Ladson, SC, US

GC Ladson held our second annual Fall Festival last month. We invited the community to come out for an outdoor movie and a chili cook-off with corn bread. We shared invitations with the local elementary school, who generously offered to email it to all students. We also posted flyers at the housing office and banks of mailboxes in our focus neighborhood.

On Saturday evening, 5-9 pm, neighbors enjoyed our fire pits for warmth and for roasting s’mores. Children also enjoyed arts and crafts and glow-in-the-dark stickers. New this year was a photo booth. We hired a photographer who provided all the fun props and printed the pictures on the spot for guests to take home. It was a big hit!

After working hard on the planning, logistics, and set-up, our Love Avenue team was grateful for the participation of the Hope Avenue team. They attended with the express purpose of connecting with guests. We were thankful to see families return who have attended other events.

By Mary Robinson, Love Avenue Champion
Ladson, SC, US

Grove City, OH, US

Annually GC Grove City hosts a Harvest Party for the congregation and the surrounding neighborhood. They share a variety of games and potluck style meals with their neighbors. This year the weather was beautiful, and they look forward to it again next year!

River Road, OR, US

GC River Road held another Trunk or Treat in October. Many neighbors came out to play, and everyone had a wonderful time.

Pikeville, KY, US

GC Pikeville hosted a church picnic in the park, inviting the neighborhood. With cooler temperatures, fall is a great time to host an outdoor event!

Rayong City, Rayong, Thailand

In late October, the members of the GC Rayong congregation took a group trip. Initially, we planned a fun sightseeing trip as a gift to the servant leaders and church workers, to thank them for their service, especially during the recently held Asian Leaders’ Retreat and Team Building Activity. But Sandy and Irma Jane Alisbo proposed that the trip be a Revival Trip instead. So, the trip was opened to all willing to join. Forty people participated, including school and work friends. The seven-day trip was packed with tourist destinations and famous landmarks during the day — from temples to sheep farms, and even waterfalls — and worship and devotional services at night.

The Revival Trip was given the theme “Burn Within,” which served as a reminder that the Spirit keeps our hearts burning as we serve our triune God, no matter how difficult or tiresome our circumstances are. The services included praise and worship, and topics like faith and obedience, and ministry and commitment. Attendees commented that GC Rayong serves as their second family — a home away from home.

By Jessica Joy Pamor, GC Pili Youth Leader
Bicol, Philippines

Note: Jessica lives in the Philippines. She accompanied her sister and brother-in-law, Pau and Jake Orcena, on the revival. Pau and Jake are on the pastoral team in GC Rayong, Thailand.

Masterton, Greater Wellington, New Zealand

Transforming Our Community: Embracing the Healthy Church Vision

I am a young member of GC Masterton. God is moving within the heart of our close-knit community in remarkable ways. We are a congregation of fewer than forty members — primarily Filipino immigrants and overseas workers in the beekeeping and caregiving industries — and we have witnessed God’s faithfulness in profound and transformative ways over the last few months.

Our recent journey has been filled with blessings that testify to God’s unwavering love and commitment to our church. With every step forward, we feel a renewed sense of purpose as God’s partners, working to make a positive impact on each other and on our wider community.

In a few days, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. It ushers us to the final Sunday of Ordinary Time with an extraordinary proclamation: Christ Reigns! What will Christ’s reign be like? We get a clue from Jesus’ words, “Go learn what it means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13). Our Father is merciful, and the kingdom of Jesus is nonviolent.

Peace is His way of being human, which is the hope for the world. Can we let go of interpretations that tell of divine violence? Can we instead think of God as accompanying violent humanity until they finally give up the sword and the gun? Jesus is the Servant and the Lamb risen from the dead who gives us the faith to follow His way, to not retaliate or scapegoat. He has brought us into His reality of nonviolence.

The authorities at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, Pilate and Caiaphas, capitulated to the pressure of the violent mob demanding the death of Jesus. Jesus willingly died the atoning death for all humanity. The extreme cruelty of the crucifixion, though, was because of fallen humanity’s bent toward violence.

[Jesus] stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. Colossians 2:15 The Message

In true trinitarian extraordinariness, Jesus’ kingdom reign has been and always will be without harm or violence.

Prayer:
Jesus, we are grateful that you reign now, that your kingdom is here. Spirit, help us recognize and repent when we are participating in violent systems and scapegoating. We believe the Cross of Christ broke the power of sin and death, and we long for the fullness of your kingdom and no more violence and no more death. Amen.

By Reuben Rios, Pastor
Bellflower, CA, US

Read here about the retreat on nonviolence that Pastor Reuben hosted.