Reflections from Sunday

I continue to stand amazed in what the Lord is doing in and through the lives of the people at GFchurch. It has been a true blessing to watch our people engaging the community around us. We had the privilege of helping two families through the Christmas season that live in our community. It is such a joy to see His people being the hands and feet of Christ. I am so thankful that the Lord has placed us here to have the opportunity to minister to and serve alongside the people of GFchurch.

I really enjoyed teaching Sunday morning. We finished our series called, "Unwrapping The Gift Of Christmas" If you were not able to attend services this past week you can watch it here at GatewayTV

This week we will be starting a series in James. I am really looking forward to walking through these scriptures with the family at GFchurch. We are praying that the Lord will continue to do amazing things in our own individual lives and the life of the church in 2010.

We will be back on our normal weekly ConnectGroup schedule beginning Tuesday, January 5, 2010.

TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
Wednite (youth) @ 7pm @ The Snow's

.. I love our church
.. I love our team
.. I love our people
.. I love our community
.. I love what He is doing in us
.. I love what He is doing through us
.. I love that He is not done with us

There are some awesome things coming up in the life of Gateway Fellowship.
.. new ConnectGroup studies by Zach Snow
.. new Creative Arts stuff being led by Scott Finch
.. new way to stay connected with GFchurch Facebook Page

Thoughts On Leadership

I love the topic of leadership. I love learning more and more about how to become a better leader. When I come across something that strikes a cord within me, I typically try to pass it on, so here we go. I wanted to share a blog post with you on Leadership from Scott Williams. He has written about 6 thoughts that can help develop The Art Of Leadership. Click here to read it.

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship Church

Sent from my iPhone

GCS mission team

We are coming through Rockwall. We will be back at GCS in about 30
minutes. Almost home

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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West, TX

Another stop at the Little Czech Bakery in West, TX. We are almost home

Lunch in New Braunfels

The girls are having fun at Chick Fil A

Long Bus Rides

Long bus rides give us an opportunity to really think. It is days like
this where the Lord speaks to me. Nothing in front of me but the open
road and oddly enough a bus full of students and sponsors who are
sleeping. Thank you Jesus for all You are and all You do

Breakfast at McDonald's

Eating breakfast in Mission, Tx

Headed to Gville

Empty bunks means the students are loaded and we are ready to head home

Late Night Games Back At The Retreat Center

Musical Chairs for cookies:: all a part of the Festival

Christmas Wreaths with the students from Sullivan City

Stamp Art with the children

Making bracelets with the children

Another great crowd

This is our last night. Pray for these special people

Refurbished Bathroom

We were able to paint, hang a new mirror, and use the existing flower
decorations.

The people of Primera Iglesia Bautista are loving it

Lunch time

Students eating lunch in the fellowship hall of Primera Iglesia
Bautista. If you look above, you will see some of the decorations for
the festival

Polishing the pews in the church

Murphy Oil does wonders.

Putting picnic tables together

update on Wednesday morning

We are headed to Lowe's to pick up more supplies for the church. We are going to be doing the majority of our work inside today because of the rain. As I shared in an earlier post, Today is a big day for Primera Iglesia Bautista. It is their anniversary. We are going to be doing some painting and small construction projects inside the church. We are going to purchase a few more picnic tables and assemble them and place them out under the shade tree next to the fellowship hall as well as put some final touches on the community park until we are able to return. We will update as the day goes on.

Wednesday Morning

It is 6:10 am here at Valley Baptist Retreat Center in Mission, Texas.
It is pouring down rain, which will make working in the park today a
little more difficult. There has been so much done already but we do
not want to leave without being able to finish some of the other
things we want to do for the community. Pray with us that the weather
will give us a break in order for that to happen.

Last night we had a great group of children at our Bible School.
Tonight we will finish the Bible School up with the carnival that we
have often called The Festival of Lights for Jesus. It has been great
to watch the students of GCS interact with the children and adults of
Sullivan City, TX

We will so have the opportunity to be a part of the Mission Church's
anniversary celebration. So thankful for what He is allowing us to do
and what He is doing in us while working with Primera Iglesia Bautista

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

Sent from my iPhone

The children from the church share with us in song

Jake sharing about the Christmas Story

Great group of kids

Guys working on the Pastor's house

Students planting trees by the playground

Students putting up the Bball goal and prepping the court

Students getting ready to plant trees, shrubs and flowers

Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy... down in my heart

The girls leading the song, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart" during our worship time this evening. Jessie really had this little boy going. It was great

Freshly painted benches and swing set

We have been able to paint the existing benches replace parts on the
swing sets. More to come. Stay tuned

Community Park

Future home of the Community Park in Sullivan City, Tx

Monday morning, Dec 14

It is 6:20am and I am waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. Breakfast is at 7am and then we will head out to Lowe's and Home Depot to begin purchasing equipment, tools and lumber for the community park, which sits across the street from the Mission Church in Sullivan City, Tx.

I am praying that we will all find our delight in HIM today

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Notes from morning sermon:: Christmas Coin

Acts 4:8-12
Kingdom Life Unwrapped
Dr. Mildred Minatrea

Jesus Christ came, lived a perfect life, was crucified, died and placed in a tomb, and rose again in fufilment of the scriptures

..There is salvation is no one else!
..This is the Gospel
..There is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved

If we were to mint a Christmas Coin, it would look like this:
-one side is the crown
-one side is the cross

Thus Jesus is The stone despised by you builders, who has become the cornerstone - verse 11

God's way of commemorating is not in making coins. God's way of commemorating is in the gift of the Holy Spirit

The Spirit leads us for His name and renown. It us not about us! We must live a life that is led by the Spirit. One that causes us to leave it all and give it all for all that He is and what He is doing in and through us

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor

Gateway Fellowship

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New Friends

I love meeting new friends. Please pray for Benjamin, Crystal, Ruby
and Jesus

Music Time

Some of the children dressed out in some vintage GCS jerseys singing
during music time

Rec Time

Mason has some of the boys outside playing soccer during VBS rec time

Getting ready for VBS

We are 45 minutes away from the start of our Bible School in Sullivan
City, Tx

The Christmas Coin

Kingom Life Unwrapped

GCS in the church bulletin

We made it into the church bulletin. 2nd announcement in the Missions/
Mobilization

Calvary McAllen

Waiting for service to start at Calvary McAllen

The Eagle Has Landed

Students who flew in this evening are here and ready to get some rest. It has been a long day. I am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us in the morning and tomorrow evening as we start our community outreach program in Sullivan City, TX

The Girls Are Up To Something

Mission Trip ::: Hey

Saturday Evening @ 7:22 pm

We are at Chick Fil A finishing dinner and then heard to Wal Mart to
buy supplies followed by a trip to the airport

Trent Brown, Lead Pastor
Gateway Fellowship

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Valley Baptist Retreat Center

We have made it to Valley Baptist Retreat Center where we will be
staying. We will travel form here into Sullivan City during the day

Lunch in San Antonio

We have made it to San Antonio and the students are eating at
Whataburger and Taco Cabana

Stop at St. Arbuxs

A quick pit stop at Starbucks for some coffee

Multimedia message

We have made it to The Czech Stop in West, Texas. I love this place

GCS Mission Trip '09 :: December 12-17

Greenville Christian School's 2009 Mission Trip will take place in Sullivan City, TX.

We will be:

* working with a mission church in Sullivan City, TX (a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen, Tx)
* staying at Valley Baptist Retreat, Mission, TX
* putting together a Christmas themed Vacation Bible School program that tell the story of Jesus
* playing soccer, kickball and other games in order to build relationships with and share the Gospel with the people of the area
* we will be building a community playground, picnic table, and park benches
* painting and doing some small construction work at and around the mission church
* making ourselves available for any other service related projects that may need to be done



Schedule:

* leave from GCS on Saturday, December 12th
* arrive in Mission, TX at Valley Baptist Retreat on Saturday, December 12th
* attend Sunday morning worship at Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen, TX on December 13th
* travel into Sullivan City on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (December 14, 15, and 16) to work with the mission church
* leave Mission, TX on Thursday, December 17th and arrive back at GCS that evening