News and Info – September 17, 2009

Dear church Family,

1. There will be prayer meeting tonight at 7 PM. We will continue our study from the book of Revelation. Tonight we will begin chapter 5.

2. There are two pianos in the fellowship hall free for the taking. If you are interested please let me know a sap. They will be permanently removed on Sunday if no one is interested in them.

3. This Friday, September 18, at 7:30 PM in the church we will officially launch the new Pathfinder year with our Induction Services. This will also be an opportunity to welcome our brand new Pathfinders. If you have not registered yet and would like for your children to be involved please let me know a sap.

4. In a discussion with the youth and some adults there was a desire to do a church outing before the weather turns cold. This Sabbath afternoon we will be going to Starved Rock State Park and Matthiessen State Park. They are only 1/2 mile apart.
Matthiessen has a waterfall hike and starved rock has the lodge and visitors center with easier walking for those less ambitious or able.
On the north side of the river directly across from Starved Rock there is also a barge lock and Dam with an observation deck for watching the bald eagles which live locally in the trees there.
We will have potluck this Sabbath. We are asking that you bring your food in disposable containers or clean them when you get home. If we do this then we can clean up quickly and leave directly following. You can bring a change of clothes with you it will be easier.
We could all go the respective areas that we desired personally and then meet at 6:00 for a picnic supper and vespers. If you want something for supper snacks be sure to bring it with you. The youth will lead out the vesper time.
Plan now to come if you are able. This is the only time left this year that we can do something like this on a Sabbath afternoon.
If you need a ride please let me know. We should be back to the church by 8:30 or 9:00 PM that night for those who need a ride.
This is worth the trip if we leave early enough!
It takes about an hour and a half to get there.
Here are some other helpful links and maps.
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Matthiessen+State+Park&state=IL
http://www.stateparks.com/matthiessen.html

There will be more news later in the week.
Have a great day,
Pastor Joe

Continue reading about News and Info – September 17, 2009

Hello everyone!
Just wanted to let you know there will be a Pathfinder Fundraiser this Saturday night!
This will be a fun one to invite all of your friends and family to.
At 7pm this Saturday evening (July 18) the pathfinders and their families will meet at Rod Metcalf’s house for vespers. At 8:35pm we will go to the Coldstone Creamery at the Bolingbrook Promenade to help with the fundraiser.
Everyone we get to come to Coldstone and purchase a treat from 8:45pm to 10:00pm this Saturday night will be contributing to the fundraiser.
Easy as that!
Please tell all of your friends, family and neighbors about this fundraiser. We still need money for Oshkosh and what better way to get funds than to enjoy a sweet treat with friends.

REMEMBER – VESPERS FIRST
THEN – COLDSTONE
Bolingbrook Promenade’s Address: 631 E. Boughton Rd #220 (South West Corner of Janes Rd and Boughton Rd.)

See you then!

View Larger Map

Continue reading about Pathfinders Fundraiser

Pastor Joe Arner & his wife Tammy

Dear Church Family and Friends,

God has been blessing us this week as we have been having “Week of Prayer”. Tonight we meet in the sanctuary again at 7:00 and we are looking forward to the youth joining us! Last night we prayed for someone to come who has been taking the discover bible lessons and God answered our prayers the same night!

I have had personal answers to prayer as well and I hope that the experiences that you have had this week have also been faith building.

I want to encourage you to prepare spiritually for the communion service tomorrow. God is doing great things! It is in the spirit of humility that we come before him with grateful hearts for the free gift of salvation He has given to all who are willing to receive His Son, Jesus Christ.

We will have sundown worship in the sanctuary tomorrow afternoon / evening at 4:15. There will be a spaghetti supper provided free of charge by the church school following the closing of the Sabbath.We will meet in the fellowship hall downstairs to eat and carry on with the church business meeting. The business meeting will begin at 5:30 sharp. There will also be a christian video showing in one of the class rooms for the young people.

I want to strongly encourage you to come for the evening worship if you are planning to attend the business meeting. There is a great need at this time and in this place that we are each in tune with the Holy Spirit of God and in Harmony with others.

