Weekly Update

GCN Family,

Then Jesus began teaching them with stories... (Mark 12:1)

Jesus was a master storyteller. He told dozens of parables in the gospels. Most of them were less than 250 words, but if you hear them once you remember them forever. With each parable, it’s like Jesus is painting a picture with His words.

Jesus didn’t just tell stories; Jesus is the story. He is the greatest story ever: God pursuing humans to offer us salvation, hope, everlasting life, and to make all the wrong things right. Not only that, but He invites us into His story.

This Sunday we begin a summer series called, Storyteller. Each week we’ll look at a different parable of Jesus. Here’s my prayer this summer: Let’s not just look at a parable; let’s live it out. In Matthew 7:24, Jesus says, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” For many of us, when it comes to following Jesus, we don’t need to know more; we need to do more with what we know. May we be a people who extend to others the grace and forgiveness and newness of life that we’ve received. May we not only be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word.

THANKS and THINGS coming up…

• What a fantastic time together this past Sunday celebrating our grads. Thanks to those who provided the food, to our fantastic team of youth leaders and to Pastor Lauren for their leadership and love for our students. I’m grateful that we’re a church who invests in the next generation. Let’s continue to be all about that.

• Sign up for a Summer Fun Group. Next-Level Challenge = Don’t just plan to join in yourself, but invite someone to join you who is not a part of a church community. Click here to see the list of groups. Heads-up: The Sunday Lunch Group (meeting right after worship service) and the Twilight Golf Group (at 6pm this Sunday) are both starting this Sunday (June 2).

• Next Sunday, June 9th, Dr. Floyd Cunningham will be joining us. He is a GCN-er from way back. He served as professor and president of Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in Manilla, Philippines from 1983 until his recent retirement. He also co-authored and edited Our Watchword And Song: The Centennial History of the Church of the Nazarene. Check that out if you’d like to learn more about the Nazarene tradition. Looking forward to him joining us.

• Pray over: (1) Our efforts with Stewartown Resource Center and Community this summer. This is a big way in which we’ll be embodying the good news of Jesus in our neighborhood. (2) Mega Sports Camp. June 17-20. Pray for decisions for Christ to be made through this camp. We're still in need of several donations. Please check out our Amazon wishlist by clicking here and consider donating an item by June 7. Items will be delivered to the church office. Thank you for supporting our kids! (3) A team of 8 GCN-ers will be headed to Ministerio La Voz in Puerto Cortez, Honduras in August. This is a Vision Trip that we are praying will re-lay the groundwork for a reinvigorated partnership with Brian Ruark and that ministry.

Much Love,

Pastor Brian