FALL 2017 Sharing CHRIST’S love, equipping god’s peopleSharing CHRIST’S love, equipping god’s peopleSharing CHRIST’S love, equipping god’s peopleSharing CHRIST’S love, equipping god’s people

CHURCH CHATCHURCH CHATCHURCH CHATCHURCH CHAT

Rev. Dr. Ralph Herbert

Rev. Anita K. Herbert

Commissioned Ruling Elder Paula Bass

www.gbpres.org 333 Cedar Road

Chesapeake VA 23322

757-547-4706

Calendar Aug 27th—Club Orange training

Aug. 30th—Hands only CPR training (6 pm)

Sept. 6th—Choir resumes

Sept. 7th—DivorceCare, GriefShare begin

Sept. 9th- — The Shack Outdoor Movie (7 pm)

Sept. 10th—Fall Kick Off (11:30 am)

Sept. 13th—Wednesday Night Live begins

Sept. 16th—Beth Moore simulcast

Sept. 17th—Growing Deeper (Noon)

Sept. 19th—Blood drive

Sept. 24th—Lunch & Learn: “Anxiety,” (Noon)

Sept. 24th—Candlelight Concert (4 pm)

Oct 1st—World Communion Sunday

Oct. 7th—Murder Mystery Dinner (CAST)

Oct. 8th—Inquirers’ #1 (5:00-7:30 pm)

Oct. 14th—Teaching on Prayer, (8:30-11:00 am)

Oct. 15th—local missions fair

Oct. 15th—Inquirers’ #2 (11 am)

Oct. 15-Nov 12—OperaEon Christmas Child

Oct. 18th—ReformaEon Experience

Oct. 19th—Inquirers’ #3 (5:30-7:30 pm)

Oct. 22nd—InternaEonal Missions Fair

Oct. 22nd—Lunch & Learn: “Talking about

Faith with Your Children,” (Noon)

Oct. 28th—Trunk or Treat

Oct. 29th—ReformaEon Sunday

From Your Pastor Growing Deeper

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ…” 2 Peter 3:18

Have you ever thought what the difference is between

declaring oneself a ChrisEan and being a fully devoted disciple

of Jesus? Biblically, there is no disEncEon between being a

forgiven sinner and following Christ as the primary influence

in one’s life. “And the disciples were first called ChrisEans in

AnEoch.” Acts 11:6.

It has been said that a new reformaEon happens every 500

years in the church. As we approach the 500th anniversary of

MarEn Luther’s protest against the use of indulgences,

perhaps we are on the eve of a new reformaEon: the era of

the decline of professional clergy replaced by disciples making

disciples.

In October, we would like to introduce an opportunity based

on Greg Ogden’s “Guide to Building Your Life in Christ” called

“Discipleship EssenEals.” The three elements of this in-depth

study are scripture, transparent relaEonships, and mutual

accountability. The book is divided into 25 chapters including

such topics as Prayer, Grace, JusEficaEon by Faith, Fruit of the

Spirit, and ministry giLs. The format is comprised of a core

truth, memory verse, inducEve Bible study, and inspiring

readings related to each subject.

Our iniEal goal is to have a minimum of 10 people who are

seeking to grow deeper in their relaEonship to Jesus. Their

task would be to invite one other person to join them on this

journey of faith together. If you are interested, join me on

Sunday, September 17th at noon to discover more about this

exciEng opportunity to grow in Christ!

Grace & Peace, Ralph

In This Issue:

• Beth Moore Simulcast

• New Sunday Classes

• Fall Kick Off

2

NEWS & EVENTSNEWS & EVENTSNEWS & EVENTSNEWS & EVENTS

September 10th: Fall Kick Off

Beth Moore @ GBPC! September 16th

You’re invited to be part of this global, one-day simulcast that

will encourage you to dive deeper into the Word of God. Beth

follows the leading of the Holy Spirit to prepare a specific

message for each of her events, and the simulcast is no excep-

5on. Don’t miss out on this special event! Tickets gbpres.org

Join Beth Moore with worship leader Travis CoOrell and thousands of women worldwide as she shares truth to

guide your own journey of faith. General Admission $20, with lunch $30

3

Meet A Deacon NAME: David Spelce

YEARS @ GBPC: 4

SERVICE ATTENDED: 9:30 am

HOBBIES: Reading the Bible. WriEng scien-

Efic journal arEcles about the “fascinaEng”

topic of respirators worn during industrial op-

eraEons for protecEon against inhalaEon haz-

ards and oxygen deficiency!

