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Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week. Read any good books lately? We have some excellent books on a variety of topics in our adult library in the Side Auditorium and our kid’s library in the Children's Ministry Wing. You don’t even need a library card to take something out!
Special Congregational Meeting to vote on Dan Andrade Representatives of the Pastoral Search Committee, the Board of Directors and the Board of Elders will provide an overview of the search process and the rationale for their recommendation. Following questions and discussion, the members will then be requested to vote on the following motion by secret ballot: THAT, on the recommendation of the Pastoral Search Committee, the Board of Directors and the Board of Elders, DAN ANDRADE BE APPROVED as the selected candidate to fill the role of Pastor at Guelph Bible Chapel. The threshold for approval of this motion shall be 75% of ballots cast in accordance with the church constitution. If you are a member and are unable to attend the meeting in person, proxy forms are available upon request so that you may appoint a person to participate and vote on your behalf. Financial Update Here is our year-to-date financial position from our treasurer. Our financial position to October 27 is as follows: Budgeted offerings: $166,419 Actual offerings received: $153,777 Shortfall: ($12,642) Thank you to those who have supported what God is calling us to do at GBC in the past month. As you can see, we continue to run behind. If you could help us with the deficit I’d appreciate it. If you haven’t given in a while, or not at all, and you call GBC home, I would challenge you to ask yourself ‘why not’? Join us on Sunday in-person or on our livestream as Mike Stone from Vision Ministries speaks on spiritual gifts We continue our fall theme of ‘One Body, Many Parts’, looking at spiritual gifts. We welcome Mike Stone, Executive Director of Vision Ministries, who will be speaking on the topic of spiritual gifts in preparation for his workshop Tuesday night. Remember, you can join us as we gather in-person or you can connect through our website www.guelphbiblechapel.ca our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE. Thought for the day: As faith grows, fear goes! Our trust in God is based on His promises and His faithfulness. The Faith Chapter, Hebrews 11, is full of stories of men and women who grew to believe that God would do exactly what He promised. Their trust in a faithful God helped them face their fears and act in faith. It helped them wait patiently and courageously endure terrible and terrifying trials. The greatest example of this, though, is Jesus himself. Hebrews 12 reminds us: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. That’s powerful! Like the faithful people from days past, we should focus beyond this fearful world onto the positive future God has in store. We can also meditate on and appreciate the comfort and peace God gives now. Even more, we can go to God and ask him for more faith. We should then act on that faith in obedience to God, since the Bible tells us “faith without works is dead”. If our focus is on God’s Word and His eternal promises more than the temporary physical circumstances, we will increase our faith and decrease our fear. Give it a try! In His grip, Pastor Chris
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Good morning! Isn’t this weather glorious? Soon it won’t be so lets take advantage of it while we can. While there are a lot of things going on that aren’t great, lets thank God for the things that are.
Next Oasis@Midweek tomorrow! Our popular children's ministry event Oasis@Midweek happens tomorrow night. Kids JK to grade 6 join us from 6:30pm to 8pm for an Oasis Camp themed evening of music, games, life lesson and this time our popular drama. O@M is not just for those who went to camp but for all who would like to remember how MONUMENTAL God is and celebrate his awesomeness. Fall work party coming up Our fall work party (and trust me, it will be!) is coming on Saturday November 5 from 9am to noon. This is an opportunity for us to help our Property Team with some of the things that need to be done to get ready for winter. There will be a variety of tasks to do. Please come for all or part and pitch in the help out. Spiritual Gifts seminar coming What’s My Spiritual Gift? This question and others like it, find voice in GBC’s “Spiritual Gifts Seminar.” The apostle Paul makes it clear that each believer has spiritual gifts, and that each gift has a place and a purpose in the church of Jesus Christ. Mike Stone of Vision Ministries Canada joins us on Tuesday, November 1 to walk through just what the Bible teaches on Spiritual Gifts. At the seminar you’ll have opportunity to explore your own gifts, understand how your gifts interact with the gifts of others, and clarify the purpose of these gifts. Seminar Details: Date: Tuesday, November 01 Time: 6:30pm – 7:00pm (pizza and pop – come right from work!) 7:00pm – 9:30pm (seminar and discussion) Cost: FREE of Charge! Signup: A Sign Up sheet will be available in the GBC foyer. You can also sign up at [email protected] or contacting Jacob Ginter (1-519-803-4453). October 30 is the final date for register. Thought for the day: Go to God with your fears The Bible instructs us many times to “fear not.” God doesn’t want us to be debilitated by fear. For those who have the proper awe and respect for God and who strive to obey His commands, God makes some wonderful promises. We read in Isaiah 41: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”. 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”. As we grow in the faith to believe these promises, we can increase our ability to turn our worries over to God. Consider this biblical principle in your battle with fear: We can ask God for His strength and peace. David, a man after God’s own heart, faced many frightening situations. After escaping one terrifying incident in the midst of Philistine territory, he wrote in the Psalms, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears”. Paul gave us this advice and reassurance: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ”. Do you find yourself fearful? Go to God with your fears by applying these principles and I bet you you’ll find things get a lot better. In His grip, Pastor Chris Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week! You’ll see below that there is a lot going on. As you’ve heard me say, God is moving here at GBC and that’s a good thing. The key though is we don’t get caught up in doing ‘stuff’ but respond to how God is moving in our hearts and allow then activity to flow from that. May we all keep our eyes fixed on Jesus!
Special Congregational Meeting - Pastor Selection Process Please take note of, and plan to attend, a Special Meeting of the members on Sunday, October 30 following the service at approximately 11:45 to discuss and vote on a recommendation from the Pastoral Selection Team, the Elders and the Directors to call Dan Andrade as pastor at Guelph Bible Chapel. More details will be provided in advance of the meeting. Please speak to an elder or Pastor Chris if you have any questions about this process, or if you would like to receive a proxy form to allow someone to cast your ballot if you are unable to attend. Attention men! Want your life to make an impact? A group of men from GBC is attending an upcoming Promise Keepers men’s conference. Cost is $50 but there is financial assistance for those who are unable to cover this. Here are some details on the event: ‘IMPACTUS’ (verb): press closely into something A one-day conference to help men "press in" to their relationship with God. Every man wants to make an impact. What if the key to having an impact is to first be impacted by God? Join us at the Impactus Men’s Conference where you will learn how to press in to all God has for you, and to become the man he is calling you to be. Saturday, November 12th, 2022 8:45 AM - 4:30 PM Calvary Church, 127 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge, ON(we’re carpooling together) Sign up in the foyer or with Dan Chapman or myself Join us on Sunday in-person or on our livestream as we continue our fall series “one body, many parts”: a study of 1 Corinthians 12 Where do I fit in this church? What is God calling me to do? Does it even matter if I do anything here? These are all great questions which we have been looking at this fall. 1 Corinthians 12 gives a great summary not only of spiritual gifts but about God’s call on those who are part of the church. This Sunday I will be continuing my thoughts from last week, looking at verses 27-31a and looking at the facts of diversity and the implications it has for us. What does it mean to actually practice ‘diversity in unity’? Find out on Sunday! Remember, you can join us as we gather in-person or you can connect through our website www.guelphbiblechapel.ca our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE. Thought for the Day: What’s your inventory look like? Someone from the GBC family shared this with me recently and I really liked it. Take a look and see what you think. When was the last time you did an ‘inventory’ of this nature? Check it out and see what you come up with. DAILY INVENTORY How did I show love to others? Did I act in an unloving way toward anyone? Did others see in me the joy of having a personal relationship with the Lord? If not, why not? How was my serenity, my peace? Did anything happen that caused me to lose it? What was my part in it? Was I patient? What caused me to lose my patience? Would anyone say that I was kind/good? In what ways did I act unkind? How was my faithfulness? Did I keep my word with everyone? How was my gentleness and self-control? Did I lose my temper, or speak a harsh or unkind word to someone? What do you think? What would your ‘inventory’ look like? Notice how it starts with love? Notice also it follows the fruit of the spirit, which I just finished writing about? Jesus told us in Matthew 7 that “by their fruit you will recognize them”. So, would people ‘recognize’ you as a follower of Jesus by your fruit? Here’s a great way to do a self-assessment and also to ensure you’re on the right track. Regularly doing things like this is how you walk the path of being a discipline. In His grip, Pastor Chris Good morning. On this dreary day may the light of Jesus shine in your life. For my devotions of late I’ve tried to follow a theme for a certain length of time. For the next couple of weeks I want do share some less-connected, but still important, things that have been on my mind. Think of it as fall cleaning! I hope they continue to be challenging and encouraging.
