May 18, 20204
Hello Grace Vineyard Friends and Family.
Happy Birthday!
That my come as a surprise to some of you, but did you know that this Sunday is our birthday? The birthday of the Church, that is. It’s Pentecost Sunday, and many would say that the birth of the church occurred on the Pentecost Sunday that took place 50 days after the crucifixion of Jesus. It was on that Sunday, as Luke records in Acts chapter 2, that the long awaited promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was given to the followers of Jesus, and that’s the day the church was officially born.
The “Our Daily Bread” devotional says, “The birth took place in Jerusalem, where thousands of people witnessed ‘the delivery.’ It was a spectacular event, marked by supernatural signs, a powerful sermon, and an overwhelming response.”
“Overwhelming response”? I guess so! When Peter preached his first sermon after having been baptized with the Holy Spirit, 3,000 people were added to their number!
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:41)
And that’s what we’ll be talking about this Sunday. I hope to see you all there, ready to worship and rejoice on this very special day of celebration. And if you are not able to be with us in person this Sunday, you can always join online via the Zoom app with this info: Zoom Meeting ID 153 112 432, Passcode 684814. You may also join us on Facebook Live at facebook.com/gracevcf.
As is my usual custom, here’s the links to watch or listen to last week’s message on Youtube and Gracetalks.org
Here’s some happenings that are coming up, some as soon as tomorrow afternoon, and some a little farther away, but they’re all worth checking out.
After Church Prayer THIS Sunday
I can’t tell you how pleased I am that we have a monthly after church prayer meeting. A couple weeks ago I was preaching on how we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit as we fight the good fight of the faith, and how a primary way we engage in that spiritual warfare is through prayer. It is one of the most prominent ways God has ordained to partner with us to accomplish His will in the earth. And yet, for some reason, we Christians don’t seem to prioritize prayer very highly. Let’s change that in our circles! Please plan on joining us tomorrow after church at 11:45 for an hour of seeking the Lord and making requests with our prayers. See you then!
Soaking Worship and Prayer Sunday Night
This Sunday night we’ll have a special evening of intimate worship and prayer. This one is pretty special, because it will be Pentecost Sunday. Come and just bask in the Presence of the Lord in an extended time of worship and prayer. We’ll begin at 6pm, and we’ll be in the lobby.
Men and Women Needed to Bless the Ladies of FRC
We are inviting men and women to help us bless the ladies at the Family Recovery Center (A residential and outpatient treatment program assisting women recovering from substance use while promoting healthy family reunification) on Saturday, June 1st. The dinner will begin at 4:30 and we’ll need people to help set up, bring food and drinks, usher the ladies and clean up. Please sign up at the table in the lobby. If you have questions, please call Kim Ohst 760.519.4558.
New Monday Night Women’s Bible Study
Our Women of Grace who went to our last retreat will certainly remember our amazing speaker, Dianne Leman. Dianne has written a book called, “Hello Holy Spirit, God’s Gift of Live-in Help”, and there is a 7 session DVD study to go along with it. Debby Gidley will be leading this study on Monday nights, beginning June 10th. The study will take place at Lisa Rogers’ home, 1771 Round Tree Dr., Oceanside. Please sign up in the lobby after church ASAP. Signup deadline is June 5th, but these groups tend to fill up fast, so you’ll wanna jump on this right away. If you have questions, call or text Debby at 760-637-9286. You can also email her at debby@gracevcf.org.
Finally, I want to remind you about the date change for the Breath of Heaven Golf Tournament fund raiser.
Rescheduled: Breath of Heaven Golf Tournament Fund Raiser
Tithes and Offerings Online
THANKS for taking ownership in the life and ministry of Grace Vineyard! And thanks to all of you who are stepping into a lifestyle of generosity with your tithes and offerings. It really does take all of us doing our part with the income God has entrusted to us for His church. If you’d like to give your tithe or offering online, click the donate button below.