Every year, the GC Medical Missionary Department designates a Sabbath in January as a Health Awareness Sabbath. These Sabbaths provide an opportunity for local churches to involve health workers from their congregations in planning a Sabbath dedicated to specific health-related themes.
This year, the theme was "Temperance." Resources were distributed in advance, allowing local churches worldwide to delve into Christian Temperance and encourage members to set health goals for 2024.
The Sabbath's focus was on the practical application of temperance in exercise, sleep, emotional health, screen time, concluding with actionable tips to cultivate healthier habits.
Activities within the program included a nature walk on Sabbath afternoon and various community-oriented programs throughout the week, such as health lectures, cooking classes, and health fairs.
Here is a testimony from Sister Ophelia, from Georgia, USA, where the church embraced the Health Awareness theme as an outreach opportunity:
"We provided healthy finger foods, ginger tea, blood pressure checks, glucose sticks and a prayer corner. The health fair was engaging for our visitors, but the prayer corner sealed the deal! Many decided to come the following Sunday for our cooking class after feeling the peace and experiencing the fellowship. Praise the Lord for [the] Health Sabbath! I highly encourage every church to start preparing for this event starting in November to allow for plenty of time to send invitations and plan accordingly."
Note: All churches should receive this material to implement in their congregation. If you are not yet signed up to receive these materials, please email media@sdarm.org or get in touch with the Medical Missionary Department in your region.
Below are a few photos shared by our brethren in the USA, Zambia, and South Africa, showcasing their programs. Additionally, you can watch the Temperance livestream from Roanoke and Germany.
May the Lord guide us in exercising temperance in all aspects of our lives this year. "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." 1 Corinthians 6:12
