Dear Church Family,
 
Don't forget Mother's Day tomorrow!!!      

I hope that you have had a good week. Our house has been full of activity with people doing School and work and just enjoying each other’s company. It sounds like our house is a bed of roses doesn't it? But it is actually really hard at times. We have our fair share of frustrating moments and challenges of various kinds too. Life is a series of ups and downs even when there is no global pandemic. So, this current climate just adds to the complexity of living in a sinful, fallen world. It’s assuring then when we read Jesus' words in John 16:33 where he says ‘I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
These words lead me to Proverbs 3:5-6  (NLT)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.
Our God is greater than anything we face, so we can be sure that when we seek Him with all our hearts, He will guide us. That’s my experience and I pray it will be yours at this time and throughout your lives as you follow Jesus.
 
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, so we will be focusing our ZOOM service on celebrating our mums. When I think about mums the first thing that comes to mind is love. Tomorrow we will have a look at some verses from the Bible that speak about love and we will reflect on how they relate to mothers and to children. If you want to get a head start you could read 1 John 4:7-21 and think about how the statement ‘God is Love’ impacts your idea of what love is?
 
As part of our Service tomorrow we will be having Communion too, so make sure you have your emblems ready (bread and juice, or equivalent) and we will take part in that together.
We may also have some special guests, making an appearance during the service, so that's exciting 😉
And we will be giving an update on where we are at with the Building Maintenance Fund Appeal!
 
Looking forward to seeing you on ZOOM tomorrow at 10:30 am
 
Join the Zoom Service this Sunday
by using the following link:
 
https://zoom.us/j/474053157
Meeting ID: 474 053 157
 
If you do not have internet access you can also phone in using the following phone number:
PH: 7018 2005
You will then be prompted to enter the Meeting ID: 474 053 157
  
Please don’t forget that we can still directly deposit tithes and offerings into the Church bank account during this time. Donations for the building maintenance works can also be deposited into this account with the reference to ‘Building’ so that it goes towards that fund. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402
 
As always remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.
 
Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
www.granite.church
0408 942 145

Good morning all 😊

It's been a cool week, with lots of rain and even though we are still largely housebound, we praise God for all of it.
Blessed be His name in all of the ups and downs of life. He is faithful!
It's great that we can continue to meet together during this time, to hear from God, to seek Him, to worship Him, and to encourage each other.








​This week on the Zoom Service we will be continuing our series in Matthew. I'll be looking briefly at chapter 15:1-20
Have a look at verse 12 and consider the question of... why? Who do you personally relate to most in this passage?

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of the month so make sure you have your crunchies ready (if you deserve one 😁)
We will also be having a missionary update and time to sing to our awesome God together.

I'm really looking forward to seeing you online at 10:30am!

Here's the link:
https://zoom.us/j/474053157
Meeting ID: 474 053 157

If you do not have internet access you can also phone in using the following phone number:
PH: 7018 2005
You will then be prompted to enter the Meeting ID: 474 053 157

Remember that offerings are going directly into the Church bank account during this time please. (If you want to give cash please contact me to arrange this) Donations for the building maintenance works can also be deposited into this account with the reference to ‘Building’ so that it goes towards that fund. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402

As always remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.

Blessings,

Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
www.granite.church
0408 942 145

Hi Granite Church Family,
​
We’re doing communion this Sunday!

After another week of stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions, I’m really looking forward to catching up with you all tomorrow on ZOOM for our service. It’s been such an encouragement to stay connected with each other during this season. What a privilege it was to join together with so many over the Easter weekend as we remembered and celebrated Jesus finished work on the Cross! Thank you for continuing to be the Church that God has called us to be by following Jesus, loving each other and our communities.

This Sunday I am going to share some practical/creative ways we can continue to support and encourage those around us. We will be praying for those on the front lines; as well as the sick and those who are doing it tough right now. There will also be an opportunity for us to have communion together as a body, so make sure you have your emblems ready (something for juice and something for bread). We’ll worship together and I’ll share some reflections on Matthew 14:13-21 where Jesus feeds the five thousand plus, plus, people. I wonder what our reaction would have been if we were one of those people there that day? What’s your personal reaction to reading these verses again or for the first time? Feel free to respond to these questions via email, before or after tomorrow's service; I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I’m really looking forward to this Sunday as we open our hearts to hear from God individually and as a community.

 Here are the details again:

Join the Zoom Service this Sunday
by using the following link:
https://zoom.us/j/474053157
Meeting ID: 474 053 157

If you do not have internet access you can also phone in using the following phone number:
PH: 7018 2005
You will then be prompted to enter the Meeting ID: 474 053 157
 
Remember that offerings are going directly into the Church bank account during this time please. (If you want to give cash please contact me to arrange this) Donations for the building maintenance works can also be deposited into this account with the reference to ‘Building’ so that it goes towards that fund. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402

As always remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.



