75th Anniversary Update #3

Here's the all-church email that was sent this afternoon. If you didn't get it and you want to, email me.

Beloved Grace Church Family,

It's that time again! Time for this week's 75th Anniversary Weekly Email Update. I hope you're taking the time to read these essential emails. Communication in the Family is such a challenge. Before I tell you what YOU need to know, let me tell you what WE need to know. . .

ACTION; Are you coming to the Mexico/Missions Dinner this Sunday Night at 5:30 PM? The cost for this event is $5/ head for adults, $3/head for kids 9 and under, or a maximum of $20 per family. So far we've heard from 300 who are planning to be there. If you are planning to come and you haven't RSVP'd, we need to hear from you ASAP. The simplest and quickest way for you to communicate with us is to reply to this email RIGHT NOW and tell us how many from your family are planning to be there!

ACTION: Are you planning to attend the 75th Anniversary Banquet at the Madonna Expo on Saturday, May 27th? Tickets for this once-in-75 years event are $35 per head. Because of the unique nature of this event, we are trying to get a head count by May 14, which is only a couple of weeks away. If you're planning to come, we'd like to hear from you NOW by email (Hit the REPLY BUTTON, and tell us THE NAMES of those coming) and then have you purchase your tickets at the 75th Anniversary Table in the Courtyard in one of the coming Sundays. (We don't want money to keep you from coming. If you have a financial need, please share it. There are those who are eager to help!)

Now here's what YOU need to know. . . .

THIS COMING WEEK, April 30 - May 4: 75th Anniversary Missions Conference (See the attached Missions Conference Brochure)
Last weekend we thought and acted LOCALLY. This coming week we think and act GLOBALLY. Like Pastor Scott's rabbit, we've got to look multiple directions as we live by faith in time and space before the face of God. Here's what's happening. . . .

In the Worship Services . . .
All of our visiting missionaries will be introduced in the Worship Services. Our keynote speaker for the morning will be former Senior Pastor, Deane Keller, who served Grace Church for 17 years! Deane will be taking us to that great and classic missionary passage in Isaiah 6. I'm looking forward to it!

Grace Beyond . . . 9:30 & 11:00 AM
What is Grace Beyond? Grace Beyond is something we occasionally put on when we have short term missionaries return from their trips or when we have long-term missionaries who are in-town for a visit. On Sunday, April 30, during the 9:30 and 11:00 hours, all of our Adult Bible Fellowships, Youth Groups and College Ministry will come together for a special Grace Beyond forum for all of our visiting missionaries. Pastor Steve will be MCing the time. He'll ask the missionaries some fun and different questions and you, too, will have an opportunity to ask some questions. If you don't normally attend an ABF or other class, you're invited too.

Sunday Evening Missions Dinner . . . 5:30 PM
This year we're trying something different . . . we're combining our Missions Dinner and Mexico Dinner. This makes sense since both are part of our missions outreach. Gary Peterson, one of our beloved missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators will be opening God's Word for us. This is your opportunity to sit down with one of our vocational missionaries and tell them you care about them. Come out for this great evening of food and fellowship. (Childcare will be provided for little ones 0-5 years old.)

Midweek Opportunities . . .
While on Sunday we're doing the BIG GROUP thing, all through the week, we'll do the SMALL GROUP thing. Individual missionaries will be dropping into Growth Groups and other small groups throughout the week. You don't attend a Growth Group? No problem. . . on this particular week, our Growth Groups are throwing the doors wide open to any and all who want to take advantage of this special opportunity to hear what God is doing around the world.


NEXT SUNDAY, May 7th: College Ministry Focus
On this day, we'll be celebrating God's faithfulness in transforming the lives of college students through the ministry of Grace for 75 years. Pastor Steve and I will trade places for the morning. He'll preach in the Worship Services and I'll have the privilege to teach in our College Ministry at 11:00 AM. I know Pastor Steve is putting together some neat historical slides and also has a video message from past College Pastor, Corey Melia, up his sleeve for the worship services. Should be great!

After the services, we'll host a special COLLEGE REUNION PIZZA IN THE PARK for any and all who have come through the college ministry throughout the years. (RSVP for this fun get-together on the worship folder TAB this Sunday!)


Declare the Lord's Faithfulness!
Psalm 92:1-2 says. . . It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night. Have you taken the time yet to leave a memory/reflection to declare the Lord's faithfulness in your own life on the 75th Anniversary section of the website? Why not take a few minutes now? How can I get you to do this? Here's the link. . .



I'll leave you this week with this memory from a Jill Moulton, who was here for a just a short time during the Deane Keller years. . .

After having visited Grace many times with my sister Lee Moulton, I finally gave up trying to control my own life and handed the reigns over to the Lord. I moved to San Luis Obispo because I knew Grace would be a place that would help me grow. Pastor Keller's teaching, Bible study with my roommates, Evangelism Explosion, Sunday School with "Careers in Christ" group, conferences at Hume, singing in Dave Krumpe's group - I felt I was at a banquet of God's Word. At the end of a year and a half in SLO, Craig and Cindy Stoner helped me realize that I should finish my degree, and I returned to UCLA. God opened so many doors for me through the Stoners! Instead of going to an exotic misssion location, my mission was teaching high school English in inner city L.A. I had many opportunities to share there, and I sponsored the school's first Bible Club. Now my mission field is in my home trying to train my children to be godly in the midst of the OC. Looking forward to catching up with old friends!!"

It is good to be reminded that God is at work among us, now and always!

Yours because of and for the Gospel. . . Pastor Tim