​Good morning. I hope you’re having a great week!  Speaking of great, we had a great kickoff to Oasis@Midweek last night and to our Precept Bible Studies as well. Thanks for praying!  Good things are happening this fall!
  
Wish Peggy Ritchie happy birthday as she turns 100!
Peggy Ritchie is turning 100 on October 3!  Peggy has been a member of GBC for a long time and is currently a shut in.  Her birthday is coming up so if anyone would like to send her a greeting or birthday card please put it in the mailbox of Linda Fazekas who will ensure it gets delivered.
 
 ‘The Dawn of Redemption’ A series on the book of Luke. Join us Sunday
This Sunday we continue our fall series on the book of Luke. We are going to look carefully at this key book in the months to come as we examine Doctor Luke’s gospel so we may have certainty in what we believe.
This Sunday I will be looking at someone we don’t think a lot about other than at Christmas time- Mary. Join me as I explore this important figure from history and the impact it has on us.
If you want to prepare, please read Luke 1:26-38.
If you can’t make it, you can connect through our website:  
www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE
  
Thought for the Day:  What is the Fruit of the Spirit and How Do I Grow It?
Its fall and harvest time is coming. Patrick and Andrea have been picking their grapes as usual and have had another big yield of fruit which they were sharing recently.  I’ve been thinking about fruit lately more in the spiritual sense and will be talking about it here for the next few weeks.  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 Jesus 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 weeks ahead.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

Good morning!  Fall is officially here. The leaves are starting to turn and you can really feel the season. As I’ve said before, I like the changes and this is one of my favorite times of year.  For me, its always important to seize the moments that God gives us and find the joy that is within.
 
 
Oasis@Midweek starts tomorrow
Oasis@Midweek for this season is starting up again tomorrow with a special celebration.  We will have a pizza supper starting at 6pm and go on from there as we celebrate camp and are reminded of what it means to be STELLAR.  This event is for kids JK to grade 6 who are invited to join us from 6:30pm to 8pm for an Oasis Camp themed evening of music, games, life lesson and this week our youth group leads which means our popular drama.  O@M is not just for those who went to camp but for all who would like to learn how to ‘shine Jesus light’ and be STELLAR.
 
 
GBC October calendar is here
Our October church calendar is out. You can pick one up in the auditorium. There are also hard copies at the back of the auditorium. This is not just to see what’s going on but also can be used as a prayer guide so we can pray for what’s happening here at GBC.
 
 
Thought for the day: Focus on the positive
Like the faithful people of old, we should focus beyond this fearful world on the positive future God has in store. We can also meditate on and appreciate the comfort and peace God gives now.
Paul directed our thinking toward the positive in Philippians 4: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Later in the scriptures he reminded us to rejoice always and gives thanks in everything.
Here's a positive take on fear from the scriptures: “perfect love casts out fear”.  As a result, fear is conquered. John summed up the ultimate goal this way: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”.
We can go to God with our fears. We can seek more of His Spirit. We can grow in faith in His ability to defeat anything that threatens us. We can find comfort and security in His loving care.  The fear and loathing of this age will be replaced with love and rejoicing forevermore.  What a great thought to carry us through the day.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good morning!  I hope you’re making this a great week!  Read any good books lately?  Our library has some excellent ones as does our kids/teen library in the Children’s Ministry Wing upstairs. Check it out and check something out!
 
 
Wish Peggy Ritchie happy birthday as she turns 100!
Peggy Ritchie is turning 100 on October 3!  Peggy has been a member of GBC for a long time and is currently a shut in.  Her birthday is coming up so if anyone would like to send her a greeting or birthday card please put it in the mailbox of Linda Fazekas who will ensure it gets delivered.
 
