On October 5, 2019, the Laurelbrook church service began with a welcome and announcements by Clayton Brandt. Most of the announcements were in the bulletin. In the bulletin, it mentioned that there would be a fellowship dinner on Sabbath, October 12 in the Laurelbrook cafeteria immediately following the church service. The next day, October 13 (Sunday), there will be a memorial service in the Brayton church for Darwin Heisey at 3:00 p.m.
Freddy (sophomore) played an introit, Andrew Sharon had the invocation, and the congregation sang “Seeking the Lost.” Clayton Brandt had the Morning Prayer, and the congregation sang “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.
Clayton Brandt then called for the morning offerings; the loose offerings went toward the local church budget. Freddy played while Wilmer (freshman) and Gustavo (junior) collected the offerings. The congregation sang “Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow”, and Clayton Brandt prayed for the offerings.
Kelly (sophomore) sang “I’d Rather Have Jesus” with a recorded accompaniment for special music.
Andrew Sharon read the scripture reading – Isaiah 65:24 “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
He then told a story to the children and listening adults about four children looking for something to do on a snowy day. They decided to ride horses up the mountain near their house. Eventually they were walking on a plowed road to the top. At this point they decided to go down the mountain through meadows. They didn’t reach home but kept heading up into the mountains.
The group had gone so far that it would be dark when they arrived at home. At this point they decided to push through the forests. The temperatures dropped, the top of the snow froze, and the horses’ legs were bleeding. The horses stopped. The children left the horses and set off walking. After 10 minutes, they stopped and prayed. After prayer, one of the children saw a light and followed it, guiding them to a nearby house. Andrew was the child who saw the light.
In that cabin, there was someone who knew their parents and reunited them with their parents (continued in sermon notes).
Andrew Sharon had the sermon. The congregation sang “Work for the Night Is Coming”. Andrew Sharon had the closing prayer. The seniors were away at the Laurelbrook Alumni Association campout in the Smoky Mountains.
Personnel Other Than Students:
Andrew Sharon – one of Laurelbrook’s maintenance men
Clayton Brandt – works with Laurelbrook’s heavy equipment and trash
Following are some notes from the sermon (continued from children’s story):
- Those parents were very conservative, they believed in country living, but they hadn’t given their hearts to the Lord. Eventually, the parents were converted, leading to a change in their relationship with their children.
- At 16 Andrew decided to quit school, having passed a test. He got a job in a steel fabricating shop.
- At a camp meeting he talked with David Gates about taking flying and going to the mission field. Nothing opened up.
- He talked with his brother and was invited to Thailand. He went to Cambodia and stayed for several months, which stretched into several years, working at a school and orphanage. He did maintenance work and taught all types of subjects.
- But he still didn’t have an experience with the Lord. He watched boxing when he should have been praying.
- He fell in love and married his wife. He began the long process of getting his wife into the United States.
- He had to leave his wife for six months at a time to come back to the States to work to earn living expenses.
- Eventually they came to the United States and bought a house. His wife lost most of her family with resulting health issues.
- At this point, he wasn’t sure of his relationship with God, saying he hated Him.
- But God hears us, doing things for His glory.
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
- 1 John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
- If we say we need Him, God responds.
- Before we call, God will give us answers (as in the experience with the light).
- He still went to church with a smile.
- Within two months of his wife’s health problems beginning, the couple was invited to Laurelbrook. They have gotten involved in mission trips.
- His wife went off and on her medications. His mother, who was helping with the wife’s care, came to him one day and mentioned that the movies he was watching weren’t helping.
- He tried and failed going off the movies. Eventually God pulled him out of watching these movies.
- John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
- God wants to be with us on earth and then take us to heaven. Accept Christ personally for yourself.
- It matters what God thinks about your experience, not other people.