“At first, I didn’t want to be a

deacon and turned down my first

nomination because I did not think I

was adequately equipped. Next year,

after much prayer, I realized that

God wanted me to serve as

deacon and that Jesus working

through me overcomes my inadequacy.”

Join GBPC: New Member Class

October 8, 5:00-7:30 pm—Class

with the pastors to hear their tesE-

monies and learn about the key em-

phases of the Presbyterian tradiEon.

ParEcipants will also receive the Liv-

ing Your Strengths book. Dinner

and childcare provided.

Oct. 15, 11 am—Class with Ray

Nairn and Connie Schell to unpack

the Living Your Strengths assess-

ment and learn about the unique

giLs God has given you.

Oct. 19, 5:30 pm-7:30 pm—Class

with staff and ministry leaders to

learn about GBPC ministries. Par-

Ecipants will also have the oppor-

tunity to share their faith stories

with elders and join GBPC. Dinner

and childcare provided.

Oct. 22—IntroducEons of new

members in the worship services.

October 22nd, 4:00 pm. Bring your well behaved

pet to our annual Blessing Service special for our

beloved animals! All pets welcome. DonaEons ac-

cepted for the Animal Assistance League.

Blessing of the Animals

Saturday, October 7, 6:30 pm

Murder Mystery Night @ Great Bridge Presbyterian

Tickets $20 each! Silent AucEon items! Raffle Baskets!

Quilt Raffle! Contact: Paula Bass,

482-2460 ergoiam12@cox.net.

NEWS & EVENTSNEWS & EVENTSNEWS & EVENTSNEWS & EVENTS

4

NEW! 2017-2018 Sermon Series Beginning September 10th, we will kick off a seven-week series enEtled “RelaEonships”—focusing on how they

were established, how sin caused them to be broken, and how we need to prioriEze our different relaEonships

as ChrisEans. In October, we will look at our relaEonships with the universal church on World Communion Sun-

day, our relaEonships in the local church with an emphasis on small groups, and finally our relaEonships with

our neighbors in the community and around the world. On October 29th, we will have a very special worship

service recognizing the 500th anniversary of MarEn Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door at WiOenburg

(ReformaEon Sunday, October 29th). In November, our series will be enEtled “A Generous Life”, and will look at

the giLs God has given us and how we can give our giLs to God and others.

worshipworshipworshipworship

Date RELATIONSHIPS… Focus OT Scripture NT Scripture

Sept 10 …Established Marriage—Becoming

One

Gen 2:18-25 Col 3:18-19

Sept 17 …Broken Blaming and Shaming Gen 3:1-21

Sept 24 …PrioriEzed Abraham and the

Sacrifice of Isaac

Gen 22:1-14 Heb 11:17-19

Oct 1 …w/ Universal

Church

World Communion

Sunday

Psalm 133 John 17:13-24

Oct 8 …w/ Local Church Jethro Principle—we

need community

Ex 18:13-23

Oct 15 …w/ Local

Community

Local missions Isa 1:10-20 Acts 1:8

Oct 22 …w/ Worldwide

Community

InternaEonal

missions

2 Kings 7:3-14 Acts 1:8

Date A Generous Life Focus OT Scripture NT Scripture

Nov 5 We give to God A LiOle Boy’s Lunch John 6:1-15

Nov 12 God gives to us Give 10% Keep 90% Mal 3:8-15 MaO 23:23

Nov 19 We give thanks to

God

In Everything Give

Thanks

Psalm 92 Col 3:15-17

Nov 26 God gives us

purpose

The PoOer & the Clay Jer 18

Beginning September 10th

JOIN US! In a fun game as we mark each week leading up to REFORMATION SUNDAY! Each week, look for MAR-

TIN LUTHER. He will be somewhere at church, and each week (8 in all) there will be a new historical fact next to

MarEn Luther.

Where is Mar5n Luther?

When you find him, TAKE A SELFIE!

Post it on YOUR FACE BOOK PAGE

And on the GBPC FACE BOOK PAGE

Everyone who posts for 8 weeks will be entered into a drawing!

Get ready…….MarEn Luther ~ we are honoring YOU!

5

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An Introduc5on to the Protestant Reforma5on

On Sunday, October 29th Great Bridge Presbyterian Church is going to celebrate the

500th anniversary of MarEn Luther nailing ninety-five quesEons to the door of a Roman

Catholic Church in WiOenberg, Germany. Why is something that was done 500 years ago

by a Catholic monk important to us today? Because MarEn Luther’s posEng of his Ninety-

Five Theses on October 31, 1517 is generally considered to be the beginning of the

Protestant ReformaEon, lasEng unEl 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia which ended the

Thirty Years War.

