Good morning!  I hope your week is going well.  Hard to believe we’re almost to the mid-point of August. Enjoy the summer while it’s here, fall is just around the corner.
Since I’m talking about fear this month, I thought I’d look at this topic a bit more here. Check out the thought for the day.  I hope this is an encouragement to you!   
 
Mission’s Update
Jonathan and Rachel Ward (Missionary Care Ministry in Entrepierres, France

• Reopen
• Churches
• Team

Since May 11th (the end of France's lock-down) we have reopened and have been full since the start of the summer.
 
Churches and their leaders are struggling with many questions:
* When conditions allow, will people return?
* With the drop in people's attendance and giving, will pastors be able to keep their jobs?  (Some are already looking for secular employment.)
* In what ways might God be inviting us to rethink how we do church and its activities?
 
Many church leaders have told us they have never worked so hard or felt so stressed as they have during the current crisis.  We value your prayers as we provide space and safety for them to leave their cares and their future in God's hands.
 
New team members: Marc and Jeanine:
Marc and Jeanine have been with us for over 10 months and we are just as thankful to have them as the day they arrived.
Marc and Jeanine handle maintenance here at Entrepierres.  Marc loves practical work (he used to design and make cars in a Peugeot factory) and Jeanine loves hospitality, gardening and getting everything ready for each missionary family that comes to stay.  Their help and their presence are a real gift.
 
This brings our full-time team to three couples: ourselves, Marc & Jeanine, and Roger & Dominique, who joined us in 2018 to share the counselling load. 
Jonathan and Rachel
 
 Wednesday Prayer
GBC Prayer Night is shifting to “in-person” gatherings! We plan to meet for prayer on Wednesday’s at GBC (in the side auditorium). Start time – 7pm. Please plan to join us in prayer God’s Kingdom to come, His will to be done, in Guelph as it is in Heaven!
For questions or further details please contact Jacob Ginter– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 Thought for the day:  If you take your fears to God, He will take care of them for you.
Isaiah 35:4 says that those with fearful hearts can feel strong in the face of fear, knowing that God is there and will save you from the fears, delivering sweet vengeance as well. What is meant here is that while it may or may not mean that cancer, job loss, death of a child, or depression goes away immediately, God will take away the fear you might have that things won’t change, bringing you love, hope, and strength to keep going.  So, if you’re struggling with fear right now, no matter what it is, be sure to take it to God.  He can then help you, through the Holy Spirit, take care of it. There’s no fear too big, or too small, to bring to God!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good morning! So, we’ve gone from the heat and humidity of summer to now extreme rain.  While the weather may change God doesn’t and I’m glad for that.  I hope your week is off to a good start.  I have a question on this rainy Tuesday: are you a disciple?  Not sure? Read my thoughts on this below.
 
Mission’s Update
Mark and Gretchen Potma
-Quarantine
-Church
-Projects
Our 2 week quarantine went by quickly with plenty to work on.  We’ve prepared project proposals for couple of foundations: Church Planting in the Most Irreligious Country on Earth and Through a Gateway City: Reaching Mongolians in Europe for Christ.  Please pray for these two projects.  If you’d like to find out more, we’d be glad to send you details.
Petr, the outreach worker at Ladvi Church, sends us regular updates from Prague.  He and a team from Ladvi Church passed out Gideon Bibles and invitations, which resulted in newcomers at Ladvi Church’s Bible study.  Please pray for two people who sought out Petr and asked him to explain the Gospel to them.
At South City church, Sunday services and midweek meetings are continuing.  Last month, pastoral intern Vit and his wife Marketa announced the birth of their son, Jachym.  A few weeks later, the oldest member of our church, Libuse, went to be with her Saviour at 90.  Libuse was faithful to God through the Nazi occupation, Communist dictatorship persecution, the drive for freedom and democracy, and being part of helping new church plants to grow!
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
GBC Prayer Night is shifting to “in-person” gatherings! We plan to meet for prayer on Wednesday’s at GBC (in the side auditorium). Start time – 7pm. Please plan to join us in prayer God’s Kingdom to come, His will to be done, in Guelph as it is in Heaven!
For questions or further details please contact Jacob Ginter– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
A thought for the day: Are you a disciple?
Are you a disciple of Jesus or do you have a cultural and religious connection to Christianity? For many, sadly, we find our relationship with God is a cultural connection rather than a spiritual transformation.  Jesus hit the nail on the head when He said in Luke 9: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”  Denial…lose…the character traits of discipline which is what it takes to be a disciple.
 
