Oct 2011 The Latest Word by Downey Church

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

6 Weeks of Living in the World by Pastor Mitch

t the time of the writing of I Peter, Christians were unfairly judged by their communities as a potential danger. How did the early Christians get tagged as mainly wrongdoers? It is thought that the Roman Emperor, Nero, initiated a plan to burn down the outof-date structures in Rome’s central city simply because he wanted to rebuild the inner city with more modern dwellings. Once Nero understood the outrage his fire caused, he shifted the

blame from himself to the Christians living in Rome. Persecution boiled against the Christians. Peter wrote to the believers sharing a simple, yet challenging remedy. The message of October 15 is entitled Christian Citizen’s Duty.

presence is essential for a successful Pathfinder Club. They need our prayers, our support and our financial help. I’m looking forward to this service with the message Character Building. Be sure to invite families with kids to this service.

Mark your calendars to be part of the Pathfinder Induction service set for October 1. The induction service is a dedication of the kids joining the Pathfinder Club this year. Please be aware that your

The message of October 8 is Living the Good Life. Three times Peter urges us to develop self-control. He writes in I Peter 1:13, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be selfcontrolled; set your hope continued on page 2

Small Groups

t’s not too late join a Small Group. They will be starting up on October 8 for our new series called Living in the World. This 6 week series is based on the book Caught Between Two Worlds by Karl Haffner. If you are not currently in a small group, please sign up

Seek to please Shift your prayer life from “Please, God” to “Please God.” Take the comma out of those two words when you pray, and transition your praying from asking God for things to asking God for the pleasure of God’s pleasure. —Homiletics

INSIDE I Can’t Wait is on page 3

in the foyer at church. This series, with its book, will help us all learn how Christians can live in a world that seems stacked against them. You won’t want to miss out on this. If you’d like to host a small group, please talk to Bill or Pastor and let them know. Thanks. =

Returnnig the Tithe is on page 4 Ginny’s Kitchen on page 5 What’s happening? see pages 6 & 9 A Fairy Tale Wedding on a Pauper’s Budget on page 7 Our Church Family page 10 Kid’s Page on page 11

THE LATEST WORD Living in the World (cont. from page 1) fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” When we live self-controlled lives, the benefits are beyond measure. Peter is calling all believers to live what they really believe. To put into practice the attributes they read in the Bible. We are to truly love one another through our actions and words. I Peter shares with us how to live the good life.

hold servants, others were teachers, doctors and musicians. Whether a slave had a graduate degree or not, all Christian slaves

sage might surprise some but all of us will benefit from knowing and implementing God’s word in our work-a-day world. A Lasting Value System is the title of the message on October 29. At the time of writing 1 Peter, the Christians were challenged to keep their faith in a wildly sinful environment. Cultic prostitution and drunken parties lasting days at a time was the background some of the newly baptized Christians once participated in. Once pagan friends caught wind of the new value system their Christians friends now followed, they thought of them as from an alien

“all Christian slaves were encouraged to strive for excellence every day

On October 22, the message is called Aim for Excellence. Peter wrote to those who were “slaves” to offer their best work each day to their masters. Keep in mind that while some slaves were house-

”

were encouraged to strive for excellence every day. Now most of us don’t mind doing our best at work “if” our pay is commensurate with our efforts and production. But what about those stingy bosses who only pay “slave” wages? Peter is clear in his teachings. This mes-

planet and planted the label of “strange” on them. Peter caught the drift of the pagan culture’s attitude and wrote: “They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you” (1 Peter 4:4, NIV). Peter’s advice, written 2,000 years ago, shows us how to enjoy lives with a lasting value system. See you when the church gathers. =

The Latest Word V 23 N 10

WE DID IT

BILL AUMACK

responsible for this

LINDA AUMACK proof reading

TBD

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

October 2011 God, Webster & You by Linda Bewley

ebster says “anticipation” means “a prior action that takes into account or forestalls a later action . . . the act of looking forward. . . pleasurable expectation. . . visualization of a future event or state. . . .” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary).

