Winter 2011-2012

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Restoring people to God, through Christ.

Welcome to Grace.
If you are new to this faith community there are a few things I hope you will notice: we are a group of real people, coming together, seeking God, supporting and loving each other, growing together and attempting to discover Gods movement in our lives and learning to move with Him. We dont claim to have all the answers, and we dont claim to be finished products, rather we believe God is at constant work in us. When I joined Grace Community as the Lead Pastor in August of 2007, we sensed that God had a new vision for our church, To restore people to God, through Christ, both as His creation, and in His creation. This has served as the basis for what we do, from how our Kids Grace and Student Ministries operate, to our Community Groups, to our Outreach efforts with ONE Love and in Naivasha, Kenya. We see Gods plan unfolding in our midst, and we welcome you to be a part of that unfolding! Some first steps at Grace include our Newcomers Desserts, which are held quarterly; getting plugged into a Community Group; and getting involved with the Men of Grace, EveryWoman, Marriage Builders, or any of the other great ministries we have here! Visit the Starting Point desk to find out more and to speak with some warm and welcoming people that would love to answer any other questions you have about Grace! I look forward to getting to know you, and welcome to Grace! In Christ, Lead Pastor Rob Strong

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Table of Contents

Starting Point Connecting you to Grace Winter 2011-2012 Event Schedule

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Current Sermon Series:

Advent Conspiracy 2011 For the Advent Season, well be focusing on ways that we can: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All. The Christmas season is here and we want to choose to be intentional with our decisions this year! See inside for practical ways to Give more! Next series: James

MINISTRIES Starting Point LIFECHANGE D.E.S. Grace Kids Student Ministry Inreach Outreach 4 5 6 7 8 9

Sunday Service Times

LIFECHANGE Opportunities Pastors and Staff Ministry Leaders

5 10 10

9:00 AM Worship Service Full Grace Kids Program (Infants 5th Grade) Student Ministry Program (6th 12th Grade)

Graham kendrick
On October 23, 2011 we had the distinct honor of having world-famous worship leader Graham Kendrick join us for both our Sunday morning services, and for an evening concert at Grace Community. Graham is known as the father of modern worship music, and with songs like Knowing You and Amazing Love, we were not disappointed as he took us into Gods presence in some amazing ways. Our worship director, Matt Beattie was able to spend some time with Graham, between a dinner the evening before, and a worship training seminar on Sunday afternoon. His humility, that was the thing that really stuck out to me, said Matt, he is clearly a gifted musician and his accomplishments speak for themselves; but the fact that Graham so clearly is a man after Gods own heart was the most lasting impression I have. We were truly blessed by this experience, and are looking forward to Grahams prophetic words, that God wants to move among us, playing out at Grace as this year progresses.

10:30 AM Worship Service (Children Welcome) Childcare (Infants Kindergarten) Adult Discovery Classes

Grace Community Office Hours Monday Thursday | 9AM 2PM Phone: 978. 256. 2626 Email: joyce@grace-community.org

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Join the journey: Connect into the life of Grace Community.

If this is your first time connecting with us at Grace Community, welcome!
We are a community that seeks to restore people to God, through Christ. Believing that the local church is the primary tool God uses to reach into the world, we are passionate about engaging you with this community of Christ-followers.

The Journey:
1st stop: Pick a service to attend.
Sundays at 9AM
Worship/ Youth/ Kids Grace

Sundays at 10:30AM
Worship/Kids Grace/Adult Classes

2nd stop: Begin seeking LIFECHANGE.

Deepen your faith
Join a Community Group. (list on Page 6) Attend a Discovery Class. (Sundays at 10:30AM) Connect with the Mens, Womens or Prayer ministry.

Express your faith

Find a ONE Love opportunity coming up, and join in. Begin tithing regularly. Get Baptized.

Share your faith

Pray for your neighbors. Seek genuine ways to share Jesus with people. Begin writing down your faith story.

