Warnings Before the Eruption
June 26, 2026
Dear Friend,
For years, one of my best friends and I had wanted to climb Mount Rainier. As time went by, we
never found the opportunity. Finally, in 1979, we planned a trip for a specific date. Travel
arrangements were made, and we packed all our gear. But when we listened to the weather
report, we realized we would not be climbing Mount Rainier—the weather was not
accommodating our desires.
With everything packed and ready to go, we pulled out a map and began looking for another
mountain we could climb. Our eyes fell upon Mount Saint Helens. We were excited about the
climb, and even though it wasn’t Rainier, we knew we could have a good time climbing together.
There were three of us climbing that day. The third member of our group was a friend of Bill’s
whom I had only recently met. In those days, we did not have cell phones or reliable ways to
follow changing weather conditions. As we climbed, the day became overcast and cool. By noon
we were above timberline, well up into the snow. We had crampons laced tightly to our boots;
although the climb was exhausting and nearly straight up, the crampons made the ascent
possible.
We were nearly three-quarters of the way to the summit when suddenly we saw something
terrifying—a ball of fire, like lightning, rolling down the mountain toward us. I had heard of
such phenomena but had never seen one. It was frightening to watch several of these balls of fire
race down the mountainside. What we didn’t realize was that a storm from the west was moving
rapidly toward the mountain.
Now fully aware of the danger, we sat down and slid as fast as we could, with our feet held high
in the air. It remains one of the most frightening experiences of my life.
This climb took place about a year before the famous eruption of May 18, 1980. Was what we
witnessed a harbinger of the mountain’s eruption? I do not believe so. Yet when I later heard the
news that Mount Saint Helens had exploded, my attention was immediately arrested. I listened to
every report as ash blasted into the atmosphere and drifted across much of the nation.
What followed showed a quiet resilience. Shortly after the eruption, nature began rebuilding
itself. Green shoots emerged here and there amid the devastation. Life returned where death had
seemed to reign.
Sometimes God allows us to experience warnings before greater dangers arrive. Looking back,
my experience on Mount Saint Helens taught me an important lesson about spiritual
preparedness. After witnessing a relatively small disaster on that mountain, I would not have
chosen to climb it again if seismic tremors were warning that a major eruption was imminent.
In our spiritual lives, God also provides warnings. Through His Word, through the counsel of the
Holy Spirit, and through circumstances He permits, He lovingly alerts us to dangers that could
harm us. “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the
prophets” (Amos 3:7).
Yet there is another lesson. Even when disaster cannot be avoided and we have done all we can,
God does not abandon us in the ashes. Nature reminds us that healing often begins immediately
after catastrophe. New life emerges where destruction once ruled.
In nature, and in our spiritual lives, devastation and loss do not have to mean the end. The
mountain teaches us that healing and transformation are possible even in the wake of great
tragedy. Life and hope always find a way to emerge, and what grows back is often stronger and
uniquely beautiful in its new form.
Whatever challenges you may be facing today, remember that the God who warns is also the
God who restores. He sees beyond the devastation and is already at work bringing new life from
the ashes.
Blessings,
— Verlyn
______________________________
Our Sabbath School and the Worship services are live and viewable via Zoom. Two Adult
Sabbath School classes are presented each week. One of them is viewable via Zoom. The
Junior/Earliteen Sabbath School class meets in the Pathfinder Room. Cradle Roll and
Kindergarten classes are available for younger children. If you are unsure where the rooms or
classes are being held, please don’t hesitate to ask one of the greeters for directions.
The Worship service is in the Sanctuary and via Zoom. The Zoom Meeting ID# and Password
are listed below.
Zoom access for Crescent City SDA Church meetings:
Meeting ID #: 993 5770 413
Password: 4642738
You can join by going to Zoom.us, click on join a meeting, and then enter the Meeting ID # and
password; or by dialing 1 669 900 9128, entering the meeting ID# and password as prompted; or
accessing through the Zoom app.
June 26, 2026 – July 3, 2026
Friday 26th Sunset 8:55 pm
Sabbath 27th Church Worship Leader, Wilmer Hechanova 11:00 – 12:00 pm
Sermon, Verlyn Benson (Communion)
Bible Lab – Episode 9 – The Shrewd Manager 12:30 pm
Sunset 8:55 pm
Tuesday Bible Study (Exodus) 6:00 – 7:00 pm Church Will resume on August 18, 2026
Wednesday Community Services 1:00 – 3:00 pm Dorcas
Prayer Group 5:00 – 6:00 pm Church
Pathfinders Will resume in September
Thursday LLL Ladies’ Group (Learn, Laugh, Love) Will resume in September.
Friday 3rd Sunset 8:52 pm
CALENDAR:
July 4, 2026 – Worship Leader, Ginger Finley, Dwight Jones
July 11, 2026 – Worship Leader, Wilmer Hechanova, Carole Bliss
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Fellowship Luncheons are usually on the first Sabbath of the month, but because of special
Sabbath events, please note the weekly updates for any changes.
Tithes and offerings are being collected during the 11:00 AM Worship service each Sabbath.
Other options include the locked offering box on the rear wall of the Sanctuary, the link to
Adventist Giving on our church website:
https://crescentcityca.adventistchurch.org or you can download the Adventist Giving app.
Tithes and offerings may also be mailed to Crescent City SDA Church, P.O. Box 1905,
Crescent City, CA 95531. Please designate where the funds are to be deposited: tithe, church
budget, Little Red School House (School), special projects, etc.
Thank you for taking the time to be part of our church family, in person or via media. Please
reply to this email (or ccadventistchurch@gmail.com) if you have specific prayer requests. The
Prayer Ministry team is active and cares about your needs—let us know!
Verlyn
A Worldwide Church Family
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with approximately 19 million members worldwide, including more than one million members in North America. The Adventist Church operates 173 hospitals and sanitariums and more than 7,500 schools around the world. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) works within communities in more than 130 countries to provide community development and disaster relief.
