Becoming Transformational

Transcription

1 Ministries, Life Groups and Bible Studies Grace Christian School Ben Elliott, Principal x7105 Grace Christian Preschool Ronae Cherkin, Director x7119 High School Youth Pastor Scott Gary Choir & Worship Music Cheryl Hernandez, Director Children s Church Patti McDonald pmcdonald@gracelcms.net Women s Ministry Contact: Church Office for current contact list Men s Ministry Contact: Church Office for current contact list Feeling Fit Exercise Club Led by Helena Isbell Mondays and Wednesdays11:30AM in the multipurpose room Mom s Bible Study Led by Michelle Quezada Meets Thursdays at 8:30AM in the multipurpose room Greek Bible Study Led by Billy Clem Meets Tuesdays at 6:30 PM New Horizons Bible Study Led by Grace Pastors Wednesdays at 9:45AM in the multipurpose room Adult Bible Study Led by Grace Pastors Thursdays at 7:00PM in the multipurpose room Encouragers (Ladies) Contact: arleneshuster@cox.net Sarah s Circle Contact: Cora Garland: Becoming Transformational Life Group Ministries Grace has many more small groups in our Life Group Ministries. Find one that is right for your family by visiting our website or contacting Pastor Scott Gary: sgary59@sbcglobal.net Regular Worship Schedule Saturday 6:00pm Family Worship and Children s Church Sunday 8:00am Traditional Worship 9:30am Contemporary Worship and Children s Church 10:45am Latino Worship 643 W. 13th Avenue Escondido, CA March 3, 4, 2018

2 Preparation for the Lord s Supper Grace Lutheran Church and Christian School Holy Communion Statement + In the Name of Jesus + The Lord s Supper is celebrated at this congregation in the confession and glad confidence that, as He says, our Lord gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but His very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with Him and with one another. Our Lord invites to this special meal those who trust in His words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He forgives and loves us, that they may celebrate His resurrection and live their lives led by the Holy Spirit until He comes again to establish His new heaven and earth. If you have questions about our belief in this sacrament, don t hesitate to speak with one of the Pastors, elder or an usher. For further study, see 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Holy Communion Schedule 6:00 p.m. 2nd and 4th Saturdays 8:00 a.m. Every Sunday The yellow cards in the pews are for everyone to fill out and return in the offering plate during services. This helps us to serve you and prepare for all of our services. Thank you so much! Find our calendar and more information on our website: Follow us on Facebook: Giving at Grace is easy and secure online: Town Hall Meeting March 18th at 12:00 PM there will be a Town Hall meeting with updates from church council. We hope you will join us. Administrator Job Position at Grace The Administrator is a key member of a team of ministers, both pastoral and school related. The incumbent will be a committed follower of Jesus Christ, embracing a missional perspective on the role of this church and its schools. The position entails administrative management and oversight of all aspects of ministry support for church and schools, including finance, personnel, operations and facilities. Additionally, the incumbent will work with various committees, both staff and volunteer; excellent communication skills, attention to detail, ability to multi-task, and information technology skills are important for the successful candidate. Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience; job description available at ytanko@gracelcms.net. Position open until filled. Point of contact, Jack Anderson, Congregational President; captjack1@cox.net Holy Week Worship Palm Sunday ~ March 25 8:00 & 9:30AM Maundy Thursday ~ March 29 7:00 PM Good Friday ~ March 30 7:00 PM Saturday ~ March 31 6:00 PM Easter Sunday ~ April 1 6:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:30 AM

