Grace Toronto. A church for the city in the city. Get to know us.

For the next 3 weeks, we are focusing our weekly prayers on the themes of advent and how they relate to the needs of our city and church.  Each week will begin with some Scripture passages to set the context of the advent theme and then will include ways to pray for our city and for Grace Toronto Church in relation to that theme.

Advent Theme: LOVE

Scripture Reflection

Read thru the following passages and reflect on the extravagant love that is given thru Christ:

• Isaiah 43:1-4
• Isaiah 64:4-9, 63:7-9
• Zephaniah 3:14-20
• Hebrews 2:14-18

Prayer Requests

-For the city of Toronto to be transformed from a city of looking for love ‘in all the wrong places’ to a city of longing for the love of its Saviour:

• Pray that barriers would be broken in our city (racially, socially, economically, culturally, generationally, politically) that we would be a unified people that seek to see the brokenness in Toronto diminish and love for one another increase.
• Pray against oppression in our city, specifically for the most vulnerable in our society: women in the sex slave trade, elderly, single parents, immigrants, homeless, crisis pregnancy situations, those who are ill.
• Pray for the families and relationships of our city to be renewed in their love for one another.  Pray that tension, fighting, distance and unforgiveness would cease and be replaced with love that ‘covers a multitude of sins’ and that this season would bring reconciliation and re-appreciation for one another.

-For Grace Toronto to become a vessel of LOVE to those around us who may not know the love of Christ as we do:

• Pray for our church to grow in love for one another and in demonstrating it to each other more frequently and practically.
• Pray for the deaconate to be wise stewards of their resources and to graciously and lovingly demonstrate the love of Christ to all those they minister to.
• Pray for the Men’s and Women’s ministry to be effective in encouraging people to love one another.  Pray for growth and development in each of these ministries and for wisdom for the leadership in direction, ideas, how to foster mentorship relationships, encourage accountability, etc.
• Pray for the Connections ministry to provide outlets for relationships to develop within our church.  Pray for the leadership to think creatively how to effectively reach all segments of our population (singles, married, families, elderly, etc).

-Praise!

For the way God is radically changing lives among our very own congregation.

• We have seen another person among us place his faith in Christ as his Saviour last week!
• Around 60 women came out to the Ladies Christmas Brunch to fellowship and hear of the significance of Christ’s birth and how it directly affects our lives even today.
• A successful Mezzanine event that brought out many artists from all different places in their spiritual journeys and lent to an excellent discussion on Christian imagery in art.
• Around 50 men attended the Men’s Breakfast, bringing about the beginnings of a men’s ministry at Grace Toronto.
• Hope Toronto helped raise over $1000 for the victims of the St. Jamestown fire to provide them with a way to help rebuild their lives.
• Praise Him for what He has done recently in your life!

Romans 15:5-6

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”