Message from the Senior Pastor

This coming Sunday (and for the next couple of weeks) we will be encouraging people to join a Life Group. Life Groups are a key way to find your place in God’s family and God’s mission here at GBC. In Discipleship that Fits by Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom, they point out that in groups of 4-12 people we can focus on closeness, support, and challenge in our discipleship. This is different from what we can do in a Sunday service and from what we might do in our personal devotional practices. Small groups play an important role for us as followers of Jesus. Even if you have never been part of an official Life Group, you can probably remember a small group of people who were influential in your growth as a Christian. And so, we really hope everyone who can, will choose to be part of a Life Group! Choosing to be part of Life Group may mean choosing not to be part of something else and, in our busy world, it can be a difficult decision. We believe, however, that it is a good one to make.

If you are in a Life Group at GBC, consider inviting someone to join your group (maybe speak to your Life Group leader too!). Having a friend who is already part of a group can make the decision to join a bit easier. Or simply encourage a friend to join a Life Group. Consider sharing with them the impact that participation has had on your growth.

If you are not in a Life Group at GBC, consider asking a friend who is in a group if you can join theirs! Alternatively, you can fill in an expression of interest that will help Nicole Jones (our wonderful Life Group volunteer leader) place you in a group (e.g., close to home, at a time that works for you): CLICK HERE: LifeGroup EOI

And for those of you who are still uncertain, we will be running some short-term Life Groups during Term 2 as part of our engagement with Encounter (the latest resource from Olive Tree Media) which might be a great way to be part of our series while also dipping your toe into a Life Group experience!

Marc Rader | Senior Pastor

This Sunday: 9 February

9:30am (Onsite and Online) | 6:00pm (Onsite only)

9:30am - 2025 Theme & New Sermon Series - "Lives Changed by Jesus" - A increasing love for the family of God
(Bible passage: 1 John 3:16-18) Preacher: Roxane Lawler

KidZone returns this Sunday.
GBC Serve - Opportunity for Volunteer sign up (after the service)

6:00pm - Same Message as in AM.

Coming up ...

9 Feb - Continuing Sign up to join: LifeGroup &/or GBC Serve Team-Volunteer

Weekly Sermon Resources

The Big 3 | LifeGroup Resources

THE BIG 3 PODCAST

Marc Rader answers the Top 3 Questions raised from Sunday's sermon:

1) Join in The Big 3 - ask your own question from the Sermon or upvote other people's - Click on Slido via LinkTree.

2) Every Wednesday - 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

Produced each Monday as a companion to the sermon series and includes a brief overview of the sermon with a series of activities to do together as a LifeGroup: Questions to ask, Prayers to pray, Practices to try, Biblical passages to read.

Every Monday you can access that week's LifeGroup Resource on LinkTree and also on GBC Links/LifeGroups/Resource Library.

GBC Church Calendar 2025

Upcoming events - Add to your Diary

SUN 9 FEB: KidZone Term One commences

MON 10 FEB: Playtime Commences (Groups meet Mon, Tues, Wed and Thur - 10am-12pm)

MON 10 FEB 11:30am: Embrace Ladies Lunch (Bookings have now closed)

TUES 11 FEB 7PM: GBC Women's Dinner (For more info see below).

WED 12 FEB: EDGE returns.

FRI 14 FEB: GBC YOUTH commences.

SAT 15 FEB 10am: K4J Kick'n For Jesus (See info below to register/pay)

WED 19 FEB 6:30PM: GBC Annual Dinner (See info below to register/pay)

FRI 28/2-SUN 2/3: GBC Youth Camp (See link below to register/pay)

SUN 2 MAR: Q&A for Prospective LifeGroup Leaders (More info to come next week)

SUN 16 MAR: Baptism Sunday

SAT 22 MAR: Men's Breakfast

SUN 30 MAR: GBC Annual General Meeting Two

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.