3 It s TEA TIME Ladies! Save the date for Saturday, May 12th (day before Mother s Day), 11:AM-2:00PM for our Annual Women s Friendship Tea: "A Country Picnic Tea ~ Come let us sing with joy to the Lord! Psalm 95:1 Come and celebrate a wonderful time of laughter and love while enjoying a delicious tea including sandwiches, salad, and desserts, laughter, and joy. Please include in your plans to attend all the ladies you know and love; from young to older, neighbor to family. We are excited to celebrate and support one another with the gift of thankful praise filled hearts to our Lord for who He Is! ~ Fundraiser raffle items and baskets will be available to support Grace s Women s Ministry outreach. We are currently supporting women in need in our church body, our missionary family in South America, and Young Lives (training and support for teen mothers who choose life). ~ Please reach out to womensministry@gracelcms.net to volunteer in any capacity and share in the fun of bringing to life this cherished event. We would be delighted to have you on the team. Please contact Lisa at with suggestions, questions, offers of donation (an entire basket, individual items, gift cards so appreciated). We are always so grateful for individually wrapped tea bags; thank you. Jr. High and High School Youth Face to Face and The Stand will be going to a Gulls Hockey game on March 17th. They will leave Grace at 5:00 PM and take the bus down to the Viejas Sports Arena. They will return to Grace between 10 and 10:30 PM. The cost is $20 and it includes entry and some St. Patties themed socks. Deadline to sign up is Thursday March 15th (both money and a permission slip to save the spot.) Contact Max Bowman at maxwelbowman@gmail.com Opportunity for a Servant s Heart Grace is in need of someone to arrange the altar flowers once a week. There are plenty of flowers and supplies for you at Grace. This would be a great service to share with a friend. If you are interested please contact Amy Boteler at amykbot@gmail.com Thrivent Choice Dollars can help Grace Lutheran Church and Christian School! Are you a member of Thrivent Financial who s eligible to direct Choice Dollars? Choice Dollars charitable grant funds can make a world of difference to our church. By directing Choice Dollars, eligible Thrivent members recommend where they feel Thrivent should distribute a portion of its charitable grant funds. Directing Choice Dollars is easy. Simply go on line to: Thrivent.com/thriventchoice. Act now to direct your 2017 Choice Dollars to the needs of your church. Deadline is March 31st, Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels, San Diego is looking for warm, caring volunteers to help deliver meals to our senior population. Volunteers are often the only human contact our clients have all day. Our volunteers provide a warm smile and caring attitude and provide crucial safety checks to help ensure our clients well-being. Minimum contribution is once or twice per month. Delivery times are between 10:30am-1:30pm Mon-Sat. Assigned routes close to your home or business. Please contact Esteban Ojeda at eojeda@meals-on-wheels.org or call Ladies... Discover Your Inner Artist Come join the women of Grace for fellowship and painting fun on Tuesday, March 20th at 6:30 where we will look at the joy of Psalm 95:1, then paint a charming correlating canvas. NO experience is necessary; step by step instructions are given. Space is limited, please sign up at to reserve and pay for your space. Cost is $25. Hope to see you there! Contact Kim Schultz at philandkim@cox.net with questions. (FAQ s online at Spiritivity s website.) MISSION NEW MEXICO! ~ The Stand, High School Youth The high school youth group is beginning to make plans for our 10th annual mission trip to Gallup, New Mexico. Please pray about supporting the team as they prepare to go. They would not be able to go without your support! Also, please consider supporting them with financial gifts. The dates for our trip are March We will continue to work with American Indian Missions Inc. (AIMI) and their outreach to the Zuni and Navajo tribes. There will be much work and ministry for our students while there. Donations can be designated to offset the individual student payments of $350 each, van rentals, gas, and the costs of the camp where we are staying - Broken Arrow Bible Ranch. Please visit our Snap Raise fundraiser page at: fundraisers/new-mexico-mission-the-stand-2018 Donations can be made there or directly to Grace. We are blessed to have such a supportive congregation. Please keep the students in your prayers as they will be busy planning, training, and bonding as a team over the next few weeks in advance of the trip. Questions? Contact Pastor Scott at: sgary59@sbcglobal.net, Thanks and God bless! Bethlehem Handcrafts Coming to Grace Look for their display March 11 before and after worship services in the breezeway. For centuries Bethlehem s Christians have supported their families by carving Olive Wood religious art for visiting pilgrims. But now, because of the economic situation in the Holy Land, the number of pilgrims who visit the holy sites in Bethlehem is decreasing every year. Please help the Christian families in the Holy Land to make their living by stopping at our display and hopefully you will like something that was carved by our families in the Holy Land to buy and thus support these families. All of your purchases support the Christian Families in the Holy Land. For more information please visit: You Can Make A Difference Do you have baseball gloves, hats, bats or other items hanging around? Would you like to get rid of that tablet or notebook that no longer is up to date?. John and Lisa Osslund will be going to Cartagena Columbia to a school that works with at risk kids, and they need these items donated. They will need the donations by April 1, Please call John at or Lisa at for pick up. 5K Walk & Run For Life Alternatives Medical Clinic is having their annual 5K at Kit Carson Park on March 10th. All funds raised go to Alternatives Medical Clinic. For more information go to

4 PRESS RELEASE CHRIST IN THE PASSOVER Jesus' Last Supper was actually a Jewish Passover. Cyril Gordon of Jews for Jesus will re-create the traditional Passover service and explain how it foreshadowed Jesus' death and resurrection in a presentation called "Christ in the Passover" at Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 24th at 6:00 PM. Cyril Gordon will set a table with items traditionally used at the Passover meal and detail their spiritual significance. He will also explain the connection between the events of the first Passover in Egypt and the redemption that Jesus accomplished, as well as the deep bond between the ancient Passover feast and the Christian communion celebration today. Jews for Jesus has presented "Christ in the Passover" at over 38,000 churches. It has been enthusiastically received by Christians who appreciate learning more about the Jewish backgrounds of their faith. Moishe Rosen, who founded Jews for Jesus in 1973, has also co-written the book, Christ in the Passover, with his wife, Ceil. This seminal work includes a look at Passover in ancient times and how it is practiced today. It will be available after the presentation. Also available will be a DVD of the Christ in the Passover presentation with David Brickner, the executive director of Jews for Jesus, officiating. Brickner, a fifth-generation Jewish believer in Jesus, succeeded Rosen as Executive Director in Brickner has kept Jews for Jesus on the cutting edge as the ministry has expanded and established branches in eleven countries, including the United States, Brazil, Israel, Russia, France, and South Africa. "We exist to make the Messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide," Brickner states. "There are still a few that haven't heard of us!" Cyril Gordon will be happy to answer questions after the presentation. Call (760) or visit for more information. There is no admission charge.

5 Embracing Relational Intentionality: 1. Join a Life Group! Grace Life Groups exist to provide an environment where relationships in Christ are formed and mature. 2. Seek out meaningful relationships. Don t just expect relationships to happen. Be intentional about it! When you come to church, are you looking around for people you don t know so that you can get to know them, and if they are a visitor to welcome them to our church? 3. Be open, and be a trustworthy person whom others can be open with. If you want to go beyond casual Sunday morning greetings, share with someone you have gotten to know what struggles you are going through and how they can pray for you. This will encourage them to do the same with you. When this happens, we can begin to speak the Gospel into the areas of each other s lives that need it most. The most encouraging times in my faith journey have been in prayer with other believers laying hands on each other and praying for one another. 4. Use God s secret weapons: food & coffee. Some of the best ways to grow in a relationship with someone is by spending time with them over a meal or a cup of coffee. 5. Ask God who in your life might need your friendship as a brother or sister in Christ, or as His witness. March 3 & 4, 2018 Building Relationships for eternity One person at a time! Becoming a Transformational Church: Relational Intentionality (John 1:14) I (Vicar Dave) sense among our church family at Grace a stirring excitement and expectation. Do you? Since I have served the Lord s people at Grace as a Vicar, I have witnessed many people expressing a desire for us to become an increasingly dynamic force in the Kingdom of God. With our everchanging world, we have recognized that old ways of doing church no longer work. The term Post-Christian has been used to describe our culture. People no longer come to church because that is the natural thing to do. Church, for many, is outdated and irrelevant. As the Church wrestles with her identity in our culture, she is awakening to the call to stop doing church and start being the Church the Church that is God s chosen instrument to extend His Kingdom to the ends of the earth. This identity is inherently a missional identity. As churches find their place within this calling, transformation happens. Churches experience the empowering presence of Christ as they join Him in what He is doing in the world. Believers experience renewed purpose, joy, and hope as they go beyond Christianity s outward forms and embrace its heart. The lost experience the saving power of the Gospel as believers step out to simply share the truth in love with their neighbors. The stirring and excitement that I both sense and have explicitly witnessed at Grace is pointing us in this very direction, and it is the heart of our sermon series Becoming a Transformational Church.

6 Transformational Church What is the church? 1. Many Christians experience a to. What is the church? Is the church a group of people with a kind of fading memory of what it used to be like when Jesus was here? Is that the church? Terry Virgo Something more. Chains be broken. Lives be healed. Eyes be opened. Christ is revealed. Lyrics from song, You ll Come, Hillsong United 2. The key to relationships is. Relational space A New Scorecard. The old scorecard: Bodies, Budgets, Buildings. The friendly church vs. the relational church The new scorecard: transformed lives. we were not looking for a formula. We were looking for spiritual practices rooted in the Scriptures that God used to deliver transformation. Thom Rainer & Ed Stetzer, Transformational Church Main Point: Transformational Churches embrace and value. 3. Our model for relational intentionality is. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)

7 The Stand (high school youth) New Mexico Mission 2018 The high school youth group is beginning to make plans for our 10th annual mission trip to Gallup, New Mexico. Please pray about supporting the team as they prepare to go. They would not be able to go without your support! Also, please consider supporting them with financial gifts. The dates for our trip are March We will continue to work with American Indian Missions Inc. (AIMI) and their outreach to the Zuni and Navajo tribes. There will be much work and ministry for our students while there. Donations can be designated to offset the individual student payments of $350 each, van rentals, gas, and the costs of the camp where we are staying - Broken Arrow Bible Ranch. Please visit our Snap Raise fundraiser page at: Donations can be made there or directly to Grace. We are blessed to have such a supportive congregation. Please keep the students in your prayers as they will be busy planning, training, and bonding as a team over the next few weeks in advance of the trip. THE STAND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH NEW MEXICO MISSION Questions? Contact Pastor Scott at: sgary59@sbcglobal.net, Thanks and God bless!