Weekly Update

On Denials

A couple of weeks ago, we studied the passage about Peter’s denial. Some people approached me with a question about another Scripture passage that also addresses the topic of denial – 2 Timothy 2:12. Now should we understand this verse in light of Peter’s denial and repentance, especially when this text speaks of God denying us? Are these passages in harmony with each other? To answer this question, we need to consider the context.  The passage does not refer to…

Weekly Update

An Invitation to serve at VBS

As Christians, we are all familiar with the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”…

Weekly Update

The Upcoming Baptism

Dear church, our upcoming baptism will take place on both morning services February 16th, at 9:00 AM (Rus.), and  at 11:15 AM (Egn.). God saves people, gives them repentance, a second birth, and a desire to proclaim their faith that they are followers of Christ through water baptism. We believe that baptism must be done according to faith with a full submersion into the water, since this is how baptisms were done in the first church (Acts 8:37-38). This is…

Weekly Update

Receiving New Church Members

Dear church, last Sunday evening, during our service, we were delighted to welcome a new group of brothers and sisters into our church family. Today, we want to remind you to notice these new members and show them special attention and love. Below you will find a few practical steps that you can take. 1) Invite them to your home. This is a wonderful way to get to know them, pray together, and perhaps answer any of their questions (1…

Weekly Update

“The Expulsive Power of a New Affection” by Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847)

Recently, I read a sermon by Thomas Chalmers, who lived from 1780 to 1847. In this sermon, we find a few important  illustrations and explanations about how a believer is  freed from sinful, old desires and affections. What’s the key? Replacement! The text underlying the sermon is found in 1 John 2:15: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Thomas speaks of…

Weekly Update

About Prayer Meetings

Dear Church, We warmly invite all of you to join our prayer meetings, held every Thursday at 7:30 PM. These gatherings last only 45 minutes, but their spiritual impact feels like 3-4 hours of fellowship. During these meetings, the Lord reveals, answers our prayers, and transforms our hearts. Prayer is the breath of every Christian, a path to a closer and deeper relationship with God. In prayer, we ask the Almighty to fulfill what He has promised in His Word….

Weekly Update

Reading the Bible Together

Happy New Year to all of you! Friends, the very first letter of this year to you is about our joint Bible reading. Everyone who wants to read the Bible together with others, we invite you to join our monthly plan. This is done with the goal of accountability and edification. This plan is good in that it is organized thematically and has a good balance of reading both the new and old testaments. Besides this, there is the ability…

Weekly Update

Prayer Week Service Schedule

Greetings, GFC family!Please take note of the schedule for the Prayer Week gatherings, and plan to be a part of thisimportant spiritual marathon. Our desire as a church is to grow together in prayer. We do notknow what the coming year holds for us, but when in prayer we entrust our lives into Creator’shands, the unknown does not frighten us anymore.Please, take a note, that due to all the holiday gatherings, tonight’s service is canceled. Prayer week31 December, Tuesday –…

Weekly Update

Bible Reading Texts During Christmas

Dear friends, we are entering a busy season with many meetings and gatherings around Christmas. We will be singing Christmas songs, perhaps exchanging gifts, feasting, but there’s one very important thing we cannot neglect—the reading of Scripture. What can be better than once again reading Bible texts that predict, describe, and explain the meaning of the Messiah’s birth? Below you’ll find a list of texts that will help better your understanding of the wonder of the incarnation of Jesus Christ….

Weekly Update

Evangelism and Christmas

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people…” From the first words of the angels to the shepherds, we hear valuable information about the newly-born Messiah—He will bring joy! This joy will not be exclusive to the Israelites, but it will be for all people. This joy is for successful and unsuccessful people, for the healthy and the sick, for the rich and the poor, for the young and the…

Weekly Update

GFChurch’s Position on Alcohol

This question often comes up in Christian circles because of the surrounding world’s influence, so we cannot avoid difficult questions. The use of alcohol is in fact such a question. The reason is that Scripture does not directly forbid alcohol use. This is why there are many different positions and views. Our goal is not to investigate or even list each position. Our goal is to look at one text in light of the whole Bible: “And do not get…

Weekly Update

Thanksgiving

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus…” (1 Cor. 1:4) 1. Thanksgiving table Thanksgiving is a special time for many to gather and thank God for all the blessings and mercies in our lives, and most of you will be gathering at the dinner table with friends and relatives. For many this has already become a tradition, to invite brothers and sisters from the church who…

Weekly Update

Why Do We Need a Choir in Our Church?

