February begins with our 14th birthday, and we prayer it would end with our first service in the new building. Although, as we have communicated already, putting a firm date down is not still possible due to the approvals we are waiting for. The sewer and water are now connected, which is a wonderful milestone and praise point. However, we don't have permission to use these services for opening until the Fire Services, QUU and BCC sign off on them.    

So what do we do as a church while we wait? 

My understanding of a biblical response to waiting, is to use the time to get as ready possible, so that when God moves we move. Some examples of this:

• In the wilderness, the Lord led Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the cloud or fire stopped, they remained in camp, when it moved they moved. The key was to watch God and be ready to move with him (Numbers 9:15-23).
• When Israel were on the edge of the promised land, Joshua sent his officers through the camp with this message. “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Josh 1:11)
• When John the Baptist began preaching as a forerunner to Jesus arrival, he used the words of Isaiah 40:3, A voice of one calling:
  “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
• Jesus himself taught numerous parables about the need to live ready for the return of Jesus because we don't know the time or the hour (Matthew 25). 

These examples give us faith directions that we can apply spiritually in our lives, but also in practical action. Over the next two weekends we are planning a number of working bee's to prepare the building and property for opening. The tasks include moving the rest of our stored equipment from Russ Sweetman's house, unwrapping our new chairs, planting out the front garden of the property, and doing a detailed clean of the building. There will be other work to do, but these are a few of the larger jobs we need alot of help to complete.

In the newsletter under the working bee promotion, you can find out details of these opportunites to serve. But lets work and pray as we get ready to move. We have always been a people of faith at The Grove, seeking to be responsive to God rather than reactive to life. It's faith that will continue to keep us living as a ready and responsive people. I will leave you with this verse that God gave us in 2015 before we lodged the DA in 2016 from Joshua 3:5.

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Amazing things indeed!