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GBC News | 13 December 2024Message from the Senior PastorThere are three sleeps before Nicole and I fly out to see my family for Christmas (the girls are also going but we’re all leaving at different times). I’m very much looking forward to all of us being with my family over Christmas and to having a break at the end of the year. I am a little disappointed not to be here for the inaugural Festival of Christmas, but have every confidence that it will be an excellent event – thanks to all who have volunteered to be part of the three days of the Festival! And a big thank-you to the Church Council, Elders, and Staff for their hard work and commitment over the course of this year. I’m very encouraged by those I have the opportunity to serve with and look forward to all that God has in store for us in 2025! Marc Rader | Senior Pastor This Sunday: 15 DEC9:30am (Onsite and Online) | 6:00pm (Onsite only)9:30am - Christmas Sermon Series: "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" (Luke 2:25-35. Preacher: Marc Rader) 9.30am - Final KidZone & Ldrshp Dev. 101 for 2024 6:00pm - Same Message as AM. Coming up ...22 Dec: No AM or PM Services 24 Dec: 7pm Christmas Eve Carols Service (Not Livestreamed) 25 Dec: 8.00am & 9.30am* Christmas Day Services (*9.30am Service GBC Online - Livestreamed)
A Festival of Christmas: 5-8pmFRI 20, SAT 21 & SUN 22 DECInvite your family and friends to "A Festival of Christmas" at GBC from Friday 20 - Sunday 22 December (5-8pm). In addition to lighting the tree and six window box displays representing different Carols, we'll be opening our church building for a three-night Christmas Festival. Each night: take part in the nativity walk, make a christmas craft. For more info CLICK HERE or pick up a flyer on Sunday to invite your friends and family. Roles that need filling: Welcomers; nativity characters in costume (supplied by GBC e.g. Mary, Joseph, shepherds), craft making assistants, sausage sizzle cooks and servers, and much more. As the festival takes place over three nights, we are hoping that many of our community of faith will be able to volunteer on one night and attend another. You can follow this link to have a look at the volunteer roles and to put your name down for one (or more!) of the two-hour time slots on one of the nights. Marjy or Bec will be in contact with you
GBC Office Closing Dates &Out of Hours Pastoral Care Phone NumberThe GBC Office will close December 24 and will re-open on January 6.
Weekly Sermon ResourcesThe Big 3 | LifeGroup ResourcesMISSED A SERMON? Click to: Listen to GBC Sermon Podcast | Watch GBC's Youtube Channel. THE BIG 3 PODCAST: NOW ON HIATUS (Returns in 2025) Catch up on any The Big 3s you may have missed over the year - Listen to The Big 3 podcast here or subscribe/download whereever you get your podcasts - Join Marc as he answers the top three questions raised from Sunday's Sermon. LIFEGROUP RESOURCES: ON HIATUS (Will be back in 2025) Use this particular LG Resource as a starting point to consider Where you saw God at work in your own life in 2024 and where God might be leading you in 2025. CLICK HERE FOR LG RESOURCE - download and save it to your computer now so it's ready when you're in that peaceful time between Christmas and New Year. GBC Church Calendar 2024Lock These In Your Diary NowSUN 15 DEC: KIDZONE Final for 2024 THUR 19 DEC: Final Elder Prayer Zoom FRI 20 DEC - 5-8pm: Festival of Christmas SAT 21 DEC - 5-8pm: Festival of Christmas SUN 22 DEC - 5-8pm: Festival of Christmas SUN 22 DEC: No Church Services - AM & PM 24 DEC: Christmas Eve Service - 7:00pm (Not Livestreamed) 25 DEC: Christmas Day Services - 8:00am & 9:30am (9:30 Service Livestreamed) You can access GBC Calendar on GBC Links - Go to the "Calendar" tab on the drop down menu in GBC Links or click here and log in.
January Preaching SeriesJesus & The Sydney Morning Herald:
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Thursday Night Prayer Zoom
Thursday 7:30pm-8pm (Final for 2024: 19 Dec)
You are invited to join us for a short but effective time of “zoom” prayer Thursday night at 7:30pm.
A 30-minute guided prayer led by one of our wonderful Elders. It's always an encouragement spending this short time together with Jesus.
You can join in using this link: THURSDAY NIGHT PRAYER ZOOM (Meeting ID: 919 1693 5880 Passcode: f603j2)
Add it to your diary now and we look forward to seeing you online on Thursday.
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Hopefield: Giving Tree Hamper Packing
Thank you to our Team: Packing Monday 16 Dec
Thank you to our wonderful team of volunteers, led by Sheena Hind, who will be packing the hampers for our Hopefield clients (individuals and families) this coming Monday in the old auditorium.
Thank you to GBC for being big hearted and others focused - your generous donations towards the Hopefield Giving Tree has blessed our those in our community this Christmas.
SAVE THE DATE: 19 Jan - HopeDrive (An earlier date for January!)
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GBC Family NewsBarbara Higgins' Encouraging Elder EditorialSharing in This Extraordinary Life TogetherBarb led last Thursday night's Elder Prayer Zoom and shared with us this devotional from the gospel of Matthew: Matthew 11:28-29 is a great passage to live by, especially when we are stressed: Congregational Prayer Requests* Please continue to pray for the Hurleys currently in transit from Mongolia to their new home in Peru; and for Micah's health - a quick and complete recovery from pneumonia - he is coughing, with fevers, struggling to breathe at night. The Hurleys are spending two weeks in Japan, two months in India. There they aim to complete the Visa paperwork for Peru in under a week (Visa paperwork/process is difficult in India). Expect to arrive in Peru early March 2025. Pray for those in our GBC family who are struggling with grief this Christmas season - may they know God 's perfect peace and be uplifted by His strength. * our GBC family who are in hospital receiving treatment and/or surgery or at home recovering. * those in our congregation seeking employment in this difficult economic climate. Isaiah 40:29 NLT : He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Ministry Spotlight: GBC Creative Team & Maintenance TeamThank you to Ben and Jackie Martin and everyone on the Creative Team for decorating GBC for The Festival of Christmas - So many people have lent a hand in so many ways - cleaning and decorating inside the church to all the outside work of building the nativity manger scene with sheep grazing as well as lights and decorations along Tea Gardens Ave street front, and the pine tree in our front yard which is now lit up with a huge star - it looks amazing at night and can be seen from afar! - and the six window displays depicting Christmas Carols . And a special thank you to those who created a window display. Our window display artists and the Christmas Carol that inspired their design: Family News to share? | Join the Care Team? Have a Care Request?Send any Requests for Care to Karen by email. If you would like an item included in GBC Family News please fill in this form. For any questions regarding submitting this form, contact Karen Watkins, Congregational Care Coordinator, GBC Office – 9521 4611. Join the Care Team - be God's hands and His feet as we care for those in our community: |