Fall work party coming up Our fall work party (and trust me, it will be!) is coming on Saturday November 5 from 9am to noon. This is an opportunity for us to help our Property Team with some of the things that need to be done to get ready for winter. There will be a variety of tasks to do. Please come for all or part and pitch in the help out. Spiritual Gifts seminar coming What’s My Spiritual Gift? This question and others like it, find voice in GBC’s “Spiritual Gifts Seminar.” The apostle Paul makes it clear that each believer has spiritual gifts, and that each gift has a place and a purpose in the church of Jesus Christ. Mike Stone of Vision Ministries Canada joins us on Tuesday, November 1 to walk through just what the Bible teaches on Spiritual Gifts. At the seminar you’ll have opportunity to explore your own gifts, understand how your gifts interact with the gifts of others, and clarify the purpose of these gifts. You’ll also be equipped to engage in a six week discussion on Spiritual Gifts in a Small Group setting. There’s room for all! We look forward to exploring this together for the glory of God, the joy of serving together in Guelph, and the building up of the Body of Christ! Seminar Details: Date: Tuesday, November 01 Time: 6:30pm – 7:00pm (pizza and pop – come right from work!) 7:00pm – 9:30pm (seminar and discussion) Cost: FREE of Charge! Signup: A Sign Up sheet will be available in the GBC foyer October 02 to October 30. You may also wish to write [email protected] indicating your intention to participate. You may also text Jacob Ginter (1-519-803-4453) to sign up. October 30 is the final date for sign up. Thought for the day: Fear creeps back in I’ve noticed that after a bit of a pause after Covid there seems to be a certain amount of fear creeping back into society. The war in Ukraine has led to fear of nuclear war, environmental concern grows, our economy teeters on the brink of recession with inflation hurting many AND there are some trying to rekindle the flame of fear over Covid. Yikes! What do we do? Let’s look at this from a biblical perspective. Here’s the reality- the things we fear grab our attention. It gets us ready to fight—or flee. Whether we mask our fear with macho bravado or slink away to seek refuge, it can have a powerful effect on our thinking, decisions and actions. A healthy fear can keep us from harm, that’s a good thing. But too often fear keeps us from doing what we want—or need—to do, that’s not so good! Of greater concern is that sometimes it provokes us into wrong or dangerous responses. Biblically speaking, fear can contribute to obeying—or disobeying—God’s law. Do we fear God or do we fear the things around us? God reminds us in Isaiah 41: “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.” What does this mean? When fear creeps in, like it will do, remember, God is with you, He’s here to strengthen you and help you. You’re in His hands. In times of fear, keep your eyes fixed on Him. In His grip, Pastor Chris Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week! There’s lots going on here at GBC. We had another great Oasis@Midweek last night. It’s always energizing to experience the enthusiasm of the kids who attend. Also, our youth will be serving this weekend through SURGE as we assist the Junction Neighbourhood by helping close their community garden. There are so many ways to let your light shine!
