I find that Hebrews 10:24–25 is a very timely scripture for the days we are living in now. It says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
As we are now experiencing the Covid-19 pandemic that is now affecting everybody in the world, even Christians who have been in church almost every Sunday for the past 40 to 50 years, find themselves self-isolating in their homes at the command of our federal and provincial governments! What a different and difficult time this is for all of mankind!
So, what are we to do at Gospel Chapel? With the support of our board of elders and our Christian Ministries Association board, we have made a decision to close our church on Sundays starting March 29, 2020 and only have the ministry team come in to live stream our Sunday services to all of our congregation and their families. In this way, we can keep ministering to each one, but now through a computer or TV screen. It is only intended for now till this virus has been put under control and it is safe to come to church again. Pray that this comes sooner than later!
In January, I preached 4 Sundays in a row: “How to live with confidence during the times we live in now.” As I look back at my notes I see these messages were to prepare us for just the days we are in now! The 4 messages were to encourage us to Stay Connected, Stay Compassionate, Stay Constructive and Stay Challenged. Let us all please apply these so we may stay confident and receive the reward that is coming to those enduring hardships.
So to help stay connected, we have formed a Gospel Chapel Facebook team, headed by Marie Broesky, and I would like to ask as your senior pastor to please keep all 4 of my January messages in focus when you get invited to join and especially when you post things to each other. This will be a closed Facebook group, just for our church to connect and encourage each other! Hebrews 10:35-37 says, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: for yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”
Jesus is our reward, let us together finish this race well!
Bless you all with strength, health and guidance as we prepare to see Jesus face to face!
Pastor Ernie Frechette
Cell: 1 (204) 392-3236