Aug 2018 A Publication of The Glory To Glory Family Christian Center Issue Two

The Glory Gazette

Ground Breaking
Ceremony
On May 20, 2018 the official ground-
breaking ceremony took place.
Under the leadership of Apostle
Columbus F. Bland; The Glory To
Glory Family Christian Center has
embarked on the rebuild of their
fellowship hall that was lost due to
fire. The new and improved building
will be utilized to serve the community
through a local food pantry and
various outreach ministries that are
geared to reach the lost and provide
resources to the community for
generations to come.

Stay tuned for updates on progress as

the debt free building is underway!

in
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Outreach ministries >>>
Come Aboard
By: Crystal Anderson

This year the Glory To Glory Annual Prayer Breakfast set sail at
Georgio’s Banquets in Orland Park, IL on Saturday, July 7 th. This
breakfast was full of exuberance and excitement from all those that
attended. The breakfast was filled with love being displayed through
fellowship, song, dance, food and gifts shared. The climax of the
day was undoubtedly the message delivered from Evangelist, Dr.
Katie R. Bland. The life changing word of God came to uplift, heal,
set free and deliver. My heart was overwhelmed as I saw 20+ men
from transitional housing with their hands lifted coming for prayer.
Men and women with hearts open to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. It
was no holds barred as I was slain in the spirit along with fellow
sisters and brothers. Each one open to receive all they could from
the Glory Cloud, as Dr Katie circled the room laying hands on the
people desperate for an encounter with God. Every round keeps
going higher and higher in the Lord during this annual outreach
event. If I were you I’d save the date for July 2019! You don’t want
to miss it! Miracles. Signs. Wonders.

The Making Of A Glorious Breakfast

By: Marie Smith

This year’s committee had just the right ingredients bottled up in

Marie, Tiria, Toni, Chelise and Fanchon to present a great breakfast.
Over the last nine months this core group of women were stretched,
challenged, developed and provoked to think outside of the box. The
theme was S.O.S – Save Our Sisters, the vison of our chairperson
Tiria McGhee. She saw people in distress and in need of Christ,
people with little to no hope and diminishing faith. Christ was their
only life line to safety and it is the responsibility of the body of Christ
to make people aware of this hope. This vision ignited creativity
within the team, and they began to come up with ways to convey
Tiria’s vision and God’s plan. We were stirred with passion to see the
plan of God come to pass. In every meeting the creative and
collaborative juices began to flow. Marie (the breakfast coordinator)
stirred and tasted and if it wasn’t right we threw out that idea and
started again. One thing we all had in common was our desire to
please God and ensure that the people had a God encounter; failure
was not an option. When differences of opinion came to the table,
matters were discussed to bring clarity, develop alternate solutions and
ensure everyone was heard and valued. That is what a good recipe is
all about; every ingredient adds to the final taste of the dish. Each one
of us brought something special to the group and when mixed together
everyone benefited. We learned so much from each other and built
deeper relationships as Sisters in Christ. During this time, we learned
to bear one another’s burdens, laughed with and at each other and
made sacrifices that only we and God know about. These attributes
are what makes for a “Glorious Breakfast”. We gained friendships
and developed a sisterhood that will last a life time and in the process
made God smile.

Breakfast Committee,
Tiria McGhee, Chelise Nichols, Fanchon Wilkins & Toni Anderson
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 A Call To Live
God & By: Rose Meadors

Government
By: Dexter Bland Jr. The bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new” 2 Cor 5:17. For 20 years I was
We live in a world where judgement is used daily. We judge
addicted to crack cocaine. I was a functioning addict. I
others based upon our first encounter. We judge the clothes
was working as a quality control inspector in charge of
they wear, the places they go, who they hang out with, and so
two shifts. I received award recognition for perfect
on. Our brains are constantly making decisions about people
attendance and employee of the month. By my
whether we know it or not. We as a race of people have even
recommendation, people were hired or fired. I worked
set up a system to judge others based upon their actions. We
six days a week and was paid on a weekly basis, yet I had
analyze whether or not they are abiding by the laws that we
no place to lay my head. I WAS HOMELESS. I had
deem to be socially acceptable to our personal judgements.
messed up with all my family and friends. It got so bad
that I started riding the train back and forth all night. I
The government was put in place to make sure that we have
was in and out of rehab, lived in a shelter. My ex-
order in the land and God even instructs us to follow our rulers.
husband who I was with for 38 years introduced me to the
Romans 13 says “Let everyone be subject to the governing
lifestyle and I yielded to it. It was my choice to be with
authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has
him, I thought I was keeping the family together; but to
established. The authorities that exist have been established by
no avail. Psalms 127 says, ”Except the Lord build the
God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is
house, they labor in vain that build it...”
rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so
will bring judgment on themselves. “God expects us to submit
It doesn’t matter what your sin or your bondages are, and
to what our rulers are saying for they were put in place for our
the excuses we make for them. The bible says in Romans
good. If we go against authority, we are ultimately going
6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
against God as well. In many ways the laws of the land line up
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” I came to the
in accordance to the commandments that God has given us.
point of decision in my life, was I gonna stay the course
and be with him and die? or did I want to live? I CHOSE
When asked how he felt about God and the government,
LIFE! After we divorced, I fell on my knees, lifted my
Minister Caleb Harvey had this to say:
hands to God and said, “All I have to offer you is broken
In Psalms the ninth chapter, it speaks upon the Justice that God
pieces, please forgive me and help me.” I said, “If you
is going to do when he returns. In layman‘s terms, God will
can do anything with these pieces they are yours.” That’s
judge people individually in fairness and in equality. He rules
when I chose another Rock, the Rock that will never burn
the world by righteousness for his name sake. Then the
out, will never go up in smoke the Rock that the gates of
question becomes who is the righteous? The righteous are born
hell cannot prevail against. I CHOSE JESUS! He
again, saved and cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. For the
brought me up out of a horrible pit out of the miry clay
Bible says you should know the righteous by the fruit on the
and set my feet upon a rock which is Jesus. He
tree displayed by their acts and lifestyle. God will be a refuge
established my goings. He picked me up, he cleaned me
for the oppressed, he will be a refuge for people who are
up, he dressed me up, he stood me up, he lifted up my
burdened down. In connecting the government, God will judge
bowed down head, and took away all my reproaches.
by their righteousness towards him. Did government officials
consult God before making decisions or were decisions made
I say to you that are bound with whatsoever and you think
based off current and past events. The Bible instructs us to pray
all hope is gone and there is no way out. Try Jesus,
for the government and for people with power because we
choose life. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief cometh
know not what we do.
not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it
If we look at it, we can see that we as a people were called to
more abundantly.” John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved
go the extra mile on this earth and live to be righteous. We
the world; that he gave his only begotten Son, that
should not be worried as much about the laws of man but
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
instead look to God and follow his principles. We must also
everlasting life.” He delivered me from the drugs and
look to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to win those that are
from smoking over a pack of cigarettes a day. He broke
lost and let our light shine. America is in a state of uncertainty
all the chains that had me bound and I haven’t looked
when it comes to government, but we must put our trust and
back. “JESUS SATISFIES” John 8:36, “If the Son
belief in God for we know it will all work in his master plan.
therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
LIVE!

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 CONGRATULATIONS!
2018 GTG GRADUATES
8th Grade
MADISON BOOKER SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT MINISTRY (SAM)
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AWARDS LUNCHEON
ALEXIS BLAND
ALISIA CONWAY
CAMERON ANDERSON
XAVIER ALEXANDER

Advanced Education Program

ARNEK THOMAS

BACHELORS DEGREE
ELDER DAVID JONES Sr.

MASTERS DEGREE
MINISTER DAWANDA DAVIS

DOCTORATE DEGREE
DR SHIRLEY HARDWICK

Editor-In-Chief, Dr. Katie R. Bland Managing Editor, Min Crystal Anderson

Weekly Schedule
Sunday School 10:00am
Are you passionate about the Arts or Sports? Are you a (all ages)
leader in your school or community? Interested in pursuing
a career in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Sunday Morning 11:30am
Math) field? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, Worship Service
then submit your application to the After School Matters
Tuesday Bible Class 9:30am & 7:30pm
Program. They offer 23,000 exciting, educational programs
across Chicago! Not only will you learn from and work with Friday Night 7:30pm
skilled professionals, but you’ll also make new friends and Prayer & Testimony
earn a stipend! Applications are now being accepted for the Service
Fall 2018 program.
Visit: www.afterschoolmatters.org/teens/programs Saturday Morning 5:30am WJYS
for more information and to apply.” Television Ministry
“A Time of Glory”
Dr Carmen Roberts, SAMs Coordinator
Saturday 5:00pm
Radio Broadcast 102.3FM Rejoice
“Pumping Up the Praise” WYCA

GLORY TO GLORY FAMILY CHRISTIAN CENTER

12238 S. PARNELL AVE
CHICAGO, IL 60628
(773) 568-0074

APOSTLE COLUMBUS F. BLAND, FOUNDER & PASTOR DR. KATIE R. BLAND, CO-PASTOR