Before the Protestant ReformaEon there were only two branches of the ChrisEan Church,

Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic. Presbyterians trace our roots through the Roman

Catholic Church which controlled almost all of Europe.

The Protestant ReformaEon was a widespread theological revolt in Europe against the abuses and totalitarian

control of the Roman Catholic Church. The ReformaEon began as an aOempt to reform the Catholic Church from

within by priests, monks and Biblical scholars who opposed what they perceived as false doctrines and ecclesias-

Ec malpracEce. MarEn Luther especially objected to the selling of indulgences. The indulgences were like buy-

ing merits for relaEves who had already died and were in purgatory (a holding area). The indulgences would al-

low the relaEve to ease into heaven, the more indulgences that were bought, the quicker the relaEve arrived in

heaven. The Catholic Church was building St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and saw the selling of indulgences as a new

revenue source. The pope sent church officials throughout Europe to sell the indulgences.

A church official who was selling indulgences in Germany prompted Luther to publish his ninety-five theses and

post them on the door of the church. Luther was convinced that he could not buy God’s mercy; it was God’s gra-

cious giL to us that we accept through faith. Nailing his quesEons and statements to the door of the church was

an established way of inviEng priests and scholars to debate an issue. The recent invenEon of the prinEng press

allowed Luther’s ideas and those of other reformers to quickly spread throughout Europe. When the selling of

indulgences slowed, the pope sent Luther a leOer (called a papal bull). The pope ordered Luther to cease and

desist and to burn all of his wriEngs. Luther burned the papal bull instead. He was then called to Rome and

asked to recant. When he refused he was excommunicated and branded as an outlaw (meaning he could be

killed without fear of reprisal). Luther went on to establish the Lutheran Church in Germany, but many of the

reformers were condemned as hereEcs and put to death by being burned at the stake.

At the heart of the Protestant ReformaEon lay four basic quesEons: How is a person saved? Where does reli-

gion’s authority lie? What is the church? What is the essence of ChrisEan living?

The five essenEal doctrines of the ReformaEon are the Five Solas (sola is the LaEn word for alone).

1. Sola Scripture. The Bible alone is the sole authority of faith and pracEce.

2. Sola GraEa. SalvaEon by Grace Alone. SalvaEon is proof of God’s undeserved favor; we are rescued from

God’s wrath by his grace alone, not by any work we do.

3. Sola Fide. SalvaEon by Faith Alone. We are jusEfied in faith by Christ alone.

4. Solas Christus. In Christ Alone. SalvaEon is found in Christ alone.

5. Sola deo Gloria. For the Glory of God Alone. SalvaEon is by God and has been accomplished for His glory

alone.

500th Anniversary of Mar5n Luther’s Reforma5on

Con�nued on page 7

6

18th Season! Candlelight Concert Series 2017-18

Christmas Carols with Duo Vela

December 3, 2017

4:00 p.m.

Marla NisEco, flute; Daniel

NisEco, guitar

Duo Vela performs enchanEng

music from across the seas,

giving audiences a taste of the

sounds, colours, and rhythms of far away lands. Join

husband and wife classical ensemble Duo Vela at

Great Bridge Presbyterian for an evening of songs,

reflecEon, and celebraEon! Listen and sing along to

well-loved, tradiEonal carols and delight in hearing

the enEre Nutcracker Suite performed on flute and

guitar.

CROWNS

September 24, 2017

4:00 pm

A concert of African American Spirit-

uals In collaboraEon with Dr. Sandra

Billy & the Center for Sacred Music

at Virginia Wesleyan University, with

Norma Bass, mezzo-soprano, Cassan-

dra Howard, soprano, Joy Vernon,

soprano Patrice Glover, mezzo- soprano, Dr. Jason

Squinobal, saxophone and George Stone, piano. Essays

read from: Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church

Hats by Michael Cunningham & Craig Marberry.

2018 Concerts TBA!

Meet Kelby Schnepel (pron. “Snay-puhl”) Director – Youth Instrumental Ensemble Intern

Kelby is a cellist and a Graduate Assistant working on his Masters of Music Edu-

caEon at ODU with a concentraEon in Orchestral ConducEng. He grew up in

Great Bridge aOending Hickory High School and did his student teaching at

Great Bridge High School. His church background is in the Catholic church, and

he is currently aOending a Lutheran church with his girlfriend.

