December 2012 The Latest Word by Downey Church

For the members, family and friends of the Downey Adventist Church

Discovering Christmas

Holy Paradox

by Pastor Mitch

ring your family to celebrate the birth of our Lord on December 22. The service is entitled Discovering Christmas. A beautiful Christmas service is planned with special musics and congregational singing of seasonal hymns. The Christmas drama has a cast of thousands. Okay, the cast is not thousands, but the well loved children of our congregation. They will re-enact the journey of Joseph and Mary and the birth of our Savior. Invite

neighbors and friends to join you for worship.

I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

We’ve invited Dr. Gerard Kiemeney to be our speaker on December 1. He is the LA Metro Region Director. Dr. Kiemeney’s passion is building, equipping and supporting pastors and laity for ministry. His sermon title is Open the Door! and is based on Revelations 3:20: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

On December 8, the principal of Adventist Union School (AUS), Mr. Terry Tryon, has a message of God’s goodness to share. Mr. Tryon captures the thoughts of listeners by telling the gospel story through simple demonstrations and songs. Many AUS students will join their principal in songs and participation. Encouraging students to help with the Sabbath continued on page 1

God became a man. Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb. The omnipotent, in one instant, became flesh and blood. The one who was larger than the universe became a microscopic embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl. God had come near. —Max Lucado, God Came Near

INSIDE

Merry Christmas Humble Side Up page 3

hristmas is when we turn our thoughts to God and how he came down to be with us. There are so many people who don’t understand the real reason for Christmas. It’s not the gifts, the parties and time with the family it’s about Divine Love.

Invite some friends and family to join us for the Community Christmas Program on Saturday, December 22. May God’s blessing be on you and your’s this Christmas season. =

Faith or Fear? page 4 Ginny’s Kitchen on page 5 What’s happening? see pages 6 & 9 Checking it Twice on page 7 Our Church Family page 10 Kid’s Page on page 11

THE LATEST WORD Discover Christmas (cont. from page 1) service is one essential ful Pathfinder Induction For the last Sabbath of aim of Christian educaservice. They need our 2012, Bill Aumack will tion. After all, our goal is prayers, good wishes and bring us the message. We to help youngsters choose our financial help. Pastor often like things in neat to follow Jesus as packages or groups. their Savior. If you We like to sort Are we a one word have been thinking everything into the community that is grace of inviting the neighproper category. or law based? Or can we We even do this borhood kids to one of our services this is be a community that is with ourselves. We the day. identify with being known for being a two liberal or conservaMark your caltive. As parents we word community endars to be present are strict or lax. for the Pathfinder Kevin Morris will lead the We are married, divorced, Induction service set for induction. Did you know windowed or single. We December 15. The inducthat Pastor Morris grewup group ourselves by race or tion service is a dedication in the Downey Church and age. This tends to make of all the Pathfinders to was a Downey Pathfinder? us “one word” kind of the Lord. The Downey Pastor Morris is a role people. We use one word Pathfinder Club is capturmodel of the life-changing to describe ourselves. ing the attention of more impact the Pathfinder Club Even when we talk about kids every year. Please be had on him. Be sure to our church family, we can aware that your presence invite families with kids to tend to use only one word. is essential for a successthis service. Is our church traditional

“

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or contemporary? Are we friendly and warm or cold? Are we known for grace or the law? Many Christians and churches struggle with that last one. How do we deal with the law and grace? Are we a one word community that is grace or law based? Or can we be a community that is known for being a two word community, the law and grace? Join us on December 29th as Bill shares the message “One Word or Two?” See you when the church gathers. =

The Latest Word V 24 N 12

WE DID IT

BILL AUMACK

responsible for this

LINDA AUMACK copy editor

HATZUKO AISPURO paper distribution

MITCH WILLIAMS 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

December 2012 The Word & You by Linda Bewley

Humble Side Up

ered in the state the manufacturer intended or at the quality level expected.

od’s word says, “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord— has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” (Luke 2:11-12 NLT.)

ave you seen the signs that read, “This side up?” It is on many things, anywhere from a box containing something that has been shipped, all the way down to a package of popcorn or self-steaming bags of veggies that you put in the microwave. The direction or warning is given so that the product inside is deliv-

I recently saw a young lady walking in front of me at the park. The slogan on her sweatshirt caught my eye: “Humble side up!” Only three little words, but they say so much. I assumed that the slogan must have had something to do with her religious beliefs but I couldn’t help myself, so I caught up to her and told her I liked the sweatshirt. She said it belonged to her brother, whom I met a few moments later. And, sure enough, the slogan issues from a ministry in the Christian church they attend and of which their father is the pastor. After they left, I continued my walk. I also continued to think about

