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Greetings GraceLife!

This past Sunday, Pastor Joe continued our ongoing series on the life of David with a powerful message titled "Rival Kingdoms." Drawing from 2 Samuel 2, Pastor Joe highlighted the tension that arose after Saul's death: even though David was God’s anointed king, Abner installed Saul’s son Ish-bosheth over much of Israel, resulting in two competing kingdoms.

This passage serves as a vivid reminder of the spiritual reality we face today. Jesus is reigning as King right now, yet a rival kingdom of darkness continues to resist His rule until the day every knee will bow. As followers of Christ, we shouldn't be surprised by spiritual conflict or suffering in this world. Instead, we are called to stay faithful, knowing that our King’s final, complete victory is assured! If you missed this message or want to listen again, please visit the "Messages" tab on our website.

This Week at GraceLife

August 18th (Tuesday)

  • Recovery Church at Mount Lockwood: Food served at 6:30 PM; meeting runs from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
  • Adult Mid-Week Bible Study: Continuing our seven-week journey through 2 Peter! Join us at 7:00 PM in Mount Beneva Gym Classroom 201B/C.

August 19th (Wednesday)

  • Coloring Club: New group meeting from 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM in the small classroom above the Gym. 
  • Sisters in Prayer: 7:00 PM at Mount Beneva Fellowship Corner.
  • Captivating Women's Group: (Note: Captivating will not be meeting this week.)

August 20th (Thursday)

  • Ladies’ Bible Study ("Women of the Old Testament"): Led by Beth Lawson, 10:15 AM – 12:00 PM, Mount Beneva Gym Classroom 201B/C.
  • Deep End Dinner & Bible Study: 7:00 PM at Mount Lockwood.

August 22nd (Saturday)

  • Men’s Bible Study: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM in Mount Beneva Gym Classroom 201B/C. Join us for learning and fellowship!

August 23rd (Sunday) at Mount Beneva

  • 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM: Open Leadership Prayer Time (Room 106)
  • 9:00 AM & 10:30 AM: Worship Services (Auditorium/Sanctuary)
  • 9:00AM – 10:15AM:  GL Students Discipleship Class (Gym Loft)
  • 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM: Adult Christian Education Class ("Biblical Love" taught by Jeff Lawson & Mike Hamel in Gym 201B/C) 
  • 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM: GL Kids Classes (Infant–5th Grade, Children's Wing)
  • 11:40 AM: Church Family / Congregational Meeting (Auditorium/Sanctuary) to finalize terms of call for Pastor Joe and Pastor Keith as we move forward together toward transitioning membership in our Presbytery.
  • 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: GL Students Evening Gathering (Gym Loft)

August 24th (Monday)

  • GraceLife Recovery at Mount Lockwood: Meets every Monday! Pizza is served at 6:30 PM, and the meeting starts at 7:00 PM. A food pantry is available for meeting attendees starting at 7:45 PM.

Looking Ahead

  • August 30th (Sunday) – Monthly Prayer Meeting At Mount Beneva (Auditorium/Sanctuary, 4-5PM); focus is Kairos prison ministry.

  • September 6 (Sunday) – First Sunday Luncheon, Gym at Mount Beneva, immediately after 10:30AM worship service.  Please bring a dish to serve if you can!  

Stewardship Thoughts

True Christian stewardship begins with recognizing that our lives belong to God. As we live in a world marked by rival kingdoms, we hold our time, talent, and treasure in service to King Jesus and His community:

  • Living unashamedly for Christ in the midst of a culture in conflict,
  • Investing in the spiritual growth and nurture of the next generation,
  • Using our gifts to build up the church family,
  • Demonstrating trust in God's promises through faithful, cheerful giving, and
  • Caring for the physical facilities God has blessed us with to support our church body.

Ministry Highlights & Ongoing Opportunities

God has gathered us together into one family so that we can encourage and serve one another. Consider where you can plug in and serve this week:

  • GL Students Ministry (Grades 6–12): Join us in the Loft (upstairs Mount Beneva Gym) Sundays from 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM for Discipleship class, and 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM for our evening gathering!
  • Volunteers Needed:
    • Hospitality Ministry: Assist with coffee/donuts for morning services or event prep/clean-up. Reply to this email to sign up!
    • Children's Ministry: Caregivers and teachers needed on Sunday mornings. Stop by the Connection Center or contact Jackie.
    • Greeters & Connection Center: Welcome team members needed for both 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM services. Stop by the Connection Center to serve!

Sunday Mornings at Mount Beneva

  • Parking: Please let us know of any parking issues you may have.
  • Lobby & Greeters: Greeters are available to welcome and assist you. Visit the Connection Center for questions, sign-ups, books, t-shirts, and nametags.
  • Hospitality: Enjoy complimentary coffee, tea, and pastries refreshed throughout the morning.
  • Auditorium Care: We are so grateful for our beautiful facility! To help us preserve our new carpet for years to come, please refrain from bringing food into the auditorium and ensure all drinks are in spill-proof, lidded cups.
  • Leadership Prayer: Open prayer time in Room 106 from 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM.
  • Worship Services: Held in the auditorium/sanctuary at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM.
  • Christian Education: 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM for Adults.

Group Prayer Opportunities

  • Leadership Prayer Time: Sundays from 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM in Room 106.
  • Sisters in Prayer: Wednesdays at 7:00 PM at Mount Beneva Fellowship Corner.
  • Prayer Chain Requests: Submit requests via Prayer Request Form, email, text, or verbal request to leadership or the Admin Team.

Ways to Give

  • In-Person: Cash or check during Sunday worship services.
  • Bank Bill Pay: Set up recurring or one-time giving through your bank.
  • GraceLife App / Website: Click "Give" (redirects to Tithely) to give online.