Let us seek Gods will to be made known to us as we follow Him in faith.

God has blessed us and He will continue to do just that as we seek to do His will. Pray that we will be found worthy of receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the Latter Rain. There is much to be done for the salvation of souls who are just around us. I am thankful that God has allowed us the privilege of working together at this time in earths history.

Have a wonderful Sabbath evening,

Pastor Joe

Continue reading about Downers Grove Week of Prayer, Communion, Vespers, Spaghetti supper and Church Business Meeting

Welcome to the 40th Reunion Celebration of the Downers Grove Seventh-day Adventist Church. We are very happy that you are with us today. This is a special Sabbath for all of us as we reunite with old friends and take opportunities to make new ones. We also want to give a special welcome to three of our former pastors, Elder John Baldwin, Elder Ray Plummer, and Elder Chris Holland and their wives.
Looking back it is hard to believe that time has passed so quickly. More than forty years ago a small band of people heard the call of God to begin a work in Downers Grove. After much prayer, faith, work, and an earnestness of heart, the church was organized on November 5, 1960. By the end of the fourth quarter of 1960 the church reported a total membership of 79 to the conference! Soon after, a new church was built and a church school was started. Today with God’s continued blessing the church has grown to 334 members and counting!
Within these walls people have given their hearts to Jesus, given their lives to each other, given their children to God, and laid their loved ones to rest in His arms. Within these walls we have found hope for each day and comfort through trials as we wait just a little while longer for Jesus to come and take us home to be with Him.
It is here that prayers have been made and prayers have been answered. It is here that the presence of God has been known and felt. It is here that we come together today to worship the Lord, to remember the past, to celebrate the present, and to look forward to that future day when we will all be reunited to never part again.
My prayer for us and you is that we will all be together with those we love on that great reunion day in heaven.
With Christian Love,
Pastor Joseph Arner, Tammy, Joelle, and Rachel

Continue reading about Welcome to the 40th Reunion Celebration

Downers Grove Church Picnic

Saturday September 27th 2008
Cantigny Park – Weathon, IL

Hello everyone,
Everyone is invited to meet at Cantigny Park in Wheaton from 4-7 this Sabbath afternoon to enjoy God in nature, fellowship, and have sundown worship together. Parking tickets are $4 and will be purchased in advance. Squeeze as many as you safely can in each car and come out for an enjoyable Sabbath afternoon. Please get your parking tickets and map of directions at the sound booth in the back of the church.
Bring your guitar, picnic snack / supper and plan on a wonderful time.
Please respond to this ASAP if you are planning to go. This way we can make sure that we have enough parking tickets in advance. Today or tonight would be best.

About Cantigny Park

Cantigny is where memorable family experiences happen. Located in Wheaton, IL, the 500-acre park offers vast formal gardens, picnic and camping grounds, a top-ranked public golf course and two museums: the Robert R. McCormick Museum and the Cantigny First Division Museum. At Cantigny families and friends gather and enjoy a wide variety of special events and programs throughout the year.

Cantigny Park‎Address:

Removal requested ()

Map

View Larger Map

Directions

From Chicago:
Travel West on the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290). Exit I-290 at the East-West Toll way (I-88) West interchange. Take I-88 West and exit at Winfield Road. Travel North on Winfield Road approximately 3 miles. The park entrance is on the right side of the road before Roosevelt Road (Route 38).
From the Northern Suburbs:
Take Route 53 South to the North-South Toll way (I-355). Take I-355 to the East-West Toll way (I-88). Go West on I-88 and exit at Winfield Road and travel North approximately 3 miles. The park entrance is on the right side of the road before Roosevelt Road (Route 38).
From the Southern Suburbs:
Take the Tri-State Toll way (I-294) North to the East-West Toll way (I-88). Go West on I-88. Exit I-88 at Winfield Road and travel North approximately 3 miles. The park entrance is on the right side of the road before Roosevelt Road (Route 38).

Continue reading about Let’s go to Cantigny Park