Spirit Led Life by Pastor Mitch

Transcription

1 For the members, family and friends of the Downey Adventist Church Spirit Led Life by Pastor Mitch While growing up, a portion of my summer time meant staying with my two favorite cousins. One cousin was a bit more mischievous than the other. When we followed the mischievous cousin s ideas we found ourselves really sorry when we were found out. We didn t know it at the time but there is a scripture that described our effect on each other: Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). There is no doubt about it; all of us are influenced in our decision making. The Bible indicates our minds are influenced either by self or the Spirit. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6). Beach Party Saturday, August 2 will be a day of worshipping God and enjoying the summer. We ll start out with a Hawaiian Shirt Day during the worship service. Wear your Hawaiian shirts to church for a relaxed morning of worship. Then join us later that afternoon at Huntington Beach at PCH and The message on August 2 is entitled the Spirit Led Life. This life leads to real life and peace. Everyday steps to grab hold of the Spirit Led Life are found in Romans 8. This message is pure good-news. Romans 8 is a chapter about victory. But even more than that it is a chapter about assurance, the assurance of salvation to those who are in Christ. The chapter illustrates the new and wonderful life that opens to those who put their trust in Him. As Griffith Thomas has pointed out, the chapter opens with no condemnation and ends with no separation, while in between it is charactercontinued on page 2 Brookhurst. Look for us by one of the firepits. At 4 PM the games The Garden of the Soul There is a Garden of the Soul, Where God plants loving seeds That faith and grace will nourish Into blooms of loving deeds. Within this Garden of the Soul Fruits of the Spirit grow; And they produce new seeds of love Which you and I can sow. Peggy Ferrell, Prayers and Poems planned by the small groups will begin. We ll have some food around 6 PM. There will be hot dogs, s mores, corn, watermelon, ect. Bring some chairs or blankets, and some beach wear and join the fun and fellowship. =

2 THE LATEST WORD Spirit Led Life (cont. from page 1) 2 ized by no defeats (G. Knight, Walking With Paul Through the Book of Romans, p191). Be sure to invite a friend to hear this message. On August 9, we ve invited Tony Parrish, our neighbor youth pastor from the Norwalk Adventist Church to share a gospel message. Many of you remember him and his pleasant accent from last year when he presented the message during my vacation. Pastor Tony is from New Zealand and has a heart of love for the lost. You ll enjoy his message and be challenged to live closer with Christ. There is no doubt about it; all of us are influenced in our decision making. We invited Pastor Kevin Morris to preach on August 16. Many of us who are acquainted with Pastor Kevin are excited about his visit, as well as his mom Marylene. He has served as Minister of Children and Youth at the White Memorial Church since An interesting fact is that Pastor Kevin was born at the White Memorial Hospital in 1958 when his father Clyde was a surgical resident. He is a graduate of Adventist Union School. He plays the guitar, banjo, and meddles with the electric bass, and the upright bass. Someday he would like to learn to play the accor- dion. Cherise Gardner is the Associate Pastor at the Glendale City Church and will deliver a gospel message to our church family on August 23. Ginny and I were happy to get acquainted with Cherise and her husband, Hugh, at the Pastor s Retreat in January. In fact, some of our members met her and her husband at the small group meeting in our house. A few of our other members will recall her sermon at the Festival of the Laity event in May. Cherise is a dynamic preacher whose message will inspire. The theme of the final Sabbath of the month is a Summer Concert on August 30. The Band is preparing a special music, along with a variety of special music from our own members as well as a few other continued on page 4 WE DID IT The Latest Word V 20 N 08 BILL AUMACK el jefe BILL AUMACK design LINDA AUMACK proof reading Becky and Terri distribution MITCH WILLIAMS pastor address mail to: (we like letters!) Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd. Downey, CA office: fax: downeychurch@gmail.com distributed monthly issue date: August 2008 copyright

3 August 2008 Webster, God and You by Linda Bewley Webster says yoke means a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals are joined at the heads or necks for working together... an arched device formerly laid on the neck of a defeated person... a frame fitted to a person s shoulder to carry a load in two equal portions.... (Webster s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary). God says, Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light (Matthew 11:29-30 NLT). Yesterday I did something that I thought I would never do. You see it all started because of the law that went into effect July 1st, the one that says you can t hold your cell phone to your ear while you drive. Months ago I determined that when that law became effective I would simply August 2 Mitch Williams Romans 8 The Life August 9 Tony Parrish Connection Complete quit using my phone in the car. It was a different story, however, when the time came, because I found myself missing the fact that I could no longer simply pick up the phone and chat with someone while driving. So on July 3rd, only two days into the new law, I found myself at Best Buy purchasing a Blue Tooth device. I was sure I would hate the thing but was determined to give it a try. Contrary to my belief, though, it was very easy to set up. It fits perfectly and it s effortless to use. And so that is how I found myself walking Worship Schedule August 16 Kevin Morris August 23 Cherise Gardener August 30 Mitch Williams Summer Concert around in Lowe s yesterday and doing the thing I said I would never do. My phone rang while I was in the store, and I walked around the store talking to my sister using the earpiece. I ve always been puzzled by people who do that. Have you ever seen a person walking up an aisle in the store and all of a sudden they start talking. You think, at first, they are speaking to you, but when you reply to say, I m sorry, what did you say? it s then you realize they are on the phone! That drives me crazy!! I m sure no one could see my earpiece yesterday, so I guess it s just a sign of the times that no one blinked when I was, seemingly, walking around the store talking and laughing to myself. When I first turned on my Blue Tooth device, it went through a process called pairing in order to communicate with my phone. And each day that I turn on the device, I need to make sure the connection is continued on page 5 3

4 4 THE LATEST WORD Before the Father by Linda Fernandez Thorn is very sharp for all men. Struggling with them is painful for any warrior. They are severe to those who live among them. Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem Lately, I have come across far too many thorny situations. Last week I pruned our rosebushes back because my husband wants to move these very old bushes and I am not sure they will survive the shock and it might be easier to deal with their demise if they are only ugly thorny branches rather than beautiful, fragrant roses. You can imagine what my hands and arms looked like after that battle. I am facing a very thorny situation and not looking forward to it at all. Not so much from fear, but rather because of the inconvenience. Many Why Thorns? friends have sent me encouraging s to bolster my spirits, but the one I found most interesting was entitled, The Thorny Special. It describes a florists special of only thorny rose branches as an arrangement. As each person comes into the shop to pick up their order, they relay a story of hardship, sorrow and pain, but also the deepening of their relationship with child, friend or spouse but mostly with God. The hard, brittle branches without the beautiful flowers reminds them of the many thorny paths God has walked them through and how they have grown closer to Him as a result. As I researched the purpose of thorns on plants and trees, I found that in summary, they can cause pain, they can become obstacles, but they can also be strong defenses. Many plants have thorny species among them. Some of their protected gifts are beautiful flowers, tasty berries and other fruit. Thorns protect the plants and are defensive barriers used by farmers and gardeners to protect their more vulnerable plants from intruders. It was after looking into the multiple purposes of thorns that really helped me come to a peaceful view of the many thorny paths I have traveled. I have a tendency to look at the thorns in my life as sharp and painful, but now I will try to see them more as a protective barrier used by God to shield me from even greater dangers from my mortal enemy, Satan. Father, please help me to thank you for the thorns along my path as well as the wonder and beauty. = Spirit Led Life (from page 2) friends who will share their talent for God. In addition, we ve set aside a portion of our worship service for Teacher Dedication. All teachers, helpers and leaders, both those who are professional or volunteers, are invited to participate. See you when the church gathers. = August 2 Huntington Beach 4 PM Food, Games, Fellowship Join us for the fun!

5 With Love From the Kitchen of Ginny Williams Lighter Lemon Meringue Pie* August 2008 *Less egg yolks & less sugar Meringue Pie Filling Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees! 3/4 cup sugar 3 T. cornstarch 1 1/2 cups cold water 2 egg yolks lightly beaten 1 T. Butter l T. grated lemon rind 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice In a cooking pot combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3 T. cornstarch, l and l/2 cup cold water and mix until cornstarch is thoroughly dissolved. Add 2 egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Bring to approximately l minute. 4 egg whites 1/4 cup sugar ( l T. at a time) 3/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar 3/4 t. lemon juice l t. vanilla extract On high speed beat egg whites until frothy and add 3/4 t. cream of tartar. Then begin adding 1/4 cups of sugar ( 1 T. at a time) slowly, while beating, until mixture is stiff and glossy and peaks forms. Beat in 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Remove cookie sheet carefully not to disturb meringue. Set aside to cool. Enjoy! = 5 Remove from heat. Add 1 T. butter and mix well. Add 1 T. lemon rind and lemon juice and mix well. Allow mixture to cool. Spread meringue over lemon mixture covering the entire surface of the pie edge-to-edge. Bake on a cookie sheet, in a preheated oven l5 to l8 minutes or until golden brown. Connection Complete (cont. from page 3) reestablished. I can tell when that happens, because the phone flashes a message Blue Tooth Connection Complete. And then I m good to go. You may think this is a stretch, but I see a parallel between this wireless connectivity and our relationship with Christ. When we first come to know Jesus as Savior and invite him into our hearts, it is similar to the pairing between my cell and earpiece. But equally important is the need to make sure that connection is renewed each day. Jesus told us that when he said, I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5, emphasis added). According to this verse, our Christian life isn t just easier when we re connected to Jesus it s impossible. You know, using a Blue Tooth is not the only thing I said I d never do. Once, a very long time ago, I said I would never be a Christian. I not only disbelieved, I mocked. But once I paired up with Christ, my life changed. I ve found that His yoke is perfect and His words are faithful and true even for the days I don t feel all that connected. Each day he s there to make a new connection with me. Now that s what I call wireless connectivity at its best! =

6 Downey Adventist Church Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 Visit C.S. - Community Service S.S. - Sabbath School 7:54 pm sunset 6:30 pm Band Practice 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Hawaiian Shirt Day 4:00 Beach Party AM C.S. 7:47 pm sunset 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Tony Parrish 10 7 pm Women s Prayer Group 6:30 pm Band Practice AM C.S. 7:40 pm sunset 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Kevin Morris 7 pm Women s Prayer Group 6:30 pm Band Practice AM C.S. 7:32 pm sunset 9:30 AM S.S. 10:50 AM Worship Cherise Gardener 7 pm Women s Prayer Group 6:30 pm Band Practice AM C.S. 7:23 pm sunset 9:30 AM S.S. 7 pm Church Board 10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams Summer Concert 31 7 pm Women s Prayer Group 6:30 pm Band Practice

7 August 2008 Pictorial by Bill Aumack The Great Race at El Dorado Park was an event filled with games, The Great Race We divided into teams, roughly based on our small groups and then the fun began. Twins We competed in games like a race to find the marbles, hoola hoop races, a blind-folded race, toss the bean bags, water ballon toss and a pie eating contest. water guns, food, fellowship and laughter. 7 Skipping Merrily Along Add in a lot of good food, fellowship and laughter and it s a winning recipe for a good time. Ready! Set! Go! Don t miss our next event! = Hoola-Hoop Races Go! Go! Go! See more pictures on the website at

8 8 THE LATEST WORD

9 August 2008 this month NEWS & Notes August Birthdays Zelina Archila-1 Gabriela Miranda-5 Flower Munguia-6 Victor Acuna, Sr.-7 Gabriel Miranda-8 Armando Paredes-9 Orlando Archila-15 Elena Ramirez-18 Kenneth Holly-24 Marylene Morris-25 Sherri Truelove-25 Stella Martinez-25 Kirk Bathgate-27 If your birthday is left out in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church office so we can put it in. Upcoming Events Wednesdays - 10 a.m. Community Service Thursdays - 7 p.m. Women s Prayer Group Fridays - 6:30 p.m. Band Practice Adventure Club is on Summer Break Aug 2 - Beach Party Aug 28 - Church Board 7 pm Aug 30 - Summer Concert & Teacher Dedication 9 When you go on vacation this summer, collect bulletins from the churches you visit and bring them back. Give them to Bill A. when you get back. They will be posted on the bulletin board and we can see who went where over the summer. It will be fun. Piano Lessons Chris Martin is available for piano lessons. Call (714) for more information. Coming Soon The Latest Word deadline is the 5th of the month. Sept All Nations Day Sept 27-6 Weeks of Discovering God s Way of Handling Money Begins