Discipline is defined as an orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior. We who are followers of Jesus are to live in this way since to be a disciple is more than merely praying to receive Jesus as savior. That’s only the beginning!
           
So, to be a disciple is an all-out commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. That takes discipline. God makes stringent demands on his disciples in terms of attitude and lifestyle, action and heart.  Martin Luther once said “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”  God, through His gracious power allows us to experience something so much more than mere religion. He fills us with His Holy Spirit, empowers US to be his agents and vessels of grace, his hands and feet…that’s tough, it can only be done through Him.  That takes discipline and it does cost something. Are you settling in your walk with God when the great adventure of being a disciple is available?
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

Good afternoon!  I hope you’re making this a great week.  How’s your prayer life these days?  I’m sure for many, we have a lot on our minds and things we’re worrying about. Remember to take the things that worry you to God in prayer. He’s eager to spend time with you and listen to what you have to share.  You can read more about this below.
 
 
Join us on Sunday
We’re switching our livestream experience fully to Facebook LIVE this Sunday from Zoom.  This is honestly the superior platform for our usage and the direction we’d wanted to go originally but with the influx of users initially it wasn’t stable enough for us so went the other route. So now we can go this way.
For the regular user, don’t worry (see above!), the experience will be the same. One thing you should notice right away is superior sound quality on this platform.
To access on Sunday, we have a new link on our homepage to replace the old one or you can go directly to our Facebook page, no account required. You can see it here:  
https://www.guelphbiblechapel.ca/sunday.html 
If you were someone who was using the phone-in option please contact me to arrange an alternative way to stay connected as that will cease with the end of Zoom.
 
 
Elder’s Update
As we consider how we move forward as a church, one of the key areas we need to seriously consider is outreach. This is basically sharing the Good News of the gospel with the community around us. When we elders were meeting with Gord Martin from Vision Ministries he used the illustration of an airplane with one wing missing for a church that is not actively reaching the people around it with the gospel. I have to say that is a good description of us. While many regularly share their faith with the world around them I don’t think we as a church, and the people who make it up, do this purposefully. So, we’d like to see that change in the days to come. Stay tuned for more developments in this key area of GBC moving forward.
 
 
Thanks GBC!
Thanks again to our Mission’s Team for their project to raise money for PPE for mission’s work overseas. Please see the note we received back from MSC:
Hello Helen (& the GBC team)
Many thanks for the contribution of $700 to the COVID fund.  We were able to secure a variety of masks from China and have a small stockpile for any immediate needs.  It appears that most workers are now able to secure the PPE locally, and so financial help is sometimes preferred to save on shipping costs.  However as we all know the situation around the world continues to evolve, and the local needs may change – we should be in a good position to resume the shipments of masks as the needs arise.
 Thank you again for thinking of our workers during these trying times.
 Blessings, Vlad Paserin
 