3rd stop: Serve.

Find out where help is needed
Often in the Sunday Program there are needed positions listed see if any of them seem like a good fit and give it a shot!

4th stop: Become a member.

Membership classes happen quarterly, sign-up to attend.
Visit Starting Point to sign up, or email: mikeadams@grace-community.org

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Winter 2011-12 Event Schedule

Christmas Eve Services: December 24th, at 4PM & 5:30PM Christmas Day Service: December 25th, at 11AM Winterfest 2011: January 28th Grace Kids: you dont want to miss it!

LIFECHANGE Opportunities Deepen

Old Testament Overview Class Doctoral Student Jamie Bryson will walk you through this adventure. No, it wont be too much for you. In fact, for many of you, it is time to face-your-fears and learn about the first part of your bible. Starts in January 2012.

Share
Mission Lowell: Living Waters Every day you have the opportunity to join Grace Community volunteers to serve the homeless at Living Waters Center of Hope in Lowell. We serve breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. There are games nights and bible studies, in short, there are opportunities for everyone.

Want to share a LIFE CHANGE experience? We would love to hear from you! Please tell us about how God has worked in your life. Email: mikeadams@gracecommunity.org

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Grace Kids Director: Priscilla Sellers Email: priscillas@grace-community.org

At Grace Community Church, kids are important to us!

Our childrens program, Grace Kids is designed to help each and every child know, love, and follow Christ. Through our Sunday School Program, Vacation Bible School, Winter Festival and many other activities, we are committed to helping all kids grow in their faith.
Our vision is for all children to: * Give their hearts to Christ. * Relate to and develop friendships with others. * Apply Gods truths directly to their lives. * Care for others in the community. * Equip themselves to share their faith with family and friends. Please plan to join us at 7 p.m. on December 17th at the church as Grace Communitys Childrens Ministry presents, The Russian Shoemaker, a touching tale that draws from Matthew 25:40. The play (which 54 children from ages 5-11 have been fervently rehearsing for over two months), depicts the story of an old shoemaker in a Russian village who is waiting for Jesus to come. While Jesus himself doesnt actually show up, he does send a widow, a lamp lighter, carol singers, and a group of orphans, who cause the shoemaker to realize that, ...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Each year we have hundreds of kids show up to two of our biggest events, Winterfest (an indoor winter carnival for ages 12 and under) and Vacation Bible School (VBS). These are only a part of the greater whole of Grace Kids, but theyre a great chance to reach out to friends and get them in the doors of Grace Community! Following the play there will be an intermission with punch and treats followed by a carol concert by the children, and a short message from Pastor Rob Strong. There has been an amazing team of eight adults working with the children to make this happen, said team member Fiona Stuart. God is doing something in the hearts of our children thats very exciting. The kids have really grasped what it means to give and care for others, and they are enthusiastic about helping raise money for others. It has been such a blessing to see them grow. We hope to see you there!

All proceeds benefit Grace Communitys One27 Academy & orphan children in Kenya.

Sunday Mornings at Grace Kids9am Service

Nursery Toddlers We have great, clean and organized environments for your little ones to spend time in theyll be taken care of by loving volunteers. 6 | grace-community.org | 978. 256. 2626 Pre-K and Kindergarten Learning Bible stories, spending time with other kids, and loving volunteers, these kids have a blast on Sunday! 1st 5th Graders This year were working through the Orange curriculum, filled with applicable Bible stories and lessons we are sharing Jesus with kids each week!

* all volunteers are required to have a CORI check

grace student ministry

We know the only thing that changes faster than the world around us is you, the middle school student. You are emerging from childhood, and to freedoms, responsibilities, and challenges unlike any you have ever experienced before. The beautiful thing is you do not have to go it alone. Come and experience this emergence side by side with peers who know what you are going through, and adults who remember what it was like (or at least they think they do). Come, have fun, be challenged, and meet new, awesome people!