Blessings,


Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
www.granite.church
0408 942 145

This Easter we are holding service on ZOOM

Join us for both services as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus and the joy of his resurrection 

Zoom Services
Good Friday 10th April 9:30am
Easter Sunday 12th April 10:30am
(same zoom details for all meetings)

Click the following link:
 
https://zoom.us/j/474053157
Meeting ID: 474 053 157
 
If you do not have internet access you can also phone in using the following phone number:
PH: 7018 2005
You will then be prompted to enter the Meeting ID: 474 053 157
 
Please don’t forget that we can still directly deposit tithes and offerings into the Church bank account during this time. Donations for the building maintenance works can also be deposited into this account with the reference to ‘Building’ so that it goes towards that fund. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402
 
As always remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.

Blessings,

Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
www.granite.church
0408 942 145

Dear Granite Church Family,
​
Psalm 145A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
    I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
    and extol your name for ever and ever.
 (If you get a chance read the whole Psalm, it’s beautiful)
 
While we are still unable to meet together in person in ‘The Paddock’ we will continue to meet online via ZOOM.
Last Sunday we had 19 devices and at least 50 people on ZOOM for our service. We received some great feed back and we are excited to try some new things and have more of us online this Sunday for our Granite Church Anywhere service. (Please note that there is a phone in option if you don’t have internet access or would prefer just to listen in)

We will also be connecting on ZOOM for both Good Friday and Easter Sunday, details below.

If you have any challenges with the technology side of things please give me a call so that I can help you out.
This Sunday we will be having one or two songs (do you miss singing together as much as I do?)

We will also be joining together in communion. This will be a bit different and we don’t want it to be stressful. Communion is a remembrance time for us to reflect on what Jesus did when he died on the cross. It’s a powerful time for us personally and as a community and in doing this together we honour Jesus command for us to partake in it until he comes again. So this Sunday, you provide your own elements, (that is the bread and the juice) but I understand that we don’t all have the things we usually use at church, so find something in your pantry to represent the bread and the juice and let’s do communion together. I’m looking forward to it.

I’m also looking forward to getting into Matthew 14. I’m really trying to have short sermons while we are meeting in this way because I know it’s quite different for us all. So, we’ll try to look at smaller sections as we move through the book. This week Matthew 14:1-12 is all about John the Baptist, and there are a few really good things to consider in this passage as we reflect on the life and death of this man of God. I’m interested in your thoughts about John and if there’s anything new you learn from re reading this passage. Especially given our current situation.
 
The details for the ZOOM are below… You’ll need the link to the meeting and the meeting ID. However, if you would like to try ZOOM out between now and Sunday please give me a buzz and we can get you connected before then.
 
Join Zoom Services
This Sunday 5th April 10:30am
Good Friday 10th April 9:30am
Easter Sunday 12th April 10:30am
(same zoom details for all meetings)

Click the following link:
 
https://zoom.us/j/474053157
Meeting ID: 474 053 157
 
If you do not have internet access you can also phone in using the following phone number:
PH: 7018 2005
You will then be prompted to enter the Meeting ID: 474 053 157
 
Please don’t forget that we can still directly deposit tithes and offerings into the Church bank account during this time. Donations for the building maintenance works can also be deposited into this account with the reference to ‘Building’ so that it goes towards that fund. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402
 
I’ve really encouraged as I talk to people over the phone and through the different technologies that we have access to. At a time like this, when we can’t meet in person it really is so important to keep the connections up. This will become more even more significant in the weeks ahead as we all start to feel the isolation more and more. So, I want to encourage you; don’t wait for someone to contact you. You contact them. Even if it feels uncomfortable or awkward, contact people over the next week. Maybe try for one person a day. Just ask them how they’re doing, talk about what’s going on in the world, and what’s going on in their world. Share what’s happening in yours. I’d also encourage you to contact someone you know but haven’t spoken to in this way before. Pick up the phone and call them today.
 
As always remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.

Blessings,

Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
www.granite.church
0408 942 145

This Sunday we will be having ‘Church Anywhere’ online.

Dear Granite Church Family,
My prayer is that you and your families are going well during these uncertain times. Over the past days as I've been praying and seeking God, I have certainly felt the assurance that He is in control. I hope that is your experience too as we trust Him in all of this.

Since the rules and recommendations regarding meeting together are continually changing, it has become very clear that the government does not want people to congregate together anywhere. The purpose of these measures is to slow the spread of COVID-19. We need to be on board with this and follow the advice given by authorities.

Therefore, ALL Granite Community Church physical gatherings need to either stop altogether or move to online options where possible whilst these restrictions are in place.

Obviously, this is sad as we all really value getting together on Sundays and throughout the week in various ways. So, while we can’t meet physically, let’s NOT stop meeting altogether! Let’s embrace a new way of meeting and “…consider how we may [continue] to spur one another on to love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…’ (Hebrews 10:24) The call from the writer to the Hebrews is to persevere in the faith. We have a great opportunity to do just that through the technologies we have available to us.

On Tuesday night the Elders meet via ZOOM. ZOOM is an internet-based conferencing system that allows multiple devices to connect at one time. We all felt that this could be a good way for us to get together as a community. With ZOOM we can have ‘Church Anywhere’. In reality, wherever we are, that is where the Church is anyway, because the Church is not a place, it’s a people. So…

We are proposing that we try to meet together this Sunday using the ZOOM platform. This means that everyone can join. We’ll be able to see each other and have input from different people live. We’ll pray together and hear from the word of God. We can even potentially sing together (if we’re game) It will be a bit experimental, but it will be fun too. You can sit in your fav chair or on your bed. Get whoever is in the house together and grab a coffee or tea and something to nibble. Don’t forget your bible, a pen and pad to take some notes and lets all do Church this Sunday.

The details for the ZOOM connection will be listed at the end of this note. You’ll need the link to the meeting and the meeting ID. However, if you would like to try ZOOM out between now and Sunday please give me a buzz and we can get you connected before then.

Please don’t forget that we can still directly deposit tithes and offerings into the Church bank account during this time. Donations for the building maintenance works can also be deposited into this account with the reference to ‘Building’ so that it goes towards that fund. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402

As always remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pick up the phone and chat to someone. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.

Here are the ZOOM details:

Ash Buchanan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Granite Church Anywhere Sunday 29th March
Time: Mar 29, 2020 10:30 AM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/986707423
Meeting ID: 986 707 423

If you do not have internet access you can also phone in using the following phone number:
PH: 7018 2005
You will then be prompted to enter the Meeting ID: 986 707 423
​
Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, wherever you are

On behalf of the Elders,

Blessings,

Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
www.granite.church
0408 942 145

​COVID-19 Update

Dear Granite Church Family,

This Sunday we will be having ‘Church in the Carpark’ at Granite.

I’m sure that most people are acutely aware of the situation we are faced with in the world at this time. The guidelines and regulations around meeting together are changing as the situation unfolds. At the time of writing this the government has banned indoor gatherings of over 100 people and outdoor gatherings of over 500 people. Whilst we are well under the 100-person cut off, our facility is small and does not allow us the space to maintain adequate physical distancing as required by health authorities; we also have many surfaces that people come into contact with that would need constant sanitizing. Therefore, the Elders have decided that for this Sunday we will hold our service outside, in the Carpark.

We are asking people to BYO Chairs please as we don’t want to be bringing them out of the building.

We are aiming for the service to be no more than 45mins.

There will be NO morning tea.
There will be NO communion.

Church is a public gathering, so we need to be mindful of how we conduct ourselves.
NO hugs please.
NO handshakes please.
Please be considerate of others.
Please maintain a safe distance when talking with others.
Please park on the right side of the carpark only or out on the road.
Please remember that outside services are FUN!

God is Good!

This Sunday will be a great opportunity to get together in Worship and Prayer. Come expecting to hear from God. Come with an attitude of encouragement and support for each other as we face this season together. Come knowing that God is in control.

We also understand that some people will not be able to attend or feel uncomfortable attending, in that case, we encourage you not to come. Those who are vulnerable, those with current sickness or health problems are expected not to be out an about.

If this is you, we would encourage you to join an online service from one of the following churches.
https://bendigobaptist.org.au/ 10:30am Sunday
https://www.crossway.org.au/campuses/online-campus/ 10:15am Sunday
https://follow.online.church/ 10:20am Sunday

We will also upload at least the sermon segment of the service to our website as usual
https://www.granitecommunitychurch.com/sermon-podcast.html

While this is going on, we will not be able to hand offering bags around. We will have a single box available on Sunday and we want to encourage people to directly deposit tithes and offerings into the Church bank account if you can. The details are below…
Granite Community Church        BSB: 633 000        Acc: 16 086 8402

Above all we want to encourage you to remain strong in your faith. Trust God. Be there for each other and others in the community. Pick up the phone and chat with someone. Pray for each other and those who are making the big decisions. Be a positive voice and presence in the world and follow Jesus in everything.

I am also here for you. If you would like to chat about anything please give me a call.

We will keep you updated as the situation progresses.

On behalf of the Elders,

Blessings,

Ash Buchanan
Senior Pastor
Granite Community Church
granitecommunitychurch.com
0408 942 145

If there was ever a person who was born for a purpose it was Jesus!
The Christmas season has already started, and most of us are busy organising celebrations, decorations, food, presents and the holidays in general. As Christians we are keenly aware of the ‘Reason for the Season’ but even we can get lost in the busyness of it all at times. I recently saw a post on social media saying that if you start reading Luke on the 1st of December and read a chapter a day, you’ll read the whole life of Jesus by Christmas Eve.
What a great idea! Every day this December, let’s take a few minutes to reflect on Jesus and his life. Why was He born? What can we learn? Essentially, we’ll discover again what Christmas is really all about. Reading through Luke will be complimentary to our continuing series following the life of Jesus through Matthew’s Gospel. I would love it if we could all read a chapter of Luke each day this December.
With this in mind I have chosen to preach on the topic of ‘Born to…’ and I’ll be referring to the chapter of Luke that coincides with that particular Sunday. As we think about why Jesus was born and reflect on Him this Christmas Season, I pray that we will all be encouraged in our walk with Him and that we will have many opportunities to share His love with our family, friends and communities.
Will you join me in reading a chapter of Luke each day from 1st December until 24th December?
Let me know if you’re in by sending me a quick text or telling me when you see me.
​Blessings, Ash