February 2026 Prayer & Fasting

Church,

Thank you for joining us in strategic prayer and fasting this month for our gospel mission and church planting. This month, your regularly scheduled Community Groups will be dedicated to this, following the prayer focus provided below. We also ask that you continue to pray for the church over the coming months, maintaining the same focus.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (ESV) "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you..."

On behalf of the pastors,

Tom

PRAYER

Two Community Group meetings in February will be dedicated to prayer for the following:

The Advance of the Gospel on the Eastside - The Lord continues to grant us faith for our Gospel mission on the Eastside. In "our going, not knowing," the Lord has graciously revealed some of what He is doing as He goes before us. We now see more of His leading in all of this. He has increased our faith in His faithfulness! Please pray for His kingdom to come on the eastside "as it is in heaven!"

Eastside Church Plant - Pray for the future church (by God's grace) and future planter and leaders.

Eastside Public Meetings - Leman Academy of Excellence (East) school and their principle, Eric Carey, as we work together in preparing this place for our public meetings. Pray for the planning toward a start date this Spring, future main meetings, possible GRACEkids class, the logistics, and the related budget needs, "Pizza pop-ups," evangelism, and outreach in that area.

Eastside Community Group - Pray for Jon and Bethany Lambros as they lead the Eastside CG. REJOICE in God's providing the needed leader for this group. Pray for the families and singles that are now part of this group. Pray that they would be discipled in the word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, continuing to grow together in Christ and for His glory. Pray for families to be added on the Eastside and for more CG leaders to lead future CGs on the Eastside.

Brett and Lauren Overstreet, Ernie and Lisa Blanco, and their families - Rejoice with us in the Lord for providing future pastors for His church in NW and East Tucson - all according to God's plan. Pray for these families as they take steps toward attending the Sovereign Grace Pastors College this Fall. Pray for financial provision and numerous decisions and logistics as they plan to "go (and return) not knowing."

The Strength and Growth of Our Existing NW Church - Pray for the preaching of the Word of God for the good of our church. Pray that our faith in God would grow all the more in the next season as we once again move to plant a Church. Pray that we would hold fast the Gospel, knowing that Christ holds us fast! Pray we give ourselves the ongoing mission of the Gospel here in the NW and beyond.

The Pastors, As They Lead Through All This Time - Pray for your pastors. Pray that our faith would increase all the more, for our courage to preach the name of Jesus. Prayer that we would be empowered by the Holy Spirit in Gospel mission and task as shepherding the flock of God. Pray for our ever-needed zeal and fervor for Christ and in Tucson!

Envisioning Scriptures

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) God calls us to "...pray without ceasing..."
Ephesians 6:18 (ESV) God calls us to pray "...at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication... making supplication for all the saints..."
Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV) The Lord's Prayer

Fasting

A Biblical Vision for Fasting (same days as community group meetings)

In Matthew 6, Jesus taught that fasting, the practice of abstaining from food and/or drink as an act of devotion, should be done quietly ("in secret") and with joy - Matthew 6:16-17 (ESV) "...And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." His instruction on fasting includes the secret nature of fasting vs. the pride of making known to all, ...not for public recognition. For the Christian, we dedicate ourselves to these special times of prayer and fasting that are marked by joy and celebration because of the Good News of God’s kingdom that has come in Jesus Christ. This reflects our gratitude and confidence in God’s saving work (God's glory) vs. self-affliction for its own sake (self-exaltation).

Again, fasting is the intentional denying of the body temporarily as a means of expressing hopeful dependence on Jesus, who ultimately is THE Bread of Life that we need. We have the joy and need to root these times in humility and joy, as we seek God and rely on Him alone.

Envisioning Scripture:

Matthew 6:16-17 (ESV) "...And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Church Life, Going DeeperTom WilkinsFebruary 7, 2026Romans

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 2/6/26

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!

Church Family Meeting

Last Sunday evening, we had the joy of gathering as a church for a Church Family Meeting. At this meeting, we marveled at the grace of God revealed in many ways over this last year! Additionally, we made several important and exciting announcements about where the Lord is leading us and the Eastside church plant.
If you missed the meeting, please take some time to listen to it HERE!

BRIDGE COURSE

A new **Bridge Course** is starting soon and will meet every **Monday from March 8th to May 11th**.
The Bridge Course is great for everyone, especially those with questions or doubts, or anyone wanting to learn what true Christianity is all about. To view weekly topics, visit **BridgeCourse.org**.
**Is there one person you can invite?** Now is the time to take action! **Don’t have someone to invite, but still want to serve?** There are great ways to help, including joining the prayer team or providing meals for the meetings. **Contact Tim Lambros to learn how you can get involved!**

Journey of Generousity (JOG)

We’re excited to be hosting a **Journey of Generosity (JOG)** on **Saturday, March 14th, from 8:30AM to 7PM, led by Kyle Houlton!**
JOG is a one-day retreat designed to explore biblical generosity. It’s a conversational experience that includes Scripture, teaching, and inspirational stories. This retreat is an opportunity to focus on the joy of generosity in a pressure-free environment. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact **Tom Wilkins**.
For more info about JOG, take a look at the videos below:
- **You are Invited to a Journey of Generosity**
- **Why Attend a Journey of Generosity?**

Women’s Conference

**Save the date!** All women are invited to join us for a special women’s conference, ***When Life Is A Lot***, with Trish Donahue from our sister church in Philadelphia, PA.
This conference will held **Friday evening, March 20th**, and **Saturday, March 21st**, at **Center Church in Gilbert, AZ**.
More details are coming soon regarding the schedule, transportation, and lodging.

5th Annual Chili cook-off & pie bake-off

**SG Youth’s FIFTH Annual Chili & Pie Competition Fundraiser is on March 29th!** The rules are simple: sign up, bring your best, and the church will vote for the winners.
To sign up to compete, simply text **“CHILI”** or **“PIE”** to **520-999-2862**.
All proceeds will go directly to sponsoring students in our youth group for the ***Sovereign Grace Regional Youth Retreat*** this July. The youth need your help, and we guarantee you will not walk away hungry!

Church Life Update, Church LifeCierra WilkinsFebruary 6, 2026

Romans Resources - Marty Machowski's New Young Readers Book

Church,

We have great news about an outstanding new resource for parents and young readers based on the book of Romans, entitled The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of Romans, by Marty Machowski (links below).

We highly recommend this new book as another means of understanding, applying, and rejoicing in God's word through our sermon series on the book of Romans.

This is also another reason we rejoice in our partnership in our family of churches! Marty is a fellow pastor in one of our sister churches in Sovereign Grace. We have used Marty's excellent children's ministry curriculum for several years. He has served our family of churches in numerous ways, and we thank God for him.

We highly recommend Marty's new book for young readers to you:

A must-watch Video Introduction: YouTube - The Sword by Marty Machowski

Order the book (New Growth Press): The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of Romans

-Tom

Church Life, Going DeeperTom WilkinsJanuary 15, 2026Romans

Recommended Resources for the Romans Series

Happy New Year, Church!

Your pastors count it a privilege and joy to encourage and serve you in the many ways that the Lord has called us to. The word of God preached is central to our ministry in the life of our church, and so, we are excited to begin preaching through Paul's letter to the Roman church: Romans: The Power of God in the Gospel of Christ.

With the preached word as primary, BELOW is a list of resources that we highly recommend to help you engage with, enjoy, and apply the book of Romans. How kind of God to have provided a myriad of ways for us to hear the word. Throughout the Scriptures, we find God's people reading the word, remembering the word, singing the word, praying the word, retelling the word, devoting themselves to the word, counseled from the word, writing the word, meditating on the word, teaching the word, and obeying and applying God's word. All of these are means of God's grace for us as we respond to Him in worship and glorify Him!