On July 30, our interview team Kate Bosley, W & M Elder, Jim Page, Jason Gay

and I interviewed Kelby at length. He worked with several students and several

parents were on hand as well. They were enthusiasEc about his leadership.

ALer 5 months of prayer, discernment, conducEng several phone interviews

and contacEng numerous colleagues in the area, we feel as though Kelby is the

right person for our ensemble and will provide wonderful opportuniEes for our youth as we grow this ministry.

Join Our Music Ministry GBPC’s music ministry is and relevant,

reverent and relaEonal! Choirs for chil-

dren, youth, and adults begin Wednes-

day, September 13! Register online for

all of the music opportuniEes availa-

ble! Gbpres.org.

All Choirs:

Angel Choir (Pre-K—K) Wednesdays, 5:45 pm—6:30 pm

Cherub Choir (Grades 1—2) Wednesdays, 5:45 pm—6:30 pm

Junior Choir (Grades 3—7) Wednesdays, 5:45 pm—6:30 pm

Youth Instrumental Ensemble (Grades 8—12)

Harmonious Flutes (IntergeneraEonal) Tuesdays, 6:30 pm

Alleluia Ringers (IntergeneraEonal) Tuesdays, 7:30 pm

Chancel Choir (Age 13 and up) Wednesdays, 7:15 pm

Praise Team, Singers & Instrumentalists (Age 13 and up) Thursdays, 7 pm

AV VOLUNTEERS DESPERATELY

NEEDED! CONTACT,

SHANNONLEGGETTEMUSIC@GMAIL.COM

worshipworshipworshipworship

7

These five important doctrines are the reason for the Protestant ReformaEon. They are at the heart of the

Reformer’s call for the church to return to Biblical teaching. The Five Solas are just as important today in evalu-

aEng a church and its teachings as they were in the sixteenth century.

Eventually, new churches emerged from the ReformaEon, forming four major divisions of Protestants. Luther’s

followers started the Lutheran Church, Calvin’s followers started the Reformed church, John Knox’s followers

started the Presbyterian Church in Scotland (using CalvinisEc doctrine), and later Reformers in England started

the Anglican Church.

October 29th, on Reforma5on Sunday, we will celebrate the courage of Mar5n Luther!

Mar5n Luther con5nued….

Stewardship Report Fall 2017 Summary: YTD YTD

AS OF JUNE 30, 2017 ACTUAL BUDGET

GENERAL OPERATING FUND INCOME: $ 656,240 $ 617,370

Admin Expenses $ 467,892 $ 479,548

Ministry Expenses $ 60,475 $ 76,730

Service & Mission $ 120,230 $ 113,142

TOTAL EXPENSES: $ 648,597 $ 669,420

NET SURPLUS (DEFICIT) $ 7,643 $ (52,050)

*The financial figures presented above do not include the non-budgeted

special offerings, like Second Mile dona�ons, Building Fund, etc.

Did You Know?

• That you can take a qualified charitable distribuEon from your IRA and have the check go directly to the

church and you do not have to count that as taxable income on your personal tax return? [Generally, a quali-

fied charitable distribuEon is an otherwise taxable distribuEon from an IRA (other than an ongoing SEP or

SIMPLE IRA) owned by an individual who is age 70½ or over that is paid directly from the IRA to a qualified

charity.]

• That you can contact your bank to set up a direct pay to GBPC rather than wriEng a check for your offering

each week?

• That GBPC members supported the ABBA List mission through Mother’s Day and Father’s Day tributes in the

amount of $3,635?

• With Fall comes “Budget Season” for the Church Finance Team? We will be considering how your giLs will

support all the ministries of GBPC and beyond for 2018. Be on the lookout for Pledge forms and please turn

them in aLer prayerful consideraEon. Having this informaEon helps so much in preparing our church budget

for the year.

Building Fund The Building & Grounds Team has completed its project of installing the new HVAC units in the

Adult Wing and is now moving forward with a new church security system. ConEnued contribuEons to the

Building Fund are appreciated.

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8

growgrowgrowgrow

Sunday Morning Equipping Classes! 9:30—The Book of Titus (A Chip Ingram study)

Begins September 17th!

