15th Sunday after Pentecost – 21 September 2025
Psalm 79:1–9 · Jeremiah 8:18–9:1 · 1 Timothy 2:1–7 · Luke 16:1–13
Coming Events to Diarise:
SEP Applications Deadline: 21 September 2025
Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting – 11 October 2025
Regional Leadership Conference – 5 – 7 December 2025
SEP 2025 – 13 – 20 December 2025
Denominational Conference 2026 – 23-26 July 2026, Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Thank you to those who continue to participate in our monthly days of prayer and fasting. Our latest day of prayer and fasting was last Saturday, 13 September. Prayer and fasting are not optional extras for Christians—they are spiritual disciplines that Jesus expects of us as His disciples. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus doesn’t say “if you pray” or “if you fast,” but “when you pray” and “when you fast” (Matthew 6:5,16). In other words, these practices are part of the normal rhythm of Christian living.
The world needs our prayers. Our country needs our prayers. There is so much going wrong, and sometimes we may feel like throwing our hands in the air in despair. However, we should never be tempted to give up on persistent prayer. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul reminds his young protégé of this very truth:
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV)
At first, you might wonder: why would Paul have to urge Timothy to pray? Surely Timothy, a church leader, already knew the importance of prayer. But Paul knew what we all know too well: prayer is not easy. It requires time and patience. It demands discipline. It calls us out of self-focus and into deep concern for others. Left to ourselves, we often neglect it.
Paul highlights a few things in this passage that are as relevant to us today as they were to Timothy:
We must pray for all people. Not just for ourselves, our families, or our churches, but for the world around us. Prayer enlarges our hearts.
We must pray for those in authority. Leaders at every level, namely, local, national, and global level need God’s wisdom, whether they acknowledge Him or not. Their decisions shape the peace and justice of society.
Prayer pleases God. He delights when His children depend on Him in prayer. It is an act of worship and trust.
Prayer aligns with God’s mission. Our prayers are not just about comfort or peace, but about God’s desire that all people be saved and come to know the truth of Jesus Christ.
As we participate in our monthly Days of Prayer and Fasting, let’s take these words to heart. Prayer is not simply a duty. It is participation in God’s work in the world. Fasting, too, is not about earning God’s favour but about humbling ourselves, quieting the noise of life, and giving space for God’s Spirit to work in us.
I encourage you to:
· Set aside intentional time to pray for others, even those you may not normally pray for.
· Lift up our government, community leaders, and those in authority.
· Pray for peace in our world and in our neighbourhoods.
· Ask God to give you His heart for those who don’t yet know Him.
My prayer for us this week is that we may embrace a life of prayer and fasting—not as a one-day event, but as an ongoing lifestyle—so that we may live and share the gospel faithfully. Amen.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Sick Brethren: Please continue to pray for the brethren who are suffering from various sicknesses.
Offerings: Please continue to pray for the offerings and needs of the church as we count down to the end of 2025. Income is still below budget.
Have a blessed weekend!
Shalom!
Takalani
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Regional Leadership Conference – 5 – 7 December 2025
We are pleased to announce a Special Regional Leadership Conference taking place from 5 to 7 December 2025 at Aruka.
GCI President, Dr. Greg Williams, and his wife Susan will be joining us as the special guests, along with the Superintendent for Africa, Pastor Kalengule Kaoma and all Africa Regional Directors.
A special worship service is scheduled for Sunday, 7 December, and all members are warmly invited to attend. Please watch out for more details soon.
SPIRITUAL EQUIPPING PROGRAM (SEP) 2025 – Applications Open
Applications for SEP 2025 are open. The closing date for applications is 21 September 2025. A non-refundable deposit of R600 is payable by 30 September 2025. The balance is payable by 31 October.
Please read the terms and conditions on the application form. The application form must be completed online by computer or mobile phone. To access the application forms click below:
Camper Application Form 2025 (13-18 years)
Vacation Bible School Form (9-12 Years)
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REPEAT ANNOUNCEMNTS NOT TO BE READ IN CHURCH SERVICES
NATIONAL BUILDING FUND NOW OVER R1.4 MILLION
The National Building Fund has now passed R1.4 million.
Please support your congregation’s Building Fund by contributing additional offerings monthly or once off to the dedicated bank account as follows:
· Bank: First National Bank (FNB)
· Name: GCI Building Fund
· Account No: 6304 180 7835
· Deposit Reference: Name and Surname
You can also fundraise as a group or alone. You may have items that you no longer need or use which you can pawn and donate the funds, or approach friends and family who may be able to donate to the fund. If you need a letter to request donations please feel free to contact me.
Monthly Day of Prayer and Fasting –Saturday 11 October 2025 (2nd Saturday of the Month)
Our next Day of Prayer and Fasting is on Saturday 11 October 2025. Please see the dates for the rest of the year below, and diarise accordingly.
Please find some video links on Prayer and Fasting if you want to know more. Here are the links:
1. Fasting- The Forgotten Spiritual Discipline – https://youtu.be/7MgrVj_w9sY
2. Fasting Questions and Answers 1 – https://youtu.be/Mkk3U2KvPHg
3. Fasting Questions and Answers 2 – https://youtu.be/CghD-uxBbFk
4. Fasting Question and Answer #3 – https://youtu.be/ajKaWRgreLw (Question #3: How should I fast? Are there different types of fasts?)
Future Days of Prayer and Fasting:
· October 11
· November 8
· December 13
AUGUST 2025 ISSUE OF FACE TO FACE PUBLISHED
Our August 2025 issue of the online Face To Face magazine has been published. Please find it here: Face To Face
Online Bi-Weekly Bible Study
Next Bible Study on 17 September 2025
Please diarise and join the biweekly Online Bible study every second Wednesday at 19:00. The current series is: The Book of Proverbs.
To connect to the biweekly Bible Study, here are the details: Click
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89054374373?pwd=NFZVaFJjVGxqQjc5K0YyeWEzVVZMUT09
OR enter the details below to join the meeting:
Meeting ID: 890 5437 4373
Passcode: GCI2021
Time: 19:00
OFFERINGS: (should Christians pay a tithe?)
Even though some churches are not able to meet, we urge you to continue to give your weekly Thanksgiving offering that you would normally give during church services. The bank details for EFT and Cash deposits are below:
The Banking details for both the weekly Thanksgiving Offerings and the monthly Freewill Offerings are as follows:
EFT PAYMENTS
GRACE COMMUNION INTERNATIONAL-S.A –
Account No: 593 800 27523 – FNB Current Account Number
Ref. NameSurname Church
Please reference your offering so that we can send a receipt.
CASH PAYMENTS
GRACE COMMUNION INTERNATIONAL-S.A –
FNB Account No: 74451599946
Account Type: 32 Day Notice account
Ref. NameSurname Church
Please reference your offering so that we can send a receipt.