Michigan

Pete and Shelly Denner grew up in Southwest Michigan—Pete in Paw Paw and Shelly in Battle Creek. They met when both worked in downtown Battle Creek. At the time, Pete planned to attend a Revelation seminar, and he asked Shelly to go with him. That was their first date!

Pete grew up in a strict religious home, and as a boy he served in his parents' church and attended the church's elementary school. After leaving home, he became discouraged with his former church, and for a short time even abandoned God. Pete had heard of Seventh-day Adventists, but thought of them as those crazy people who went to church on Saturday. Then one day he saw an advertisement for a Daniel and Revelation seminar at the Urbandale Seventh-day Adventist Church in Battle Creek. Because Pete was interested in history and the Bible, he decided to attend. Pete enjoyed it so much that when another seminar was advertised a year later, he asked Shelly to attend with him.

Shelly had attended Sunday school as a child, but received no spiritual training at home. When she was a senior in high school, her five-year-old brother was hit and killed by a car on his way home from school. Shelly was devastated by the loss, but was prohibited from talking about it with her parents and siblings. Hurt and angry, she experienced a deep depression.

Shelly had several encounters with Seventh-day Adventists. After her boys were born, she attended an Adventist cooking school and later a mothers group that was held at the Battle Creek Tabernacle. Shelly also attended a depression seminar, where she became convinced that there was a God, that He cared for all people and that He loved her.

Although Shelly did not complete the Daniel and Revelation seminar with Pete their dating continued, and they eventually married. In a few years sons, Luke and Seth, joined their family. Now that they had children, the Denners wanted to find a church where all of them could attend. They tried several churches in Battle Creek, but always found themselves disappointed. Even though they knew the Sabbath truth from the seminars, Pete said they never thought about going to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As a result, the family did not attend any church for 20 years.

In 2008, the Denners received a flier in the mail inviting them to attend another Daniel and Revelation seminar—this one at Battle Creek Academy. While attending, they both became convicted of the Sabbath truth and decided to give Seventh-day Adventists and the Battle Creek Tabernacle a try. "We told ourselves we would study and attend for one year, and then make a decision about being baptized and becoming members," they said.

It wasn't long before they realized how much they loved the Adventist church and the people at the Tabernacle. Shelly was the first to decide to be baptized. Pete still had reservations and held off his decision until just a week before Shelly's baptism. They were baptized together on May 16, 2009, by Bruce Moore, pastor.

The Denners agree that their new church family has helped them grow in their relationship with the Lord and with each other. Shelly says, "When I feel lonely now or start to feel depressed, I ask God to give me peace and comfort me like a good parent, and He does."

Charlotte Erickson, communication leader, Battle Creek Tabernacle