GBC Community Update: How are you doing?

​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