Hello everyone, we’re back from our

Sabbatical. For the most part, our Sabbatical was filled with grandkids and planning new adventures. However, as many of you know, I suffered a heart attack in August which required us to change our plans and focus on regain-ing my health. We thank God that there was no dam-age to my heart. Thanks to each of you for your prayers, cards, emails and phone messages. Your love and concern encouraged us. Ginny and I feel blessed to

be your pastors. We love each of you and you are in our prayers.

We’re looking for-ward to our first Sabbath back when we’ll celebrate Communion with you on October 2. I can’t think of a more beautiful service to continue our ministry once again at the Downey Church. Communion is the day of new beginnings and personal renewal in the Lord. The foot washing service, prior to taking the Bread and the Cup, is the opportunity of confessing to

the Lord and to one another our failings. As we gather with family members, it’s the moment to say “sorry” and seek the forgiveness of those closest to us. The Bread and the Cup repre-sent the body and blood of our Lord. The spiritual supper brings us renewal and opens doors to growth in the Lord. Communion is the Lord’s assurance we’re not traveling life’s journey alone.

On October 9, we start the 6 Weeks of Contagious Christian’s small groups’

continued on page 2

Contagious Christianby Pastor Mitch

Pass It On

Pass on the word of encouragement in an honest compli-ment ....Pass on the look of encouragement in a generous smile ....Pass on the touch of encouragement in a hearty hand-shake ....Pass on the kind-ness of encourage-ment in a thoughtful deed ....And let the encour-agement of Christ flow through you.

INSIDEImagine That on page 3

Love ... Goes the Extra Mile on page 4

Ginny’s Kitchen on page 5

What’s happening? see pages 6 & 9

Hand Out or Hand Up is on page 7

Our Church Family page 10

Kid’s Page on page 11

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

Becoming a Contagious Christian

It’s not to late join a Small Group. They are just starting to meet for our new

series called Becoming a Contagious Christian. This 6 week series by Lee Strobel & Bill Hybels will help us understand how to share our faith in a style that works for you. The emphasis is on natural approaches that work over time to bring fam-ily members, friends, cowork-ers and neighbors to the point of trusting in Christ.

If you are not currently in a small group, please sign up in the foyer at church. This series with it’s book and video vignettes will help us all learn how

to communicate better. You won’t want to miss out on this.

If you’d like to host a small group, please talk to Bill and let him know. Thanks. =

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campaign. God wants to use us to impact the spiri-tual lives of our friends and family. The Bible says, “... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey every-thing I have com-manded you” (Matt 28:19-20, NIV).

During the 6 Weeks of Contagious Christian small groups, you’ll learn to naturally and effectively communicate your faith to people you know. It’s an adventure you won’t want to miss! To find out more or to register for a small group, stop by the

table in the foyer with the Contagious Christian sign or contact the office.

The message on

October 9 is called A Contagious Faith. Beloved, we’re living in the end of time and Jesus is coming soon. Now is the time for each of us to resist our enemy’s tempta-tions that your God-story is unimportant. The Lord’s plan is that each

of us shares his goodness with those around us. The Lord is proud of us when we share our love for him

in our own words. Bring some friends to this service and they will leave encouraged.

The message on October 16 answers the foundational rea-sons we shy away from sharing our faith. The message

is called A Contagious Heart. Jesus traveled with his disciples to a region of 10 non-Jewish cities. After that long journey, he might have been disap-pointed for only one life was changed. Some might conclude that the whole adventure was a waste of time for even the town’s people became irate and asked him to leave. Yet, one changed life can change everything.

It just so happens that the one conversion was a demon possessed man. After healing him, Jesus sent the man away to share with his family how much he had done for him. Those who’ve read the passage in Mark 5 are familiar with Christ’s response to the healed man. However, some may not be aware how the Lord clarified precisely what the healed man would say. What the Lord added to the healed man’s God-story was exactly what we

and our neighbors need to hear today. Come and hear what the Lord said to the man and why it’s signifi-cant today.

