January 27, 2023

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:9)

THIS WEEKEND @ GRACE

Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.[ b ] 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus, Easter is just two weeks from this Sunday. While every Sunday is a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, Easter is a special Sunday for the body of Christ to focus on the reality that Jesus is alive. Also, in our culture, Easter is day many are receptive to invitations to attend church and to conversations about Jesus. Therefore, I want to challenge you to pray for opportunities that God will provide for you to engage with folks about Jesus during the next couple of weeks. Ask God to place people in your path that you can talk to about Jesus and what He means to you. Don't miss the opportunities to invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. to one of the upcoming experiences at Grace as we celebrate Holy Week. Here is a list... EASTER CELEBRATION FOR KIDS , April 1, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm - Bring your kids to experience an inflatable slide, food, egg hunt, the resurrection story, crafts and a lot of fun. PALM WORSHIP, April 2, 10:30 am - Join believers by beginning Holy Week in worship. Also we will begin a Children's Church for Preschoolers - 5th Graders on Palm Sunday. MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE, April 6, 6:30 pm - Come and share time reflecting on the crucifixion of Jesus while participating in the Lord’s Supper RESURRECTION SUNDAY WORSHIP, Sunday, April 9, 10:30 am - Bring the whole family and join the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection through special music and message from God’s word. As we make preparations for the above mention opportunities, volunteers are needed ... Cupcake and cookies are needed for the Easter Celebration for Kids (see Angie Hill or Elaine Purvis) Volunteers are needed to help with the Easter Celebration for Kids (contact Hilary Faircloth or Melanie Collins) Volunteers are needed this Sunday at 4:00 pm to place address labels on postcards to be mailed to our local community inviting them to our Easter Celebrations Please take a moment and review Sunday's bulletin attached below for additional information about what is happening at Grace. Finally, let me encourage you to pray for our youth this weekend as they participate in the Florence area Discipleship Now One Day on Saturday. Our GBC Students will be joining with over 125 youth from area churches to engage in spiritual growth through serving our community at various mission sites, enjoying relationships with new friends, and engaging in their relationship with God. I look forward to seeing you Sunday, Pastor John

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) GBC Family, Please take a moment to preview Sunday's bulletin (attached below) which provides information about what is happening this weekend @ Grace. Here are a few highlights: I would invite you to participate in the Kingdom-Life First Small Groups that are meeting on Sundays at 5:00 pm. These groups are open to all youth and adults and are asking the question Are you living out Matthew 6:33? based on the study material produced by Life Action Ministries. A team of folks is working to intentionally reengage the church’s children and student ministries. Anyone interested in helping in this process is invited to a meeting today, February 26 at 4:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Our Worship Leader, Matt Sims, will begin working this Sunday with our children on a Spring Musical entitled Tell Me the Truth. Practice is at 4:00 pm. Teri Brehio will be leading First Place for Health, a Christ-centered weight loss and healthy living program, starting Monday, February 27, at 6:00 pm. The program will include Bible study, prayer, healthy eating plan, group accountability and encouragement. A membership kit and Bible study purchase is required. The GBC Student Ministry will be participating in ONE DAY on March 25, 8:30 am-7:30 pm. This is a day of service and worship with youth from area churches in Florence. The cost is $25 (includes t-shirt & 3 meals) and the deadline to register is Wednesday, March 1. GRACE 242, our monthly church-wide fellowship dinner is Wednesday, March 1st at 6:30 pm. The menu is Beef Stew with Potatoes & Carrots, Rice, Green Beans, Bread, Dessert and Drink. The cost of the meal is $5.00 for adults (12 & older), $3.00 for children (ages 3-11) or a maximum of $20.00 per family. Reservations are needed by Tuesday, February 28. I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we begin the day in Bible study at 9:30 am. Your Pastor and Friend, John

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24) Greetings GBC: I pray your week has been profitable and productive to the glory of God and that you are anticipating the opportunities to be with your church family this weekend. Last Sunday, many of you have received a copy of the 28-day personal revival guide Change Me . I want to encourage you to be diligent and intentional with your time as you journey through this material. I pray you will experience a fresh sense of God's renewal in your heart as you spend time reading God's word, praying, reflecting, and responding in obedience to God's leading in your life. If you were not able to get a copy of Change Me , there are still copies available and you can pick one up Sunday. Let me encourage you to find someone to walk this journey with you as support and accountability. Beginning this Sunday at 5:00 pm, I want to invite you to begin the study entitled Kingdom-First Life: A 6-Week Small Group Series Asking the Question ‘Are You Living Out Matthew 6:33? . Intergenerational groups (groups of adults and youth) will be formed to share time exploring what it means to live one's life according to Matthew 6:33. Let me encourage you to take advantage of this study as a continuation of the teaching concepts we learned during the Thirst Conference. The material we will use is provided by Life Action Ministries as a follow-up. So come Sunday at 5:00 pm...we will meet in the Worship Center...receive an introduction to the material...and divide up into groups to grow and learn together. A special word for parents...there will be opportunities for your children as you engage with the small group sessions. I was encouraged by our meeting last Sunday to intentionally reengage our children and student ministry. As a result of our meeting, a group of individuals is working together to learn current best practices in children and student ministries in order to provide new direction. On Sunday, February 24 at 4:00 pm, these individuals will meet again to prayerfully seek the next steps. Anyone interested in these ministries is invited to attend. Finally let me share with our youth and their parents about an opportunity coming Saturday, March 25. We are joining with area churches for ONE DAY ...a full day of service and worship and hanging out with fellow students. Deadline to register and pay is Wednesday, March 1. Cost is $25 which provides 3 meals and a t-shirt. I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we begin the day in Bible study at 9:30 am. Your Pastor and Friend John P.S. Hey men, we will be building a wheelchair ramp at the home of Bobby and Mildred Henderson (2436 W. McCown Dr.) on Saturday beginning around 8:30 am. If you are available, come lend a hand.

Dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1) Hello Church Family, Following a fresh experience with God during the Thirst Conference, I want to us to challenge one another to continue the renewal. Let’s continue saying “yes” to God in our personal lives, our families, and the church. I want to offer to you a couple of practical opportunities for your personal renewal. The first opportunity is to take a four week journey of personal renewal. This journey will be guided by the book Change Me: A 28-Day Personal Revival Guide. Change Me will require a daily commitment to reading specific passages of Scripture, responding to questions of reflection, and spending time with God in prayer. Copies of Change Me are available, at no cost, for you to pick up in the church office. While this guide is focused on personal renewal, I would recommend you finding someone to walk with you through this journey as support and accountability. The second opportunity is to join a six-week Kingdom First Life small group. These will be new, yet-to-be-formed, groups will be guided by curriculum The Kingdom-First Life: A 6-Week Small Group Series Asking the Question ‘Are You Living Out Matthew 6:33?’ This material has been produced by Life Action Ministries and is designed as a follow-up to the Thirst Conference. The small groups will be intentionally i ntergenerational, including a mixture of youth and all ages of adults and will meeting on Sunday evenings beginning February 19. Let me encourage you to sign-up to join a group and engage in living the Kingdom-First Life. A sign-up sheet will be available Sunday in the CLC. In addition, you can email or call the church office to sign-up In addition, I want to invite our parents and anyone with a heart of children and youth to a special meeting this Sunday at 4:30 pm where we will prayerfully discuss reengaging the church's ministry to children and students with intentionality and purpose. Personally, I believe this is a next step of saying "yes" to God in the life of our church. Finally let me ask you, "What is God saying to you?" "How are you responding to God?" May we continue the renewal by praying for one another and celebrating God’s faithfulness in our lives. One final item... CHURCH-WIDE SUPER BOWL FELLOWSHIP SUNDAY @ 6:00 pm. E veryone is invited to join in this time of fellowship in the Community Life Center. We will enjoy games, food, and time being together. We also will have the Super Bowl on the big screen. The fellowship will be informal with food, games, puzzles, etc. Everyone is asked to bring your favorite “finger food,” snack, dip, dessert, drink, etc. 

Dear Grace Church Family, To God be the glory great things He has done! Without a doubt this week has been an answer to prayer. God has demonstrated His faithfulness through you and the church this week during our Thirst Conference. I know you join me in giving thanks to God for the week of renewal and the leadership of Life Action Ministries. I am looking forward to see how God continues His work in and through us. I want to invite you to a special time of reflection and debriefing this Sunday afternoon at 5:00 pm. We will be thinking and praying about "Where do we go from here?" Also on Sunday morning, we will celebrate God’s faithfulness in worship as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. And I will be sharing from Psalm 126. Take a moment to read and reflect on this passage of God’s word in preparation for time on Sunday morning. PSALM 126 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! 2 We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” 3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Your Pastor and Friend John