Ambassador
January 2026
“Pray also for me whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an AMBASSADOR…” Ephesians 6:19, 20
Living In The Kingdom Today!
by Ken Miller
We often think of a kingdom that awaits us when we die, which is true. Yet we dare not forget that Jesus spoke of the kingdom that was already here. In Mark 1:15, he says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” The term "fulfilled" is rooted in the idea of God's promises, prophecies, and purposes coming to completion. Jesus told many parables describing what the kingdom of God was like. In Luke 17:10-21 He brings forth the concept of the kingdom of God being really, really close, in fact - it’s within us! (I don’t think you can get any closer!)
Jesus was talking to some Pharisees who asked Him when the kingdom of God will come. The Lord responds, saying, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” This location, within us, emphasizes that the kingdom is not just a future hope but a present reality that transforms how we can live and interact with others. Okay Ken, but what does that look like?
We had just finished our evening meal and the dining room was getting empty. The folks on two feet and those who could drive their own wheel chairs were gone. That left a number of us that needed a little help. The CNA’s (Certified Nursing Assistant) were busy taking folks where they needed to go when my table-mate, to my right, expressed, with the limited speech the stroke left him, that he wanted to go. I was ready, too. We waited a few minutes until we heard, “Who’s next?” Small as it may seem, my hand shot upward with a finger pointing down at Chuck. He was next. Paul wrote, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” A wonderful idea occurred to me. Since His kingdom is “within us”- LET’S LET IT OUT! No waiting for a UPS delivery - it’s within us - LET’S LET IT OUT! Jesus gave us many parables and modeled the kingdom, but most notably, He told us all about His kingdom in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. We know it as the sermon on the mount. What a marvelous way to ring in the new year. Now I’m not talking about a sort of enhanced, “Minnesota Nice.” Start small! His kingdom come on earth…
Amen, let it be so!
Church Secretary - Vicki A
Office Hours: Thursday and Friday 10:00am – 2:00pm.
Please leave all messages and updates on the church email or voicemail on church phone, 218-326-4929 and I will answer them as soon as possible
Thank you! Vicki
NEW MAILING ADDRESS
Grand Rapids Alliance Church
1705 SE 7th Avenue
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Prayer Chain – Grand Rapids Alliance Church
Melissa Monroe -------- 218-256-6498
Diane Major --------- 612-860-3806
Pastor Erik Kling-------- 218-256-5992
If you have a prayer request, please contact one of the above prayer team members and they will get the word out
Wednesdays:
Women’s Prayer Group – 9:30a – Library
Bible Quiz – 3:15 - 5:15p
Soup Suppers – Join us for a free soup supper each AWANA night 5:30-6pm in the fellowship hall. Families are welcome to provide soup, bread or crackers occasionally.
AWANA 6-7:30pm - Registration is open online (GRACC WEBSITE). For more information contact Brooke Hager.
Youth Group 5:30-7:30pm at New Song Church 15 SE 3rd St Grand Rapids (6th – 12th grades). Avalanche sign up is out! January 23-25, 2026 Cost: $70 talk to Frances or Angie.
Bible Studies
Single Ladies Bible Study Mon 10a-12:30p - conference room. Contact Pauline W
Crazy Love: 1st & 3rd Monday 5:30pm talk to Brooke Hager or Pastor Erik.
Hill City Ladies Bible Study Tues 10 to noon. “Living in Jesus” by Marlyn Meberg. Barbara K 218-360-2061
Mom’s Bible Study Mon 6-8p Frances Kling’s house, 1519 NW 9th St, GR. Open to ladies with children.
Men’s Bible Study starting Jan 27th 6:00pm every 2nd & 4th Tues for all men. TBD Studying James.
Prayer for the Peak Team. Meeting Jan 30 & 31 and Feb 27 & 28
Jan 20th 6pm at the church – Outreach equipping us in Prayer & Evangelism
Thurs Jan 22nd 5:30p Bridge Builders get together. Place TBD
NO Missions Committee Meetings in January, February or March
DAILY BREAD –See John Ward if you are interested in distributing them to churches, senior housing/centers, apartments, etc. Thank you.
If you are not receiving GRAC Connect email updates, it is because I do not have a current email address for you. Please tear off the perforated connect card with your updated information and put it in the offering box or on my desk. If you are new to the church, GRAC Connect emails will keep you updated as to what is happening in the church, such as cancelations for an event and changes in schedules. Also, you will receive a bulletin for the upcoming Sunday on Fri or Sat via email. I will also send out an email copy of the latest Newsletter to you on the last Sunday of the month for next month. If you have something to add the weekly bulletin, please email it to graccmama@gmail.com . Thank you – Vicki
SCHOOL CLASSES 9:00am
Children’s Classes
PreK-K Mike W
1-4 Tiffany W & Cindy K
5-6 Frances K
Youth Classes Youth Leaders Youth Room
Adult Classes – 9am – 10:15am
Women of the Bible Bernie W Library
Turning Conversations into Gospel Conversations Pastor Erik Fellowship Hall Class Rm
Prime Timers – 1st Sunday of every month after service in youth room. Fellowship and great food
Come to the Table – Sun 6:30 – Fellowship, prayer & support
Circles of Support – colder weather is approaching quickly, so please don’t forget our friends that need warmer socks, hats, gloves and hygiene items. Please remember them in your prayers.
Missions Report - Jim Marshall
Ambassador Missions Article
One of our partners in Missions ministry are K and A. They have recently had a fourth child, and the road to completing this little one’s birth and joining the family has been anything but simple.
We received word that the older three children had come down with fevers, one by one. After a week or so, they all got better. Then their father had three near-accidents on his way to work one day, and ended up getting stung by a small scorpion. And his pregnant wife came down with the fever, which was now a concern for the unborn baby’s heart health. They decided to go to a neighboring country that had better facilities for taking care of newborns. But now they found there was a new problem: the ambulance driver didn’t have sufficient documentation to cross the border, nor did the receiving country’s ambulance driver, so they had to unload, take a bus across the border, and then get a ride to the new hospital facility.
Once there, K’s fever was still causing baby’s heart rate to hit 200, but eventually, the fever broke, and it seemed time for a cesarean section birth. Baby M was born, finally, in mid-October. However, they couldn’t just go home, because baby was so far, undocumented, meaning no citizenship and no passport, and no international travel.
Now, normally, getting these documents can take up to a month. So for the family of six, that would be quite a hardship. Fortunately, a dear friend happened to know somebody in the US Embassy in that country who might be able to help. But before traveling to the capitol city to seek this help, baby M had to overcome an infection—bacterial meningitis. It took over two weeks of treatment for her to be cleared for travel. Time dragged on and were it not for K’s mother coming to help take care of the other three children, would have been a much greater ordeal.
The saga wasn’t quite over, however. K had begun to notice she had some abdominal pain, and swelling near the site of the C-section. It turns out her body had rejected the dissolvable sutures, and the doctor pulled out a very long thread, the whole length of the incision.
Eventually, baby M applied for US Citizenship in the consulate, got a birth certificate and an emergency US Passport. Now, they could all travel back to their home ministry country at last.
Once there, A was able to finally return to his work with the agricultural mission, where they were in the process of evaluating new ways to grow peanuts and another project—rebuilding chicken coops, nests and roosting areas. The staff now could spend less time looking for eggs and cleaning them. They also were trained in microscope work to examine cow manure for parasites. As they develop this skill set, they should be able to help villagers identify similar problems with their animals. K and A thank us for our prayers, and ask that we continue!!