NOTE: On-Site Meetings have been suspended for the next couple of weeks to help fight the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. We’ll be meeting online (see details below).
Statement from the Elders Regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus:
Premier Doug Ford has declared a state of emergency in Ontario in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and announced that the province will mandate the closure of gatherings of more than 50 people, including places of worship, until March 31st. The elders at Island Bible Chapel have been monitoring this situation closely and following the advice of health experts and government officials at the local, provincial, and federal levels. In submission to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1), and in the interest of public safety, we are suspending on-site services at Island Bible Chapel for the next two weeks. This includes Sunday morning services, Small Group Bible Studies, the Mom’s and Tot’s group, the Central Algoma Youth Group, etc.
In these uncertain times, we remind everyone that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). We also note that “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). We’ll continue to pray for your safety and well-being, as well as for your faith, hope, and love, always remembering that the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13).
Online Services:
Just because we are suspending our services on-site, does NOT mean we will be suspending our mission at Island Bible Chapel. We will need to be creative in the ways we continue to WORSHIP the Triune God, INTRODUCE people to Jesus and NURTURE our fellow believers.
To that end, we’re planning to minister ONLINE at two different times this weekend.
These video-based events will be available via FACEBOOK on Island Bible Chapel’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IslandBibleChapel/ You will need to be a part of Facebook in order to view this. If you do not have a Facebook account, or do not have internet, please reach out to a family member or neighbor who might have it. Or you can contact Bryan who can arrange for someone to host you. We will keep these groups small and remember to follow social-distancing practices.
I should also note that we will save the videos after we livestream them, so that it can be viewed at a later date by those who are not able to join us at the time we gather. You can then watch the the video at your convenience.
Also, we will be recording the audio of these services and putting them on the Island Bible Chapel website – IslandBibleChapel.com – for those of you who are concerned that you may go over your bandwidth limits by using video. These audio files will be available under the Sermons Tab within 2 hours after the events.
1) Family Bible Hour – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 11:15am
We invite you to gather your family on Sunday morning and worship/learn with us as we move our Family Bible Hour service online. Rod will be leading some singing. We encourage you to sing along at home. Bryan Windle and Samuel Kyle will be teaching from 1 Peter 4, as we continue our study of the epistle of 1 Peter. Grab your Bible and a coffee, and let the Holy Spirit teach you as we learn together. NOTE: We will also be including Communion as part of our online service.
2) Prayer Meeting – Wed. April 1, 2020 at 8pm
We believe that prayer is important at all times, and especially during times like these when many people are anxious and living in fear. We will be praying for our authorities (1 Timothy 1:1-2), as well as for our missionaries (2 Thess. 3:1) and for each other (James 5:16). If you have a PERSONAL prayer request, you may submit it to Bryan ahead of time by text at 705-210-0201 or by email or by private message on Facebook. You may also comment on the livestream and it will show up for Bryan to pray for. Because of the public nature of this video, please only share personal requests, NOT requests on behalf of others.
While our facility may be closed, we will still continue to meet together virtually, and seek to fulfill our mission at Island Bible Chapel in creative new ways. We would appreciate your prayers for us as elders as we navigate this new, shifting territory. We would appreciate your patience as we learn to do things in new ways.