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Thursday, July 3, 2025 | Vol 7. No. 108 | Sabbath's Worship Service | |
"Discipleship 101: Chosen"
Who are you following? Serious question. We’re all followers. We’re also all believers. Yes, even atheists. Atheists follow something or someone, and they believe in that thing or person. So there will never be a question if we believe, but rather what or who do we believe. So I ask again: Who are you following?
This summer we want to have a crystal clear answer to that question? Jesus bids us to follow Him, but what does that really mean and what does it all entail? It may be possible at the end of this series you want to excuse yourself from Jesus’ class. Discipleship may not be your thing. For many Christians, it often doesn’t seem like it is their thing either.
So what is discipleship and how do we do it? Yes, how do we disciple? This Sabbath we will begin this new journey and take the first step. A step that comes down to one critical choice. You won’t want to miss it!
-Pastor Jonathan Henderson
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Please pray for...
Jacqueline Baptiste
Makena
Pratik
Roger Lindner
Petra Rodriguez
Philip De Rivaz
Collins family
Susan Lindner
Wesley family
Birmingham family
Mattesi family
Danlag family
church family affected by the Southern California fires
Church Leadership
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The Fourth of July is a day deeply etched into the consciousness of the American people. A vibrant celebration of independence and the birth of a nation. The Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776, by men of faith and courage, was first publicly read on July 8, 1776, accompanied by the ringing of bells throughout Philadelphia. One of these, the iconic Liberty Bell, bears an inscription from Leviticus 25:10: "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." This verse, announcing the biblical Year of Jubilee, when all who had lost freedom were to be set free, powerfully foreshadows the ideals upon which America was founded.
Independence Day is not only a celebration of national freedom, but it also provides us with a profound opportunity to reflect on the divine gift of liberty. The Bible teaches that all people are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and the ideals upon which America was founded—freedom, justice, and the inherent dignity of each individual—resonate deeply with this foundational truth. As we commemorated July 4th, we recognize God's universal "law of liberty" (James 1:25), and are reminded to steward our freedoms wisely and prayerfully, understanding them as a sacred trust.
Furthermore, Independence Day calls believers to profound gratitude—not only for the physical freedoms enjoyed in America, but even more so for the spiritual freedom found in Jesus Christ. Just as the nation celebrates liberty from earthly tyranny, Christians celebrate deliverance from the bondage of sin. As Galatians 5:1 reminds us, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Jesus Himself declared, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). This parallel inspires us to live lives marked by righteousness, using our earthly freedoms to serve others and proclaim the Gospel boldly. It is a freedom that liberates us from the power of sin, enabling us to live for God's purposes.
Lastly, this holiday is a crucial time for prayerful intercession for the nation. Our country also has a dark past, where freedoms were regrettably denied or taken from people who had every right to be free, even as our forefathers fought for their own liberation. As we continue to learn from our past mistakes and strive for a more just society, let’s aspire to be more and more like the ideals expressed in God’s Word and our nation’s Constitution. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 urges believers to pray for "all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." As we enjoyed fireworks and festivities, we are called to be light in the nation—championing justice, loving our neighbors, and seeking God’s will for the land so many call home. In doing so, we raise the bar of our country’s character, and fulfill our higher calling as citizens of the Kingdom of God.
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Baby/Elderly Care Offered
Jacqueline Jean-Baptiste is an experienced and reliable Nanny and Baby Nurse (Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Caregiver for Elderly and Children, Certified Home Health Aide, Basic Life Support Provider, Postpartum Doula).
If you are looking for assistance in those areas, please contact pastor Aivars for more information (pastoraivars@vallejojdrive.church).
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If you are looking for a place to live there are two 2-bedroom 1-bath houses available for rent. A duplex in Echo Park and a stand-alone house with a basement in City Terrace.
Contact Sara Cumbia @ 323-317-1283
| A member is in need of a one bedroom place. If you know of any, please contact the church office. | |
There is an 86-year-old that is looking for someone to come by her place for a 2-4 hours a day. They would do light housekeeping and be a companion.
Please contact the church office or Sara from AHG LiveWell for more information.
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Living Your Purpose Inc. is seeking a kind, caring, and patient individual to join their team as a part time Community Support Specialist in their Adult Day Program. This is a community integration role, working one-on-one with adults who have mild to moderate developmental disabilities.
Contact: myadobson07@gmail.com or 323.707.0053 (cell)
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A couple moving from NorCal to SoCal in July is looking for a church family and housing in Glendale or Pasadena. They both work in veterinary medicine, and own 2 Aussies and 2 cats.
Please contact the church office if you know of a place for this lovely family.
| If you have a room to rent, please call Emily, a nurse, at 760-522-1859. |
Looking for more pictures like this? Click to see our photo album! | Click on the link below to see our church's history in photographic form! |
COMMUNITY SERVICE: FOOD BANK | |
The Vallejo Drive Church is partnering with Food Cycle LA to provide fresh produce to our neighboring communities in need. We are thankful to them for adding to our Food Bank Pantry full of canned goods.
We will be distributing food on Sabbath afternoons, downstairs in our Temporary Food Bank room next to Kids Connection, after our church service.
Come pick up what you need for someone in need!
Volunteers are needed to:
-pick up donations from local donors in Glendale/LA
-receive donations from Food Cycle LA vendors at church on Friday afternoons
-help distribute food on Sabbath afternoons at the Food Bank room
Please contact office@vallejodrive.church or 818-246-2476 for more information and if you are able to help.
