ii2Ceven>things

February 26, 2012 - Day 1

2012-02-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

Determining Our Steps

2012-02-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Who is that who determines our steps? We make all our plans, but WHO is it that is sovereign over every circumstance? Ah, yes. It's the Lord God Almighty, Lover of our souls, Maker of heaven and earth. We can rest easy. So friends, we have some announcements to make and changes to know. Remember, the missions mindset requires flexibility!

Some of you know that Dr. Bob Alderman, who was going to be our Keynote Speaker for Sunday morning and evening and Monday evening, is now unable to join us. Pastor Bob's older brother has been nearing Glory for some time now, and on Wednesday night, Pastor Ed called him to relieve him of his commitment here with us. This was certainly the right thing to do and Pastor Bob was thankful for it.

But we are so grateful that Dr. Daniel Kamaraj, who was going to be our Keynote for next Friday evening and Sunday morning, will be bringing his messages on Advancing the Gospel in a Hostile Environment on this coming Sunday morning (9:00 and 10:45) and evening (6:30-8:00). Then, on Monday evening, Terry Martin, one of our esteemed visiting missionaries, will be opening the Word for us. Please keep these men in your prayers as they will be preparing and making changes in their plans.

Also, one more announcement! We will be having childcare available for anyone who would like to come to Monday, Tuesday, or Friday morning's sessions at church from 9:30 to 11:00. So please, if you're a Mom who could come, but needed somewhere for your kids to go, please come and bring them! Thanks so much, and tell your friends!!!

And lastly, I just want to thank everyone for coming out last night to help set-up the church and make it beautiful for the conference! We all sooooo appreciate it! THANK YOU!!!

Goats for Greater Things!

2012-02-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

HELLO, GRACE!!!
Well, I want to know! Have you ever bought a goat? Being here in central IL, I'm sure there are some of you who have, LOL! This photo is of a sweet one down in the Champaign area. Megan Schwenk is heading up our initiative to raise funds to buy GOATS through World Vision from NOW through the end of the Conference (March 4). The goats will be given to impoverished families in developing world countries. If you didn't see the video on Sunday at church to see just how much a goat can impact a family's life, you can see it here:

http://www.worldvision.org/news/video-how-goat-can-help-change-lives.

We hope you'll be a part! Here's the pertinent information about the Goats and the Youth Challenge from Megan:
*Our GOAL is 15 goats! (I think we've got 1 or 2 already!)
*The total amount of money is $1,125 which is $75 per goat.
*If you would like to donate you can write a check to Grace Church with "goats"
on the memo line. Or you can donate throughout the week at the Goat table in the church foyer.
*Donations from the Pizza Night (Friday night, Fireside Room, 4:45-6:30) will go to the goats! Come and Eat, and Help buy a goat for a family that will help provide their meals for years to come!!!

Walking...Right Into His Presence

2012-02-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

Hi Grace! J As our conference quickly approaches, I want to highlight a wonderful opportunity we will have to really go deeper, learning more about the Lord and the people He has made and then listening to Him share His heart for us concerning them.

The Family Prayer Walk is going to open at 5:00pm on Friday, March 2^nd. It will be in the lower level of the church, where some of our ABFs normally happen. It will remain available for the rest of the weekend whenever the church is open. Please make a point to go through the Prayer Walk. There will be Little Caesar's Pizza available to buy at that time before or after you go through the Walk to give you some sustenence before the evening session! (And the proceeds of that will go to our Goat Initiative! More on that later!) There will be eight stations to visit with videos, activities and things to read to help you in the journey, including some fun activities for children. At the end, there will be a place for you to respond. But the main goal is that we would take time in the midst of a busy conference, to pray, to ask the Lord of the Harvest to do a great work and stir His people to action, to plead for the souls of the lost, to hear His still small voice.

Join us. Come and pray.

Quotes to Inspire

2012-02-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Grace!

In just three and a half weeks we will be experiencing Eyes to See Even Greater Things, our 2012 Missions Conference. As we anticipate that time, and think of all the details that are going into its preparation, it is easy to get sidetracked at times. I hope these quotes from some great missions pioneers of old will inspire you and me both.

"Before leaving for India, someone said to [William] Carey, 'There is a gold mine in India, but it seems as deep as the centre of the earth; who will go down and explore it for us?' Carey replied, 'I will go, but remember you must hold the ropes." -Archibald McLean

"If, like David, I am only an instrument of gathering materials, and another shall build the house, I trust my joy will be none the less." -William Carey

"We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first." - Oswald J. Smith

"If ten men are carrying a log -- nine of them on the little end and one at the heavy end -- and you want to help, which end will you lift on? - William Borden, reflecting on the numbers of Christian workers in the US as compared to the unreached peoples of China

"We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God." - John Stott

"...if God has called you to China or any other place and you are sure in your own heart, let nothing deter you... remember it is GOD who has called you and it is the same as when He called Moses or Samuel." "I wasn't God's first choice for what I've done for China, I don't know who it was. It must have been a man, well-educated man. I don't know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn't willing, and God looked down and saw Gladys Aylward and God said - 'Well, she's willing.' " - Gladys Aylward

the missions book club ~ chapter 1

2012-01-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

Hi All,
We are ready to go!

