91大神

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Adventurer Family Fun Day
Adventurer Family Fun Day 720 540 Julie Lorenz

After a long time apart, 91大神 Adventurers were finally able to gather for a conference-wide Family Fun Day! On Sunday, Nov. 7, more than 400 Adventurers and family members spent a day at the Sacramento Zoo learning about animals and having fun!

The Espinozas, the Hiratas, and the Slatons (Adventurer area coordinators) hosted 18 clubs during the event. 鈥淚’m so happy conditions allow for Adventurers to finally get together safely once again,鈥� said Barry van Iderstein, newly elected director of Adventurer, children鈥檚, and family ministries.

The next Adventurer Fun Day is being planned for spring 2022.

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Sacramento Ukrainian Church Organization
Sacramento Ukrainian Church Organization 720 360 Julie Lorenz

On Sabbath afternoon, Sept. 18, the 91大神 formally organized the Sacramento Ukrainian church鈥攖he only official Ukrainian congregation in the Pacific Union. The service took place in the congregation鈥檚 rented church sanctuary in Fair Oaks.

The joyful program included music from children鈥檚 and young people鈥檚 choirs, as well as a sermon by President Marc Woodson. The congregation presented the conference with a beautiful illustrative carving of Psalm 23, created by Ivan Noshyn, church elder.

鈥淭he members are very happy! It鈥檚 a big step in their lives鈥攁 miracle for a lot of Ukrainian people here,鈥� said Roman Tsyganiuk, senior pastor of the Sacramento Slavic/Sacramento Ukrainian district. He serves with Andriy Mykhaylovskyy, associate pastor of the Ukrainian church and youth pastor of the Slavic church.

The new church has its roots in the Sacramento Yugoslavian church, where a number of Russians and Ukrainians worshipped together several decades ago. The Yugoslavian church established the Sacramento Slavic company as a 鈥渄aughter鈥� congregation, which became its own church in 2004. Later, the Slavic church created a 鈥渄aughter鈥� congregation of its own. The new Ukrainian group, with 116 members, held its first service in October 2018. They were organized as a company a few months later in January 2019.

About 100,000 Ukrainians live in the Sacramento metro area, and church members are eager to reach out to them. The new church has active ministries for children, youth, families, and health, as well as a vibrant media ministry. The congregation is making plans to eventually purchase a church facility of their own.

鈥淧lease pray for this church and for the pastors,鈥� said Tsyganiuk. 鈥淲e believe that this church will grow and be a blessing.鈥�

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Helping Churches Unite in Their Mission
Helping Churches Unite in Their Mission 432 324 Julie Lorenz

In-person evangelism has been difficult during the pandemic, but outreach meetings are still going on, and church members are eager to get involved! 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that the mission God gave us doesn鈥檛 stop because of COVID,鈥� said Roseville church Pastor David Resendes. 鈥淧eople still need Jesus鈥攅specially now!鈥�

In October, President Marc Woodson held an in-person and live-streamed Bible seminar titled 鈥淲hat on Earth Am I Doing Here?鈥� at the Roseville church. 鈥淚 enjoyed Dr. Woodson鈥檚 message, the fellowship with the members, and praying with people,鈥� said Kathy Kordenbrock, worship coordinator.

Volunteers helped with registration, parking lot security, sound, and more. 鈥淚t takes a team to put on an evangelistic series,鈥� said David Gainer, a member of the audio/visual crew.

Executive Secretary Jose Marin has presented several seminars this year, including 鈥淩evelations of Hope,鈥� a series of meetings held in the Pleasant Hill church courtyard in April.

Volunteers helped with everything from live-streaming to childcare. 鈥淭he event was one of the first we had as we were breaking out of the pandemic lockdown,鈥� said Senior Pastor Mitch Williams. 鈥淚t gave our members the opportunity to do ministry and use their gifts.鈥�

 

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Light Up the Night!
Light Up the Night! 2560 1920 Julie Lorenz

On October 31, the Pleasant Hill church invited families to an event called 鈥淟ight Up the Night,鈥� an alternative to Halloween activities. 鈥淲e wanted to make it a fun evening but maintain a spiritual emphasis throughout the event,鈥� said Natalie Bechtold, children鈥檚 ministries director.

