GBC Community Update: As faith grows, fear goes

​Good morning!  I suspect my announcement on Sunday was a bit of a shock to some of you. If you weren’t there or didn’t watch the livestream read below (this is another reason you want to be part of Sundays here, you don’t know what you’ll miss!).  I’ve shared some thoughts below and attached the letter Jacob read.  We’ll have lots of time to talk about this in the days ahead but for now, lets remember, God is doing some amazing things here at GBC and I’m excited to be part of it.
 
 
Update on my transition
“Hey, did you hear that Pastor Chris is leaving GBC???”
No, its not true, I’m not leaving. 
Most of you likely heard the announcement on Sunday about what’s going on with me and how my role here at GBC will be changing over the next couple of years. I don’t want you to misunderstand what’s happening though. I’m not leaving and I’m still VERY passionate about what God is doing here at GBC and want to be part of it.
That being said, God has opened an amazing opportunity for me with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Canada to be their Director of Coaching.  Our strategy is “to and through the coach” which will allow me to work with and develop coaches across Canada and help them grow in their faith, serve their athletes and help others discover the Good News of Jesus.  If you’d like to know more about FCA Canada here’s our website:
FCA Canada (canadafca.ca)
We’ll talk more about what this all will look like over the next couple of years at our fall information meeting but I wanted to ensure you of my continued commitment to GBC and all of you now and in the days ahead.
 
 
Join us for our fall general meeting
On Sunday November 7 after our 11am service will be holding our annual fall information meeting. We will be sharing more about my transition and what that will look like in the days, months and years ahead plus some other items.
You do not need to be a member to attend, this is open to anyone from GBC who calls this church home.
 
 
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 is Jesus Christ 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