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We had a wonderful week here at GCCC; it might well have been “The Party of a Lifetime.” Pastor Bruce delivered a message in what was an unbelievable first in our 25-year history, and is sure to be the conversation for a very long time. However, before we unpack the message here’s a little about our marvelous week-long celebration:
On Wednesday evening, the church property was partying with activities for people of all ages, whether it was our little guys (preschool) or our grade school (M-Pact and Royal Rangers), our Junior and Senior high students the Lord Jesus was being lifted up. In the Sanctuary, during A Closer Walk, Bryan Thomas, along with two friends from Russia, shared about his time as a missionary in Russia and enlightened all with what God has been doing in the Artic Region. Pastor Debbie led the Guaranteed Christian Growth class with her usual passion for excellence, addressing “telling others.” From the young to the mature, the Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of our people regardless of age.
Thursday is Forever Young day at GCCC and this week the party featured Rita Leone-Reyes from Choices of the Heart who brought a message of faith, hope and love as the members of Forever Young filled tables with goodies for the layettes given by Choices to mothers who have delivered babies. GCCC … what a wonderful family!
Our weekend worship continued the celebration as Pastor Brent and the GCCC Creative Arts ministry led the congregation in worship through song that had everyone standing in awe. Danielle Capoferri’s rendering of “Helping Hand” was her first GCCC special (hand picked by Pastor Bruce – no pressure here!), and what a tremendous blessing she was as the Holy Spirit worked beautifully in and through her in preparation for Pastor’s message.
Pastor began his astounding message by reviewing the following four-fold mission of GCCC for 2008: Power on the Spot,Through the Gate in 2008, Caring for the Poor and Less Fortunate and Living in Forgiveness.
As he briefly reviewed each item he illustrated their application with personal examples and concluded by quoting the late Dr. Jack Hyles who often said, “You can be a friend without having a friend; you can have a friend without being a friend.” If you recall, that’s how Dr. Levatino came to know the LORD. He had a friend without being a friend. And, it’s how we come to know Christ – in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:28)
Pastor then focused on the third mission with great detail by examining Luke 14:12-14, where Jesus tells us: “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed (present tense). Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (future tense).”
In the midst of the sermon Pastor Gary and Carlos Oberti shared a COF moment relational to being sensitive to the needs of others as a collective body. This COF moment transitioned into how we can personally and individually tune in to our “spiritual nature.”
The timeless truth here is that giving to those who are less fortunate is the very heart of God. Pastor further explained the importance of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, by telling of a time when he heard “the still small voice,” prompting him to buy a tank of gas for a couple of elderly women. The key to helping the less fortunate is a spiritual sensitivity to hear the Spirit’s voice and then obey. Pastor made the moment humorous when he told of the reports which came back to Dottie Ackerman (director of our Widows Ministry) saying, “Dottie, an angel came by and filled our tank.”
Pastor then revealed how he has missed the Spirit’s prompting, sharing a situation in New York City, just this month, where he and Sheryl observed the homeless, but did nothing about it. This helped all of us understand that in order to become sensitive to the needs of the poor and less fortunate we must be willing to seek God’s direction and be obedient to what He tells us to do, when He tells us to do it! (If you were absent, I would be remiss not to encourage you to go to the Media Center and pick up a DVD or CD of the service.) This is one time when the word AWESOME is appropriate.
We were then directed to page two of the Bulletin where Pastor outlined a marvelous journey to lay hold of the Heart of God. At the altar were baskets containing envelopes in which had been placed cash – some envelopes contained $100, some $50, some $30, some $20 and some $10. After a time of prayer Pastor directed the entire congregation to come forward and get an envelope, with which to bless someone who could never repay the kindness. Yes, that is right! GCCC gave money to each and every person 13 years and older that was present.
The purpose and the challenge was that each person would be sensitive to God’s leading and use the moneys received to someone less fortunate who could not return the blessing. We eagerly await the testimonies and the life-changes as a result of this mission put into action. Let The Party of a Life Time begin!
If you were at the Sunday 11:00 am service you would have thought it might be Easter as Attendance for the week was very good totaling 4,197 (Saturday Worship at 6:30pm 564; Sunday Worship at 9:00am 886 & 11:00am 1,380; Wednesday A Closer Walk 452; Circles of Friends 281 (35 homes meeting this week); and all other Ministries 634). The Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way through our Children’s Ministry and the Saints Prison Ministry as evidence by the 150 First Time Decisions (Saints 125, Kid’s Ave 18, Services 5, Other 2), 32 Altar Responses, and 1 Baptism. Even though the message only briefly touched on Psalm 84, David proclaims the reasons for God’s blessings when he says, “ 4) Blessed are they that dwell in thy house…12) blessed is the man that trusts in thee.”
Pastor John Smythe
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