Prototypical MarriageA seven week series on Marriage

type: Sermon | by Danny Wright | Scripture: Genesis 2:15-3:7

Sermon Audio

This Week at GraceEvents and ministry opportunities this week at Grace

Crossing – Tonight, 7:00pm (college aged adult ministry @ 8135 SR 722, Arcanum)

Men’s Training – Monday, 7:00-8:15pm

Elder Meeting – Monday, 8:15-10:30pm.

LIFEgroups – Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sun evenings (meet in homes around the area)

Elevate – Wednesday, 7:00-9:00pm (7th-12th grade youth)

Porterbrook – Saturday, 7:00 – 10:00 am

Giving Envelopes *HELP* – If you use giving envelopes to tithe here at Grace…please make sure that your giving number is in the upper right corner of the envelope so that we can insure that you get tax credit for the donation! You should have received number stickers when you got your envelopes. If you did not or lost the ones you got…please contact the church office at 547-0065 or mailto:office@greenvillegrace.organd we can get you fixed up. Thanks!

Snack Sunday – We desire to give the kiddos from ages 0-2nd grade a snack each Sunday…and our cupboard is bare! If you would like to help us solve this problem by donating some snacks (think Cheerios, goldfish crackers and pretzels), please drop them off at the Welcome Center on Sunday May 13th and 20th. Thanks in advance for the help!

2012 Graduates – This year we will be having our Graduate recognition on June 3rd @ our first Praise in the Park service. If you would like your graduate to be recognized and/or you would like your open house information to be shared with the church body; please send us a picture of your graduate as well as the date/time of your Open House. Please email the info to matt@greenvillegrace.org or drop it by the office by May 23rd please call first @ 547-0056).

Father:Son Campout – Grace Men’s Ministry is hosting a one-night father/son campout on June 1st and 2nd at the Dearing Retreat @ Wayne Lakes. Fathers, bring yours sons for an evening of fellowship and bonding that only a campfire can provide (overnight camping is available but not required)! Sign-up today at the Welcome Center and keep a watch on the bulletin for more details. If you have questions…call Shaun King at 937.467.6215.

VBS Volunteer Help Needed – Grace will be holding our annual Vacation Bible School from June 10-15th. Volunteer signup to date has been wonderful, but we still need a few slots filled, especially in the Small Group Leaders spot. Please visit the Welcome Center or call the church office @ 547-0065 (office@greenvillegrace.org) to get more details or have questions answered. We are looking forward to an exciting week and would love it if you would join us!

Mowing Help Needed – If you own a large riding mower and can transport it, Grace can use your help! The building and grounds team is asking for volunteers to come and mow the church lawn. There are still dates available and you can sign up for one or more weeks as your schedule allows. If you are interested in helping out, visit the Welcome Center to get more details or email/call the church office (547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org). Thanks!

Baptism – If seeing the recent baptisms have raised questions that you would like answered, please feel free to contact the church office at 547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org. We would love the opportunity to sit down and discuss those with you and encourage you in your walk with Christ!

Porterbrook (July Class) – On July 21st at 7am, Grace is offering an intensive class on how the Gospel affects all our relationships, regardless of stage in life or the environment that they occur in. There are supplies that you will need and homework that you will need to do in advance, so we need to know by June 10th if you would like to join the class. To get more details and/or signup, please visit the Welcome Center or contact the church office @ 547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org and ask for Danny Wright. Cost for the class is $25.

Castine Food Bank Items for May: Jello and Canned Fruits (any type)

(place donated items in the bin labeled ‘Feed the Poor’ in the narthex)

2012 General Fund Giving: Average Weekly giving thru 05/06: $7453

Average Weekly need for 2012: $7739

Prayer PointFor the Body of Grace to Consider, Pray over and Respond to…

Your Elder team is pleased to present Rick Bohn and Gregg Dyke before the body as men that have been interviewed and (as far as we can tell) proven to be called and sufficiently evidence a walk that is worthy of the role of deacon. The last step in the process is to present them before you the body, as men that we see as having an evident desire to pursue the Biblical qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

Over the course of the next several weeks, we are asking you to prayerfully review the qualifications of a deacon as listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and consider the character of these men. The elder team desire any and all feedback that you might have concerning the Biblical integrity and walk of these men. If you find yourself encouraged or concerned, please pass those along to anyone on the elder team (Brian Reifsnider, Monty Stump, Danny Wright, Jason Bradshaw, Matt Strader, Marshall Gipe). To speak to an elder, call the church @ 547-0065 or email Marshall Gipe (marshall@greenvillegrace.org).

