21 Aug 2025, 11:48Jamen Serrano
Cultural Day at Northfield Seventh-day Adventist Church
On Sabbath, July 26, the Northfield Seventh-day Adventist Church experienced a very special day as we celebrated Cultural Day with a blessed visit from Pastor Steve Palmer, our conference President.
The event was a beautiful display of the diversity and unity within God’s people. Around fifteen nationalities were represented, each joyfully sharing traditional attire and delicious local dishes during a vibrant multicultural tasting experience. It was a time of fellowship, colour, and gratitude for the cultural richness within our congregation.
The highlight of the day was the inspiring message delivered by Pastor Palmer, based on Mark 8:22–25 and titled: “The First Touch Saves, the Second Touch Sanctifies.”
This powerful sermon reminded us that Jesus works in stages in our lives. The first touch represents salvation: when Christ finds us, He opens our spiritual eyes and brings us out of darkness - but our vision is still unclear. The second touch represents sanctification: when Jesus completes His work in us, transforming and purifying us so that we can see with clarity, purpose, and direction. At this stage, we move from being recipients of the miracle to becoming instruments in God’s hands, used to bring others to salvation.
As Pastor Palmer shared so memorably, “The first touch gives you a testimony. The second touch gives you a mission.”
It was truly a day filled with blessings, fellowship, and a profound spiritual call. We thank God for this experience, which encourages us to keep growing in faith and character so that we may reflect Christ more fully in our lives.
On Sabbath, July 26, the Northfield Seventh-day Adventist Church experienced a very special day as we celebrated Cultural Day with a blessed visit from Pastor Steve Palmer, our conference President.
The event was a beautiful display of the diversity and unity within God’s people. Around fifteen nationalities were represented, each joyfully sharing traditional attire and delicious local dishes during a vibrant multicultural tasting experience. It was a time of fellowship, colour, and gratitude for the cultural richness within our congregation.
The highlight of the day was the inspiring message delivered by Pastor Palmer, based on Mark 8:22–25 and titled: “The First Touch Saves, the Second Touch Sanctifies.”
This powerful sermon reminded us that Jesus works in stages in our lives. The first touch represents salvation: when Christ finds us, He opens our spiritual eyes and brings us out of darkness - but our vision is still unclear. The second touch represents sanctification: when Jesus completes His work in us, transforming and purifying us so that we can see with clarity, purpose, and direction. At this stage, we move from being recipients of the miracle to becoming instruments in God’s hands, used to bring others to salvation.
As Pastor Palmer shared so memorably, “The first touch gives you a testimony. The second touch gives you a mission.”
It was truly a day filled with blessings, fellowship, and a profound spiritual call. We thank God for this experience, which encourages us to keep growing in faith and character so that we may reflect Christ more fully in our lives.
