1 Corinthians 1:3-7
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort or salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is working in your perseverance in the same sufferings which we also suffer. And our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort."
In the passage above, Paul explains that we suffer and find comfort through Christ, which helps us grow in perseverance and benefits others. As the body of Christ, we work together and share both our sufferings and our comfort. Our church, Grace Bible Church, has the following mission statement: "Loving People to Life In Christ." This reflects what God has called us to do. We are to love God with all our heart, all our will, and all our soul, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving people to life involves two main aspects: first, sharing the gospel so they can have eternal life, and second, discipling them so they can experience an abundant life in Christ. We are Christ's ambassadors to everyone we meet, whether at school, church, home, while grocery shopping, traveling, at the doctor's office, or at the post office. As Christ's ambassadors, our words, actions, and attitudes should overflow with God's love and grace from within us into the lives of others.
1 John 4:10-14
"In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this, we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit. We have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world."
While on our mission, it is not about what we do, but what God does through us. The best preparation is to spend time in prayer and in God's Word every day. Prioritize your fellowship with Him, start writing your testimony, and if you haven't asked someone to be your prayer partner, please do so now. If you are unsure how to write your testimony or who to ask to be your prayer partner, please let Roxanne, Lynn, Brit, or Deb know, and we will be happy to help.
Commitment Deadline: October 15. Please notify Roxanne, Lynn, Brit, or Deb by October 15 that you plan to be on the travel team to the Dominican Republic.
Mission team meetings/potluck at Grace Bible Church, 12:30: October 26, November 16, and December 14. We will review essential information and begin packing in either November or December.
Deposit and Balance Due: Please make a deposit of $600 by our November 16 meeting to go towards the costs. We aim to keep the overall cost between $ 1,200 and $ 1,400, depending on airfare and other expenses. The remaining balance is due by January 11, 2026.
Team Commissioning: January 11, 2026 during the 10 am Worship service at Grace Bible Church, we will have a potluck meal afterwards, help everyone fill out their necessary forms online, and finish packing and weighing each bag.
Depart Portage: January 16, 2026
Return: on January 24, 2026
Mission trip to Vietnam and Cambodia: June 8 to 23, 2026, more information to come. Applications are due by January 31, 2026, the cost is $1375 plus additional for visa, airfare, and personal expenses.