STORY
Spring Valley Academy Holds Convocation
August 19, 2023
Francis Tuffour
Spring Valley Academy began its school year this week and has held a convocation Sabbath service today for staff, families, and students at Fritzsche Center for Worship and Performing Arts on campus in Centerville, Ohio. This year’s convocation theme was “Awe of God.”
During the Sabbath School, Nico Chaij, an alumnus of SVA, shared a testimony about how his great-grandfather named, Nicholas Chaij, who prayed for him as a baby. When Nico was born, his great-grandpa was 91 years old. Both of them were born on January 19. He was a pastor, and he dedicated Nico when he was born. When Nico was nine years old, he was 100 years old, and it was during that time he gave Nico a Spanish Bible with his handwritten message, but he could not read it in Spanish at the time. So the Bible sat on a shelf and collected dust. Some few months after receiving the Bible, his great-grandfather died. After Nico completed high school, he got some impressions to go into ministry. He kept ignoring the prompts until he decided to go to Andrews University to study Theology. Nico saw his great-grandpa’s Bible on his shelf while packing for Andrews. Since he took some high school Spanish classes, he could read then. He found this message on the front cover:
"Dear Nicholas,
Your name has a beautiful meaning. It means a conqueror. I trust that you'll be victorious. Jesus is gonna help you. So I'll see you in heaven with the rest of the family. If the Lord calls you to be a pastor, accept.
Your great grandpapa,
Nicholas." Nico ended his testimony today: "When you say yes to that tug from the Lord in whatever form it might come, I promise you won't regret it.”
In his welcome address, Ken Knudson, High School Vice Principal of SVA, reported it had been an exciting beginning with 64 staff members and a record enrollment of nearly 530 students this year.
In his testimony during the service, the principal, Spencer Hannah, emphasized that God is unpredictable, but he encouraged worshippers to put their trust in God. “You may not always know how it’s gonna work out, but He will make you work out,” Hannah added.
Before offering a special prayer for teachers, the school's Board Chair, Ron Connovich, asked them to hold hands as a gesture of oneness in Christ.
Mark Finley, a renowned Adventist televangelist, and pastor, was a guest speaker. Through his sermon, he pointed out three key things that the worshippers should remember at all times about God:
1. He stressed that “He is the God who cares for you. He will take your little and make something out of it.” He continued and said God’s blessing is beyond imagination because He cares.
2. Finley stated that "He is the God who forgives," and a sinner could have a life devoid of guilt and condemnation through His grace.
3. "He is the God who empowers" believers, and since Jesus is a winner, Christians would win with Him.
“Students, when you're going through some challenges this year, when you're going through some problems this year, when the journey is long in school, when the valley is dark, when the mountain is high, Jesus caress and He knows the solution to the problem, even before that solution manifests to you,” he admonished.
After the service, there was an outdoor bring-your-own family picnic where people gathered and shared their meals.
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