od says through the Apostle Paul, “. . . I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. . .. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens” (Romans 8:18, The Message). At the moment I am writing this, I almost

I Can’t Wait feel like a child. Why? Because I am a couple of days away from two surprise parties, one for my mom and one for a dear friend at church. I have been involved in the plans for both these parties for quite some time, and I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing each surprise unfold. There will be unexpected guests at both parties which will only add to the surprise element. But it’s so hard to wait, and I am bursting with anticipation! Every time I see these two people, I want to spill the beans. Children often cannot wait for good things like this and ask questions like, “is it time yet?” Well, that’s exactly how I feel. This morning I was reading the book of

Worship Schedule October 1 Mitch Williams

Pathfinder Induction

October 8 Mitch Williams

Living the Good Life Week #1

October 15 Mitch Williams

Christian Citizen’s Day Week #2

October 22 Mitch Williams

Aim for Excellence Week #3

October 29 Mitch Williams A Lasting Value System Week #4

Hebrews. In Chapter 2, the writer discusses the topic of angels. As I was reading, I noticed a study guide in my Bible about the ministry of angels here on earth. Their ministry includes protecting and guiding God’s people. Angels also prepared Mary and Joseph for Christ’s birth, announced his birth to the shepherds, assisted Jesus on earth and ministered to him in the wilderness. The one entry that really caught my eye, though, was the paragraph that said, “Angels will assist Christ at his return. An archangel will announce the return of Christ. . . .” (Study Guide, The Open Bible NLT.) Of course I already knew about the archangel. What does the Bible say? “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God” (1 Thes. 4:16 emphasis added). But the thought that occurred to me was this: I wonder if the archangel is filled with anticipation of that day. The angel does not know when it will happen, because the Bible tells us that only God the

Father knows the day and hour. But do you think the angel may be bursting with anticipation enough to want to ask the Father, “is it time yet?” Even as those thoughts occurred to me, I realized that the archangel isn’t the only one who gets to share

the good news. In fact, as believers in Jesus Christ, it is our highest calling to share that good news with others so that when it is time for the angel to announce Christ’s return, there will be lots and lots of people who will be saved and will be rejoicing. Angels will assist at Christ’s return, but how are we assisting God now by telling others? Christ died for the ungodly, Paul says in the book of Romans, and Jesus came so that whosoever believes in him may have eternal life. Who might unexpectedly be in heaven because we couldn’t wait to share that good news and spread the word of the soon return of Christ?! =

THE LATEST WORD Before the Father by Linda Fernandez

Returning the Tithe

A “I would never have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.” -John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

“Test me in this…” -God (Mal. 3:10)

s I began this virtual journey several months ago, it was to revisit and reconsider my own core beliefs, reinforcing each one with a country gospel song. As it turns out, Pastor Mitch recently finished a 3-part sermon series on tithing and I was hesitant about continuing that thread of thought, but I knew that tithing/giving would fit in along the way somewhere and this is where it ended up. One short newsletter article is not enough space to share the many stories which have brought me to the place of trusting Almighty God to provide for all my needs. I wish there was a sure-fire way to explain how He makes situations happen or turn around or money suddenly appear, but there isn’t one. I can share, however that tithing has been an uphill battle for me. There have been more times than I would like to admit of not trusting and at best being only fair in obedience to this command. I have Mr. Rockefeller’s quote posted on my fridge to this day, even though the practice is quite common in our home now, I don’t want to go back to not fully trusting in God for our needs.

