For the members, family and friends of the Downey Adventist Church
Living With Hope
“Stationary Time”
by Pastor Mitch If there was an instruction manual to life, wouldn’t you want to read it? Life’s big questions do have answers and give us a framework to understand the world we are living in. There’s only one place to go when seeking answers to life’s big questions. The Bible is the undisputed, best seller for life’s big questions. The Bible answers are a rock to stand on during the chaos that swirls around our homes, careers and relationships. On January 23rd, we launch into the small group series Living with Hope. Living with Hope will shine light into the darkness caused by the doubts and insecurities of these troubled times. The Bible is the proven source of wisdom where God has laid
out His promises of peace and protection. The message title on January 23rd is “Soul Food.” The weekly messages will be interactive. You will learn how to mark your Bible in a helpful, chain-reference format. That is, one highlighted scripture will lead you to the next scripture. In each session you’ll highlight key verses in your own Bible that will be an inspiration for you and your family for years to come. In preparation for the Living with Hope series, we’ve designated January 2, 2010, as a Day of Prayer. Prayer is life changing. “This is the continued on page 2
Agape Feast Join us on Friday, January 15, at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for our annual Agape Feast. The tables will be set with table cloths, candle light and the Bread and the Cup
of Communion. Bring the whole family and invite a friend for this memorable service. =
We are frequently thinking That time’s running fast. The present seems fleeting And soon becomes past But time is a measurement Standing quite still. It’s we who are moving — Or stopped, by our will. —Peggy Ferrell
I N S I D E
Whatever... is on page 3 Who Is He? is on page 4 Ginny’s Kitchen on page 5 What’s happening? see pages 6 & 9 Looking for the Money Tree on page 7 Kid’s Page on page 8 Our Church Family page 10
THE LATEST WORD Living With Hope (cont. from page 1)
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tive. Loss of job or fear of losing your job can weigh heavy on the heart. Some see no way out of their circumstances but a continued life of uncertainty. For others hope rises and falls on their emotions. If the day is pleasant then hope springs up but let the clouds of disappointment form and hope begins to sink with the sun. The question is, “Is There Hope for Me?” Hope is neither a feeling nor merely a pleasant thought. Hope is a person. The Bible says “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). Jesus is our hope. When we have Jesus we have the hope to move forward no matter what we face in life. See you when the church gathers. =
The Latest Word V 22 N 01
WE DID IT
air I breathe . . . Your holy presence, January. Bill Aumack will share a prayer message on January 9 entitled living, in me . . . This is the air I breathe . . . Your very word, spoken, The Radical Prayer Perspective. Then, on January 16, Gustavo to me,” are the core lyrics of the popular praise Ortega will present The song entitled “Breathe.” All Living with Hope will Radical of us would shine light into the dark- Prayer Problem. We agree that ness caused by the doubts are blessed to “breathing” and insecurities of these have spiritual prayer is an ideal. Each leaders who troubled times. are willing to breath is but a share the word momentary of God. prayer of sweet, uninterrupted communion with the The message on January 30 asks Lord. Let’s begin the New Year by the question Is There Hope for Me? dedicating ourselves to the Lord Please excuse the pun, but the value through prayer. of Bible marking is highlighted by the many encouraging passages that We’ve invited two of our leaders answer that question in the affirmato continue the theme of prayer in
BILL AUMACK el jeffe
BILL AUMACK layout
LINDA AUMACK proof reading
LETTY DURAN distribution
MITCH WILLIAMS pastor
address mail to: (we like letters!) Downey-Florence 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: January 2010 copyright 1992-2009
January 2010 God, Webster & You
Whatever...
by Linda Bewley ebster says”whatever” means “anything and everything . . . no matter what . . . of any kind at all” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary).
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od says,”And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17 NIV).
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Out with the old and in with the new! That’s a saying typically applied to the end of a year. This year seems to have passed by in record speed and more quickly than any other. I suppose that could be just my imagination. But imagination or not, we are facing a new year very quickly! I suppose there are lots of things to think about as the New Year approaches. Some people might be busy thinking of resolutions already. I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps it is because I don’t keep
them! But I was thinking about these things when I sat down to read my Bible this morning. I’m currently in the Book of Colossians. And there I found some guidelines for living. Not resolutions to be made and abandoned quickly, but guidelines that we can apply throughout the whole year-in fact, throughout our lives here on earth. Let’s see if you agree. v Set your hearts and minds on things above, not on earthly things. Why? Because Christ has
Worship Schedule Jan. 2 Mitch Williams Day of Prayer
Jan. 9 Bill Aumack The Radical Prayer Perspective
Jan. 16 Gustavo Ortega The Radical Prayer Problem
Jan. 23 Mitch Williams Living with Hope #1 Soul Food
Jan. 30 Mitch Williams Living with Hope #2 Is There Hope for Me?
