November 22, 2023 - Vol. 7, No. 23
Sabbath's Worship Service
"The Table"

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Well… it used to be, until recently. This Thanksgiving, in particular, is a cold reminder that families aren’t perfect, and that some are more comfortable fractured than mended. A time where closeness and the ties that bind should be celebrated, we’re reminded, as we look around the Thanksgiving table, that unforgiving hearts, lack of empathy, and plain ignorance may always we be the tofurkey no one grows tired of consuming.

Many of Jesus’ most inspiring parables and stories involved a table, people, and food. What about a table and those around it create a springboard for God’s ideal relationships He wants us to experience? Bring you’re vulnerability—it’s about to get deep.



Pastor Jonathan
WATCH LIVE - or - Previous Programs
Prayer Requests
Please pray for...

Lloyd Stoll
Kaufman family
Wanda Seiber, the mother of Betty Noujiam
Valentina McAdams, the mother of Lois McAdams
Petra Rodriguez, the mother of Lilia Rodriguez
Helen Adarme
The McGregor Family
Colleen McKenna
Leiss Family
Sally Warner
Robbi Hobbs
Church Leadership
Ministries
Attitude of Gratitude
Teresa and Henry Bergman

When conversing with the Bergmans, one cannot help noticing an exuberant air of enthusiasm and delight about volunteering. There is something contagious about the way they share their experiences in serving others.  

Teresa was born in Nebraska. Her grandfather had immigrated to the United States from Ukraine, where he had been a part of a German Mennonite community. In 1937 her grandmother, having attended evangelistic meetings, became an Adventist.  It was in the eighties that Teresa moved to Southern California.  Henry immigrated to the United States from Holland when he was just three years old.  He grew up here in Southern California in a Catholic family.  He first met Teresa in 1985 when they both worked for a car dealership in San Fernando Valley, where Henry was briefly her boss. 

When Teresa, having just arrived in the Los Angeles area, was looking for an Adventist church she did not realize that there was one very close to her home. She ended up, perhaps providentially, at Vallejo Drive, which was further from her home.  We are certainly blessed to have her and Henry as part of our church family.  Henry’s first acquaintance with the Vallejo Drive Church was through the Marathon Clinic.  Henry says that he really needed to exercise and also wanted to socialize.  Both of those goals were reached by walking and running with the folks from Vallejo Drive, including Teresa.  Apparently there was more to it, though.  In 1988 they started dating and got married in 1990.

The Bergmans have three daughters, Courtney, Melissa, and Elisabeth, and two 14 year old twin grandsons, Nathaniel and Nicholas.  When Elisabeth was 6 and was enrolled in Tiny Tots Sabbath School class, Teresa started to occasionally substitute teach there. But soon she became the permanent teacher in the class and has enjoyed teaching in various levels of Sabbath School for 27 years now.  Along with her children’s ministry at the church,  for many years Teresa worked as a teacher’s assistant at Crescenta Valley Adventist School.  Henry worked as a manager for the same car dealership for 42 years until his retirement. At first he used to join Teresa here at Vallejo only occasionally, for some bigger events, but now he comes regularly.  He says that what convinced him to become a regular attendee and truly a part of the church family was the “nice and kind church people” and the sermons.  At his Catholic church, he would normally get only about 15 minutes of preaching, while here he could enjoy up to three times as much. 

However, the biggest draw for Henry was the ample opportunities for service. He joined the volunteer team at the Church’s SOS Thrift Store and Food Bank.  Henry and Teresa are people who just thrive in serving others. Henry, being a cancer survivor, is besides himself about volunteering.  He says: “I have experienced the richness of God’s grace, and I want to share it with others. It is amazing to be able to serve others, it gives me so much joy and fulfillment. I just love doing it, I love the fellowship with the like minded people who want to help others. It’s a wonderful feeling. I feel energized and 20 years younger when I do it.”

We are grateful to God for the Bergmans and their dedicated service to others.  May we all catch that “bug” and share in the joy of serving.
A Thank You From Lilia Rodriguez and family

We would like to thank our Vallejo Drive Church Family for your prayers, phone calls, and gifts for mom's health and during her heart procedure. We are blessed to have you as our church family.

With love Petra and Family
A Thank You from the Low Family

With Appreciation: Asking God to bless you for your thoughtfulness, your kindness and your generous hearts. Thank you ALL so much.

The love that the church family showered on me on my birthday was overwhelming. My sincerest thanks to everyone who participated and I appreciate the prayers and concern in my behalf. The music fed my soul beyond what you could imagine!