The title of the mes-sage on October 23 is Contagious Relationships. Over the years, I’ve read the New Testament many times. And I’m always surprised by the Lord’s new instructions on those parts of scripture that seem so familiar. The narrative of the calling of Matthew to follow Jesus as his dis-ciple is the case in point. “As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up

WE

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The Latest Word V 22 N 10

BILL AUMACKresponsible for this

LINDA AUMACKproof reading

LETTY DURANpaper distribution

MITCH WILLIAMSpastor

address mail to: Downey Seventh-day Adventist Church9820 Lakewood Blvd.Downey, CA 90240office: 562.869.6013fax: 562.622.1691 downeychurch@gmail.comwww.downeychurch.com

distributed monthlyissue date: Oct. 2010 copyright 1992-2010

During the 6 Weeks of Contagious Christian small

groups, you’ll learn to natu-rally and effectively commu-

nicate your faith to people you know.

“

”

Pathfinders are Coming (cont. from page 1)

continued on page 5

October 2010

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Webster says “con-ceive” means “to

take into one’s mind ... to form a conception of: IMAGINE ... to apprehend by reason or imagination” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary).

God says “No eye has seen, no ear has

heard, no mind has con-ceived what God has pre-pared for those who love him but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIV).

As I write this, I am planning to leave town for a few days. In fact, I’ll be on the road in less than two hours. There is something about the anticipation of a trip that I always enjoy perhaps even more than the trip itself. Maybe it is the ability to

daydream or imagine the possibility of good things to come or maybe it is the thought of leaving behind my cares and responsi-bilities for a time. Even so, there is one aspect I always dread. I dislike packing. I may want to leave all my responsibili-ties behind me, but for some reason I want to take every-thing else with me—every-thing except the kitchen sink, as they used to say. Why is that?! No matter the trip, when I get back home, I inevitably find that I took far too much of everything and promise myself I’ll never do that again. Yeah, right!

I know that promise is going nowhere.

This causes me to think about the trip to heaven we will all make when Jesus comes again. While we are here waiting for His return, our lives are packed with plenty of cares and responsibilities,

some of which are within our control and some are not. Even though we are promised God’s guidance and help each day, I’m guessing there are times when we are all over-whelmed with the issues we face. I know I am. I wonder if it is because we want to hold onto every-thing, do everything or control everything. I’ve never tried to lift or hold a kitchen sink before, but I imagine it may be quite heavy. So is the weight of what we carry around. Maybe it’s the weight of trying to bear our own sin, the heaviness of carry-ing our own worries and

anxieties or the struggle to maintain our own positions about everything rather than surrendering to God. Who knows?

But that’s what I like about God’s word. No matter what the issue, you will always find just the right solution when you

prayerfully pick up the Bible. I was reminded of that while reading chapter 12 of Hebrews this morn-ing. In just 29 verses, there is enough good advice to address almost anything. And maybe it’s summed up in verse 2. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and per-fecter of our faith.”

No matter where you travel, it’s always good to be home again. I sus-pect that will never be more true than when Jesus comes to take us to heav-en. That will definitely be HOME, SWEET HOME! =

October 2 Mitch Williams

Communion

October 9Mitch Williams A Contagious Faith

October 16Mitch Williams

A Contagious Heart

October 23Mitch Williams

Contagious Relationships

October 30Mitch Williams Contagious Stories

Worship Schedule

God, Webster & You

by Linda Bewley Imagine That

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Before the Father

by Linda FernandezLove ... Goes the Extra Mile

Over the summer I attended numerous

graduations. In fact every weekend and some week-days found me traveling to one place or another. Not only me, but thousands like me as we poured into huge stadiums and arenas or quietly found a seat in a nearby church for gradua-tion ceremonies honoring those having mastered kindergarten to advanced degrees.

At first I thought I was simply fulfilling our obligation to make an appearance at each function, but a couple of times that idea was so completely torn from my head that I had to stop and think about some of the other things I do, why I do them and how they are seen by others.

My husband, Ray usu-ally does not venture far from home. In fact, when the grandchildren were small they used to say…”Papa doesn’t go far plac-es.” Indeed, when it was time to visit museums or various other attractions, it would be Nana and the kids heading out to see the world. Even for most of the graduation ceremonies, I would make the appear-ance for the both of us. But a couple of occasions

stand out this year as sig-nificant.

One of our nieces is married to a wonderful young man who is going through training to be an astronaut. One of the rungs of this incredible ladder is to become a test pilot. When it came

time to complete this part of his journey and graduate, he was only going to invite his parents. His wife sug-gested he invite other fam-ily members and friends. He couldn’t believe others would be interested, but sent out the invitations anyway. I, along with oth-ers, was totally shocked when my husband said he planned to make the trip with me as it involved not only traveling but staying away from home for a day or two.