been raised, and our lives are now hidden with Him. v Put to death all things that belong to our earthly nature and rid ourselves of anger, rage, malice and other self-destructive things. v Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Why? Because we are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved by God, and because other people need to see these qualities in us so they can see God’s character. v Forgive whatever grievances you may have against anyone. Don’t just forgive outwardly, but forgive as the Lord forgave you. v Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Why? Because we are members of one body and we were called to live in peace. v Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly so you can teach and admonish others with wisdom. So whether you’re someone like me or someone who makes and keeps resolutions or something in between, these words are for you. Happy New Year! =
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THE LATEST WORD Before the Father
Who Is He?
by Linda Fernandez “……But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15 I can hardly believe it is 2010! My husband and I were just talking about all the preparations we had made to be ready for the big year 2000. It doesn’t seem possible that ten years has gone by so quickly.
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We did not need to be as prepared as we thought for the big crash that never happened in Y2K. Even so, this year we will be busy planning our emergency kits in case a situation of a different type comes our way. These days it seems we must always be prepared for one crisis or another. As we welcome in a new year, I thought I might share the learning process I am going through as our Lord teaches me about something of even more value than my personal safety and belongings. Who is my Ultimate Emergency Resource? How well do I know Him. Can I trust Him to come to
my aid in time of sadness, need and illness? While pouring out my trials and tribulations recently to a trusted friend, I was stopped in my tracks when he asked me, “Who is Jesus to you?” His question took me by surprise and my quick answer was, “The Son of God, of course.” But even as I heard my answer with my own ears, it seemed insufficient. I knew in my heart that my friend was looking for something much deeper in my response, much more personal. We had just finished studying this passage in Matthew in our small group meetings and I thought back on Peter’s response to this question from Jesus. Going back to verse 13 we find Jesus asking his disciples who others were saying he was. After they answered, he then asked them who they said he was. Peter, as
usual was the first to speak up, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus then told him that this answer came not by any learning or revelation by man, but from His Father who is in heaven. After that Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he would soon be going away, but must first suffer many things. He was trying to prepare them for the crisis ahead. As I look back on the many phases of preparation I have gone through, I find myself much like Peter. First, I do not want to admit that difficult times may be ahead and then my faith begins to waiver when I am faced with the trial. He is known by many names and as this year unfolds, I want to be ready to give a confident and compelling answer to the question, “Who is this Jesus to you?” by studying those references in his Word and becoming aware of how each one applies to me. Father: As I begin a study of the names of Christ, I pray each reference will become real in my life. =
A winning pattern for the New Year Some anonymous wise person penned the following directions for living without bringing pain to others or oneself: “You will never be sorry — for thinking before acting, for hearing before judging, for forgiving your enemies, for being candid and frank,
for helping a fallen brother, for being honest in business, for thinking before speaking, for being loyal to God and the church, for standing by your principles, for refusing to participate
in gossip, for holding your words when tempted to demean another, for not entertaining impure or hateful thoughts, for sympathizing with the afflicted, for being courteous and kind to all.” =
January 2010 With Love From the Kitchen of Ginny Williams Crockpot Split Pea Soup 2 quarts water 16 oz. dried split peas (rinsed and check for stones) 1 T. Liquid Smoke Olive oil 2 medium white onions, chopped 4 carrots, chopped 1 cup chopped celery, including the leaves 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 T. hot pepper juice Herbs: 3 bay leaves and dried thyme Salt and pepper Pam
DIRECTIONS: Spray crock-pot with pan Fill pot with cold water. Add dried split peas, turn pot on to high-heat. After 4 hours, turn to low. In a large sauce pan, add Olive oil, chopped onions, garlic and sauté for approx. 4 minutes. Add liquid smoke, herbs, pepper and salt and pepper juice Add onion mixture, carrots and celery to crock pot. Stir everything together and put lid on crock-pot. This soup is a slow cooking soup. It will take all-day or cook it the during the night. Either serves whole or traditionally whiz to a creamy con-
sistency. PS. You may have to add more water and it will thicken up when put in the refrigerator and is really better the next day when all flavors mix. =
Living With Hope Our next small group series begins January 23rd. It’s called Living with Hope and we’ll be learning the fine art of Bible marking. If the Bible is an instruction manual to life, shouldn’t you want to read it? Life’s big questions do have answers, and give us a framework to understand the world we are living in. These answers are a rock to stand on during the chaos that swirls around our homes, careers, and relationships.
Series begins January 23rd.
