Pastor Paul's Paragraphs

     Once again, God's creative handiwork has captured my attention. From the beautiful flowers on display in the botanical gardens, to the majesty of the ocean, to the glory of the giant redwoods- God's creative artwork has reminded me of His glory. While walking the beach with Joyce recently, we came upon a sleeping sea lion, one of those moments when we just observe and respond with wonder and awe. I am again reminded of Psalm 19 and Job 38. The Bible declares in Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created…" I recently learned that the blue whale weighs around 20-40 tons, and it eats some of the smallest of sea creatures in order to sustain life- lots and lots of small sea creatures. Just this morning the beautiful rose blossom again reminded me of God and the majesty of creation.

      1 Peter 5:7 tells me that "….He cares for you." All is not OK in or world, we are surrounded by news and information that makes our heads spin. The headlines of the local newspaper or internet web page don't typically include good news. There is tragedy and suffering and heartache all around our world. Yet, as I take a moment to rest and reflect on my life in this universe, and the brief moment in time that my life occupies, I am reminded that the all powerful, all knowing Creator of this universe cares for me. And He is big enough and strong enough and wise enough to care for me.

      He knows me, my strengths and weaknesses, my emotions, my level of intellect, my struggles with faith, and He cares for me. As we face the blessings and difficulties that surround each of our lives, as we swing from joyful praise to times of emotional struggle, may the Word of God and the God of the Word be our constant Companion…..for He cares for me. "The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

      Pastor Paul

Patriotic Service And Dinner

Sunday, July 5
Patriotic Service & Dinner on the Grounds

Please join us for a potluck dinner following the morning service. Bring your favorite chicken dish to share. This could include fried chicken, chicken casserole, chicken enchiladas, etc.

Also, if your name begins with A-L bring a dessert to share, M-Z bring a side dish to share.

We will have Evening Service at 6 PM.

Upcoming July Youth Activities

• June 29 - July 4 - GCA & Preschool Fireworks Booth Fundraiser.
• Tuesday, July 7 - Teen Outing to Cal Skate Chico “Christian Music Night” Plan to meet at the church by 5:15 PM. Bring your signed Consent Form and spending money. Cost is $5.50 per person and includes quad skates. See Terry Sloan for more information. Skate session runs 7-9 PM.
• July 13 - July 18 - Word of Life Summer Camp You still have time to sign-up for camp! Registration forms are available in the church foyer or call the church office for more information.
• Friday, July 24 - Kids BLAST Outing to The Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield. Plan to meet at the church promptly at 8 AM. Bring your signed Consent Form, sack lunch and spending money. The factory tour is free. Parents are welcome!
• Tuesday, July 29 - Kids Connect Water Play Day at GBC! Watch for more details to come.

Rating Your Kid's Movies This Summer

Do you know what your kids are watching this summer?

The rating process is largely subjective and is ever evolving. A Policy Review Committee comprising MPAA and NATO officials monitors the Review Board and provides guidelines to follow when rating movies. At this time, the Rating Board rates movies as follows:

G -- "General Audience - All Ages Admitted": Applied when a film contains no nudity, sexual content, drug use or strong language. Violence is minimal and the theme of the movie is deemed appropriate for young children. According to the MPAA, a “G” rating does not indicate the film is a children's movie.

PG -- "Parental Guidance Suggested. Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children": The Rating Board applies this rating when the members believe the film contains themes or content that parents may find inappropriate for younger children. The film can contain some profanity, violence or brief nudity, but only in relatively mild intensity. A “PG” film should not include drug use.

PG-13 -- "Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13." The MPAA added this rating in 1984 to denote films in which violence, profanity or sexual content is intense enough that many parents would not want to expose their younger children to the film, but not so intense as to warrant an R rating. Any movie featuring drug use will get at least a “PG-13” rating. A “PG-13” movie can include a single use of what the board deems a "harsher, sexually derived word," as long as it is only used as an expletive, not in a sexual context.

R --"Restricted. Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian": The Rating Board applies this rating to movies the members believe contain a high level of adult content, such as harsh profanity, intense violence, explicit sexual content and extensive drug use. In some states, the minimum age to see an “R” rated movie unaccompanied is 18.

NC-17: "No One 17 And Under Admitted": Originally called “X”, this rating is applied to films the board believes most parents will consider inappropriate for children. It indicates only that adult content is more intense than in an R movie; it does not imply any sort of obscenity. As with films rated R, the minimum age to see a NC-17 movie is 18 in some states.

Christian Assistance Network

May 2009 Report

Thank you Grace Baptist Church for your faithful support! Remember, the first Sunday of each month is CAN Sunday- don’t forget your canned goods. Volunteers are always needed. Please see Larry Garvin if you would like to help.