We all know that. Our Vacation. Drought Resistant Christian. Vacation Bible School INSIDE. Anticipation

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1 For the members, family and friends of the Downey Adventist Church Drought Resistant Christian by Cary Fisher We all know that California is in a severe drought and in fact, experts have called it the worse drought in this state s history. You may have seen pictures of lakes throughout California drying up, and we have a governor that has called for a state of emergency by ordering Californians to drastically reduce their use of water. We certainly should all try to do our part by finding ways to conserve as much as possible, and I have heard many stories of people taking drastic steps in reducing their water usage. For example, my neighbor had spent thousands of dollars just a few years ago in beautifully landscaping the acreage around their house, but to save water, he spent thousands of dollars more in ripping out all of their lush vegetation to put in plants that are California native and drought resistant. Since the creation of the world, droughts have always existed. In fact, some of the most memorable stories in the Bible have a drought playing a significant role in its narrative such as stories like Joseph, Moses, and Elijah. Obviously, water is crucial to our life in almost every way, and we just could not live without it. Water is also crucial in the Bible as it is referenced 722 times, but in scripture, it has multiple meanings that include the emphasis of water in a spiritual context. Amos continued on page 2 Anticipation It is not hard for the Lord to turn night into day. He that sends the clouds can as easily clear the skies. Let us be of good cheer. It is better farther on. Let us sing Hallelujah by anticipation. Charles H. Spurgeon Vacation Bible School Our Vacation Bible School this year is Bible Blast to the Past! Get ready for a lifechanging adventure. Each day begins at Blast to the Past Bash where kids will sing, shout, praise, pray, and be introduced to a Bible story and the daily theme. Join us starting Monday, July 20 thru Friday, July 24th from 6 to 8:30pm at the Downey Adventist Church. There will be a free dinner each night from 6 to 6:30pm. Don t miss the fun! = INSIDE Graduation Pics page 3 Church Family pics page 4 Taste & Inspiration on page 5 What s happening? see pages 6 & 9 Our Church Family page 7 Kid s Page on page 9

2 THE LATEST WORD Drought Resistant... (cont. from page 1) 2 prophesied, The days are coming, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I will send a famine through the land not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord (Amos 8:11). Amos is referring to a spiritual drought that will happen to the children of Israel. While we can t avoid the drought that surrounds California, we can be sure that we do not suffer from a spiritual drought. Jesus asked the woman at the well for some water and in returned offer her a living water to where he said, whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst some of the most memorable stories in the Bible have a drought playing a significant role (John 14:4). While the focus on planting drought resistant vegetation around our lawns seem to be the big thing now, I am calling for us to be drought resistant Christians that partake in the living water that Jesus is offering us, and hopefully, we will spiritually never thirst again. So, starting in July, we are going to have a summer long sermon series called the Drought Resistant Christian. We are going to study the aspects of water as referenced in the Bible. Hopefully, we can avoid the traps that could bring our spiritual life into a drought, and that we are always drinking from Jesus s living water. July s Sermon Calendar July 4th - The Freedom to Worship - This Sabbath falls on Independence Day, and we will celebrate together with a message that honors one of our country s greatest freedoms. God values our freewill to love him, and we should be glad that this country does as well. July 11th - Pathfinders Investiture. The Pathfinders will wrap up their year with this service. Come out a support our young people. Bill Aumack will share about how Psalm 23 can help us in our daily lives. July 18th - H20 in the Bible - We are starting our Drought Resistant Christians series. We begin with a message on how the Bible brings out the importance of water as it relates to life physically and spiritually. July 25th - Blast to the Past - We will reflect on our week of VBS that includes the VBS kids participating in our worship service and a message that sums up what we have learned throughout the week. See you when the church gathers. = WE DID IT The Latest Word V 27 N 07 BILL AUMACK 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 office: fax: downeychurch@gmail.com distributed monthly issue date: July 2015 copyright

3 July 2015 Graduation Pictures Worship Schedule July 4 Cary Fisher The Freedom to Worship July 18 Cary Fisher H20 in the Bible July 11 Bill Aumack Pathfinder Investiture July 25 Cary Fisher Blast to the Past VBS Closing 3

4 THE LATEST WORD Freedom Under God Pictures of Our Church Family Our status of dominion [over creation] derives from God s delegated authority. We do not exist as autonomous persons at liberty to do as we please. Our privilege of dominion does not mean freedom from God; it means freedom under God. Our commission to be subrulers under God carries with it enormous responsibilities.... He intends for us to rise above the rest of the created order and to participate rationally and responsibly in his divine purposes. Our new Young Adults Group Join Us! Kenneth Cain Kinghorn, Christ Can Make You Fully Human 4

5 Taste & Inspiration July 2015 Baked Ziti Ingredients Directions 1/2 lb ziti pasta Preheat oven to ounces ricotta cheese 3 cups mozzarella cheese grated 3 cups spaghetti sauce 1/2 cups parmesan cheese grated Boil ziti, following package directions, drain and place in a large bowl. Mix all the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella with the ziti. Spray a 13x9 pan with Pam. Cover the bottom half of the pan with about half the sauce. Put the ziti mixture on top of sauce. Pilar & Phillip Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for minutes until cheese is melted and it is lightly golden. Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti. Enjoy! = Sign up for the Wednesday newletter on our webpage at If you are having problems, just us at downeychurch@ gmail.com and we will add you to the list. You can also sign up to get notice when this newsletter is available on the web. Saving paper is also good for our pocket and the earth. 5

6 Downey Adventist Church Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Visit S.S. Sabbath School C.S. Community Service :07 pm sunset 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Band Practice 2 pm Pathfinders 4 pm Bible Study 9 am Pathfinders :06 pm sunset 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Bill Aumack Pathfinder Investiture 12 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Band Practice :03 pm sunset 4 pm Bible Study 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Church Board 7 pm Band Practice 4 pm Bible Study Vacation Bible School 7:58 pm sunset 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary 12:30 pm Luncheon 7 pm Band Practice 4 pm Bible Study :53 pm sunset 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Band Practice

7 July 2015 Upcoming Events July Birthdays Geselle Huinquez 3 Grant Fisher 3 Pilar Centeno, Sr. 6 Lesley Mendez 7 Bonnie Iversen 8 Alfie Macias 9 James Pond 9 Lucille Martinez 11 Janette Huinquez 12 Joel Huinquez, Sr. 13 Frances Menendez 19 Kristelle Meade 26 Kelly Gonzalez 26 Ethan Morales 30 Noemilyn Luna 31 If your birthday is left out in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church office so we can put it in. Wednesday - 7 p.m. Wed. Fellowship Friday - 7:00 p.m. Band Practice Saturday - 4:00 p.m. Bible Study July 4 - Independence Day July 4 - 2pm July 5 - 9am July 11 - Pathfinder Investiture July 12 - Yard Sale July VBS 6 to 8:30pm July 25 - Fellowship 12:30pm The Latest Word deadline is the 5th of the month. Be sure to keep up with the latest news by signing up for the Wednesday . You can sign up here or send us an at DowneyChurch at gmail dot com and we ll add you. Coming Soon Aug. 1 - Hawiian Shirt Day Aug Teacher Dedication Aug Fiesta Parking Lot Party Sept Pathfinder Camporee 7

8 THE LATEST WORD The Latest About Our Church Family Congratulations to Juanita and Armando Cabrera. Their baby, Victoria America, was born on June 4th. She weighed 9lbs. 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 Communing with God After Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, pilot Buzz Aldrin requested via radio that people pause to give thanks for the achievement in their own way. When his broadcast ended, Aldrin read a verse from the Gospel of John and took communion, which his church had sent to space with him. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements, the astronaut said. At the time, I could think of no better way to acknowledge the enormity of the Apollo 11 experience than by giving thanks to God. = Please give your labels to Linda Aumack. Thank you for your support! = On Vocation? Use GPS! Many vacationers rely on a global positioning system to get them easily to a destination. But in every season of life, God sends us on vocation following his call to both feed our passions and serve others. Our calling, Frederick Buechner said, is where [our] deep gladness and the world s deep hunger meet. But is there a GPS for vocation? It s not as detailed or predictive as we d like. It doesn t name our destination at the outset, and it offers general instructions rather than specific directions. And we may end up recalculating our life route more often than our vehicle GPS recalculates our vacation route. Even so, we travel in safety. This GPS might stand for God s Peace and Strength, or Gospel Promises Sustain, God Provides Salvation or Go! Proclaim! Serve! The GPS guiding our vocation speaks to us through Scripture, worship, trusted Christian friends, life events and the silence of our heart. Listening, we hear our Guide s calm voice and continue on vocation. Heidi Mann = 8

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10 July 2015 Ponder This... = Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use. Charles M. Schulz = A commitment to love and justice demands the transformation of social structures as well as of hearts. Mary E. Hunt = Summer afternoon summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. Henry James = Don t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. Corrie ten Boom Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA DATED MATERIAL Return Service Requested 10