 
‘That you may have certainty’ A series on the book of Luke. Join us Sunday
This Sunday we continue our fall series on the book of Luke. We are going to look carefully at this key book in the months to come as we look at Doctor Luke’s gospel so we may have certainty in what we believe.
Pastor Dan is continuing and this week and will be looking at the message Zechariah received about the coming of his son John.
If you want to prepare, please read Luke 1:5-25.
If you can’t make it, you can connect through our website:  
www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE
 
 
Thought for the day: Pray to God
As you hopefully know, prayer has been one of our key focus areas for the last while as a church. So, I wanted to share a thought on the subject today.
Here it is: 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 and the situations we face are beyond our control. So, what we can do, and really, we MUST do, is place 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 morning.  Things are feeling more like fall- cool, crisp mornings and warm afternoons. I love this time of year and also the seasons. They are a reminder to me of how God is working in all kinds of circumstances and situations.
 
 
Oasis@Midweek starts up again September 27
Oasis@Midweek for this season is starting up again next Wednesday with a special celebration.  We will have a pizza supper starting at 6pm and go on from there as we celebrate camp and are reminded of what it means to be STELLAR.  This event is for kids JK to grade 6 who are invited to join us from 6:30pm to 8pm for an Oasis Camp themed evening of music, games, life lesson and this week our youth group leads which means our popular drama.  O@M is not just for those who went to camp but for all who would like to learn how to ‘shine Jesus light’ and be STELLAR.
 
 
Gospel music concert coming to Crestwicke
For fans of gospel music, there is a concert this Sunday at 6pm at Crestwicke Baptist Church featuring the Watchmen Quartet.  Details are in the attached poster.
 
 
Thought for the day: Be strong and of good courage
Who is a hero of yours? One of mine is King Robert the Bruce of Scotland. I have a painting of him in my office and would love to tell you about this remarkable man.  From the Bible, most of you will likely know it is a selfless hero-Joshua.  After Joshua took over when Moses died, he needed encouragement. As with Robert the Bruce who had a quiet but resolute faith in God so to did Joshua.  When the people were afraid and needed assurance from God (as did Joshua), their leader went to God.
And God answered.
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 our 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 and that will change a LOT of things in your life.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris

​Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week!  Fall ministries are starting to kick off. These are exciting times! Please remember to pray for everything going on.
 
 
Still time to sign up for small groups!
If anyone would like to be in a small group this fall and hasn’t signed up yet, there’s still time!  If you would like to be part of this, or would like more information, please contact Pastor Dan at [email protected] 
 
 
‘That you may have certainty’ A series on the book of Luke. Join us Sunday
This Sunday we kick off our fall series on the book of Luke. We are going to look carefully at this key book in the months to come as we look at Doctor Luke’s gospel so we may have certainty in what we believe.
Pastor Dan is going to be starting us off.
If you want to prepare, please read Luke 1:1-4.
If you can’t make it, you can connect through our website:  
www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE
 
 
Thought for the day: Be filled with love
Tuesday I talked a bit about fear.  Here’s another way of looking at this issue.  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 1 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!  I hope you’re making this a great week. Sunday is our fall ministry launch. There’s lots going on so read below for some updates.  God is moving, I’m excited to see what he is doing in and through us!
 
 
Fall ministry launch on Sunday
This Sunday is our fall launch.  Leaders from a variety of ministries will be available to share with you what they do, how you can get involved or how their ministry might be able to serve you. Come early or stay later and find out what God is doing at GBC. We’ll even have some refreshments after the service.
 
 
No preservice prayer on Sunday
There will be no preservice prayer time on Sunday.  Instead we encourage you to come early or stay late to connect with our ministry leaders for the Fall Ministry launch.
 
 
What does it mean to be part of the body? Join us Sunday and find out         
As part of our fall ministry launch, I will be looking back to Romans to examine what it means to be part of the body and utilize the gifts and talents God has given us. This will be a shorter message than usual since we’re going to spend more time in prayer and hearing about our ministries but it’ll still be impactful I pray. 
Do I really have a part to play in what God is doing in and through GBC?  What is my role in seeing our vision of God transforming lives come to life? Find out on Sunday.
If you want to prepare, please read Romans 12:3-8.
If you can’t make it, you can connect through our website:  
www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE
 