Worship Schedule December 1 Gerard Kiemeney Open the Door

December 8 Adventist Union School

December 15 Pathfinder Induction December 22 Christmas Worship December 29 Bill Aumack

One Word Or Two?

humbleness, humility. It’s not a character trait which the world considers desirable, is it? Watch or listen to commercials on television or radio. There are ads for all sorts of products which promise beauty, health, wealth, and success. We may desire the products advertised, because we all want to be beautiful, healthy, wealthy, and successful. But I cannot think of a single thing in this world that asks us to be humble. It is God who calls us to be so and, in a sense, it is where our salvation starts. What a humbling moment it is when you wake up one morning and realize that you are and always have been a great big sinner! Or the times it dawns on you that you are dependent on God’s Spirit for change, renewal and salvation. And more humbling yet, the day you learn the Creator of the universe doesn’t condemn you. Rather, He humbled himself, left heaven and came to this earth to live, to suffer and to die for your sins. But it doesn’t stop there. As Christians, we are supposed to live in a state of humility. What does that look like? A few things come to my mind. Humility might cause us to listen when we want to talk. It might compel us to

try to understand instead of judge. Perhaps it might help us to remember that we are not always right and do not always need to get our own way. And, finally, it is what enables us to say to God, “Thy will be done and not my own.” In short, it causes us to put God and others before ourselves. I’m guessing Paul said it best when he said, “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8 NLT). From now on, every time I see a label that says, “This side up,” I want it to remind me that God asks me to keep my HUMBLE SIDE UP so that the world can see a reflection of the Baby born in the manger who gave His life for me and you. Merry Christmas! =

THE LATEST WORD Before the Father by Linda Fernandez

Faith or Fear?

Where is your faith? Luke 8:25

Do not be afraid or discouraged…for the battle is not yours but God’s. 2 Chron. 2:15

ur small group just finished studying the book, If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat, by John Ortberg. As I began working on this final article for the year I came across something about fire-walking. We have been learning about waterwalking over the past six weeks, so I thought I would compare the two. A (very) brief description of fire-walking: 1. a religious ritual practiced in some cultures believing that the ability to walk on fire (actually hot coals) has healing or cleansing powers. 2. a fairly new activity in the U.S. promoted by self-help and motivational speakers to help their attendees ‘restructure’ their minds to overcome fear and achieve the success they desire.

taking risks. The Environment: Fire-walking is conducted in a well controlled environment, with provision for protection visibly on hand. One’s call to waterwalking may be in comfortable settings or in difficult situations. The provision and pro-

tection is there, but not always apparent.

The Method: Although both take courWater-walking: 1. age, fire-walking in its a trick some magicians physical sense and its have mastered to appear presumed spiritual sense, to be walking on water. calls upon one to enter 2. According to Ortberg: into a state of mind over the act of leaving the com- matter. New behavior fort of routine existence and thought processes are and abandoning yourself initiated and engaged in to the high adventure of at one’s own will and for following Christ. one’s own good. Waterwalking on the other hand Here are the compariis a response to the calling sons I came away with: of Christ on one’s life. The The Purpose: new choices and actions are a result of wanting to To overcome fear and to serve Him and others. become comfortable with

The Power: Firewalking is self directed, trusting in one’s self to provide the courage, strength and determination to continue forward. Water-walking is learning to trust in Christ to not only call one to service, but to lead, direct and provide the wisdom and skills necessary. Summary: Although fire-walking is the act of taking literal steps across very hot coals in order to overcome fear and is used to encourage the ‘walkers’ that by doing so they can overcome anything; in the end, they can only trust in themselves. Water-walking will also require literal actions on one’s part, but the motivation and power to move forward comes from our Creator. Just as Jesus called Peter to get out of the boat on a dark and stormy night, and reached out to lift him up when his faith wavered; He has promised to lead us through whatever He calls us to do. Let’s pray… Jesus, Take my hand as I step out of the boat to follow you out onto the water. =

December 2012 From Ginny’s Kitchen Christmas Angel Food Peppermint Ice Cream Cake One freshly baked Angel Food cake. (Refrigerate for one hour prior to making up cake). 1 carton of whipping cream. (Whipped to peaks with sugar and vanilla and set aside in refrigerator). 1 gallon of pink peppermint ice cream (This is a seasonal item). 8 red & white peppermint candies. (Crushed into chunks, set aside for topping). 1. Cut the angel food cake horizontally in half. Place the bottom half on cake

platter. If you have one, cut with an electric knife. 2. Make sure the cut cake will fit into your freezer shelve. Allow room at the top about l0”. 3. With an ice cream scope, scope out peppermint ice cream onto bottom of cake, including into the center hole. Use the entire gallon of ice cream. Keep scoping ice cream and packing all around in the center and around cake bottom until packed. Do this quickly, before the ice cream melts. 4. Put the top cake on top and secure it by gently

pushing it into the ice cream and bottom cake. 5. Now frost the cake with the chilled whipped cream. Keep moving quickly before it melts. 6. Top with crushed chunks of red & white peppermint candies. Cover with Saran Wrap or a lid that will fit and place entire cake into the freezer. Freeze at least 2 hours before serving.