Prototypical MarriageA seven week series on Marriage

type: Sermon | by Danny Wright | Scripture: Genesis 2:18-25

Sermon Audio

This Week at GraceEvents and ministry opportunities this week at Grace

Modesty Study – Monday, 7:00pm

LIFEgroups – Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sun evenings (meet in homes around the area)

Elevate (Parents Night) – Wednesday, 7:00-9:00pm (7th-12th grade youth – parents welcome to attend)

Spring Work Day – Saturday, 8:00am-1:00pm

Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 13

Crossing – May 13, 7:00pm (college aged adult ministry @ 8135 SR 722, Arcanum)

Giving Envelopes *HELP* – If you use giving envelopes to tithe here at Grace…please make sure that your giving number is in the upper right corner of the envelope so that we can insure that you get tax credit for the donation! You should have received number stickers when you got your envelopes. If you did not or lost the ones you got…please contact the church office at 547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org and we can get you fixed up. Thanks!

Elevate Youth Parents Night – On Wednesday, May 9th @ 7pm, parents of those in the youth are invited to attend with your son or daughter to participate in and witness what goes on here each week. Please help us by passing the word along to those parents that might not attend Grace but their children attend Elevate. Questions? Call the church office (547-0065) and ask for Matt Strader.

Spring Workday – Bring the family by the church on Saturday May 12 at 8am for a morning of spring cleaning inside and out. Breakfast will be served at 8 am and work will begin soon after. It is our desire to be completed by early afternoon. If you have any tools that might be helpful in ‘sprucing up’ the landscaping and/or for general cleaning, bring them along and enjoy a morning of fellowship / stewardship! No signup is required and if you need more information, contact the church office at 547.0056

Snack Sunday – We desire to give the kiddos from ages 0-2nd grade a snack each Sunday…and our cupboard is bare! If you would like to help us solve this problem by donating some snacks (think Cheerios, goldfish crackers and pretzels), please drop them off at the Welcome Center on Sunday May 13th and 20th. Thanks in advance for the help!

2011 Graduates – This year we will be having our Graduate recognition on June 3rd @ our first Praise in the Park service. If you would like your graduate to be recognized and/or you would like your open house information to be shared with the church body; please send us a picture of your graduate as well as the date/time of your Open House. Please email the info to matt@greenvillegrace.org or drop it by the office by May 23rd please call first @ 547-0056).

Father:Son Campout – Grace Men’s Ministry is hosting a one-night father/son campout on June 1st and 2nd at the Dearing Retreat @ Wayne Lakes. Fathers, bring yours sons for an evening of fellowship and bonding that only a campfire can provide (overnight camping is available but not required)! Sign-up today at the Welcome Center and keep a watch on the bulletin for more details. If you have questions…call Shaun King at 937.467.6215.

VBS Volunteer Help Needed – Grace will be holding our annual Vacation Bible School from June 10-15th. Volunteer signup to date has been wonderful, but we still need a few slots filled, especially in the Small Group Leaders spot. Please visit the Welcome Center or call the church office @ 547-0065 (office@greenvillegrace.org) to get more details or have questions answered. We are looking forward to an exciting week and would love it if you would join us!

Baptism – If seeing last Sunday’s baptisms have raised questions that you would like answered, please feel free to contact the church office at 547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org. We would love the opportunity to sit down and discuss those with you and encourage you in your walk with Christ!

Porterbrook (June class / May’s class postponed) – Have you ever wished you were better equipped to share the Gospel with those that are either jaded by past experience or are so far from understanding it that any of your ‘churchy’ phrases or attempts to communicate it fall on deaf ears? On June 19th at 7am, Grace is offering a class on just that! There are supplies that you will need and homework that you will need to do in advance, so we need to know by May 13th if you would like to join the class. To get more details and/or signup, please contact the church office @ 547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org and ask for Danny Wright. Cost for the class is $25.

