Good morning! Lots of updates and things coming up this week so please take a look at everything here. It was great to see more of you out on Sunday but I’m also glad to see a number of you who are part of our virtual congregation engaging in the chat, especially on Facebook. I always check afterwards to see who even just said hello. It’s nice to be able to stay connected!
Virtual Concert of Prayer Thursday!
Join the GBC family in a time of prayer for the youth over the summer and Oasis at 7:30 pm Thursday! There will be a testimony, Scripture reading, and prayer for the needs of youth during the summer months and for Oasis.
The Zoom link is the following:
Topic: Concert of Prayer -June 24
Time: Jun 24, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85141480296
Meeting ID: 851 4148 0296
Dial by your location
+1 204 272 7920 Canada or +1 438 809 7799 Canada Meeting ID: 851 4148 0296
Child Dedication on Sunday
On Sunday we will be celebrating the life of Levi Tamminga and dedicating him to the Lord. This will happen shortly after the main service ends for those who are here in person. If you’re part of our virtual family, we’d love you to join in as well. We’re having a Zoom connect opportunity so you can watch. The link will be coming out on Thursday’s update.
Communion This Sunday!
Our next opportunity to participate in communion will be held this Sunday as part of our in-person service. 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 who are part of our livestream family, 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.
Join in Prayer
Our second last Tuesday afternoon prayer gathering for this spring is coming up this afternoon at 3:30pm. We continue to pray as prompted by God’s Word, intercede for our church family and city, and enjoy the encouragement of God’s presence. Please join us!
Thought for the Day: Living a Fruitful Life- The Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Last week I introduced the idea of living a fruitful life as a follower of Jesus. This allows us to not only let the light of the gospel shine but also live the life God has given us to the fullest.
Here’s our next idea: whenever the Bible speaks of fruit or being fruitful in Christ, it is often in reference to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as shared in Galatians 5, operating in the life of a believer: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
Notice that these fruits are attributes of God-like love, peace, faithfulness, and goodness. It is expected that these fruits will closely resemble the parent plant, which in this case is the Spirit of God. While it’s true that we can’t see in the human heart to know who is truly born again and who isn’t, we can see the fruit of a person’s life or the absence of it.
A person who is truly saved and belonging to Jesus, having already crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, is now living according to the Spirit. And if he is living according to the Spirit then he is also walking according to the Spirit, thereby making the fruits of the flesh less visible which we read about right before in Galatians 5. Fruit, and a fruitful life, is manifest in how we live and what we do.
In His grip,
Pastor Chris
Virtual Concert of Prayer Thursday!
Join the GBC family in a time of prayer for the youth over the summer and Oasis at 7:30 pm Thursday! There will be a testimony, Scripture reading, and prayer for the needs of youth during the summer months and for Oasis.
The Zoom link is the following:
Topic: Concert of Prayer -June 24
Time: Jun 24, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85141480296
Meeting ID: 851 4148 0296
Dial by your location
+1 204 272 7920 Canada or +1 438 809 7799 Canada Meeting ID: 851 4148 0296
Child Dedication on Sunday
On Sunday we will be celebrating the life of Levi Tamminga and dedicating him to the Lord. This will happen shortly after the main service ends for those who are here in person. If you’re part of our virtual family, we’d love you to join in as well. We’re having a Zoom connect opportunity so you can watch. The link will be coming out on Thursday’s update.
Communion This Sunday!
Our next opportunity to participate in communion will be held this Sunday as part of our in-person service. 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 who are part of our livestream family, 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.
Join in Prayer
Our second last Tuesday afternoon prayer gathering for this spring is coming up this afternoon at 3:30pm. We continue to pray as prompted by God’s Word, intercede for our church family and city, and enjoy the encouragement of God’s presence. Please join us!
Thought for the Day: Living a Fruitful Life- The Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Last week I introduced the idea of living a fruitful life as a follower of Jesus. This allows us to not only let the light of the gospel shine but also live the life God has given us to the fullest.
Here’s our next idea: whenever the Bible speaks of fruit or being fruitful in Christ, it is often in reference to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as shared in Galatians 5, operating in the life of a believer: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
Notice that these fruits are attributes of God-like love, peace, faithfulness, and goodness. It is expected that these fruits will closely resemble the parent plant, which in this case is the Spirit of God. While it’s true that we can’t see in the human heart to know who is truly born again and who isn’t, we can see the fruit of a person’s life or the absence of it.
A person who is truly saved and belonging to Jesus, having already crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, is now living according to the Spirit. And if he is living according to the Spirit then he is also walking according to the Spirit, thereby making the fruits of the flesh less visible which we read about right before in Galatians 5. Fruit, and a fruitful life, is manifest in how we live and what we do.
In His grip,
Pastor Chris