Hi Church,

Family Service again. So exciting to see our young people growing and contributing to the Church family.  Sam and Joel were a great team leading communion. Oliver is an amazing reader and the girls Mia and Eva were happy service greeters with announcements. These all may seem little roles in themselves, but they all contribute to making our time together Spiritually and generationally meaningful. Carin always hits the right word with her Kids story and the worship team is growing with more young people making a difference. Neve did a great job prophetically leading the service. To hear from the Spirit and lead people into a time of deepened encounter with the Lord to help settle hearts is a very mature undertaking and Neve did it with such authority and grace. Well done Neve the Lord has indeed anointed and appointed you for such a time as this.

The preaching from myself over the weekend for the family service was not as good as I hoped and I’m sorry if I was not as clear as usual. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 Gives us some great insights into life in some very broad strokes and sometimes there are no easy answers to fill the in-between. The important point to understand is the God is interested in the in-between and that our spiritual life is not reserved for Sunday only but to cover our everyday and every life moment. Sometimes we can think the way of Jesus does not include some base line living around marriage and family. But the opposite is true. Our Life in Jesus makes for a better marriage and family life when done in Him.

A few points to sit with.

1.     Stones of disappointment and bitterness, our emotional rubble needs to be thrown away from us for greater fruitfulness and rebuilding. But they are not to be thrown at people in judgement. Forgiveness from the Lord gives us an opportunity to deal with our rubble of rejection, anger and brokenness not an excuse to hang on and collect them as trophies or weapons.

2.     Knowing when to embrace and when not,  sets up good relationship practices for the safety of relationships in friendships, in family and fellowship of the church. Doing this well brings strength, protection and enduring love, especially in our marriage relationships.

It was a special moment in our service also to pray for the “Peace of Jerusalem” and the Middle East as per Ps 122. But not to pray as a someone taking a side but praying as a Mum or a Dad or as a child witnessing the destruction of families. May the Lord’s will be done, and His kingdom come. Let this war break down the resistance to the saving gospel of Jesus the Messiah. Let us be ready for what comes next.

This Sunday coming will be exciting to hear the report of Ross Nancarrow and those who went to Nepal during September. After the service there will be short break and then our AGM for the year. Please attend to get a copy of the annual report and give thanks to the Lord for all he has done. The AGM and any voting rights is for those who regularly attend Grace Church and call it their spiritual home.

Sunday evening will be our last Powerhouse Prayer and Praise night for 2023 so I encourage us to attend and bring your prayer for revival and renewal in Grace church and for our nation.

Now is the time to be thinking about Carols at Sovereign Hills and on the 5th of November we will have sign up to a Carols service team day so start thinking how you can make a big difference. Then on the 19th of November we will take up a special offering to sow into our Carols Blessing Chest so that we can make it the best ever.

Thank you so much Church for all that you are and all you are becoming in Jesus.

Love and Blessings

Ps Greg