Castine Food Bank Items for May: Jello and Canned Fruits (any type)

(place donated items in the bin labeled ‘Feed the Poor’ in the narthex)

2012 General Fund Giving: Average Weekly giving thru 04/29: $7232

Average Weekly need for 2012: $7739

Prayer PointFor the Body of Grace to Consider, Pray over and Respond to…

Your Elder team is pleased to present Rick Bohn and Gregg Dyke before the body as men that have been interviewed and (as far as we can tell) proven to be called and sufficiently evidence a walk that is worthy of the role of deacon. The last step in the process is to present them before you the body, as men that we see as having an evident desire to pursue the Biblical qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

    Over the course of the next several weeks, we are asking you to prayerfully review the qualifications of a deacon as listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and consider the character of these men. The elder team desire any and all feedback that you might have concerning the Biblical integrity and walk of these men. If you find yourself encouraged or concerned, please pass those along to anyone on the elder team (Brian Reifsnider, Monty Stump, Danny Wright, Jason Bradshaw, Matt Strader, Marshall Gipe). To speak to an elder, call the church @ 547-0065 or email Marshall Gipe (marshall@greenvillegrace.org).

About a year ago I was starting to look more into God’s word. The more I looked, the more I realized I am a big sinner! Without Christ, I am filthy! I would go to hell forever if Jesus was not King of my life. I do not want to go to hell. I do not want satan in my life.

I know that only through Jesus Christ, I am saved, through faith. I know only God can forgive my sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died on a cross and rose again for us. I want the world to know this!

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist to set an example for all of His followers to be baptized. I want to be like Jesus. I know that baptizing me does not save me. By being baptized today, I can express to the world my love to God and that I am a saved Christian. I no longer live in fear. I have everlasting life!

When I was five years old my mother passed away and during this time people would tell me that she was in a better place and that I would see her again someday. Everybody would tell me that she was in a place called heaven. This event caused me to ask questions about this place, I wanted to know about it and I wanted to know how to get there so I could be with my mother again. My dad told me that the only way to get to heaven is by believing in God, because of my age I did not completely understand the importance of the Gospel of Christ, but I knew that God existed, so I said the sinner’s prayer and thought that I was saved. I started to attend a Catholic church even though I did not really understand the message. At that moment I only wanted to have a relationship with God because I had been told that it was what I was supposed to do to go to heaven and be with my mother again, this was my only motivation. But when I was seven years old God used my grandmother to make me realize that my motivation for having a relationship with Him was wrong, and that my only motivation should be what he did in the cross for us. This was the moment when I started to realize how important that was, when I started to understand the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, though I was still too young to understand some things. I was eager to know more about Him, and my grandmother taught me many things about God, one of the most memorable things that she taught me is that I did not need a priest to talk to God, that I could do it myself. This is the main reason why I stopped attending Catholic Church. I could not go to any Christian churches because there weren’t any close to where I live. Even though I stopped attending church, I did not stop having a relationship with God.

When I was fifteen years old I decided to become an exchange student, and by God’s grace I ended up living in Greenville, with a family that had just started attending Greenville Grace Church. This church has helped me to fully understand the importance of the Gospel. In only eight months I have learned more about Jesus Christ than what I had before in my whole life. I know that I did not end up leaving (living) in Greenville just by chance, I know that he wanted me to know more about Him, and that this was the right place to do it. I also got the opportunity to serve Him during a mission trip in the Dominican Republic last March, where I got to know other people from this church that I had never met before, I got to share the Gospel with people that had never heard it, and I also worked with a medical team.

I got baptized when I was a baby, but the reason why I am doing it today is because I want everybody to know how thankful I am for Jesus dying on the cross to save me from my sin. God has been watching over me for my entire life. He brought me here so I could learn more about Him, and has always been so good to me.

Revelation 29:11 says “…they overcame him (satan) by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony…” I stand before you today to testify that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is not just a story of something that happened a couple thousand years ago. This gospel that you hear preached Sunday after Sunday still has the power to change lives. I would like to share with you how this Jesus has changed my life.

I grew up going to church; my parents tried to teach us the bible. But for whatever reason, I viewed God as a harsh judge; angry, distant and not pleased with me. At a very young age, I began to fear this God…not a healthy fear, but a “he might strike me dead at any moment” kind of fear. I lived in constant dread of His wrath.

When I was nine years old, I remember sitting at the table one night; my dad was reading the bible. Suddenly, I had this strange realization that I was not just flesh and blood, but an eternal soul. I got this panicky feeling that started in my stomach worked throughout my body. I knew in that moment that though my flesh would die, my soul would live forever. And I didn’t know where I would spend that forever…though I had a pretty good idea. This is where my quest began; my quest to appease an angry God.

I started reading my bible, thinking that would please God. Problem is, I was programmed to read the bible as a list of rules. So I concluded that I just needed to try harder to be good; to stop doing bad things. And I did try really hard…for a of couple weeks. But I couldn’t keep it up. This started a pattern in my life. Try really hard to be good…fail…despair…then try hard again. This always ended in failure and defeat.

So I began to resent God for having such rigorous standards. I didn’t see myself as that bad of a person…in fact; I thought I was pretty good compared to other kids around me. I had no understanding of the fact that I was a sinner in need of grace. And since I didn’t know I was a sinner, I didn’t know I needed a savior either. I was just trying to stay out of hell.

When I was 15, I decided to get baptized. I thought maybe getting baptized and joining church would take away the guilt and fear. Maybe then God would be pleased with me. Of a truth, I went into the water a dry sinner and came out a wet one. Now my life was governed by a new set of rules…codes of dress and an exhaustive list of does and don’ts added to the ones already in the bible. The weight and burden of all I had to live up to was getting heavier and heavier as I sank deeper into despair. Jason Grey puts it so well in one of his songs: “all that religion ever made of me, was a sinner with a stone tied to my feet…it never set me free.”

I lived here for years, keeping up the façade that everything was fine. I looked and talked like a Christian; I went to church. But inside I was dead. I really did want to be free, to be good, to stop messing up…I just didn’t have the power to do it.

It took getting married and having kids for me to really start to see my sin. After 5 years of marriage, everything started falling apart. I came to the end of myself…I simply didn’t have anything left to live for. All the things I’d used to try and fill the void in my heart just didn’t satisfy anymore. I had the husband, the house, the kids, all the stuff I thought would make me happy. The lure of pleasure and entertainment didn’t take away the loneliness, the emptiness. I longed for something more.

Two and a half years ago, God brought a woman into my life…someone who cared about all the pain and confusion in my heart. David and I spent a week with her and her husband…and this is where my story begins to change. Because that week, I met Jesus.

For the first time in my life, I was able to talk about some really hard things that had happened in my childhood; things that kept my heart locked up. I had so much anger and bitterness inside that was controlling my life. You see, I thought that holding on to these things would make me stronger. But in reality, it was killing me.

As we talked that first day, they invited me to lay all the shattered pieces of my life at the feet of Jesus. All I had to do was surrender, let go. Bowing my head, I began to pray. Tentatively at first; then, like a flood, all the pain, frustration, anger, confusion…it all came rushing out. Like Jonah 2:2 says “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress and He answered me”. Jesus met me there, in my brokenness, and for the first time in my life, I felt His love, His grace, His abundant mercy.

As I prayed, I pictured Jesus taking all my ugliness, all my sin and carrying it to the cross; while I walked away pardoned, cleansed, forgiven. Immediately, I felt the burden of my sin lift. Gone was the fear that had governed my life. Gone the guilt and shame. In its place peace, joy…

It was like scales fell away from my eyes and I saw God for who He really is; not distant or angry…but compassionate, gracious and full of mercy.

That was the day I began falling in love with Jesus. Not a “box of chocolates” kind of love, like Danny mentioned, but a deep, unmovable, satisfying love. A love that makes me want to give up everything to follow Him. Falling in love with Jesus broke the chains from me.

And so today… I live because He died. I have hope because He rose…and I will overcome because He lives inside of me. Thank you Jesus!

Prototypical MarriageA seven week series on Marriage

type: Sermon | by Danny Wright | Scripture: Genesis 2:24

Sermon Audio

This Week at GraceEvents and ministry opportunities this week at Grace

VBS Volunteer Meeting – Tonight, 6:00pm

Crossing – Tonight, 7:00pm (6253 SR 36 E, Greenville Oh, 45331)

Blood Drive – Monday, 3:00-7:00pm

Men’s Training – Monday, 7:00-8:30pm

LIFEgroups – Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sun evenings(meet in homes around the area)

Elevate (7th-12th grade youth) – Wednesday, 7:00-9:00pm

Grace Mom’s – Wednesday, 9:30-11:30am

The Edge (men’s breakfast) – Saturday, 8:00-10:00am

4:12 (5th-6th grade youth) – Saturday, 2:00-4:00pm

Give Blood! – **Tomorrow** On Monday, April 30 from 3-7pm, Grace will be hosting our Spring blood drive. If you have never given blood, please consider doing so. One blood donation can save up to three lives! Visit the welcome center or go to www.donortime.com to get signed up. (If you like to make cookies…visit the welcome center to see how you can bake some treats to give the donors after they have given).

