GRACE Group Leaders

Building followers of Jesus Christ…

10/5/07

…wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. Mark 16:15

GRACE - Compassion for Others - Accepting the responsibility of reaching out beyond ourselves to those who have not yet decided to follow Christ, and to meet the needs of those who are less fortunate than us.

 

 

Group Leader Essential #1

Think Life Change
Bill Hybels from Willow Creek Community Church has said that vision leaks. And that is definitely true when it comes to the vision and purpose for groups. It is easy for groups to drift away from their main purpose. That is why it is important to continually remind ourselves why we have GRACE Groups: to create environments where people at Grace experience real community and spiritual growth; an environment where God is active in the lives of its members; a small group where people change. Keeping the life-change goal front and center challenges us to keep our groups purposeful.

 

Building Bridges

 

 

Hundreds of people from Grace Community Church will step out into the community in just a few days to in our annual Building Bridges outreach.  This is the perfect time to get everyone in your GRACE Group involved together for a one time project that will take the love of Christ right out into our neighborhoods.  There is something for everyone to do as this is our biggest year ever.  Eight other churches and five community organizations are partnering with us in this important project.  A whole group can work together.  A few friends can serve on a project with each other.  Or, and individual can get involved in any of the dozen or more locations where we will be serving.  Come with us as we as a church body invest into our own communities and neighborhoods.  A few of the places we are working this year are: Deep Run, Laurel Woods, and Swansfield Elementary Schools, the Therapeutic Recreational Riding Center, local Nursing Homes, Police Stations, Fire Stations, Blood Drive, Clothing Drive, Food Drive, etc…  We still need at least 430 more volunteers to make this work.  We need landscaping , painting , carpentry, working 1-on-1 with kids, making snacks, delivering snacks, visiting nursing homes, manning tables, checking people in. There is something that everyone can do!  You can get all the information you need and sign up for you or your whole group to serve at our new “Building Bridges” website online.     

www.gcconline.org/BuildingBridges07/

 

Many of the projects (not all) will happen on Saturday, October 13th.  This year all participants will meet at Grace Community Church on that morning and then split up in groups to head for the projects.  Leaders do not miss this opportunity to model and teach your group the value of serving the community as a follower of Christ.

 

 

 

Reaching the Homeless

 

 

I am often asked by group leaders, “How can our groups get be of help to the homeless people in our area?”  Here are some great opportunities.  Our “Grace to the Homeless” Ministry needs you and your group’s help as we serve the homeless men at the Helping Up Mission in Baltimore.  The have some urgent needs that you can be a part of solving:

 

1.)   Men’s suits for the honored graduates of their Spiritual Recovery Program (see helpingupmission.org for more information).  The Samaritan’s Circle banquet will be held on October 21st.  Men’s clothes and toiletries are always needed.  Grace is collecting items in the front entrance Oct. 7-13 for the Building Bridges week.

 

2.)    Servers each night from 5:30-6:30pm.  Groups of 8 show up between 5:00pm–7:00pm.  That allows for set-up and clean-up.  They offer a 1 hour orientation for          first time volunteers.  Therefore you may plan for the group to come between       4:00-4:15.

 

3.)    Servers for Saturday lunches.  In this case you would show up at 11:30 a.m. for the orientation and tour and help from 12:30-2:00p.m.

 

4.)   Donations for 24 copies of “From Junk to Jesus, In the Blink of and Eye”.  Each book is $14.95.  Total $215.  Make Checks payable to IBE Ministries, Inc; Mail to:  8954 River Island Drive #201; Savage, MD 27063

 

Ron Miller is the contact for getting started.  Phone-410-772-0191 or email (rmiller@helpingup.org)

Thanks for your open and generous hearts.  It is a blessing to serve at such a giving church.

 

 

Red Cross

 

 

The Red Cross is at a point where they have a serious, almost critical, shortage of blood to distribute. As a part of “Building Bridges we are participating in the Red Cross Blood Drive at Columbia Presbyterian Church, 10001 Route 108.  We are undertaking this drive to demonstrate the love God has called us to have for our community, and to glorify Him in how we live in our community.  Our community really needs this ministry to them.  I encourage you, if there is a way you can donate and you haven’t already signed up, please do so today.

http://www.membersforlife.org/rccm/mobilesch/login.php?sponsorcode=14558

  There are three days in which the Red Cross will be accepting donations at Columbia Presbyterian:  Thursday October 11th from 2:00 to 8:00 pm; Friday October 12th from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm; and Saturday October 13th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Thank you for your willingness to consider being a part of this demonstration to our community of the impact of the gospel in our lives.          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for all you do!

Information, questions, comments.

michael@gracegroups.net  

www.gracegroups.net  

240-553-1090 ext. 111

 

 

Please feel free to share this newsletter with the members of your G.R.A.C.E. Group.

Grace Community Church, 8200 Old Columbia Road, Fulton, MD  20759,   240-553-1090