KidZone, Edge, Youth & Playtime

Term One Kid's Ministries - Start Dates

KidZone : Sunday 9 Feb

Playtime: Monday 10 Feb - Thursday 13 Feb

EDGE: Wednesday 12 Feb

GBC Youth: Friday 14 Feb

For more information contact the following staff member/ministry coordinator for:

KidZone (Ages 0/Creche - Year 8/Loft) - Bec Vernum

Playtime (Parents, grandparents and carers and their children from birth to preschoolers) - Meddwyn Hinton

GBC EDGE (Years 5-6) and GBC Youth (Years 7-12) - Jeremy Brough

GBC ANNUAL DINNER - Register Now

WED 19 FEB 6:30PM

Get to know GBC folk over a two-course buffet-style meal professionally prepared by Helen's Catering. Our Senior Pastor Marc Rader will be sharing God's vision for us in 2025 and beyond. Cost is subsidised by GBC.

An Exceptional price of $30 per person.

To register CLICK HERE.

K4J (Kick'n for Jesus)

SAT 15 FEB 10AM-1:30PM

Kick’n for Jesus is a kid's Soccer Gala day for GBC families and friends. The day will consist of picnic in the park style gathering, organised soccer games for Years K-1 and Years 2-4, a bbq lunch and three short testimonies.

EVENT DETAILS:

When: Saturday February 15
Time: 10:00am - 1:30pm
Location: NSRSC Field 3, Sutherland (Cnr Grand Pde & Oakwood St)
Wear: Clothes to play soccer in, shin pads, sneakers (no soccer boots)
Bring: water bottle, picnic blanket/chairs, snacks.

TICKETS:

$10 per child registration includes lunch (+ green ‘K4J’ wrist band)
$5 per person (child or family member) lunch only (no registration).

For more info/Any Qs: Email Bec Vernum, GBC Kids Ministry Coordinator.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE

GBC Youth Camp - Register Now (Closes: 16/2)

Friday 28 Feb - Sunday 2 Mar

Cost $180pp.

There is a two-step process to register for camp.

1) You can pay for camp here.
2) Fill in the Registration form / Permission slip using the link on our website.

GBC Women's Dinners

TUES 12 FEB 7PM - Highfields Caringbah

The Botanical, Highfield Caringbah.

Contact Chris Moffat via Facebook page OR see her at GBC on Sunday OR just turn up!

For more info, join the "GBC Women's Dinners" Facebook page.

Operations News: Drainage Works Completed

Thank you-Flood Committee | Request for Garden Tools

The drainage work have been completed and the small car park and drive are open again. Thank you all for your diligence in following safety signs. Please pray that this investment will keep our building dry and safe to allow everyone who enters the opportunity to follow Jesus.

A special thank you to our special committee who oversaw this project: Glen Nelson, Brian Stewart, and Lawrie Green.

The maintenance team will be slowly working on replanting the garden beds that have been disturbed. The team would love to receive some more gardening tools to assist in the refurbishment of the gardens. If you have any gardening tools that are in good working order that you no longer use, please email Marjy.

Thursday Night Prayer Zoom

Thursday 7:30pm-8pm

We'd love you 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 or using the Meeting ID: 919 1693 5880 Passcode: f603j2

Add it to your diary now and we look forward to seeing you online on Thursday.

An Encouraging Elder Editorial from Greg Williams

Lives Changed By Jesus

A life of worship - Lives changed by Jesus

Jesus declares, ‘… the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks’ John 4:23.

The Greek word for worship proskunéõ - Literally, to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage. In the New Testament, generally, to do reverence or homage, render divine honours, worship, adore. (Ref: Word Study Dictionary, Zodhiates.)

For us, worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father.

If the Lord is to be Lord, worship must have priority in our lives. ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart….’ Mark 12:30.

A Prayer to Pray (from this Week's LifeGroup Resource)

Pray for each other that the Holy Spirit would identify an area of our lives that He wants to align more closely over the course of 2025. (An increasing commitment to God’s mission is essentially an increasing alignment of our values, priorities, and activities to God’s plans in the world).

Congregational Prayer Requests

Please pray for GBC folk who are in hospital, undergoing medical tests and/or treatment.

Pray for students and teachers returning to a new school year. Pray especially for children who are starting kindy, Year 7 or a new school, that they make good friends and be brave to be the unique child who God loves and has created - fearfully and wonderfully made.

Isaiah 43:1-3a

But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.

Family News to share? | Join the Care Team?

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. To join one of our three Care Teams (Food, Practical, Visitation & Prayer) contact Marjy Robertson, Serve Team Coordinator.

GBC News | 7 February 2025