2nd Sunday of Advent – 7 December 2025
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 • Isaiah 11:1-10 • Romans 15:4-13 • Matthew 3:1-12
Coming Events to Diarise:
Regional Leadership Conference – 5 – 7 December 2025
SEP 2025 – 13 – 20 December 2025
Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting – 13 December 2025
Denominational Conference 2026 – 23-26 July 2026, Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings from Aruka, where our Regional Leadership Conference is underway with delegates from 10 nations across Africa. What a joy to witness the Spirit uniting us in purpose and mission!
December has arrived, and the countdown to the close of 2025 has begun. In just a few weeks, we will step into 2026. But before the festive rush sweeps us away, this is our sacred moment to pause, breathe, and give thanks. God has carried us through another year, and his grace has proven—once again—more than sufficient.
Around the world, different nations mark a formal Day of Thanksgiving. South Africa does not. But as followers of Jesus, our calendar invites us into thanksgiving every time we recognise the faithfulness of God. Having just concluded the Christian year with Christ the King Sunday two weeks ago, this is a perfect moment to stop and say, “Thank You, Lord.”
Jesus once healed ten lepers. Only one returned to give thanks. The other nine allowed excitement to overshadow gratitude. May we not be counted among the nine. Before we celebrate Christmas, before we enjoy the holidays, before we rush into 2026—let us be the ones who return to Jesus with gratitude.
Our next Day of Prayer and Fasting is on 13 December. I want to encourage each of us to use that day intentionally:
Pause. Reflect. Say “thank You.”
Give thanks for life, for family, for faith, for provision, for protection, and for the unending love of God.
This week, I also received our financial report up to the end of November. Our income remains below budget, and we may end the year in the red. For this reason, I would like to make a gentle but sincere appeal:
If you are employed and able, please prayerfully consider giving a special Thanksgiving offering this month, over and above your regular giving. Let it be a personal expression of gratitude to God for his goodness in 2025. Each one must decide in their heart what they want to offer.
To all who have given faithfully and sacrificially throughout the year—thank you. On behalf of GCI South Africa, and in the name of the Lord we serve, may God richly bless you in this life and in the life to come.
As we move through this final month of the year, my prayer is simple yet profound:
May we be a people marked by gratitude—deep, sincere, contagious gratitude—as we prepare to close 2025 and welcome a new year of grace.
My prayer for this week is that we may all experience a deep sense of gratitude as we come to the end of 2025. Amen!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Ron Harley: Ron Harley of GCI Pretoria passed away this week.Please pray for his wife, June Harley, and the family during this time. A memorial service is being planned for next week.
Special Service at Aruka: Please pray for our regional leadership conference this weekend at Aruka, and the special combined service on Sunday 7 December.
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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National Office Closure
The National office will close on the 15th of Dec 2025 and reopen on Jan 05, 2026.
Please make sure that any disbursements required for Dec 2025 and early Jan 2026 are submitted by no later than the 12th of December for final processing.
Regional Leadership Conference: 5 – 7 December 2025
A special worship service is scheduled for Sunday, 7 December, and all members are warmly invited to attend.
SPIRITUAL EQUIPPING PROGRAM (SEP) 2025
SEP starts next weekend on 14 December 2025. Please pray for a successful camp.
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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 13 December 2025 (2nd Saturday of the Month)
Our next Day of Prayer and Fasting is on Saturday 13 December 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:
· December 13
SEPTEMBER 2025 ISSUE OF FACE TO FACE PUBLISHED
Our November 2025 issue of the online Face To Face magazine has been published. Please find it here: Face To Face
The Best Known Psalm of All
This is my Gospel
Playing Hide and Seek
Online Bi-Weekly Bible Study
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.