During the Christmas school holiday period, my youngest daughter decided to tackle a 500 piece Disney themed jigsaw puzzle. As she eagerly assembled the pieces, her excitement grew, as each one found its place, and piece by piece it was coming together. Everything was going well - until she reached the end and discovered a piece was missing!

In a way, we are all like pieces of a puzzle. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul compares the body of Christ to a human body, emphasising that each part has a specific function essential to the whole. Our diversity serves a purpose, and it’s important that we work together for the good of the body.

This year already, I’ve seen the body of Christ work beautifully as we’ve stepped out in faith in the places God has positioned us. We’ve witnessed people step into leadership in various ministries and connect groups, we’ve seen many lovingly serve our local primary and high schools as well as our local aged care facility. Many young adults have stepped into leadership roles within our Youth and Kids Ministries, with five YA’s participating in Project 11 this year. And there are many who work together to support ministries and create spaces that are safe and inviting, both during the week and on Sundays. More recently, as we read over the page, we have seen how one person’s unique gift of design and carpentry was able to bless the body. All different areas, all different gifts, contributing to one body.

We are all vital pieces of the puzzle. Each person has been called by God for a reason. In verses 18-20, Paul states, “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, everyone one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

Just this week, I witnessed this unity when a local school chaplain reached out, wanting to bless families in need with a hamper. A school chaplain reached out to the church, and because of the generosity of those who had already donated items, we were able to support these families in their immediate need. This wasn’t just one person blessing a family; it was a beautiful example of many working together to bless another. And what a blessing it is to be a piece of that puzzle!

Sometimes it’s easy to feel less important than those whose gifts are more visible. However, the Lord wants us to recognise our unique value; each of us is created with purpose and significance.

We are each a vital piece of a larger picture that isn’t complete without us. God has equipped every one of us to play an important role in the body of Christ, bringing

Him honour and glory. 

Our lives are a gift from God; let’s make it our gift back to Him!

God bless,

Mel

Navigating complex seasons of life can be confusing and draining. Yet we do not navigate these times alone when we follow Jesus. He is able to give us wisdom and strength to guide and sustain us along every section of life’s journey. I have been learning this in new ways over the last year, and I know I am not alone. 

God’s word is priceless as the highest source of wisdom to guide us in life and faith. As I prepare for our Saturday Summit, I feel so grateful for the many scriptures God has guided The Grove with. A few weeks ago, I shared about the woman at the well in John 4, which draws on a larger theme Jesus has been speaking so clearly to us about. We are called to share Jesus love and message with anyone, anywhere, anytime. The missional edge of the church is every person reaching others one at a time. 

This triple A vision unfolds in how we live our lives every day in the places we live, work and play. Of special significance, I will have shared on Saturday about how this impacts on our service in teams and as volunteers at The Grove. We are in a unique season of growth and opportunity as a church, and doing for the one, what we would do for the many, is the key to Jesus grace reaching more and more people of all ages. 

Jason Elsmore, the Director of our QB movement, will have shared at our Saturday Summit as well. In a conversation with Jason, I am super excited to hear his presentation. The Lord has given him 5 signs for the Australian church. I don’t want to steal Jason’s thunder, but I am so encouraged by how these signs dovetail with what the Holy Spirit is saying to The Grove. And for memorability, Jason will be bringing 5 massive props, so we don’t forget these signs!

God’s wisdom is priceless and his strength totally vital for Jesus’ mission to set many people free. With all the opportunities for the church in 2025, we need power beyond ourselves. We have an enemy who will attempt to spoil what Jesus is doing. To drain us of power, to attack our unity and attempt to discourage our efforts. But we will not be deceived or overcome, which is why we pray as a church. This week Mel has written some prayer notes on the Armour of God. Let’s stay alert, armour up and receive the powerful refilling of the Holy Spirit each day. Love is the greatest power in this world, and nothing can stop its flow from our Father through a people who are guided by God’s word, pray in the Spirit, and share Jesus life and love with 

anyone, anywhere, anytime. 

God bless, Marty

With the year now well under way, this week felt quite busy in the office, full of many tasks. Though as I came to the end of the week feeling a little drained, God met me so powerfully! He redirected my thinking and refreshed me and encouraged me, as I fixed my eyes not just on the tasks that needed to be done, but on all that He was doing!

On Thursday afternoon, I received the following encouraging note from Meryl, who co-leads the Creative Crafters group with Lynette. It read:

11 people gathered for our first daytime Creative Crafters group on Monday morning.  It was great to hear lots of chatting and encouraging to see new people in the group.  There was joy in the room as people spent time catching up in a relaxed way. This is a good opportunity to develop new friendships as we share our craft ideas and help one another to learn new skills.  We look forward to welcoming more people as time goes on!

The table tennis ministry also meets on Monday mornings, and it was heartwarming to hear that the building was filled with joy, friendship, and laughter! 

I’m also thrilled to share that our Women’s Ministry is planning our first event! We will host a Prayer and Worship Night on Saturday 15 March from 7pm in the auditorium. This will be a special evening where we can come together as women of all ages, lift our voices in praise, and seek God’s presence. As we prayed together about this event on Thursday evening, we felt led to focus on the vision God gave us as a Women’s Ministry in 2023, Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.” What a beautiful promise! I can’t wait for us to invite many and gather in worship and prayer. Stay tuned for details in the Newsletter next week, we hope to see you there!

