Big moments in life are like mile markers on a highway—they tell you how far you’ve come and how much further you have to go. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, moves, job promotions, kids, the list goes on. Christian life—and church life—is similar. I’ll always remember where I was when the Lord saved me, and I’ll always remember my baptism.
Praise the Lord for two big mile markers in the life of our church recently: Baptisms and the Week of Prayer. I’m thankful that the Lord brought us Nicole, Evy, and Hector. I’m thankful that he saved them and led them to baptism. I’m thankful that they were willing to stand before the church and proclaim God’s saving work through Christ in them. And I’m thankful that we now have an opportunity to grow in faith alongside one another. Jesus is building his church and you and I have a front row seat! He is so very kind!
The Week of Prayer was also a great joy! On Sunday night, I shared that my soul needed this week together in corporate prayer and fellowship. I was reminded of three really wonderful things that prayer does for the heart:
1) Prayer keeps my heart tethered to God
2) Prayer keeps my heart delighting in God
3) Prayer reminds me of my heavenly homeland.
And hey, we also got to see Ricky! That was icing on the cake! So, I’m praising the Lord for individual and corporate prayer this week. I hope you found it encouraging—if so, I’d love to hear about it. And I do very much hope to see you at next year’s Week of Prayer!
What’s on deck this week, you ask!? Open Gym Night! We’re opening the gym this Wednesday evening: 7-8pm will be for GraceKids and 8-9pm will be for GraceYouth and adults. Come out and enjoy some fellowship.
This Sunday’s service will be a special service for many reasons. Aside from God’s common graces through his preached Word, singing, and fellowship, this also marks Pastor Steve’s last sermon as a pastor of Grace Fellowship Church. It’s fitting that we’ll also be celebrating the Lord’s Supper together! Be there, be early, and ask God to prepare all of our hearts to worship and enjoy Him together.
We have our next Members' Meeting at the end of the month, Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 5pm. Make every effort to be there and use your God-given voice—we want to hear from you!
We’re also starting our next round of the Pastoral Internship on Monday, January 30, at 8:30am. Pray for the brothers attending, for the pastors leading, and for mutual growth and encouragement.
Love you all and praying for you! Always here if you need anything,
Patrick
This Wednesday: Open Gym Night
GraceKids and siblings, you have free rein of the gym from 7-8pm tomorrow night! At 8pm we'll give access to adults (GraceYouth and older) for another hour. Talk to Carrie if you want more details.
If sports aren't your thing, come for the fellowship! You're welcome to use the space to sit and talk and watch a game.
Membership Class
How do I become a member? What does the Bible say about local churches? Why does it matter if I am a member?
Get all your questions answered at our upcoming Membership Class on Wednesday, January 25 at 7PM.
The next Young Adults' Prayer & Praise Night is Wednesday, January 25, from 7-9PM. Come sing, hear the Word, and fellowship with your brothers and sisters.
Members' Meeting
Members, don't forget to read the agenda before our meeting on Sunday, January 29 at 5PM. It's in your inbox! Talk to incoming members, pray for new proposals, and ask questions of your elders.
You won't want to miss this one!
Simeon Trust Workshop
The Workshops on Biblical Exposition are 3-day training events aimed to encourage and equip you in the skills needed to read, understand, and proclaim the Word of God. The Workshops on Biblical Exposition are for men who are responsible for regularly preaching and teaching. We also welcome those in bi-vocational ministries as well as those training for ministry.
When: May 3-5, 2023 Where: Maple Avenue Baptist Church Registration: Early Bird $179 until March 26 REGISTER HERE
Meet a Member Lunch
Mark your calendars! February 26 is a "Meet a Member" Lunch... what does this mean? You sign up as a Host or Guest, and we'll assign you a group of people to share a meal with! This is a great way to get to know people you might not otherwise meet.
This February is the second Canadian Guidelight retreat, hosted by Muskoka Bible Centre. This is a retreat for families who have children with special needs and will be held February 17-20, 2023 (Family Day weekend).
We are currently looking for more volunteers to join our team. No experience is required. Volunteers are paired with one child/family, but we are always in a large group setting with lots of people available to help. Our main role is to provide one-to-one support while the parents are in sessions with a Bible teacher and through special events like the candlelit dinner. In between, there's time to engage with all the families in activities like gym games, tubing, music, etc.
The goal is to provide respite for families while presenting gospel truth. For many of the parents that attend, this is the only extended break they get all year. It's definitely a tiring weekend as a volunteer, but incredibly rewarding and exciting to serve. And it's fun!
If you are interested or have questions, please get back to Allie by January 22.
This Week
Wednesday, January 18 @ 7:00 PM: Open Gym Night
Sunday, January 22 @ 9:30 AM: Pre-service Prayer
Sunday, January 22 @ 10:00 AM: Corporate Worship Service (Lord's Supper)
