Grove Baptist Church is looking forward to our upcoming mission beginning March 16th, 2003 DV, led by our own pastor, Pastor Ian Wilson. Music will be provided by both some of our own congregation and friends from beyond the church.

In the second half of 2002, Grove took delivery of a new portable building, which is sited just a few yards from the church, around the corner in Clara St. Since Christmas, most weekends have seen some energetic men digging, wiring, plumbing, decorating etc in an effort to make the new hall ready to use.

This mission, we hope, will mark the beginning of a new project, and the continuation of existing work in Grove:

In 1989 a 2-week youth outreach was held in Grove, which gave birth to a work among the teenagers of the area. Since then, Andrew and Gillian Cooke, and others have led the Tuesday ‘Club’. ‘The Hut’, the original building on the Clara St site, was a drop-in centre where many kids, unwilling to participate in traditional church organisations felt comfortable. These young people, who struggle with real-life issues, such as rejection at home, peer pressure, involvement with crime and drugs, have been befriended, and reached out to through this ministry. For the past year or more, the work has been continuing in the main church hall, as well as in homes, but it is envisaged that the informal aspect of the Tuesday night Club will thrive again in the new building. Barriers have been broken down and bonds created between these kids and the Club workers, and some young people who have moved away from the area still maintain contact with the leaders.

A new project in Grove is the anticipated Grove Cafe, which, it is hoped, will run initially for 2 weeks in the Clara St hall, beginning on March 17th. Johnny and Hazel Smyth, members in Grove, have had a burden for this type of work for some time, and have felt the Lord leading them to pilot this scheme. It is proposed that the Cafe will be open from 10am-2pm for tea, coffee and chat, with several church folk helping with catering and outreach. The church hopes that in this relaxed atmosphere local people will pop in and get to know some of the Grove folk, over a cup of coffee, and that they will respond to an invitation to return to one of the mission services.

Please pray:

~ That the remaining refurbishment work will be completed within schedule,

~ For the Pastor, and all those taking part, that the Lord would guide in preparation.

~ For the Cafe and its workers, that it would be an effective bridge in introducing the people of the area to the good news of the Gospel.

~ For the young people of the Club and its leaders, that they would be further blessed in this work, and that new kids would be reached for Christ through this ministry.

~ For the people of the area, that they would respond to the invitation to the mission and that the Lord would work in their hearts, preparing them to receive His Word to them.

~ For the Grove church, that we would see friends, family and local people won for the Lord, and that we would be encouraged in our future work for Him.