An Indonesian Congregation on California Street
The Loma Linda Indonesian Seventh-day Adventist Church meets at 10827 California Street in Redlands, California, in the Inland Empire east of Los Angeles. As its name makes clear, the church is an Indonesian congregation within the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, gathering Indonesian Adventists and their families from across the region for worship, fellowship and service. The mailing address for the congregation is PO Box 819, Loma Linda, CA 92354.
The congregation is pastored by Senior Pastor Alfonso Tarigan and Associate Pastor Wilson Aritonang. Members and visitors can reach the church office at 909-307-3270 or by email at lomalindaindonesian@gmail.com. Recorded sermons, Bible study videos, an events calendar and ministry resources are available, and the church can be followed on Facebook and YouTube for additional updates and recordings of services.
Sabbath Worship and Sabbath School
Worship is held on Saturday mornings, with the church service running from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The Sabbath begins with Sabbath School, in which members gather in age-graded classes to study the quarterly lesson and share what they have learned. Adult Sabbath School is called the heartbeat of the congregation, and several adult classes meet each week so members can find a small group that fits their stage of life. The Sabbath School superintendent is Ramadan Rejab.
Children are grouped by stage of faith development. Beginners (birth to age 2), Kindergarten (ages 3 to 5), Primary (grades 1 to 4), Juniors (grades 5 and 6), Earliteen (grades 7 and 8) and Youth (grades 9 to 12) each have their own class. The children's program uses the GraceLink curriculum, a Christ-centered, Bible-based Sabbath school curriculum produced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Children's Ministry director is Rancy Cunanan.
Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
On Wednesday evenings the congregation gathers for prayer meeting in the chapel, identified on the church calendar as "@LLISDAC-Chapel." The midweek service is listed at 7:00 PM and runs from week to week. Members come together to pray, study and encourage one another between Sabbaths, and prayer requests from the wider community are welcomed through the church office.
Pathfinders and Adventurers
The church's Pathfinder Club is part of the worldwide Pathfinder organization sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a co-ed scouting-style program for juniors and teens in grades 5 to 12. Club activities include backpacking, biking, canoeing, caving and camping, along with service adventures that develop Christ-like character. Pathfinder director Azariah Sihotang leads the local club, which meets at the church on the second and third Sabbath of each month from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Pathfinder training sessions and forms for camporee registration are available through the ministry, and the club welcomes adults willing to help young people develop new skills.
For younger children, the Adventurer Club is sponsored by San Bernardino County Adventurers. Adventurer director Rosie Sihite leads the local group, and the program welcomes families with children of Adventurer age into its activities. The Adventurers meet periodically with other area clubs, creating a wider network of families involved in the same program.
Youth, Men, Women and Family Ministries
Youth Ministries serves young people with support and encouragement at a critical part of their Christian walk. The ministry creates a place where youth are safe to share, ask questions, and openly express their challenges, with social time built in. Once a month the congregation observes a Youth Sabbath that runs over the weekend, paired with a Social Night that brings everyone together for food, games and fellowship. Youth Ministry leader Hezekiah Silitonga coordinates the program.
Men's Ministry, led by Roy Suoth, brings men together for small-group activities and hands-on service to individuals and families, ranging from moving help to small projects. The ministry aims to go beyond the traditional service-club model and put faith into practice. Men of all ages are invited to join.
Women's Ministry, led by Susi Siboro, offers prayer groups, fellowship and community involvement so women can grow in their Christian experience. The ministry welcomes anyone to attend and bring a friend to the next activity.
Family Ministry reaches out to all kinds of households, including singles, married couples, grandparents and parents of teenagers. Members are invited to become an intimate part of the church family, with the pastor serving as the first point of contact for those who want to get involved in family-focused ministry.
Health Ministry and Personal Ministry
Health Ministry supports members and the surrounding community in living healthier lives. Activities include demonstrating healthy principles at the Sabbath potluck and offering seminars on topics such as smoking cessation and stress-free living. The ministry sees health as part of the church's wider mission to care for the whole person, and encourages practical habits that grow out of Christian faith.
Personal Ministry, under director Edwin Chris Kumendong, trains church members in soul-winning ministry. The department's stated motto is "I WILL GO," and the team works to equip members to share the gospel within the framework of the three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12. The department's stated mission is to provide resources and training so that LLISDA church members can unite their efforts with the ministers and church officers in the proclamation of the gospel of salvation in Christ, and to encourage every member to take part in active service for the winning of souls. More on the department's mission and resources is available at lliSdaministry.us.
Community Service and Disaster Response
Community Service is the congregation's outreach arm, working through Adventist Community Services to meet immediate needs in the surrounding area. Programs include tutoring and mentoring, the Youth Volunteer Corps, health screening education and assistance, inner-city missions and disaster response. Lia Hutabarat leads the local Community Service ministry and welcomes new volunteers and ideas for additional outreach projects. Members interested in starting a new ministry are encouraged to step forward.
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School is offered during the summer for children in the community. VBS runs about five weekdays, with kids attending three to four hours each day for themed activities that combine fun with learning about God. Church membership is not required, and the atmosphere is laid back, making it an easy way for families new to the area to meet church members. Past programs have included themes on virtues, generosity, and happiness and peace, drawing on devotional writers and thinkers from a wide Christian background.
Bible Study Resources
A library of Bible study recordings is available, including a series on the History of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs and Adventist Beliefs Made Simple, with a link to apictureofgod.com for additional study. The pastoral team is available to follow up with anyone interested in further study or baptismal preparation. Membership transfer and update forms are kept on file for members who are relocating to or from the congregation.
Beliefs and the Worldwide Adventist Family
The Loma Linda Indonesian Seventh-day Adventist Church is part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, described as a mainstream Protestant church with approximately 19 million members worldwide, including more than one million in North America. The Adventist Church operates 173 hospitals and sanitariums and more than 7,500 schools around the world, while the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) carries out community development and disaster relief in more than 130 countries.
Adventists believe in a Trinity of three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - who make up one God. They teach that Jesus came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem, lived a sinless life, was crucified for the sins of the people of the world, and arose from the dead on the third day. After His resurrection He returned to heaven, leaving the Holy Spirit to serve as Comforter and Counselor, and He promised to return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation and take His people to heaven. Adventists are among the believers who look forward to that day.
Adventists also believe that God is concerned with the quality of human life, and that everything - the way people live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around them - is part of His plan. Families, children, jobs, talents, money and time are all important to Him. The Loma Linda Indonesian Seventh-day Adventist Church holds to these beliefs as part of the wider body of Christ, anchored in its identity as an Indonesian congregation serving the Inland Empire.