Last Sunday our church hosted the ‘Combined Churches Reformation Service.’ Thank you to all the ladies from Grace Church and the Hospitality Team for helping to make it such a huge success. Thanks to everyone who served and helped in small or big ways with the sound, music team, greeters, pack up, trailer and more. We are blessed with a church filled with people committed to serve HIS church and to bring God glory in all we do.
We are excited about our annual family Carols Service which have proven to be a huge success every year with more and more people coming along to it. This year’s theme is ‘The Wonder of Christmas’ and we have some special moments planned which will involve the children from our church. We already have a bunch of kids singing in the kids choir. We still need some readers as well as a few kids who can ‘act’ as THE WISE MEN seeking the star, and lastly – we need a young girl who will act out (with a prop) being THE STAR that the wise men follow. Get in touch with me if you children would like to get involved in the above. This event takes place Sat 15 Dec at 6.30pm.
Today is the 1st of November. In exactly one month from today we will be hosting the special outreach event ‘Afrikaans Christmas Carols.’ Many folks from our church have an Afrikaans background and this gives us the opportunity to invite other South African migrant friends along.
Besides being an outreach opportunity, this event is also a fundraiser in support of ‘Helping Hands ZA – Stop Hunger Project.’ All tickets sales will go towards their work of feeding pre school children who come from disadvantaged areas and sometimes go to school without having anything to eat. The refreshments sales at the event (including Boerewors rolls which you can purchase beforehand) will go towards Grace Church fund raising. Please help us spread the word about this special event. You can purchase tickets at church or online at these links;
Perth, 1 Des – trybooking.com/YATS (7pm)
Perth, 2 Dec – trybooking.com/YATU (7pm)
We’ll also be doing a similar event on invitation in Geraldton. 25 Nov – trybooking.com/ZACH (6pm)
Over the next 4 weeks I will be preaching from the Psalms. In it we find inspiration and strength for our daily living. I’m sure we could all use a dose of God infused inspiration right now.
This week I’ll be preaching from Psalm 144 which declares that God is our fortress and deliverer. It is also He who teaches us how to fight the good fight. I pray that the Word on Sunday will bless you.
He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. Psalm 144.2
Next Wednesday on the 31st of October most folk in Australia will be thinking about Halloween. Some say it’s just an “innocent” and fun event themed around spooky figures such as ghosts, devils and the like.
My wife and I have decided years ago not to get our family involved with the Halloween celebrations as it has some very dark and cultic tones. Dr James Dobson (Focus On The Family) shared this link to a blog by a Christian mother who felt torn between the “do I” or “don’t I” get involved with Halloween.
But here’s the bigger point to consider. It would be a shame if we as Christians associate the date of 31st October with arguments for/against Halloween but neglect to remember The Reformation. This is what we should honour every 31st October. It’s a great time to read up again about the Reformation. There are some great Reformation movies to watch as a family like the movie ‘Luther 2003.’ Being a ‘Reformed’ Church also gives us a special connection to the Reformation era. This is why our church will host a combined Reformed Churches service (for all the Reformed Churches in our Classis) at ECU this Sunday afternoon at 4.30pm. Please join us on the day. If you can help with providing some refreshments please sms Sanet Rudman on 0416 873 405.
On Sunday morning in our usual 9.30am service we will celebrate Lord’s Supper together. Do join us as we partake of the Bread & Wine together and so remember the grace and sacrifice of Jesus displayed for us on a cross.
As mentioned last week – our Church Council is looking into appointing two new elders. As Grace Church members you are invited to prayerfully consider and nominate names for these positions. ‘Besides prayerfully providing spiritual oversight to the church, these elders would help oversee our Small Group ministry & Outreach alongside our current elders.’
Do you own a motorbike? Do you have friends or neighbours who love to ride motorbikes? This Sunday Sunday we will have the Christian Bikers group ‘Band of Brothers’ visit our church. They will be sharing about their group and the outreach work they do. If this is an area that interests you, be sure to come along on Sunday and use the opportunity to network with them. Consider inviting friends along that love biking as well. It’s going to be special. Congratulations to Danielle Ray Del Val (daughter of Roy and Kristine) who made her public Profession of Faith and was baptised last Sunday. It’s always a special occasion in the church to celebrate with families and individuals reaching these significant milestones. On Sunday 28 October we will celebrate Lord’s Supper together. That afternoon at 4.30pm we will host a combined Reformed Churches service at ECU. Please join us on the day. Grace Church will provide something to eat for everyone. If you can help in this regard please sms Sanet Rudman on 0416 873 405.
Tonight Cecile and I will be attending a ‘pastors and wives’ dinner hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. This is part of preparations they are making for a city wide evangelistic crusade happening in February 2019. Do join us in praying for this initiative. We all know how much Australia needs the light of God’s gospel in this day and age.
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2
Hi Church Family
The last two weeks Cecile and I spent in QLD visiting family and also presenting the Genesis Music Project in 5 different locations. It’s amazing to see people being captivated anew by the Genesis account of our origins. We also spent 5 days at the Creation Super-conference where I led worship every morning and we listened to speakers from around the world speak on matters of Creation and the Bible. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us during this time and for all the messages of encouragement we received. I count myself fortunate to be part of Grace Church and I’m excited and looking forward to being back at our own church this Sunday.
There are many special events planned for our church over the next few months so make sure to mark your calendars so you don’t miss out on any of these exciting events. Also pray for our Church Council as we meet again tonight at 7pm that God will continue to lead us in matters relating to church leadership and governance. This Sunday we will be baptising Danielle Ray Del Val (daughter of Roy and Kristine) and she will also be doing her Profession of Faith. We commit her and her family to the Lord and celebrate with them in this special marker reached in the life of Danielle.
Next Sunday we will have the Christian Bikers group ‘Band of Brothers’ visit our church. Some of them attended a Genesis Music event some months ago and from that a friendship formed as we started networking together. This group is passionate about evangelism and outreach and they will share a testimony of their work during our Sunday service on the 21st October. If you own a motorbike – please ride it to church next Sunday and come park it outside the front along this visiting group. If you have friends who love to ride a motorbike this is a great opportunity to invite them to attend at service at Grace Church.
On Sunday 28 October we will celebrate Lord’s Supper together. That afternoon at 4.30pm we will host a combined Reformed Churches service at ECU. Please join us on the day. Grace Church will provide something to eat for everyone. If you can help in this regard please sms Sanet Rudman on 0416 873 405.
The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works. Psalm 145:9
In last Sunday’s sermon we were reminded again of the importance of not becoming isolated and connecting into community. It is one of the many wonderful characteristics of the church, a family of believers.
The Apostle Paul instructs the church in the book of Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” As we gather together we are able to share the journey of life with our brothers and sisters in Christ, delighting in the good times, and comforting in the harder times, by supporting and encouraging one another. Small groups are one great way to connect in, meeting together, spending time in God’s Word, in prayer and in fellowship. A new FABS (Female Adult Bible Study Group) will be starting up in the coming weeks. We also have Kids Church, Youth and Young Adults all starting up again next week as the new school term begins, all such powerful tools to find a place for our young people to connect in and build strong, healthy friendships.
This Sunday we are looking forward to hosting a guest preacher, Dr. Garth Eichorn who has dedicated many years of his life to the important work of Street Chaplaincy. Lastly, we are in need of a new place to store our church trailer, we are very grateful to Manya Wilms who has let us store the trailer in her garage for the last couple of years. If you have a spare car space in your garage and would be willing to help out in this way please could you contact Reinhard Prins [email protected]
