Hard to believe but Christmas is upon us! As we take time amid the busyness of the season to stop and reflect on the babe in the manger, and what that means for us as believers and all mankind, we have much to be thankful for.
For GBC these last couple months have been a time of reflection as we have worked through phase one of our transition process and "Pursuing God's Will Together". This has been healthy for us to leave the past behind and look forward to a new future. In the new year we anticipate phase two, "A Spiritual Strategic Journey" - the vision process - to begin.
We have begun some regular ministries again. Kids BLOX and Student Ministries started up this fall as well as a couple of our long time small groups meeting here at GBC during the week. God is good and faithful in restoring community in our midst.
We were able to collect shoeboxes for our beloved Operation Christmas Child campaign and our people gave generosly once again - to the tune of 525 boxes and 36 online boxes to be exact! Let's be praying for the precious recipients of those gifts, that they would hear the message of the Good News intended with those boxes.
And a new opportunity has popped up with double benefit - helping our CASP kids (Community After School Program) who want to help out kids in our own community. What a blessing! So we are collecting bottles, cans and cash donations for the Annual Toy Angels Campaign. Let's help some kids help some kids!
Hope to see you all at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6pm this year. Once again, God is faithful.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6