 
 Thought for the Day: Relax and give God your worries in prayer.
There are lots of things we can worry about these days not just in the Covid world but in politics and relationships too.  Things seem to be becoming more tense and polarized.
What do you do? It’s easy to start to worry.
How do I deal with this?
You need to be aware of what you’re worrying about.  Why would I want to do that, you ask? Often, we can have an overriding sense of anxiety, but we don’t know what’s causing it. Why you need to take your worries to God in prayer you need to have a clear idea of what they are first. Once you’re aware of them you can hand them over to God in prayer. One tip to consider is to write them down as part of a prayer list or prayer journal.  Often the things we worry about never happen so this is a good way to track them and see what really happens. That helps to strengthen us in our journey.
The Bible tells us: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). You weren’t designed to carry your worries. It’s unnatural. God is big enough and strong enough to handle all your worries.  Pray and give them to him!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

Good morning! I know many of you heard about my Covid scare last week.  In the end, the person I was exposed to tested negative and I tested negative as well so all is good. This is obviously a great relief for me but it has also been an interesting experience in terms of how I was treated by some as well as the person who started this all off. In some ways it seems like Covid is the 21st century’s equivalent to leprosy- you become unwelcome by some.  The lesson learned for me, and my encouragement to us all, is to treat people with grace and respect in these trying days no matter what’s going on. Yes, be wise and take steps to ensure safety but also remember the other person has feelings and fears too. May we shine the light of Christ and may people tell we are Christians by our love.
 
 
Mission’s Update
Dave and Linda Buchner (Work with International Student Ministries)
-Family Updates
-Ministry Updates
 
Dave and Linda:
Thank you for your prayers for Dave's headaches.  Most days they are not an issue with acetaminophen but sometimes they can be quite bad.  
We call 2020 the "year of the teeth."  Dave was able to get x-rays before the Covid 19 lock down.  Today he had a checkup and has one cavity that is affecting the nerve of the tooth so has to have a root canal and crown.  In addition he has 3 minor fillings that need to be done.  Pray Dave will be able to manage these appointments.  I have been dealing with teeth issues for months, appointments postponed with the lockdown.  With a loss of 4 teeth there were extended appointments with a denturist (now finished) and one major dental procedure in the fall.
When we have no other morning commitments we try to walk often in Riverside Park, followed by coffee out.
 
Rachel and Jonathan:
Rachel is working online with her teacher on finishing her last "placement" session through case studies and research.  By the end of August she completes her diploma in Child and Youth Studies.  She will try to find some job in her field.  After many months of unemployment Jonathan started a job last week in a distribution warehouse.
 
Ministry:
I really miss the personal contact with the internationals but am thankful for interaction through email etc.  There are still weekly lessons plus I send other things that will help with their oral or grammar progress.  Some take advantage of answering the conversation questions and sending them back for correction.  It is also good to continue contact with feedback with the many returnees from over many years.
 
Thank you for your continued prayers, Linda (and Dave)
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
GBC Prayer Night is shifting to “in-person” gatherings! We plan to meet for prayer on Wednesday’s at GBC (in the side auditorium). Start time – 7pm. Please plan to join us in prayer God’s Kingdom to come, His will to be done, in Guelph as it is in Heaven!
For questions or further details please contact Jacob Ginter– jginter@guelphprays.com or text 519-803-4453
 
 
A thought for the day: Taking Steps of Faith
As we continue to journey through change and the world of the ‘new normal’ it takes steps of faith to trust God, do what’s in our control and not stress about what isn’t.  Faith is often an overused but misunderstood word. It means essentially to relinquish trust in ourselves and give it over to another. Faith is the medium by how God makes himself known-it moves mountains, heals the sick, changes the course of people’s lives and it’s the means of entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  Faith then at its cores is faith in Jesus Christ as the son of God who makes us come alive!
 
We can get a sense of nostalgia looking back, longing for the “good old days” before Covid.  We should renounce the desire to go back to the way things were settling for the past.  The good old days are still ahead!  It’s great to reflect and celebrate, but let’s not get bogged down and mired in it- let’s keep pushing ahead, bearing fruit. Lets plant shade trees we’ll never sit under.
 