As we celebrate women, I want to express my gratitude to God for bringing Emma and Jade to our staff team! You can find more about their appointments in the Newsletter, but I am truly thankful for God’s perfect timing, as well as for Emma and Jade’s servant hearts and the unique gifts God has given them.

As we celebrate these wonderful updates, I am reminded of Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” 

It is so incredible that God is at work in us and through us, ready to do more than we can imagine. As the Saturday Summit approaches, let’s keep our hearts open to all God wants to do in our lives and in our neighbourhood. We are all part of this beautiful 

tapestry God is weaving at The Grove, and I’m so grateful for each of you 

and the unique gifts you bring to our church family. Let’s continue to lift 

each other up and praise God for all He is doing!

Mel

This weekend we are celebrating 18 years as a church. When a person turns 18, they are officially recognised as an adult. I am not sure that's transferable to churches. But if it is, then we can be sure our Father in Heaven has been preparing us for adulthood! This got me thinking about key lessons Jesus taught us in 18 years. Many lessons indeed, and we can be thankful for them all. Let me share just four of them. 

1. Jesus builds his church, and nothing can stop him.

The journey hasn’t been easy, but the Lord has been faithful. There were times when obstacles looked insurmountable, yet Jesus overcame them all. This last year has been incredibly difficult for our family, staff and church, however, we have experienced the strength of God and depth of his love through his church. In every season, we can trust Jesus, because his church is unstoppable. 

1. Prayer is powerful and essential.

‘Pray always’ was the first word to The Grove through a miraculous sign. On our first prayer walk at Easter 2007, we found a car mat someone left on the path with the words ‘pray always’ painted on it. We took this as direction from Jesus to never stop praying as a church, and we haven’t for 18 years. We give thanks for the many powerful answers to prayer we have seen, and for how prayer has taught us to rely on God. Let’s keep praying in increasing measure in our 19th year. 

3.    God is faithful to his word.

We thank God for all who have taught the bible to adults, teenagers and kids each year. We also praise God for the many promises he gave and fulfilled. Faith is hearing God speak, and responding in active obedience. One example is 10 years ago Jesus gave us a promise about our monthly PM service, that this mustard seed would become a large tree. Two years ago we remembered that word and started a weekly congregation at 5.30pm. We begin 2025 with a growing faith community of youth and young adults, and baptize one of our teenagers on our 18th birthday. We praise God for a church who keeps listening, trusting and obeying God as he speaks. 

4.    One person at a time.

The story of one person reaching another is in the DNA of The Grove. We were led to our property because a cancer patient walked across a hospital ward to share Jesus love with another. There are many wonderful things we do as a church, but the missional edge of the church is the people reaching out to one person at a time. In the gospels, this is how Jesus changed the world. 

Something significant happened last term mostly behind the scenes - the completion of our Kitchen! Praise God for this wonderful provision! Our new kitchen provides the infrastructure needed for hospitality and our Neighbourhood Café dream, which serves our one at a time mission. Jesus calls us to love our neighbour, and we believe there will be many conversations and love shared on our back deck, where hearts will open to our awesome Saviour and King. 

On our 18th anniversary, we celebrate and give thanks to the founder and head of The Grove Baptist Church, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is building his church on the foundation of his word, and empowering his church as his people pray. He has grown his church to reflect the heart of Jesus, who gave living water to a woman at a well, sight to a blind man beside a road, and led a celebration when a lost son came home. Thank You Jesus for 18 years and for all that's to come,

Marty

There are mixed reviews about new year's resolutions. Some people love them and always make their list. Others think they are pointless, maybe because they never stuck, their list wasn’t achievable, or they couldn’t see how a change in the calendar would make much difference. Then of course there are those who like the idea of them, but because they are procrastinators, never get around to making any resolutions.

I personally think new year’s resolutions are good in principle. God created the world with a rhythm of new year’s, months, weeks and days. It seems to me like a biblical idea that God invites us to start fresh and set goals. I mean the gospel is essentially God offering us a new beginning. Jesus’ death and resurrection cancelled the debt of sin, and provided a clean slate and new life to all who receive him. 

Paul wrote about the outcome in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  

Whether you are restarting with Jesus, or you have been following him for years, let these words sink in to start 2025. The old is gone, new life has begun. We have tried the old life, and too many years were wasted on it. New life in Jesus is a better adventure into the new things God wants to do in and through us. We don’t know what the year holds for each of us, or for our ever changing world for that matter. But we do know the One who holds the year, also holds our lives in his loving and powerful hands. 

On Thursday I was texting with Joel Hockey who mentioned he was reading Isaiah 54, and knew verse 3 was significant for The Grove. Then he wrote words from verse 4 in the Message translation that struck a chord in my heart. Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed. Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short. 

If you are like me you’ve had a mixed relationships with new year’s resolutions. But this year, I believe God is saying to not procrastinate stepping out in faith to how Jesus is leading us. Whether individually or as a church. To not fear humiliation that something might not work out, or to fear a lack of provision would stop us in our tracks. Do not be afraid, do not hold back. Those are words for the new life of following Jesus, and I pray we will all hear those words behind however God calls us to step out in faith in 2025. 

Happy new year, and may the Lord grant you courage, clarity and conviction for 

all he calls you and us to in 2025.

Marty