In my Launch Sunday sermon I talked about ‘the S’s’: things happening this year at TGS. As a helpful reminder and spur to you, here they are again —
- Sermons & Studies: 1 John (just three more after today); Easter (Matthew’s Gospel; from March 24: Palm Sunday); Genesis 1-11 (Everything Begins; starting April 14—you might want to read ahead); 1 Timothy (Being a Gospel Household; starting June 9); Christmas (Matthew’s Gospel); Psalms (various times); Guests: Lloyd Lawrence, AFES, March 17; Mike Uptin, BCA, September 15 & possibly more.
- Staff: we will continue the search for an Assistant Minister until God provides us the right person, because “the harvest is plentiful”: there is plenty of gospel work they can productively do, and we can afford them right now.
- Surroundings: various reparative building maintenance & slight improvements to aid ministry. Hall kitchen vinyl and dishwasher should be in by March.
- Shirts: new TGS shirts (with a new TGS logo) will be available next month. These are a great way to express our unity and fellowship as a church, to ‘advertise’ TGS (& Jesus), and to show that you aren’t ashamed to be a Christian, but happily (but also in a low-key, non-threatening way) declare that you are a believer in the Lord Jesus. Conversations will start via your shirt. So, I encourage and urge you to get a new TGS shirt.
- Strengthening: we have been weak on training and mentoring for quite a while, but we are beginning to change that. Last Monday night’s meeting for Home Group Leaders and anyone interested in learning or being reminded of ’10 Core Bible Study Practices’ was helpful. (The training notes are available in the Foyer). There will be two more of these meetings at 730pm on Mondays in the Hall: May 20 (’The Games People Play’; August 19 (’Going Deeper’). The Amplify children’s, youth and families’ ministry Conference this Saturday is a help; later this year I’m planning to have later this year a Preaching Workshop open to everyone. In Term 2 we plan to run Truth Explored (great if you’ve still got questions or aren’t sure about certain things in Christianity, or want a refresher in core Christian teachings, or to help you explain and defend Christianity/the Bible/the gospel to non-Christians). We plan to run Truth Experienced (go deeper into 8 core Christian-life areas) in Term 3.
- Your Service: TGS is you, the people. And one of the key reasons why TGS is a good church is because so many of you give so much service. So, THANK YOU! As so many are doing so much, if you’re not or barely serving our great God, please help lighten the load of the highly committed— thanks!
Cameron
