WE’RE GLAD YOU’VE JOINED US TODAY.

WHO WE ARE.

• We are a community of city-centred, gospel-focused people striving to serve and renew Toronto through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHO WE WELCOME.

• We welcome people of all races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds and faiths – both religious and irreligious.

WHO WE BELIEVE IN.

• We believe Christ is relevant to every person in every situation, and we want to help you discover him.

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GOD CALLS

CALL TO WORSHIP

—from Psalm 86:8-10, NRSV

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LEADER:

There is none like you, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

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ALL:

All the nations you have made shall come

and bow down before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things,

you alone are God.

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SONG - ALL GLORY BE TO CHRIST‍

(© 2012 We Are Younger We Are Faster Music. CCLI # 7008232.)

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Should nothing of our efforts stand

No legacy survive

Unless the Lord does raise the house

In vain its builders strive

To you who boast tomorrow’s gain

Tell me what is your life

A mist that vanishes at dawn

All glory be to Christ

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All glory be to Christ our king

All glory be to Christ

His rule and reign we’ll ever sing

All glory be to Christ

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His will be done His kingdom come

On earth as is above

Who is Himself our daily bread

Praise Him the Lord of love

Let living water satisfy

The thirsty without price

We’ll take a cup of kindness yet

All glory be to Christ

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When on the day the great I Am

The faithful and the true

The Lamb who was for sinners slain

Is making all things new

Behold our God shall live with us

And be our steadfast light

And we shall e'er his people be

All glory be to Christ

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SONG - THIS IS AMAZING GRACE

(© 2012 Bethel Music, Phil Wickham Music, Seems Like Music, Sing My Songs, and WB Music Corp. CCLI # 6333821)

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Who breaks the power of sin and darkness

Whose love is mighty and so much stronger

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

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Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder

Who leaves us breathless in awe and wonder

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

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This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That You would take my place

That You would bear my cross

You would lay down Your life

That I would be set free

Jesus, I sing for

All that You’ve done for me

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Who brings our chaos back into order

Who makes the orphan a son and daughter

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

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Who rules the nations with truth and justice

Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

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Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Worthy is the King who conquered the grave

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Worthy is the King who conquered the grave

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SONG - GREAT ARE YOU LORD

(© 2012 Open Hands Music, Integrity's Praise! Music, and Integrity's Alleluia! Music. CCLI # 6460220.)

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You give life You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope You restore ev'ry heart that is broken

And great are You Lord

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It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise to You only

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And all the earth will shout Your praise

Our hearts will cry these bones will sing

Great are You Lord

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GOD CLEANSES

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PRAYER OF CONFESSION

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LEADER:

Merciful God,

we confess our sin and the sin of this world.

Although Christ is among us as our peace,

we are a people divided against ourselves

as we cling to the values of a broken world.

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ALL:

The fears and jealousies that we harbor

set neighbor against neighbor

and nation against nation.

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LEADER:

We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom,

of intellect and reason,

and turn them into bonds of oppression.

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ALL:

Lord, have mercy upon us;

heal and forgive us.

Set us free to serve you in the world

as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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SILENT CONFESSION

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WORDS OF ASSURANCE

—from 1 John 1:5, 7, NRSV

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This is the message we have heard from God

and proclaim to you,

that God is light and in God there is no darkness at all.

If we walk in the light, as God is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

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SONG OF ASSURANCE - COME BEHOLD THE WONDROUS MYSTERY

(© 2012 © Dayspring Music, LLC, Bleecker Publishing, and Centricity Music Publishing CCLI # 7026028)

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Come behold the wondrous myst'ry

In the dawning of the King

He the theme of heaven's praises

Robed in frail humanity

In our longing in our darkness

Now the light of life has come

Look to Christ who condescended

Took on flesh to ransom us

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Come behold the wondrous myst'ry

He the perfect Son of Man

In His living in His suff'ring

Never trace nor stain of sin

See the true and better Adam

Come to save the hell-bound man

Christ the great and sure fulfillment

Of the law in Him we stand

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Come behold the wondrous myst'ry

Christ the Lord upon the tree

In the stead of ruined sinners

Hangs the Lamb in victory

See the price of our redemption

See the Father's plan unfold

Bringing many sons to glory

Grace unmeasured love untold

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Come behold the wondrous myst'ry

Slain by death the God of life

But no grave could e'er restrain Him

Praise the Lord He is alive

What a foretaste of deliv'rance

How unwavering our hope

Christ in power resurrected

As we will be when He comes

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PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH AND THE CITY

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COMMUNITY LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS

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SMALL GROUPS REGISTRATION OPENS JAN 1

• Want to join a Grace Gathering Small Group? The Winter 2025 registration period will be OPEN between January 1-15, 2025. To register and learn more about our Grace Gatherings,  please go to, https://gracetoronto.ca/grace-gatherings.

YA GAMES NIGHT

• Are you between the ages of 18 and 25? Then join the Young Adults Group for a chill evening of board games and snacks in the church building on Jan. 8 at 7:30 PM Have some fun and make some friends before classes start up again!

NEWCOMER'S BRUNCH

• New to Grace? Join us for brunch after either service on Jan.12! Learn about our community and get to know some of our leaders. RSVP at gracetoronto.ca/events to save your seat!

MISSIONS LUNCH

• Come have lunch with us on Jan. 12 from 11:15 - 12:45 PM and learn from one of our missionaries, Matt Lammers!

WOMEN'S MINISTRY BIBLE STUDY

• Ladies, Are you looking for a fuller spiritual experience? Are you feeling bored with your Christian walk? Join us as Women's Ministry explores the big truths found in the book of Colossians. We meet Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm from Jan. 14 - Mar. 18. Register online at gracetoronto.ca/events

GT MEN'S BIBLE STUDY

• Join other GTMen as we study Ephesians - packed with wisdom and encouragement for living as faithful men of God. We meet bi-weekly on Tuesday Nights at 7 PM starting January 14th in the Neighbours Hall at GTC.

KIDS CAFE

• Join us for a special kid-friendly coffee hour for families after the first service on Sunday, January 26th in the St Andrews Hall (2nd floor). Come meet others, and enjoy delicious baked goods and specialty hot drinks!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

• GUIDANCE (Matthew 2:1-12) The Magi followed the star, trusting God’s guidance to lead them to Christ. Reflect on the ways God has guided you in your journey. Are you seeking His direction as you move forward into the new year? Pray for clarity and faith to follow where He leads.

SUPPORT

• If you are in any form of need or if you are able to help others, please visit http://www.gracetoronto.ca/help  or visit http://www.gracetoronto.ca/prayer  to submit your prayers.

DIACONATE

• The Diaconate exists to contribute to the flourishing of gospel-centered community by meeting the practical needs of our church community, and extending help and compassion to those experiencing hardship or difficult circumstances.
• Click here for more information.

OFFERING

• To set up your online giving or to learn more about giving options, visit gracetoronto.ca/give.

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GOD COMMUNES

SCRIPTURE READING

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Matt 6:19-34

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19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

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SERMON

Dan MacDonald

Q&A

Text your questions to 416-830-0335

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SONG OF RESPONSE - STILL

(© 2002 Hillsong Publishing. CCLI # 3940963.)

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Hide me now

Under Your wings

Cover me

Within Your mighty hand

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When the oceans rise

And thunders roar

I will soar with You

Above the storm

Father You are King

Over the flood

I will be still and know

You are God

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Find rest my soul

In Christ alone

Know His power

In quietness and trust

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COMMUNION
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PRAYER FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR TRUTH

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life.  Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open me to the reality of who you are.  Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing and that leads to the life you promise.  Amen.

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PRAYER OF BELIEF

Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope.  I thank you for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserved in order to offer me complete forgiveness.  Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as my Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

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GOD COMMISSIONS

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BENEDICTION

—2 Thessalonians 3:16

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Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace

at all times in every way.

The Lord be with you all.

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PRAYER

Would you like prayer?  Send us an email at prayer@gracetoronto.ca.  We would love to intercede for you!

CONNECT WITH US

Need to get connected at Grace? Click here to fill in our Connections form!

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