How would I characterize faith?  Faith is often translated into the acrostic: Forsaking All I Trust Him.  That’s what it means to live by faith.  The past is important as a measure (trust me, I’m a historian I get this) but it shouldn’t be a pair of handcuffs. May we instead look to build our own legacy, despite Covid or whatever else seeks to hold us back, cause a ripple in the pond, longing to see the Lord work marvelously in OUR age and may we be found faithful!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good morning!  Wasn’t that quite the storm we had on Sunday?  That was a powerful way to finish our series “Joy in the Storm”!  It was a great reminder though that while storms come, and they can be quite fearsome sometimes, they do pass.  With that in mind, no matter the storm you may be facing, I hope you’re making this a great week!
If you’re not, if you find yourself struggling and need someone to talk to, let me know. I’m here to journey with you. Read my thought for the day for more on this.
 
 
Mission’s Update
Tim and Donna Sirinides (work with refugees in Athens)
Mr. Ali
Ministry
Resources
 
Mr. Ali
I received the sad news our dear friend lost his battle to cancer.  A refugee in Greece since the 1990’s, I met him when he came to a shoe giveaway.  He couldn’t find a pair in his size, and I offered to purchase a pair for him from a local shop.  Later I learned through another Sudanese friend the best gift to give to an African is shoes.  Afterwards, each step this person makes is a stamp of blessing to the person who made the gift.
He was always honest, straightforward and loving at the same time.  He was a respected elder in the Sudanese community in Athens.  I have spent more time with Mr. Ali than with any other person here - reading the Bible, discussing, disagreeing and praying together.  I have prayed more for Mr. Ali than any other person because he had asked me to pray that God give him faith.  Many of you have joined me over the years and prayed for him and he would be pleased when I would tell him that.
Ministry
By God's grace and provision, we were able to offer care packages during the lockdown with food and household essentials to 10 neighborhood families in need, many of which lost all their income during the lockdown for COVID-19.  We plan to continue supporting them with these essentials in the coming months as well.
We have started again our feeding ministry 3 times a week, with all the safety precautions and measures outlines by the government.  Because now people must come by one at a time to get their meal, this has given us a new opportunity to pray individually with each person and share a verse with them, something we were not able to do with the large crowd of our normal feeding.  New Testaments and tracts have also been given in various languages and we thank God for this opportunity!
We ask for your prayers and support as we start up our ministries again, especially as our financial situation has been extremely difficult during this crisis.  We thank you for all the ways in which you pray, support, and partner with us.
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Jacob and Karen Ginter host a weekly prayer gathering on Wednesday nights from 7-8pm. Join them as they pray through scripture for this current situation and for all of us.  You can connect through Zoom or by phone.   Here are the details:
GBC Wednesday Night Prayer
Time: 7-8pm
 Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/923156764
 Meeting ID: 923 156 764
 To join by phone…
Dial  +1 647 374 4685 Canada and then enter Meeting ID
 
 
A thought for the day: Check your mental health.
A couple Sunday’s ago I talked about the verse in Philippians 4 that called us to not be anxious about anything. I spoke about how this refers to things that stress us out, not the reality of mental health.  I’ve been thinking since then, with everything going on the past few months, how are you doing?
Depression and despair are real struggles for many Christians.  We often don’t like to talk about this because we may think it shows a lack of faith. Yet we see many in the Bible who struggled at times with mental health. Elijah and David are two examples. 
 
Our enemy, the devil, loves to lie to you that no one cares and no one understands.  Peter reminded us: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  Don’t listen to his lies! 
 
So, I ask again, how are you doing?  Check your mental health.  Don’t fall into a downward spiral and don’t do it alone.  The Bible tells us: “though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.  Talk to someone, don’t go through this alone. God brings relief through people, let them in.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris
 

Good afternoon!  I hope you’re enjoying this rainy day.  We move into phase 3 tomorrow in this area and I don’t know about you, but there are some things I took for granted in the past that I’ll now be able to do.  I’m looking forward to that!  It got me thinking though, what do we take for granted?  Take nothing for granted, be sure you’re making the most of every day, no matter what it holds, and let your light shine!
 
