At the beginning of August we launched an urgent financial appeal for our Ministry Budget. At the time we were 6.7% ($35,000) behind and falling a bit further behind each week. I asked those who were able to consider making a one-off gift to help us catch up and/or to increase their regular giving. I was confident that our community of faith would respond with generosity and my confidence was not misplaced! At our Church Council meeting this past Wednesday, our Treasurer, Glenn Smith, reported that we have both caught up and seen an increase in regular giving. It’s true that we are still 0.5% (approximately $4,000) behind budget, but the emphasis was not the small remaining gap but the significant turnaround! This generous response provides us with a solid foundation as we begin the process of preparing our 2027 Ministry Budget (for which, we would covet your prayers!).
Thank you to all who responded to this appeal and contributed to our recovery and to all who, through your consistent financial commitment enable our ministry as a community of faith. I continue to be encouraged by your responsiveness to God’s invitation to participate financially - whether in our Ministry Budget, our mission partners, Hopefield, or other opportunities - and look forward to seeing lives changed by Jesus as we partner together with God!

Marc Rader | Senior Pastor 

This Sunday:

We’d love to see you onsite or online for our 9:30am service, followed by tea and coffee. Or, join us at our 5:00pm and stay for dinner afterwards!

This Sunday, we'll be holding a Fire Drill during our morning service, involving our kids and fire wardens.

Coming Up:

Sept 21: Embrace Ladies Luncheon 

Sept 24: SBCE Fundraiser Trivia Night

Sept 25-27: GBC Youth at State Youth Camp

Sept 27: HopeDrive 

Oct 2: GBC Kids Worship Disco

As I follow the news, every week seems to bring fresh reasons to be concerned about our world. Wars continue, families are displaced, people face hunger and poverty, and closer to home we see violence, housing pressures and uncertainty affecting many Australians.

It can be tempting to become discouraged by the sheer scale of these needs. Yet prayer gives us a different perspective. We do not pray because we have all the answers, but because God does. We bring before him people and situations that are beyond our reach but never beyond God’s.

This week, let us pray with both compassion and confidence. Compassion, because behind every news story are real people whom God loves. Confidence, because God remains sovereign even when circumstances appear chaotic.

And as we pray for governments, communities and those who suffer, let us also pray for ourselves and for GBC. May God make us a people who do more than just observe the needs around us - people who listen, care, welcome, serve and proclaim the hope we have in Christ.

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. (Nahum 1:7)

Derek Mullins | Elder

Fondly Remembering Philip Hayes

We thank God for, and honour the life of Philip Hayes, part of our church family for 28 years and most recently as part of our online community. Philip passed away last week and is fondly remembered by his wife Kate Hayes, their family and many life-long friends at GBC. Please pray for Kate, that she would be comforted by the tangible presence of God, especially in the absence of Philip. Now with the Lord, healed and whole in glory.  

Have something to celebrate, share, or pray about? Whether it's a graduation, engagement, wedding, new baby, new job, house move, health concern, or praise point, we'd love to hear from you. Contact the church office at office@gymeabaptist.org.au or 9521 4611 so we can share in these moments as a church family.

Playtime is a unique and important ministry of GBC, creating opportunities to connect with and welcome families from our wider community. Playtime can only happen because of our amazing volunteers, and right now, we need more!

Playtime currently runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00am–12:00pm. Without volunteers, we cannot continue to run all of these sessions.

Please prayerfully consider whether you might be able to help with Playtime, and please be praying that God would provide us with more volunteers to help this wonderful ministry continue. Let’s be others-focused and big-hearted!

Reach out to Playtime Coordinator meddwyn.hinton@gymeabaptist.org.au or fill in our serve expression of interest form below. 

For the month of September, GBC will be partnering with Hopefield to raise $40,000. This money will go towards funding a clinical counsellor two days a week, offering professional support to the most vulnerable in our community. This will be a counselling service for those impacted by trauma and domestic violence. 

Your generosity helps extend the love of Christ in a tangible way. Every donation is a step toward healing, restoration, and renewed hope.

Come and join us for fun, games and lots of dancing to exciting worship music! 
Friday 2 October at GBC
Dinner: 5:30pm–6:00pm
Disco: 6:00pm–7:30pm
$5 per child — includes a hot dog, drink, doughnut and glow sticks!
The disco will be catered to younger kids (preschool–year 4 ), but everyone is welcome! Children under school age must be accompanied by an adult.

Register below or via linktree

Our renovation is complete, and as we settle into our new spaces, we’ve discovered a few things that are ready for their next chapter!

We have furniture and other items that are no longer needed, and we’d love to see them repurposed or re-homed within our GBC community rather than go to waste.

There’s a bit of everything — desks, filing cabinets, children’s tables and chairs, a change table, bookshelves and more!

Come and have a browse after the services on 13 or 20 September and see if there’s something that could find a new home with you.

HopeDrive is coming up next Sunday, an opportunity for us to be others-focused and big-hearted by giving non-perishable items via a Drive Thru Drop Off service from 1:30-3:30pm at GBC.

If you can't make it to church next week but would like to be involved, you can drop of items throughout the week during staffed hours to the white tubs in GBC foyer or  you can donate finically HERE

$20 buys fresh fruit and vegetables for an individual 
$40 buys fresh fruit and vegetable for a family 
$60 buys fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and protein for an individual 
$100 buys fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and protein for a family 

See shopping list in link below, the highlighted items this month are in desperate need!

Sutherland Board of Christian Education

“Hi SBCE Supporters,
Another reminder about our Fundraiser Trivia Night. It is next Thursday 7pm September 24. Also a chance to hear from our teachers at Kirrawee and Gymea High Schools. Only $10.
Looking forward to this night
Kind Regards,
Scotty B
scottbalhatchet@gymeaanglican.org.au
& Sue McCubben”

Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who helped with Friday's cake boxing and Saturday's Kids Hope BBQ and Cake Stall Fundraiser! A big thank you also to everyone who donated to the cake stall. The baked goods were a huge hit and received so many lovely comments. We really appreciate your generosity and support!

We have been running our Fair Trade Market since 2012, and it is always a wonderful day celebrating and supporting ethical, fair-trade and sustainable products from around the world! Our amazing volunteers play a huge part in making the market possible.

Volunteer roles:

Set up 7:00am-9:00am Helping traders unload their wares and setting up BBQ.
Welcome  9:00am-2:00pm Welcoming people at the door, mingling around coffee and throughout the fair.
BBQ 10:00am-2:00pm Cooking serving and selling drinks
Cake Stall  9:00am-2:00pm Selling cakes. Proceeds go toward printing the next Ethical Fashion Guide
Children's Activities 9:00am-2:00pm (For over 18 year olds, Creating Safe Spaces Course and Working with Children Check is needed) Supervising jumping castle and craft.
Pack up 2:30pm-4:00pm Helping traders move their goods and displays out then tidying up the hall ready for Sunday.

If you’re keen to get involved please get in touch with Tracey Nelson or email fairtrade@gymeabaptist.org.au.