10 THE LATEST WORD The Latest About Our Church Family We sorrowfully report the passing of Russell Empson. He had been a member of the Downey Church since Remember his friends and family during this time of sorrow. Fortunately, we know we will see Russ again. Congratulations to the Ezekiel team who won The Great Race at El Dorado Park last Sunday. Second place goes to the Lion s Den team and third place to team Benaiah. Watch for more fun events, like the Beach Party on August Address update: Celene Aispuro 6734 Perry Road Bell Gardens, CA, home (562) cell (562) celeneaispuro@yahoo.com Fall Small Groups This fall, the small group study is entitled, Discovering God s Way of Handling Money. With gas at $4.50 a gallon and the rising costs of food and other essentials, this is the time to open our Bibles and learn from God s hand how to handle the financial resources He has given us. The Bible has a lot to say about money; there are more than 2,350 verses that address everything you need to If you have any Church Family news, please contact the church office so we can get it into the newsletter. = know about handling money. Over the course of the small groups study you will learn the profound impact that managing money has on your relationship with God. Plan now to be part of this life changing study beginning September 27 and ending November 22 with Celebration Sabbath. = Do YOU Know Her? Name: Irene Hill Birthday: Feb 11 Born: South Gate Fav Color: Rainbow Fav Food: Spaghetti Fav Activity: Most anything outdoors - ATC riding, hiking, frisbee golf Occupation: Word Processing. Been at same job for 21 years Other Info: - Has a dog named Pepsi - Irene LOVES VBS - Irene likes to throw parties for her friends - She s been attending Downey Church since 1986

11 August 2008 How Can I Help? by Linda Fernandez Think Recycle Some time ago, we started a recycling effort involving cell phones and ink cartridges through THINK RECYCLE. We got off to a very good start, but I have let the followup lag so I am suggesting that we get started back with this effort. Think Recycle is an excellent organization; it is a cost free print cartridge and cell phone recycling fundraiser. Our church, as a non-profit organization, can earn up to $45.00 for recycling printer cartridges and now inkjet and toner cartridges. In addition, for every 12 rebated products we collect, they will plant one tree on our behalf with American Forests or Tree Canada. According to their website, think Recycle offers rebates on the broadest and deepest selection of products. They suggest that you check out their product rebate list, so I did. WOW! Here are just a few from the list: Motorola cell phones: from $.60 all the way up to $78.70 on select items. Siemans cell phones: from $0.20 to $11.10 Sanyo cell phones: from $0.60 to $7.50 Inkjet cartridges: from $0.25 to $4.00 depending on brand/type Laser cartridges: from $0.40 to $7.00 depending on brand, etc. There is no cost to join, in fact, we already participant. They provide all the shipping materials and postage, even for bulk items. Wouldn t it be great if we could ship a huge box of products for rebates every couple of months? Think it s unlikely? According to their figures, over 300 million print cartridges are consumed every year in North America. Over 130 million cell phones are retired from use each year. Many of these products are sitting in boxes in garages or are heading for the landfill. If you are interested in heading up this project or working together on it, please contact Linda Fernandez. I am in the directory or call the church office for my numbers. I have lots of ideas but need help making them happen. To find out more about Think Recycle, their new and improved website is: thinkrecycle.com.= 11 Twas the day after Bible school Twas the day after Bible school and all over town, With a sigh of relief, we all settled down. Out to the golf course goes Dad in his cap, And home in the bedroom Mom s taking a nap. Gone Linda, gone Brenda, gone David and Johnny, Gone Margie, and Mary, and Ronnie and Donnie. Gone stories, and puppets, and songs in the air, Gone paint under fingernails and paste in the hair. Rest sweetly, dear workers, and wake with good cheer, For Bible school won t come again for a year. As they drifted off, I heard them exclaim: It was worth all the hard work and we d do it again!

12 August 2008 Ponder This... = Every generation stands on the shoulders of the generation that came before. Jealously guard the values and principles of our heritage; they did not come easy. Ronald Reagan = When one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated. John Donne = What I want is, not to possess a faith, but to have a faith that shall possess me. Charles Kingsley Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA I N S I D E Connection Complete on page 3 Why Thorns? on page 4 Ginny s Kitchen on page 5 What s happening? see pages 6 & 9 The Great Race, Pictorial Review on page 7 Kid s Page on page 8 Our Church Family page 10 Think Recycle on page 11 DATED MATERIAL Return Service Requested NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Downey, Calif. Permit no. 439