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Disney: New Country Bear Jamboree coming, DinoLand going away A revamping of Magic Kingdom’s Country Bear Jamboree and the replacement of DinoLand USA at Animal Kingdom were among the Walt Disney World announcements Saturday morning. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/09/09/disney-d23-new-country-bear-jamboree-dinoland-closing-moana-test-track/?

What Is the Jezreel Valley? Scene of Armageddon and other biblical battles https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/what-is-the-jezreel-valley/? How December 25 Became Christmas On December 25, Christians around the world will gather to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Joyful carols, special liturgies, brightly wrapped gifts, festive foods—these all characterize the feast today, at least in the northern hemisphere. But just how did the Christmas festival originate? How did December 25 come to be associated with Jesus’ birthday? https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/how-december-25-became-christmas/? Understanding the Jewish Menorah Does this ancient menorah graffito show the Temple menorah? https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/temple-at-jerusalem/understanding-the-jewish-menorah/?

🌊 Sunset to go! Photo: Graham Allison This brilliant sunset over Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts was captured by Harvard political scientist and national security expert, Dr. Graham Allison. No filter!

📸 Orange skies Photo: Ann Eriksen The sun sets over Lake Dillon in Colorado in this stunning shot, captured by Ann Eriksen of Colorado Springs.

Dr. Timothy Standish of the Geoscience Research Institute is reported to have made the following critical comment: “Those of you who are familiar with the way in which the church was restructured into its current form in the 1901 and 1903 General Conferences will recall that it was a response to the direct message from God that was given to us by sister Ellen G. White. There is a trend that has been apparent in changes over the years that have gone against that intent, which was to move power from the General Conference down to the local level. We are in rebellion against that message from God himself. This particular change reflects that rebellion. It moves the power from those on the ground who need funding for doing the mission. It moves it to the General Conference in another city, in another land, on a different continent. I stand I hope with all of you who respect the messenger of the Lord and the message that she gave all those years ago that applies to the General Conference today.” See: https://atoday.org/random-observations-from-way-way-upstairs-on-day-7/

The following are facts about FICA, commonly known as Social Security, in the United States: * August 14, 1935: Signed into law by President F. D. Roosevelt. * January 1937: First payments made which were a one-time, lump-sum payment. * January 31, 1940: Ida Fuller became the first person to receive a monthly payment, which began for her at $22.54. (Worth today $518.58) * October 1950: The first cost of Living increase was made. * July 1, 1966: Medicare first began. 8* July 1975: The first automatic COLA increases began. * December 8, 2003: The prescription drug benefit began. * January 1, 2006: Medicare Part D, began. NOTE: Thanks to AARP Bulletin, May/June 2025 for all of the above information.

Amazon is currently selling a number of formerly published books about Seventh-day Adventists. Their listing is well worth looking at. See: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=adventist+today&i=stripbooks&adgrpid=1345802795530142&hvadid=84112913835795&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=43742&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84113015631819%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=22534_13494416&mcid=a3dfa99324a83b13bfb9045a618b9b4b&msclkid=704cb0bf86b81f95c5dfd8d2f2a21240&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_go8tk59lg_e

July 6, 2025 Club Adventist does not usually promote commercial posts. I do not intend to begin such. However, on the assumption that some CA Members may need to purchase a new Windows 11 computer, I am posting notice of a very special laptop computer that Amazon has on sale. It normally sells for $1,400. During Amazon's Prime Day sale, it is selling for $340 plus tax and with free shipping. To purchase at that price, you must be a Prime member. But you can join for a small fee, on a monthly basis, and then cancel your membership after you receive the computer. However, this sale has a short time period. You must act quickly. See: https://www.amazon.com/ACEMAGIC-Computer-Quad-Core-Processor-Business/dp/B0F9PD3QLS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=RTVDN1UC4PF8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UG1USdeiBtlJc_0ElpEozT0if2-ZIMe-itPcz98eBhspLqcHnPsi_r9wSFR7vdpcjQmErSTDUSsAj7UUuYlnKiymP9qPIA90ws4mg3oOE3jYDB1dnS0biZ_G161MbhjB_txppD2gQusDc0dVOJiw2tOvhNCN_OfKmdhSTSFgVpIsbDdalNoul02rBS6_aJ6KSBqwDazhlIWuF_8QKqVmeApgeWGbfMxxd8CE0c7khMs.x_FK5elSk3PALdISRigNegsDjUcQYnQIPO9bAylKlKU&dib_tag=se&keywords=laptop%2Bcomputer&qid=1751984237&sprefix=laptop%2Bcomkputer%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-3&th=1

For his first sermon see: https://atoday.org/changing-of-the-guard-kohler-follows-wilsons-farewell-with-a-call-for-boldness/

For his first press conference see: https://atoday.org/kohlers-first-press-conference-a-shift-in-style-not-substance/

Gifting the Past How BAS Dig Scholarships shape lives and careers https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/bas-dig-scholarships/gifting-the-past/? Abraham and Lot in the Bible Examining ancient Jewish interpretations https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/abraham-and-lot-in-the-bible/? Searching for Biblical Mt. Sinai Where is Mt. Sinai? At a 2013 colloquium in Israel, an international group of scholars debated the question. At the center of the debate was Har Karkom, a mountain ridge in the Negev Desert that archaeologist Emmanuel Anati believes to be the Biblical Mt. Sinai. Or could Mt. Sinai be in Saudia Arabia, where Moses was thought to have fled after escaping Egypt? In “Where Is Mount Sinai? The Case for Har Karkom and the Case for Saudia Arabia” in the March/April 2014 issue of BAR, Hershel Shanks examines these candidates. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/exodus/searching-for-biblical-mt-sinai/?

The Evolution of Biblical Archaeology What is biblical archaeology? The answer to this question has changed considerably over the 100-plus years since the discipline first emerged in the early 20th century. How one answers depends largely on how they view the relationship between archaeology and the Bible itself: Is the archaeology of biblical lands primarily a vehicle for proving the Bible? How does it impact our understanding of the biblical world? In the Spring 2025 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review , leading archaeologist Jennie Ebeling lays out how the field of biblical archaeology has developed and shifted over the past century in her article “How Archaeology Illuminates the Bible.” https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/the-evolution-of-biblical-archaeology/? King Hezekiah in the Bible: Royal Seal of Hezekiah Comes to Light The royal seal of King Hezekiah in the Bible was found in an archaeological excavation. The stamped clay seal, also known as a bulla, was discovered in the Ophel excavations led by Dr. Eilat Mazar at the foot of the southern wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The discovery was announced in a press release by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology, under whose auspices the excavations were conducted. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/king-hezekiah-in-the-bible-royal-seal-of-hezekiah-comes-to-light/?

🏰 Disney dos and don'ts Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images If a trip to Disney World in Florida is in your future, Axios editor Ashley May has a few tips and tricks to help your vacation dreams come true. I'm a periodic parkgoer but not a Disney diehard. I traveled with a group of nine, ages 4 to 80. We visited a park each day, Ashley writes. 🧳 Best item packed: Brita Filtered Water Bottles from Walmart. 🧒 Best kid experiences: Cinderella's Royal Table (lots of princess meet-and-greets) and Savi's Workshop's lightsaber experience (yes, we lugged a lightsaber back through TSA). 📝 Best plans: We secured meal reservations and experiences 60 days in advance — the minute options opened. Go deeper: What to hit — and skip — at each park.