“When I first moved here, I was afraid to get involved because I wasn’t sure how long I would stay here. I am so thankful that I didn’t let fear stand in my way because being a part of our church & neighborhood has made us realize that Surrey Hills is home to us.”
Check out this GCI Profile to get to know Chloe Parker, GC Surrey Hills, Ministry Intern. To read her full profile, click here or the image below.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow! GC Pasadena celebrated its 10th church anniversary on October 22, 2023. Nearly 100 people came to worship and celebrate with us. We had a different flow of our worship service since we included special music and video presentations of church photos and greetings from Pastor Glen Weber and Pastor Bermie Dizon, who spoke about how this church plant started.
We were blessed to have Dr. Dan Rogers as our guest speaker. He shared about living and sharing the gospel as a church community. We prayed and honored visiting pastors of other congregations for Pastor Appreciation Month.
After the benediction, we enjoyed a variety of meals brought by the members. Last, we had a short program that consisted of GC Pasadena’s women and young adults dancing, and guests joined in. It was definitely a joyful celebration, and we thank God for this milestone!
By Angie Tabin, Pastor
Pasadena, CA, US
“Prayers are tools, but with this clarification: Prayers are not tools for doing or getting, but for being and becoming.” – Eugene Peterson
Prayer unites us in ways words cannot express. Our monthly prayer guide is more than a guide; it’s a doorway to deeper communion. In these moments of shared devotion, we strengthen our bonds and grow in faith. #WeAreGCI
Join us in prayer today. Click here or on the image below to download this month’s prayer guide.
“I am grateful for the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus.”
Check out this month’s GCI Profile to get to know Bret Miller, GCI Home Office IT Manager. To read his full profile, click here or the image below.
On September 3, GC Melton in Melbourne, Australia, held a Father’s and Special Person’s Day Pizza Party after our weekly worship service. The event was a huge success, with cries of “Happy Father’s Day, papa” ringing around the table.
The party was funded with prize money from the GCI Healthy Church Challenge. The young boys of the congregation (pictured above) won third prize for their video entry. They won $50 to hold a church activity. It was immediately decided to have a pizza party.
Although plans were made to invite newly attending visitors and friends of the weekly worship services to the pizza party, everyone was busy celebrating Father’s Day with their families. So, the church community decided to turn the pizza party into a time to recognize and celebrate the fathers and fatherly figures who have journeyed with them over the last several years.
The atmosphere was lively and festive, with everyone enjoying delicious pizza and sharing stories about their fathers. It was heartwarming to see how much love and appreciation the community had for their fathers and fatherly figures.
As the party came to an end, there were already suggestions for the next church activity. The youngest boys of the congregation had some exciting ideas, including an ice cream party. Everyone was looking forward to the next event and spending more time together as a community.
By Geoff and Alicia Davis and Matthew Gudze
On September 9, our members in Atlanta volunteered, along with other neighbors from the area, to help those in our community suffering from food insecurity. The event was sponsored by the Atlanta Hawks and held at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta. The goal was to pack 1 million boxes of food to provide meals for 1 million people. It was a meaningful experience.
Charles Young, Pastor
Atlanta, GA, US
GC Dumaguete celebrated 39 years on August 27, 2023. With the theme “freedom,” the church expressed its gratitude for God’s grace and faithfulness while embracing the freedom and blessings he has bestowed. More than 64 participants gathered for this anniversary and to praise God for his glory.
GC Dumaguete Pastor Angelo Ouano delivered a message titled “Freedom,” based on Romans 12:1-8. The message, which was the core theme of the celebration, focused on the sacrifice that grants us freedom from death, sin, and the law. It also emphasized how God seeks to bring us back to him and conform us to the image of Jesus. The message underscored that God is always faithful to his promises for each of us and concluded with communion.
A video presentation showcased the growth, nurturing, and development of GC Dumaguete over the years, bringing laughter and smiles to the members. The video illustrated how God has been and always will be faithful to the church. Then we enjoyed the long-awaited meal that left broad smiles on the faces of the attendees. After the meal, we played fun games, like Paint Me a Picture.
God’s faithfulness has been evident in the fellowship of Grace Communion Dumaguete throughout the years. As the church celebrated its 39th anniversary, we will continue to grow and age gracefully, much like fine wine, always grounded in faith, hope, and love. This celebration will leave a lasting memory of freedom and love in the hearts of all who attended.
By Elysha D. Teves
Dumaguete, Philippines
“Seeing people make relational connections excites me – connections with God, with each other, and with our neighbors here in Big Sandy, Texas. I am excited about the possibilities!”
Check out this month’s GCI Profile to get to know Pastor Jerome Ellard, of Grace Communion Big Sandy.
To read his full profile, click here or the image below.
#WeAreGCI
Dear GCI Family and Friends,
I want to share the exciting news of Kalengule Kaoma’s wedding to Musaba Mapulanga, as written below by Regional Director of West Africa, Emanuel Okai of Accra, Ghana.
In most parts of modern Africa, marriage is an important rite of passage in the life of the community. Marriage involves the community in an intimately intricate manner, not easily understood by people of other cultures. Marriage is not just a legally sanctioned agreement between a consenting adult male and female; but a process of building enduring relationship between two families and / or ethnic groups. As a result, many negotiations, meetings, and ceremonies take place between the families of the bride and groom long before the glittering lights of a church wedding ceremony. Typically, there are three stages of marriage in modern African countries like Zambia and Ghana – the traditional, legal, and Christian rites.
The recent marriage between Pastor Kalengule Kaoma and Deaconess Musaba Mapulanga that was climaxed by a church wedding that I officiated was no exception. In the last few months, Kalengule (KK), together with some significant members of his family, had gone to the home of Musaba to ask for her hand in marriage. A few ceremonies were conducted before he was traditionally recognized as the husband of Musaba.
To document the marriage status with the government, the couple attended a short legal ceremony in the office of Marriage Registrar at the Lusaka City Council on Friday 1 September 2023. The lady who was the Marriage Officer schooled the couple about their marital rights, duties, and responsibilities under the Ordinance of Marriage. The signing of the marriage certificate was witnessed by a few dozen members of both families and some church members. Dressed in an immaculate blue suit, KK was united to his darling Musaba, who wore a golden orange dress with a black jacket. After the long journey, one could see the relief and joy in the faces of Kalengule and Musaba during the photo session that took place on the lawns of the City Council.
Let’s come together in the spirit of unity and lift our hearts in prayer. Click here or the image below to download this month’s prayer guide.
