We chose the vendor for our on-demand store based on their high-quality and ethically sourced items, as well as their ability to ship internationally. However, please note that the shipping costs are per item. You can get detailed shipping information here.
“As with any role, I am learning and evolving as roles may evolve and change over time. At times, there isn’t a clear mold that we need to “fit” in, but we lean into God’s call and submit ourselves to the Potter’s hands and be open to using the gifts that we are blessed with as we serve.”—Lucy Santibanez Enerio
Check out this month’s GCI Profile to get to know Lucy, GCI Home Office Administrative Assistant in Charlotte, NC. To read her full profile, click the image below. #WeAreGCI
Join us in communion and corporate prayer this month as we thank God that he includes us in his good work.
“Christians pray because they have to, because the Spirit is surging up inside them.” ― Rowan Williams
Click here or the image below to download and print the June Prayer Guide, which celebrates how God is working in and among our fellowships. #WeAreGCI
Grace Communion Cleveland hosted their 19th Annual LiLY Women’s Conference on April 14-16, at Embassy Suites in Beachwood, Ohio. Seventy-three women took part in our conference that highlighted the theme, “Rekindle” (2 Tim 1:6-7).
Friday night the weekend began with a praise & worship band followed by speaker Josephine Shelton-Townes. Her topic was “Blessed, not Stressed.” She shared how we can block ourselves from blessings by allowing stress to take root in our lives. One of the big takeaways from the session was, “The word no is a complete sentence.”
Saturday morning, after praise and worship, Joy Traschel shared a session titled, “Reclaiming What Has Been Stolen.” She showed us in scripture how David strengthened himself in the Lord. Using his example, she highlighted the importance of naming what has been stolen, taken, or given away. We were reminded of the need to know who we are praying to and change our posture when inquiring of the Lord.
Next, Rachel G. Scott led Saturday morning and afternoon sessions. She spoke about how Peter denied Christ, but God still embraced him. She explained how Peter desired to go back to what was familiar, being a fisherman. However, he was given a new job, feeding the sheep. As God gives us assignments, we cannot become distracted.
Saturday evening ended with a prayer service and powerful testimonials. The final session was our church service held on Sunday. Pastor Tamar Gray spoke about how we have everything we need to move forward from the weekend with power, love, and self-discipline in Jesus Christ.
Save the Date: Our 20th annual conference will be held on April 24-26, 2024. Follow us on Facebook@lilywomensconference for more information.
Rosa Hulse, Women’s Ministry leader
Cleveland, OH, US
Editor’s Note: For our Ordinary Time Devotional series, you will be hearing entirely from young authors. They will be sharing their perspectives on the theme, “God is in the streets.” Enjoy reading how the next generation of emerging GCI leaders experiences God outside the walls of the Sunday church gathering.
Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Psalm 123:1 NKJV
Target fixation is something that I began as I started riding motorcycles. As one of my instructors candidly described it: “You will drive your bike towards whatever you’re looking at even if you’re trying to avoid it.” If I focus and worry about an incoming pothole, then I will surely run over that pothole.
Such is life. We worry about our adversities, our life’s road hazards, because it’s a threat. It’s difficult, painful, and it causes fear. As much as we want to steer clear and find a better way to conquer them, our fear—in effect—makes us focus on them instead.
Unto you I lift my eyes. We declare our intention to lift our eyes to the Lord and not on our circumstances. If we had to fixate on a target, it would be him.
O You who dwell in the heavens. By remembering the nature of God, we grow in trust and confidence. Earth may provide no mercy or help, but heaven has plenty. We are able to focus on God because we trust in him.
As we navigate the streets of our lives, may we remember that worrying about our adversities doesn’t help us overcome them. The “potholes” of life won’t magically disappear, but focusing on the Lord draws us toward a path that brings us closer to him and helps us better overcome life’s road hazards.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that we can trust you and direct our attention to you. You rid us of our worries, you set our hearts free from fear. We humbly ask for help to lift our eyes unto you always so that we are directed towards a path that draws us near to you. Amen.
Justin Dedrick “Dids” Raduban, Hope Avenue Team
Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines
Dear GCI Friends and Family,
Ordinary Time is the period following Pentecost and takes us up to Christ the King Sunday on the worship calendar. It is the season to be attentive to the call of discipleship and disciple making. Ordinary Time connects nicely with our 2023 theme, Faith, Hope, and Love in Action.
During this time, we focus more on what we are called to do and what we are called to be, as we participate with Christ. So, what will Faith, Hope, and Love in Action look like at our local congregational level in 2023?
Ordinary Time is a period of nearly six months. In the US, it occurs during the summer and early autumn and includes the months when most children are on their school break. Allow me to point out an opportunity for us to reach out to youth and families. Ordinary Time is prime time for neighborhood youth camps. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic kept us sidelined from these opportunities, but now we can rejoin this wonderful expression of how we share Christ’s love.
In my background with Youth for Christ and GCI’s Generations Ministries, I spent multiple summers at youth camps around the country and around the world. I experienced the beauty of how adults can share their time, skills, and faith in interaction with young people. Past research indicates that if a young person comes to a relationship with Jesus by age 13, it is likely they will remain a faithful follower for life. I came to believe this as truth.
Read MoreWe chose the vendor for our on-demand store based on their high-quality and ethically sourced items, as well as their ability to ship internationally. However, please note that the shipping costs are per item. You can get detailed shipping information here.
In March, thirty members participated in this year’s Refresher Weekend on the beautiful Kapiti Coast, an hour north of Wellington, New Zealand. Martin Bailey from Melbourne was our guest presenter. Martin is a qualified business mentor who has spent 13 years in productivity improvement and training for some of the world’s largest companies.
The theme was the 4 Es: Engage, Equip, Empower, and Encourage. The 4 Es describe a process focused on developing people for ministry participation and leadership. Martin began with an overview of the Faith, Hope, and Love Avenues, then led a session on each of the 4 Es. We all really enjoyed his relaxed and personable style, punctuated with short video clips and spiced with a liberal dose of humour.
Martin focused on equipping and empowering us to share the gospel by simply being real and authentic. He kept pointing us back to the practical application of the message, caring for others, and taking their perspective. He encouraged us to start with something small and see where it leads. Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman started as small as “Can I have a drink?” and ended with a whole village coming to believe in the Messiah.
The intention was to seek the Spirit’s guidance toward what we might actively put into practice. The attendees committed to trying one or more of Martin’s small steps and discussing the results at our next Celebration in September. All were encouraged to share what they learned with others so the whole church could benefit.
Phil Baldwin started each of the sessions with a short devotional service and Rex Morgan led communion, which was a fitting way to conclude a wonderful time together.
The board members stayed an additional night for a meeting on Monday. Dennis Richards presented his strategic directions update, reporting progress achieved and challenges ahead. He concluded by noting 2023 is midway through GCI’s Three-year Plan. In 2022 we introduced the three Avenue ministries underpinning GCI’s missional aspirations. In 2023 we established these operationally. And in 2024, we’ll focus on settling these into the life rhythms of the church.
Rex Morgan, Pastor
Auckland, New Zealand
