​Good afternoon!  I hope you’re making this a great week.  It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of October already.  While time may fly there’s at least one constant- God’s love. Stay connected to it no matter what’s going on.
As I mentioned the other week, the GBC Phone Team is being resurrected to keep in touch with those not joining us physically. I want you to stay connected to your church family! Thanks to Joan, Helen and Patrick who are doing the call outs.
 
 
Join us on Sunday!
This Sunday in our 7 churches series we’re going to be looking at Pergamum, a church that had a big problem Jesus identified. Find out what it was when you join us.
If you’re interested in believer’s baptism in November please let me know.
 
 
Update from the Elders: Are you a person of prayer?
We’ve always been a praying church but as we’ve been led by God this year, we’ve felt the stirring to bring a bit more focus and structure to our corporate prayer life and organization.  There are a number of things starting to happen in this area but for now, we’re looking for people of prayer to participate and lead in this new prayer ministry. Are you interested? Are you curious?  Do you feel God stirring you in prayer?  Contact Patrick Thornton for more details or to get involved.
 
 
Thought for the day: Growing fruit takes patience!
On Tuesday I introduced what the Fruit of the Spirit is and how to get it.  Now let’s jump in and try to understand what this means for our journey as followers of Jesus.  As with any fruit, we won’t see it and enjoy it right away. We won’t see evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives the second we surrender our lives to Jesus. Fruit starts from a seed and that seed contains everything for the plant to begin and produce more fruit. In order for a tree to yield fruit it goes through a cycle where it must be planted in good soil, it must be nurtured, it must have a light source; it must be watered until it reaches maturity. The fruit is initially a seed, then a seedling, then a sprout, until it’s a fruit (ripe for picking!). What does this mean for our spiritual condition? First comes the planting, which happens when we accept Jesus into our life and then the WAITING for the fruit to grow and then ripen.  We’ll look at that process next week. Until then, be patient and allow God to grow fruit in you in his timing.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good morning!  Thank you for taking the time to recognize my ministry here as part of Pastor Appreciation Month on Sunday. I felt…well…appreciated!  It’s a joy to serve and I love the people here. God is moving at GBC despite all the distractions we face and I’m happy he allows me to be part of this.
 
 
Ministry Update: Youth
The youth ministry has been gathering now for nearly two months and has solid a core group of teens who come out. Caroline Alac and David Lewis, two youth alumni, have stepped up and are starting to provide leadership which has been very exciting for me as I get the chance to come along side them and help them to develop the gifting God has given them.
Unfortunately, its not been all good things this fall.  Due to the lockdown in the spring and the cancellation of Oasis Camp in the summer we’ve lost connection with most of the community youth who were regularly attending early in the year and actually made up over half the group in March. Some have not returned due to Covid fears but others have just drifted away.
I’d ask that you pray for these youth that we’d have the opportunity to reconnect and for the Youth Leadership Team that they not become discouraged due to all of this. Thanks!
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Join Jacob and Karen Ginter for a time of prayer on Wednesday afternoons at 3pm here at GBC in the Side Auditorium.
For questions or further details please contact Jacob at– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
Thought for the day: What is the Fruit of the Spirit and How Do I Grow It?
If you’ve been around the church for a while you’ll likely have heard of the Fruit of the Spirit.  The Fruit of the Spirit is comprised of the following character traits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and we find it in Galatians 5.
But what is it?
It’s like a rubber band ball tightly woven together, each band interconnected.  The only way to produce the Fruit of the Spirit though is to have the Holy Spirit in you. This initial step happens when we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  If a person doesn’t have the Holy Spirit, they don’t belong to Jesus, it’s really that simple.  The key here, if this is the case,  is it’s impossible to grow the fruit of the Spirit in one’s life if you don’t have that connection. We receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, when we make a conscious decision to follow Christ and let Him be the Lord of our lives.  Then, through the Holy Spirit, you can begin to grow in the Fruit of the Spirit.  We’ll look more at this in the days ahead.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good afternoon!  I hope you’re making this a great week.  I’m finishing up my thoughts on fear today and going forward thought I’d look at a few ideas on the fruit of the spirit next. I think now, perhaps more than ever, we need to show our fruit not just as an act of discipleship but also as a way of letting the light of God shine.
 
 
Join us on Sunday!
Our series on the 7 churches continues looking at the church in Smyrna, a group facing extreme persecution.  How does this apply to us? Find out Sunday!
As a reminder, we’ll be participating in communion as part of the service so I’d encourage you to prepare your hearts.
 