Elder’s Update
As I started last week, I’d like to take some space in my regular update to keep you abreast of what the leadership team is doing, Patrick, Dan, Jacob and I have been sharing on Sundays lately some of the things that we’ve been discussing and working on the past several months. When the church and society was shut down in March we didn’t! Our meetings shifted to a weekly Zoom call on Monday mornings followed by a time of prayer together on Tuesday mornings.  This has continued uninterrupted since then. We have been looking at some of the things that have come out of our 100 Days of Prayer and have met with Gord Martin from Vision Ministries two times since.  The small groups we enjoyed the past two months are the result of some of this and there are other things coming in the areas of prayer, our Sunday morning experience and outreach in the weeks to come. I’m looking forward to sharing this with you!
 
 
Join us on Sunday!
Thank you to all who came out on Sunday and for your co-operation with our protocols. It’s also been great to have our Kid’s Church open again too. Thanks to Jennifer for all her work to make that happen.
For those who are coming this Sunday, as a reminder, please remember to wear your mask when you enter and leave and especially when singing.  As well, do remember to maintain your physical distancing when socializing outside afterwards.
I will be finishing off our series ‘Joy in the Storm’ and our study of Philippians. I’ll be circling back to look at chapter 4 verses 8-9 and the idea of finding joy in doubtful things.
“See” you on Sunday!
 
 
Thought for the day: Trust God!
I’ve been speaking to a number of people who are struggling with trusting God lately. With everything going on, with the world changing, things have been turned upside down.  So, this is a fair question,
How, then, do we trust God?  Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever walk the earth told us to do it like this: “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov.3:5-6)  Notice what he doesn’t say here? He doesn’t say it’ll be easy, we’ll get our own way or even that we’ll have all our questions answered but rather IF we trust him, take the leap of faith, He’ll be with us every step of the way.  As the saying goes, He never promised us a smooth flight, just a safe landing.
 
God will catch us when we fall, and He’ll help us soar on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31) when we take the leap of faith.  It may not look in the end the way you envision, hope for or even need, but he will.  So, the question then is: are you ready to leap into your Heavenly Father’s outstretched arms? He’s waiting and He WILL catch you.  Trust God.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris
​

​Good morning!  It’s nice to have a break from the heat, what a beautiful day today!  It was nice also to see our provincial government move to phase 3 of easing restrictions.  There’s no real change for us as nothing changed for churches. Still, nice to see some changes.
Are you struggling with change?  Read my thought for the day below. 
Finally, I was excited to hear we raised enough money to purchase 700 masks for front line workers in Africa and South America. Thanks to Helen and our mission’s team for leading this!
 
Mission’s Update
Mark and Gretchen Potma (Czech Republic)
-Back Again
-Ladvi Church
-Ongoing work
We made it!  Praise the Lord, our trip from Prague to Windsor was uneventful.  We had no lines or delays, and now we are in mandatory quarantine.  It’s just as well to have quiet time after a very busy month in Prague.
Mark commissioned three Czech leaders to lead Ladvi Church with God’s help over the next four years.  He handed over leadership to Pastor Tomas of Network Church while we are on our home ministry assignment.
Another missionary, Amy, will lead Gretchen’s moms and kids club while we are away.  Gretchen also hosted her English and Bible class at our home with an end of year campfire after another successful school year.
Please pray for these churches and believers as they testify to God’s grace in the Czech Republic.  Pray that God would use us to do the same during our home ministry assignment.
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Jacob and Karen Ginter host a weekly prayer gathering on Wednesday nights from 7-8pm. Join them as they pray through scripture for this current situation and for all of us.  You can connect through Zoom or by phone.   Here are the details:
GBC Wednesday Night Prayer
Time: 7-8pm
 Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/923156764
 Meeting ID: 923 156 764
 To join by phone…
Dial  +1 647 374 4685 Canada and then enter Meeting ID
 
