The Church News for 1 January 2023

The Church News for 1 January 2023 is distributed by the Grace Missionary Church Office.
Have a blessed week ahead.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Below is a list of our members and adherents who will be celebrating birthdays and anniversaries during the coming week. If you are also celebrating your special date during this period and your name is not listed, please visit our “Birthdays / Anniversaries” page to update your information.

Prayer Meeting and Bible Studies:

On Wednesdays, we meet for our weekly Prayer Meeting session at 7:00 PM on ZOOM. The evening Bible Study starts at 8:00 PM and is shared on ZOOM and YouTube. Our Midday Bible Study will resume later in January 2023.

Youth Meetings

All our Youth Meetings, GYM, YIP, and TIP, are on a break. The resumption dates will be announced at a later date.

Sunday School Activities

Sunday School is on an end-of-year break and will resume in January 2023. The date will be announced by the Church Office.

Sunday Service

Our Worship Services continue in a face-to-face format from the Sanctuary each Sunday at 9:00 AM via ZOOM and live-stream on our YouTube Channel. For January 2023, our focus is: “The Providence of God…who sees, hears, and is in control“. Our speaker today is Reverend Alston Henry.

We welcome your feedback regarding our Bible Studies and Sunday Services. Your comments will help us to grow and serve you better. So call or email the office or any of the Elders or Deacons, or email us via our website using our contact page. In addition, you may complete an online survey on our Polls page. We greatly appreciate your feedback.

Membership and Baptism

We ask anyone desirous of Baptism or Membership, please indicate your interest to the Church Office or speak directly with Reverend Mark Dawes.

GMC Connect Card

The GMC Connect Card is available on our Membership Page and from members of our Team of Ushers. We invite you to complete and submit the card to help us to get to know you better. This will help us to provide the spiritual support you may need from time to time.

Other Announcements

For the members of our Church Family who recently lost loved ones, we continue to support their families with our prayers and words of encouragement:

• Sister Dawn Ashley lost her father. The Funeral Service for Mr. Allan Ashley is scheduled for January 7, 2023, at 12:00 noon at Reids Mocho Emmanuel Apostolic Church in Clarendon.
• Sister Darlene Jones lost an aunt. A Thanksgiving Service of Music and Song for Mrs. Besta Josefina Burgher, late of Limon, Costa Rica and Kingston Jamaica will be held on a date to be announced.

Also remember our brethren who are not well, or are recuperating, at this time. Let us keep surrounding them with our prayers and words of encouragement:

• Reverend Garnett Roper
• Sister Evadne McLean
• Sister Yvonne Wright
• Brother Clifford Linton
• Justin Grey
• Dr. Carmen Moe, the sister of Elder Donald Blake

Week of Prayer

We begin our 2023 ministry activities with a Week of Prayer from Sunday, January 8, to Friday, January 13, 2023. We will provide further details at a later date.

Members’ Meeting

A Members’ Meeting, is planned for January 15, 2023. GMC will be required to vote to elect a pastor in keeping with Article VI, Section 3B of the Grace Missionary Church Bylaws – “Election of the Pastor”.

Kingston Keswick Convention 2023

The Kingston Keswick Convention 2023, under the theme “Be Transformed to Transform”, will be held from Sunday, January 22 to Sunday, January 29, 2023. This year, the Convention will be held face-to-face at the Boulevard Baptist Church starting at 7:00 pm each evening. The meetings will also be streamed online. The links will be provided when available. Therefore, our usual Wednesday evening Bible Study at GMC will not be held during that week. Attendees are invited to join the Keswick meeting for that night as well.

Eastern District Convention

The Eastern District Convention of the Missionary Church Association in Jamaica (MCAJ) is scheduled for Sunday, January 29, 2023. Further details will be provided.

Birth Certificate Assistance

Any GMC Church Family member who does not have a Birth Certificate is invited to contact Sister Dawn Ashley, our Social Support Officer, through the Church Office. The Membership Department will be reaching out to the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) to determine the best way of helping our congregants to acquire this most important document.

Special Appeal

A member of our fellowship is urgently seeking a self-contained room with access to cooking facilities for light meals. If you have such a space in your residence and are willing to make it available for rental, please contact the Church Office.

Prayers

Please continue to pray for God’s healing touch for our members who are at this time recuperating. Also, please remember to pray for the “Sick and Shut-Ins“, as well as those classified as vulnerable. In addition, remember to stay in touch with each other during our time of isolation and separation.

Resumption of Church Activities

We continue to observe the following protocols for your safety and comfort when we meet:

1. Hand Washing and Sanitization.
2. Mask Wearing in enclosed spaces (highly recommended, but not mandated).
3. Maintaining Physical distance (highly recommended, but not mandated).
4. Remaining at home if you are feeling unwell.

Also, please remember to pay very close attention to the periodic updates and advisories issued by the Health Authorities.

Please remember to call and pray with one another. Also, keep safe, practice social distancing, wash hands, and clean surfaces regularly.

In addition, remember to wear your masks, sanitize, and maintain 6 feet physical distance. Also, let us keep in touch and encourage each other, especially during these very challenging times.