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GLB Church January 2026 Newsletter!
A new year often brings fresh energy, reflection, and a desire for change. January gives us a moment to pause and ask where God is leading us next—not just in big goals, but in the quiet rhythms of everyday life. It’s a season to reset our hearts, renew our focus, and choose faithfulness in the small, intentional steps that shape who we are becoming. As we begin 2026 together, our prayer is that this month would be less about pressure and more about presence—listening for God’s voice and responding with trust and action.
Get Involved!
Church isn’t meant to be something we attend—it’s something we belong to. Getting involved is one of the best ways to build community and grow spiritually. Whether it’s joining a team, a group, or simply staying after service to connect, there’s a place for you at GLB Church.
Want to help but not sure where you fit? Send an email to hello@glbchurch.com
Text JOIN to (562) 561-2020
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Welcome to a new year, GLB Church! I truly believe God has some great things in store for us as a church community this year- lessons to be learned, miracles to witness, mountaintop seasons, and even maybe some valley seasons… but, through it all, God is with us and we will strive to be together through it all.
Our Sundays this month are focused on getting us prepared for this year spiritually. We will get back into the book of Matthew in the month of February. As for this month, the sermons have been focused on discovering God’s “why” and God’s “how and what”, coming from author Simon Sinek’s communication Golden Circle from his book “Start With Why.” It’s a simple framework to provide clarity in communication. What we have discovered is that God’s “why”, God’s purpose is to ‘Bless the world’— to fill the earth, the creation with God’s goodness and faithfulness and love and joy and peace. God does this by the power of the Holy Spirit (the “How”) as God’s people ‘practice the way of Jesus’ (the “What”). In discovering this, my hope is that the church would reflect all that God is doing— that we would ‘bless the world’ by the ‘power of the Holy Spirit’ as we ‘practice the way of Jesus.’
God is moving and God is working.. it is the church’s role to discern where the Spirit is moving and guiding and be able to catch the ‘wind’ of the Spirit, riding the wave of God’s Spirit, living out God’s kingdom realities in the world today. I’m excited to participate with God in what He is up to and I hope you are as well. I want to encourage you to begin or continue practices of prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread, and Scripture as we strive to cultivate lives formed by God’s Spirit who, over time and practice, become the type of people who live out God’s will “on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
On MLK Weekend, we will be participating in ‘blessing the world’ by having a blood drive and also selling items that will benefit the community around us and raise funds to help medical clinics in Mexico. We will focus our time on that Sunday on the theme of the ‘Beloved Community’ and how we can and should be able to find Dr. King’s vision within God’s community, the church. Thank you to all who are participating in donating items and donating blood and for our WeServe Team in planning this opportunity for the church.
On January 25th, we will have a time to follow up from our Vision discussions from 2025 for our first ‘Open Hands Sunday’ of the year. We will be able to provide an update from the results of a survey we gave to everyone in 2025, hear from different life stage ministry coordinators as they share their hopes and vision for the year, get a quick financial update and vision for the church’s finances as well. It will be a great Sunday to hear what’s happening around the church and what God might be calling us into in these next chapters as a church. On Wednesday the 28th, we will gather as a church for our first monthly Prayer Night to bring all our vision to God and surrender our plans to Him.
GLB Church- thank you for your prayer, your many years of faithfulness and perseverance, your love for your neighbor and one another, thank you for your patience and grace over the years. Here’s to a great 2026, blessing the world and practicing the way of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit!
With love,
Ruben and Marina.
Cristian Outreach in Action
This month, we’re partnering with Christian Outreach in Action (COA) in Long Beach — a powerful ministry that meets real needs with real love. They serve meals daily, offer clothing and hygiene items, and provide support for individuals and families facing homelessness or hardship.
How you can help:
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Donate Items: Bring hygiene kits, canned goods, or gently used clothes to the lobby drop-off bin.
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Serve with Us: Sign up to make lunches on the second Saturday of the month. Please call Erica Burch 562-787-4626 for more info or organize with your group and sign up here.
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Pray: Lift up this ministry and the people they serve in your daily prayers.
COA gives us an opportunity to live out the love of Christ in our city. Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus together.
You don’t have to carry things alone. If you need prayer—for yourself, your family, or someone you care about—we’re here.
You can email prayer requests to glbprayerministry@gmail.com or enter them here.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
January often comes with goals, plans, and fresh intentions. This verse reminds us that growth doesn’t come from intention alone—it comes from action. Faith is not just something we hear on Sundays, but something we live out daily in how we love, serve, forgive, and show up.
Practicals for January
Here are a few simple ways to live out this scripture this month:
- Practice obedience in small ways
Follow through on what God puts on your heart, even when it feels ordinary. - Serve someone quietly
Look for a need and meet it without needing recognition. - Create space for God’s Word
Set aside time each week to read, reflect, and ask how you can apply what you’re learning. - Check your actions, not just intentions
Ask yourself, “What does faith look like today?” and act on it.