 
A thought for the day: Struggling with the ‘new normal’?  Focus on what’s not changing.
I don’t know about you, but I find a lot of things are changing these days. For a long time I just thought: ‘wait it out and things will go back to the way they were’.
That’s not likely going to happen.
I know, hard to hear for some (me included!).  While we’ve seen a lot of things change, I suspect we don’t even know all the changes this pandemic will have on us. These are all things we never dreamed of a year ago and now we’re told we need to get used to a ‘new normal’.  So, what is it? I don’t know. So then how do I move into this new reality?  Be flexible with change and remember what hasn’t changed.
The Bible says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). In the midst of all that’s changing, you can count on that truth. You can also know that God’s love for you has never changed. God’s forgiveness and plan of salvation hasn’t changed. And even in a pandemic, God’s call on your life hasn’t changed. So, don’t let all the changes make you lose sight of everything that is still the same.
So, with that in mind, let’s enter into this day with a smile on our face as we look to Almighty God who’s in control. He’s got this.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris
 

​Good morning!  It looks like our heat wave is going to be lasting for a few more days at least. While we may joke about the snow we’ll be complaining about in a few months we do need to watch our attitudes in days like this.  With everything going on and now adding extreme heat and humidity its easy to get impatient with people around us. Remember: grace in all things. What a great chance for all of us (me especially!) to work on our patience.
 
 
GBC Serves!
We had the opportunity as a church to serve at the Sunday Night Supper this past weekend.  I want to pass the following report from Andrea Thornton on to all of you about it:
"We had the privilege of delivering food for a meal at the Royal City Mission on Saturday July 4 for 75 people in need. On the menu were grilled beef burgers with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and packets of ketchup, mustard and relish; bunches of grapes, muffins and chocolate snack cakes, chip bags as well as coke, ginger ale, water and juice.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meal:  the Martinis, the Pethericks, Sofia Rojas, Darrell Spencer, Carroll Chapman, Shamala Joshua, Elaine Finlay, Marj Diebel, Donna Chapman, Linda Fazekas and Sandy McDonald.  The Royal City Mission team packaged the meals into takeout containers and distributed them outside their church.  We pray this will be a blessing to the many people in need during this difficult time."
 
It would be easy with all the distractions of Covid to forget those in need.  Thanks to Andrea Thornton for coordinating and your team for letting your lights shine!
 
 
“Twenty+” Small Group Starting Soon!
Speaking of letting your light shine, Natalie Spencer shares the following about a new small group forming this summer. Read below and let Natalie know if you’re interested in being part of this:
“Calling all YOUNG ADULTS!! A 6-week summer IN-PERSON group is starting on Thursday, July 9th at 7pm for those that have graduated high school OR are in their twenties. We are focusing on the struggles of being a Christian in today's world climate and how to lean on God through it all. RSVPs are needed due to Covid guidelines. Contact Natalie Spencer for details. Cell number: 519-827-5993.”
 
 
Wednesday Prayer
Jacob and Karen Ginter host a weekly prayer gathering on Wednesday nights from 7-8pm. Join them as they pray through scripture for this current situation and for all of us.  You can connect through Zoom or by phone.   Here are the details:
GBC Wednesday Night Prayer
Time: 7-8pm
 Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/923156764
 Meeting ID: 923 156 764
 To join by phone…
Dial  +1 647 374 4685 Canada and then enter Meeting ID
 
