• WE ARE PLANNING TO REMAIN OPEN NOVEMBER 28 AND FOLLOWING @ 9:30am but remain under the state of Ohio mask mandate. Which means everyone at church 10 years of age and older must wear a face covering of some kind (free and available at the doors) except officiants in a religious service, those with a medical condition or disability and those communicating with someone with a disability. The church has been cleaned and signs posted. Some pews will not be available. Hand sanitizer is available at the doors. If you're not sick, immuno-compromised, previously exposed to Covid 19, and are willing to follow these recommendations, you're welcome to join us!
• BUT IF LUCAS COUNTRY GOES PURPLE we will once again close all in person services (including children's Sabbath schools) and go back online. So check the voicemail at church (419-882-6200), church website, or Facebook page BEFORE you leave for church this week and in the future. Only tech team and participants leading worship are invited to church if / when Lucas County goes / remains purple to help us stream worship via Facebook Live, Church Website, and Church Roku Channel.
• IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DE TOLEDO CONTINUES @ 11AM in church fellowship hall (but may be canceled if Lucas County goes purple). Tenemos servicio en español en la sala del comedor todos los sábados de 11-1:15. 
• DIAL IN SABBATH SCHOOL AND CHURCH will not be available this week.
• CHILDREN'S SABBATH SCHOOLS Cradle Roll (0-2) and Kindergarten (3-6) will now be meeting in the school (but will be canceled if Lucas County goes purple). Primary (7-9) will be meeting in the fellowship hall, and teachers request that all children wear masks if able to. Juniors (10-12) will meet in their usual classroom same time in the daycare area and Youth (13+) will continue meeting in Youth room. Singspiration for all ages remains in sanctuary and begins at 9:30am.
• CHRISTVENTISTS SERMON SERIES CONTINUES NOV 28 The apostolic church in Acts learned to hold tightly to Jesus and the teachings of Jesus. And thus became known by their love for Jesus and the world God so loved. Join us in person / online / Roku / dial in telephone Zoom continuing November 28.
• MISS A MESSAGE? Did you know you can read the sermon notes via PDF by clicking this link for Pastor's Mike's Sermons?
• ARBORS OF SYLVANIA STOCKINGS My friend Michelle (social worker at Arbors of Sylvania 7120 Port Sylvania Dr, Toledo, OH 43617) is hoping to fill 60 stockings for their residents. Stuff like candy, lotions, shampoos, coloring books etc. Are you able to help? If so, bring your items to church office before DEC 18.
• LORD OF THE FLIES? Worship and prayer still changes lives. When a group of schoolboys were marooned on an island in 1965 for 15 months, it turned out very differently from William Golding’s bestseller Lord of the Flies. Enjoy this short true story.
• CAR ACCIDENT A church member was in a car accident on November 16 which totaled the car. She was taken to the hospital and thankfully walked out of the accident with only a sprained wrist and minor bruises. She is looking for an affordable used car. She would also welcome someone knowledgeable about cars to go with her if she finds one to buy. Contact the church office if you're able to assist.
• LOVING MY ACTUAL NEIGHBOR BOOK As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. We may even grasp that 'neighbor' encompasses more than just the people living next door or down the street. But what we too often don't know is how to begin. How do we love our neighbor? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world? Loving My Actual Neighbor offers practical, start-now steps listeners can take to love their neighbors. And the audio version (5.4 hours long) is avail this month for free at Christian Audio.
• ROOM TO SPARE? Received a request from Marchita Gilson (a friend of many from Toledo First) about a gentleman in his 40s who is taking a promotion at Amazon but it means a transfer to Rossford. His wife is one of the church school teachers in Worthington. Do you know of anyone with a spare room who would be willing to have him stay for a week while he looks for an apartment?
• THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WATER BOTTLE DONATIONS. We do not need any more!
• SPECIAL VESPERS CONCERT BY TED ORLET, son of Toledo First members Loni and Will Orlet, on December 5 @ 5pm. Ted is a music teacher at Eastwood Junior Academy in Westerville, OH and will bless us with his talent.
• SIX WEEK GROUPS CONTINUE The church is designed to pray, read, and share in small groups (Acts 2:42)! [social distancing and safety precautions required by the State of Ohio remain]. You could choose a book from the church office, the top ten lists below, or a topic that you would like to lead out in, and we will help you advertise! The upcoming dates for the Wednesday evening groups will be Dec 2, 9, & 16. The church Zoom account is also available for those who prefer to meet online. Contact the church office for details.
