For the members, family and friends of the Downey Adventist Church
Complete Victory
Walking in Christ by Cary Fisher
O
ne day, while perusing through the internet, I came across an advertisement that I saw for a survival kit in case we were to be attacked by zombies. People often try to bring fantasy into real life and in this case, people can actually buy products that could save us from an attack by dead people coming back to life. We should all agree that there must be better ways to spend our money. While we know that the walking dead is fiction, sometimes people’s faith in
Jesus can become flat-lined to where they have become like spiritual zombies. At one time or another, we all need our spirituality resuscitated, and for many of us, our walk with God needs to be brought back to life. The Bible says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22), and for us to be alive in Christ, it comes from nurturing your relationship with Jesus. That is why I am excited about our upcoming small group
series called “Alive in Christ”. Starting in April, we are going to be spending six weeks going through the book of Ephesians, and hopefully, our relationship with Jesus will receive a spiritual jolt and our walk with him will become more alive than ever. Through the book of Ephesians, we realize that our vitality with Jesus has many factors that first starts with a deep gratitude for God’s incredible gift for continued on page 2
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—Henri Blocher, Evil and the Cross
INSIDE
Alive in Christ n this small group series, we are spending six weeks going through the New Testament book of Ephesians. This book focuses on topics such as unity, the armor of God, God’s grace and becoming alive in Christ. We will grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus, to be closer to each other as a church family, and to have a constant preparation for dealing with the challenges of life as we study this book.
At the cross, evil is conquered as evil … because God turns it back upon itself. He makes the supreme crime, the murder of the only righteous person, the very operation that abolishes sin. The [maneuver] is utterly unprecedented. No more complete victory could be imagined.
If you are interested in hosting a group, please talk to Pastor or Bill. The small groups start on Apr 18th and run through May 23rd. Celebration Sabbath will be on May 30th. The Small Group’s outreach will be May 2nd. Watch for sign up sheets for the groups in the foyer. =
Environmental Stewardship part 2 page 3 Taste & Inspiration on page 5 What’s happening? see pages 6 & 9 Our Church Family page 7 Light and Dark page 8 Kid’s Page on page 9
THE LATEST WORD Walking in Christ ... (cont. from page 1)
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April 18th - Christ Redemption. We start our small group series with the first chapter of Ephesians which focuses on Christ’s forgiveness of our sins. Paul writes, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7). During this time, we will realize
that being alive in Christ begins with praising God for what Jesus had done for us. April 25th - Living in Grace. In our second installment on small group study, our message tells us that being alive in Christ comes by believing that our salvation cannot be earned by our own merits. Paul wrote, “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression - it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). See you when the church gathers. = The Latest Word V 27 N 04 BILL AUMACK
WE DID IT
our salvation. Our lives that prevents us from fallmy prayer is that they will have been spared only ing in the trap of judgment help us to become truly because of the sacrifice which comes by treating alive in Christ. of Jesus through dying people that directly opposfor our sins. Secondly, we es the way God has treated April’s Sermon stay alive because we do not have to be Calendar burdened by trying ...sometimes people’s April 4th to work out our own faith in Jesus can become “Christ is Alive” salvation. We can Celebration. live with a freedom flat-lined to where they Easter For our worship of knowing that we have become like service, we will celare saved only by ebrate God’s incredspiritual zombies. God’s grace. We ible gift for us. This also never need to be is a special time that bored of our knowlis filled with music and edge of God, because his us. Finally, we can mainmessage that reflects on ways are mysterious and tain our walk with Christ the resurrection of Jesus. he has a mighty plan for by accepting his armor This is a perfect time to our lives. God also reveals that protects our spiritualinvite a friend for this a way for us to live in ity from attacks that come deeply uplifting Sabbath order to have a continual from the world trying to program. bond with him and to be drag us down. These are united with body of Christ. some of the factors that April 11th - Alive in Then, we see that God will come up as we read Christ. This Sabbath will calls us to walk in love through Ephesians, and be the introduction to our small group series on the book of Ephesians. We will spend the time summarizing Paul’s message to the Christians of Ephesus. At the same time, I believe our own walk with God will become more vibrant and alive.
responsible for this
LINDA AUMACK copy editor
ALEX AUMACK paper distribution
CARY FISHER pastor
address mail to: Downey Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd. Downey, CA 90240 office: 562.869.6013 fax: 562.622.1691
downeychurch@gmail.com www.downeychurch.com
distributed monthly issue date: Mar. 2015 copyright 1992-2015
April 2015 The Stewpot by Jo Ann Davidson, PhD Introduction by Dr. Gordon Botting: This month we continue our two-part series on what the Scriptures say about our relationship to our environment.
Environmental Stewardship Part 2 Promises of Eden’s restoration pointedly include the animals: “The wolf will lie down with the lamb, and the leopard with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion will feed together, and a little boy will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze . . . and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and
Environmental Stewardship the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD ...” (Isa. 11:6-9). This “theology of life” is also found in the New Testament. Jesus speaks of His affection for animals, stressing that even the lowliest of creatures is loved: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God?” (Lk. 12:6; cf. Matt. 10:29)— echoing Psalm 84 where sparrows are welcome in God’s tabernacle! Jesus illustrated an important environmental lesson when, after miraculously feeding thousands with a small boy’s lunch, He commanded that all
Worship Schedule April 5 Cary Fisher
April 18 Cary Fisher
Easter Christ is Alive
Alive in Christ #1 Christ Redemption
April 11 Cary Fisher
April 25 Cary Fisher
Alive in Christ
Alive in Christ #2 Living in Grace
leftovers be carefully gathered up so “that nothing is lost” (Jn. 6:12). The Apostle Paul esteems creation: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. . . All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist”
(Col. 1:16-17). Paul also speaks of future environmental renewal, reiterating Old Testament sentiments that all of creation is suffering from human sin: For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. . . . because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now (Rom. 8:19-22).
In the final book of Scripture, the entire created world is dramatically encompassed with divine judgment. Four angels are described in Revelation 7—“. . . standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the
east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying; Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads” (Rev. 7:1-3). The earth, sea, and trees are singled out—the three great ecosystems that the Creator put in place to sustain life: earth [soil/ food]; sea [water, fundamental for life]; trees [the “lungs of the earth”/supplying oxygen and cleancontinued on page 4
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THE LATEST WORD Environmental Stewardship (cont.) ing the air].
“When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.” –David Orr
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.” —Charles Dickens
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After the seventh trumpet sounds in Revelation 11, the twenty-four elders cry out against those who have wrecked havoc on creation: “We give You thanks O Lord God Almighty . . . Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. . . . You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints . . . And should destroy those who destroy the earth” (Rev. 11:17-18). The Apocalypse concludes with the resplendent restoration the Old Testament promised earlier— reminding again that redemption brings the renewal of God’s original creation. The material world participates in salvation! Redemption is never depicted as escaping from the earth, but rather, reclaiming it! Throughout Scripture we are never allowed to forget the profound value that God places on creation. Environmentalists outside the Christian tradition are often unsuccessful arguing for such high
worth. Secular materialists believe the world unfolds as an endless process. Pantheists argue God is eternally immanent with this world. Atheists think the world evolved by chance out of matter. New Agers worship the earth as divine. Buddhists and Christian Scientists believe the world is an illusion. By contrast, SDAs believe God created this world with lavish care, declaring it “very good” (Gen. 1:31)—ever since remaining a concerned “landlord.” Biblical writers
extol creation. The Levites sang in sanctuary worship: “Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things therein . . . and thou preservest them all” (Neh. 9:6). God is active in and through all of creation, “for in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Only during the 20th century did envi-
ronmental thinking slowly begin to broaden beyond human concerns. Creation and Christianity have one God. Thereby it should not be surprising that environmental issues are embedded in Scripture. Humans, created in God’s image, could be revealing the character of their Creator as they care for creation. We could be composting, recycling (as God always has), making sure no food is wasted (for every meal is a miracle!)—and especially returning to the original violentfree diet of Eden.1 Isaiah recounts why the original diet of Eden will be restored: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:6-9). Even in ancient Babylon, when Daniel and his friends refuse to eat the delicacies” of the Babylonian king. The positive result shows up in only ten days: “it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating the royal rations” (Dan. 1:15). The vegetarian diet is continued on page 5
April 2015 Taste & Inspiration Creamy Macaroni Spinach Bake Ingredients • 3 cups elbow macaroni • 2 tablespoons butter • 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese softened to room temp • 1/2 cup onions - diced • 1/3 cup low-fat milk
• 1/2 teaspoons salt • 1/4 teaspoons pepper • 16 ounces frozen leaf spinach thawed • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese - grated
Directions
• 16 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 casserole dish; set aside.
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2. Cook macaroni according to package; drain.
• 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3. Place hot, drained macaroni in a large bowl
Pilar & Phillip and toss with butter and softened cream cheese. 4. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and gently mix together well.
6. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy! =
5. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
Environmental Stewardship (cont.) now increasingly linked to environmental concerns. We don’t have to solve the “global warming debate.” Our motivation for creation care is completely different. For we choose to live within beneficent divine principles, appreciatively caring for the world we share with all life. Scriptural motives for creation care, grounded in thankfulness for the divine gift of life in all its forms, are far advanced of contemporary environmental ethics. Creation care isn’t just good stewardship, it
is being everything God created us to be. Instead of being human-centered, animal-centered or environmentally-centered, we are Creator-centered, singing the doxology with that vast creation chorus: “Praise Him all creatures here below! = Reference: 1 Very few have any conception of the violence and brutality that is inflicted on animals in order to gratify a carnivorous diet. “Think of the cruelty to animals that meat eating involves, and its effect on those who inflict and
those who behold it. How it destroys the tenderness with which we should regard these creatures of God! The intelligence displayed by many dumb animals approaches so closely to human intelligence that it is a mystery. The animals see and hear and love and fear and suffer. They use their organs far more faithfully than many human beings use theirs. They manifest sympathy and tenderness toward their companions in suffering. Many animals show affection for those who have charge of them, far superior to the affection shown by some of the human race. They form attachments for man which are not broken without great suffering
to them. What man with a human heart, who has ever cared for domestic animals, could look into their eyes, so full of confidence and affection, and willingly give them over to the butcher’s knife? How could he devour their flesh as a sweet morsel?” Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, pp. 315, 316.