Fifty kids, from toddlers to high school students, attended from the church and community. 鈥淲e were really happy to see our kids bring their friends,鈥� said Bechtold.

Families enjoyed a pizza supper, and then youth group members shepherded the children through many light-themed activities, beginning with a short worship led by Youth Pastor Miguel Verazas. Kids hit pi帽atas, played on a huge blow-up obstacle course, went on a treasure hunt, and created paper lanterns and lightning bug crafts. They also received treats and prizes, including glow sticks and flashlights.

鈥淓verything was light oriented to drive home the illustration that we can be light in our community,鈥� said Bechtold. 鈥淥n a dark night, we wanted to be the opposite, making light and joy and creating great memories for kids.鈥�

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91大神 Office Team Serves Our Church and School Community
91大神 Office Team Serves Our Church and School Community 1280 960 Julie Lorenz

The 91大神 office team spent Monday, Oct. 18, working on service projects at nearby churches and schools, including the Carmichael church, the Lincoln Amazing Grace church, the Orangevale church and school, the Roseville church, and Sacramento Adventist Academy. The team completed a wide variety of projects, including yard work, office tasks, washing, painting, building, and helping at a food pantry.

Allan Willmott, associate treasurer, built grow boxes at Orangevale SDA school. 鈥淲hat impressed me the most was how much the school appreciated our help,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was also impressed with the staff鈥攖heir friendliness and how much they enjoyed ministering to the children.鈥�

Jeffrey Maxwell, risk management director/associate treasurer, did yard work at the Carmichael church. 鈥淢ost of the time, we are at the office and don’t get to see the faces and physically rub elbows with our people on the front lines, and I very much enjoyed doing this,鈥� he said.

Yolanda Frazier, administrative assistant in multiple 91大神 departments, helped with the Lincoln Amazing Grace church鈥檚 food giveaway program. 鈥淭he Community Services team and volunteers were great to work alongside,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e were able to help load four vehicles with good food items for the community. We were all blessed by the experience and appreciated the opportunity.鈥�

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Hispanic Church Evangelism Exchange
Hispanic Church Evangelism Exchange 854 697 Julie Lorenz

Recently, Hispanic pastors in the 91大神 and the Nevada-Utah Conference (NUC) participated in an evangelism exchange, which continues to impact lives.

In September, 91大神 pastors held week-long evangelistic meetings in eight NUC churches, and earlier this month, NUC pastors held meetings at the Fairfield, Hayward, Oakland, Richmond, Stockton, Vallejo, and Woodland Spanish churches. (One NUC pastor was unable to come, so Executive Secretary Jose Marin preached the series at the Lodi Spanish church.)

鈥淭he evangelistic exchange has borne fruit in a number of ways: 17 baptisms, 60 people who decided to take Bible studies, eight churches in each conference involved, and 16 pastors who have preached the gospel with power,鈥� said Benjam铆n Carballo, NUC Hispanic ministries coordinator. 鈥淚n addition, friendships formed between the pastors, and they had the opportunity to meet churches in a sister conference.鈥�

The exchange was the idea of Alberto Ingleton, vice president for Hispanic ministries at the Pacific Union, which provided resources. Other conferences in the union are doing their own exchanges. 鈥淚 think the idea is wonderful,鈥� said Roman Leal, 91大神 Hispanic ministries coordinator. 鈥淒uring these difficult times, an exchange encourages the pastors, invigorates the church members, and helps more people become interested in the Good News.鈥�

鈥淲e pray that God will continue to bless the evangelistic efforts of both conferences,鈥� said Carballo.

Photo Caption: (Top) 91大神 Pastor Lu铆s Fernando Manrique preaches in the Nueva Esperanza church in West Jordan, Utah. (Bottom) NUC Pastor Elias Juarez preaches in the Stockton Spanish church.

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Junior/Senior Retreat 2021
Junior/Senior Retreat 2021 720 540 Julie Lorenz

In October, nearly 200 people attended the 91大神 youth department鈥檚 annual Junior/Senior Retreat, designed for academy, high school, and home school juniors and seniors. Because Leoni Meadows is still closed after the Caldor Fire, the retreat was held at Mt. Gilead Bible Camp and Conference Center in Sebastopol. This year鈥檚 theme was 鈥淪urge,鈥� based on Matt. 11:12, and the speaker was Pacific Union College Chaplain Kent Rufo.