This unique series will give you the tools to understand God’s word, as you learn proven Be sure to join a small group or you will techniques for studying the Bible effectively. miss half of the lessons! Sign up for a small In each session you’ll highlight key verses in group at church. your own Bible that will be an inspiration for you and your family for years to come. =
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Downey Adventist Chur ch Sunday
Monday
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1 4:53 pm sunset
2 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Day of Prayer
Visit www.downeychurch.org C.S. - Community Service S.S. - Sabbath School
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6:30 pm Band Practice
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8 4:59 pm sunset
9 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Bill Aumack
7 pm Women’s Prayer Group
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6:30 pm Band Practice
15 5:05 pm sunset
10 AM C.S.
3:30 PM Revive Rally @ North Hills
16 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Gustavo Ortega
7 pm Church Board 7 pm Women’s Prayer Group
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7 pm AGAPE Feast
1 PM Adventurers 3:30 PM ReThink
22 5:12 pm sunset
23 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Living With Hope #1
7 pm Women’s Prayer Group
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6:30 pm Band Practice
29 5:19 pm sunset
30 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Living With Hope #2
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7 pm Women’s 6:30 pm Band Prayer Group Practice
January 2010 Stewpot by Gordon Botting, DrPH, CHES Take a few minutes and imagine that the elusive money tree suddenly sprouted in your back yard and you were able to gather over $500,000 from its branches. With this picture in your mind, what would you feel after you had deposited all those fresh, organic, crisp dollar bills in your savings account? Knowing that your next bank statement would show a balance of over half a million dollars, would you not feel safer and more secure in these recessional times? Would you be calmer and more content as you dealt with the deadlines at work and with difficult colleagues or upper management in
Looking for the Money Tree resources to last while you found new employment. Now, one more time, imagine that your money tree was a small shrub and only produced $5,000. Despite the fact that it’s only one percent of the original amount, you have it. And with certain adjustments in your lifestyle, you probably would be able to get through several unexpected financial challenges, even with the smaller amount.
Why Save? I believe $5,000 would change the lifestyle of individuals and families both in the United States and in most countries around the globe. Also, remember this $5,000 is cash in your savings account that you have immediate access to, not an advance from your high interest credit card, or having to sell your RV, boat, or some other asset.
“Money grows on the tree of patience.” (Proverb) the office? Would arguments with your spouse and other family members seem of less consequence, knowing that you had more than adequate funds at your disposal? Whoever you are, having a safety net of savings would enable you to better deal with sudden medical crises in your family, assist friends who were in need, or it would place you in a position to give generously to your church, a mission project, or a favorite charity. Using the same visualization process, imagine that your money tree only produced $50,000. Would you be feeling the same as you would if you had put $500,000 in your savings account? Perhaps not, if you knew the other may have been an option, but I imagine that you would still have a feeling of wellbeing, and you could still be confident that if you were to lose your current job, there would be sufficient
Unfortunately “savings” is not a word that takes away your breath, nor is it a spine-tingling or electrifying experience. No annual Hollywood Oscars are given to the top promoters of savings accounts and no medals are given to champion savers. Regrettably, Western countries’ economies are based on debt and banks fail to promote the benefits of saving.
As an individual, the word or concept of savings is something you might prefer to avoid. However, let me emphasize: Savings, or the lack of it, can and will affect what happens to you as a person or as a family. So here’s the question: how do you start that $5,000 in your savings account?
What’s So Hard About Saying NO? The prerequisite to savings is mastering a powerful, simple, twoletter word - “NO”. It is not a negative word, but rather a very positive expression when used in the right context. Start using this word today and in 21 days it will become a habit. Start with: o NO! I will not keep up with the proverbial Joneses. o NO! I will not purchase that new appliance - my current one has at least two years of life left in it. o NO! I will not eat out every day, but will pack a wholesome brown bag lunch at least twice a week instead. o NO! I will drink water instead of purchasing an expensive hot or cold beverage. Remember, what you don’t purchase today will probably be there tomorrow and maybe at a better price.1 continued on page 11
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THE LATEST WORD
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January 2010
this month
Jan. Birthdays Janeth Cuyuch-Perez - 1 Irela Molina - 4 Virginia Hinojosa - 4 Sergio Garcia - 9 Isabel Molina - 13 Jonathan Beckmann - 15 Becky Duran - 18 Elissa Luna - 19 Alejandro Zamora - 22 Richard Orozco - 22 Jordan Chavez - 22 Yesenia Molina - 28 Zina Beckmann - 28 Lourdes Ortega - 30 If your birthday is left out in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church office so we can put it in.
If you are looking for a new, fun way to read The Latest Word online, be sure to check out the newest format at http://issuu.com/downeychurch. Same great content in a richer environment. Be sure to check out all the reading modes. As usual, you can still get read it at our website at www.downeychurch.org.
