“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther King, Jr

Your challenge this week was to find a time and place for prayer and get there. That was it. (If you have no idea what I am talking about, check out the podcast) Colossians 4 says, “Be devoted to prayer”. If a stranger who didn’t know you at all were to watch how you spent your time this week, what conclusion would they draw about that to which you are devoted? Would they see you working hard to create some space for prayer this week? Remember, the simple challenge from Sunday was that you don’t even need to start praying yet … just get to a time and place where you conceivably “could” pray.

So, have you done it? Have you found a place for some Facetime?

Join us this Sunday morning, May 19, at 10:30 as Pastor Tyson begins a new sermon series entitled FACETIME and find out what it is all about.

5/14/13

Dear Students and Parents,

Historically GBC Youth Ministry slows down in May to allow for end of year school and family activities. Therefore, we will not be sending out an ENEWS weekly.  Please check the Student Ministry Calendar on the GBC Website and look for reminder emails throughout the month.

Here’s this week’s news:

ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS

THIS SUNDAY–May 19– BE THERE!!

Middle School – Picnic at Mill Pond in Saline on Bennett Street - 5-7pm

PLEASE SIGN-UP ONLINE!!

High School – End Of Year BBQ- Noon-2pm

Alex and Alicia Ammann’s home-7221 Ridge Line Circle Dexter, MI 48130

PLEASE SIGN-UP ONLINE!!!

Transportation will be provided. Returning to GBC at 2:30pm

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ONLY 17 MORE DAYS!!!

Permission Slips!

It’s time already to begin turning in your

2013-14 GBC Youth Permission Slips!

The current Permission Slips expire May 31 and the new ones will be effective June 1.

As always, there will be prizes on June 2 for those who turn in their Permission Slip by May 31.

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Pastor Adam Needs YOU!

Please plan to help with ON Goal Soccer Camp!

We need volunteers daily from June 17-22!

Please SIGN UP!

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Sunday Mornings at GBC– EQUIP

9:30 am- Middle School Rooms 32-33

High School in The BOX

10:30 am – Worship in the Auditorium

PLEASE remember not to use the back hallway as this is now part of our secured Children’s Wing. 

Teens should only be in that hallway if they are serving in TIM that week

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Teens in Ministry

Click here for current TIM schedule.

Remember– TIM is “2nd hour.” Teens in Ministry is our ministry to GBC Children on Sunday mornings. Teens serve during the worship hour. If you cannot serve, please try to trade with someone else. With the new Sunday morning GBC schedule, please be sure your parents can stay until noon on the mornings you serve. Your classroom needs you to be there until the end of class.

5/19 – Chidera Ikeji, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Amara Ikeji, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alicia Ammann

5/26 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Didi Ikeji, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu,

6/2 – Nate Sowder, Lauren Ardle, Griffin Beck, Andrew Ardle, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Maggie Sowder

6/9 – Noah Hayter, Nile Nwogu, Emma Hammond, Lindsey Hayter, Foster Hayes, Caleb Stanton, Brienna Hayter

6/16 –Caleb Stanton, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Amara Ikeji, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alex Ammann

6/23 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Griffin Beck, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu, Alicia Ammann

6/30 – Nate Sowder, Nile Nwogu, Didi Ikeji, Lindsey Hayter, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Chidera Ikeji

Other information regarding GBC Youth Ministry is available on the GBC website www.gracea2.org under programs and then Student Ministry. For High School Students Pastor Adam also has a Facebook page.  Please contact him for FB info.

In His service,
Mary-Lynn Hodges for Pastor Adam Morse

** This Sunday marks the half-way point in our “2,000 years of Church History” class.  The class is open to all adults and meets at 9:30 am in Fellowship Hall.

** Pastor Tyson will be speaking this Sunday during our 10:30 Worship Service.  He will conclude his series entitled Tag: I AM it!  Join us for a final look at the “I AM” statements of Christ.

** Sunday is Mother’s Day and we will have a Parent/Child Dedication Service as part of our worship.

**As always, Children’s classes are available for children birth through 5^th grade from 9:30-noon.

Join us this Sunday!  It is going to be a great day at GBC!

A New Sunday Evening Bible Study begins this week!

All ladies are invited to join us Sunday, May 5, at 6 p.m., as we begin a 4-week DVD series entitled, “Loving Well” by Beth Moore. There will be time for discussion and fellowship, so come to get to know ladies of all ages at GBC.  We meet in the GBC Fellowship Hall.   The series will run for 4 weeks, skipping the holiday weekends.

Softball!  Grace Bible Church is once again sponsoring a women’s recreational softball team which plays on Tuesday nights.  We love to have new players of all skill levels join us for the fun and fellowship.  Games will begin mid-May.  See you on the field!

If you have questions about either of these opportunities, please contact the GBC office.

Historically GBC Youth Ministry slows down in May to allow for end of year school and family activities. Therefore, we will not be sending out an ENEWS weekly.  Please check the Student Ministry Calendar on the GBC Website (www.gracea2.org)  and look for reminder emails throughout the month

Here’s this week’s news:

TONIGHT–

Middle School “CHAOS”:

Come to THE BOX TONIGHT for

“Wacky Game Night” and Ice cream sundaes!

We will have a lot of fun on our last regular Wednesday of the school year.

Don’t miss it!  (And don’t worry, we’ll have more things planned for you this summer….details coming soon…..)

—————————————–

ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS–May 19– BE THERE!!

Middle School – Picnic at Mill Pond – 5-7pm

High School – End Of Year BBQ- Noon-2pm (location TBA)

——————————————–

Permission Slips!

It’s time already to begin turning in your

2013-14 GBC Youth Permission Slips!

The current Permission Slips expire May 31 and the new ones will be effective June 1.

As always, there will be prizes on June 2 for those who turn in their Permission Slip by May 31.

—————————————————————————————–

High School Small Groups

Individual Small Group Activities this Sunday night, April 28.

Please check student calendar for details.

————————————————————————————–

Pastor Adam Needs YOU!

Please plan to help with ON Goal Soccer Camp!

We need volunteers daily from June 17-22!

Please contact Pastor A and let him know when you are available.

————————————————————

 Sunday Mornings at GBC– EQUIP

9:30 am- Middle School Rooms 32-33

High School in The BOX

10:30 am – Worship in the Auditorium

PLEASE remember not to use the back hallway as this is now part of our secured Children’s Wing. 

Teens should only be in that hallway if they are serving in TIM that week

—————————————————————————————

Teens in Ministry
Remember– TIM is “2nd hour.” Teens in Ministry is our ministry to GBC Children on Sunday mornings. Teens serve during the worship hour. If you cannot serve, please try to trade with someone else. With the new Sunday morning GBC schedule, please be sure your parents can stay until noon on the mornings you serve. Your classroom needs you to be there until the end of class.

4/28 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Didi Ikeji, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu, Maggie Sowder

5/5 – Nate Sowder, Lauren Ardle, Griffin Beck, Caleb Stanton, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Brienna Hayter

5/12 – Noah Hayter, Nile Nwogu, Emma Hammond, Lindsey Hayter, Foster Hayes, Andrew Ardle, Alex Ammann

5/19 – Chidera Ikeji, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Amara Ikeji, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alicia Ammann

5/26 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Didi Ikeji, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu,

6/2 – Nate Sowder, Lauren Ardle, Griffin Beck, Andrew Ardle, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Maggie Sowder

6/9 – Noah Hayter, Nile Nwogu, Emma Hammond, Lindsey Hayter, Foster Hayes, Caleb Stanton, Brienna Hayter

6/16 –Caleb Stanton, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Amara Ikeji, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alex Ammann

6/23 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Griffin Beck, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu, Alicia Ammann

6/30 – Nate Sowder, Nile Nwogu, Didi Ikeji, Lindsey Hayter, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Chidera Ikeji

Other information regarding GBC Youth Ministry is available on the GBC website www.gracea2.org under Programs and then Student Ministry. For High School Students Pastor Adam also has a Facebook page.  Please contact him for FB info.

In His service,
Mary-Lynn Hodges for Pastor Adam Morse

Worship follows at 10:30 am in the Auditorium.

As always, children’s classes are available for children birth-5th grade

from 9:30 am-noon.

One of the many things that I heard immediately following the breaking news of the Boston Marathon bombing was, “People just don’t value human life anymore.” At first hearing, that statement seemed true. It seems far too easy for some to take the life of another. Something in me was shouting, “Yeah, that’s right; things are so terrible out there! It is like the whole world is headed into the ole hand-basket!” Sitting in my car, I found myself eager to mentally start pointing my finger at all of those “bad” people out there who seem to have little value for human life. They are the “bad” guys after all. They are the evil ones. They are problem.

The creation account in Genesis clearly gives us a fundamental basis for why we should value human life… all human life. Unlike the beginnings of humanity described by evolutionists or any other major world religions, the Bible states that man and woman were created in the very image of God. Did you hear that? – The image of God. Something about that phrase resonates within me. It explains something that makes my soul say, “Yes! This is truth- deep, deep truth! People are invaluable! People are unique! They matter! They should never have to experience such careless disregard- such senseless violence!” This view of intrinsic human worth- connected to being created in God’s image- is unique to the Biblical account. I have looked at many other creation accounts and have yet to come across anything that has such a high view of human value. Genesis stands alone. (Now, that doesn’t mean that people outside of Christianity cannot value human life. Many do.) It simply means that a Christian certainly should understand that human life is invaluable/ absolutely important and beautiful because each and every person bears on them the very image of their Heavenly Father.

Sitting in my car pondering the value of human life and mentally blaming everyone else for the evil in the world… something came to mind… something perhaps more troubling than the fact that there are evil folks “out there” that do not value life. In fact, I haven’t been able to escape this question every time I see more news coming out about the bombing.

Despite the fact that humans are created in the image of God, “Do I truly… truly value human life? Is evil just ‘out there’, or does it lurk in my heart as well? Could it be that I only value certain human lives?”

Think about this with me, and ask yourself some questions: “Am I guilty (at times) of thinking and living like I don’t value human life? Am I comfortable living in a culture and entertaining myself with regular depictions of simulated violence and death- cheering as the “bad” guys get what is coming and laughing at the explosions? When I watch the news, am I quick to jump angrily to a ‘bomb them all’ response when someone harms Americans? Do I value ‘their’ lives like I value ‘ours’? Am I deeply troubled by the news that there is an abortion doctor accused of maiming and killing far more humans than this Boston attack did? Do I place the same value on infants’ lives that I place on an 8 or a 29 year olds? Do I spend more money and give greater care and concern for my pet than I do the struggling, the poor and the downtrodden people in our world? Do I truly… truly value human life or just some humans’ lives?”

As often happens, when I start to examine my heart, I find that there is some nasty stuff in there. As I have been thinking about this, this quote by CS Lewis came to mind:

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

And I would add… no carelessness because we are created in the image of the Almighty.

Here’s this week’s news:

**ATTENTION MIDDLE SCHOOL:

THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17TH,

6:30 – 8:15,

we will be having our annual

“End of the Year” party

(even though we will still have one more regular Wednesday).

Please come and enjoy our end of the year trivia game,

end of the year movie (starring all of YOU!),

our salute to our 8^th Graders (yes, you’ll get a special “gift”), and, of course, plenty of food!

All 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders, please plan to be there,

especially you 8^th graders:

Mia S., Lindsey, Andrea, Didi, Jessa,

Nia, Jordan, Foster, and Jack.

Then NEXT WEEK:

Middle School “CHAOS”:

Come to THE BOX on Wednesday, April 24^th for “Wacky Game Night” and Ice cream sundaes!  We will have a lot of fun on our last regular Wednesday of the school year.  Don’t miss it!  (And don’t worry, we’ll have more things planned for you this summer….details coming soon…..)

—————————————–

Permission Slips!

It’s time already to begin turning in your

2013-14 GBC Youth Permission Slips!

The current Permission Slips expire May 31 and the new ones will be effective June 1. As always, there will be prizes on June 2 for those who turn in their Permission Slip by May 31.

 The 2103-14 Permission Slip is  available on this website.

————————————————————————————

High School Small Groups

All groups will meet this Sunday, April 21.

——————————————————————————–

Ecuador Team Meeting– April 21

Please plan for a 20-30 minute meeting in The BOX immediately after worship.

————————————————————————————-

 Sunday Mornings at GBC– EQUIP

9:30 am- Middle School Rooms 32-33

High School in The BOX

10:30 am – Worship in the Auditorium

PLEASE remember not to use the back hallway as this is now part of our secured Children’s Wing.  Teens should only be in that hallway if they are serving in TIM that week

————————————————————————————— 

Teens in Ministry
Remember– TIM is “2nd hour.” Teens in Ministry is our ministry to GBC Children on Sunday mornings. Teens serve during the worship hour. If you cannot serve, please try to trade with someone else. With the new Sunday morning GBC schedule, please be sure your parents can stay until noon on the mornings you serve. Your classroom needs you to be there until the end of class.

4/21 – Chidera Ikeji, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Delphanie Wu, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alicia Ammann

4/28 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Didi Ikeji, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu, Maggie Sowder

5/5 – Nate Sowder, Lauren Ardle, Griffin Beck, Caleb Stanton, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Brienna Hayter

5/12 – Noah Hayter, Nile Nwogu, Emma Hammond, Lindsey Hayter, Foster Hayes, Andrew Ardle, Alex Ammann

5/19 – Chidera Ikeji, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Amara Ikeji, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alicia Ammann

5/26 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Didi Ikeji, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu,

6/2 – Nate Sowder, Lauren Ardle, Griffin Beck, Andrew Ardle, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Maggie Sowder

6/9 – Noah Hayter, Nile Nwogu, Emma Hammond, Lindsey Hayter, Foster Hayes, Caleb Stanton, Brienna Hayter

6/16 –Caleb Stanton, Luke Hayter, Grace Sauers, Amara Ikeji, Jordan Nwogu, Emma Sowder, Alex Ammann

6/23 – Lina Jeffery, Kristi Scott, Griffin Beck, Mia Sowder, Carter Hayes, Eric Wu, Alicia Ammann

6/30 – Nate Sowder, Nile Nwogu, Didi Ikeji, Lindsey Hayter, Whitney Brown, Delphanie Wu, Chidera Ikeji

Other information regarding GBC Youth Ministry is available on the GBC website www.gracea2.org under programs and then Student Ministry. For High School Students Pastor Adam also has a Facebook page.  Please contact him for FB info.

In His service,
Carol Burgener for Pastor Adam Morse