Our Senior Pastor, Derek, recently said of this sermon series in Romans, "As we explore the theological depths of the gospel and humbly embrace its practical outworkings in our lives, the ultimate effect of Romans should be a more profound gratitude for saving grace, a stronger unity within our church, and a greater zeal in our mission together."

This is what awaits us: a "more profound gratitude for saving grace, a stronger unity..., and a greater zeal in our mission together."

We can joyfully anticipate knowing God more, understanding ourselves biblically, and, together, growing all the more in our faith and love for the Savior, Jesus!

We are praying for you all, and by the grace of God, may we all marvel together in "The Power of God in the Gospel of Christ" throughout our exploration of the book of Romans!

Here are the recommended resources:

Romans Scripture Journal (Crossway) - A GIFT for you: Stop by and pick up your copy of one of these journals for each of our men and women at our Welcome Desk in the lobby.
Personal Bible Study—Romans: A 12-Week Study (ESV-Knowing the Bible)
Grace Has Come: Songs from the Book of Romans—Sovereign Grace Music
Devotional—The Power of the Gospel: A Year In Romans by RC Sproul
Commentary—The Message of Romans by John Stott (BST)
The Cutting Board Blog—Each week, we email you our latest Sermon Spotlight Post that provides a very useful and detailed summary of every Sunday Sermon. As we preach through Romans, these Sermon Blog Posts will be an excellent tool provided for your further study. Additionally, throughout the sermon series, look for Special Topics on Romans right here on the Cutting Board Blog.

-Tom

Church Life, Going DeeperTom WilkinsJanuary 2, 2026Romans

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 9/3/25

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!

GRACEkids Elementary Class is back!

Summer break has come to an end, which means the GRACEkids Elementary Class (1st–5th grade) is starting back up!

The first class of the new GRACEkids year will be this Sunday, September 7. On this special Sunday, our 1st graders will also graduate from the Preschoolers Class and join the Elementary Class.

If you have any questions, please reach out to John & Joelle McCauley.

NEW Sermon Series

We are looking forward to welcoming Derek back from his summer-long sabbatical on Sunday, September 14. After a season of rest, he will step back into the pulpit and kick off a **brand-new sermon series** that we are eager to walk through together as a church family: ***The Seven “I Am” Sayings of Jesus***.

Baptism Sunday

As if September 14th isn’t exciting enough, that Sunday is also Baptism Sunday! The baptisms will be held after the Sunday morning service. A light lunch will be provided.
If you would like to be baptized, or if you want more information on baptisms, please contact any of the pastors. You can also check out a blog post that Pastor Derek wrote about water baptisms titled **“The Importance and Joy of Baptism Sunday”**.

woven ladies’ Tea party

**Date:** Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
**Theme:** Tea Party *(Feel free to dress for the occasion!)*
**Speaker:** Lisa Wilkins
Message: “Women Adorning and Passing on The Gospel” (Titus 2:1–14)
**CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!**
Invite your teen daughters, friends, and family. All women are welcome to join us for this special time of fellowship!

25th Anniversary Celebration!

**SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19TH AT 5 PM**
Save the date! Our Church is 25 years old this year, and you are invited to gather with us to celebrate this milestone of God's grace and faithfulness!
Together, we will share a special dinner, reflect on the story of how God established our church, hear testimonies of His work in individual lives, and enjoy a few surprises.

Relay Conference - registration is open!

*The* ***RELAY*** *Conference exists to inspire young adults to live for the glory of Christ.* The Theme this year is “*The Church: The Dearest Place on Earth”.*
While the conference is aimed at college students and young adults (18-25 years old), high school students ages 16-17 and those in their late 20s and 30s are welcome to attend!
For more information about this exciting conference, please CLICK HERE!

Church Life Update, Church LifeCierra WilkinsSeptember 5, 2025

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 5/2/25

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!

membership class

**Sundays, April 27th, May 4th, May 25th, & June 1st**
The Bible uses imagery like the body, a family, a building, and a household to describe the church. Our lives are being knit together. We are connected. We need one another. This is why we practice church membership, so everyone who calls Sovereign Grace Church their church can enjoy the benefits and blessings of being part.
**Our Membership Class started last Sunday, April 27, but there is still time to jump in!** If you are interested in membership at Sovereign Grace Church, or if you want to learn more about our church, please CLICK HERE.

woven ladies brunch

We’d love for you to join us for a **WOVEN Ladies Brunch** on **Saturday, May 10**, from **10:00 AM to 12:30 PM**.
Come enjoy a morning of food and fellowship! Cathy Letkeman, who serves on our Worship Team, will be teaching our women on the topic of ***"A Woman's Devotion As Her Worship of God,"*** providing Gospel hope in our struggles with the idols of our hearts that are unique to women.
All women are invited! Bring your teen daughters, friends, and family.

mother’s day celebration

Join us after the service on *Mother’s Day, May 11*, for a special gift just for you.
Your kindness, patience, and sacrifice for your children are a reflection of God’s love for us! Moms, we are praying that you are encouraged and strengthened by the grace of God this Mother's Day.

sermons in the psalms: volume 3

Over the summer, our sermon series will take us into the Psalms again with "***Sermons in the Psalms: Volume 3***," starting on June 1st! Join us as we dig deeper into the life-giving Psalms together.

Eastside Community Group

Please continue to pray for our Eastside Community Group! Pray that the Lord would draw our Eastside neighbors to this community group.
This special group meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at 7pm at Coffee X Change. If you know anyone on the Eastside who might be interested in visiting or joining this group, please feel free to invite them and let Derek know!
Check out our EASTSIDE COMMUNITY GROUP webpage for more details.

Church Life Update, Church LifeCierra WilkinsMay 2, 2025

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 3/21/25

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!

regional assembly of elders (RAE)

The pastors will be attending the RAE in California from March 27 to March 29.
Please pray for them as they are cared for and encouraged by other pastors in the Sovereign Grace Churches West Region!

SG Youth Chili & Pie Competition Fundraiser

SGYouth’s FOURTH annual Chili & Pie Competition Fundraiser is March 30, after the service!
The rules are simple, **SIGN UP**, **BRING YOUR BEST, and the church will vote for the winners.** If you want to compete but haven't signed up yet, CLICK HERE.
Not competing? No problem! Just come hungry and enjoy the delicious chili and pies. All proceeds will support students in our youth group attending the Sovereign Grace Regional Retreat this July. See below to find out more about Youth Camp!

Baptism Sunday

**Baptism Sunday will be on April 13 after the Sunday morning service!**
A light lunch will be provided.
If you would like to be baptized, or if you want more information, please contact Pastor Tom.
You can also check out this blog post written by Pastor Derek titled “*The Importance and Joy of Baptism Sundays”* HERE.

Good Friday service & Easter Sunday service

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are just around the corner! Join us for the **Good Friday Service** on **Friday, April 17 at 7 PM** as we come together to worship Jesus and reflect on His sacrifice on the cross.
Then, come back for our **Easter Sunday Service** on **Sunday, April 20 at 10 AM** as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!
This is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family to worship with us!

Forge

***FORGE speaks into the lives of men regarding the church, family, work, and leisure***.
**Save the date** for the next FORGE meeting on April 26. All men are invited. More details to come.
Check out the past FORGE teachings HERE.

Sovereign Grace Regional Youth Retreat

The next Sovereign Grace Regional Youth Camp is Jul 11-14 and Registration is *NOW* OPEN! The theme of this year’s youth camp is ***“Christ Over All”!***
To sign up or find out more, please CLICK HERE!
*Early Bird Registration ends on March 31!*

Church Life Update, Church LifeCierra WilkinsMarch 21, 2025

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 1/31/25

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!

Eastside Community Group

Please be praying for those in the new Eastside Community Group! This group will be meeting on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at 7pm in a public location on the Eastside. If you know anyone on the Eastside who might be interested in visiting or joining this group, please feel free to invite them and let Derek know!
You are also welcome to visit the group yourself! Just reach out to Derek to give him a heads-up and confirm the meeting location.

marriage cOMMUNITY group

The next Marriage Community Group is starting on February 7th! Please be praying that the Lord would strengthen the faith and marriages of the couples who will be part of this Marriage Group.
This February-April group is full, but if you’d like to be notified about the next Marriage Community Group, please reach out to Tom Wilkins.

bridge courses

TWO Bridge Courses will be starting up in March!
More details coming soon.
The Bridge Course is great for everyone, especially those with questions or doubts, or those who want to learn what true Christianity is all about. For a list of the questions and topics for each session, go to BridgeCourse.org.
To get involved or learn more, contact Tim Lambros.

Invitation Sunday

**Our next Invitation Sunday is March 9th!**
This is a Church-wide focus on inviting friends, neighbors, or anyone else to join us for church and then FOOD & FUN after the service.
Invitation handouts will be available within the next few weeks. Be praying about who you can invite!

Leadership Training: Part two

**Join us for the second part of the Leadership Training on Saturday, March 15th from 8AM to 11AM.**
Missed Part One? You can watch the sessions HERE!
This free training is open to everyone—men, women, youth, friends, and anyone who wants to grow in their understanding of biblical leadership.
SIGN UP HERE!

baptism Sunday

**Baptism Sunday will be held on March 16th after the Sunday morning service!**
If you would like to be baptized, or if you want more information, please contact Tom Wilkins.
You can also check out this blog post about Baptisms HERE.

Church Life Update, Church LifeCierra WilkinsJanuary 31, 2025

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 12/13/24

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!

Christmas Sunday

Christmas is right around the corner! Join us on Sunday, December 22nd for our special *Christmas Sunday*.
We’ll be celebrating the birth of Jesus with songs, a special GRACEkids performance, and Christmas treats before the service. (Come early to enjoy the coffee and refreshments!)
Invite your friends and family to join us as we celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas Sunday and Christmas Eve! Invitations will be available this Sunday for you to take and share.

Christmas eve
candlelight service

Celebrate our Savior’s birth with us again on Christmas Eve from 6PM to 7PM for our annual *Candlelight Service.*
This service will also include a time of worship, a GRACEkids performance, and more!
Invite your friends and family! Invitations will be available this Sunday for you to take and share.

Office closed

The church office will be closed for the holidays from Christmas Eve to January 1st.
Feel free to contact the pastors during this time as they will still be working!

relay: a sovereign GRACE cONFERENCE FOR YOUNG adults

*The RELAY Conference exists to inspire young adults to live for the glory of Christ.*
Be praying for the handful of people from our church who will be attending the Relay Conference from January 2nd to January 4th!

FORGE

The next FORGE meeting is on Saturday, January 11th from 8AM to 11AM. Bring your teen sons and your friends. All men are invited!
*FORGE speaks into the lives of men regarding the church, family, work, and leisure.*
For more information, contact Derek Overstreet.

woven

You are invited to join us for the upcoming WOVEN Brunch event on **Saturday, January 18th, from 10AM to 12:30PM.**
*WOVEN is a ministry for ALL women in ALL seasons, woven into God and with each other.*
If you would like more details, please reach out to Tom Wilkins.

child dedication

Our next Child Dedication will be on Sunday, January 19th!
If you would like to dedicate your child, please reach out to Tom Wilkins.
To learn more about Child Dedications at Sovereign Grace Church, check out Pastor Derek’s blog post about them HERE!

eastside community group

Our Eastside Community Group is preparing to launch sometime in January or February!
If you are interested in learning more about this Community Group, please contact Derek Overstreet.

marriage small group

Our next Marriage Small Group starts February 7th! More details to come.
If you and your spouse would like to participate in this small group, please reach out to Tom Wilkins.

Church Life Update, Church LifeCierra WilkinsDecember 13, 2024

CHURCH LIFE UPDATE - 10/4/24

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that!