• WHY PRAY? Because:
  • God hears our prayers. "As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me" (Micah 7:7).
  • Our prayers make a difference. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
  • We have been made right with God. "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are" (Romans 3:22).
  • Our requests are in line with God’s will. "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him" (1 John 5:14).
• FORECASTING HOPE MOVES TO YOUTUBE Previously published links for Forecasting Hope expired NOV 15, 2020. But the good news is the entire Forecasting Hope Series is now avail on DVD (see church office) and on YouTube (click previous link).
• FOOD PANTRY NEEDS. Our food pantry is also available to you! It is open Wednesdays from noon to 3pm and also after church by appointment. Please see Cathie Heath for assistance.
• 4TH QUARTER BIBLE STUDY GUIDES a.k.a Quarterlies are available for pick up in the foyer at church and in the yellow Signs Magazine box under the canopy entrance at church. This new quarter's study begins OCT 3, 2020. The lessons are about "Education". You can also download Bible Study Guide here. Or search in your app store (search for the blue and white "Sabbath School" logo in the category Education) and study in your app as well.
• SAVE THOUSANDS ON TUITION TO ADVENTIST COLLEGE Did you know students can clep out of many college courses saving thousands of tuition dollars and maximizing their time at Adventist college by studying Saylor Academy's free online courses at their own pace, paying to take a comprehensive exam, and transfering credits to participating universities? Go to https://www.saylor.org/about/ for more info!
• TRUTHLINK Our world is filled with dark rumors and misinformation about God that has many people either running from Him in horror or trying to serve Him like slaves. [truth]LINK.org is a unique Bible study experience that achieves a high level of doctrinal clarity while showing the centrality of God’s love to every biblical truth. All you have to do is log in and get started. With the completion of each lesson, you have access to the next topic. [truth]LINK is easy to take with you on your phone or tablet, as well, so you can pick up at any time, anywhere, right where you left off in the series. I just finished these and highly recommend for friends and family.
• TEN COMMANDMENTS BEFORE SINAI? The ten commandments precede Sinai. We know this is true because references to the ten commandments exist in some form or fashion prior to Sinai. And God could not hold those breaking them accountable if there was no law (Romans 4:15).
  • Genesis 35:1 (No other Gods?)
  • Genesis 35:2 (No graven images?)
  • Genesis 24:3 (No taking God's name in vain?)
  • Genesis 2:3 / Exodus 16:28-29 (No seventh day Sabbath?)
  • Genesis 27:41 (No honoring father and mother?)
  • Genesis 4:7-9 (No murder?)
  • Genesis 39:6-9 (No adultery?)
  • Genesis 44:5 (No stealing?)
  • Genesis 39:10-12,16-17 (No false witness?)
  • Genesis 12:18 (No coveting?) 
• TEN COMMANDMENTS AFTER SINAI AND THE CROSS? The ten commandments remain. We know this is true because references to the ten commandments exist in some form or fashion after Sinai and the Cross. And God could not hold those breaking them accountable if there was no law (Romans 4:15).
  • Colossians 3:4 (Don't be greedy...worshiping the things of this world - no other Gods?)
  • Colossians 3:5 (For a greedy person is an idolater - no graven images?)
  • Colossians 3:8 (Now is the time to get rid of...dirty language - no taking God's name in vain?)
  • Matthew 24:20 / Hebrews 4:9 / Revelation 14:6-7 (There is a seventh day Sabbath keeping that remains - remember the seventh day Sabbath?)
  • Ephesians 6:1-3 (Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord - honoring father and mother?)
  • Colossians 3:8 / 1 John 3:5 (But now is the time to get rid of anger / no murder?)
  • Colossians 3:5 (Have nothing to do with sexual immorality - no adultery?)
  • Ephesians 2:8 (Quit stealing - no stealing?)
  • Colossians 3:9 (Don't lie - no false witness?)
  • Colossians 3:5 NKJV (Put to death covetousness - no coveting?)
• PRAY FOR HOPE! APOCALYPSE OF HOPE PROPHECY SEMINAR POSTPONED until April 16, 2021 - May 15, 2021. Join me in asking God to give us the opportunity to provide this series of Christocentric grace based hope filled meetings next spring.
• WANNA N.E.W. S.T.A.R.T? Try focusing on better:
  • Nutrition. Protein comes from plants too!
  • Get more Exercise. Walk an intentional mile every day
  • Drink more Water. I like the Kroger carbonated kind
  • Take vitamin D3 supplements and try to get some daily Sunshine
  • Temperance means abstaining from that which is harmful and moderation in that which is good
  • Fresh Air especially at night if possible through open open windows; implement and practice daily deep breathing exercises
  • Rest. Not just on Sabbath but shutting off screens earlier to get 8 hours of sleep too
  • Time with God. Not just on Sabbath but at the beginning and end of every day
• SUPPORT ADVENTIST PUBLISHING BY SHOPPING ON AMAZON? YES! Simply start at www.pacificpress.com/amazon (bookmark it!). There, click the image that says “SHOP. CONNECT. ENJOY” That will open Amazon, where you shop as normal. When you check out, Amazon will send a percentage (1–10%, depending on the product category) of your total purchase (but not what you purchase) to Pacific Press.
• CHILD PROTECTION SCREENING PROCESS Now would be a good time to get recertified. The new web-based platform features a training and screening system for both employees and volunteers across all conferences in the division. All volunteers and employees may register by going to: http://www.ohioadventist.org/  and selecting Sterling Volunteers on the top of the web page.
• ELLEN WHITE WEBSITE The internet is a blessing and a curse. One blessing comes in the form of a new website sharing balanced Seventh-day Adventist explanations of Ellen White and the 25 million words, 100k pages, and 49 books she wrote with a third grade education during her lifetime. The curse comes from the myriad of sites sharing inaccurate or intentionally misleading conclusions regarding her ministry. Whether others find her writings helpful or not, shouldn't one make that decision on reputable sources? One of my favorite quotes from her pen is: "Truth can afford to be fair."
• DO YOU KNOW HOW YOUR TITHE DOLLARS ARE DISTRIBUTED? By far the largest portion of tithes in the North American Division (NAD) stays locally. For example, this is how a $100 portion of tithes are distributed in the NAD (based on 2018 figures). $66 stays in the local conference (Ohio for us); $10 goes to Defined Benefit Retirement; $9 goes to the Union Conference (Columbia Union Conference for us); $9.15 goes to the NAD; $5.85 goes to the General Conference. This information is taken from the Follow the Funds article on page 11 of the May 2020 issue of Adventist Journey.
• TOP TEN LIST OF JESUS BOOKS FOR NEW ADVENTISTS I'm giving each of my children a box of my fave books. We often give away Tyner's and Vendon's books as graduation gifts. Make sure you, your kids and grandkids have read these! Try adventistbookcenter.com before Amazon
  • As Light Lingers by Nina Atcheson
  • Searching for the God of Grace by Stuart Tyner
  • Salvation by Faith and Your Will by Morris Vendon
  • Surprised by Love by Elizabeth Talbot
  • I Used to Be Perfect by George Knight
  • It’s All About Him by Lee Vendon
  • Knowing God in the Real World by Jon Paulien
  • Why Didn’t They Tell Me? by Morris Vendon
  • Beyond Common Ground: Why Liberals and Conservatives Need Each Other by Alden Thompson
  • The Eleventh Commandment by Dwight Nelson
  • The Faith I Highly Recommend by John McLarty
• TOP TEN LIST OF ADVENTIST RESOURCE BOOKS I'm giving each of my children another box of my fave Adventist resource books to help them. Maybe they will help you too?
  • 52 Sabbath Activities for Teen Groups by Don Pate
  • Pause for Peace by Clifford Goldstein
  • Light Bearers to the Remnant by R.W. Schwarz
  • Questions on Doctrine edited by George Knight
  • Joyful Noise by Ed Christian
  • Daniel: Wisdom to the Wise by Zdravko Stefanovic 
  • Revelation of Jesus Christ by Ranko Stefanovic
  • In Granite or Ingrained? by Skip MacCarty
  • Graffiti in the Holy of Holies by Clifford Goldstein
  • Ellen White Under Fire by Jud Lake
  • God’s Character and the Last Generation edited by Jiri Moskala
  • Homosexuality, Marriage, and the Church edited by Roy Gane
• ROKU If you have Roku, and would like to watch Sabbath School (Saturdays 9:30am) and Church (Saturdays 11am), search "Streaming Channels" in Roku for "Toledo First SDA Church" and bam, there you go. Enjoy! #HappySabbath!
• CALL EM ALL The latest updates are available on Thursdays via TF Headline News email and when necessary, via 30 second voicemail messages as well. If you do not receive the weekly church emails and phone messages, you may want to submit current email addresses and phone numbers to the church office (419) 882-6200; office@toledofirstadventist.org.
• THE ADVENTIST GIVING APP We want to continue to give Toledo First the opportunity to participate in the worship of giving. While you can always do so via the church website (tfsda.org), you could also download The Adventist Giving App available in both iOS Appstore and Android’s Google Play store. Just search using keyword “AdventistGiving” to download the App to your phone or tablet and thank you for continuing to support your local church!
• FRIENDSHIP DINNERS AND FELLOWSHIP MEALS POSTPONED until further notice.
• CHERRY STREET MEALS Volunteers are always needed to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner especially on Sundays and Thanksgiving. You can call Community Relations Manager Susan Graalman at 419-214-3357 or 419-214-3419. You can also email her at volunteer@cherrystreetmission.org.  
• BATTLE PLAN CHURCH CHAT "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God." - Colossians 3:16 (ASV) Are you struggling with anxiety, addiction, depression, loneliness throughout the week? Get connected with our church chat! Be strengthened by sharing scripture, devotional thought, praise, prayer requests and connecting with fellow believers morning (7a-8a), noon (12-1p) and/or evening (7p-8p). Text Brandi @ 765-716-2190 with your preferred time and get connected! "Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too." - 1 Peter 5:8-9 (TLB)
• BEST ADVENTIST RECIPE SWAP If you're looking for a favorite vegetarian or vegan recipe from academy, church, or some Adventist friend made for you, it's probably here! Search Facebook for Best Adventist Recipe Swap. Enjoy!
• JESUS MOVIES I Still Believe, Ray of Hope, The Chosen (Season 1: Episodes 1-8); A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Harriet, Just Mercy, The Apostle, The Pilgrim's Progress, Luther, Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey, Faith, Hope & Love, Christmas Grace; The Nativity Story; The Star; The Conscientious Objector (2004); The Ultimate Gift; Shadowlands; The Shack; Cutback; Soul Surfer; Grace UnPlugged; End of the Spear; The Mission; Beautifully Broken; Running for Grace; Steve McQueen: American Icon; The Resurrection of Gavin Stone; Expelled - No Intelligence Allowed; Is Genesis History?; God's Not Dead; Fireproof; War Room; The Case for Christ; The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry; Amazing Grace; Once I Was a Beehive; I Can Only Imagine.
• GEOSCIENCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE If you've never heard of the Geoscience Research Institute, here's their website https://www.grisda.org. Established in 1958, this organization is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a mission to discover and share an understanding of nature and its relationship with the Biblical revelation of the Creator God. It has all kinds of resources and articles related to intelligent design and evolution and dinosaurs and many other interesting subjects. I enjoy reading their quarterly email update. You can subscribe by clicking here and filling out the form asking to be included in their quarterly e-newsletter.
• NEW SERMONS Please see church website for sermon archives and more info at tfsda.org.
  • NOV 28 - Christventists Part 4: Obey Faithfully (Pastor Mike preaching from Acts 4:12-22)
  • DEC 5 - Christmas Tunes: O Little Town of Bethlehem (Pastor Mike preaching from Matthew 2:1-6) 
  • DEC 12 - Christmas Tunes: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (Pastor Mike preaching Luke 2:8-14)
  • DEC 19 - Christmas Program (Elder Rose Cross and Pastor Mike leading worship)
• OUR STORY Our church website has an excellent downloadable resource featuring our story and explanation of our unique Christian Adventist emphasis. It's called the Toledo First Assimilation Manual and if you've never read it, I would encourage you to do so. And don't forget, God loves you like crazy. And so do we (2 Corinthians 5:13-14 NLT)!
• OUR WELCOME We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, y no habla ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds. We welcome you if you sing like Andrea Bocelli or can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re just browsing, just woke up, or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism. We welcome service dogs and their handlers. We welcome Muslims, Jews, politicians, and sinners like us. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk- food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems, or you’re down in the dumps, or you don’t like “organized religion;” we’ve been there too. If you blew all your offering money at the casino, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, who work hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or come because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church. We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid, or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers, doubters, bleeding hearts...and you.

Love ye,