In this video based, seven week series, Chip Ingram unpacks

the book of Titus. He challenges us to display the gospel in

our lives through doing good. We do good works not to earn

God’s favor, but as a result of God’s favor. When the gospel

has truly taken root in our lives, it produces the fruit of godliness. As we pass these things on to future genera-

Eons, the Church stands in bright contrast to the darkness of the world. We spend Eme ge^ng to know each

other, watch a short video and discuss Chip's teaching around tables. Facilitated by Judi Rogers (Room 260)

9:30—John for Everyone

Nothing is off the table in this Bible discussion class. Filled with people who like to talk about the significant as-

pects of the faith, they love helping others deepen their understanding of God and God’s Word, too.

Facilitated by Wayne PiOman (Library)

11:00—Bible Study/Discussion Class

This commiOed group engages each week in in-depth Bible study. Recent studies have included Hosea, Ephe-

sians, and a look at what the Bible tells us about the spiritual giL of discernment. Facilitated by John Munday

(Room 240)

Lunch & Learn—A New Monthly Series! Fourth Sundays, 12:00-1:00 pm

Enjoy a boxed lunch and learn from a knowledgeable presenter!

September 24th, 12:00-1:00 pm—Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal, expected and common experience in life. As human beings,

we worry about keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe, upcoming decisions we

must make, our future security, and many other things. But in the era of constant

news and informaEon about potenEal threats to our safety, many people are find-

ing it more difficult to manage their anxiety in our complex world. Come learn

some Eps to deal with anxiety and enjoy roundtable discussions with Dr. Nilima

Nirmul-Gyuricsko, a member of GBPC with her husband Eric and their family. Nili-

ma is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with Chesapeake Psychological Associates

who specializes in the individual treatment of adolescent and adult clients. She

enjoys working with women's issues, middle school and high school adjustment

issues, idenEty issues and employs an eclecEc mixture of therapeuEc approaches

in order to tailor her work to best suit her individual client's needs.

October 22nd, 12:00-1:00 pm—Talking to Your Kids About Faith

One of the philosophies of Orange is that the church (yellow) and parents (red) are

partners in helping our children know and love God. When put together, the red and yellow make orange. This

workshop is designed to help equip parents and connect them with resources to feel comfortable doing their

part to help develop and deepen their children’s faith. Director of Children’s Ministry Stacey Michalak, Director

of Youth Ministry Andrew Marshall and Rev. Anita K. Herbert will be sharing insights they learned at D6, a family

ministry discipleship conference they aOended in September. Come learn strategies for having the most im-

portant conversaEons you will ever have with your child!

LUNCHES: $7

WRAPS OR CHICKEN SALAD

CROISSANTS, PASTA OR

POTATO SALAD, COOKIE,

BROWNIE OR FRUIT, AND A

DRINK. SIGN UP THE

WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE

EVENT:

TESSASCREATIONS@HOTMAIL.COM.

9

growgrowgrowgrow

Outdoor Movie "The Shack" Saturday, September 9, at 8:00 pm

Outdoor Movie "The Shack" will be shown on a huge screen in the large parking lot. Bring the family, friends,

and neighbors for a special experience. You need a chair or blanket. Popcorn and lemonade provided. This

movie is rated PG13 and is appropriate for children ages 13 and older.

Prayer Shawl Ministry Although the Prayer Shawl Ministry has long been established in many

churches, it is new in our church. KniOers and crocheters make shawls, ba-

by blankets, afghan throws and pocket/prayer cloths. As we begin the work

we pray for the user to receive comfort and blessings. At our monthly

meeEng our pastors pray over the items with us.

Members of our congregaEon, family members, friends, and the communi-

ty are given an item according to their needs. It is a joy and a blessing to

knit and crochet items that serve such a worthy prayerful purpose. There is

a basket full of pocket prayer cloths and prayer cloths on the welcome table in the narthex. Please take one if

you feel it would aid in your prayer life. Recently, one of our members gave a basket full of prayer cloths to our

local firefighters who fought the senior ciEzens apartment fire. One policeman at the scene put his pocket prayer

cloth inside his bulletproof vest carrying the prayers of our church family.

We meet the second Tuesday of each month at 10 am in the church library. If you would like to parEcipate but

are unable to aOend, we have many paOerns for you to do at home. If you know someone who would like an

item please contact the church office or one of the following people:

Barbara Stephens, barbarahs@cox.net Linda Spelce, spelce@cox.net Alice Purcell, purcella61@gmail.com

10

growgrowgrowgrow

Wednesday Night Classes for Adults! 6:30-7:45 pm

September 13-October 25 ConfirmaEon is a discipleship program used by many churches for

their youth. The process at GBPC includes an overview of the Old

and New Testaments, the survey of a gospel, an overview of

church history from Pentecost unEl now, and a review of key Chris-

Ean beliefs in order to produce a statement of faith. Do you come

from a tradiEon that didn’t have ConfirmaEon, or you had Confir-

maEon but you’ve forgoOen everything you ever learned? Then

Confirma5on for Adults is designed for you! This year on Wednesday nights, we want to give adults the oppor-

tunity to learn for the first Eme or to revisit these topics themselves! In order to coincide with the 500th anni-

versary of MarEn Luther’s acEons that are credited as the beginning of the ReformaEon, we’ll be tackling church

history first. In January, we’ll cover the gospel of Luke, and then in February-March, we’ll revisit key ChrisEan

beliefs. Adults are invited to parEcipate in any or all of these segments. Below is the fall schedule:

Sep 13 Old Testament Overview part 1 (Ralph)

Sep 20 Old Testament Overview part 2 (Ralph)

Sep 27 New Testament Overview (Ralph)

Oct 4 Church History: Pentecost-500 AD (Anita)

Oct 11 Church History: 500 AD-1500 AD (Anita)

Oct. 25 Church History: Post ReformaEon-Modern (Anita)

November 1-December 13 GalaEans is important for several reasons. First of all, it is among the earliest, if not the earliest, of all the

wriEngs in the New Testament. The leOer gives us an

insight into the problems that arose in the ChrisEan

churches of the first century aLer Jesus' physical death,

and most important of all, it reveals one of the most es-

senEal elements in Paul's concepEon of ChrisEanity. The

leOer has someEmes been called "Paul's declaraEon of

independence," a designaEon that means freedom from

bondage to laws of any kind, whether human laws or

divine laws. On this parEcular point, Paul made a definite break not only with Judaism but with those ChrisEans

of Jewish descent who thought of the new religion in terms of obedience both to the Mosaic Law and the laws

enunciated by Jesus.

Join us for a six-week Bible study of this important book with Pastor Ralph!

for adults!for adults!for adults!for adults!

Church History: Reforma5on

2017 marks the 500th

anniversary from the historic event of MarEn Luther nailing

his 95 theses to the door of the church in WiOenburg, Germany. This night will be

an intergeneraEonal, interacEve experience! Come learn why this is significant to

us as ChrisEans today!

Oct 18

11

WNL Dinner Resumes September 13th

Support Groups

Grief Share

Meets Thursdays @ 7 pm (begins September 7th), Room 240

This group uses the Grief Share faith based curriculum which includes a video, workbook, scripture, journaling

and prayer. All adults are invited who have experience a loss. The support group provides help as they conEnue

on their individual grief journey. The objecEve is to turn mourning into joy.

Facilitator: Bob Burley, burlbobly@yahoo.com.

Divorce Care

Meets Thursdays @ 7 pm (begins September 7th), Room 230

Many in our community oLen find themselves in the oLen unwanted posiEon of being in a difficult marital rela-

Eonship that is deemed broken beyond repair. Fortunately, we serve a God who is in the business of mending

broken people. This group is designed for those who want to come together with others seeking that healing for

their lives.

Facilitator: Brenda Sims, angel33k1@verizon.net.

Cancer Support

Every other Tuesday @ 7 pm, Room 260

We invite people baOling cancer, families and friends of paEents with cancer, and definitely sur-

vivors (you guys are an inspiraEon). The format is a short devoEonal followed by some Eme to

get to know each other and prayer. We hope to keep the focus on community and prayer for

each other.

Facilitator: Jim Bagley, jimbag8@gmail.com.

Care Givers Support Group

Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm, church library

The group’s purpose is to help / support those individuals who find themselves as caregivers, whether in a pri-

mary or secondary role. In addiEon to providing emoEonal support, the group has discussed financial and legal

concerns among various topics. For most of us, being a caregiver for a loved one causes a full range of emoEons

to be felt. It can also affect the health and well-being of the caregiver themselves due to the “overwhelming” sit-

uaEon they find themselves in. Having a group of people that are experiencing the same problems and concerns

is important as it is very easy for the caregiver to feel isolated.

Facilitator: Rev. Georgianna Brabban-Johnson, Georgianna@mchsi.com.

Leave the cooking to us! Enjoy dinner with family and friends and stay for

one of the many classes offered! Adults $4, Kids $2. ReservaEon deadline is

Monday @ 8 pm @ gbpres.org.

growgrowgrowgrow

12

Club Orange Kids Club Orange Sunday School begins Sunday, September 10th during our 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. services. Children

are divided by grade levels in K-5th grades. We are so excited to have all of our new volunteers who plan to part-

ner with parents to help build a firm foundaEon of faith in our children.