Thank you for letting me share my many recipes over the 36 ½ years in ministry in several church newsletters. Thank you all for your kind comments, notes and calls over the years! God Blessings to you all! Ginny Williams =

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.

Downey Adventist Church Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1 4:44 pm sunset

Visit www.downeychurch.org S.S. – Sabbath School C.S. – Community Service

9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Gerard Kiemeney

3 pm Pathfinders/ Adventures

7 4:43 pm sunset

9 am Pathfinders/ Adventures

8 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Adventist Union School

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

14 4:44 pm sunset

15 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship

Pathfinder Induction 7 pm AUS Christmas Program

7 pm Band Practice

3 pm Pathfinders

21 4:47 pm sunset

22 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Christmas Program

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

28 4:51 pm sunset

29 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Bill Aumack

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

December 2012 Stewpot by Gordon Bottling, DrPH, CHES

his year has definitely been a challenging one economically for both the nation and for individual families and it is only natural that you may want to put the loss in your 401k and other financial woes behind you and for one month reward yourself or your family with a special year-end Christmas spending spree. In 2006, the average U.S. household spent over $1,000, and Americans added more than $8 billion in credit card debt that November with the day after Thanksgiving sales alone.1 Before you launch into an all out spending splurge, I ask you to consider the overall financial price you will pay. Here’s the bottom line question: How many days will you have to work in order to pay for your Christmas splurge? First of all, estimate how much you normally spend on Christmas, including not only family gifts, but also all the other stuff, such as cards, postage, lights, decorations, concerts, etc. The following hourly rates apply if we assume you work an average seven-hour day

Checking it Twice with standard social security withholdings, state taxes of 6% and federal taxes of 25%. If you earn $12 an hour and your fam-

ily spends $800 for the Christmas season you’ll need to work 15.5 days to get your $800 back. That’s over two weeks! If you earn $16 per hour and your family spends the same $800, you will need to work nearly 12 days or nearly two weeks! Even with a $20 hour rate, it will take you a week and two days to pay for your Christmas generosity.2 What can you do to minimize the damage to your budget and still make Christmas a truly joyful season? Here are a few suggestions.

Extraordinary Gifts If circumstances make it impossible for you to

have enough money for presents this year, then use your time to make gifts that are fun and unique. People love cookies made from scratch from your kitchen. Anyone can make cookies from a package, but only you can still make chocolate chip cookies the way your favorite aunt did, and all your family members and relatives who have eaten Aunt Mary’s cookies in the past will thank you for resurrecting that delightful taste and aroma once again. Your fellow employees will enjoy them also because they know the taste of bought cookies as compared to homemade ones. Remind yourself as you spend the time in your kitchen, what woman doesn’t like chocolate and what man can resist a cookie?2 By the way, consumable gifts have many advantages over durable gifts and are a great gift idea for several reasons. Because they are usually eaten or used up immediately, there is not the expectation of being displayed and maintained in your already crowded home or stored for 12 continued on page 8

Gifts are quickly forgotten, debt goes on forever. - Mary Hunt

Christmas is a gift from God that man cannot keep unless he gives it to someone else. - Anonymous

THE LATEST WORD Checking It Twice (cont. from page 7) months in a closet or the garage for re-gifting next year. You don’t have to be concerned that you are spending the ‘right’ amount of money for the recipient, which can, and often does, take the joy out of giving. And best of all, you saved a few bucks making these gifts from scratch in your own kitchen — just try doing that at the mall or through the mail!3

I love the story in Mary Hunt’s Debt-Proof Living monthly magazine in which a reader wrote about their best Christmas ever. She was a child at the time, and her father

Start A Tradition I personally believe the most memorable part of the Christmas season often revolves around those activities that have