鈥淢y favorite part of the retreat was getting into the small groups and talking to new people,鈥� said Omar Martinez, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy junior.

鈥淭he best part of the weekend had to be the worship programs,鈥� said Catrina LeSure, Palo Cedro church associate pastor for youth and families. 鈥淟istening to the youth praise and worship together was a little bit of heaven on earth.鈥�

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91大神 Organizes First Official Fijian Church in North America
91大神 Organizes First Official Fijian Church in North America 1113 870 Julie Lorenz

On Sabbath, Oct. 23, the 91大神 formally organized the Sacramento Fijian church鈥攖he only official Fijian church in the North American Division. The service took place at the Sacramento Woodside church, where the congregation meets each Sabbath afternoon.

Currently about 11,000 Fijians live in Sacramento County鈥攎ore than in any other place in the United States! For many years, the Fijian Adventists in the area dreamed of having a church of their own. In 2009, a church plant began at the Sacramento Central church. In 2013, the group moved to the campus of Sacramento Adventist Academy. The congregation was formally organized as a church company in January 2015.

Through the years, members have worked to build relationships with the local Fijian community by conducting evangelism and outreach programs for people of all ages. During the pandemic, the congregation has been using social media to connect with Fijians throughout the world. Each of their live-streamed presentations has garnered between 20,000 and 30,000 views.

鈥淎s I think about our congregation鈥檚 history, one word that stands out to me is 鈥楶rovidence,鈥欌�� said Pastor Joseph O鈥機onnor. 鈥淲e have seen God moving and blessing.鈥�

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91大神 Prison Ministry Day at Sacramento Central Church
91大神 Prison Ministry Day at Sacramento Central Church 720 540 Julie Lorenz

On Sabbath, Oct. 23, the Sacramento Central church hosted 91大神 Prison Ministry Day, an in-person and 聽providing inspiration and training. In addition to the morning sermon by Associate Pastor Mike Thompson, some highlights of the day included:

Weimar Campus company member Darren Greenfield gave a presentation about the ongoing efforts of Blade of Hope ministry to build a transitional home for released inmates in the Sacramento area.

Prison Ministries Director Willie Johnson presented Carmen and Victor Beale, West Sacramento church members, with the 91大神 Prison Ministry Volunteer Award for their many years of outstanding service in ministry and training (pictured).

The afternoon鈥檚 training focused on three areas: how to recognize your call and establish your ministry; the importance of respecting prison chaplains and officials; and the do鈥檚 and don鈥檛s of prison and jail ministries.

At the end of the day, a number of people expressed their desire to become prison ministry volunteers, and plans are being made to train them in the near future. 鈥淚 was impressed that prison ministry鈥攁 mandated work by our Savior鈥攚ill grow in our conference,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淎nd Jesus can continue to say, 鈥榊ou visited Me!鈥欌��

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Capitol City Church Hosts Baby Shower for 100 Families
Capitol City Church Hosts Baby Shower for 100 Families 1080 810 Julie Lorenz

Last month, the Sacramento Capitol City church partnered with the Meadowview Birth & Beyond Family Resource Center to host a drive-through baby shower for 100 community families. Some church members purchased baby clothes, shoes, books, and learning toys, while others donated money to buy presents. The center鈥檚 staff brought diapers, baby wipes, and other gifts.

The congregation was excited to support new mothers in the community. 鈥淭he church is supposed to be the light in the city,鈥� said Carol Herbert, the church鈥檚 mission council leader. 鈥淲e should find all聽the ways we can to reach people.鈥�

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Northern Lights, the official monthly news source of the Northern California Conference, shares how churches, schools, and members are connecting people to an abundant life with Jesus Christ and preparing them for His soon return.

漏 2026 91大神 Conference聽| 2100 Douglas Blvd. Roseville, CA 95661 | P. O. Box 619015 Roseville, CA 95661-9015聽| (916) 886-5600 | info@nccsda.com

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