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Downey Adventist Church Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
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Friday
Saturday
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7:15 pm sunset Visit www.downeychurch.org S.S. – Sabbath School C.S. – Community Service
9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary Easter
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2 pm Pathfinders 4 pm BIble Study
7 pm Band Practice
7 pm Wed. Fellowship
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10 7:21 pm sunset
11 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary Alive in Christ Intro
7 pm Wed. Fellowship
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7 pm Band Practice
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4 pm BIble Study
17 7:26 pm sunset
18 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary Alive in Christ #1
7 pm Wed. Fellowship
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7 pm Church Board
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7 pm Band Practice
24 7:31 pm sunset
Pathfinder Fair
2 pm Pathfinders 4 pm BIble Study
25 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary Alive in Christ #2
7 pm Wed. Fellowship
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7 pm Band Practice
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7 pm Wed. Fellowship
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4 pm BIble Study
April 2015
Upcoming Events April Birthdays Jessica Michel – 6 Veronica Lozano – 7 Gabriel Gomez – 7 Ella Fisher – 8 Jessica Ramirez - 18 Ricardo Gonzalez – 18 Daniel Michel – 19 Judy Joseph – 19 Joshua Perez - 19 Edwin Morales – 20 Erik Concha – 20 Miranda Gomez – 21 Roschelle Fisher – 24
Wednesday - 7 p.m. Wed. Fellowship Friday - 7:00 p.m. Band Practice Saturday - 4:00 p.m. Bible Study Apr. Apr. Apr. Apr. Apr. Apr.
If your birthday is left out in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church office so we can put it in.
4 - Easter Sabbath 4 - Pathfinders @ 2pm 5 - Easter 18 - Pathfinders @ 2pm 19 - Pathfinder Fair 22 - Administrative Professionals Day
The Latest Word deadline is the 5th of the month.
Coming Soon Be sure to keep up with the latest news by signing up for the Wednesday email. You can sign up here www.downeychurch.org/Signups.html or send us an email at DowneyChurch at gmail dot com and we’ll add you.
May 2 - Small Group Outreach - God’s Not Dead May 10 - Mother’s Day May 30 - Celebration Sabbath July 20-25 - Vacation Bible School
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THE LATEST WORD The Latest About
Our Church Family Graduates Needed. If you know someone who is graduating from Kindergarten, 8th grade, High School, or College - please let us know. We’d love to recognize them and celebrate with them.
Professionals day on April 22nd.
Be sure to thank Alex for his work on Administrative
If you have any Church Family news,
Ask Chris Martin about his recent trip to Lima, Peru. It was quite eventful.
Light and Dark by Victoria Zamora
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he world we live in today is polluted with sin. Darkness has taken over the dim light of salvation. But we must remember we have nothing to fear in times of darkness. As we go about our day to day lives we tend to not notice these things unless it’s something traumatic. We all have these trails and tribulations. We face them in our present lives, and we will face them in our future. We need to know that there is a light
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and we need to spread this light. At times we may think we are just one person and we don’t make a difference but we are not alone. We have nothing to fear because God is our strength and he will be our light to guide us in the darkness. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? -Psalms 27:1 =
please contact the church office so we can get it into the newsletter. =
Check out the sermons on our website (www.downeychurch.org), or on Vimeo. com/downeychurch or YouTube.com. You can always listen or watch the sermons in our App (Android and iPhone).
Stewards of the Earth
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n our consumer culture, it’s easy to forget that “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1, NIV). God calls us to be caretakers of his entire wonderful creation. What a huge responsibility — and privilege — to have stewardship over everything God has made! Thomas à Kempis, writing in the 15th century,
noted the proper attitude toward God’s creation: “If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life for you and a book of holy teaching, for there is no creature so small and worthless that it does not show forth the goodness of God” (The Imitation of Christ, the Interior Life). =
April 2015
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April 2015
Ponder This... = “Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.” —Clarence W. Hall = “But from this earth, this grave, this dust, my God shall raise me up, I trust.” —Sir Walter Raleigh = “Christendom has had a series of revolutions, and in each … has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.” ―G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man
Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA 90240
DATED MATERIAL Return Service Requested
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