Upc oming Even ts 2nd Sunday - 10 a.m. Community Service 3rd Saturday - Adventurer Club Thursdays - 7 p.m. Women’s Prayer Group Fridays - 6:30 p.m. Band Practice Jan 1 - New Year’s Day Jan 15 - AGAPE Feast 7pm Jan 16 - ReThink 3:30pm Jan 18 - Martin Luther King Day Jan 23 - Living with Hope starts
The Latest Word deadline is the 5th of the month.
Coming Soon March 20 - Celebration Sabbath April 3 - Easter
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THE LATEST WORD The Latest About
Our Church Family Congratulations to Kevin Torres. He was recently baptized. Be sure to welcome him to the family. We sorrowfully report the passing of Judy Beal’s mother. She passed after a long illness on December 8. Please remember the family in your prayers.
Linda and Albert Casilla’s son, Sean, recently passed away. Please remember them and the entire Garcia family as they mourn. If you have any Church Family news, please contact the church office so we can get it into the newsletter. =
Thank you to everyone who has been saving Campbell Soup Labels for education and Box Tops for Education. That is greatly appreciated. On the Campbell Soup labels, all that is really need is the UPC (the bar code). You don’t have to save the entire label, just the UPC bar code. For the Box Tops for Education, please save the Box Tops coupon. Please give your labels to Linda Aumack. Thank you for your support! =
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A New Year’s Resolution Economically speaking, 2009 was a dreadful year for many families around the world. Some lost homes, cars and jobs. Many are unable to fund college educations for their children, and bank accounts have dwindled. What will 2010 bring: movement toward less of everything or toward a more hopeful future? Here’s a good resolution to make: “Our family will pay close attention to our income, our savings and our necessary purchases. We will keep a record of every dollar spent and every dollar saved.” Money accumulated, invested and given wisely will bring peace of
mind and the ability to contribute more to the church and people in need. Families must develop a healthy attitude toward money. Scripture doesn’t condemn money; it simply warns against loving it or making it an idol (1 Timothy 6:10). With God as our mentor, nearly every family can avoid having crushing debt. Wise stewardship brings
relief and unbridled joy to those who practice it. As economist George Humphrey said, “I don’t think you can spend yourself rich.” =
January 2010 Looking for the Money Tree (cont. from page 7) How to Save $5,000 This Year Following are a few suggestions of ideas to help you reach your $5,000 goal. 1. Supermarkets. The majority of supermarkets have a three-month sale cycle. The majority of sale products are often 20-30 percent lower than their normal retail price. Smart shoppers will stock up on their favorite products and make them last until the next bargain cycle. If the typical family of four spends $8,500 per year on groceries, you could trim your bill by 20 percent ($1,700). If you use coupons, you could potentially save another 10 percent ($850). 2. Eating out An average meal at an inexpensive chain restaurant will normally
cost two adults approximately $40. Omitting one meal out per week for one year would save you nearly $2,000. If you do plan to eat out, why not skip the appetizer and the beverages (except water). At the minimum, you would save about $10 per meal, or over $500 over the twelve months.
don’t expire for 12 months, you could save $500 if you purchased 2,000 minutes for the year. Another way to save is to lower your current plan’s cost by taking advantage of the free evening and weekend minutes.
“A foolish man devours all he has.” (Proverb)
4. Auto & Home Insurance By increasing your deductible from $300 to $1,000 you should be able to reduce your auto insurance premium by about 40 percent - a savings of over $300 on an $800 premium. You will save another $200 on your homeowner’s premium if you increase that deductible to $2,000.2 = References: 1. Ideas taken from Paul Squires, Wealthier Than You Think, Silver Bird Publishing. 2007. Pg. 13-24.
3. Cell phone The average cell or mobile phone user annually shells out over $700 for 1,000 minutes per month. If you were to use the prepay plan that charges $100 for 1,000 minutes that
2. Gregory Karp, “10 Simple Ways to Save $5,000 This Year”, Bottom Line Personal. May 1, 2008. Pg. 1-2.
Upcoming Rallys Revive is the theme of the Rally coming on January 9 at 3:30pm. The area churches are combining their resources for a time of worship, prayer and renewal. The Rally will be at the North Hills Church in Claremont. ReThink: On January 16, the area Adventist’s Churches combine their resources in an experience of preparation called ReThink. ReThink will help us as we share our faith with others. Plan to be part of the experience here at the Downey Church on January 16, 3:30 p.m.
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January 2010
Ponder This... = “In darkness there is no choice. It is light that enables us to see the differences between things; and it is Christ who gives us light.” —Augustus Hare = “Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement — and we will make the goal.” —Jerome Fleishman = “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” —J.M. Barrie
Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA 90240
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