9:00 a.m. & 11:45 a.m. WORSHIP - IN PERSON and ONLINE - YouTube - Pastor Tara VinCross

What’s your mental picture of Jesus? A huge smile? Eyes sparkling with joy? A skip to his step? Perhaps it’s not what you usually picture. Many have a more stern mental image than this, however the scriptures testify that though the mission of Jesus was a serious one, our Jesus experienced joy. As we live as image bearers of God, following after our Jesus, we are called to experience lasting joy.

This week, at our 9am and 11:45am worship services, Pastor Tara VinCross will preach the second sermon in the series Being Human: living imago dei on the theme of Joy. You’re invited to engage with God, this scripture, and one another as we worship our Jesus.

This Sabbath we will enjoy worship music led by our Children’s Choir and celebrate Women of Influence with a special tribute and gift. Thank you to Pastor Linda Biswas, our Children and Family Pastor, and all of her volunteers who packed those gifts! Below are pictures of some of them! 

Come, enjoy the presence of God together. We would love to see you here!

Grace Notes - Sanctuary                      
Parents Class - MC-8
Quest: To Know God - HH-2
Portuguese Class - S-5
The Focus -  HH-6
Spanish Class - Cottage-3
Ladies Table Talk - Cottage-2
The Fringe - Cottage-1
Indonesian Class - MC-11
Connect: Group Discussions - ECC
Collective: Young Adults - ECC
Power House (High School) - MC-6
Earliteen (Jr. High) - MC-7

Juniors (Grades 5 & 6) - MC-9
Primary II (Grades 3 & 4) - MC-5
Primary I (Grades 1 & 2) - MC-4
Kindergarten (Age 5 to Grade 1) - MC-10
Pre-Kindergarten (Age 4) - MC-3
Tiny Tots  (Age 2-3 ) - MC-2
Cradle Roll (Birth -23 months) - HH-4

Click here for the quarterly online.

Tomorrow at 6:30 pm come celebrate the growth of our kids at our Pathfinder Investiture in the sanctuary. We hope to see you there! 

We'd LOVE your feedback...Thank you for participating in this study of the health and growth of our church. If you haven't filled out this survey, please take around 5 minutes to do so! Your responses will help us understand how to better accomplish our mission to serve our members, guests, and our community neighbors.

Click here to access the survey. For questions or feedback, please contact our church office at office@azurehills.org. 

An ordination service is a very special ritual for Christian ministers. When a pastor is ordained, she or he receives an official dedication for God’s work in this world. For Pastor Linda Biswas, representatives and pastors from the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church gathered to lay hands on her, pray for her, and ask the Holy Spirit to give her strength and courage in her ministry, especially to children.  

Pastor Linda’s ordination service may have been unique, in that it was filled with holy laughter! Friends and colleagues told stories that illustrated the joy and love that are the themes of Pastor Linda’s life. The program was fun and festive, and SO was Pastor Linda! There were bright colors, jokes, children, impromptu photos, a special Bengali musical selection and, to top it all off, a delicious Indian/Bangladeshi food buffet at the reception. It was a beautiful, memorable, spirit-filled event that affirmed Pastor Linda and her calling to guide children and adults into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jen Mathew

K: How would you finish this sentence: God has called me to ...

L: God has called me to serve our church and community through the littlest among us. I pray that Children + Family Ministry is an outlet for exploration, a place for creative ministry and engagement, and where our kids and families experience Jesus, one act of kindness at-a-time.

K: Where do you see God using you in this next chapter?  

L: I'm excited to move our C+F Ministries forward this next year with our new Leadership Team, Elder Leadership, and youth engagement during VBS and beyond!  We're looking for creative ministry opportunities where families can go deeper with one another and with God both on and off of our church campus. I can't wait to see our church engaged in mission trips together!!

K: How long have you been in ministry/serving our Conference?  

L: We all do ministry in whatever vocation we're in!  My past experience has included time as Missions Coordinator and Chaplain at La Sierra University, Evangelism Director at the Quiet Hour, Outreach Pastor at Vallejo Drive Church, and now here at Azure Hills...so, it's been a bit! ;)

K: What does Jesus and serving others mean to you?  

L: We were given one final and overarching commandment, appeal, and call by Jesus...and that was to love others. Loving others means sharing the hope of Jesus.  Loving others means alieving the pain of those who are hurting. Loving others means standing up for equity. Loving others means being a voice for the voiceless. Loving others is not a simple task, but it is what we were called to do. This is why service has been such a huge part of my ministry background with local and international service opportunities spanning dozens of countries and countless people...we're called to use what we have to help serve others. Have a car? How can that be a blessing for someone this week...could you offer a ride to someone who needs it? Love binging the newest show? Invite a friend over who may need community. Have a piece of paper?  Perhaps write a card to hand to the next person you see at a stop sign. Have the finances to donate? Brilliant...it's just as important an act as the simple note. We all have things we've been blessed with that can be used to serve others, yet it all starts from love.

