A King's Coronation

Hi Church,

It’s always good when we connect with the community. So thank you to all the mighty volunteers who gave of their time and effort in helping to run the latest Ironman event.  I know many of the runners appreciated the encouragement and clapping along the path. Your connection will allow us to release further funding into the community come Christmas Carol time.

I know many tuned in to the Kings Coronation over the weekend. It was truly a magnificent affair with trumpets and choirs and orchestras and marching bands and 63 Gun salute. But the most powerful moments were in the service. Quiet vows, special prayers, particular bible readings and most importantly anointing with Oil. These moments pointed to someone greater than the King. They were a reminder to an earthly King that he serves under the King of Kings. And that the greatest example was set by the King of Kings for all kings to follow that of love and service.  And that this task was so great the only way to do it would be not in ones own strength, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said I did not come to be served but to serve. He showed this through washing the disciples’ feet, by responding to those in need and ultimately laying down his life for us all. This is the faith that King Charles The Third has been called to defend. Seems somewhat different to the faith that we in the prosperous West have built up as a society over hundreds of years, with vast armies and castles and cathedrals and modern day auditoriums with the very latest in technology and production. No wonder people have left the Church in droves. Somewhere along the line we all started to defend something else other than what Jesus demonstrated to us. I think the challenge for us all is a return to Jesus’ example of love and service.

Another truth from this Kingly Coronation worth keeping is that our Head of State monarchy is the strongest link governmentally we have to God’s rule of a theocracy under him. Where Truth and Justice and values have meaning because of Him and His word. If we remove the Monarchy as our Head of State we plunge headlong into secularism and humanism with mother nature/earth worship and self-worship/science our only guides as very cheap substitutes. Let’s value our links to the past, celebrating true connection to faith, not destroy them for secular modernism sake. It’s the goal of the socialist left to remove all reference to God and His Church as the wisdom of the ages.

So Long Live and God save the King!

On another note, considering our commitment to missions. I encourage us all to be generous to Ross Nancarrow’s work through IMM in Nepal. We need to help complete the ministry training centre before September 2023. Please consider how generous you can be. We will take up a special offering on the 25th of June, hoping to raise at least $20,000. This equates to 40 families providing $500 each. I know times are tough, but God promises that if we step out in faith and sow generously we will reap generously. Lets do this!

God bless you Church

With you Ps Greg and Amanda

9th May 2023

What are God's desired results?

Hi Church,

This week I attended the funeral of a dear friend of Grace Church the Rev David Curtis. David’s life was marked by passion for our Lord, great faithfulness to His wife and family, love for all people and a desire to see healing available to as many as possible in and outside the Church. Thus the healing rooms came to being in a regular shop front. He was also a champion for unity in the City. These are great characteristic to be admired and emulated by us all. It was testament that hundreds of people packed into St Thomas to pay their respects. Thank you to Rev Dan Berris for organising a day of thanksgiving and celebration for David. David’s funeral was a testament that simple things, done well, done consistently have an enduring affect across a lifetime. So ordinary people have extraordinary impact. David saw himself as ordinary but his influence was anything but.   

Last Sunday Ross Nancarrow challenged us with the question, “What are God’s desired results in my life?”. He said when he answered that question in the middle of His life it changed the trajectory for the remainder half of His life and He was able to formulate a statement of purpose, “as a recipient of the extravagant Grace of Jesus I exist to ……” . 

I wonder how you would answer that question. I have answered it so far by being deployed as a pastor in full time ministry. But I was even challenged again to not assume that I have reached the end goal of that but to ask again, God as a recipient of your Grace I exist to …. I’m still listening for that confirmation or re-allocation.  As we have seen with many whom we have loved in recent times our days are short we need to make them count.

These are sobering thoughts, but also exciting given the possibilities in God. So let us be confident of our times, let us not waist a day but press on to take hold of all that Jesus has for us. Phil 3:12.    

On another note. Thank you to all that have signed up to volunteer for Ironman. I’m sorry that the sign up process is a bit difficult and time consuming, it was a surprise to us. If you have trouble please go to the volunteer help tent at town green before Friday to make sure your logged in and allocated a volunteer spot. Please tell them you are with Grace Church so we get our charity payment. Thank you.   

And if you see Shirley Capon on the track on her bike remember to shout out Praise the Lord Shirley be strong! Who knows she just might set a new land speed record!

Ps Kerry will be ministering the word this Sunday at Grace and Ps Amanda will lead the service and Kingdom Kids will still be happening so the church will be gathered and serving for the day, so to God be the glory.  

God bless you Church.

Ps Greg

2nd May 2023

Road to Emmaus

Hi Church

The Road to Emmaus on Resurrection Sunday morning is always a good reminder of the temperature of our heart. When circumstances speak to disappointment and sadness often we don’t know where to turn and we can quickly be overcome by doubt. But there are some great truths to be learned on how to have a burning heart for Jesus. Three that were a standout to me from this passage in Luke 24 include 1.  Keep Walking – which means don’t give up and lay down and become dead with inactivity. But keep walking in the ordinary and have an expectation that God will meet you there. 2. Keep Talking – which means keep talking about Jesus and all his goodness and all that he has done for you. Find a friend to talk to it will be encouragement and find anyone who will listen to your Jesus story. It may just save them or bring to them their healing AND keep talking to Jesus through prayer and the reading the Psalms. 3. Keep Opening – which means open the scriptures particularly the Gospels and the prophets who are pointing to Jesus AND keep opening your eyes to the work of God around you and partner with him in the extension of His kingdom and open your ears to what the Spirit is saying. He is talking to you always but are you listening? When you capture the frequency of His heart then your heart will become burning within you. 

This week we have the courageous Ross Nancarrow with us who will be sharing of his recent adventures in Nepal and what is ahead for the ministries of IMM and EDM.  He will also be sharing how we can help complete the work being done for the training centre for Nepali Churches. So I encourage you to come and be a part of Gods mighty plan to the nations.

The following weekend will see our service at Grace as usual but a large contingent also helping with the Ironman Australia in Port Macquarie.  It will be a time of service to our community and to help those who often help us. All funds raised that weekend will help us provide our Carols 2023. Details of the event will arrive in your email from Ironman for those who have volunteered, please check your junk mail next week if nothing has turned up. Our roles will mainly be marshalling at street corners and intersections and keeping the crowds off the track. See details in e-news for how it will happen.

Please continue to pray and press in for more of Gods power and presence amongst us and to go out through us. 

His love with you

Ps Greg and Amanda

27th April 2023

Looking ahead

Hi Church,

Well its good to back from a little break over the Easter and School holiday season. I can’t believe a quarter of the year has come and gone already. I appreciate everyone’s effort during this Easter time in making it a significantly spiritual time of reflecting on the goodness of God and His great love for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus our saviour. 

Over the coming months we plan to explore further our call to fruitfulness and look at, what are the key truths and practices that make for healthy branch and fruit growing. We have looked at the soil that we are planted in and the actions and attitudes required to be good soil. But what about when that branch of fruitfulness starts to grow as John 15 tells us it will. What maintains that growth and prevents the branch from dragging in the dirt? I’m looking forward to discovering that with you Church.

Our next major church event will be our Powerhouse Conference. This was a special time last year and I’m believing the same for this year so please save the date 27th to 30th of July. Other initiatives to be aware of is a Combined Worship night with other churches in Port Macquarie and of course CityServe, doing a garden make over at Tacking Point Public School approximately 24th of June. These combined church events contribute to Church unity and Community impact.

Finally it was very sad to hear the news of Rev David Curtis of St Tomas Church family who was tragically struck down by a hit and run incident on Hastings Road last week.  David passed away from the injuries that were sustained in that accident. Please pray for David’s wife Barbara and their family who are all in shock from this sudden loss. We remember David and give thanks for his life that was dedicated to unity in the body of Christ through intercessory prayer and the establishment of the Healing rooms. David was a loving and gentle man who promoted the Gospel of Peace and Power through the Holy Spirit.  There were many in our Church who were very close to David and our hearts of love are extended to all those who are hurting at his loss. Funeral details will be known soon.

God bless you Church

Ps Greg

18th April 2023