Avoid Christmas Debt Before you purchase any gifts or decorations, take a few moments and lost his job. But rather than plan your season’s budget. grumble about being poor Make a list of everyone and pitiful, he declared you intend to give a gift that everyone in the famor card to. ily would Decide still exchange how much gifts. The money you It is Christmas catch? They can afford could spend and divide it in the heart no money at appropriately all. Christmas that puts among those morning was on your list. Christmas in more magiThe botcal than any the air. tom line is: she could Do not go recall before into debt for - W. T. Ellis or after. Her Christmas prize gift — in so came from doing, you her father: a wristwatch he honor your household budfound in the trash, lovingly get. Remember, gifts are disassembled, cleaned, quickly forgotten but the repaired, and polished to credit card bill may go on a more glorious condition forever. than new.4

absolutely nothing to do with money or exchanging gifts. It may include making it a special family outing to pick out your Christmas tree, or better yet, cutting your own tree at a Christmas tree farm. Other examples would be baking cookies as a family and distributing them among your neighbors, or going caroling at a local convalescent home. I remember one year our children had a paper house Advent calendar and each day during the month of December they could open one window or door and see another aspect of the Christmas story. Now that we have grandchildren we have special nativity set that they love putting

together on Christmas day. As a parent or grandparent, you can’t help but enjoy their priceless childish anticipation.

The Ultimate Gift Above all else, this is the season to remind us that two thousand years ago our Heavenly Father poured out all heaven in one eternal gift — His Son, Jesus Christ. And through Him we have numerous gifts such as the gift of forgiveness, the gift of fellowship with Him, and the gift of life through His Son’s sacrifice. This year make it a point to share this most amazing and humbling gift of all, the Good News, with someone else.

References: 1. “Extreme Christmas,” DebtProof Living, July 2007, page 1 2. Pryor, Andrew, “Managing The Cost Of Christmas Present,” Sound Mind Investing, November 2006, Page 166 3. “5 Good Things about Consumable Gifts,” Debt-Proof Living, July 2008, page 4 4. “Extreme Christmas,” DebtProof Living, July 2007, page 1

December 2012 THIS MONTH

Upcoming Events December Birthdays Yvonne Pond – 5 Yesenia Molina – 8 Ray Fernandez – 10 Johnny Macias, III – 12 Alonso Ortega – 16 Genesis Huinquez – 16 Lourdes Centeno – 17 Eddie Rivas – 18 Ricky Gonzalez – 19 Jocelyn Huinquez – 20 Claudia Aponte – 23 If your birthday is left out in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church office so we can put it in.

Thursdays - 7 p.m. Women’s Prayer Group Fridays - 7:00 p.m. Band Practice Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec.

1 - Pathfinders / Adventurers @ 3pm 2 - Pathfinders / Adventurers @ 9am 13 - AUS Christmas Program @ 7pm 15 - Pathfinder Induction 15 - Pathfinders @ 3pm 22 - Community Christmas Program 25 - Christmas

The Latest Word deadline is the 5th of the month.

Coming Soon Jan. 1 - Day of Prayer Feb - Small Group Series Mar 30 - Easter Sabbath

THE LATEST WORD The Latest About

Our Church Family Congratulations to Pedro and Jessica Ramirez Their son, Emmanuel Peter Ramirez was recently dedicated.

and Nicolas Duran were recently dedicated too. Congratulations to all our new members who were recently baptized. Cindy Orozco and her son, Jorge; Ellie Luna;

Congratulations Frankie and Patty Duran. Their twins, Francisco

Miranda Gomez; Isaac Perez; Joshua Perez; Erlinda Garcia; Armando Moreno; Aurora Hernandez; and Marty Hinojosa.

If you have any Church Family news, please contact the church office so we can get it into the newsletter. =

Welcome to Lesly Mendez and Jose Perez. They transferred in from the Burbank Adventist Church.

Thank you by Bill Aumack

t’s hard to comprehend sometimes. After 15 years of being our pastor, Mitch and Ginny are retiring. At the time of this writing, the Retirement Party hasn’t happened yet, but hopefully that was a great evening where we got to express some of our love and appreciation to Mitch and Ginny.

remember it all, or have room for it all. But here are a few things.

As I’ve reflected back on the years, there’s so much to thinking about and recall. So much to say thank you for. I’d never

- For supporting our young people in Adventurers, Pathfinders and just generally loving them

Thank you for all you’ve done for us.... - For “No Sarah Laughing” while you helped us restore God’s house - For teaching us the value of small groups

- For supporting Downey

Praise Band (DBP) and our first CD - For making us come up and share, even if we didn’t want to - For helping us lead LA Metro Region in baptisms

We are grateful for everything you’ve done for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We wish you well in your retirement. May God bless you. =

- For helping us to know Jesus better - For being there in the good times and the not so good times - For being our friend - and so much more....

Thank you to everyone who has been saving Box Tops for Education. That is greatly appreciated. For the Box Tops for Education, please save the Box Tops coupon. Please give your labels to Linda Aumack. Thank you for your support! =

December 2012

Ponder This... = Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. —Hamilton W. Mabie = The birth of Christ is the central event in the history of the earth — the very thing the whole story has been about. —C.S. Lewis = We find a delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA 90240

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