Grace for Your Day May 17

GRACE FOR YOUR DAY: George Crawford is a graduate of Occidental College and UCLA in Los Angeles where he graduated with a degree in Law. Upon finishing his studies, he worked as a Prosecuting Attorney and Administrative Law Judge for the State of California at which time he also served as an Elder at Grace Community Church. He began attending there in 1977 and he has been a part of the creation of several exciting ministries since then one of which is called “Grace Advance.”

Grace Advance is a ministry that was created to assist in the planting and re-planting of churches all across the United States and Canada. It helps them to get established which is what they did for us in the Fall of 2016. Five years ago, they sent a team out to Chilliwack to meet our people and talk with them about the possibility of starting a work here. After several months of discussion, they wholeheartedly approved of the idea and soon helped GFC to find its first pastor, create a Vision Statement, and install our first Elders. They have also continued to provide support and counsel since then. In fact, they were planning to send a team to help us in hosting a Vacation Bible School this summer until they found out that the border was still closed.

George Crawford was a part of all of that. He has helped our church from the beginning so we have asked him to preach to us this Sunday on the subject of “Hope.” As you know, many people have been discouraged lately over all of the problems with the government. They have felt hopeless about where things are heading and yet the Bible has answers for that. It tells us how to handle it when we feel hopeless because Romans 15:13 says:
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Paul says that our hope is found in God. It is not found in what the government does because it is found in something bigger than that. It is found in the Lord which means that it is full. It is not lacking in anything because our hope never runs out. God makes it abound to us which gives us joy and peace. It gives us a certain stillness of spirit so that we can face the trials of life with confidence. We can face whatever the world may bring against us with boldness which is what George will be talking to us about this Sunday morning.

The sermon will be pre-recorded ahead of time and played on a screen at our 8:15, 9:45, and 11:15 services. It will also be available Sunday morning on our You Tube Channel and website for all who would like to see it. We look forward to this wonderful opportunity to come together and learn about the amazing hope that we have in Christ. May the Lord bless you and keep you until then. – Jeremy Cagle