts each day of this month. I carry a set of these passages with me in my car and repeat them aloud as I drive from place to place. My goal is to prayerfully say one verse at least five times a day for a week, thus embracing the promise of God’s Word – “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119:11.
Repeat these passages over and over till they become a part of your very being. Of course, you can always choose to do more. Prayerfully consider how you can saturate your soul and make His Word a part of your heart every day.
FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF # 22: Christian Behavior We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with biblical principles in all aspects of personal and social life. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things that will produce Christ like purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness.
A. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV) – “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
B. Proverbs 3: 5-6 (NKJV) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
C. A. Romans 12:1 (ESV) – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
D. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) -“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.”
6. PRAISE & PRAYERS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS
Between now and the completion of this year, I would like to highlight three Special Projects in the Carolina Conference which need our focus, prayers and support. Here’s a schedule for the remaining months of 2021:
Our Focus for May:
Mills River Seventh-day Adventist School
Turning Students into Spiritual Leaders
Mills River SDA School has been so important to the community that they have grown in student attendance over the last few years! They desperately need space to accommodate full time students. They also provide a home school enrichment day once a week for homeschooled students to have classes in an environment with their peers. Enrichment classes include choir, art, guitar, physical education, Spanish and educational field trips. Many families need the option of Christian education for their children.
Due to the ever-increasing numbers with which they have been blessed, it is their hope and plan to start construction on a new school building in 2021. Since the school keeps tuition fees as low as possible, income is only enough to maintain the school and they do not have any funds for a new building.
Will you please consider blessing this church school building project with your generous contribution? Simply make your tax-deductible donation payable to Mills River SDA Church or online giving at:
Mark the memo for: School Building Project. You may see the proposed building at:
We know that through faith, God will provide the needs of our church school in Mills River. Please join with us by adding the Mills River SDA School Project to your prayer list. May Heaven open up generous hearts to assist in the accomplishment of their needs.
7. REMEMBERING AND UPLIFTING GOD’S ANOINTED LEADERS FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN CONTINUOUS PRAYER
Be part of God’s praying church across North America by uplifting these leaders also in the Pacific Union of Seventh-day Adventists and the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada who guide God’s work in these territories of God’s vineyard:
