Laurelbrook Academy SDA Church

Sabbath services on February 17, 2018 began with a song service led by Moises (sophomore) and Oliver (junior), accompanied by Felix (9th grader) on the piano.  The opening song was “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”. Rachel (junior) welcomed everyone and had prayer.

Mark (sophomore) read the scripture reading – Psalm 41 “1 ¶ « To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. » Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; [and] he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. 4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. 5 ¶ Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? 6 And if he come to see [me], he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; [when] he goeth abroad, he telleth [it]. 7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. 8 An evil disease, [say they], cleaveth fast unto him: and [now] that he lieth he shall rise up no more. 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up [his] heel against me. 10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. 11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. 13 Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.” 

Leilani (sophomore) then read a mission story from Belize about a woman who wanted to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Her husband threatened to beat her if she did. Instead he hugged her and declared that she was a new woman. But she didn’t cook his Sabbath meal the way he wanted it so he went to a bar near the church and would greet her with a drunken hug.  He declared he would never become an Adventist.  Then one weekend an earthquake struck the area, waking her husband up to the life he was leading.  Eventually he became a church member, and the couple have become faithful church members.

Mark (sophomore) then called for the Laurelbrook Missions Offering, which was collected by Oliver and Jakob (sophomore) and which goes to support Laurelbrook mission trips.  

Mariangela (junior) had the superintendent’s remarks on “Treasured Truths”.  Fabiola (junior) then announced the classes and had the closing prayer. 

The congregation then became four Sabbath School classes, one taught by Mark Kent in the church sanctuary and one in the back of the sanctuary “behind the glass” taught by Elizabeth Castle, one in the nursing home taught by Ricardo Reid, and one in the CNA House taught by Rich Sutton. 

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Following are a few notes from the theme talk:

1. Seventh-day Adventists believe in the Second Coming of Christ.
2. John 14:1-3 “1 ¶ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.” 
3. Acts 1:9-11 “9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
4. Seventh-day Adventists also believe in heaven and a new earth.
5. Matthew 5:5 “Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
6. 2 Peter 3:13 “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
7. Revelation 11:15 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

Personnel Other Than Students:

Elizabeth Castle – works with the social services department in the Laurelbrook Nursing Home
Mark Kent – Laurelbrook IT specialist
Ricardo Reid – local head church elder / assistant boys’ dean
Rich Sutton – Laurelbrook president