Club Orange Kids Presents the Bible Huddle Challenge Let's get ready to tackle scripture together as a family!

This year we are challenging our families with children in K-5th grades to use our

Seeds of Faith booklet to learn the concepts, quesEons, and scriptures per their

grade level. As your child learns each concept have them relay the informaEon to

Mrs. Stacey or Ms. Via and then we will move each family towards a TOUCH-

DOWN!

Once your child knows all the informaEon for their grade--they will receive a giL

card of $10 to either Sweet Frog or Chick-Fil-A and your family will also be photo-

graphed and declared Bible champions!

Sign your family up online to join the game!

Come for a great fall fes5val event:

• Pumpkin carving contest

• PeRng zoo

• Cornhole

• 9-square in the air

• Inflatables

Oct. 28th—Fall Fes5val and Trunk or Treat 4:30 –7 pm

Following all these great

ac5vi5es, we’ll have our

trunk or treat outreach

to the neighborhood

and costume compe5-

5on. You won’t want to

miss all the fun!

growgrowgrowgrow

13

Confirma5on

Fall Youth Calendar

September

10- Sunday Morning Club begins

10- High School Kick Off (6:30-8:00 pm)

13- Back To School Bash- Middle School

(6:30-7:45 pm)

October

28- Trunk or Treat (4:30 –7pm)

2017-2018

Confirma5on is a discipleship process for our teenagers, tra-

diEonally in 8th grade or older, but any student who is ready

and is interested in parEcipaEng is welcome. ConfirmaEon is

taught by the pastors and by Andrew Marshall, the Director of

Youth Ministry.

There are three classroom components to ConfirmaEon—an

overview of the Old and New Testaments, a review of church

history (how did we get here from there?), and a review of the

gospel of Luke. This is followed by an 8-session period of

meeEng one-on-one with a mentor during which the student

will be creaEng his or her own statement of faith. There will

be a ConfirmaEon retreat in the spring, and ConfirmaEon Sun-

day will be mid-May. All in all, the ConfirmaEon runs through-

out the academic year, with breaks for the holidays.

The first two classroom components, an overview of the Old

and New Testament, and a review of church history, will be

held this fall on Sunday mornings from 11:00-12:00 pm, begin-

ning September 17th. Please refer to the schedule on the leL.

Packets with more informaEon will be available in September.

Students or parents might also contact Andrew Marshall,

drewicus2@gmail.com.

Sundays, 11:00-12:00 pm

Date Topic

Sep 17 Old Testament Overview

Sep 24 New Testament Overview

Oct 1 Worship--World Communion

Oct 8 Church History—Pentecost-500 AD

Oct 15 Church History—500 AD-1500 AD

Oct 22 Church History—ReformaEon

Oct 29 Worship—Reforma5on Sunday!

Nov 5 Family Worship

Nov 12 Church History—Post ReformaEon-Modern

growgrowgrowgrow

14

SERVESERVESERVESERVE

Nicaragua Mission Trip 2017 I went to Nicaragua not knowing what to expect. It was an

extremely last minute decision to go. I had about 48

hours to decide if I wanted go before the Eckets were

bought. That meant 48 hours to check with parents, think

about health, safety, and financial aspects of the trip. It

also meant logisEcs. It was during my orientaEon, so I

would have to make sure I could move that. Only 48

hours to decide! It took me 5 minutes. ALer I said yes

though, there were about 47 hours and 55 minutes of de-

baEng with my parents to allow me to go. In the end, they

said yes.

I make a lot of hasty decisions, but, out of all of them, this trip has been the one that paid off the most. I once

went to a church retreat where the enEre weekend and the months leading up to it, I was told to "parEcipate,

don't anEcipate." At Nicaragua, I did my best to embrace this fully. Ge^ng to the camp, and beginning to work

alongside the Nicas was life-changing. I made friend aLer friend with Spanish that had hardly been touched for 2

years. I talked about my relaEonships, my educaEon, hobbies, and even favorite sports. I was amazed how close

some hard work and rusty language skills can bring people together.

From these people I learned something. When it came Eme to hear the tesEmony from our Nica friends, I was

amazed. I was amazed about how God was working in their life. I was amazed at how God pulled them from dark

places into the light. I was amazed by how much closer to God they were than I felt. I wanted that closeness.

