Unity in Diversity
I have enjoyed getting to know Grace Baptist over
the past year. I appreciate that we are a diverse congregation. The level of our diversity is amazing for a congregation of our size.
Our obvious differences are ethnicity, first language, age and gender. Economic and education diversity
is also present. We often have contemporary, traditional
and classical music all in the same service.
Less obvious are our ideological differences. We are Republicans, Democrats and Independents.
We have liberals, progressives, conservatives and moderates. Some are anti-abortion, some are pro-choice.
Some support LGBTQ causes, and others are anti-gay. Social drinking is enjoyed by some, others are teetotalers (or coffee, or soda, etc.). Some prefer vacations in the mountains and others the beach. We have differing views on guns, immigration, and news sources we follow. Much of this we just don’t talk about.
We are diverse. But thank God there is something that unites us: Our Faith in Jesus.
Jesus had a diverse band of disciples. The twelve included businessmen, spiritualists, establishment
types, pro-Roman supporters, terrorist freedom fighters and country bumpkins. The wider group of Jesus’
followers included women, rich, poor, oppressed, oppressor, extremists and even Roman soldiers.
Jesus certainly had his opposition. There were people who were out to eliminate him.
In the midst of such an environment of division, Jesus brought people together. Each person then
and now found something they need in Jesus.
As a church, we can focus on what divides us, or on what unites us. Our mission statement says that
we are “A Christ-Centered Community”.
Every time we get together, we must make a decision. Do we focus on what divides us or on what
unites us? Do we focus on our faith in Jesus?
Jesus prayed for his disciples, ‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in
you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the
glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me-so that they may be
brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you
have loved me.’ (John 17:20-23).
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace. T here is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one
LORD, one faith, one baptism.” (Ephesians 4:2-5)
I pray that Jesus continues to bring us together.
Pastor Steve
AUGUST 2019 GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH OF BLUE BELL
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2
6:00-8:30pm
VBS Retreat
3
10:00am-1:00pm
VBS Retreat (lunch)
4
10:00am Worship Service
VBS Celebration (no communion)
Refreshments following worship
1:30pm Myung Sung worship
5
7:30pm Presence
(Ortiz home)
6 7
5:00pm Trevose
7:00pm Worship &
Celebration Team
8
9:00am-5:00pm Life
Line Screening
7:30pm Diaconate
9 10
11
10:00am Worship Service
Communion
1:30pm Myung-Sung worship
12
7:30pm Presence
(Ortiz home)
13 14
5:00pm Trevose
6:30-8:30pm
Student Ministry—Slip -N-Slide Kickball +
more! (church)
15 16
10:00am MOMS Club
(Graceland)
17
August 17-2