 
Update from the Elders
As we continue to work through the areas of focus we feel God directing us to, we’ve heard a lot about small groups as we’ve launched our fall offering. It’s been great to see so many getting involved, especially those newer to the GBC family.
Another important area of focus though is outreach, or sharing your faith with the world around you.  We’re planning a series of regular monthly workshops to help you work on your testimony and also share practical tips that’ll help demystify something that is often very intimidating to most (me included!). Until then, I’d like to share with you an idea.  Outreach is this: “Introducing friends to Jesus through genuine relationships.”
More details to come in the weeks ahead.
 
 
Thought for the Day: Finals thoughts on fear
We’ve been looking over the last couple of weeks at some powerful and effective biblical keys to overcoming fear. We’ve been remined that God is with us so we can trust him. When troubled seek the peace of God and be filled with love. Perfect love casts out fear. Have a healthy fear of God, be strong and courageous and pray to God in your times of need.
These are the keys to unlocking a life free of the spirit of fear. By using these keys, you will open a floodgate of peace, joy, and blessings.
I hope you learned something from these posts. It’s my hope and prayer that you move forward with courage, hope, and faith. Never forget for even a second in your life that God is with you and He will protect you. Instead of fearing the bad things that might happen to you, we must fear God and do His will in our lives.  And that’s how you overcome fear in your lives!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris 

​Good morning!  The elders and I were praying together this morning, as we do each Tuesday, and we were praying through Titus 3.  As we prayed, I was struck by the line that we should “show perfect courtesy toward all people.”  I really liked this reminder since as we look at the political campaign south of the border and situations even in our own midst, we see the complete opposite.  There seems to be an increasing lack of courtesy as society becomes polarized and opinions become more rigid. May we be known as people of grace and courtesy as we seek to let out lights shine.
 
 
Communion This Sunday!
Our next opportunity to participate in communion will be held this Sunday. I would encourage you to spend time this week preparing your hearts to commune with the Lord. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that when we take communion “whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”  This is a great thing to remember, Jesus is coming back and when he does, everything changes.   We’ll be remembering that on Sunday. I hope you’ll celebrate with us.
For those joining us on our livestream, I’d encourage you to participate.  If you’d like a set of the elements we’ll be using, let me know and I can arrange delivery.
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Join Jacob and Karen Ginter for a time of prayer on Wednesday afternoons at 3pm here at GBC in the Side Auditorium.
For questions or further details please contact Jacob at– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
Thought for the day: Pray to God
This may seem obvious but its also one of the things we often forget when things get tough.  One of the best ways to overcome fear is to simply surrender all your fear to God in prayer.
We can only do so much. There comes a point in our life that we are powerless, that the situation is beyond our control. So, what we can do, and really, we MUST do, is present our fears in the hands of our heavenly Father.
Psalms 34:4 tells us:
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
When King David’s spirit was out of balance, when his fears were too difficult to handle, when his mind was tormented by worry, he “sought the Lord.”
When we seek God with all our hearts, he will hear us and deliver us from all our fears. When you are fearful, bend your knees, put your hands together, and pray to God.
God is more than willing to deliver us and eliminate the disturbance produced by fear. It seems so simple, and it is, but remember, it was Jesus dying on the cross for us that opened this door to God’s peace and provision. Are you afraid of something right now? Pray to God!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good afternoon!  I hope you’re making this a great week. Despite the dreary weather today, the fall colors are amazing. I had the chance to do some walking lately and it brings such joy to see the brilliance of fall. I’m thankful for the beauty of God’s creation. It’s important to look around and actively seek to find where God is working, because He is!
 
 
Join us on Sunday!
Thanks again to Richard Fangrad for his excellent message on Jesus being God.  This Sunday we return to our series on the 7 churches of Revelation and what lessons for today we can learn. This week I’ll be looking at the church of Ephesus and seeing how God assessed it.  I hope you’ll join me either here or on our livestream.
Speaking of our livestream, for those on Facebook, why not share out LIVE link with your friends?  I think all of us need encouragement in these days so why not share the encouraging message of the gospel with those you know through our Sunday service or Facebook page!
 
 
Baptism Opportunity!
Those who would like to take the step of obedience through immersion baptism, you have an opportunity to do this the end of November. We already have one person who has signed up so you won’t be alone!  If you’d like to participate, or have questions about baptism, I’d love to talk to you about it.
 
 
Thought for the day: Be strong and of good courage
After Joshua took over when Moses died, he needed encouragement. The people were afraid and they also needed assurance from God. In Joshua 1, we see the command, “Be strong and of good courage” repeated three times.  Verse 9 says:
“Have I not commanded you? BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”
It’s worth noting that God actually commanded Joshua to be STRONG and of GOOD COURAGE. It isn’t a request of God or some mere suggestions but it’s a command.
We can learn from this. 
Instead of fearing, God encourages us to be strong and be courageous. But what does this mean?  It means that we should not stay weak. We must be strong in the Lord. That means we need to obtain strength from the Supreme Eternal God.
Being strong isn’t enough but we must also be courageous. Being courageous means that we should have the confidence to do what God wants us to do. Though things may not seem to go your way, being courageous means that you are able to move forward as you trust God.
God wants us to have a different kind of courage, the kind Joshua showed, to have the courage to do what is right and proper in God’s eyes.
So, be strong and courageous, you can definitely overcome fear through the Lord!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good morning!  I hope you had a pleasant thanksgiving no matter what it looked like. More importantly, I hope you took some time to be thankful because we have a LOT to be grateful for. Do you find you’re struggling to figure that out? Not sure anymore? Give me a call or drop me a note and let’s talk.  There’s no need for you to go through this feeling alone.
 
 
Small Groups
Most of our small groups are starting up this week but there’s still time to get connected! We have a variety of groups, including ones that are studying the sermon passages.
If you’d like more information, or would like to sign up, you can find all the information you need on out small group's tab here
​ 
GBC Phone Team returns!
You’ll likely remember, in the early months of the Covid lockdown I had a group of people who were doing weekly call-outs to make sure we all stayed connected. Once we reopened we stopped doing that.  I’ve been thinking of late, while we have a lot of you who’ve come back there are a number who aren’t able to or are not comfortable returning until this is all over.
So, I’d like to resurrect the Phone Team.  I’m looking for two or three people who would be willing to call some members of the GBC family who’ve not been coming out as well as our shut-ins. This time I’d like those calling to connect every two-three weeks, to say hello, see how people are doing and perhaps pray with them.
Interested? Let me know and I’ll get you connected.
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Join Jacob and Karen Ginter for a time of prayer on Wednesday afternoons at 3pm here at GBC in the Side Auditorium.
For questions or further details please contact Jacob at– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
Thought for the day: Fear God instead
Yes, you read that right!  Remember when we talked about this in the summer during our series on the Psalms?  There’s a type of fear in the Bible that is completely opposite to the spirit of fear. It is the fear of the Lord. It is the type of fear that is encouraged in the Bible. Every Christian should have this fear.
If we are to get rid of fear, we must replace it with the right type of fear.  In the Bible, there are a lot of passages that commands us to fear God. Here’s a couple:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
If we are to fear, we must fear God instead.  But what does fearing God really mean?
Fearing God means that we must respect and revere Him. Fearing God does not cripple or paralyze us, but rather it keeps us from sinning. When we fear God, we submit to His will and we follow His commandments.
Instead of fearing what the future holds for us, we must fear God who is able to deliver us from all types of danger. By fearing God, we can delight more in his commandments (Psalms 112:1), be wiser (Proverbs 9:10), and ultimately, be saved from eternal death (Matthew 10:28).  And that’s the right kind of fear!
 
In His grip,
Chris

​Good afternoon!  It’s Thanksgiving weekend and while things are different and may not look like what you’d choose, we still have a lot to be thankful for. As the old song goes: count your blessings, name them one by one. That’s a great practice not just for times like this, but anytime we may be tempted to grumble or see the glass half empty!
 
 
Join us on Sunday!
We’re going to pause in our new series on the seven churches of Revelation this Sunday.  Richard Fangrad will be speaking this week and asking the question: ‘is Jesus God?’. It’s very relevant for today!  I hope you’ll join us either at GBC or on our livestream.  Though our numbers are growing we still have space for you!
 
 
Interested in being baptised?
Next month we will be having an opportunity to participate in believer’s immersion baptism. If you’ve never taken this step of obedience you’ll have the chance to do it then.  If you’re interested, would like more details, or have questions about our practice of baptism, let me know. I’d love to talk to you about it.
 
 
Update from the Elders
I wanted to take the opportunity to thank those of you who are coming to our Sunday service for following our protocols. It’s been great to see more of you coming back and even some new people starting to call GBC home but I also know its been difficult to adjust to having to wear a mask through the service and now have to keep you coats with you since we’re not making the coat racks available.  I appreciate your willingness to comply and though it seems a simple thing it’s a way we can let our lights shine to the world around us. So thank you!
 
 
Thought for the day: Be filled with love
God is love and those who follow God must also be filled with love.  If we want to get rid of fear, we must replace it with something. If we keep our minds empty, fear can easily return.  That’s why we read in I John 4:18: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”  Now, here’s one of the most important keys to getting rid of fear: We must be filled with love.  We can cast out fear with love.
But how?
Love is an affection and emotion that does NOT produce any fear. In fact, if we truly love God, we should not fear anything.  We don’t need to fear death because after death, if we are secure with God, we can be confident that we will meet our Creator during our next waking moment.  As long as we have love in our hearts and lives, we can expect fear to never bother us. The moment that our love wavers, that’s the same moment that fear starts to creep in again.
When love prevails, fear stops from existing.
When love overcomes, fear is suppressed.
And when love reigns, fear is banished.
Sounds pretty good, huh? Let’s be filled with love!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris
 

Good morning!  After the rain over the weekend the sunshine of the past day was quite welcome.  Fall is such a great time of year! I hope you take advantage of it since winter will be here soon enough!
I continue to share some thoughts on fear and today look at the idea of the peace of God. You can read it at the bottom on the ‘thought for the day’.
 
 
Small Group’s Update
Our small group ministry for the fall is now launching.  If you were here on Sunday you should have received a list of the groups available.  If you missed that or were on the livestream a list is available. Let me know if you'd like one. You’ll see there are a lot of different opportunities to connect and grow in community.
If you’re interested in joining, or would like more information on our small group’s ministry, check out our small groups tab on this website.
Finally, if you’ve already submitted a sign-up form or done it online, Jacob or the small group leader will be contacting you in the near future.
 
 
Mission’s Update
As you’ll know, on Tuesday’s I’ve been sharing updates from our supported missionaries here.  Starting on Monday the Mission’s Team will be sending out their own updates to you directly via email. Look for weekly reports on those we are supporting through your giving both here in Guelph, in this country, and around the world!
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Join Jacob and Karen Ginter for a time of prayer on Wednesday afternoons at 3pm here at GBC in the Side Auditorium.
For questions or further details please contact Jacob at– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
Thought for the day: Seek the peace of God
Fear brings turmoil in our hearts and minds. When we’re filled with so much fear, we can’t think properly. It seems everything that we do is subject to danger. We’re constantly stricken with the thought that things can go wrong.
Thankfully, God left us His peace. Jesus said this: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jesus gives us a reason why we shouldn’t be afraid. He gives us peace and this should assuage our fear.  But you may ask, how can peace extinguish fear in our heart? AD
 
The simple answer is that the two are contrary to each other. You can’t have both peace and fear at the same time. It is either you are peaceful or fearful.  It can’t be both.
The peace that Jesus brings originates from Him. It is NOT something that you ordinarily get from the world. For most people, peace is the absence of conflict and war. But for God, peace is having an intimate and close relationship with Him.
Peace is having God in your life. Peace comes from the assurance and belief that God is always in control.  When you are filled with this type of peace, then you can cast away fear from your heart. Get the peace of God!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good afternoon!  I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful fall weather. It’s been nice watching the trees start to turn color, what a great time of year. It all comes down to perspective since those beautifully colored leaves are actually dead and yet the leaves return in the spring. Wow, that’s pretty deep for a Thursday afternoon!
 
 
Join us on Sunday!
We start our new series starting this Sunday.  We’re going to be looking at the 7 churches of Revelation and what we can learn from it for the church today. We’re also going to have a very special testimony shared of how God is working in our midst.  You want to be part of this either in our service or on our livestream.  If you follow us on Facebook (hope you do!) it would be great if you’d share a link to our service on Sunday and invite your friends to join us for some Good News!
 
 
Update from the Elders
We had our official launch of fall ministry on Sunday but a lot has been going on already.
Our youth ministry is up and running. We’ve been having our Alive Wednesday night study and one event already. Caroline Alac has been leading our study on finding your identity in God. It’s been very topical for today. It’s been nice to reconnect with some of our community kids and even have a new one join us. Please pray for this ministry that we would let our lights shine.
Precept Bible Study has started again for the fall this week.   They are doing a virtual class studying the gospel of Mark.
Our Sunday GBC Kid’s Church has been enjoying and growing through Oasis@Kid’s Church. It’s been a big success as we bring elements of our Oasis Day Camp to Sunday ministry.  If you’re curious about what’s going on check out our Facebook page or go upstairs and take a look (just be sure to physical distance if you do!).
 
 
Thought for the Day: Trust in God
I recently read a bumper sticker that said: “Every opportunity to fear is also an opportunity to trust God.”  I really like that and might even get one myself!  It’s not just a great saying but also a great truth and is something we should remember as we go through times of struggle and fear. This is an OPPORTUNITY but that also means we need to make a choice.  Every time we are afraid, we must see it as an opening to surrender everything into God’s hands.  This comes down to trust and we need to trust God.  Psalm 56 says this: “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You…In God I have put my trust; I WILL NOT FEAR.  What can flesh do to me?”
In most cases, when we are afraid, we are powerless.  We really can’t do anything about most things we fear. You can’t control terrorists, you can’t prevent natural disasters from destroying your city, you can’t ultimately prevent death from knocking on your door.  The book of Hebrews tell us it’s appointed for all of us to die once. 
So why should we fear?
Instead, surrender your fear to God and trust Him that He will do what is best for you. After all, God is our heavenly Father. Like a father who protects his children, so is God who will protect us from evil.  We’ll talk about this more next week.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

Good morning! It was great that so many of you stayed for our annual meeting on Sunday after our service. For those on livestream, sorry we didn’t carry it. I was encouraged by the reports, especially our financial update which shows how faithful God has been to GBC. Thank you, also, to those who’ve faithfully been supporting us financially.
I continue my thoughts below on overcoming fear.  Today we look at the comfort that comes from knowing God is with us.
 
 
Small Groups sign up
GBC’s small group ministry is starting up again!  This fall you have the opportunity to chose from a variety of options ranging from studies that will follow our sermon series, a parenting-focused group as well as Discovery Bible Study.  There will be both live and virtual options.  There’s something for everyone!
Sign up through our small group page!

 
Mission’s Report
Ilir and Kate Cami (work with refugees in Athens, Greece)
 One Heart ministry building
Refugees
 We are working to finish remodeling the One Heart ministry building.  One major step remaining is the necessary license to operate our medical offices.  In order to receive this license, we must have in place a medical director who will oversee the operation of the clinic.  Please pray God will provide the perfect individual to fill this role, that He would be preparing this person even now.
We have continued weekly medical clinics since early June.  We are grateful for a local organization which coordinates European medical professionals who donate weeks or months to serving refugees in Greece.  Please pray for wisdom as we examine patients and proceed with their care.  Current needs far exceed our financial resources and we are unable to help as many as we wish.
This past month we have seen the truth of Romans 8:28.  In mid-August, Arno and Sahar’s youngest daughter had emergency surgery to remove a severely infected tooth.  We praise God she came through the surgery well and is fully recovered.  At the hospital, a doctor overheard Sahar comforting her daughter in a foreign language.  When she learned Sahar was from Iran, she told her she had to meet her boss, a lead pediatrician at the hospital, who is Iranian.  After meeting Sahar and hearing about our work, she eagerly volunteered to help.
 
We also want to ask for your prayers as the situation for refugees in Greece continues to grow more difficult.  Many families we minister to are struggling to find a place to live, and make ends meet.  We help as much as we are able, providing groceries or occasionally covering utility bills.  In addition, many camps around Athens are currently under lockdown without adequate provision of food or medical assistance, due to Covid-19 among the residents.  Please pray that we would use our resources wisely, and that God would fill us with hope that overflows into the lives of those around us (Romans 15:13).  Please pray for a peaceful, long-term solution to the ongoing refugee crisis in Greece.
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Wednesday prayer time has switched to 3pm on Wednesday afternoons at GBC in the Side Auditorium. So now no need to drive in the dark!  Come out and join Jacob and Karen Ginter in prayer.
For questions or further details please contact Jacob Ginter jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
Thought for the day: God is with you!
People fear a lot of things. People fear about what the future brings, illnesses, death, Covid, terrorist attacks, financial crisis, and the list goes on and on.
The problem with fear, when not controlled, is it may lead to the stunting of spiritual growth. Instead of moving forward with faith, you stay within your comfort zone.
Thankfully, the Bible tells us in Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
This verse gives us the reason to never be fearful. We don’t need to fear because God is with us. Other passages confirm why we should not be afraid.
Imagine this for a second: God is with you. The same God who is the Supreme Ruler of the entire universe. The same God who made Heaven and the Earth. The same God who holds all the power to protect you.
Will you then still be afraid? The logical answer should be NO. Of course, it’s easier said than done. We’ll look at some other keys from the Bible to overcome fear in the updates to come.  For now, let’s continue in faith.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris