Dear Palo Alto Adventist Church members and visitors, This is the beginning of a New Year and as we prepare for the challenges that are ahead, let us trust in God's leadership and directions in our lives. The events that followed the first Passover reveals God's desire and power to lead and deliver. The message this Sabbath takes a look as how God delivers His people when all human possibilities are exhausted. The words of Moses take centerstage: Stand Still and See! Scripture Reading Exodus 14:10-15 Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Palo Alto Adventist Church members and visitors, This Saturday, is the first Sabbath of the New Year. What a blessed way to start this year. For the followers of Jesus, the Passover Sabbath of His Crucifixion, must have been the most devastating experience in their lives. All hopes of their perceived future came crashing down before them—Their leader was arrested, tried and crucified. Before dawn that Sunday morning, the women set out for the tomb where Jesus was interred. On reaching the tomb, they made an unbelievable discovery—The tomb is opened and the Body of Jesus is missing. All four of the Gospels record versions of this event. In preparation for this Sabbath message, please read: Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-8, and John 20:1-8. Together, we will celebrate The Lord's Supper as we contemplate “The Glory of the Empty Tomb”. Scripture Reading Luke 24:1-8 Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, This Sabbath, our speaker is Elder Hyacinth Frank-Stephens. Scripture Reading: Matthew 8:23-27 Summary: Saturday, December 31, 2022, marks a perfect end to our current year. It is the last day of the week, last day of the month, and last day of the year. As a consequence, Sunday, January 1, marks a three way first: The first day of the week, first day of the month, and first day of the new year. This seems a good time to pause for a look back at the road traveled, and to reflect upon the experiences that have shaped our lives and the lives of others. Join me as I reflect, and seek to put these experiences in perspective and to focus on the lessons that may be learned from each. Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, This week it is my pleasure to deliver the Sabbath message to you on Christmas Eve. Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-11 Summary: If I ever had to make an argument against the concept of the Synoptic Gospels, the story of the Nativity would be my best argument. The synoptic gospels are supposed to be similar, however, in this story the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke could not be more different. The first point of difference is that Mark does not mention the nativity story at all.  Matthew and Luke mentioned it but the details are very different.   Our message this Sabbath is to look at this matter in detail and finish with a conclusion that celebrates the reason for His birth.  Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Salutation: Dear Saints in Christ, This Sabbath, our speaker is Elder Bert Williams. Sermon Title: “Gabriel Astounds and Perplexes” Scripture Reading: Luke 1:1-4 Summary: Gabriel was the bearer of tidings, both glad and troubling. Two women, Gabriel announced, were to have babies. One of the women, never able to bear children and far too old for it to be possible any longer, was, nevertheless, to receive the blessed gift. This was a great surprise, but it was not confusing. It was simply a miracle, and before long it became clear that, without a doubt, it was true. The message to the other woman was much more shocking. She, who had never been intimate with a man, was to become pregnant. How was this possible? To the man who was pledged to be her husband, the news wasn’t just shocking. The woman he loved and intended to marry had clearly been unfaithful to him. No other possibility existed. And then he had a dream. Could he believe what he was told in the dream? It’s an old familiar story. Don’t let its shock-value wear off. Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, This Sabbath our Divine Hour speaker is Elder Julian lake. Scripture Reading: John 1:46 Summary: Movies occupy a special place during the holiday season. They voice some of the most well-known messages about the "true meaning of Christmas". However, many of them lack any mention of Jesus. Can we really learn anything about the true meaning of Christmas through these films?

Dear Saints in Christ, This Sabbath, The Miramonte Christian School will be taking over the Divine Service with their Annual Christmas Program. Please join us as we journey together into the importance of the five women in Matthew’s genealogy. Sermon Title: The Women in the Genealogy of Jesus Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:3, 5-6 Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, This week our Divine Hour Speaker is our Elder Bert Williams. Please join me in welcoming him to the pulpit. Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:12-17 Summary: Because Jesus was fully human as well as divine, people often mistook His humble demeanor for weakness. However, there was plenty of evidence of strength for those willing to see. Here is an example that may seem surprising: The gospel writers never wrote of Jesus saying thank you to the people around Him. He is said to have given thanks to His Father before distributing the loaves and fishes on the Galilean hillside. He gave thanks before raising Lazarus from the dead. In the upper room at the time of the first Communion Jesus gave thanks to His Father. Now, should we be certain that He never said thank you to another human? Did Jesus ever thank Mary, Martha, and Lazarus for a nice weekend in their home? Did He thank Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried His cross? It wouldn’t surprise me if He did. Just because no instance was ever recorded does not mean that Jesus never said thank you to another person. Only a small fraction of Jesus’ words are recorded in the gospels. Nevertheless, we are simply not told in the gospels that Jesus ever said thank you to any human being. Here is the point: Jesus was in no one’s debt. He simply never was. Humans have always been in His debt. And Jesus always spoke truthfully. He would not speak idle words just to be polite. It is always a human being’s role to be thankful. This is not a two-way street. God is God. We are not. Our appropriate response is always, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, our speaker this Sabbath is Elder Bert Williams. Scripture Reading: Luke 8:45-46 Summary: Two people in Capernaum were desperate for healing miracles: The woman who had been bleeding for more than a decade and Jairus, whose daughter was gravely ill. Neither of them had the experience they had hoped for but both received what they needed. That is not an unusual outcome for those who seek out Jesus. Unexpected outcomes with Jesus continue to happen in our times, as well. Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, This Sabbath, our speaker is Elder Hyacinth Frank-Stephens. Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1, 26-27 Summary: I have had the privilege of observing young children at work, and have been blessed by the lessons they teach about the most mundane activities of our day-to-day lives. Join me as I recount two of these experiences. Marvel at the creative genius of these children, as they reflect the image of the God who created us all. Be inspired as we untap your own creative well as together we discover beautiful gems in the guise of children’s speech. Stand in awe at implicit faith and trust they display as they create their world and seek to explain to the adults in words we fail to understand. Then bask in the peace that comes with the knowledge that your heavenly father is greater to you than an earthly father is to them. Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, My message this Sabbath comes from the Book of Genesis and features the life of Joseph. Scripture Reading: Genesis 45:4-8 Summary: Joseph was Jacob's favorite son, the older of Rachel's two boys. This favor would land him in lots of trouble with his older brothers (Sons of Jacob's other wives). Out of pure jealously, his brothers sold him into slavery and ended up in Egypt. Branded a dreamer, his brothers made fun of the future of his dreams. What they did not know was, God had a plan. The story begins in Genesis 37 when he brought the father a bad report about his brothers. With the exception of chapter 38 , everything from chapter 37 through chapter 50 is about Joseph and the impact he had on the future of the children and generations of Jacob/Israel. What lessons can we learn from Joseph and his perspective of his misfortune? Let's take a closer look. Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h

Dear Saints in Christ, This Sabbath, we celebrate the Lord's Supper. I am extending an invitation to join us in person to share this most meaningful experience together. To those who are not able to make it to the sanctuary, I encourage you to prepare the wine and bread necessary to serve your family. Scripture Reading: John 13:19 - 27 Summary: It was the time of the Passover, Jesus and Disciples gathered in the upper room for the Passover. Jesus shared some significant information with them. We will review John's account of the Upper Room experience. Join Us This Sabbath. SUBSCRIBE to Palo Alto Adventist Church of Seventh-day Adventists on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/bderwssk Register for Live Zoom Webinar Here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3vzk62 ● Website: http://www.paloaltoadventist.org ● Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/4n8zcynh ● Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdxjx65h