The following is the information shared in the program handouts on the day of the Dedication

 

Sabbath, September 22, 1998

The following was published in the program hand out on the day of the Sabbath Trail Dedication.

Sabbath School Program

 

"THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST
TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD"

Welcome to Sabbath School
9:15 A.M.

Song service   Cheryl Knowles
Superintendent's Remarks   Trudy Wright
Special Music   PTA Choir
Special Feature   Richard Garey
Special Music   * Steve & Linda Dayen
Lesson Study   Ben Schoun & Merlin Knowles
 

Sabbath School Division Locations and Leaders

Cradle Roll   Cemetery Corner   Marilyn Schroer
Kindergarten   Cemetery Gate   Lois Rossier & Mariam Smith
Primary   Under tarp by trail head   Dave & Linda Baker
Junior   Canopy near road   Peggy Schauffler
 

Organist: David Smith

 

Intermission
 

Welcome and Announcements
Pastor Knowles


*   "God Made A Day"
1. God made a day, long ago, when man lived in a garden home
And the world was a fresh gift from our Creator.
They would walk and talk and listen,
Hand in hand with the Lamb of God,
With no knowledge of the sin that would come later.

2. God has a day, even now, so that we can all learn how
To enter in to His blessed, promised rest.
We may walk and talk and listen,
Hand in hand with our Lord Jesus,
And prize the time he's sanctified and blessed.

3. One Sabbath day, very soon, in that glorious earth made new,
Made by Him, who for our sakes became poor,
We will walk and talk and listen,
Hand in hand with our Redeemer,
Knowing sin and death will surely be no more.

Chorus
The Sabbath is the day. God made a day To find sweet rest in Jesus,
To fellowship with those who understand.
Life is much more than work and worry.
Slow down. You don't always need to hurry.
Enjoy the gifts from our Creator's hand!

1998 by Stephen E. Dayen
This song is dedicated to my friend, Merlin Knowles,
whose vision made the Sabbath Trail possible.
 


Worship Service
 

"LET US BE EAGER TO KNOW THIS REST
FOR OURSELVES"

Welcome to the Worship Hour
11:00 A.M.

Introit Elders Enter
Invocation Dan Matthews
Scripture Reading Hal Thompson
Opening Hymn Hymn #93
"I Sing the Mighty Power"
Children's Story Dan Matthews
Worship in Giving John DePalma
Sabbath Trail & Visitors Center
Prayer John DePalma
Special Music PTA Choir
Morning Message Dan Matthews
"We Remember the Sabbath"
Hymn of Response      Hymn # 462
"Safely Through Another Week"
Benediction Hal Thompson
 

"The Sabbath... a time to worship our maker & redeemer; a
time for God to liberate & heal; a time to rest by faith in God's
finished work; a time to sense our infinite value in God's eyes; a
time to know commune with & delight in our creator... "

 


Dedication Service

 

Praise... (Ps. 92)   Nelma Drake
Prayer of Thanks and Praise   Don King
Special Music   Chamber Singers
Prayer of Confession   Bruce Conrad
History of the Trail   Merlin Knowles
Litany on the Sabbath   Dan Matthews
Special Music   Cheryl Knowles
Prayer of Dedication   Ben Schoun
Responsive Reading   Hal Thompson
Ribbon Cutting   Dan Matthews
Benediction   Harold Drake


PSALMS 92

1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

2. To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

4. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

5. 0 Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

6. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

7. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:

8. But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.

9. For lo, shine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

10. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.

11. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.

12. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon.

13. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

15. To shew that the LORD us upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.


LITANY OF DEDICATION
 

To the One who loves and created us
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

To the One who died on Calvary to give us life.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

To the One who heals our broken hearts.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

To the One who gave the gift of the Sabbath.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

 

To the One who freed us from the power of sin.

  We dedicate this Sabbath Trai

To the One who paid an infinite price for us.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trai

To the One who wishes to commune with us.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

To the One who provides delight in the Sabbath.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail



To the One who, "To know is eternal life." 
We dedicate this Sabbath Trail
 

To the One who loves us with everlasting love.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

To the One who is coming to take us home.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail

To the One who provides Sabbath rest.
  We dedicate this Sabbath Trail


 

Notes and Announcements

The Washington church members are planning to build a visitor's center in the next year or two, would you like to help?

Pastor and Mrs. Knowles have accepted a call to the Conway NH district beginning right after the dedication.

Pastor and Mrs. Brummel will be assuming responsibilities here along with West Lebanon and Claremont tomorrow.

The Sabbath Trail markers have been translated into Spanish by Edita Fuentes and will be available to any who wish to use them on the walk this afternoon.

We would like to have as many as possible who have worked on this Sabbath trail in any way at any time get together for a group picture at 1:45 pm today. We will gather on and around the steps of the church.

