September 19-21 2008 Dunsmuir, CA
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Wow, where did summer go? It is not quite over but we are getting things ready for the fall and the start up of several things here at Grace. As I look at my schedule today, it is full of appointments and a long "to do" list. As I have just finished a phone conversation that included the idea of "too much on my plate," I am reminded of the reality that we are creatures of time. Ha, I even got a phone call this morning at 7:30 because I had miscommunicated on meeting with someone and we had to clarify and reschedule. Wow, life comes at you hard and fast and it can leave you spinning like a destructive cyclone unless you are very intentional with your schedule.
I love to contemplate on Lamentations 3:22-23: "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." I also like to think on Matthew 14:23: "And when He (Christ) had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there."
Some of the words which catch my attention from each of these verses include "new every morning" and "He was alone." God places before me every morning a new day. In the midst of my business, I must take time to be alone with Him, I must make time to be alone with Him. I cannot burn the candle at both ends without eventually getting burned in the middle. I am learning to make time to refresh and renew. Consider the words of author and teacher Jerry Bridges: "I believe that ministry flows out of our lives—out of who we really are. Therefore, we can't adequately convey spiritual reality to others if we're not pursuing holiness." The writer said it so succinctly with the words of the hymn "Take Time to be Holy." It may not sound very spiritual to schedule time with God, but if we are not intentional with making time with God a priority, we may end up missing our time with God. Remember, seven days without God makes one weak.
Pastor Paul
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After 41 Weeks in Captivity, Steve Godbold is FREE!
It has been nearly 10 months since GBC was asked to pray for Steve Godbold. Steve is a missionary and a leader of Chad’s Evangelical Church. He is also the parent of a student at the school where Ken and Julie Vaughan serve. Steve was captured by rebels in October 2007 while transporting equipment to drill wells. His captors thought that Steve was working for the Chad Government. After many months of negotiations and much prayer Steve has been released and will be returning to the States very soon. “This has been a long ordeal for everyone. We will be forever thankful for the host of friends far and wide who prayed for Steve and his family. We covet your continued prayers for Steve and Tosha in the weeks to come.”
Crisis Management Team
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Grace Baptist Church
Children’s Mid-Week Club Kick-Off!
“Wet & Wild Wednesday”
August 27, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Don’t miss our Wet & Wild Wednesday, our special water-themed summer event for all the kids Kindergarten through 6th grade! We will have a water slide, bounce house, snow cones and much more! Bring your swim suit, bring your friends and bring your parents. For more information, please call Trish in the church office at 673-6847.
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Calling all you Bargain Shoppers!
Once again Grace Baptist Church will be collecting shoe boxes to ship over seas this Christmas. For those of you that are planning on putting a box together, there are many stores that are having "Back to School" sales and now would be a good time to start buying items to fill your box. Check your local newspaper for special ads.
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Prop. 8 to Remain on November Ballot
ProtectMarriage.com - “Yes on 8” won a significant legal victory on July 16, 2008 when the California Supreme Court dismissed efforts to have Proposition 8 thrown off of the November ballot. ProtectMarriage filed an extensive legal brief vigorously opposing this effort to deny voters the ability to vote on this crucial issue.
Gay advocates had asked the highest court in California to remove Proposition 8 from the ballot on the theory that the measure constituted a “constitutional revision” rather than a constitutional amendment. Constitutional revisions must first be approved by the legislature before they may be submitted to a public vote. However, the Supreme Court delivered a significant blow to advocates of same-sex marriage as the Court dismissed their case outright by denying their request for a hearing.
As a result of the Court’s decision, Proposition 8 will remain on the November ballot, giving California voters the opportunity to once again vote on the same-sex marriage issue. In 2000, more than 61 percent of California voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition 22 which upheld the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.
"This week's Supreme Court decision is a huge victory in the fight to protect marriage,” said Ron Prentice, chairman of the Protect Marriage initiative. “The Court’s dismissal sends a strong message that Proposition 8 continues to have the law on its side. Time and time again, the opponents have attempted to circumvent the democratic process by going to the courts rather than the voters, but the fact remains that the people of California have a right to vote on this issue."
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August 4
GCA Teachers back to work for 2008-2009 school year
August 11
Preschool break for teachers to prepare for 2008-2009 school year
August 14
Back-to-School Night - 6:00 PM
August 17
GCA & PS Teacher Dedication during
10:30 AM Sunday service
August 18
First Day of School for 2008-2009 school year
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Pastor Paul's Paragraphs
Missionary News