Special Congregational Meeting - Pastor Selection Process Please take note of, and plan to attend, a Special Meeting of the members on Sunday, October 30 following the service at approximately 11:45 to discuss and vote on a recommendation from the Pastoral Selection Team, the Elders and the Directors to call Dan Andrade as pastor at Guelph Bible Chapel. More details will be provided in advance of the meeting. Please speak to an elder or Pastor Chris if you have any questions about this process, or if you would like to receive a proxy form to allow someone to cast your ballot if you are unable to attend. Finance Update Here is an update from our treasurer, Ken Finlay. Our financial position to end of September is as follows: Budgeted revenue: $153.735 Actual revenue received: $144,200 Shortfall: ($9,535) [This is better than the shortfall at end of August ($10,108)] We ask that all who call GBC home make a regular contribution towards the ministry of the church. Information on various ways in which to contribute financially can be found at the following link: www.GuelphBibleChapel.ca and click on Give "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 Join us on Sunday in-person or on our livestream as we continue our fall series “one body, many parts”: a study of 1 Corinthians 12 Where do I fit in this church? What is God calling me to do? Does it even matter if I do anything here? These are all great questions which we have been looking at this fall. 1 Corinthians 12 gives a great summary not only of spiritual gifts but about God’s call on those who are part of the church. This Sunday I will be continuing our series and picking up where Patrick left off, looking at verses 12-26. What does it mean when Paul talks about being ‘one body’? Find out on Sunday! Remember, you can join us as we gather in-person or you can connect through our website www.guelphbiblechapel.ca our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE. Thought for the day: Closing thoughts on fruit The last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at the fruit of the Spirit, how to get it and what it looks like. Let’s look at the text, in full, one last time. Paul writes in Galatians 5: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” We often will read (or maybe even memorize) the components of the fruit but we don’t often look at the impact of it which we see in the verses that follow. I could write probably a bunch of blogs on this but instead I’m going to encourage you to read it reflectively and talk to God about how this applies to your life. May we all seek to live in this manner and let our lights shine! In His grip, Pastor Chris Good morning. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and took the time to thank God for the many blessings we have. In these turbulent times I think it becomes that much more important to count our blessings.
Thank you! Okay, I was pretty speechless Sunday (and that’s saying a lot for a preacher!) by all the cards Jennifer and I received for Pastor Appreciation. The messages were incredibly touching and several caused me to choke up a bit. I love you all and love this church. Thank you for this tangible expression of support and encouragement, it meant a lot. Fall work party coming up Our fall work party (and trust me, it will be!) is coming on Saturday November 5 from 9am to noon. This is an opportunity for us to help our Property Team with some of the things that need to be done to get ready for winter. There will be a variety of tasks to do. Please come for all or part and pitch in the help out. Thought for the day: Growing fruit takes exercise! Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 4 that we are to train ourselves to be Godly. This means that growing the fruit of the Spirit is like growing a muscle. The muscle is already a part of us but we have to choose to use it if we want to see any growth. We have to exercise faith and believe that we have everything we need for growth. When we exercise our ‘spiritual muscles’ the resulting growth will make us more compassionate, more empathetic, kinder, more joyful, more peaceful, and gentler, with the common strand of love. That’s the Fruit of the Spirit! As we choose to seek to mature, we’ll see evidence of this growth and the impact it makes on others. Here’s an important point though: growing the Fruit of the Spirit relies on the Holy Spirit producing His fruit in us, with the Holy Spirit's power making changes in our lives day by day. Seek, and then work, to BUILD your fruit! In His grip, Pastor Chris Good morning! I hope you’re making this a great week! I mentioned this on Tuesday but as we move into Thanksgiving weekend I would encourage you to spend some time thinking about what you’re thankful for and then thanking God who is the giver of all good things. Happy Thanksgiving from me and my family to all of you. We have SO much to be thankful for.