When our niece explained her great joy at his coming and told her husband about her legend-ary hermit uncle, he was so touched. But it wasn’t just my husband; some of his friends traveled from other states and changed previous plans to be there to congratulate him. He had the additional honor of having the most people in attendance at the affair. He simply could not get over it.

Many of the other graduating youngsters were probably too young to be seriously grateful for those who chose to sup-

port them, but hearing the comments of their appreciative parents can be so heartwarm-

ing. Hopefully in years to come, each gradu-ate will think back on those who attended gradu-ations, confirmations, weddings and the like and say, “I had a kind person like that in my life.” Let’s pray…

Father: Help us be willing to make that extra gesture of kindness to share your love with oth-ers in our daily lives. =

... love is kind ...

1 Cor. 13:4

At first I thought I was simply fulfilling our obligation to make an appearance ...

October 2010

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Lemon Meringue Pie

From Ginny’s Kitchen

Favorite pie crust recipe or frozen pie dough /premade 2/3 cups + 3 T. of Agave Nectar 1 cup water 6 T. cornstarch 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten 1 T. grated lemon peel 2 T. butter

Meringue Topping: 4 large egg whites only 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar 1/2 cup white CH sugar Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare pie crust & flute edges & pierce shell. Bake for l0 minutes

or until brown at 450 deg.

Filling: In a microwave bowl, combine Agave and cornstarch, stir and add water and fresh lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil in microwave for 1 minute. Stir again. Carefully add a little at a time and whisk the egg yolk into the Agave, lemon and cornstarch. Stir constantly. Microwave for one more minute and then stir. Stir in the butter and grated lemon. Add butter until blended and melted. Pour into pie shell and cover with Saran wrap.

Meringue Prep:

Beat egg whites and add cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed. Gradually add 1 T. of sugar at a time until sugar is blended and stiff peaks are made. Remove Saran wrap from pie crust and filling.

Spread meringue over lemon pie filling. Cover from from edge to edge. Bake 325 degree for 25 minutes. Cool on rack. =

Contagious Christian (from page 2)and followed him” (Mark 2:14, NIV).

Have you ever walked up to someone and said, “Why don’t you fol-low Jesus?” Most would respond with a very enthu-siastic “no.” Yet, our Lord walked up to Matthew and the first thing he says is “follow me.” Often, we’re so shy about sharing our faith, we feel it takes just the right moment to share our God-story and that is true. However, we need to ask ourselves who deter-mines the “precise” time to share our faith? Is it up to us to know when to share or is there a better way.

This message will knock your socks off and set your mind at ease when it comes to when you should share your faith.

The final message on October 30 is Contagious Stories. Real-life stories can be powerful. They can change minds, touch hearts, and impact lives. They can even reshape societies and redirect his-tory.

Take, for example, the story of the hard-living, liquor-slogging, vulgarity-spewing captain of a slave ship in the 1700s who in the midst of a terrible

storm cried out to God for deliverance from the wind and waves—and merci-fully received it. His name was John Newton, and he later told of how that expe-rience was used by God to dramatically reorient his entire life and perspec-tive, including his views on slavery. His story and experiences became key influences in the life of William Wilberforce who, decades later, succeeded in abolishing the slave trade in the entire British Empire.

All of us, if we’re genuine followers of Jesus, have an important story

to tell. Not just those of us with dramatic details, but all of us with ordinary stories of life-change. Our God-stories can be absolutely contagious in their influence and impact! That’s why the Bible is so adamant in 1 Peter 3:15 about our need to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the rea-son for the hope that you have.” This message will aid you in thinking about your God-story and how to share it with others.

See you when the church gathers. =

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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6:29 pm sunset

6:20 pm sunset

6:11 pm sunset

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9:30 AM S.S.10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams

9:30 AM S.S.10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams

Visit www.downeychurch.orgC.S. - Community Service

S.S. - Sabbath School

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10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams

10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams

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10 AM C.S.

6:30 pm Band Practice

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Downey Adventist Church

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

6:30 pm Band Practice

6:38 pm sunset

6:30 pm Band Practice

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group

6:30 pm Band Practice

7 pm Women’s Prayer Group31

6:04 pm sunset 9:30 AM S.S.10:50 AM Worship Mitch Williams

6:30 pm Band Practice

5:30 PM Fall Party

October 2010

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It has been said that if the world were shrunk

to a village of 100 people, 70 would be illiterate, 80 would live in substandard housing, 50 would suffer malnutrition, and 6 (all from the United States) would possess 59% of the entire village’s wealth. Or using the entire human popula-tion: 30,000 children die every 24 hours of prevent-able diseases, 800 million people are malnourished, 1 billion cannot gain access to fresh water, 8 million are refugees from civil wars, and 15 million chil-dren are orphans from the scourge of AIDS. This is the picture of international poverty. Are there any solutions?