Welcome to a new summer of VBS! Join the ministry volunteer team as we explore the stories of Daniel and his friends as we head back to Babylon!

This registration is for our Youth (entering 7th grade+) and Adults! If that's you...welcome!!! Last year we had 135 youth sign up...this year, we need at least 150 of you + 100 adults!! Thanks for praying about it and, if you're able, committing to a new exciting summer in VBS Ministry!

Click here to sign up!

DATES TO KEEP IN MIND
June 4: Last day of volunteer Sign-up
June 19-24: All Station Set-up Day, 6-8 pm
June 25: Orientation + Dedication, 9 am -2 pm
June 26 - July 1: VBS! (Monday - Friday, 5-9 & Sabbath!)

We may not always see it, but the goodness of God pursues us! Take a minute to thrive with Pastor Tara VinCross!

The Apostle Paul reminds us, “You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.” Galatians 6:2, CEV A new ministry to provide hospitality and safety awareness on the Azure Hills campus was launched last Sabbath. You might have seen a golf cart assisting our members move about the campus as we offered “a helping hand”. If you need assistance and a ride would be helpful, please see the hospitality volunteer at the front carport or flag down the hospitality driver in the parking lot. It is our prayer this new ministry will be a blessing to those in need.

Beyond helping others, the volunteers who provide this service are also increasing safety awareness throughout our campus. Having volunteers who are part of a watchful safety team sends a powerful message to our community that we value the safety of our members and guests who come on our campus each Sabbath morning. This increased safety awareness can help prevent a tragic incident from occurring on campus.

If you would like information on how you can be involved in the new hospitality and safety ministry, please ask Arthur Blinci or Sam Butarbutar for more details.

A lovely spring brunch was held on Wednesday at the Elias Center for all the ladies who have attended Ladies LIFT this year. Tables were decorated with a lavender theme and a wonderful variety of food was available. Much thanks goes to Eva Weesner, Darlene Fischer, Susie Rouse, Pauline Park, Valeetah Motschiedler, Sylvia Mathey, Judy Frost, Pat Zappia and Carol Maas for their part in preparing the brunch.  

Sonia Neidigh led out in planning the studies this year. During the fall we read the book Enjoying Your Bible by our previous lead pastor, John Brunt. This book expanded our knowledge of the different types of books in the Bible and also informed us of many tools useful for deeper Bible study. One very helpful topic was how to evaluate and choose a translation.

The spring studies focused on selected women in the Bible. Comments made during the last meeting on Wednesday illustrated how studying the lives of these different women had helped expand participants understanding of the culture and times of the Bible. Also valued was the contribution of these women to the understanding of God's love and grace to all, even those who were not initially part of Israel.

Acts and The Early Church has been chosen as the topic for next years study which will begin in September. 

LIFT provides a rich source of fellowship in addition to the depth of Biblical insights provided by Pastor Mike Leno during the first hour and then the small group discussions afterwards.

Make plans now to become a part of this amazing fellowship opportunity next fall.

—Valeetah Motschiedler

Mark you calendars! Diversity Sabbath is May 20th. Here are pictures from last year's beautiful event! Please come dressed in clothing from your country of origin or your favorite travel destination! Also, be sure to join us after second service for a light reception in the breezeway and fish pond area outside the Fellowship Hall.

Lovita Lynn Panggabean, an Azure Hills' youth, preached a powerful and moving message for Loma Linda Academy's chapel service on Thursday.

She shared her story of God’s faithfulness through the loss of her dad at the end of 2020 to COVID. 

"I’m so moved by how God spoke through her," said Pastor Tara VinCross, who is pictured above. Pastor Tara, along with Pastor Gatra, and Lynn's family and friends were present to support her! 

Pastor Starla Stephan Leno is on Sabbatical beginning Monday, May 15 through July 10. We're grateful for her ministry and the opportunity provided by our Southeastern California Conference and Church Board to approve this space for rest and renewal. If you have a need that you would normally bring to Pastor Starla, please contact the Church Office and we will direct you.

On Sabbath, June 10, we will be celebrating all 2023 graduates from Pre-K to

Graduate School. If you have a graduation picture to share, please email them to

Pastor Gabe (gmorales@azurehills.org) by Thursday, June 5.

Christian Edition, an internationally known men’s chorus from Southern California, will perform classic Christian hymns and selected contemporary sacred music in a special service at Azure Hills Church on Saturday, May 20, at 5 pm. Be sure to invite your friends and neighbors! Admission is free.