Student Ministry Director: Jake Scott Email: jakes@grace-community.org

Living a God-Breathed Life Winter Retreats 2012

Middle SchoolJanuary 27-29th High SchoolFebruary 6th-8th Genesis says human life originated from God's very breath. Timothy writes in his second book that the Bible is also brought to life by God's breath. This winter we want merge the two. We are going to focus on not just the why, but the how of living a life marked by the Bible, by spending the entire weekend giving the students tool to use while studying the Bible for themselves.

Uprising is a community of high school students that are wrestling with what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in todays ever-changing world. Our goal is not necessarily cultural relevance, but rather to be the impetus for a counter cultural movement. We want not just to fit in, but to be change agents in the world around us. We are the uprising. We meet Sundays during first service, or throughout the week at peoples homes for student led small groups. Beyond that we have all kinds of activities, and service opportunities throughout the year. Do not just come... connect and invest.

Sundays at 9AM...

Tuesday nights at 7:00PM

Wednesday nights at 6:30PM... E-Groups for kids 6-8th grade we have a blast play games and work through a lesson that builds faith! Dont miss it! grace-community.org | 978. 256. 2626 | 7

The Uprising and Emerge meet for our Group-6 takes place for teens 9th-12th Sunday Service. Worship, a teaching, and grade its a time of deepening our faith time to connect see you there! and being mentored! Join us!

inreach (adult ministries)

Community Groups at Grace
Billerica
Brian and Marlies Henderson Tuesday Nights Couples/Singles/All Ages

Inreach Director: Pastor Mike Adams Email: mikeadams@grace-community.org

Lowell
Jon and Marj Paige Tuesday Nights Couples/Singles/20s & 30s

Boxboro
Jim Andreson Sunday Nights Couples/Singles/All Ages

Matt and Michelle Beattie Monday Nights Couples/Singles/20s & 30s

Westford
John and Fran Carroll Thursday Nights Couples/Singles/Older Ages

Chelmsford
Jeff and Cricket Lomicka Wednesday Nights Couples/Singles/All Ages

Grace Community
Grace Walkers (Tim and Carol Slighter) Couples/Singles/All Ages

Littleton

Jeff and Margie Roffee/ Bernard and Jackie Farrell Sundays 10:30AM Tuesday Nights Couples/Singles/All Ages

Chip and Karen Spengler Tuesday Nights Couples with young children

Community Groups are one of the best ways to plug into the life of Grace Community Church. -Pastor Rob Strong
Discovery Classes Fall 2011 (Sundays at 10:30 AM)
Practice of the Presence of God A class about serving God in all things, great and small. Based on Brother Lawrences teachings. This prayer class begins January. Starting Point Starting At Grace This class introduces you to Grace Community, and our beliefs, our history, and why we exist as a church, takes place February 5.

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outreach
Love God | Connect People | Transform the World

Outreach/Onelove Director: Tobias Marx Email: tobiasm@grace-community.org

ONElove is Grace Communitys outreach movement. As we go into the world to serve the needy, we understand that expressing our faith is about moving our resources and ourselves in response to human need. In particular, we focus on the issue of poverty and from within that framework, three main impact areas have emerged: Child Justice | Trafficking | Housing. These are the initiatives which unite Grace Community and together we hope to use our skills, experiences, and resources to address these initiatives both locally and globally. You can express your faith by participating in any of ONEloves initiatives. To find out more, please visit www.my1love.org. Reflection On November 13, Grace Community hosted our 2nd annual Fall Clean Up day. Instead of having 2 services, we used the second service to take our faith into action. This year approximately 350 people from Grace Community assisted about 35 local families by getting their yards and properties ready for the winter. ONEchild Update one27academy.org/onechild ONElove offers everyone the opportunity to express love. One of the most meaningful ways to do this is to become a sponsor for a child in need. ONEloves ministry highlight! ONEchild is ONEloves Orphan Mission: Lowell is our vision to transform the city of Lowell into Support Program. Currently, a kingdom citya community inspired and led by the Spirit of we have 91 childrenall orGod to reflect the Kingdom of God. This ministry is an opportuniphans in our care. Thirty-one of ty to express and share your faith, plus its a great way to work these children are in need of a new sponsor. Monthly sponsortogether with your family and children. There are several ways ships start as low as $25/month. For more information, please to be part of Mission: Lowell: visit our web site, one27academy.org/onechild. Every 2nd Wednesday of the month, Grace Soup groups preFinancial need pare soup for Living Waters Center of Hope, a homeless dropONEloves finances are separate from the Grace Community in center in downtown Lowell. General Fund. This means we depend on God to lead us and to Every 3rd Friday of the month, we prepare and serve a meal at provide for us. If you would consider supporting ONElove, please St. Pauls Soup Kitchen in Lowell. be aware that the following initiatives are our highest priorities: Starting in January 2012, we will partner with Living Waters in Lowell to offer a Friday evening coffeehouse-style worship service for anyone interested in attending. ONEchild Sponsorships Bibles for the Prison Mission: Lowell One 27 General Outreach Fund

We are currently building relationships with local schools. We really want to be able to partner with public schools to meet student needs. We have done school supply drives and we have our own Christmas Surprise, a program that provides Christmas gifts to the most needy families in greater Lowell. The ONElove Team Tobi Marx One 27 Update One27Academy.org Karen Horsey One 27 is our ministry devoted to empower young people to become next-generation leaders. Currently we are building our Shelly Clark first One 27 Academy in Naivasha, Kenya. This Academy will be a Christine Burdick, Sharla Tracy Emily Marx school and home to about 100 children of different ages. Over the last 8 years we have built relationships with our partners in Laura Brown Kenya, and together we are planning to open the Grace ChilRosalia Barber drens Center Naivasha in January 2013.

Director of ONElove/Outreach Coordinator, Mission: Lowell Coordinator, Mission: Lowell Coordinators, Fall Clean Up Coordinator, Christmas Surprise Coordinator, Lowell Schools Grace Soup

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leadership at grace
Staff
Executive Leadership Lead Pastor- Rob Strong: robs@grace-community.org Inreach Associate Pastor- Mike Adams: mikeadams@grace-community.org Worship and Arts Worship and Communications Director- Matt Beattie: mattb@grace-community.org Outreach Outreach/ONE Love Director- Tobias Marx: tobiasm@grace-community.org Emerging Generations Pastor of Student Ministries- Jake Scott: jakes@grace-community.org Assistant Director of Student Ministries- Kristine Rego: kristiner@grace-community.org Childrens Ministry Director- Priscilla Sellers: priscillas@grace-community.org Childrens Ministry Coordinator- Patti Quigley: pattiq@grace-community.org Administrative Support Administrative Assistant- Joyce Goldthwaite joyce@grace-community.org Finance Administrator- Laurie Bean laurie@grace-community.org

Elders
Chairman- Jeff Palmer: jefepalm@gmail.com Vice Chairman- Chip Spengler: spenglerchip@yahoo.com Jim Andreson: jsandreson@gmail.com Fred Budd: fred_budd@verizon.net Bill Keating: keatingwe@verizon.net Brad MacPherson: bradmcpherson@comcast.net Ted Ross: ted.ross@verizon.net Rob Strong: robs@grace-community.org

Ministry Leaders
Community Groups- Chip and Karen Spengler: spenglerchip@yahoo.com Dish of Grace- Laura Schmidt: laura@hyannispoint.com EveryWoman Ministry- Mike Adams: mikeadams@grace-community.org Marriage Builders- Leanne Winchester: lwinchester@verizon.net Mens Ministry- Bill Keating: keatingwe@verizon.net Prayer Ministry-Jim Andreson: jsandreson@gmail.com Starting Point- Matt Beattie: mattb@grace-community.org

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