 
Summer thoughts to keep you on the journey: Live in community with others
This is the last of the summer thoughts I’m going to be sharing. The last thing I want to share is the importance of being in community as a church family.  Whether you are attending services here in person or are part of the livestream congregation, there can be a pull in these increasingly polarized times to withdraw emotionally. Allow yourself, as best you can, to feel the loss of community, the sadness of either not meeting in person or the lament of the changes in our society.  With these vulnerable feelings, communicate your longing and pain to those you miss or those who are on the journey with you. Whether by meeting together, sending a letter, making a phone call, sending a text, or having a video chat, let those close to you—or those you realize are closer than you thought—know that their connection is a significant part of your life. Perhaps you can send a card or note or simply send a text that expresses your heart for connection. That expression of relational need will itself be life-giving and will, hopefully, be received and returned. As Paul says, “For I long to see you…that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Rom 1:11–12). Paul expresses his longing for mutual connection and there is mutual encouragement even in his expression of that desire.  Live in community with others no matter what that looks like!
 
In His grip,
Chris

​Good morning. Fall is here (though the temperatures are more like July!). Are you ready for all that God has in store?  There will be lots of opportunities to serve and be ministered too coming up. Consider how the Lord may have you grow or help others to grow this fall.
 
Youth Group starts next Wednesday
Our “Alive” Youth Group Wednesday night gathering starts up next week, the 13th.  The evening consists of a relevant Bible study time, games, snack and time to hang out and build community. This is for both junior high and senior high students who are either part of GBC or not.  We gather at 6:30pm, the formal program ends at 8pm and hang out time goes to 8:30pm. If you have teens in this age group or know some who are, I’d ask you to encourage them to join us.
 
 
Precept Bible Study classes starting soon!
September classes at GBC are fast approaching.  Please register for the class of your choice.  Here’s the list of classes being offered:
NEW ON MONDAY NIGHTS - 1 & 2 Thessalonians  - Standing Firm in These Last Days (NISS - 15-30 minutes of homework each day)
 
NEW  ON WEDNESDAY MORNINGS - Lord, I Want to Know You – A Devotional Study on the Names of God  - 30 to 90 minutes of homework each week (9 lessons in fall, continuing with 8 lessons winter)
 
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS OR THURSDAY MORNINGS - Hebrews Chapters 5-10 – Jesus, Our High Priest Forever (Precept Upon Precept or In & Out, (Orientation plus nine lessons)
                            
THURSDAY MORNINGS - Acts Part 1 – Jesus’ Witnesses, Empowered by His Spirit (In and Out Workbook, (orientation plus 8 lessons)
…For further information or to register please contact Ann Clark or Donna Chapman
 
 
Summer thoughts to keep you on the journey: Spiritual Practices to help us draw closer to God
For this week I going to continue with the ‘summer thoughts’ to wrap up what I want to share.  If you recall, I’ve been talking at times over the past two months about choices as I seek to help you “keep on the journey”.  I hope you’ve been gathering that a key element of doing this is walking close to God.  This can be more than just an attitude, it can become a spiritual discipline or practice. There’s lots of ways we can draw closer to God.  One practice to consider is turning our hands up to God at various times and praying like the Canaanite woman, “Lord, help me” (Matt 15:25) or with blind Bartimaeus, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk 10:47). Or we might consider meditatively praying the Lord’s Prayer morning, noon, and evening. The verse “Give us this day our daily bread” will seem more relevant than ever. Perhaps as we take in news updates, we could imagine presenting the need or concern found in it to Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father.
Additionally, short prayers of lament can aid us in bringing our loss, anger, and confusion to God: “How long, O Lord?” (Ps 13:2), “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?” (Ps 10:1), “Come quickly, Lord, to help me” (Ps 40:13), “Lord, have mercy on us,” (Matt 20:21), and “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt 26:39). In times like this when God can seem far away this brings him back to where he really is- as close as we let him be.
These are not practices that are meant to take us out of the moment. Instead, they are practices that allow us to remain in the moment in a faithful, redemptive, life-giving way and that helps us walk closer to God.  Bring these ideas into your daily life and you can’t help but draw closer to God.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris