Little Word, Big Difference

"I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30

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SECOND’S GAZETTE STAFF

Little Word, Big Difference

Nadine O. Harris, MBA, Founder/Publisher Ferrari Y. Green, Production and Design

Editors: Sharon Durall, Jaylyn Harris, Kathy Jackson Sherry Joiner, Operations and Distribution

Contributors Peggy LaBon, Lois Gaston, Jessie Anderson, Vanessa Jenkins, Vera Reeves, Betty Thomas, Felicia Dickson, Keith D. Holmes, Judy McCulloch, Donna Burke, LaTricia Brown

Photographers: Adele Davis, Jerel McLendon

Children’s Church Consultant: Avian Westby

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od says to give thanks in everything. That doesn’t mean you need to give thanks for

everything. You don’t need to give thanks for that bad day. Or for that bad relationship. Or being passed over at work. Financial hardship. Whatever it is — you are not to give thanks for the difficulties but rather in the difficulties.

That is a very important distinction, and one I think we often miss. Giving thanks in everything shows a heart of faith that God is bigger than the difficulties and that He can use them, if you approach Him with the right heart and spirit, for your good and His glory.

Newsletter

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or this Pastor C on the Scene, Pastor C is at HOME! Well his new home that is! Pastor Chris and Lady Heather moved to the Inland Empire where the kids have already started school. We are so happy for the family as they embark on this new journey. We are sure that Chris Jr. has already found a a basketball court and the closes Krispy Krème. While Savannah has acquired half the school as her friend because of her infectious smile. Lady Heather and Baps are probably writing, “Look on the Bright Side” Part 2 and Pastor Chris is probably realizing that half of Second Baptist lives in the I.E.

WELCOME TO FONTANA BOURNES!

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Need Prayer

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Laughing Pew

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Supporters/Movie/Birthday

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November Reading

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Mrs. Lula’s Page

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Health Care

26 FEATURES

SBC Ministries of Distinction

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Honey Girls

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Advent and Christian Life

NEED PRAYER, call the church office and obtain the telephone number of the Deacon according to the first letter of your last name (See below). If your name starts with ...

A Call Robert & Jessie Anderson B Dennis & JoAnne Craig, or Betty Brown or Rodney Bough C A.G. Harrison, or Shirley Robinson, or Larry & Deborah Hayes D James Harvey or Venda Hawkins E/F Ron & Lavonne Husband or Adrienne Hurst G Minnie Mannings or Valeria Burwell or Ellen Clark H

George & Tamara Lewis or Thelma Jones I/J Ellis & Thelma Johnson or Eva McLaurin or Walter McDonald K/L/N/O/T Terrence Williams or Lonnie & Josephine Stokes M Chuck Williams or Melva Hill P/Q

Carrie Walker or Nadine Harris R/S Larry Willis or Oscar Woodard U/V/W/X/Y/Z Robert Hamilton or Ron Demps or Michael Dickson

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The Laughing Pew TM

“Giiirl…they can’t wait to get to church ever since they heard Pastor Chris say he was “Alice in Wonderland”!

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ome days I really have to focus to remain thankful, grateful, hopeful and humble. It’s easy to keep this frame of mind when I put Jesus in front of everything else. But when I don’t, stuff happens! During this season (like all the other seasons) it seems that being thankful comes easier because “Thanksgiving” is the season to be thankful.

A friend gave me a book called Ridiculous Favor by John Eckhardt. In reading this little book, I found a lot of scriptures and quotes from different people to encourage us to seek the will of God and see His favor manifests itself in our lives in various ways.

For instance, in Isaiah 58 8-10, “8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

“If you take away the yoke from your midst, The [a]pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday Also in Matthew 6:18 “so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Humility, submission and favor – Many would not connect favor to submission, but they are related. Rebellion and submission is a sign of pride. Humility is connected to submission in that submission is a sign of humility.

This also means that submission as a manifestation of humility is a key to favor. Let’s look at three levels of submission that God requires.

1. Submit to God (James 4:7) 2. Submit to others (1Peter 5:5) 3. Submit to leaders (Hebrews 3:17) If you find yourself in a state of humility this Thanksgiving season, I’ll see you there.

In Christ, Peggy LaBon

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t Second Baptist Monrovia, we have had a Mother’s Board for decades. Bishop Wm. La Rue Dillard renamed our board the Council of Mothers in 1981 or 1982. SBC’s most senior women, 60 years and older, are invited, and if that person accepts, he/she is appointed to this ministry by our Senior Pastor.

The criteria for being selected is recorded in I Timothy 5:3-16. The golden rules they strive to obey and the pearls of wisdom they readily share, when asked, are reasons younger congregants, female and male, seek advice from our Council of Mothers.

The SBC Council of Fathers was recommended by then Pastor Wm. La Rue Dillard and approved at the midyear convocation in June of 1976. He felt if SBC had a Council of Mothers, it was only right that there should also be a Council of Fathers. This ministry is made up of senior men, 70 years of age, who are respected for their many years of service and experience. These “Seasoned Christians,” who may be frail and fragile, avail themselves and continue to do God’s work. They are not sad at heart and do not seek pity. In their golden years, they reach out to others, especially to younger men, who value their friendship and share their love of service to God. The Mission Statement of the SBC Council of Fathers states, “Share spirit-gifted life and experiences with younger Christians in ways that edify Christ in carrying out the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19 and Jesus’ mission in Luke 4:18-19.” Their goals are 1) to establish a mentoring program and 2) to launch a workshop on aging and 3) to provide ongoing support to SBC ministries. Their motto: “Be an example – Do good. Be a blessing and pray.”

Currently, there are 8 Council of Fathers members and since God called Mother Octavia Clark Home in 2021, there are 16 SBC Council of Mothers members. Due to declining health and restricted mobility, several SBC Fathers and SBC Mothers are not attending worship services in person but are faithful to view on YouTube or Live Stream. The shared goal of the SBC Council of Fathers and Council of Mothers is to make Sunday School, Worship Service and other church activities available to our members and others. Whether in person or virtual, our purpose is to glorify God by praying, being in touch with those who have more dire and lasting health challenges, staying actively involved in Christian Education and being cheerful givers. As hearers and doers, we strive to bring about positive change in our lives and the lives of others, by equipping ourselves to proclaim and share the gospel of Jesus. Through gentle persuasion and modern technology, we have trained our members and thus accomplished our goals by everyone being connected and helping us expand our outreach worldwide.

Our revered ministries have a rich history. In 2002, when SBC celebrated its 100 th Anniversary, historical records show Theodore Bourne, Virgil Buckley, Thomas Clark, Willie Emerson, Eddie Garner, Junior Greene, Charlie Henderson, Hosie L Joshua, *Joseph Johnson, Julius P. Williams, Richard Williams, Elmo Wilson, and Others: William Adams, Winfred Anderson*, Marshall Brown, *Sebron Brown, William Browning, *Forest Hooks, *Jack McCoy, and *Divory Polk, Sr. were on the roster.

Along with Hortense Anderson, Eva Etta Bailey, Neomia Blythewood, Martha Butler, Annabelle Garner, Fannie Greene, Pauline Harris, Louise Hodge, Mamie Lee Husband, Hattie Johnson, Gertrude Marshall, Martha McWilliams, Grace Moreland, Roylene Moten, Eldora Polk, Sylvia Polk, Elizabeth Robinson, Maxine Roland, Rosie Sims, Ruby Sims, Allena Smith, Ester Pearl Van Hook,

Chester Walls, Luvenia Witherspoon, and Others: *Candace Barnes, *Elmira Enge, *Dora Peters,*Josephine Scott; as of 1995-*Romelia Morris, *Lillian Perry, *Pinkie Ross, *Rosie Ross, *Willie Smiley, *Julia Spicer, *Mary Washington, *Beulah Williams, *Velma Williams; as of 1994-*Arbell Barnes, *Juanita Bullock, *Susie Mae Collins, *Marguerite Lockett,*Gertrude Marshall, Cleo McLaurin, *Josephine Scott and *Lillie Bell Thompson. {Asteriks indicate “deceased” when article was first printed.} We continuously strive to be examples of faithful Christians whose blessed lives are filled with diverse experiences and enduring faith in God. Contact us at 626 358-2136. Let’s stay connected.

Ministry Leaders Council of Mothers Mother Mary Price-President

Council of Fathers Father Willis Meeks-President

Mother Lois Gaston-1st Vice President

Father Amos Price-1st Vice President

Mother Thelma Jones-2nd Vice President

Father Cornel Myers-2nd Vice President

Mother Deloris Bridges-President Emeritus

Father John Thompson-President Emeritus

Pastor Christopher A. Bourne, Senior Pastor

L to R: Front—Mothers Fannie Greene, Shirley Tidwell, Lois Gaston, Eloise Hughes, Deloris Bridges; Standing– Betty Brown, Mary Price, Mary Bourne, Louise Pouncey, Ruby Dantzler, Melva Hill, Ethel Smith, upper right hand corner Thelma Johnson and Thelma Jones lower right hand.

L to R: Fathers Amos Price, Father Emeritus John Thompson, Cornell Myers, Willis Meeks, Sam Fisher, A. George Harrison, and Elder Robert Craig

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WELCOMES DONATIONS OF ANY SIZE Please make checks payable to

Second Baptist Church Second Baptist Church Diakona Nadine Harris John P. Harris, Sr. Lady Betty G. Dillard Mother Deloris Bridges Sherry Joiner Marcus & Ferrari Green

Holiday Rush When having it all is not what kids want. This is what describes this movie perfectly.

After loosing his wife, a prominent DJ realizing he is about to loose his kids if he doesn’t step to a new tune.

Netflix

Elder Robert Craig Dr. John & Apryl Harris Diakona Larry & Debra Hayes Ophelia M. Harris Diakona Carrie Walker Mother Mary Bourne Pastor James & Brenda Walker Diakona Mother Melva Hill

If you use boxed mashed potatoes ...

Diakona Lonnie & Josephine Stokes

... Great-Grandma will turn over in her gravy.

Donations can be dropped off at the SBC Bookstore.

My family said, “No more Thanksgiving jokes.” ... ... but I said I couldn’t just quit cold turkey.

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“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.”

—Jim Davis

The Journey Begins at Advent

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hen Advent begins on November 28 this year, so does a new church year for liturgical congregations. The church seasons, which correspond to key events in Jesus’ life, begin with the four-week Advent period of preparation for our coming Savior at Christmas. After the 12-day season of Christmas is Epiphany, which begins January 6 and continues through Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

That period of preparation culminates in Holy Week, and then Easter marks the pinnacle of every church year. Forty days after the Resurrection we celebrate Ascension, and 10 days after that, the Pentecost season begins; it lasts until Advent, when the cycle begins again.

“Like a great waterwheel,” writes Joan Chittister, “the liturgical year goes on relentlessly irrigating our souls, softening the ground of our hearts, nourishing the soil of our lives until the seed of the Word of God itself begins to grow in us, comes to fruit in us, ripens in us the spiritual journey of a lifetime.”

Time to Double Down

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fter you have made a decision that is pleasing to God, the Devil may try to make you have second thoughts. Intensify your prayer time, meditation and good deeds. For if Satan’s temptations merely cause you to increase your efforts to grow in holiness, he’ll have an incentive to leave you alone.

—St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556

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“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

More Than Skin Deep ratitude, said Martin Luther, is “the basic Christian attitude.” Yet gratitude is —Oprah Winfrey much more than a state of mind. Often it’s a decision, and it becomes an act of humility when we recognize our depravity — and our need for a Savior.

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The 10 disgraced lepers who beg Jesus for mercy (see Luke 17:11-19) are described as allogenes, Greek for “outcast.” (All humans, sick with sin, fit that description!) The leper who returned to give thanks received more than just physical healing, according to Scripture. When Jesus says, “Your faith has made you well,” he uses the Greek that means “Your faith has saved you.” The grateful leper, recognizing his depravity, humbly decides to return and give thanks, knowing — through faith — that his skin and his soul have been healed.

A New Thanksgiving Tradition

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t Thanksgiving, we give thanks for things (food, home, clothing, work) and loved ones (family, friends, pets). But if the people we name aren’t present, they may never know how precious they are to us. This November, start a new tradition by writing notes of thanks to people you appreciate.

Follow Paul’s model of starting letters with thanksgiving: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world” (Romans 1:8, NIV). Notice how he thanks his addressees by thanking God for them. Paul is specific too, not writing, “Thanks for everything!”

Expressing genuine thanksgiving to God and another person, you might write something like this: Dear Judy, This Thanksgiving I’m thinking about special people in my life. You are one! I thank God for our friendship, for your strong witness for Jesus and for your willingness to lend a hand as a substitute teacher. (Your chocolate cookies are icing on the cake!) I praise God for you!

Sincerely, Joan

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nder the penned name, Jae Stephens, Jordan Adkison has contributed as a co-writer to the soundtrack for the Sony release of the new movie Honey Girls. All of the original songs performed in the movie were co-written by Jae Stephens, Whitney Phillips and Grammy Award winning songwriter (A Star Is Born) Mark Milan Jr. The Honey Girls movie is a heartwarming film about young women finding themselves through their own individuality and learning the power of friendship and unity. It is the perfect movie for young girls and teens and it stars the Grammy Award winning Singer/Actress Ashanti.

Thank God for continuing to open doors for Jordan to use her gifts and talents.

Please Support!

Advent and Christian Life

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hile Advent is certainly a time of celebration and anticipation of Christ’s birth, it is more than that. It is only in the shadow of Advent that the miracle of Christmas can be fully understood and appreciated, and it is only in the light of Christmas that the Christian life makes any sense. It is between the fulfilled promise of Christ’s first coming and the yet-to-befulfilled promise of his second coming that Karl Barth penned these words: “Unfulfilled and fulfilled promise are related to each other, as are dawn and sunrise. Both promise and in fact the same promise. If anywhere at all, then it is precisely in the light of the coming of Christ that faith has become Advent faith, the expectation of future revelation. But faith knows for whom and for what it is waiting. It is fulfilled faith because it lays hold on the fulfilled promise.” The promise for Israel and the promise for the church is Jesus Christ; he has come, and he will come again. This is the essence of Advent Readings Advent readings are themed Scripture readings for each Sunday of Advent. The four weeks of Advent are broken down into the themes: 1.

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Hope (or promise) Preparation (waiting or prophecy) Joy (peace) Love (adoration)

One of the beautiful things about the Advent readings above is that they offer churches the opportunity to include both young and old into their services, and the same can be true of private family devotions around the Advent wreath as well. By this point, you’ve probably realized that there is no set criteria for who should read the Advent readings in church.

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Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Matthew 25:34:-36

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he Grammy nominated R&B singer/songwriter, TV personality and author delivers her very first Christmas album "Christmas Back To You". Destined to become an instant classic, Chante sings perennial favorites like "Please Come Home For Christmas" and "Merry Christmas Baby" with a soulful sultriness.

This album also includes original music such as "Christmas In LA" and "Santa Don't Sleigh" which brings a touch of the South's popular Trap music influences to the holidays.

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ccording to kqed.org there are 1.8 million Veterans (5% of the state’s population) residing in California. About 25% of the state’s Veteran population utilize VA health care while roughly 70% of the state’s Veterans utilize community care (outside VA health care) to get their health

needs met while roughly 5% are uninsured or have no access to health care.

The Veterans Administration has established services that provide health care for Veterans called TRICARE or the Veterans care program where all Veterans who have an honorable discharge are considered covered under the health care laws. Also, if Veterans have experienced an injury or disability caused by their military service, they are eligible to be treated for that condition by the VA for free. Moreover, if the Veteran’s disability or injury is severe enough where it impacts their daily living, the VA could rate the Veteran at least 50% disabled or compensation benefits, where all medical care will be free of charge.

There’s also an online service called My Healthy Vet (www.myheathevet.gov) where (once) enrolled or vested in VA medical services, Veterans can schedule appointments online, refill prescriptions, view their health records, and send secure messages to their support team using the online service. If you’re a Veteran or know of a Veteran who is in need of health care and is interested in becoming vested in VA health care benefits, and could potentially qualify for VA compensation benefits based on your military experience (physical and mental health) call the VA appointment scheduling line at (877) 251-7295 for further details.

Keith Holmes, AMFT (KQED—K is the call letter used by West Coast stations — and Q.E.D is a acronym for the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum, used at the end of arguments to mean "thus it has been demonstrated." )

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Making A Way Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, Who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may His Name be Renowned in Israel.”

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Ruth 4:14 (Which Bible?...NKJV?)

rowing up as a child, there was a “play mother” or an “other mother” and even a “church mother.” Some women of strength will look out for you, guide, nurture, protect and step in, ready when needed. In the Black Community, we have always had that extended form of strength and support to step in for the call of duty since long before slavery. Those were the days when the community you lived in cared for the well-being of all the children in the neighborhood -- the “look-out moms,” who watched and cared. Naomi was blessed because her daughter-in-law was devoted to her and her well being making a way. God opened a way for Naomi to be blessed in her later years. When she lost hope of having a “real family,” God made a way. Just knowing that someone has your back, looking out for you is a great reminder. Basically, let’s continue to look out and be there for one another, just like Naomi and Ruth.

Buttafly Burke

Just Do It

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eterans Day has its roots in what was called Armistice Day, when a peace agreement ended World War I on November 11, 1918. President Wilson proclaimed that Armistice Day was to be marked with solemn pride in heroism and with gratitude for victory as well as the “opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice.” In 1954, the remembrance was renamed Veterans Day to honor all U.S. military personnel. It’s a reminder to pray for and honor all who serve and sacrifice, to support and assist their families, and to pray that God will bring peace on earth.

“Fold the arms of your faith and wait in quietness until the light goes up in your darkness. Fold the arms of your faith, I say, but not of your action. Think of something you ought to do, and go do it. Heed not your feelings. Do your work.”

—George MacDonald

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Bibles, All Occasion Cards, Gifts, Children’s Books, Big Bible Cover Selection, Large Print and Extra Large Print Bibles, Life Application and Study Bibles, Children’s Bibles, Candles, Jewelry, Devotionals. Purse and Credit Card Holders Special Orders and beautiful imprinting, Gift Wrapping 2BC T-shirts, Customized Tees Wheel Chair Accessible

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