“Trust And Obey” is the song I chose for this topic. Its origin is not country, but is sung beautifully by Sierra Hull, a young bluegrass artist. The words of this song perfectly cover any situation which may come before us in life and testing God as he invites us to in Malachi in

regards to tithing affects so many other areas of our lives than simply financial. During the past ten years alone, our family has experienced tremendous medical, personal and financial dilemmas, at times one right after the other. More than once, it certainly felt as if we were going through a Joblike experience. But as we look back now, there is no natural way to explain the various ways the Lord provided for us each and every

time; the greatest blessing of course being the gift of peace through it all. We were visiting my mother-in-law one day at the nice little residential care facility where she lives now. She was telling us how much she enjoys it there, blissfully unaware of the emotional trauma the rest of the family suffered in having to make the decision to place her there. All she knows is that she loves Jesus and trusts that He will always take care of her. I don’t want to wait until I am ninety to have that kind of trust in my Lord, do you? Let’s pray: Father, help us trust in you more fully, “for there is no other way, than to Trust and Obey.” =

October 2011 From Ginny’s Kitchen Old Fashion Tomato Soup 1 ½ cups ripe fresh tomatoes 1 ½ cups of milk or soy creamer or half & half 1 handful of fresh chopped fresh basil pinch of baking soda 2 T. butter In a pot, boil tomatoes for about 3 minutes and peel the skin off each one.

Place peeled tomatoes into a medium size pot. Heat on low heat and smash tomatoes all together while in pot. Add pinch of baking soda. Then add milk or soy creamer. Heat thoroughly but do not boil. When it is heated, blend soup mixture all together with a mixer (on low). Reheat on low heat. Add the handful of fresh

A Guide for Giving

do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc. is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are

probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures exclude them.

—C.S. Lewis =

basil on top of soup in the pot, place a lid top on pot. Turn off heat. Serve in the next 5 minutes. Optional: salt & pepper, but taste first!

and fresh basil.

This is my grandma Basinger recipe with my addition of soy creamer

Fall Party

utumn is here and that means one thing - the Downey Adventist Church Annual Fall Party. The Fall Party is October 22nd at 5:30 p.m. Each small group will plan two games to lead out

at the Fall Party. We need games for all age groups, from 3 to 100. We will also be havingsome good food! So bring your games and bring some food to share and we will have a great time. =

Time to Step Down

mericans enjoy an abundance of freedoms. From what we’ll pursue to what we’ll eat for lunch, we’re constantly making decisions about what we want out of life. So it’s hard to find peace when our plans go awry and we lose control of our circumstances. A wise person suggested, “For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe.” What if we stepped down and let God be God? He created the universe, after all. Shouldn’t we trust him to run it? =

Downey Adventist Church Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Pathfinder Induction

Visit www.downeychurch.org S.S. - Sabbath School

7 6:30 pm sunset

8 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Living in the World 1

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

15 6:21 pm sunset

15 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Living in the World 2

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

21 6:13 pm sunset

22 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Living in the World 3

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

28 6:05 pm sunset

29 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Living in the World 4

Pathfinder Campout

5:30 pm Fall Party

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Band Practice

Pathfinder Campout

October 2011 Stewpot by Gordon Botting, DrPh, CHES

A Fairy Tale Wedding on a Pauper’s Budget

on his daughter Vanisha in Paris.1

veryone loves a wedding . . .almost everyone! If the truth be told, there’s a little bit of romance in each of us, evidenced by the fact that millions of Americans were willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning to watch the wedding ceremony of the century; the exchange of vows by Kate and William. However, fairy tale weddings can be short changed by the cost of a wedding. The most expensive wedding dress in the world is a Beverly Hills creation entitled the Diamond Wedding Gown, worth $12 million. Beverly Hills also boasts the most costly wedding cask valued at $20 million, which has never been tasted or touched as it is sealed off by armed guards. With a train of 1.2 miles, the longest wedding dress is from China. Interestingly, the groom’s mother promptly called the dress “a waste of money in my opinion.” (Perhaps she should have kept her comments to herself since the bride’s parents paid for it.) And the highest priced wedding belongs to London– based Indian–born steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who lavished $60 million

Fifty to one hundred years ago, the average wedding was performed in the bride’s home church, where the groom wore his first and possibly only suit and the bride wore a

modest dress made by a family member or friend. The reception was usually cake, punch, an assortment of nuts and snacks or hors d’oeuvres. The gifts were practical, such as bedroom linen, bathroom towels, and cooking pots. In contrast, the weddings of today are more likely to be performed in a garden setting, on a beach at sunset or in a Las Vegas chapel, with the couple’s gifts displayed on a boutique or upscale retailers website, and a catered reception in a hotel ballroom. However, a couple can still be married for $500 in their parent’s backyard with the reception provisions provided by the guests.

