PRAISE GOD FOR OUR 15TH YEAR

• Praise the Lord for the mighty things he has done over the last year - opening the building, bringing new people, caring for us through COVID, saving and changing lives, his provision and answered prayers. 
• Praise God for our church family. For every person's value and uniqueness and gifting and service. Thank Jesus for his love expressed through others, and for the privilege of serving others. 
• Thank our Father for our kids and youth, and for the joy young people bring to our church. Thank him for the spaces we now have for them, and for all those who answer the high calling to invest in young hearts. 
• Praise God for the gospel being shared; through our live stream, through special services, ministries like Mainly Music, youth and kids nights. And for the witness of God's people in work places, schools, streets and among family and friends.   

PRAY FOR GOD'S PROVISION IN OUR 16TH YEAR

• We seek provision of many things to fulfill the mission God calls us to - for ways to open up that are shut, for people and leaders to serve in teams, for finances to enable forward movement, for wisdom to know what to do, for more people to go out and share the gospel, for more people to join the church family.
• Lets pray for the Lord's provision across all areas of the church. That we will not lack the people and resources we need to make a difference in 2022.
• Pray especially for these immediate needs:
  • For more leaders for our growing Grove Kids ministry and Mainly Music. That more would hear Jesus call to let the little children come to him.
  • For more people to practically care for our property and building. That through cleaning, gardening, mowing and blowing we would present the the place of worship to honour Jesus and welcome people. 
  • For our finances, and especially our weekly general giving. That we would reach our $11,000 per week budget to reverse the deficit and supply our need to pay our loan, fund ministry, give to missions, and call another pastor to lead families and people at The Grove.     
• Pray for those in our church family who need provision of jobs, resources, accommodation, and wisdom for decisions. 
• Ask the Lord to open doors to make a greater impact for the gospel, for the youth camp to bear much fruit in young people's hearts, and for many salvations and baptisms in 2022. Make prodigals come home, and hard hearts softened. Open the heavens Lord and pour out your Spirit, and bring revival. 

Prayer Notes

God is faithful no matter what circumstance we are facing. Be encouragred to put our trust in him and serve others with a humble heart.

11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Matthew 23: 11-12

Praise Points:

- Praise God for the amazing gift of His son Jesus who unites us with our heavenly Father, giving us eternal life

- Praise God that even in the midst of the struggle or trial, He is with us through it all

- Praise for those who have served others faithfully, served humbly and given generously to the mission of reaching others

- Thanks for an amazing church family who continues to pray and lift others up to God

Prayer Points:

- Pray that God continues to stir in our hearts and burden us for the lost

- Lift up those in our church family and community who are going through difficult circumstances

- Pray for those in isolation at the moment due to COVID-19

- Pray that through tough times, God opens up doors for conversations about faith

- That God will bring the right people into the Alpha course and for them to hear the good news about Jesus

- Pray for the “Crossover course” focused on emerging young adults and teaching them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus

- Pray for our next generation – that God would move in their hearts and for them to come into a relationship with Jesus

• Grove Kids
• Youth
• Young adults

- Pray for financial provision, as we continue to seek God and press forward with the mission of reaching others and making disciples

- Pray for our nation and city during uncertain times, that disruptions in schools and workplaces would be handled with wisdom and discernment

Dear team leaders,

Tomorrow is the first Christmas at The Grove in our new church home. How absolutely exciting. A moment of heightened visibility for the church to shine with the light of Jesus, and point to his love and life through our acts of love to one another. 

Thankyou for serving our Saviour King, and giving of your time and energy to make him known to all he brings along. Thankyou for the great heart you have for our church family, the teams you lead, and for the love that motivates you to offer your service as an offering of worship. You guys are amazing!

I feel so expectant about what God is going to do. So many words from God have come, people keep telling me stories, and the enemy is trying to rob our joy and be a nuisance. These are all signs of God at work and planning to reach people. 

One story was shared from a person in our church who tried calling a friend, and accidently rang a lost family member by the same name. It turned out the conversation encouraged them so deeply, and this person from The Grove was able to send them an invitation to Christmas in The Grove. How cool is that? How many more people is Jesus preparing to reach this year? Many we pray. We can be sure God is playing his part!

I have performed around 30 weddings in my twenty years of pastoral ministry. Those are big days people prepare for. But the weddings that I remember as being the most wonderful and joy filled, were not the ones that went perfectly, or had the best weather, décor or even views (although we have those things at The Grove in spades!). But they were the weddings where love was the focus, where things didn’t always go perfectly, but where people laughed and didn’t let anything get in the way of why they were there.  

My prayer for our first Christmas in our church home, after a massive year like no other, is a Christmas where love is totally the focus. Love for Jesus, love for all those we work with and lead, and love for our community. No matter what issues arise, love will enable us to smile and not sweat the small stuff - and there will be stuff to deal with because this is the first time we have done this in our new building! 

Yet with peace as our theme, and the Prince of peace reigning, it’s not fear but the unfailing love of God within our hearts that will enable us to be a non-anxious presence among people who live in fear everyday.    

Jesus knew exactly what he was saying when he said in John 13:34-35, 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In two verses he said it three times; “love one another”. It’s the most powerful, attractive characteristic of the follower of Jesus. It’s the red-letter key to effective mission, and how ‘everyone knows Jesus is among us’. 

Love is a defining characteristic of The Grove, of which I have been so grateful. May it just pour out of us today as we prepare, and tomorrow as we lead and serve. God bless you all. God is with you, loves you and will work mightily through you. Marty

Praise and Thanks:

Philippians 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Praise and Thanks:

• Praise God for the blessing of the Christmas season
• Praise God for his faithfulness to us this year
• Thanks for all our volunteers who give up their time and resources
• Praise God for the financial provision during this year
• Praise God for the stories coming out of Red Frogs and for the lives changed during that week
• Praise God for the peace he brings, even in the midst of chaos

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the Christmas season ahead
• Pray the peace of God will fall on all those in our community this Christmas season 
• Pray that God would bring many to the Christmas event not just for numbers, but to bring them into a relationship with Jesus
• Pray for all our volunteers serving and giving up time to come and be a part of God’s call to reach the lost in our community
• Pray for our creative team and those leading our carols service
• Pray for our event coordinators in organising volunteers and teams
• Pray for our catering team that they will be a blessing to so many on the weekend
• Ask God that his Holy Spirit will fill the church
• Ask God that during this event many would begin to open their hearts to God
• Ask God to bless those stepping foot on the property
• Pray that through all of this the name of Jesus is made known and all glory is given to God
• Pray that God moves in the hearts of the community and in our hearts as we serve him

Praise and Thanks:

Ephesians 4:29
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Praise and Thanks:

• Praise God for the blessing of grandparents
• Thanks for His continued blessing over us as a church
• Praise God for the next generation and the salvation stories we are hearing
• For God’s continued provision in the area of finance 
• For all those who volunteer and serve here at The Grove

Prayer Points:

• Pray that all grandparents would continue to be a blessing to those around them
• Pray that God’s Word rests on our hearts this week as we spend quiet time with Him
• Ask for forgiveness when we have used our tongues to tear down rather than build-up
• Pray that God would continue to give us opportunities to speak life into other people
• Pray God uses our words to encourage others and build them up
• Ask that God would raise up more leaders to come and serve in this place
• Ask that God would equip those he has called to serve here at The Grove
• Pray for the next generation, that they would hear the encouraging words God speaks over them
• Pray that all would hear God’s encouragement and voice through his Word and Spirit
• Pray that God uses all of us this week to be a blessing to others through our spoken words and actions