Answer to International Poverty

We all know it is far better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Handouts in third world countries con-tinue to keep families in the bondage of poverty. However, in 2002 students

at La Sierra University designed a Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Project as a part of several international micro-loan projects in the village of Karandi, India. Twenty

families each received a cow they could use to produce milk for themselves and sell to gen-erate income. The cow loan is repaid in full with the birth of the first female calf, which is then

given to another needy family. Also, members of the University of Ghana SIFE taught the Kpomkpo villagers to make soap from local natural resourc-es, thus developing a soap business. Before, the par-ticipant’s salary was just under $2 per month but with their new soap busi-ness that salary grew to over $20 monthly. When visiting Mozambique in Africa as a part of the Maranatha International Church construction proj-ect, I discovered not only have 800 churches been built, but the blessings of these buildings carry on in other ways. Over 80% of the people are illiterate so during the week these striking red brick buildings become learning centers for the local villages. Like

the little red school houses of 19th century America, the citizens learn to read and write. These houses of worship have also become gathering places for the distribution of food, cloth-ing, medicine and vitamin supplements.

Another blessing is that these churches not only present the Good News and Jesus as the Water of Life, but a newly-dug well now provides fresh, flow-ing water for these rural communities. Now, what about the American poor?

Who are the American poor?

There is no conclusive definition of “poor” in the United States. Some would define it due to their net worth or range-of-income. The Agriculture Department estimates the cost of a bare-bone-but-adequate-diet and mul-tiplies it by three. This figure is adjusted annually for inflation.1 The lat-est poverty threshold is $21,834 for a four-member family with two children under the age of eighteen. Interestingly, of those families defined as living below the poverty line, 91% have microwaves, 79% have air-conditioning and nearly 50% have cell phones.2 Poverty

Hand Out or Hand UpStewpot

by Gordon Botting, DrPH, CHES

continued on page 8

“Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue; it is hard for an empty bag to stand upright,” —Benjamin Franklin

“Let the members of poor house-holds be taught how to cook, how to make and mend their own clothing, how to nurse the sick, how to care properly for the home.” Adventist Home, p. 485

“The great thing about serving the poor is that there is no competition.” —Eugene Rivers

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can also be defined as a societal phenomenon or an attitude that fosters self-defeating behaviors such as bad work hab-its, little to no education and dysfunctional family lifestyles. Chiefly noted are the teenage unwanted pregnancies as well as the wide-range of addictions from alcohol and drugs to aberrant behaviors.

Finally, some poverty is the result of misfortune like large companies downsizing or rising medi-cal debts due to accidents or disabilities.3 It is the author’s observation that in developed countries the best solutions for the poor are simple and practical. Relief and development agencies inform us that if we don’t begin to partner with those who are desti-tute and disadvantaged, the above mentioned statistics will remain overpowering for the next fifty years. The key is to find an inte-grated, practical and effec-tive approach to working toward the eradication of the American poor. Here are a few effective practi-cal and realistic proce-dures.

Answer to Domestic Poverty

In his book The Age of Abundance, author Brink Lindsey describes the dif-ference between the des-perate poor and the blissful rich in order to contrast long-term consequences. Often people find them-

selves under-privi-leged and destitute because they are persis-tently and desper-

ately working just to provide food, shelter and/or schooling for their fami-lies. One solution could be to NOT buy their groceries at the local corner conve-nience store but to walk a few more blocks and purchase their essentials at a supermarket where limited finances go further. The poor often do not have the opportunity to learn how to prepare simple, inexpensive home cooked meals verses grabbing the fast food snack. If all our Adventist Community Service (ACS) centers would let their clients choose their provisions from the different food groups, using colors to identify them, such as veg-etables from the shelves marked in green, fruits

from the ledge marked in red, whole-grain foods from the brown shelf, etc., they would be learning about nutrition and well-balanced meals instead of just picking up the presort-ed bags from their local food bank. (Some ACS centers have been using this teaching opportunity with success).

Another way to assist America’s growing poor, particularly as more fami-lies fall into the homeless faction because of job loss and foreclosures, is to spotlight iolving the root-causes of these soci-etal irregularities rather than affixing the easy, surface bandage. In an article entitled, Abolishing Homelessness In Ten Years, Philip Mangano asserts, “We [must] reframe the issue in busi-ness and eco-nomic terms. For example, the cost to maintain a homeless person is more expensive than solving the homeless crisis. Should I spend $35,000—$150,000 per year on emergency rooms, police, fire, public defenders, for a chroni-cally homeless person or, would it be better to spend $13,000—$25,000 on housing, thus creating sta-bility for the person?” 4

The Bottom LineJust giving aid to

the less fortunate is not enough, but “partner-ing with the poor” could result in the elimination of poverty in this country and around the world. Ellen White informs us that “Christ came to this earth to walk and work among the poor and suf-fering. They received the greatest share of His attention.” Call to Medical Evangelism and Health Education, p. 23.

Today in your Sabbath School class, around your dinner table or in your churches’ small groups, discuss and plan practical initiatives that you and your church family can

do to tend to your area’s poor because Ellen White contin-ues, “And today, in the person of His children, He visits the poor and needy, relieving woe and alleviating suffering, “ibid, p. 23, emphasis supplied. =

References:

1. Ric Edelman, The Truth About Money, Rodale, 2004, pages 39-40

2. Robert J. Samuelson, Defining Poverty Up, Newsweek, June 7, 2010, page 23

3. Daniel Gross, Today’s Culture of Poverty, Newsweek, April 7, 2008, page 18

4. Philip Mangano, Abolishing Homelessness In Ten Years, Christianity Today, May 2009, pages 52-53.

Hand Out or Hand Up (cont. from page 7)

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October BirthdaysMario Rodriguez – 3 Denise Macias – 7 Jay P. Weaver – 9 Evan Aumack – 10 Martha Guerrero Patino - 12Virginia Duarte – 12 Natalie Michel – 12 Evelyn Garcia – 17 Annie Mendez – 23 Kahlil Meade – 24 Victor Acuna, Jr. – 31

If your birthday is left out in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church office so we can put it in.

Upcoming Events2nd Sunday - 10 a.m. Community ServiceThursdays - 7 p.m. Women’s Prayer GroupFridays - 6:30 p.m. Band Practice

October 2 - Communion October 9 - Small Groups Series “Contagious Christian”October 30 - Fall Party, 5:30 PM

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

Coming Soon

Nov 7 - Daylight Savings Ends Nov 20 - Celebration Sabbath Dec 4 - Kid’s SabbathDec 25 - Christmas Program

THIS MONTH

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.

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The Latest About

Our Church FamilyIt was good to see

Patricia Jackson back from Belieze. They are still working on the adop-tion. Please pray for all those involved.

Congratula-tions to Annie Mendez. She has a new job teach-ing 4th grade.

Remember to pray for our students who are headed to college and

graduate school this fall.

We sorrowfully report the passing of Javon Toban. Please remember Mark and Margarette in your prayers during this difficult time.

The band is in the studio working on the

CD. Thanks to everyone who supported the yard sale and helped fund the project.

If you have any Church Family news, please contact the church office so we can get it into the newsletter. =

Thank you to every-one 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 needed 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! =

Autumn is here and that means one thing - the Downey Adventist Church 4th Annual Fall Party. The Fall Party is October 30th 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 having-some good food! So bring your games and bring some food to share and we will have a great time. =

Fall PartyOur Pathfinder club

is getting started. Edwin Morales is the director. Celene Aispuro and Tomas Aispuro are the secretary and deputy director, respectively.

All students who are 10 years old or in the 5th grade are encour-aged to sign up. Watch at church during the month of September for sign ups. Be sure to have your chil-dren invite their friends and class-mates as well.

If you would be willing to help with the

Pathfinder club, please talk to Edwin. There are lots of opportunities to make a difference. Some full-time, some part-time. You can make a differ-ence for the youth. =

Pathfinders

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October 2010

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Downey-Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church9820 Lakewood Blvd., Downey CA 90240

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DATED MATERIAL

Ponder This...

= “Spirituality is attention to the life of the Spirit in us. It is contemplating the unspeakable beauty of our loving God.”-Henri Nouwen

= “What is more unwise than to mistake uncertainty for certainty, falsehood for truth?”-Cicero

= “The devil is easy to identify. He appears when you’re terribly tired and makes a very reasonable request which you know you shouldn’t grant.”-Fiorello La Guardia