This Sunday marks the beginning of May Mission Month during which we seek to raise funds for our mission partners across Australia and the world. Our target for 2026 is $200,000 and we’ll be supporting the ongoing work of Mother’s Heart in Cambodia, Tearfund in the Northern Territory, and Baptist World Aid in Lebanon. 
Let me remind you of what a successful May is for us.

There are three criteria we use to evaluate May.

1. We reach the target. We really want to bless our partner organisations and those they serve.
2. We have more participants than last year. The size of the gift is less important than the act of giving. Whatever you are able to give, give!
3. We reach the target without falling behind in our Ministry Budget. Put simply, we encourage people to give over and above any other regular giving. This is particularly important this year as we are already a little behind budget. We certainly don’t want to fall further behind as we give to May.

In the face of financial uncertainty we can be tempted to narrow our generosity out of fear, rather than seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate our faith in God’s provision. I would like to urge each of us to prepare our hearts to hear and respond to the invitation of God to participate in his plans by being truly Big-Hearted this May.

This Weekend

Coming Up

May 14
Shire Prayer and Praise Night | 7pm @ GBC 

May 17
Alpha commences | 9:30am in Hopefield Waiting Room 

May 18

Embrace Ladies Luncheon | 11.30am | GBC 

One of my favourite images of Jesus is the Good Shepherd (not so much me as a silly sheep).
Merging John 10 with Psalm 23, I picture Jesus leading me beside still waters and in green pastures as well as up steep mountains, rocky roads and even through the valley of the shadow of death. He restores my soul, comforts me and leads me along right paths. Of course I have to listen to His voice and trust where He leads me and how and when He does that. Not always easy is it? We are often impatient with God’s timing and want to run ahead of Him and do things our way. Imagine what trouble a sheep would be in if he ignored the shepherd. I’m sure too that if I got lost, the shepherd would come and look for me.
With a God who loves me like this, why would I seek love and meaning from anything else?
       “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
         and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”    Psalm 23:6

Sonia Beresford | Elder

GBC Kids are running a Mother’s Day cake stall next Sunday 10th May. All money raised will go toward May Mission Month. If you’d like to contribute, boxes and bags will be available to take home and fill with baked goods or treats. Please see Bec, our Children’s Ministry Coordinator, for more details. 

GBC is hosting the second Shire Prayer and Praise Night on Thursday 14th May at 7pm! Invite a friend or come along and connect in community, everyone is welcome!


Our Lounge Lending Library (LLL) is for everyone to use. Yes there are a couple of books that are for sale (see Sonia Beresford to pay cash or card). They are Jesus Calling, Jesus Always, Jesus Listens, some Minecraft books, Beginners Bible and Storybook Bible. Everything else is free. So browse all 3 shelves; top shelf is mostly Bible material and tracts; 2nd shelf is biographies, devotionals and non-fiction: bottom shelf is full of Christian fiction. Take what you like, there’s no time limit or records. Any new books or recommendations, see me. No dumping please. 
Enjoy!
Hot tip: Unlocking the Bible (top shelf) is fabulous to help make sense of the books in the Bible.

If you have something for Family News, contact office@gymeabaptist.org.au or call on 9521 4611. 

GBC will be hosting an Alpha course, commencing on 17th May. Alpha is a great opportunity to explore faith for yourself or with a friend or relative who might be interested in asking some questions.

My invitation to you today is to start wondering… do you have questions about faith you’d like to explore, or is there someone in your world that might?