Southeastern California Conference
Laguna Indonesian Church Celebrates Church Status
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PHOTOS BY ENNO MÜLLER
uring an inauguration service on Sabbath, May 21, conference administrators celebrated with the members of Laguna Indonesian church in their long journey of becoming an official church in the conference. The church began in 1996, when a small group of Indonesians joined together every Sabbath to worship. They moved around for six months, meeting in public parks, until the Laguna Niguel church offered a room in which the group could worship. In 2006, the group became affiliated with that church, and in 2012, the conference promoted it from an affiliated group to a company. In 2014, Harold Dien was voted in as ministry coordinator of this company. On May 21, the church members celebrated not only their 20-year anniversary but also becoming a church rather than a company. During the celebration, three people were baptized and Dien was named the church pastor. Dien, who took a leadership role in the Laguna Indonesian church after nearly 25 years
Sandra Roberts, conference president, gives Harold Dien, pastor of the Laguna Indonesian church, a certificate of churchhood on May 21.
as a member of the Loma Linda Indonesian church, has joined the members in their mission to continue growing the church. As members of the only Indonesian Adventist church in Orange County, their desire is to reach out to the local Asian community. The church is currently home to 89 members, with seven joining by baptism during the past two years, and with the hope that five more will be baptized before the year is over. “We’re trying to focus on how are we are going to use this church to improve the lives of the community,” Dien said. Loma Linda University Medical Center contributed to recent growth by assisting in an evangelistic seminar in January of 2015. Conducted by Elizer Sacay, vice president of Asian/ Pacific ministries, the meetings lasted a week and covered Harold Dien, pastor of the Laguna Indonesian church, baptizes topics on better Erlita Soliman during the church’s celebration on May 21.
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The Laguna Indonesian church chorale sings their theme song, “The God on the Mountain is Still God in the Valley,” before the sermon on Sabbath, May 21.
living. LLUMC sent clinical laboratory scientists who were joined with volunteer medical, dental and physical therapy practitioners to meet the needs of the community. Another focus of the church members is acquiring their own building in the next two years. Currently they are renting worship space, but it makes doing anything beyond the service, such as Bible studies, more difficult. For now, Bible studies are held in the homes of church members or occasionally in a nearby restaurant. The church building fund is called GIVE 24, which stands for “God Inspired Vision for Eternity.” Several members have committed to raising a set amount of money during the next 24 months and the fund is growing quickly. Many plans lay in the future, but having a church building is a big step in the direction the members are hoping to go. “God is leading this church in the right path,” Dien said. “We’re so thankful.”
Julia Bonney