Laurelbrook Academy SDA Church

The church service in the Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church on February 17, 2018 began with Oliver (junior) and Moises (sophomore) leading the congregation in a hymn. 

Ricardo Reid welcomed everyone and made a few announcements.  He mentioned that the mass shootings in Florida had led to more talk of mental health and pointed out the importance of family life. Ellen White says that young people confront enormous perils today and that the character building of children is more important than any other secular employment.  He asked that everyone pray for the board meeting Sunday morning.

Rich Sutton mentioned that the canvassing work is something they have wanted to restart for some time.  He ran into a publishing leader at the Point.  Sunday and Monday one of the publishing leaders from the Southern Union will be training people to canvass, starting at 8:00 tomorrow.

The congregation then sang “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder”.

Mark Kent played an introit. The congregation had a silent invocation.  The congregation then sang “Love at Home”. Ginny Arce then had the Morning Prayer; the congregation sang “Hear Our Prayer”. 

Dyaine (senior) then called for the offering.  Hiram and Eric (juniors) then collected the morning offerings; the loose offering went to the local church budget.  The congregation sang the doxology, and Dyaine prayed for the offering.  

Angela Volpe then told the children a story. Josia (senior) then read 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

Lisha Westcott and the Laurelbrook Elementary School sang “I Will Change Your Name” for special music, accompanied on the piano by Lisha’s husband Jeremy.  In the group was Leilani (sophomore), who as part of her vocational program is a teaching assistant at the elementary school.

Ginny Arce discussed the topic “The Spiritual Life of Today’s Christian Youth”. The Arce family (minus Pedro, who was sick) sang a song. The congregation sang “Happy the Home”.   Ginny Arce had the closing prayer. 

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Personnel Other Than Students:

Angela Volpe – works in the academy office / Mark Kent’s fiancé 
Ginny Arce – wife of Pedro Arce, the academy music director
Mark Kent – Laurelbrook IT person
Ricardo Reid – local head church elder / assistant boys’ dean
Rich Sutton – Laurelbrook president

Some Notes on the Sermon by Ginny Arce

1. The presentation this morning is one of the topics that Pedro and Ginny did for congregations in Mexico. 
2. Growing spiritually is very important in life.  
3. There are two ways of living today – life of a Christian and the life of the world.
4. Distractions today take away time from God and what He wants us to study. 
5. Getting rid of these distractions involves being out in God’s nature.
6. All of man’s skill cannot produce the life that God can produce.
7. Growing spiritually involves many steps.  But not everything is mature all at once just like a baby’s growth, perfect at every step.
8. If you are right with God at each step, then you are perfect.
9. 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
10. To grow spiritually, we have to grow in grace and in knowledge of Jesus.
11. 2 Peter 1:5-8 “5 ¶ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
12. “Diligence” means doing all you can regularly.
13. “Temperance” is self-control.
14. A dandelion is flower with deep roots, enabling it to survive. If our roots are in the Bible, we will continue to grow.
15. Dandelion seeds come when the flowers die (just like Jesus’ death). These seeds can travel miles.
16. 2 Peter 5:1-7 ladder- faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and finally charity or love.  These are the building blocks to grow closer to God.
17. Hebrews 5:12-14 “12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
18. These people still needed to be taught.
19. Babies start with milk and then foods in progressively more solid stages.
20. Sometimes we like babies make a mess of our spiritual lives.
21. Eventually babies grow into people who can prepare their own solid foods. 
22. As we grow spiritually, we need to step out as teachers.
23. Growing physically doesn’t mean that a person is growing spiritually. But growing children have to take control of your own spiritually life.  
24. This is work. John 6:27 “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”
25. Growing spiritually requires perseverance.  Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” 
26. Colossians 1:11 “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”  This is not easy, but Jesus promises us the victory if we keep on going.
27. Growing spiritually requires diligence.  2 Peter 1:5,10  “5 ¶ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
28. Growing spiritually requires exercise.  2 Timothy 4:7-8 “7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
29. We get distracted by many facets of modern life. Focus on what is really important.
30. Ephesians 3:16,20 16 “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;” 20  “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” 
31. Philippines 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” 
32. Our mission is to serve others.
33. Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”