The Edge – The Edge (men’s monthly breakfast) will be meeting here at Grace for an 8am breakfast on May 5th to continue a three part series that is working through Stuart Scott’s book “Exemplary Husband”. Regardless of your past, present or future marital status, this study will be beneficial to your walk with Christ. All men are invited to attend, and encouraged to invite others that you work with or know that might benefit from this topic. We ask for a $5 dollar donation per man in attendance. If you need more details, contact the church office @ 547-0065 or men@greenvillegrace.org.

Elevate Youth Parents Night – On Wednesday, May 9th @ 7pm, parents of those in the youth are invited to attend with your son or daughter to participate in and witness what goes on here each week. Please help us by passing the word along to those parents that might not attend Grace but their children attend Elevate. Questions? Call the church office (547-0065) and ask for Matt Strader.

Spring Workday – Bring the family by the church on Saturday May 12 at 8am for a morning of spring cleaning inside and out. Breakfast will be served at 8 am and work will begin soon after. It is our desire to be completed by early afternoon. If you have any tools that might be helpful in ‘sprucing up’ the landscaping and/or for general cleaning, bring them along and enjoy a morning of fellowship / stewardship! No signup is required, but if you need more information, contact the church office at 547.0056

Snack Sunday – We desire to give the kiddos from ages 0-2 a snack each Sunday…and our cupboard is bare! If you would like to help us solve this problem by donating some snacks (think Cheerios, goldfish crackers and pretzels), please drop them off at the Welcome Center on Sunday May 13th and 20th. Thanks in advance for the help!

2011 Graduates – This year we will be having our Graduate recognition on June 3rd @ our first Praise in the Park service. If you would like your graduate to be recognized and/or you would like your open house information to be shared with the church body; please send us a picture of your graduate as well as the date/time of your Open House. Please email the info to matt@greenvillegrace.org or drop it by the office by May 23rd please call first @ 547-0056).

Father:Son Campout – Grace Men’s Ministry is hosting a one-night father/son campout on June 1st and 2nd at the Dearing Retreat @ Wayne Lakes. Fathers, bring yours sons for an evening of fellowship and bonding that only a campfire can provide (overnight camping is available but not required)! Sign-up today at the Welcome Center and keep a watch on the bulletin for more details. If you have questions…call Shaun King at 937.467.6215.

Porterbrook (June class / May’s class postponed) – Have you ever wished you were better equipped to share the Gospel with those that are either jaded by past experience or are so far from understanding it that any of your ‘churchy’ phrases or attempts to communicate it fall on deaf ears? On June 16th at 7am, Grace is offering a class on just that! There are supplies that you will need and homework that you will need to do in advance, so we need to know by May 13th if you would like to join the class. To get more details and/or signup, please contact the church office @ 547-0065 or office@greenvillegrace.org and ask for Danny Wright. Cost for the class is $25.

VBS Volunteer HELP NEEDED! – Our VBS will be held on June 10-15 this year. To make it a success we need A LOT of help in A LOT of different areas of giftedness. Visit the welcome center today to see how you can help make this event a success!

Castine Food Bank Items for April: Pasta Noodles (any type) (place donated items in the bin labeled ‘Feed the Poor’ in the narthex)

2012 General Fund Giving: Average Weekly giving thru 04/22: $7318 :

Average Weekly need for 2012:$7739

Prayer PointFor the Body of Grace to Consider, Pray over and Respond to…

Your Elder team is pleased to present Rick Bohn and Gregg Dyke before the body as men that have been interviewed and (as far as we can tell) proven to be called and sufficiently evidence a walk that is worthy of the role of deacon. The last step in the process is to present them before you the body, as men that we see as having an evident desire to pursue the Biblical qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

    Over the course of the next several weeks, we are asking you to prayerfully review the qualifications of a deacon as listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and consider the character of these men. The elder team desire any and all feedback that you might have concerning the Biblical integrity and walk of these men. If you find yourself encouraged or concerned, please pass those along to anyone on the elder team (Brian Reifsnider, Monty Stump, Danny Wright, Jason Bradshaw, Matt Strader, Marshall Gipe). To speak to an elder, call the church @ 547-0065 or email Marshall Gipe (marshall@greenvillegrace.org).

type: Conference | by Jason Bradshaw | Scripture: Genesis 3:1-24

Conference Audio

Who Am I?  We are, by nature deceived, disobedient, cursed, and estranged. But God grants us a new identity in Christ.

All Messages:

• Session 1: Who Made Me?
• Session 2: Who Instructs Me?
• Session 3: What Forms Me?
• Session 4: Who Am I?