Category: Stay Connected

We are grateful to God for the three Celebrations / Retreats held recently in Australasia. These retreats in Caloundra and Echuca Australia and Rotorua, New Zealand were all blessed and uplifting occasions.

The pastors and leaders involved did a great job, spending extra time with the planning, speaking, and fellowship at the sites. Themes for the retreats focused on Kingdom Living.

The joy extended into Monday morning with an excellent interactive session on Being a Welcoming Church, facilitated by Denise Kreymborg (pictured above). It was very well received. Participants were encouraged to reflect on practical ways to foster a culture of welcoming through hospitality, inclusion, and genuine connection within our congregations.

At the NZ retreat (see pictures below), a morning community outreach took place, applying the Kingdom living theme, as organized by Anthony Dady. Members enjoyed doing this activity together and later discussed what they are doing in their local areas or what they might like to do in future as a GCI group or congregation.

“… God has already provided for us that response which alone is acceptable to Him — the offering made for the whole human race in the life, obedience and passion of Jesus Christ.” — J.B. Torrance

This October, we gather in prayer. We’re thanking God for the people he calls and equips to serve his Church. Together, we look to Jesus as he leads us in ministry and into deeper relationships with those around us.

Read the full Prayer Guide here.

Click here to download the October Prayer Guide.

Would you like to receive this Prayer Guide straight to your email inbox before the first of the month? Sign up here.

Cape Town, RSA

Big Sandy, Texas, US

The September women’s ministry Heart-to-Heart gathering focused on God as our Rock. Participants fellowshipped while painting rocks. They compose encouraging notes to others on cards they made themselves. The women also shared lunch and were encouraged in this setting that allowed them to slow down, express creativity, and deepen friendships.

Anthony (Tony) Murphy passed away August 18 after a short battle with cancer. He worked in the Television Department in Pasadena for almost 40 years. He and his wife Wilma retired to San Luis Obispo on the central coast of California in 2010. He was ordained on July 21, 2013, and served in GCI’s congregation Grace Communion Santa Maria. Tony was a warm loving husband, father, and grandfather. He served four years in the Navy during the Vietnam War, returning to his home in Minnesota. He worked as a lab technician at the University of Minnesota developing an artificial heart. When the team moved to La Jolla, C.A., Tony moved with it. He soon found himself headed for Pasadena to work in the TV studio.

Tony loved living on the Central Coast. As he said, “we live where other people vacation.” He started bike riding and accumulated enough miles to circle the earth at the equator.

Tony and Wilma enjoyed traveling around the world visiting family in New Zealand and friends in Europe and Australia. They visited all 50 states, many of them on a motor home trip covering over 16,000 miles in less than four months.

Tony enjoyed volunteering and will be missed by his family and many friends around the world.

Cards may be sent to:
Wilma Murphy
1817 Thelma Drive
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405-6237

Join us in congratulating our 2026 Grace Communion Seminary (GCS) graduates! GCS had seven graduates participate in the 2026 graduation ceremony in Dallas, TX during the Denomination Celebration.

Above watch the graduation speech by Pastor David Borum, Kenokee, Michigan, U.S. The full graduation ceremony can be viewed here.

Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
Martin Connelly
Ebenezer Maninang
Michael McNally

Master of Pastoral Studies (MPS)
Brenda Asare-Akoto
David Borum
Julie Frantz
Saji Jacob
John Newsom

Read the GCS Fall Newsletter here.

“Our triune God is one friend who never leaves us or forsakes us.”

Meet Devaraj Ramoo, pastor of GCI Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. A lifelong learner, Devaraj continues to grow in faith and ministry while encouraging others to do the same.

Read the full profile here.

In July, more than 400 members gathered for GCI’s Denominational Celebration. (We hold it every three years.) It was a meaningful time of worship, equipping, and fellowship. If you were not able to attend, you were missed!

Enjoy this collection of images from the Celebration.

Click here for the sermon and main session playlist.

Throughout the Celebration, speakers helped us explore Kingdom Living and what it means to participate in the life and mission of Jesus in our congregations and neighborhoods.

Now you can watch these sessions at your own pace and share them with others. Consider watching a message that interests you, revisiting a session with your ministry team, or using one to begin a conversation in your congregation.

As you watch, consider:

• • What is the Spirit inviting me to notice?
  • What might this mean for our life together?
  • How might we participate in what Jesus is doing in our congregation and neighborhood?

Click here for the sermon and main session playlist.

“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” — Karl Barth

This September, we gather in prayer — seeking God’s peace in a world that often feels divided. May his love shape how we care for one another and serve the communities around us.

Click here to download the September Prayer Guide.

Would you like to receive this Prayer Guide straight to your email inbox before the first of the month? Sign up here.