50th Anniversary Reflections
What an amazing weekend we have had celebrating this huge milestone together. It was so good to see so many guests – especially the Pastors of the past and their wives. What an impact they had on this church, this city and this region. It was like being surrounded by the “great cloud of witnesses” spoken of in Hebrews 12:1. I pray that as we looked back over the years, the example and testimonies of those who have gone before will spur us on to “run with endurance the race set out for us”. I am really excited to see what the future holds for us all.
I need to say a huge THANK YOU to all who worked so hard over the past months to bring the whole weekend together so beautifully. Those who gave time to prepare the building and the surrounding gardens and grounds, those who used their creativity to build the new stage and to prepare the different areas and settings for us to enjoy. Thank you to those who organised and prepared the incredible Sunday “grazing tables” with such a sumptuous spread. A huge thank you to Steve and Sandie who spent hours gathering stories and collating them into the wonderful document we now have of “That Settles It”, the first 50 years! (I hope you have your copy!) And also, thank you to Sandie for all the work done with sorting out the attendees to the dinner on Saturday night, and all the other “behind the scenes” things that you do that do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. What a great team we have!
But now, on to the next “era”. I received a word from Pastor Brian Heath from City Builders Church in Sale. He reminded me that “50” also represents Pentecost – and that “Gippsland will have a new move full of Apostolic power… it will resemble the past in some ways…but there will be many new dimensions. The old will be surpassed by the new. The New Wine has been saved until the last”.
He also referred again to the “trees that have been cut down”. There were at least 4 prophecies over the past month from different pastors referring to trees and the new growth coming forth. Let us take hold of these words of encouragement, and look with excitement, anticipation and great hope to the future, and with great faith in the God who calls, appoints, anoints and equips us for the task ahead.
Phil 3:13-14
…but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Pastor Glenda