The picnic potluck will be at 1:00 pm or as soon as we can get the food on the table after the worship hour, please join us.

There is a special guest registry for all who hike the trail, please sign in and leave your comments. It is located on the trail near the parking area.

There are 4 electric golf carts available today for those who are unable to walk the trail. Please make your needs known to the golf cart attendants who will be near the carts to the left of the church right after the dedication at 3:30 pm.

We are privileged to have a special musical program at 2:00 pm presented by the Atlantic Union College Chamber Singers to set the tone for our dedication service.

There will be an informal vesper and reflection time at 6:30 pm.


 

About the Sabbath Trail

The Sabbath trail was begun three years ago and is being dedicated so as to closely coincide with one of the seven Sabbath conferences held around New England exactly 150 years ago. Millerite Adventists first learned about the Sabbath from Rachel Oakes, a Seventh Day Baptist. Since this took place right here at Washington, the Lord impressed us that this would be an appropriate location to build a special trail about the Sabbath. The trail traces the history of Sabbath keeping from creation to the New Earth. Its purpose is for people to truly experience Sabbath rest and draw closer to the Creator as they walk and read while basking in nature's beauties.


The Sabbath Trail tells the story of the history of the Sabbath from creation to the New Earth and is etched in Granite as a Memorial of the Sabbath of the Lord.

This unique one mile long nature trail is located in the woods adjacent to the historic site, the Washington NH Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Sabbath Trail has short loop or long loop, an easy walk for all ages and abilities.

There are 31 sites with benches and engraved granite markers.



About The Washington Church

Efforts have been made by the local congregation and the SDA Historical Society to restore this church to its original appearance as closely as possible.

We retain the original pews which, in the early years, had numbered plates for rental purposes.

The two wood stoves have been replaced with gas furnaces to reduce the possibility of fire.

The pulpit and pump organ are similar to the originals.

We believe the steps were granite.

The chart on the front wall is very old, probably dating back to the 1850's or 1860's.

The map of the world on the back wall was donated to the church at the time of it's 100 year anniversary celebration.

Please feel free to visit the Church cemetery. You will see the gravestones of some of the pioneers and members of the first Seventh-day Adventist Congregation. We ask that you do not touch the tombstones, however, as they are very fragile.

You may also enjoy visiting the Cyrus Farnsworth Homestead. Feel free to take pictures, but please remain on the road in order to respect the privacy of the present owners.

Millen Pond is another point of interest and is close to the Farnsworth Homestead. Many baptisms took place at Millen Pond. In Winter months, holes were cut into the ice which at times measured more than two feet thick.



How To Walk The Sabbath Trail

 

"Together as a Group"

Share How the Lord has spoken to you through His beautiful creation and through the Sabbath.

"Alone with the Lord"

Asking Him what He wants to talk to you about.

"As a Family"

Talk about how much the Lord loves us by giving us a special day with Him.

"In Prayer"

Ask the Lord to speak to you personally as you walk.

"With a Bible"

Look up the texts as you walk from site to site.


 

Special Thanks To

Ed & Joan for many weeks of work & for Internet access

Ed for hundreds of pictures & for giving up your sleep time

Bruce for sharing the dream, equipment, & sandblasting

Andy for stenciling at half price & quick work

Al for cooking several weeks & super food

Ben for being my right hand man & good with the equipment

Nathan for chipping so many trees & digging stumps

The town of Washington for Camp Morgan Lodge

PTA & GBA for bringing students to work every year!

BMA for driving so far to help & celebrate today

Brent for rallying USA students to come work

Trudy for working hard & passing the word to NAD

Eric for willingness to bail us out & supervising others

Mom & Dad for believing in this project, support & HELP!

SLA, PJA, Estabrook, AUC, Conway & Woodstock students

Jay for loaning your tractor & bringing family & others to work

Norma for many hours cleaning stones & raking & recruiting

Richard for lots of help & for making the map

Larry for such a nice brochure to share with others

Millie for many trips to Barre to get stencils

West Lebanon district for support & patience

Keith & Mary for bringing such hard workers & paying them!

Mona, Dan, Don, Francis, Barbara for the flowers & more!

Ralph for making the yard & grounds so neat

Ted & Patty for hours in the kitchen

Enfield Granite for the stones at such a low price

Highland Lake Family Camp for showers for the workers

SNEC for having many willing workers come to help

Paul for two weeks 'time off'

Judy for good food and sponsoring PTA group

NNEC for truck, tractor, mattresses & time

Ben & Carol for sore muscles and believing in this project

Each of the over 500 who helped in some way on this trail

(We couldn't list everyone here but Thank-you very much for
contributing work & time & money to make this trail a reality
today. God has used many talents, including yours!!!)

MOST OF ALL....

Our Creator for Giving the Sabbath & Inspiring the Trail

Sincerely, Merlin & Cheryl Knowles