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PASTORAL SCHEDULE & CHURCH OFFICE UPDATES
Pastor Anthony will be supporting Camp Cedar Falls through July 12. If you are in need of support, please contact Pastor Jonathan, Pastor Aivars, Pastor Cindy, Pastor Ben, or Anne Leah at the church office. Anne Leah will be available via email only from July 7-14, 2025.
Our new church office hours are
Monday to Friday: 9 am to 1 pm, 2 pm to 6 pm.
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Home Again Los Angeles
Instead of overnight stays, we will be providing food and interacting with the families of HALA on select Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays:
- July 14-16
- August 25-27
- September 15-17
- October 13-15
- December 8-10
For more information on HALA, please visit https://www.homeagainla.org/aboutus.
For more info about how to get involved, please contact Maite and Andrew Cervik.
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Naomi Jaurigue Jabola, the mother of Dr. Lorene Jabola, passed away on March 29, 2025.
A memorial service will be held on July 12, 2025,
2 pm, at Vallejo Drive SDA Church in Glendale.
For more information, please contact Dr. Lorene Jabola at lmjabolaphd@gmail.com
or https://www.facebook.com/lorene.jabola
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The 2025-2026 educational assistance application is posted on our website under Contact, then Forms.
Please send to office@vallejodrive.church, along with 2024 Income Tax Return and income documentation.
Deadline is Monday, July 7, 2025.
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New Ministry Form
If you have a ministry that you would like to start, please contact the church office for a 2 page form, or check out our website under Service Opportunities.
1. Submit the completed “new ministry” that you would like to lead to the church office.
2. The pastoral staff will review the ministry and discuss with you.
3. Finally it will be submitted to the church board for final approval.
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Sabbath School Mission Feature in our Chapel
Sabbaths @ 10:15 am
July 3: Justin Khoe: “Empty Pew to a Million Views”
July 12: Elder Gerald Babeneshad: “Reaching out to our Muslim Friends”
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For more SCC events, please subscribe to the conference's newsletter!
https://scc.adventist.org/media/subscribe/in-touch-subscribe
| Glendale Adventist Academy News | Please continue to support our constituent school, Glendale Adventist Academy, their faculty, staff, and students. 818-244-8671. | |
Wednesday Bible Study at 7:00 pm
Come study with us!
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Exercise Opportunities with Adventist Health Glendale | |
Trying to get some exercises and movement in your schedule?
Come by the church!
Adventist Health Glendale has exercise classes on our church campus on Monday afternoons, Tuesday mornings, and Wednesday mornings. Please visit adventisthealth.org/livewell or call 818-409-8354 for more information on how to join.
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FRIDAYS
3:00 p.m. Teens4Christ (Earliteen Room)
SABBATHS
9:45 a.m. Adult Sabbath School Program In-Person (Chapel)
9:45 a.m. KIDS Connection (Downstairs)
9:45 a.m. Children's Sabbath School (Education Wing)
10:00 a.m. Youth Sabbath School (Upstairs, Corner Room)
10:00 a.m. Adult Sabbath School Classes (Fellowship Hall)
10:00 a.m. Gospel Conversations Class (Downstairs across from bathrooms)
11:00 a.m. Divine Worship Service In-Person / Online (Facebook/YouTube)
MONDAYS
7:00 p.m. Koinonia Bible Study (Zoom) - Click Here to Join
WEDNESDAYS
6:00 p.m. Seeking Jesus Bible Study Group (Zoom) - Click Here to Join
7:00 p.m. Prayer Meeting In-Person (Fellowship Hall)
NEXT SABBATH
10:50 a.m. Church Life and Announcements (Sanctuary)
11:00 a.m. Divine Service
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Click on the cover below for an online copy of next week's Sabbath School Lesson: |
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Year-To-Date: July 3, 2025
Total Local Church Giving $517,288.81
Total Local Church Spending $572,927.79
Budget Giving (incl. in local) $191,617.18
Budget Spending (incl. in local) $239,785.51
Tithes Received 2025 $541,854.76
Tithes Received 2024 $527,088.74
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Friday, June 27, 2025 - 8:08 PM
Next Friday, July 4, 2025 - 8:07 PM
Glendale - Sunrise, Sunset and Daylength
"You have six days in which to do your work, but remember that the seventh day, the Sabbath, is a day of rest. On that day do not work, but gather for worship. The Sabbath belongs to the Lord, no matter where you live."
Leviticus 23:3, Good News Translation
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July 4 Andrew B Cervik
July 4 Adolfo Felix
July 5 Noemi B Flavin
July 5 Linda Marquez
July 5 Shirley Parry
July 6 Maria Csapo
July 6 Kimberly Lauren Garrett
July 6 Jolly Kirsten Lirio
July 6 Tamie Lorentz
July 6 Natalie Mejia-Mintos
July 8 Dawn Lorraine Millam-Kellogg
July 9 Galen R Liklikwatil
July 9 Janet Takamune
July 10 Joanne Elizabeth Nelson
July 11 Mirna Figueroa
July 11 Thomas S Paw
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The weekly birthday calendar is from the Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists database. We apologize if your birthday is not listed. It is crucial to have everyone's contact information up to date.
Please contact us to update your birthday and other information for our records by emailing clerk@vallejodrive.church. Thank you!
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