GBC Community Update: On Christmas Day come as a child

​Merry Christmas! I hope you’re making this a great week.  There will be no update on Boxing Day Tuesday so look for the next one on Thursday.
There’s LOTS going on this time of year and its easy to get stressed so please remember to take a breath, count your blessings and engage with the joy of the season.
From my family and I, I pray you have a blessed and happy Christmas. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
 
 
Community Carol Sing tomorrow night
Our community Christmas carol event is being held tomorrow night in our main parking lot. I would encourage you to park in the west parking lot if able to save spots in the main lot for guests or those who are able as ambulatory.
Weather looks pretty good for the night but if that changes and its not nice out we’ll move inside.
Come and join us, invite a friend or neighbor, and let’s lift our voices in song!
 
 
Christmas at GBC
As a reminder, here are our key Christmas timings and events:
Friday December 22- 7:00pm-  Community Christmas Carol sing in the parking lot- invites friends, family and neighbors
 
Sunday December 24-10:30am- Our Christmas themed service with seasonal music and relevant message for today
 
Sunday December 24- 6:00pm- Family Christmas Eve Service featuring carols, readings and a topical devotion. Come early for hot apple cider and a chance to connect with your church family!
 
The church office will be closed from Dec 21st to January 3rd but you can still reach Pastor Dan for any emergencies at [email protected]
 
 
Year End Financial Update
On behalf of the Elders and GBC's Treasurer I want to express our appreciation for your faithful financial support throughout 2023.  Because of your tithes and offerings, we were able to fund the local ministries of GBC along with those of our global missions partners.  We met our target for the pastor transition fund and were also excited to make investments in areas such as our music and worship ministry as we invited Jamie Iles to join us as part-time Director of Music starting last summer.  We praise the Lord for His gracious provision!
 
We are very close to meeting our overall budget requirements for the year, but anticipate that we may fall short by about $5,000.  Please consider making a special contribution before December 31 to enable us to finish out the year in a strong position.  If you consider GBC to be your church home but are not yet regularly contributing towards the financial needs of the church, we invite you to stand with us in this way.   E-transfers can be made to [email protected] or you can request a pre-authorized debit form from our Administrative Coordinator at [email protected] for convenient monthly withdrawals.   
 
 
"You are to give him the name Jesus"...Redemption has come. Join us Sunday
We continue our closer look at the Christmas story. We will be looking at the prophecies telling of a coming savior and then the event itself with the idea of better understanding what this means for us as we prepare for Christmas and celebrate that redemption has come.
As a reminder, there is no 9 45am pre-service prayer for this Sundays or next.
 
I will be looking again at the Christmas story itself from Matthew’s gospel this time focusing on the visit of the Wise Men and the idea of worshipping Jesus. It may seem straight forward but there are implications for today. What are they? Find out Sunday!
If you want to prepare, please read Matthew 2:1-18. 
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:  On Christmas Day, come as a child
Christmas morning is probably my favorite day of the year. While I love getting presents the thing that has been the most special to me for years is watching the reactions of my children.  The joy and excitement is something I can’t describe.  Author Erma Bombeck said: "There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child."
We are to be childlike as we come to God on Christmas Day, as we remember and reflect upon Immanuel, God with us, and that speaks to our attitude.  Jesus said in Matthew 18: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'"
I don’t think there’s anything more exciting than being a child on Christmas morning. And yet this is what God asks of us not just on Christmas Day but each day, to change and become like little children, to put our hope and trust in him and enjoy the wonder of what he offers us. Each day approach God the Father as a child, with excited anticipation of his goodness. Humbly trust that your every need will be met and every care will be under his control.  Merry Christmas!
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris