Sabbath services in the Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church on August 24, 2019 began with a song service led by Mark (senior), accompanied on the piano by Freddy (sophomore). The opening song was “At the Cross”. Brenda Herra welcomed everyone.
Daryen (senior) had prayer and read the scripture reading – Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Mark (senior) read a mission story about a lady who had been raised an Adventist but moved in with her drunken boyfriend. During a cyclone, she put her family in the car and drove to find a safe place. She saw angels descending a ladder from heaven twice. Her house was spared, and she returned to membership in the Adventist church.
Brenda Herra called for the Laurelbrook Missions Offering, which was collected by Wilmer (freshman) and Heisler (sophomore). Brenda Herra talked about a group of young people who wanted a cross on the youth chapel wall. It was opposed by the church board, but the youth convinced the board to let them hang the cross on the wall of their chapel. Then she read a series of quotes from Ellen White that illustrated what the cross meant to those who witnessed the scene in Jesus’ time.
Bubba Herra sang a vocal solo for special music, accompanying himself on the guitar. The group then split up into two Sabbath School classes, one in the main church sanctuary taught by Clayton Brandt and a second class for students taught by Ruan Swanepoel “behind the glass” at the back of the sanctuary.
The academy girls were attending a Purity Weekend in the Laurelbrook Lodge.
Personnel Other Than Students:
Brenda Herra – student vocational coordinator
Clayton Brandt – works with Laurelbrook’s heavy equipment
Ruan Swanepoel – farm manager