When I realized I wanted that closeness, I did some self reflecEon (I know, scary stuff right?). The evening of, and

the next morning, I discovered that the reason I wasn't closer to God was because I didn't want to take the Eme I

knew was required. I wanted to be closer in my heart, but it never reached my head to work on my relaEonship

with God. I made Eme for so many things in my life. And many of which are great to have. I made Eme for

friends, Eme for work, Eme for family, Eme for church, and even Eme to relax. But I had never made much Eme

Missionaries Felix & Edith Prakash Felix and Edith Prakash, Oasis Ministries, have been traveling

across the globe, ministering, preaching, teaching, and healing!

She and her family have a very packed schedule, with liOle down

Eme. They have had some illnesses, issues with asthma and

Edith’s mom has been hospitalized. So please conEnue to pray

for their health, safety and the works they are doing for the Lord.

She wants to make sure all those who have supported her minis-

try know how much she appreciates the support.

The Children’s Home is run by Edith’s mom and our church has

supported. Several individuals from GBPC sent funds so that the

kids could go to a local amusement park. You will see the photos

of the orphans on the bus ride to the amusement park. GBPC is

helping transform lives and communiEes all across the globe!

Service & Mission News

Church construcEon. GBPC has helped with

church building funds and financial support for

a well at the church so the community will

have water!

15

for God. Just me and God. I am trying to make that Eme now though.

Our relaEonship with God is and should be something that is ever changing, ever growing. I've seen that growth

before in my life. More recently, in the form of baby steps. This trip to Nicaragua has helped me take what I hope

is a running leap in my faith. Now I know I will go back to those baby steps soon (At the moment, I sEll feel like I

am in midair aLer that jump). I am so glad that I have had this opportunity to go to Nicaragua and take a leap of

faith. It's something I would love to do again and again and again. And if anyone is thinking about going next

summer, just remember. You have more than 48 hours to decide, so don't stress out about it.

Blessings and love, Sean Drew

2017 Nicaragua Vida Joven Mission Team

RenovaEons to the Burfoot House began September 2016 and we got to watch God

move every step of the way! We opened our doors to our first guest August 4th, 2017!

Guest number 2 entered Burfoot House August 11th. God is good! This precious wom-

an had lived in her car for over a year AND worked each day. Good referral from the

Chesapeake Regional Hospital TransiEonal Care Program (which is awesome)!

Burfoot House: Program for Homeless Women

SERVESERVESERVESERVE

16

Volunteer Opportuni5es to Serve

Adopt A Teacher Adopt a TEAcher sign ups will begin Sunday, Sept.

17th. See Brenda Sims at the Welcome Desk

to adopt a Great Bridge Primary teacher for the 2017-

18 school year.

Blood Drive Tuesday Sept. 19th – 2pm – 7pm

GBPC Fellowship Hall

Our next Red Cross Blood Drive is scheduled for Tues-

day September 19th, from 2pm to 7pm in the Fellow-

ship Hall. This is a great way to serve our communi-

ty. There is currently no subsEtute for donated blood

for blood transfusions. Since less than 10 percent of

the US populaEon donates blood each year, and there

is a constant need for accident vicEms, cancer paEents

and others, donaEng is giving a precious giL. The Red

Cross separates the blood aLer donaEon into red cells,

platelets, and plasma - so each donaEon can touch up

to three lives. Signups will be in the Fellowship Hall

between services starEng August 20th .

Food For All September 24th-October 1st Please help support this one week food blitz campaign by donaEng canned goods

and other non-perishable food items. Please remember:

• Non-perishable food

• Non-breakable containers

• Low fat/low sodium/low sugar products preferred

• NutriEonal labels intact

Donated food can be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall.

Needed Items

• Lean Canned Protein : peanut buOer, tuna, chicken, turkey,

beans

• Fruits and Vegetables: canned fruits and vegetables, pasta

sauce, 100% fruit juice, fruit preserves, dried fruit

• Whole Grains: cereal, pasta, oatmeal, rice, crackers

• Meals: soups, stews, boxed meals,

canned pasta

• Baby Products: formula, baby food, dia-

pers, wipes

·

Opera5on Christmas Boxes available in October!

We conEnue to support this

great project which brings

joy and hope to children all

around the world, by provid-

ing them with Christmas boxes filled with surprises, as

well as receiving literature with the gospel message.

Pick up a box or two, fill it with giLs, and return to

church by Nov 12th to help us reach our goal of 500

boxes! Contact Judy Steinmetz, judys@gbpres.org, to

help with wrapping boxes, checking returned boxes or

delivering boxes to drop off.

SERVESERVESERVESERVE