Join us on Sunday in-person or on our livestream as we continue our fall series “one body, many parts”: a study of 1 Corinthians 12 Where do I fit in this church? What is God calling me to do? Does it even matter if I do anything here? These are all great questions which we have been looking at this fall. 1 Corinthians 12 gives a great summary not only of spiritual gifts but about God’s call on those who are part of the church. This Sunday Patrick will be back to our series after a break and will be looking at the key verses for this text, verses 12-13. What does it mean when Paul talks about being ‘one body’? Find out on Sunday! Remember, you can join us as we gather in-person or you can connect through our website www.guelphbiblechapel.ca our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE. Spiritual Gifts seminar coming What’s My Spiritual Gift? This question and others like it, find voice in GBC’s “Spiritual Gifts Seminar.” The apostle Paul makes it clear that each believer has spiritual gifts, and that each gift has a place and a purpose in the church of Jesus Christ. Mike Stone of Vision Ministries Canada joins us on Tuesday, November 1 to walk through just what the Bible teaches on Spiritual Gifts. At the seminar you’ll have opportunity to explore your own gifts, understand how your gifts interact with the gifts of others, and clarify the purpose of these gifts. You’ll also be equipped to engage in a six week discussion on Spiritual Gifts in a Small Group setting. There’s room for all! We look forward to exploring this together for the glory of God, the joy of serving together in Guelph, and the building up of the Body of Christ! Seminar Details: Date: Tuesday, November 01 Time: 6:30pm – 7:00pm (pizza and pop – come right from work!) 7:00pm – 9:30pm (seminar and discussion) Cost: FREE of Charge! Signup: A Sign Up sheet will be available in the GBC foyer October 02 to October 30. You may also wish to write [email protected] indicating your intention to participate. You may also text Jacob Ginter (1-519-803-4453) to sign up. October 30 is the final date for sign up. Thought for the day: Ever think of fruit as a gift from God? Let’s look at this idea of the Fruit of the Spirit in a different way. Because the Holy Spirit is a gift to believers, God gives us the power to live fruitful lives. Christianity is not a rules-based religion (though there are some!). Our growth is not gained based on how much good we do, but it’s an outpouring of a relationship with a living God that forces and encourages us to live better; to aspire to be like Him; to be holy as He is holy. Growing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is evidence of these internal changes. When we nurture our relationship with God, we have access to the Son, and we water our lives with his Word. When we do that, we grow and are equipped to deal with whatever the world throws at us. How practical! But then again, that’s our God! I hope that is both an encouragement and challenge. Oh, its also something for us to be thankful for as we head into Thanksgiving weekend too! In His grip, Pastor Chris Good morning. I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful fall weather. I think this is one of my favorite times of the year. What are you thankful for? As we get closer to Thanksgiving weekend I’d encourage you to spend some time and give thanks for some of the simple blessings in our lives.
Attention men! Want your life to make an impact? A group of men from GBC is attending an upcoming Promise Keepers men’s conference. Cost is $50 but there is financial assistance for those who are unable to cover this. Here are some details on the event: ‘IMPACTUS’ (verb): press closely into something A one-day conference to help men "press in" to their relationship with God. Every man wants to make an impact. What if the key to having an impact is to first be impacted by God? Join us at the Impactus Men’s Conference where you will learn how to press in to all God has for you, and to become the man he is calling you to be. Saturday, November 12th, 2022 8:45 AM - 4:30 PM Calvary Church, 127 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge, ON(we’re carpooling together) Sign up in the foyer or with Dan Chapman or myself October ministry calendar As mentioned before, with an increase in activities happening here at GBC we need one central source of when they are. So, we’re returning to our monthly calendar. This was a ‘casualty of Covid’ but its time to bring it back. You will find hard copies of it on the information table at the back of the auditorium or attached here. This is also a great source for prayer for the church! Thought for the day: Growing fruit takes time We continue to look this week at how to grow fruit in our lives, the Fruit of the Spirit. This is not just a ‘spiritual’ thing but very practical, especially in days like we’re facing. Growing in fruit means growing as a disciple of Jesus. This is not just about letting your light shine but also helps you to deal with the stress and pressure of our unsettled world. Sound good? Here’s the thing, just like in nature, our spiritual growth takes time. Just like seeds, we must be planted in good soil, nurtured and watered. What this looks like, practically, is a lifelong work of submitting all of our life under God’s authority. We grow in knowledge of God through his Word, and grow our love of God through knowing him and obeying him. We come into spiritual community through our church and grow under the learning of other believers. We step away from old sin tendencies and through the power of Jesus’ strength, learn to walk in obedience. We die to our old selves and put on our new self in Christ Jesus. When we do that, we’ll find ourselves being transformed as the seed bursts forth into fruit. While it takes time (and you all know how patient I am!) it’s so worth it! In His grip, Pastor Chris |
Pastor Chris"At GBC we're serious about the Bible, serious about the truths that are found in it and living in Him but also like to laugh, cry and experience life together." Archives
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