Seffner Community Advent Christian Church

06/01/2026

Good Morning Church and friends. We finished our Penny Crusade yesterday with a flourish. I would like to commend the workers at our denomination headquarters in Charlotte, NC. and especially the Missions department for the promotional material they provided. I loved the videos. They helped put faces behind the money we raised. After four weeks the boys were ahead of the girls by over $ 100 but the girls came up big and won our friendly competition. The best part was we raised a total of $1,300 plus. We also used the bulletin inserts provided for Prayer emphasis month this May. Week four of the Bible benedictions theme was from Hebrews 13:20,21 (esv) "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with every thing good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Stay faithful
Pastor Gary

05/31/2026

05/29/2026

Sunday is the last week of our Penny Crusade. To this date the Boys have brought in $331.65 and the girls $228.02 for a combined total of $559.57. I think, if my memory serves me right, that the boys have a two year bragging rights streak. Can they make it three? Can we reach $1,000 total?

05/29/2026

Good Morning Church and friends. One of the signs of the last days which doesn't get a lot of attention but is front page news most days is the increase in mocking. The English Standard Version calls it scoffing. 2 Peter 3:3 (esv) "knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires." To my shame I must admit, I have done my share of mocking, trying to make myself (evil desires) look better at the expense of others. If we are to love one another, even our enemies (Matt. 5:44) then mocking must not be part of my life. I need to do better.
Stay faithful
Pastor Gary

05/28/2026

Good Morning Church and friends. I stated in an earlier post that my first job as a lobsterman's son was painting buoys. The next step was to actually go out on the boat as a helper (called a stern man in the business). Even that job progressed with age. As a young boy all I did at first was band the lobster claws. Next responsibility was preparing the bait bags for the next trap and finally emptying the traps themselves. The theory is a stern man helps you go faster, meaning you can haul more traps and hopefully catching more lobsters equaling more money. It is a biblical principle by the way. Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 (niv) " Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up, but pity the man (how many of you instantly thought of Mr. T from the T.V. show The A Team?) who falls and has no one to help him up."
Stay faithful
Pastor Gary

05/27/2026

Good Morning Church and friends. When the first Russian Cosmonaut made it into outer space (yes, they beat us into space but we got to the moon first) he made a tremendously arrogant, ignorant statement that he did not see heaven. There are several scripture passages that indicate there is a spiritual realm, perhaps a different dimension that we cannot see. Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 6 verse 12 that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." I know that God has been my protector many times even though I can't absolutely prove it. I love and believe all 8 verses of Psalm 121 in which the first two say, "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and earth."
Stay faithful
Pastor Gary

05/26/2026

Good Morning Church and friends. When I was a child in the 1950's and early 60's going to the movies was a big treat. Rockland Maine, where both my brother Greg and I were born was a 30 minute drive away. It had two movie theaters and a drive in during the summer, but if we wanted to see a blockbuster movie when it first came out we had to travel to the big city of Portland which was about a 90 minute drive away on the roads of that day. In 1962 two big movies came out that we went to Portland to see. The first was "The Sound of Music" and like every other 12 year old boy in America I fell in love with Lisel (sp?). The 2nd was "The Longest Day" about D Day in World War2 and we were all proud Americans. I dreamed of becoming a Marine. But then came Viet Nam and war lost its glamor. My draft number was high and with a student deferment, I did not have to go to Nam. Yesterday, Memorial Day, I watched "The Longest Day" again and with the movies theme song, Beethoven's fifth "Do Do Do Doom" ringing in my ears, I was 12 years old all over again. One of the best years of my life. Psalm 121:7,8 (esv) "The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and evermore."
Stay faithful
Pastor Gary

05/25/2026

Good Morning Church and friends. Happy Memorial Day! although Memorial Day is not necessarily a celebration but of sober reflection, appreciation and honor for the military men and women who died fighting for their (our) country. Many (dare I say a majority?) of whom were young people between 18-25 years of age. A soldiers life is one of hardship and sacrifice. Paul in a couple of places uses a soldier as a comparison to a Christian. One is in 2 Timothy 2:3,4 (esv) "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." As we honor those who gave their lives on the battle field let us also remember those men and women who have been martyred for their faith that others might know Jesus.
Stay faithful
Pastor Gary