 
A thought for the day: Answering the ‘why?’ question
You’ve likely heard this all before. So please take this as a gentle reminder. I find many (myself included!) are asking the ‘why?” question these days.  That’s a healthy thing to do in changing times like these but when this leads to more questions there are a couple of things we can remember as we go through tough times:  First off, remember WHOSE you are. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So, God isn’t surprised by what’s going on, He’s still in charge and He’s working things out for His glory.  As much as it’s nice to know we have purpose our main purpose is not what we do but who we are in Jesus.  Times of testing show this to ourselves and the world around us, it’s part of our witness.
As we deal with the inevitable and very real ‘why?’ questions it’s good to remember that a disappointment can be God’s appointment based on what you do with it. He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4), He’s working things out.  Those classic words of Proverbs 3:5-6 come to mind: trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in everything you do remember He is the King of Kings and He’ll make your path straight.  Not easy, but straight, and it’ll lead you to a finish line where once crossed there are no more ‘why’ questions.
I hope this is a good reminder for you as you go through the week ahead, make it a great one!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Yesterday was Canada Day and what a different one it was!  With Covid so much has changed. It’s gotten to the point I’m beginning to forget what things looked like before.  And yet despite this tragedy there are other, non-Covid ones, happening every day. Recently I’ve learned of several very shocking, tragic and unexpected events. As I journeyed with those involved and silently asked my own “why??” questions it got me thinking anew about the issue of prayer and times when we are disappointed in God.
 
“Why does it seem that my prayers go unanswered?”  That’s a question I’m asked more than I’d like as a pastor. If you’ve been around the church (or me!) for any length of time you’ll know that God does answer prayer…just not always as we’d like. He’ll answer YES, NO or NOT YET. Sounds fair, but what is the practical outworking of that?
 
Well, the yes is easy to deal with.  When God answers BIG we praise Him and get that warm feeling all over, happy in the faith relationship we have. The answer may even become a testimony used to encourage others in their walk with God.
 
Okay, that’s easy.  When it’s ‘not yet’ we grit our teeth and grow in patience. God will wait for His perfect timing to unfold and He definitely doesn’t work on our timings.  As we sense God moving we may remember Joseph and his time in prison before his ultimate release and elevation to power. While it’s uncomfortable we await the answer with anticipation.
 
Still good.
 
But what about when the answer’s ‘no’, or perhaps even worse there’s total silence from God when we ask?   That’s the hardest to deal with. This is perhaps the toughest of tests and often the one that trips us up.  Understanding this one is tricky because we live in a consumer-oriented society that has conditioned us to not only expect answers but favorable ones. Yet we read in Isaiah 55:9 that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways, meaning there are some mysteries to a God capable of making everything and some things we won’t know.  That’s perhaps easy to understand intellectually but when it’s a heart issue that becomes tougher. But it’s no less true in matters of the heart as it is with our heads. That in many ways is the journey of faith, and the test as well.  There are times that God answers ‘NO’ and we just have to accept it. The question then, is do we have the faith, surrender, and relationship to accept it trusting He is with us, working things out for His ultimate glory….no matter what?
 
You’ve likely heard this all before. So please take this as a gentle reminder. But when the ‘why?” question leads to more questions there are a couple of things we can remember as we go through tough times:  First off, remember WHOSE you are. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So God isn’t surprised by what’s going on, He’s still in charge and He’s working things out for His glory.  As much as it’s nice to know we have purpose our main purpose is not what we do but who we are in Jesus.  Times of testing show this to ourselves and the world around us, it’s part of our witness.
 
Next, use the tools God has given us to remain close to Him.  Those would be prayer, which we’ve talked about already, but also the Bible.  Often we forget in our times of struggle, God’s Word, the Bible, is perhaps our best resource for overcoming the darkness.  When Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan he used scripture to defend himself. We need to do the same thing too.  We can pray through Psalms when the words don’t come, we can hang onto God’s promises…all found in the Bible.
 
Yes, we remember and we remain. Those take purposing to do. We need to be active in our relationship with God. We need to bless Him through our praise, seek Him with our lives, fear the Lord and not man, respecting Him as creator and sustainer of life, and giver of hope and finally trust Him that He will catch us when we fall.
 
As we deal with the inevitable and very real ‘why?’ questions it’s good to remember that a disappointment can be God’s appointment based on what you do with it. He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4), He’s working things out.  Those classic words of Proverbs 3:5-6 come to mind: trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in everything you do remember He is the King of Kings and He’ll make your path straight.  Not easy, but straight, and it’ll lead you to a finish line where once crossed there are no more ‘why’ questions. 

Good morning!  It’s going to be a very different Canada Day tomorrow, but still, we should take time to mark the day and pray for our nation. Before Covid there were a number of issues before us as a land and as a church within it.  The virus has only amplified many of the challenges we face.  As one of the fathers of Confederation were inspired by the words of Psalm 72, may we be too: May he rule, or as the KJV version reads: ’have dominion’, from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May that be our prayer for the year ahead. Go and make this a great week!
 
Sunday Service Update
It was great to see a few more of you out Sunday!  Also, it was nice to see how many were taking advantage of our livestream option.  I know we’re all getting used to the protocols so I appreciate all your efforts to adapt to the way of ‘doing church’ right now. Here are a couple of reminders and observations for this Sunday:
-Remember to keep your masks on when you leave the auditorium until you walk out the doors.
-Remember also to maintain your physical distancing outside. This is especially important if you don’t have a mask on.
Thanks all for making this a blessed and rich experience for everyone!
 
 
Mission’s Update
Update from Dave and Linda Buchner (International Student Ministries)

• Health news
• Feedback from Internationals
• Prayer request for internationals

 Health Update:
Dave got the results for the 2nd follow up MRI.  The doctor does not have any significant reasons for concern.  We are thankful for good news.
 Feedback from internationals:
“Thank you for the song you chose.  “Because he lives, all fear is gone.”  I love the beautiful song as it gives me energy and support.”  (I felt led to share the words of this song with the participants.)
Please pray for the internationals that still experience fear due to the coronavirus.)
 
“These days are difficult.  This pandemic has changed a lot, including my retirement plan; I will only retire next year.  Here in Brazil we are getting close to 50 thousand deaths.  We are still in quarantine, but Brazil's economy is not very good due to corruption.  My family is fine; so far we have not been affected by the disease.  At the University we lost a staff and a student because of coronavirus...I'm taking classes (English via zoom) on Mondays and, when there's time, also on Tuesdays (Alpha via zoom.)”  (Former participant in one of the conversation groups.  
Pray for the sale of her house so this professor can take early retirement and return to her home state in Brazil.)
 
Wednesday Prayer
Jacob and Karen Ginter host a weekly prayer gathering on Wednesday nights from 7-8pm. Join them as they pray through scripture for this current situation and for all of us.  You can connect through Zoom or by phone.   Here are the details:
GBC Wednesday Night Prayer
Time: 7-8pm
 Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/923156764
 Meeting ID: 923 156 764
 To join by phone…
Dial  +1 647 374 4685 Canada and then enter Meeting ID
 
 
A thought for the day: Watch out for doubt, fear and worry.
As we continue to work our way through the impact and effects of the Covid pandemic its easy to get caught up in doubt, fear or worry. Yet in some ways this is an OPEN DOOR of opportunity to share God's love. That's why, as a church family, we're responding to the COVID-19 crisis, not by panicking or hiding out of fear, but by seeking to let out lights shine in different and creative ways. Our Surge ministry was active at Norfolk Manor several times while others have been delivering groceries, calling or doing other things to stay connected. This Saturday a group are serving a meal at the Life Center.
It all comes down to attitude! (remember Philippians 2:5??)
No matter how frustrating, confusing, or scary this crisis gets, fear doesn't have the final say. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Our hope is built on the perfect love of Jesus Christ, so we've been called to share that love with the world around us. And that's exactly what we're seeking to do this week and in the coming weeks and months and as long as this lasts. God hasn’t told us to stop yet and we won’t!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris