The Church News for 30 July 2023

The Grace Missionary Church Office distributes the Church News for 30 July 2023.
Have a blessed week ahead.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Below is a list of our members and adherents 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.

Brian and Garcia Rattray welcomed a beautiful baby girl on July 25, 2023. To God be the glory! Congratulations to the proud parents and to Grand-Dad, Brother Cleve Rattray.

Prayer Meeting and Bible Studies:

On Wednesdays, we meet in the Sanctuary for our weekly midday Bible Study at 11:00 AM and, later, our Prayer Meeting session starts at 7:00 PM on ZOOM. The evening Bible Study starts at 8:00 PM and is shared on ZOOM and YouTube.

Youth Meetings

Grace Youth Ministry (GYM), Youth In Praise (YIP) and Teens In Praise (TIP) are on break for the summer.

Sunday School Activities

Sunday School classes for all age groups occur from 8:00 AM – 8:55 AM. This is immediately before our Worship Services.

Special Note:

• The Freedom in Christ sessions began on Sunday, July 2, 2023, in the Board Room, at 8:00 a.m. This is facilitated by Sister Diana Reynolds.
• Regular Adult Sunday School classes will continue in the Annex with Sister Paula Blake-Powell and will consider the topic: The Family, The Law, The Bible.

***Please note – Sunday School will break for the month of August 2023 and resume in September.***

Sunday Service

Our Worship Services continue in a face-to-face format from the Sanctuary each Sunday at 9:00 AM. It is shared via ZOOM and live-streamed on our YouTube Channel. Our speaker for this Sunday is Reverend Mark L. Dawes.

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 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.

Members’ Milestone Recognition

The Membership Department wants to recognize and celebrate with our members who have upcoming Milestone Birthdays or Wedding Anniversaries. If you have one such special event, please share it with Sister Dawn Ashley- the Social Support Officer or a member of the Church Office Team.

Other Announcements

The Thanksgiving Service for the life of Brother Horace Shaw, a founding member of Grace, is scheduled for Saturday, August 5, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., here in the Sanctuary.

Also, the Funeral arrangements for Mr Leemore Facey, brother of Sister Lilieth Facey, will be shared when they become available.

Finally, the Funeral arrangements for Sister Lucille Alexander will also be shared when finalized.

We continue to offer support through our prayers and words of encouragement to our members and adherents who have recently lost loved ones. May the peace and comfort of our Lord be yours.

We 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
• Brother Leonard Bowerbank
• Brother Lloyd Trusty
• Sister Doreen Bourne (member of the Devon Missionary Church who is a patient at the KPH, awaiting surgery. Sister Bourne is the mother of GMC Member Sister Denisha Bourne).

Prayer Emphasis

Grace Missionary Church is seeking to further augment prayer in our Fellowship, starting August 2023. A number of activities have been organized around 40 days of prayer for our Children & Youth, through Corporate and Individual times of seeking the Lord. These include:

1. A Prayer Chain
   A 24-hour schedule is available at the Ushers’ table, where all are invited to stop by and indicate by Name and Contact Number, the timeslot in which you will commit to pray each day.
2. Prayer Meetings
   Our scheduled Wednesday Evening meetings will, during this time, include intentional prayer for our Children and Youth.
3. Prayer & Fasting on Thursdays
   The GMC Sanctuary will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm each Thursday to facilitate those wishing to pray there.

Further details may be had from our Prayer Coordinator, Deacon Arlene Burton.

Praise Report – Rae Town Outreach

Sister Darlene Jones is reporting that the Dental Outreach in Rae Town on July 15, 2023, was a success with forty (40) children receiving dental care. Heartfelt thanks go out to:
✓ Kirk Distributors and “The Dentist Next Door” for their partnership in Ministry.
✓ The volunteers and those who contributed their time, cash, and prayers.

Efforts continue to develop a Church Photo Directory here at GMC, to help our members recognize and get to know each other. This is a part of our drive to facilitate caring relationships within our fellowship. For those who wish to participate, we are asking that you kindly email to the Church Office, a recent photo ( a selfie will also work), that represents you. GMC’s email address is gracemis@cwjamaica .com. Those without electronic access may send or hand deliver photos to the Church Office Team.

Upcoming MCAJ Events

National Evangelism & Missions Department presents:

1. Eastern Region Evangelism Training with Reverend Ronald Webster:
   • Part 2: to be rescheduled.

NMYM Camp 2023 is on now! Our GMC/Rae Town Campers will attend Camps 2-5, and we ask that you pray specifically for a great time of fun, their safety and spiritual upliftment as they participate this year.

Help Needed

A reliable live-in caregiver is urgently needed for a female senior citizen. Interested persons are asked to contact the GMC Church Office for further details.

Miscellaneous

The Havendale / Meadowbrook Citizens’ Association (HMCA) has sent an invitation to its Annual Emancipendence Fish & Barbi-Fry and Farmers’ Market, on Saturday, August 5, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the HMCA Community Centre, 101 Border Avenue, Kingston 19. Meals are $1,600 each and refreshments will be on sale.

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” and 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.