In This Issue
Thoughts from
Pastor Wes 

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"Respect Everyone"

This past week, the "home-coming to heaven" of my mother has indeed been a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for our family.  

As a minister of Jesus Christ, I have had the sacred opportunity and privilege of helping others through their times of loss and grief, but this is the first time as Pastor that  I have said "Goodbye" to a family member and been on the receiving end of people's prayer, comfort and kindness.

What a great blessing the Family of God has been to us during these days!


 

But one poignant part of this week to me was the 4-mile drive from the Church to the cemetery. 

The people of Watertown NY retain a quaint practice that I haven't seen much in recent years. 

We had a fairly long procession of cars with lights and flashers on--obviously a funeral procession.  As we passed by, most of the other cars would pull to the side of the road, turn on their flashers and pause until the procession had passed.

 
These were undoubtedly busy people with places to go and things to do.  But for just a couple of minutes they paused to show respect for someone they didn't know--a life departed. 

I'd like to think that for a couple of minutes they empathized with us in our time of loss. Maybe they even reflected briefly on value of life and the certainty of death.  Maybe they thought that one day they too would be taking the final journey from a church to a cemetery. 

 

 

What it showed was honor and respect--respect for someone they didn't know, respect for human life and that a life had passed from this world.  

How blessed we are when we honor and respect one another!   

The Bible says, "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."

--1 Peter 2:17

Pentecost Sunday, May 24, 2015 
This Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Pastor Wes will be preaching from Acts 2 on the great gift and power that the Holy Spirit is to the Church of Jesus Christ!  Without the Holy Spirit, the Church is just another social agency performing within the limitations of human power.  With God's Spirit, all things are possible!  Our prayer and desire is that the Holy Spirit comes in a powerful 21st Century Pentecost that revitalizes Christ's Church and turns many hearts to the Lord. Please pray for Sunday and for God's outpouring of His Holy Spirit on our nation. 

The following week, we will return to  the sermon series from the Epistle to the Romans.  For the coming weeks, Lord willing, we will proceed at a faster pace, perhaps a chapter per Sunday.  For this Sunday, please read chapters 1 & 2 of Acts about Pentecost.    
#yoGo Teen News
Tonight's youth group, we enter the home stretch of our year with the tail end of the Lord's prayer. the part of it that we don't want to talk about, forgiveness. Why is this such a hard word? Why do Jesus teach us to pray with forgiveness? Find out tonight at 7pm, along with some normal youth group hilarity.

What a great time we had at the Eastern Field Quiz! We'll share some of our stories and triumphs on Sunday morning!

The Young Adults Retreat is finally here! On June 18-21, the district's young adults will be travelling to Quakertown, PA for this year's retreat called "Endeavour". The speaker will be Fairview Village's own, Nick Engle and worship will be led by the great Tim Capozzi (Pastor Matt went to college with him!) Click here for the order form! 

We are very excited to finally announce our VBS for this summer! It's called Everest and the theme is Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power. The link for registration is also live and ready for kids to pre-register! Click here to see the new pre-register site and keep us in prayer as we get ready to have the most kids we've ever had and to share with them the great love of our Lord!

Teen Camp forms are now available! Please contact Pastor Matt via email at matthew.a.brown615@gmail.com for more information. Children's camp information is coming soon!

Praise God for the Amazing Ministries that are happening this summer!
Volunteers, Participants and Leaders 

As Grace Community Church goes through pastoral and leadership transition over these coming months, it is important that we all do what we can to make the transition as smooth and wonderful as possible.  You can help in these three ways: 


 

1.) Pray.  Pray for GCCN, wisdom and discernment for leaders, and for the person God already has in mind for the Church.


 

2.) Support: Support with the presence, your participation and by being faithful in tithes and offerings.  Times of change can be a challenge, but as each person stays faithful, change ushers new opportunities of God's blessing and presence.


 

3.) Volunteer: There are many roles and opportunities for service in the ministries of the Church.  If everyone pitches in and gives some time and energy, these could be some of the best days of the Church and prepare for the next phase is important ways.  We need a children's Sunday School teacher, someone who would open up each Sunday morning, someone who would consider leading the Men's Ministry; several people who would give a few hours and month for building and property issues, someone who would visit our seniors.  Other options exist as well. Please do as you are able and you too will be blessed!  

World War ll Soldier
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The soldiers of World War ll are quickly passing from our midst.  These great men and women made unspeakable sacrifices to turn the tide against Naziism and totalitarians in the 1940s and to preserve liberty and freedom. We had within this very church two young men who gave their lives in that War. 

This coming Monday, Memorial Day 2015, Earl Griffis will once again be honored in the Pennington Parade.  He is just about the last WW2 soldier from Pennington that is able to participate. What a great honor it would be to him if members of Grace Community Church attended this parade as our way of honoring him. 

The parade will be held on Monday, May 25th, 10:00am, RAIN OR SHINE,beginning at Toll Gate School and proceeding down South Main Street, stop at the four corners of Main St & Delaware Ave. for the playing of Taps and the laying of a memorial wreath in honor of our veterans, then will proceed left on W. Delaware Avenue and will end at Green Street playing field.
Times of Prayer
As Grace Community Church goes into days of leadership transition, please increase your prayer for the Church and its leadership.  How important that there is wisdom and God's will among all that happens over these coming months!  We will be announcing additional times of prayer as we proceed.  You are invited to join in prayer  this Wednesday evening from 6-8 at Pastor Wes' office or wherever you wish at the church building.  
Upcoming Building Repairs 
Unfortunately, there are serveral repairs needed on the church property, including two major building issues to address over the coming months.  The most recent fire inspection is calling for us to replace all of the hard-wired smoke detectors in the church building. The second issue is that we have water leaking into the gas lines that supply the five furnaces. That will likely require that all of the underground gas lines need to be replaced.  Please pray that we will be able to accomplish these necessary repairs in an effective and cost-efficient way. 
TV's for Ministry 
During our worship times together, it can sometimes be quite a challenge to see the screen.  If we had a TV screen positioned in a place which would be readily visible, that problem would be solved.  Also, the teen youth room is in need of a flat-screen TV for the weekly ministries that take place there.  If you are able and o donate for these, that would be a great help!  Together, these two would cost about $1600 including the supporting mounting and connecting hardware.  Please mark your gift: "Flat-Screens for Ministry"   
Upcoming Events 
May 22, Regular Monthly Board Meeting
May 26: RockSolid Men's Group @ 7pm
May 29: Church Board Meeting with DS Newell Smith
June 16: RockSolid Men's Picnic at Pastor Wes and Sarah's home
Truth From God's Word
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. vain."  
                      ----Romans 12:10-18
Church Office, Marly Paul, Assistant
609.737.3184

Pastor R. Wesley Tink
Mobile: 609.226.9615

Pastor Matthew Brown
Mobile 917.226.7621