Hello GRC!
You know when you take a picture, and the subject matter is blurry because the camera couldn’t keep up with the action? That’s the image I’ve had lately of our staff and volunteers, practically on the run, all day long, to get ready for GRC’s “re-launch” in our new home!
Yesterday was a major check-point as we prepared to receive guests for the first time at our Open House for ministry partners and new neighbors. About 40 people came, took tours, enjoyed refreshments, and chatted with us. (Full disclosure: as far as I’m aware, no residents from the local community came, but we trust that they now know we’re here, so keep praying!). One of the things people kept asking: “Do you need to keep pinching yourself?” The Scripture that came to my mind was this praise that Paul shares in Ephesians 3:20:Â “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever, Amen!”
Quite frankly, our prayers weren’t big enough to ask for a new home like God has provided at 21 Harristown Road! And yet, at the same time, we have been asking God, in prayer, for something much bigger than a nice new church home in a great location. Because Paul is certainly not talking about a church building. Paul is certainly not praising the King because of some earthly reality that will pass way. Paul is marveling at God’s outpouring of Gospel Grace that even reconciles deepest discord and conflict (e.g. Jew and Gentile in his context). And just before he is freshly amazed that God can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,” Paul prays for the people, that out of God’s “glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Eph 3:16-17). And he prays that they may have “power… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Eph 3:18).
That’s why we’re so amazed and excited about our move to Glen Rock. Because we believe, as we have prayed for years, that God has been and is going to continue to do His work of spiritual renewal so that Christ may dwell in more and more hearts through faith and so that we would be given power to grasp the mind-numbing dimensions of the love of Christ for us. We believe that God is going do even more than He has already!
The past few months have seen you, the people of God, stepping up with sacrificial service, to clean, pack, move, set up, throw out trash, watch children, clean some more, solve problems, give and pray. All of that energy was devoted to the work of God’s Kingdom. Cedar joined me at the Open House yesterday and remarked at how the entire team was joyfully serving until past 6pm on a weekday. Not because of the promise of some reward, but because of the cause of Christ, which motivates us to love and serve!
Now as we prepare to move in and worship…
Now as the Spirit of God fills that sanctuary because the people of God gather for worship…
Now as the Lord calls us to minister to a fresh mission field…
God will be honored as that same commitment and zeal for moving, is invested in prayer, ongoing sacrificial service to one another, and especially to the least and the lost. This is not the end of an effort, but the beginning of something greater!
I can’t wait to stand on that stage and see you filling the seats in our new sanctuary. I cannot wait to sing praises to the King – which will sound different because of a very different space! – as the same family who love one another because we are loved by Christ.
I hope to see you Saturday morning at our 9:30am Dedication Service, and then Sunday morning at our normal service times. Come early to get settled, so you can give your Lord, the focus that He is due!
Grace be with you,
Peter