The simplest answer to this question is, of course, to glorify God. However, God can be glorified in various ways, so the answer should be set in the context of the choir as a unique part of a church service. But first, we must determine what is not a reason for the existence of a choir. So, why do we need a choir in our church? In the Old Testament, we see a special place for the choir in temple…

Weekly Update

Changes in pastoral care of GFChurch

It’s normal to strive to improve any aspect of a ministry, especially when it comes to the pastoral care of church members. We understand that we’re called by God to equip the church for the work of ministry (Eph 4:11-16), so we periodically reexamine and reassess how well we’re doing this. At our last prayer retreat we looked into prayer and the subsequent work of member care and we concluded that improvements could be made to the current biannual prayer…

Weekly Update

Organic Evangelism

A few important reminders regarding witnessing or evangelizing for every believer… We have already talked a number of times that we should strive toa raise each other’s temperature and reverence towards evangelism. Today, let us pay attention to the driven by God’s grace influence we have on each other and on those around us. Effective evangelism often happens through personal relationships and sharing the Gospel one-on-one. A few important, practical elements that will help us be more effective in evangelism…

Weekly Update

Elder Board Prayer Retreat

The Elder Board gathered this week from Sunday evening through Tuesday for a wonderful prayer retreat. It was a time to stop and think deeply about our church’s life, ministry, relationships, and commitments. We prayed based on key prayers recorded in Scripture since the combination of God’s Word and prayer are a match made in heaven. Besides this we spent a considerable amount of time discussing various ministries in the church. It was especially pleasant how once again we came to…

Weekly Update

Will Animals and Pets Be in Heaven?

Short answer—probably not! But before pet-lovers get worked up, let’s take a few moments and calmly consider what Scripture has to say. 1. Reading through Revelation 21-22 we do not see animals mentioned in heaven. I propose that God does not speak about them because that is not what ought to capture our attention. Heaven is valuable not because of our beloved kitty, but because there is our Savior—Jesus Christ. 2. However, there is a certain continuity in heaven that…

Weekly Update

Missionary Trip to Europe by Pastor Sergey Neagov and Eugene Bardosh

Dear brothers and sisters, we sincerely thank you for your prayers for our short missionary trip to Europe. Warsaw, Poland September 26-28 We participated in a missionary retreat in Warsaw, which was a great blessings for us and the missionaries. Such gatherings are absolutely essential and important for missionaries. Shared prayers, spiritual songs, and exchanging experiences uniquely inspire, strengthen, and equip missionaries for the work to which the Lord has called them. We served missionaries with seminars on “Pastoral Care…

Weekly Update

Preparation for Listening to the Sermon

This coming Sunday, Lord willing, we will be celebrating our church’s 21st anniversary. Praise God for His faithfulness and care for the church. However, in this letter, I want to focus on something unique—preparing ourselves to listen to the Sunday’s sermon. As I reflect on the text of the upcoming sermon, I realize it is a powerful and radical message that can deeply impact many. Given the seriousness of this, I suggest that we all take the following two steps:…

Weekly Update

Ministry in Australia

The kingdom of Jesus Christ spreads and grows not just through the local church, but also through the cooperation and collaboration of churches with each other. This is exactly what happened last week in Sydney, Australia. At the invitation of the local Slavic church there, Irina and I were able to participate in their life and ministry. This was the first time that the Slavic association of churches in Australia held a youth camp that ended up having about 60…

Weekly Update

Sunday Sermon Application Discussion

Small (home) groups have all started up by now and we are glad that this year there are more people showing interest in having fellowship in smaller and closer circles. We earnestly recommend that during gatherings, at least a small amount of time be spent discussing your sermon applications. Below you will find some questions and practical advice on how to better prepare for this discussion: Pray that God would continue to work, open, and change your heart and life….

Weekly Update

The Gideons Ministry

This upcoming Sunday we will have the opportunity to hear about a missions ministry called, “The Gideons International.” We are glad to work together with organizations that spread the Word of God in this world. This international organization was founded in 1899, and their main goal is the spreading of Bibles in about 200 countries in 108 different languages. Grace Family Church has supported this ministry for many years now. We believe that the ministry of spreading the gospel in…

Weekly Update

How to Be an Encouraging Member of a Small Group

Many small groups are meeting for the first time this week, so it would be good to discuss some expectations and the expected etiquette of small groups leaders and the rest of the members of the group. Remember, small groups are a place where we can serve one another, just as with anything else that happens in the church. Communication. Many groups use Viber or other chats for communication. When a leader posts an announcement or asks a question, please…

Weekly Update

On Women’s and Men’s Prayer Breakfasts

Oftentimes we must remind ourselves about important and valuable things so that we would not forget to treasure, value, and use them. The men’s and women’s prayer breakfasts are such things that fall into the category of very important and especially valuable ministries of the church of which we must remind ourselves from time to time. We recently had a seminar about relations within a family and we’ve heard some good feedback. These are things we should discuss and be…

Weekly Update

Small Groups for 2024-25

Dear church, many of you were able to attend Sunday’s evening service and choose a small group where you will spend your time in fellowship, mutual edification, and prayer for the next 9 months. However, not everyone was able to be at the service. We really strongly encourage you to continue the search for a group where you will be able to spiritually grow, receive help, and serve. Listed below are the groups that still have space. Please don’t put…

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