"In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma - but never let him be the period"

Sermon this morning by Pastor Bill Connell
"Ministering As A Team" from Exodus 18

Do you need help focusing on the essential things in life? Would you like to know how to discern what's secondary and whether there's time to do those things? Today's sermon covered these areas and more and you're invited to listen or re-listen to this morning's message. Go to

http://www.gracebiblesouthgate.org/ and click on Recent Sermons so this message may minister to you or someone you know.

Right-To-Life LIFESPAN

Taxpayer Dollars for Abortion?

Did you know? The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 2007-2008 Annual Report shows that the abortion giant has increased the number of abortions from 289,750 to 305,310. Total revenue amounted to over one billion dollars, with the organization's profit margin of $85 million. Taxpayer dollars played a major role in that profit, with the report acknowledging the organization received $350 million of government grants and contracts.

Taken from American Life League Letter, July 17, 2009 - For more information, contact Right to Life-LIFESPAN, 734-422-6230

Ladies Bible Study
If you've not yet signed up, it's not too late. You can still catch up.
Join us this Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. for this study and fellowship.

Looking for a few good hands...

Would you be willing to help in the kitchen on a rotating basis to provide snacks for the children during the TeamKID program on Wednesday nights? If so, please contact Linda Sourbeck for more information. Her number is 313-383-2438. Thank you!

Each Tuesday Morning, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Ladies Bible Study

Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
TeamKID Children's Program for children in grades 1-6, Fellowship Hall
Adult Bible Study, followed by Prayer Time held in Sanctuary
Nursery Upstairs

Every Sunday, 9:45 a.m.
Sunday School for all ages

Each Sunday, 10:45 a.m.
KIDS for the LORD Children's Church, Grades 1-6
Adult Worship Service in Sanctuary
Nursery Upstairs


Coming Activities at Grace
Sunday, Sept. 27, 10:45 a.m.
Gideons Special Presentation by Dave Bettinger

Sunday, October 4
10:45 Communion Service with Pastor Bill
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Life Chain on Fort Street

Prayer Opportunities:
Family of the Week
Bob & Camilla McKee & Family

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park

-Thoughts to Ponder-
Avoid judging one another in disputable matters
Romans 14:1-23
Romans 14:1
"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters"
Romans 14:19
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification"

What is Truth?

"Godly living centers not on what we avoid, but on whom we embrace. Anytime we talk more about dos and don'ts than about Jesus, something's wrong.

The Christian life is far more than sin management. Behavior modification that's not empowered by God's heart-changing grace is self-righteous, as repugnant to God as the worst sins people gossip about. Children who grow up with graceless truth are repelled by self-righteousness and attracted to the world's slickly marketed grace-substitutes.

The world's low standards, its disregard for truth, are not grace. The illusory freedom, however, feels like grace to someone who's been pounded by graceless truth - beaten over the head with a piece of guardrail...

But properly understood, biblical truths are guardrails that protect us from plunging off the cliff. A smart traveler doesn't curse the guardrails ... He looks over the cliff, sees demolished autos below, and is grateful for guardrails.

The guardrails of truth are there not to punish, but to protect us.

Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:17).

Truth is more than mere facts. It's not just something we act upon. It acts upon us. We cannot change the truth, but the truth can change us. It sanctifies (sets us apart) from the falsehoods woven into our sin nature and championed by the world.

God has written His truth on human hearts (Romans 2:15). Shame and twinges of conscience come from recognizing that truth has been violated. When people hear truth spoken graciously, many are drawn to it because of the moral vacuum they feel. Hearts long for truth - even hearts that reject it.

We are to walk in the truth (3 John 1:2), love the truth, and believe the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10,12). All truth has a center of gravity: Jesus Christ, who declared, "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). He didn't say He would show the truth or teach the truth or model the truth. He is the truth.
Truth personified. He's the source of truth, and the reference point for evaluating all truth-claims...

All of us have a theology. The only question is whether it's true or false. Much teaching today is popularity-driven, not truth-driven. "The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their ears want to hear" (2 Timothy 4:3).

Some pastors and television preachers are well paid to play fast and loose with truth. But Charles Spurgeon said, "Christ's people must have bold, unflinching lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and Christ and His truth beyond all the world."

We should take our cues from the Berean Christians, who "received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day" to determine whether what they were being taught was true (Acts 17:11)."

Taken from The Grace and Truth Paradox by Randy Alcorn

Sunday, Sept. 13

"God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called"

Today's Sermon by Elder Kevin Godin

"The Calling and Power of Holiness" from Phil. 2:12-16

Is the saying 'Once saved, always saved' a truth to live by? Or are there conditions that we must meet? How do you know you truly believe the claims of Christ? To answer these questions and many others, please listen, or re-listen to today's sermon.

Go to http://www.gracebiblesouthgate.org/; then click on Recent Sermons to hear today's

vital, life-changing message by Kevin.

TeamKID

Wednesdays won't be the same at Grace Bible Church once elementary-aged children begin flocking to the church each Wednesday evening from 6:30-8:00p.m. The kids will have a time of worship, Bible teaching and activities, all geared to help them grow in their relationship with Christ.

Volunteers are still needed ... please contact Lynn Bolton

Registration will be held this Wed., Sept. 16 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
TeamKID begins Wednesday, Sept. 21

Right to Love - Lifespan Invites you to breakfast!

Did you know that Lifespan's Annual Pro-life Breakfast with Legislative Updates is planned with you in mind?

Our guest speaker is Marjorie Dennenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board of Susan B. Anthony List. Her topic will be: Pro-Life Attitudes Can Translate into Election Success.

The date is Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9:00a.m. - 12:00p.m., with registration beginning at 8:15a.m. Place: Burton Manor, 27777 Schoolcraft, Livonia. Cost: $20.00 per person, $10.00 for students aged 21 and younger. There are limited free seats for students who request them on a first-served, first-come basis.

Marjorie is a regular contributor on pro-life political issues to nation radio news services such as Focus on the Family, American Family Radio and Salem Radio News. There will be a Legislative Update and Health Care Reform Bill HR 3200 will be addressed. For reservations or more information, please call LIFESPAN at 248-478-8878 or 734-422-6230.

Ladies Bible Study Begins Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
Cost is $10.00 for the workbook. We'd love to see you there!

Our Discipleship Flock meets tonight at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Bob & Camilla McKee.
Our facilitator is Tom Gabbert. We'd love to have you join us.


Wednesday, Sept. 16 ... 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Bible Study of Ephesians with Kevin Godin meeting in the Fellowship Hall
Please note: There will not be prayer time this Wednesday only!

6:30-7:30 p.m. Registration for TeamKID

7:30 p.m. - TeamKID Organizational Meeting in the Fellowship Hall


Sunday, Sept. 20
Christian Worker Dedication Service

2:00 - 4:00 p.m. - Lincoln Park Crisis Pregnancy Center Life Walk fundraiser at Champaign Park in Allen Park. For details please call 313-386-4005.


Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
TeamKID begins for Children in grades 1 - 6
Adult Bible Study & Prayer Time will meet in the sanctuary


Sunday, Oct. 4 - Communion Service
2:30- 4:30 p.m. Life Chain


Prayer Opportunities

Family of the Week:
Tom Colwell

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park


Thoughts to Ponder...
Peacefully accept God-ordained diversity within basic unity.
Ephesians 4:1-16 & Ephesians 4:2-6
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called."

What is Grace?

The cost of redemption cannot be overemphasized. Christ took the hell He didn't deserve so we could have the heaven we don't deserve.

If you're not stunned by the thought of grace, then you aren't grasping what grace offers you, or what it cost Jesus...

Before I spoke at a conference, a soloist sang one of my favorite songs, "Amazing Grace."

It was beautiful. Until she got to the tenth word. "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a soul like me!"

My heart sank. The word wretch had been edited out! I thought about John Newton, the songwriter. This former slave trader, guilty of the vilest sins, knew he was a wretch. And that's what made God's grace so 'amazing.' Mind-boggling. Knock-down awesome.

If we're nothing more than morally neutral "souls," do you see what this does? It guts grace. The better we are, the less we need it. The less amazing it becomes...

The Bible makes an astounding proclamation: "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

When you cut wretch out of the song, you shrink grace. You reduce it to something more sensible, less surprising. If we weren't so bad without Christ, why did He have to endure the cross? Paul said if men were good enough then "Christ died for nothing" (Galatians 2:21).

Grace never ignores the awful truth of our depravity. In fact, it emphasizes it. The worse we realize we are, the greater we realize God's grace is.

Grace isn't about God lowering His standards. It's about God fulfilling those standards through the substitutionary suffering of the standard-setter. Christ went to the cross because He would not ignore the truths of His holiness and our sin. Grace never ignores or violates truth. Grace gave what truth demanded: the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

For some, human depravity may be an insulting doctrine, but grasping it is liberating. Why? Because when I realize that the best I can do without Him is like "filthy rags" in His sight (Isaiah 64:6), it finally sinks in that I have nothing to offer. Salvation therefore hinges on His work, not mine...

What relief to realize that my salvation cannot be earned by good works - and therefore can't be lost by bad ones.

If we see God as He really is, and ourselves as we really are, there's only one appropriate response: to worship Him.

Taken from The Grace and Truth Paradox by Randy Alcorn

Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009

Communion Service with Elder Craig McGlassion

Sermon by Pastor Bill Connell

"Oh, No! Manna Again!"

Are you a complainer? Odds are, if we're honest with ourselves, the answer is indeed "Yes". Would you like to change that and learn from Scripture how God sees complaining? Then please take the time to listen, or perhaps, listen again, to Pastor Bill's teaching on this important aspect of our lives. Go to our web site: http://www.gracebiblesouthgate.org/ and then click on "Listen to Recent Sermons" to hear today's message. Why not invite others to listen to it also?

TeamKID
Wednesdays won't be the same at Grace Bible Church once elementary-aged children begin coming to TeamKID! There will be worship time, Bible teaching and activities geared just for children in grades 1-6. The program has a taste of the well-received VBS program from July; only on a smaller scale, and will be held on a weekly basis.

Volunteers are still needed ... please see Lynn Bolton. Registration will be held Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Adult Bible Study will be held in the sanctuary beginning Wed., Sept. 23


Note: The new church directory will soon be printed! If you haven't already done so, please fill out an information form and turn in to the office; and see Clyde or Louise Moore to have your picture taken. We'd like to see all our church family included in this new directory. Thank you!

Right-to-Life Lifespan
Abortion is NOT Health Care!

Did you know that the U.S. Senate and House committees are presently working on health care reform packages including various amendments that will directly affect both abortion and rationing of health care. National pro-abortion groups see this legislation as an opportunity to mandate abortion and abortion funding.

Please contact your two U.S. Senators, (in MI they are) Carl Levin at 202-224-6221 or email him at senator@levin.senate.gov and Debbie Stabenow at 202-224-4822, email senator@stabenow.senate.gov ; also, please contact your U.S. Representative. (You may call the Lifespan office if you need more information about your U.S. Representative)

The message to be conveyed is that abortion and abortion funding must be 'explicitly excluded' from any health care insurance reform legislation. Contact Right-to-Life Lifespan at 734-422-6230.

Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Elder Meeting


Wednesday, Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m. (and every Wednesday)
Bible Study of Ephesians with teacher Kevin Godin, followed by prayer time
Dessert: Lynn Bolton


Sunday, Sept. 13
A.M. - Sermon by Elder Kevin Godin
P.M. - Discipleship Flock will meet at Bob & Camilla McKee's home in Brownstown,
facilitated by Tom Gabbert


Wednesday, Sept. 16
Registration for TeamKID in Fellowship Hall


Sunday, Sept. 20
Christian Worker Dedication Service


Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m.
TeamKID program begins for children in grades 1-6
Adult Bible Study & Prayer Time will be held upstairs


Sunday, Oct. 4
Communion Service & Life Chain


Prayer Opportunities

Family of the Week:
Lisa Blevins & Family

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park


Thoughts to Ponder...
Put on other Christ-like virtues which promote peace

Colossians 3:12 & 13 "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones".

Ladies Bible Study

Attention Ladies ....

You're all invited to join us for our next Ladies Bible Study that begins Tuesday, Sept. 15. We'll be doing another study by Beth Moore entitled "A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place"

Wanda Gabbert is our teacher once again and she'll help us discover the parallels of the Tabernacle's building and your life as a chosen vessel of God as taught by Beth Moore.

The cost of the class workbook is $10.00 and is payable to either Wanda or Sandy McGlassion. To register please fill out a form that's included with the church bulletin; email Wanda at wfgabbert@wowway.com or call the church office at 734-282-0115.

Remember: Class begins Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. and we'll meet

each Tuesday morning thereafter till the class is finished.

Sept. Birthdays & Anniversaries

Joey Carubba - Sept. 1

Elizabeth James - Sept. 3

Zachary Roelofs - Sept. 5

Opal McGhee - Sept. 8

Sarah Plaza - Sept. 10

Huston James - Sept. 15

Lisa Blevins - Sept. 18

Edna Milburn - Sept. 19

Karen Roelofs - Sept. 23

Artie Wilkins - Sept. 23

Tom & Wanda Gabbert - Sept. 10

Rob & Karen Roelofs - Sept. 18

Toddler Nursery

Toddler Nursery Schedule

Sept. 6 - Karen Roelofs

Sept. 13 - Beth Godin

Sept. 20 - Nancy Connell

Sept. 27 - Kelly McKee

Oct. 4 - Rachel Norman

Oct. 11 - Harmony King

Oct. 18 - Karen Roelofs

Oct. 25 - Beth Godin