Laurelbrook Academy SDA Church

The church service in the Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church on February10, 2018 began with the ministry corner by Ginny Arce on hydrotherapy.  In doing hydrotherapy, you don’t want to get chilled. In taking a shower, make the water as hot as possible.  Then, when sweating, turn on the cold water as cold as you can stand it.  This improves your circulation, fortifying you against disease.

Rodney Herra followed with the announcements. There will be a meal in the cafeteria. The boys need to meet with Rodney in the lobby following church.

Jeremy Westcott played an introit. The congregation had a silent invocation.  The congregation then sang “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart”. Elizabeth Castle then had the Morning Prayer; the congregation sang “Hear Our Prayer”.

Itzel (sophomore) then called for the offering.  Eric (junior) and Rich Sutton then collected the morning offerings; the loose offering went to the world budget.  The congregation sang the doxology, and Itzel prayed for the offering. 

Rebecca Nowdesha) then told the children a story about camping. With the congregation, Leilani and Samantha (sophomores) read a responsive readinfrom the hymnal on Christian relationships based on Colossians 3. Samantha then sang “Jerusalem” as a vocal solo for special music.

Elizabeth Castle discussed the topic “CHOSEN”. The congregation sang “Father, Lead Me Day by Day”.   Elizabeth Castle had the closing prayer.

Personnel Other Than Students:

Elizabeth Castle – works with the social services department of the Laurelbrook Nursing Home

Rebecca Nowdesha – works in the academy kitchen

Rich Sutton – Laurelbrook president

Following are some notes on the sermon by Elizabeth Castle:

1. In the Super Bowl, there were five devout Christians on the competing teams, witnessing for their Lord.
2. One mentions that they had worships during their team’s tours. His goal is to become a high school pastor so he enrolled in an online divinity course.
3. Another of these Christians says that he had personal devotionals every day. His opponents he called “brothers in Christ”.
4. Another Christian had a son diagnosed with cancer. He feels Christ works through Him.
5. Another seeks to be rooted in the Bible.  He feels that the NFL is a great blessing and opportunity but doesn’t feel that he should be defined by his football career.
6. 1 Peter 2:9 “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
7. What does it mean to be chosen?  Could be selected for your abilities or simply the next in line.
8. God has chosen you because He loves you.
9. Broken people often feel like no one loves them or cares about them.  But God has chosen them.
10. God doesn’t have favorites so if we are chosen we have made the decision to come close to Him.
11. The Bible talks about those who were asked to do certain jobs.
12. 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
13. Each of us is chosen to be a child of God and have the privilege of being loved and known by Him. God creates each person as a unique being.
14. Jesus would have come if only one person accepted Him.
15. We have also been chosen to proclaim His praises, each person regardless of station in life.
16. Galatians 5:22-23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
17. Christ lives in us, patiently and lovingly changing us to His image. We are called to reveal His virtues to the

world.

18. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ. In an embassy, it is a slice of that particular country with its food, furniture, etc.  
19. There should be an atmosphere of heavenliness about us since we represent Christ and heaven.
20. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 “17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
21. Jesus died on the cross to change our minds about God – how much God wants to save us and give us eternal life.   We are called to change people’s minds about God with our new personal characteristics that Christ has created in us.
22. Ellen White says all believers must do the witnessing work Christ wants them to do.  If we accept Christ, we are given the gospel as a trust to be passed on to others.
23. Exodus 33:18-19 “18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”
24. Exodus 34:5-7 “5 ¶ And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear [the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].”
25. God’s character is His glory.
26. Isaiah 43:12 “I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when [there was] no strange [god] among you: therefore ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I [am] God.”
27. The Investigative Judgment vindicates God’s character in us.
28. 1 Peter 2:9 says that we have been called into a marvelous light that is the knowledge of God’s character and dealings with men.
29. Ellen White says that as we live the light God gives us He sends us more light to share with others. God is waiting for a people who are enlightened and laborers together with God.