For the members, family and friends of the Downey Adventist Church Peer Pressure by Cary Fisher In the month of August schools will be opening and our children will be back in classes. While a new school year can be filled with anticipation, it also can be a time of anxiety. Children are challenged by trying to meets the demands such as homework and getting good grades, but for many students, their greatest struggle is just fitting in a school setting and just hoping they can make some friends. This pressure can be so overwhelming that it can lead many into making terrible decisions trying to get their classmates to like them. We call this peer pressure. If you are a parent, you have a difficult job to teach your children not to compromise their Christian principles for others, but as adults, we know that we have our own pressures and temptations for us to resist. If we want our children to stand firm, we need to set the example for them by overcoming our own battles. The Apostle Paul wrote, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). The good news is that God desires us to have a transformational life that Paul calls a renewing of our minds. God wants us to live vibrantly and with full of purpose, but we are continuously being continued on page 2 Prayer I don t think prayer is merely a sociological phenomenon. I don t think it s something we do just to fit into a community or when we ve exhausted all other options. I think it s hardwired into our spiritual DNA. God is the inevitability of humanity s search for true meaning. Jared Brock, A Year of Living Prayerfully Parking Lot Party The party will begin on Aug. 29th at 5:30pm. This year we have a Fiesta theme. Come ready to enjoy the party Fiesta style. There will be food, worship and fun in our parking lot. Show off your artistic side in the pavement drawing contest, or play some ping-pong, volleyball or basketball or just hang out by the fire and enjoy the food and fellowship. Bring some picnic food to share, some lawn chairs to sit in, invite some friends and enjoy the evening with us. = INSIDE VBS pictures page 3 Taste & Inspiration on page 5 What s happening? see pages 6 & 9 Our Church Family page 7 Teacher Appreciation on page 8 Kid s Page on page 9
THE LATEST WORD Peer Pressure... (cont. from page 1) 2 distracted from the patterns of this world. Life is certainly a test, but with the power given to us by the Holy Spirit, we can overcome anything that is thrown against us. Whether we are in school, working or retired, we need to be mindful that we are surrounded by influences keeping us from staying on the lighted path given to us by God, and our focus needs to stay on Jesus. August Sermon Calendar August 1; Water Over Thirsty Lands. For the 2nd sermon on the Drought Resistant Christian sermon series, we will point out in the Bible how the children of Israel had faced droughts in their lives and how God had we need to set the example for them by overcoming our own battles always intervened to save them. After all, Isaiah the prophet writes, For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (Isaiah 44:3). August 8; God s Filtering System. Today s sermon will be how many of us today have water purification systems at homes to clean our water but the Bible uses water to symbolize how God cleanses us. As the Word says, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. (Ezekiel 36:25). August 15; Flooding with Joy. Do you remember singing the song, I got joy like a fountain? God wants us to have that joy as John writes, Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. (John 7:38) August 22; Jesus the Rabbi. For this Sabbath, we are having a teacher s dedication and we are reminded that Jesus is our ultimate teacher. In the feeding of the five thousand, we see Jesus motivation for teaching us as Mark writes, When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things (Mark 6:34). August 29; Living Waters. Many Christian are living as if they are spiritually dehydrated, and our final sermon of the Drought Resistant Christian will follow the words of Jesus when he said, whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14) See you when the church gathers. = WE DID IT The Latest Word V 27 N 08 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 90240 office: 562.869.6013 fax: 562.622.1691 downeychurch@gmail.com www.downeychurch.com distributed monthly issue date: Aug. 2015 copyright 1992-2015
August 2015 VBS Pictures Worship Schedule Aug. 1 Cary Fisher Water Over Thirsty Lands Aug. 8 Cary Fisher God s Filtering System Aug. 15 Cary Fisher Flooding with Joy Aug. 22 Cary Fisher Jesus the Rabbi Aug. 29 Cary Fisher Living Waters 3
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Taste & Inspiration August 2015 Oven Fried Zucchini Chips Ingredients Directions 3 medium zucchini 1/4 cups egg substitute thawed 2 tablespoons reducedcalorie Italian dressing 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese 1/8 teaspoons fresh ground pepper to taste vegetable oil cooking spray 1. Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slices; set aside. 2. Combine egg substitute and Italian dressing in a small bowl, stir well. 3. Combine bread crumbs, 4. Parmesan cheese and pepper in a small bowl; stir well. 5. Dip zucchini in egg mixture, dredge in bread crumb mixture. 6. Place zucchini on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. 7. Bake at 475 degrees for 5 minutes, turn and bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden. 8. Serve immediately. Enjoy! = Pilar & Phillip We are in need of some help in the tech department on Sabbath mornings. If you would be interested helping the church worship God, then you are who we are looking for. We could use some help in running the sound board or the visuals on the screen. If you are interested, please talk to Bill. 5
Downey Adventist Church Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Visit www.downeychurch.org S.S. Sabbath School C.S. Community Service 7:53 pm sunset 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary Hawaiian Shirt Day 7 pm Band Practice 4 pm Bible Study 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7:47 pm sunset 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary 12:30 pm Luncheon 9 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Band Practice 10 11 12 13 14 15 7:39 pm sunset 4 pm Bible Study 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Band Practice 4 pm Bible Study 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Church Board 7:31 pm sunset 7 pm Band Practice 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary Teacher Dedication 4 pm Bible Study 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 7:22 pm sunset 9:30 am S.S. 10:50 am Worship Pastor Cary 30 31 7 pm Wed. Fellowship 7 pm Band Practice 5:30pm Parking Lot Party
August 2015 Upcoming Events August Birthdays Zelina Archila 1 Gabriela Miranda 5 Gabriel Miranda 8 Frank Duran Jr. 8 Byron Molina, Sr. 15 Orlando Archila 15 Sarah Guerrero 15 Marylene Morris 25 Stella Martinez 25 Kirk Bathgate 27 Samantha Ramirez - 27 Celene Aispuro 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 Aug. 1 - Hawaiian Shirt Day Aug. 20 - Church Board 7pm Aug. 22 - Teacher Dedication Aug. 29 - Parking Lot Party 5:30pm 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 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. Coming Soon Sept. 11-13 - Pathfinder Camporee Sept. 19 - International Day / Fellowship Luncheon Oct. 10 - Small Groups begin 7
8 THE LATEST WORD The Latest About Our Church Family Minerva Racho s mother passed away on July 4th. She was 100 years old. Rembmer the family during this time of mourning. Mario Delgado s mom passed away on July 14th. Please remember them in your prayers. Teacher Appreciation What is a teacher, if not a mirror in which we perceive the divine image hidden in the soul? What is a teacher, if not a sower of seed and a cultivator of young gardens? What is a teacher, if not a shaper of souls and a guide who gently shows the right path for the journey? What is a teacher, if not the most hopeful of dreamers, who plants and nurtures and sees the bright destiny and harvest of the work even when the student cannot? What is a teacher, if not a shepherd Jefferson Poleon s grandmother passed away recently. Ask them about their trip to St. Lucia to visit with family. watching over the flock and leading it to abundant pastures? Dreamers and sharers of dreams, sowers of seed and guides who chart the way, mirrors of goodness and shepherds of grace it is for these teachers and this ministry that we give abundant thanks to God. = 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 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! = Hawaiian Shirt Sabbath August 1st is Hawaiian Shirt/Dress day. Invite your friends to join us for a relaxed worship service. =
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August 2015 Ponder This... = If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge. Vance Havner = I always wondered why somebody doesn t do something. Then I realized I am somebody. Lily Tomlin = Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you. Langston Hughes Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church 9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA 90240 DATED MATERIAL Return Service Requested 10