Sunday Service on March 8, 2026

Church News

1. We warmly welcome brothers and sisters to worship our eternal Lord, who was, is, and will always be. We also extend a special welcome to new friends and visiting brothers and sisters from afar, and we hope you will become a part of our spiritual family. After the service, please join us in the fellowship hall for refreshments and to connect with one another.

2. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching

3. Prayer for the Church:

4. Pray for the Church:

5. We ask God to bestow the power of the Holy Spirit, so that Grace Church in Tauranga may continue to be a spiritual family, leading more people to know Christ and experience the renewal of life and the joy of the gospel.

6. Pray for the church to have a clear vision and unity in its mission of "making disciples, caring, and evangelism," that all members may work together in harmony to faithfully fulfill the ministry entrusted by God.

7. We seek God's guidance in all church ministries (such as Sunday services, care groups, youth fellowship, and children's Sunday school), that they may bear spiritual fruit, love and support one another, and reflect the love of Christ.

8. Pray for the spiritual lives, health, and families of the church leaders and workers, asking God to grant them wisdom and strength, so they may find renewal and fortitude in their service.

9. Pray for the Believers:

We ask God to help each believer grow continually in their relationship with Him, to yearn for prayer and the study of the Bible, and to establish an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Pray that believers may have a humble and teachable heart on the path of discipleship, relying on the Lord's strength to grow in faith and live out a life of abundance.

• We pray that believers will care for one another in community, love and support each other in their daily lives, and together experience God's grace.

• Pray for the faith growth of our youth and children, that they may come to know God from a young age, rooting His words in their hearts to guide them throughout their lives.

• Pray for the New Zealand Chinese Methodist Church Annual Conference:

• We ask the Lord to lead and care for the ministry of Bishop Chen Liliang of the New Zealand Chinese Methodist Church.

Pray for all pastors and their families within the Methodist Church:

• We seek God to strengthen the spiritual lives and ministries of our pastors. We pray that the Lord grants them daily time alone with Him, so their spirits may continually be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that they may possess heavenly wisdom to guide the church in accordance with God's will.

• We ask the Lord to keep our pastors and their families safe: we earnestly request God’s personal protection over our pastors and their families, granting them physical, mental, and spiritual health. May they experience the Lord's presence and comfort in times of spiritual warfare and pressure, and may they be kept away from all temptation and temptation, finding victory in the Lord.

• Pray for the relationships between pastors and their co-workers: we ask God to anoint the messages and ministries of our pastors, that their service may reflect the truth and love of Christ. We also pray for unity among pastors, co-workers, and the congregation as they serve together, flourishing the gospel.

• Walking with the Weak / Zhao Weijie

God's love embraces every life on the margins of society, using believers to bring blessings into the lives of the weak.

1. What does a homeless person with terminal cancer truly need? Would installing window bars for a single mother whose home lacks them bring her peace of mind? Can fixing appliances for an elderly woman living alone alleviate her sense of loneliness? Let us not misunderstand; providing essential supplies and assisting in overcoming life’s challenges are indeed meaningful acts of support for the vulnerable community. However, their spiritual needs must not be overlooked. We are grateful that God has not forgotten those in difficult situations, and we are even more thankful that He has opened our eyes to their needs, willing to use us to share blessings with them.

2. Learning to Serve and Accumulate Experience Five years ago, I came together with four brothers and sisters from different churches, whom I did not know, to participate in a ministry visiting the homeless. Although the ministry changed over time, the five of us continued to visit the homeless once a month, as we recognized the needs around us. Seeing the need also required us to learn how to serve. Initially, we visited an uncle who was sleeping under a bridge, braving the biting cold of the north wind. He preferred to endure the harsh weather rather than enter the crowd. When we learned that he was suffering from terminal cancer, our lack of experience led us to casually say things like, "God will heal you," and "Each day has enough trouble of its own," letting biblical phrases slip from our lips like a rehearsed script. However, the struggles this uncle had endured for many years—could our words truly comfort him? Besides saying the wrong things, our enthusiasm also made other homeless individuals envious and caused them to distance themselves from him. Truly, we meant well but ended up doing harm! Eventually, we learned to also provide supplies to his "neighbors." Through this visiting process, we gained many valuable experiences.

• Two years ago, I joined a non-profit organization called "Building Blessings Volunteer Team." Many social workers and organizations often contact us for assistance, allowing us to enter the homes of those in need to provide help, such as pest control, donating second-hand furniture, home repairs, and transportation. In addition to the agreed-upon services, I also took the initiative to care for the families we assisted, engaging in conversations to understand their needs. For instance, there was a single mother with an overly active child. When I arrived at her home, I noticed that the windows lacked safety bars. So, in addition to helping her with the TV stand as planned, I proactively offered to install safety bars for her, which made her feel our concern.

• The next time I visited this family, I invited a sister from the church to join me, hoping she could build a relationship with the mother. After several visits, the single mother began to openly share her struggles with the sister. It turned out she was facing many issues; the TV and safety bars were merely superficial needs, while her deeper spiritual needs were much greater. When someone genuinely cares and is willing to listen, her burdens gradually began to lift.

• Bringing Hope to the Community

Therefore, I am committed to serving in the volunteer team, bringing the genuine hope of faith into the community. At the same time, I bring the needs of the community to the church, allowing it to fulfill its role in caring for those around us. Just like the single mother mentioned earlier, she has started attending church gatherings, but this is just the beginning. I hope she can integrate into the church and learn to rely on the God who loves her in her daily life. As for the homeless uncle, after some time of encouragement, he finally accepted to pray with us and even agreed to pray aloud for me. Although he still refuses to leave his solitary life sleeping under the bridge, he is clearly living with more hope than before, no longer wallowing in self-pity, and he even knows how to use biblical words to comfort and encourage others. One time, I was helping a family "clear out" (removing useless clutter), and in the house, besides the single mother and her overly active daughter, there was also the mother’s intellectually disabled sister. I could see that this task would not be easy, but I ultimately took it on because I recognized the family's need! Each time I go out, I ask myself whether I am merely doing social work and considering our provided services sufficient. When I saw these three individuals, I knew that God loves each of their lives. I cannot simply stop at providing material services; I cannot just clear out their home, do pest control, or give them a storage cabinet. Their true need is for spiritual care. Through social worker referrals, there are many families in need of care, and I long for them to come to know Jesus, so their lives can be blessed. Therefore, I strive to provide comprehensive support: someone to follow up so they can attend church without barriers, explain the gospel message, teach biblical truths, and walk alongside them.

Identifying Needs to Offer Blessings

Of course, to do this, I need more brothers and sisters to support me. I am grateful that, because of God's love, many members of the body have been moved to participate. I remember one time when a fellow volunteer and I went to help an elderly woman living alone with her light fixtures and flooring. Upon entering her home, we discovered that she had suffered incontinence, and the toilet was clogged and overflowing with waste. Unable to bear it, I attempted to unclog the toilet, but ended up covered in filth. At that moment, the elderly woman suddenly fainted in the living room, and we immediately called an ambulance to take her to the hospital. While she was hospitalized, she remained confused and unable to get out of bed. I then asked a sister from the church to visit her. After the sister carefully fed and cared for her, the elderly woman showed significant improvement. Consequently, the sister rallied the church community to come together to care for her. I am thankful that over twenty members responded, taking turns to visit her daily, feeding and caring for her, which helped her regain her strength. A month later, she was baptized and joined the church, which was truly uplifting. There are many needs in the community; while it is essential to assist in providing for basic living needs and resolving immediate difficulties, it