It was truly a blessed day.

Thanking God for you. Ephesians 1:16 NLT

Trish, Peter, Jenna, and my Brady Bunch family
Church Photo Album
Looking for more pictures like this? Click to see our photo album!
Church Announcements
Check out how T4C celebrated their FriendsGiving in this video:

Looking for Christmas Music?

Vallejo Drive Church's
Christmas Cantata

December 23, 2024
5 pm
Sanctuary

Join us for music and festivities this holiday season! You won't want to miss it!




FREE Christmas Concert
Friday, December 1 at 7:30pm

A Festival of Carols with Brass Ensemble and Choir
at Glendale City Church 

Friday, December 1 at 7:30pm


Glendale City Church
610 E. California Ave.
Glendale 91206
818-244-7241


Refreshments and light snacks immediately following concert.
Glendale Adventist Academy News
Thank you Adventist Health Glendale for donating canned food for our Thanksgiving Food Baskets. Our HALA families and needy families in Glendale are very grateful.

We are still in need of canned goods this holiday season, throughout November and December. Donation baskets are available in the foyer. You can also drop off your donation at the church office during the week.
Wednesday Prayer Meetings

Prayer Meeting and Bible Study, Wednesdays at 7pm in the Fellowship Hall. Today we will meet in Pastor Jonathan's office.
CHURCH OFFICE NEWS

Please email bulletin information to the church office. office@vallejodrive.church
Exercise Opportunities—Adventist Health Glendale
Trying to get some exercises and movement in your schedule?
Come by the church!

Adventist Health Glendale will be having exercise classes on our church campus on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.

Please visit adventisthealth.org/livewell or call 818-409-8354
for more information on how to join.
High Blood Pressure?
Want to get a closer look at your health? Blood pressure readings are available every 2nd and 4th Sabbath after church in the courtyard.

For more information, please contact the church office
or Rene Pidoux, MD.
Happening This Week
FRIDAY
4:45 p.m. Sabbath begins
3:00 p.m. Teens4Christ (Earliteen Room)

SABBATH
9:45 a.m. Adult Sabbath School In-Person (Fellowship Hall)

10:00 a.m. KIDS Connection: In-Person (Chapel) / Online
10:00 a.m. CORE Youth Sabbath School In-Person (Room 106)
10:00 a.m. Adult Sabbath School Classes In-Person (Sanctuary)
10:00 a.m. Gospel Conversations Class (Fellowship Hall)
 
11:00 a.m. Divine Worship Service In-Person / Online (Facebook/YouTube)

WEDNESDAY
6:00 p.m. Seeking Jesus Bible Study Group (Zoom) - Click Here to Join
7:00 p.m. Prayer Meeting In-Person in October (Fellowship Hall)

THURSDAY
7:00 p.m. Koinonia Bible Study (Zoom) - Click Here to Join

NEXT SABBATH
10:50 a.m. Church Life and Announcements (Sanctuary)
11:00 a.m. Divine Service
Church Life
Written and produced by our own Schubert and Yolanda Palmer, with many of the incredible songs, stories and studies filmed here at Vallejo Drive. Visit HopeTV.org, or Direct TV, Channel 368. Tell a friend!
Also on Facebook at  fb.com/OfficialLoveMe, and
YouTube at  https://bit.ly/ytloveme
Click here for trailer: Love Me - Series Teaser Trailer
Koinonia, our weekly Bible study led by Head Elder Doug Warner, meets on Thursdays at 7pm via zoom. Come and study the Bible with us!
Click on the cover below for the online copy of next week's Sabbath School Lesson:
Church Financial Status

Year-To-Date: November 22, 2023


Total Local Church Giving           $792,325.37
Total Local Church Spending        $758,364.55

Budget Giving (incl. in local)         $219,383.15
Budget Spending (incl. in local)      $331,816.78

Tithes Received 2023            $893,610.23
Tithes Received 2022            $852,115.21


Thank you for your generosity.
Sunset Time
Sunset in Glendale, taken by Audrey Zorek
Friday 11/24/23 - 4:45 PM
Next Friday 1/1/23 - 4:43 PM

"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
November


22 Coreen L Ishihara
22 Margot Martinez

23 Melissa Gage
23 Amanda Hilleary
23 Herbert Puen

24 Bjorn Gustavsson
24 Kingsley Wong

28 Alice S Nassimian
28 Janeth Quintero

29 Rhonald P Nabong
*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.