The Mission Book Club will begin on Thursday, February 2, at 6:30 p.m.

We will be reading and discussing Jeannette Windle's book, Veiled Freedom. If you would like me to order a book for you , please let me know right away!
The place we will meet will be determined by the number of participants so I will get back to you on that!

I am excited about this "trip" into the mission world!
Smile,
Pam Rightsel

The Conference is Coming! The Conference is Coming!

2012-01-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hello Grace Church!!!

Well, who can believe it, but 2012 is upon us!!! God has seen fit to tarry yet another year, and we will attempt to be wise and use each day of this one for His glory, as long as there is time. In a mere 7 weeks we will be getting ready to embark upon ii2Ceven>things (eyes to see even greater things), Grace Church's missions conference. Or should I say missions adventure?

If you have not picked up some refrigerator magnets with our conference logo to help you save the dates, please do that! They are in the foyer on tables outside the sanctuary. Or, ask an usher! While seeking out your new magnets, look for the new Grace Church Missionary Profiles booklet that should be in the same vicinity! This is a listing of all Grace's supported long-term missionaries, along with a good deal of helpful information in it to help you know and pray for those furthering the Kingdom of God on our behalf around the globe. Pick up your copy today!!! And start asking God what He wants to say to YOU during our upcoming conference!!! More soon!

Setting the Tone

2011-11-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord that we have pastors at Grace that SET THE TONE for us to be a fully engaged, missional church, obeying the Great Commission by GOING themselves! Praise the Lord for the pastors conference and for the biblical teaching that has occurred on this trip for our pastors to Manipur, INDIA! Also, you can see that Pastor Daniel Kamaraj was able to go to visit Pastor Ed and Pastor Len for a couple days! How fun that they could meet before Daniel comes to our conference!!! Please pray for them this week as they finish strong and prepare to come home on Wednesday.

Photos of our Visiting Missionaries!!!

2011-10-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Daniel Kamaraj

Neil & Joyce Coulter; James, Cameron & Will

David & Mary Dawson

Gangadin & Julie Hannoe

Terry & Dana Martin

David & Darlene Noden

Jim Rinella

John & Linda Berger

Aurel Rodean & Teodora

Bob & Pat Wright

Upcoming Events @ Area Churches

2011-10-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! Just want to let you know about a couple exciting missions opportunities coming up, like, extremely soon. Like, grab your car keys kind of soon.

***First of all, a top-notch dramatic production about the life of John Wesley called The Man from Aldersgate will be happening THIS FRIDAY NIGHT at the Evangelical Free Church of Bloomington on Lincoln Ave at 7pm. This will be an amazing opportunity to learn about an amazing leader in the Church.

***Secondly, East White Oak will be having their annual missions conference starting Saturday night, October 29. It will go through Sunday, November 7. See the listing of events at their website: http://ewo.org/missions/missions-conference-2011/

Make a comment and let us know if you went to one of these and tell us what you learned!

New Eyes

2011-09-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

Have you ever beheld something so great- so entirely wondrous- that it inspired within you awe, joy, near-disbelief, maybe even tears? Even long after you first experienced it, as you reflected back upon it, those same mind-boggling, jaw-dropping thoughts and feelings rose again. Could anything be that amazing?

The sun peering into the Grand Canyon at dawn. The smile of your true love. An endless field of dancing daffodils. The face of your newborn. A relationship restored. A great moment in history happening before you. A crowd of witnesses, worshipping the King.

Who authored each of these? What master artist could create such works, could paint such wonders?

His glory is all around. Jesus- Lord of All, Giver of Life, Maker of all things Great and Wondrous- is His Name. So this Jesus has made our eyes to be transformable, as in, scales falling off. As we follow very closely in His footsteps, He allows us to gradually see things more and more as He does, less and less as our old selves did. He tells us through His friend, John, that once He’s gone back to His Father that we will not only be able to SEE greater things, but DO even greater things than He had done (14:12). How is this possible? Only because HE ‘is the Way’ (14:6)!

Part of the work God the Son left for us to do before He ascended through the clouds was to give the Good News that we have heard and believed to those who have not heard it yet. Go and make more disciples from among all the nations, He said. And He said He would give us all the help we needed, if we asked. “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:12-13 niv)

As we anticipate Grace Church’s upcoming Missions Conference [Sun., Feb.26 – Sun., Mar. 4, 2012], Eyes to See Even Greater Things, we are asking God to give us a broader view of His glory, a more realistic picture of who He is and how beautifully he loves us. Wouldn’t you love to be caught off guard by the view He gives us, the Grand Canyonesque view of what He has in mind for us? Might we see a picture of a people he wants to save through our witness? Might we see the endless field of a ripened harvest and know that it’s His desire for us to go and bring it in? Could He miraculously show our hearts the wide-eyed faces of those newly born in Christ- because of His sovereignty and our obedience- to the extent that our hearts fill again with awe, joy, near-disbelief, and maybe even tears? May it be so. May He give us eyes to see even greater things.