The congregation of Grace Baptist Church in Tyrone will participate in the national campaign “40 Days of Community” beginning Sunday, October 9 in the 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. services.
This national campaign was initiated by Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California. It is the second phase of a trilogy of campaigns designed to practically structure the activities of Christ’s church in “purposeful direction.”
Sunday, September 18 at 10:30 a.m., Grace Baptist will show the kick-off video, “Better Together”. In this presentation, Pastor Rick Warren, author of NY Times Best Seller book Purpose Driven Life, will explain the campaign giving detail and vision to all Christians. There will be no 8:15 a.m. service at Grace for Sunday, September 18 due to this exciting service to unite the congregation and guests who join in this service.
Pastor Roy Garthwaite explained the purpose of this campaign, “Each year as the Senior Pastor of Grace, I like to plan into the annual calendar a spiritual ‘growth season’. During those weeks our congregation intensely focuses on God’s goal for every believer in Jesus of progressing in Christ-likeness. We do this knowing that it unites our congregation on one page and some experience knowing Christ in a life changing way. The individual spiritual disciplines that are required to participate and length of the 40 Day campaign build spiritual habits which contribute to the success in changing individuals and congregations.”
Garthwaite added, “But the 40 Days of Community Campaign not only gives opportunity for individual spiritual growth, it teams individuals into as many as 20-30 small groups (six to 10 people in each group) around the Tyrone area to study Jesus Christ together and serve together donating time and money, when possible, to accomplish various projects around the local community. The concept of these individual groups serving small needs and all the groups working together on a larger project is potentially very beneficial to our great community.”
The theme of this 40 Day Campaign is, “Better Together”. Anyone can see this theme “Better Together” demonstrated on a national level by looking on Hurricane Katrina’s Relief that’s being carried out by this nation’s populous. The goal is to mobilize a small “community” of local people to serve doing projects around Tyrone to help neighbors and enhance the community. An example of such projects planned by these groups is to put a new roof on Pavilion two at Reservoir Park.
The campaign is open to anyone in the community that would commit to the small group studies that will be held in numerous locations around the area. There will be groups meeting in numerous locations in Tyrone; small groups will also be located in Warriors Mark, Tipton, Sinking Valley, Eden Hill and other locations. For information or to sign up to participate in one of these home studies, call Dave Grazier, Campaign Director, at 684-7888 or the church office at 684-5016; leave a message if no answer.
A great way to understand the overall campaign is to come to the “Kick-Off Event” Sunday, September 18 at 10:30 a.m.
Guests are always welcome; there is nursery care available for all services as well as a Children’s Church for youth pre-school up to fifth grade in the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service. Grace Church is located across from East End Pizza on Columbia Avenue.
