Grace Times

Vol. XV/5 Grace Bible Church, C 930, Sector B Mahanagar, Lucknow, India
from the pastor

July 2012

July 2012 Pulpit Calendar

All services start at 9.30 a.m. Check-in time is 9.15 a.m.
1 8 15 16 29 HOLY COMMUNION: Rev J T Raja Ashish Khan Raj Upadhyay Raj Upadhyay Family Service

My dear People, It was the missionary Hudson Taylor who described missionaries as scaffolding used in building the Church of God. When the work is done, the scaffolding is removed and shifted to another site. What he said about missionaries applies to all categories of Gods workers. Two months and ten days is how long I was away. It has reaffirmed my belief that Grace Bible Church is going to do very well without me. There is no greater certificate that you could have given me as a servant of God than being made redundant. Till the beginning of this year, I was worrying a lot about finding my replacement. The experiment of having a team of ministry persons has assured me that I can stop searching. All of the people that Grace Bible Church needs are right in our midst. I would like to thank Rev J T Raja, Raj Upadhyay, Vijay Singh and Ashish Khan for filling the pulpit and giving pastoral care during the summer months. As you know, for most of my vacation, I have been unwell with a respiratory infection. I am much better having got back to my own environment and started treatment under my own doc. But since Im not completely alright I have not got back to routine. I will not be filling the pulpit for the rest of this month and I have not started to do regular pastoral visiting. In October I will be starting Confirmation Classes. If there are any who have crossed 15 and would like to attend the classes, please let me know. They will have to do some serious study, Scripture memorization and pass written tests. This month sees so many old members returning for a visit: Geetu and Gary (China), Elishba and Joe with Sophie (UK), Indu (Germany), and Prateek Samson (Nepal). We also welcome Urdu students Abraham and Amber (US of A). In Christs love, Kuru

HINDI SERVICES

Womens Prayer-time Sunday, 8th, after service, and 14th, 4.30 pm Mens Prayer-time on Saturday, 21st at 9 a.m. Sunday School resumed on Sunday, 15th.

Birthdays in July
05 Sanjay Massy 24 Bunny

Income Jan-June 2011 General Offerings Donations Pledged Giving 2nd Mile Pledges Lent/Christmas offer. Hindi Services Designated collections Sunday School Grace Church in Village Building Fund Equipment Fund GRAND TOTAL 4,30,470.00 55,502.00 3,517.00 81,309.00 500.00 500.00 81,697.00 11,392.00 2,00,150.00 43,050.00 9,355.00 2,235.00 June '12 8,317.00 1,000.00 38,950.00 4,000.00

June 30, Jan-June 12 84,305.00 7,101.00 1,84,850.00 50,300.00 9,420.00 11,847.00

2012 Budget 2012 1,50,000 40,000 3,20,000 40,000 Projection 1,68,600 erratic 3,69,700 1,00,600 erratic

6,308.00 3,000.00 1,00,000 erratic

3,57,231.00

6,00,000

Aaron's Big Blunder, or Crowd-Pleasing vs. God-Pleasing "They gave me the gold." -Exodus 32:24 Aaron was senior pastor in a congregation of approximately half a million people, but he still made mistakes, and one of them was colossal. One day the people wanted an idol something physical and visible around which to rally, and Aaron gave in. He supervised construction of the golden calf. He did not even raise a protest or urge an alternative. Had Aaron lost his marbles? Confronted by Moses, he certainly tried to play the part of innocent bystander caught in the middle of a movement bigger than he could stop. It was as if the people had thrown him their gold, and presto! here's this calf thing. "Due to circumstances beyond my control" may be a reasonable excuse for losing an umbrella in a hurricane, but there's no good reason to entertain pagan worship [see Ex.32:21-24]. Aaron, spiritual leader of Israel, should have stood stronger for Gods truth. The lesson he learned carried a high price. Aaron is an example of what can happen when we let the popular wind blow us away far away from Gods ideal for us. Aaron should have and could have held on. God would have seen to the rabble rebels. In this new year, when "isms" or ideologies can sometimes appear appealing, keep your loyalty rooted in the one true God. Prayer Heavenly Father, keep me loyal to you
(from Once-A-DayMen and Women of the Bible Devotional) For pastoral care contact Pastor Kuru: Karunalaya, C-99, Sector J, Aliganj, Lucknow 226 001, INDIA +91-522-2745865/4049392 e-mail: reverendkuru@aol.com www.gracebiblechurchlucknow.org

Bunny walked into church to play the drums on Sunday, fifteenth. Back still hurts but is making remarkable progress. Pushpa Singhs husband is in a coma. Geeta in the Village Church is suffering from an acute skin problem Stanley Khans leg is in a cast after a road accident. Gary was unwell during his and Geetus travels in the South, recovered, but is unwell again. Arpit Prakash was hit by a motorcycle but escaped with minor bruises. Joe and Sophie had some stomach infection. Sophie recovered, but Joe is unwell as he flies back to the UK Pooja Modwells leg is no longer in a cast having recovered well. Anshuman Singh has a new job teaching music at the Jaipuria School. Solomon Singh seeking admission to a professional training course.