From Missions Team Director, Shannon Sawatsky:We are here! The whole team is here and things are getting rolling. Today we had the opportunity to bless a Christian school in the area with tons of yard work, repairs, and general clean up. Then this evening we hit the neighbourhoods to begin the survey process.The weather has been fabulous and we have groups from California, South Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, us, and Surrey. It’s been great seeing people we haven’t seen in a while and meeting people that have had connections with Grace for many years. I actually met someone from South Carolina that knew my old pastor from Maine! Go figure!Tomorrow we have more training, surveying and helping at the Salvation Army. You can keep track of us on this web site www.canadianadventure.org.Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. I’ll keep you posted.Shannon
Each year, in the weeks leading to Thanksgiving, Grace Community Church has held a canned food drive in support of Mississauga’s Eden Community Food Bank.
The Eden Food Bank is the primary source of food assistance in west Mississauga. What began as a ministry of the Eden United Church in 1989 is now a significant, self-sustaining charitable organization serving literally hundreds of families each month. In fact, in 2009, the average number of families being assisted each month is approximately 350, representing over 1000 individuals. These numbers are up quite significantly from 2008.
On Friday, October 2, the Jr. and Sr. High students at Grace walked door-to-door through the community collecting canned and dry goods. Additionally, regular attendees of Grace’s weekend services have also been dropping off canned goods at the Grace Centre.
On Sunday, October 4, Grace welcomed Ron Saito, Eden Food Bank’s president to its services. Mr. Saito was interviewed by Grace’s Missions Director, Shannon Sawatsky.
For the last few weeks, I’ve been working my way through the book It. No, not the Stephen King novel about the creepy Tim Curry clown. The book by Pastor Craig Groeschel; It - How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It.
The book is an intriguing look at the reason some churches make an impact and grow, while others stagnate and/or struggle to survive. Here’s an excerpt from a chapter titled “Hearts Focussed Outward.”
It-free churches are often very friendly. In fact, they can be so tight, so bonded, so close - to each other - they unintentionally overlook those they don’t know. On the other hand, ministries with it remember that Jesus came for the outsiders. He came for those who were lost. Broken. Hurting. Disenfranchised. Alone. Overlooked. Poor. Jesus came for those whom religion rejected. Many churches unwittingly focus inward and forget those who are the very purpose for Jesus’ coming, the very purpose for our being here on earth. These churches are like a hospital which no longer accepts patients. Or a soup kitchen which no longer feeds hungry people. Or like Sponge Bob no longer wearing square pants.
So, what do you think? Is the Grace community a community with it? Or are we Sponge Bob sans square pants?
We are headed into a three-week stretch of teaching at Grace in which we will observe the lives of Noah and Abraham. As I have prepared the worship time for these upcoming weeks, the recurring theme that has inspired me is the significant calling that each of these men had. God challenged them to accomplish tasks that were HUGE!
I asked myself the question: Does God call us (people today) to such great assignments?
Here’s a short video from a pastor/author named Erwin McManus that I believe sheds a little light on this issue. Enjoy!
“And on the 8th day, God created the Dallas Cowboys.”
Ok, that’s a stretch. It’s nowhere to be found in Genesis. But there are plenty of Texans who might quote that as the only verse of the Bible they’ve ever actually committed to memory.
While I personally have my doubts that God actually participates in football, many players will attribute victories and successes to their faith in Jesus. My wife was intrigued by the fact that during the BCS Championship* between Oklahoma and Florida, earlier this month, a number of the Florida players - including superstar Tim Tebow - had scripture references on the anti-glare eye-black stickers which they wore on their faces.
This week, as the hype around the Super Bowl reaches its peak, there have been more and more soundbites from players giving “glory to God” for the privilege of being in the big game. Again, while I have my doubts that God is actually responsible for them getting to the Super Bowl, it is encouraging to hear these men (stars, millionaires) talk about things that matter more than the good ol’ game of football.
I stumbled on this AP article this morning that shines a brighter light onto the notion of “faith in football.” What do you think?
[*sidebar: Florida did win the BCS title game. Maybe God was watching!]
On Sunday, March 9, there will be Easter postcards available at the Uplink table for anyone who would like to volunteer to do some door-to-door delivery.
We are asking that each volunteer take 200 fliers (2 bundles of 100) and deliver them to homes in your neighbourhood. Deliver them to 100 homes twice; once between March 9-15 and once between March 16-23.
If you neighbourhood does not have mailboxes, there will be magnets available for you to use and you can actually affix the fliers to the doors on homes where you deliver.
If you have any questions about the process, please contact me (Pastor Bart) at the office or e-mail bblair@grace-music.ca.