How to stretch your wedding budget? 1. Bridal gown. Borrow or rent the wedding dress. Remember, it is only worn for a few hours. If it’s going to be a keepsake, then find an inexpensive seamstress (maybe a relative or friend who would love to donate their time and talent as a gift.) Or look in a second–hand bridal shop for a reasonable deal.

“Getting married is easy. Staying married is more difficult. Staying happily married for a lifetime should rank among the fine arts.” — Roberta Fla

2. Flowers. Purchase the flowers from a discount warehouse such as BJ’s, Sam’s Club, Costco or a flower market/nursery. 3. Music. Choose from musically talented friends or acquaintances, who would be glad to perform as their gift to the bride and groom. If you prefer a professional, contact your local community college for a senior music major who would be willing to play or sing for a nominal fee. One couple I know invited their church choir to be the special music for the wedding service.

“In marriage, being the right person is as important as finding the right person.” — Wilbert Donald Gough

4. Photography. Plan to have the professional continued on page 8

THE LATEST WORD Fairy Tale Wedding - Pauper Budget (cont. from page 7) portraits taken at a beautiful location or in the photographer’s studio a few days before of the wedding. If one or both of the bridal party’s family are unable to attend, ask your crazy photographic friends to take lots and lots of snapshots.2 In this current age with so many great digital cameras, your friends can give you a great record of your wedding. Or look for a professional video photographer for the wedding.

5. Reception. Often the time of your reception will determine the type and cost of a meal. Three o’clock in the afternoon may call for just a cake, snacks and punch. If you choose a sit down meal, why not do what one church family has done for years? The ladies of the church chose to volunteer their time for each of their daughter’s receptions.

Why a Stewpot about weddings?

Many of the same principles that would apply to that special wedding day, a wise steward would apply to all aspects of life. The average couple will spend approximately 250 hours in preparation for their big day, yet many of us barely spend two hours a month planning, budgeting and implementing household money management.

1. Simplistic Scale back on a variety of items in your wedding planning like fewer attendants or fewer guests. Make it a family reunion in Hawaii. There is something inherently elegant in simplicity. This principle applies to everyday purchases. Many appliances and other purchases are overly complicated. Nearly 50% of all Christmas gifts given to seniors are returned. Not because they do not

appreciate or need them, but because they were too difficult to understand and operate. Next time you purchase an appliance for your home, remember simplicity goes a long way if you expect your spouse and children to assist you in household chores. Washing clothes in a washing machine that has six complicated dials may prove to be intimidating.

2. Practical Practicality should be the essence of your special day. Resist what others plan. You don’t have to have a superior wedding. Talk with your immediate families about what’s

important to you on this memorable day. In the same

aged to follow the identical concept for every major item we buy, a vacuum cleaner or a wedding new automobile.

“The average in the United States hit it’s all‐time high of $28,000 just before the Great Recession.” 1 way apply practicality to all financial decisions. When purchasing a vehicle, ask yourself why am I purchasing this vehicle rather than do I like its aesthetics. An example would be having a factory GPS which would cost hundreds of dollars more than a simple device which you can pull out of the glove box when needed.

3. Financial Wedding planners suggest making a list of everything you would like for your special day. Then reassess the list by together deciding what items are

There is an often quoted saying, “After the wedding comes the marriage.” For all the wedding wishes of your friends and relatives the two of you will continue to grow your relationship for the rest of your lives, through good times and not so good times. Part of good stewardship is nourishing and nurturing your relationship between you and God, family, friends and fellow members.

5. Spiritual Marriage is one of the most spiritual events of life. It was blessed by the Creator in the Garden of Eden, acknowledged by Jesus as significant when he performed His first miracle at the wedding in Canaan, and finally, John, the Revelator describes the church as a bride adorned for her husband at the Second Coming of our Lord. =

“A $28,000 wedding does not get you any more married than a $800 wedding—it just raises your debt level.”1 essential, which items you can cut corners on, and which you can do without. As a steward we are encour-

4. Relational

References: 1. Swenson, Richard A. MD, (2010). NAVPress, In Search of Balance, p 110. 2. Hunt, Mary (2010) DPL Press, “10 easy ways to cut the cost of a wedding,” Debt–Proof Living Magazine, May 2009, p 1.

October 2011 THIS MONTH

Upcoming Events October Birthdays Mario Rodriguez – 3 Lee Ann Harry – 6 Denise Macias – 7 Evan Aumack – 10 Martha Guerrero Patino - 12 Virginia Duarte – 12 Natalie Michel – 12 Evelyn Garcia – 17 Chanal Red – 17 Annie Mendez – 23 Kahlil Meade – 24 Victor Acuna – 31 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 - 6:30 p.m. Band Practice

Oct. 1 - Pathfinder/Adventurer Meeting - 3pm Oct. 2 - Pathfinder Yard Sale, Car Wash & Food Sale - 8am Oct. 15 - Pathfinder/Adventurer Meeting - 3pm Oct. 16 - Pathfinder/Adventurer Meeting - 9am Oct. 22 - Fall Party - 5:30pm Oct. 29-30 - Pathfinder Campout

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

Coming Soon November 5 - Friendship Day November 19 - Celebration Sabbath December 17 - Community Christmas Program

THE LATEST WORD The Latest About

Our Church Family Congratulations to Mimi Gonzalez. She and Christian Andalon are engaged. Congratulations to Abraham Guevara. He was baptized on Sept. 3 (his birthday). Also to his mother, Karen, who

was accepted into membership by profession of faith. Be sure to welcome them to family.

so we can get it into the newsletter. = 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.

If you have any Church Family news, please contact the church office

Please give your labels to Linda Aumack. Thank you for your support! =

Living by Son-Light

S A

lton Wayne Lewis passed away and was laid to rest on Sept 3, 2011 in the Inglewood Park Cemetery. He’s next to his wife Jean Lewis. Wayne was born July 21, 1920. He fell asleep in the Lord on August 23, 2011.

1999

Wayne served his country when it called. He

6/2005 was in the Army Air Corp. Which is now known as the Air Force. He and Jean were one of the founding families in the Downey Adventist Church. We look forward to seeing Wayne again. =

2004

ome of our days seem very dark. Sickness, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or another struggle overshadows life. In our despair, it can be difficult to sense God’s presence. If God were here, we reason, surely he’d be shining his light on our dark circumstances. When life is bright and joyous, it’s easy to sense God; the sun becomes a natural metaphor for God’s Son, Jesus, the Light of the world. But even on cloudy days, the

sun still shines, its presence not bound by our limited vision. And in the darkest night, the sun remains; the warmth it gave before dusk lingers, enough to preserve us into the dawning of a new day. Sometimes we even catch its reflection in the moon. “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5b, NRSV). Trust in God; even in life’s dark times, the Son still shines! =

October 2011

Ponder This... = “Faith, like light, should always be simple and unbending; while love, like warmth, should beam forth on every side and bend to every necessity of our brethren.” —Martin Luther = “No man ever got very high by pulling other people down…. Don’t knock your friends. Don’t knock your enemies. Don’t knock yourself.” —Alfred, Lord Tennyson = “God is in the business of taking old pieces of our lives, refinishing them and, at just the right time, surprising us with newfound beauty.” —Susan Duke

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

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