June 14, 2020 was the first opportunity to meet again in-person. Government and health unit restrictions have limited places of worship to 30% building capacity. We are thankful for our staff who had a plan ready to execute which enabled us to open right away.
We would also like to thank our serving teams (worship, ushers, custodial) without whom we would not have been able to re-open the building.
Our staff continue to assess, evaluate, and adjust plans on both a daily and weekly basis as new information is released by our government.
Implementing two services on Sunday allows us to safely accommodate all people into an in-person service while maintaining proper social and physical distancing measures.
As things evolve, please continue to pray. Our staff is currently assessing our next steps which include the proper time and protocol to reopen our children’s ministry.
CHURCH MINISTRIES
The shutdown curtailed our momentum of establishing the needed ministries of the church. We are picking up steam again and moving ahead.
We are currently assessing the ministry teams we had in place prior to our transition including our benevolence ministry team, our board of deacons, and our missions’ team. Our desire is to see what these ministries will look like in our present structure.
Although we are limited as to the different ministries that can operate at this time, we would encourage you to consider your giftings and abilities and in which ministries you can bring glory to God.
We are working towards strengthening our children’s ministry. God loves children, and we want to minister to them and teach them of their need of our beautiful Saviour. This is a great ministry through which God is glorified. Even though it is not running at this time, we would like to encourage you to already consider volunteering so that when we are able to open, we will have a strong and healthy volunteer base for the children’s ministry.
We are working towards implementing additional small groups in hopes of having them ready for the fall kick off. If you are not in a small group, we would like to encourage you to prepare to become involved in one this coming fall. If you have not applied to be in a small group, please do so on our website.
We are excited to announce that Steve Waugh will be serving as our small groups’ director. We praise God for Steve and his heart for our small group ministry.
We are still praying and looking for a youth director and volunteers. Please join us in prayer as we continue to seek a youth director. To start a youth ministry this coming fall, we would need to have a director over the summer to work out and plan the fall ministry.
Once we have our kids, youth, and mixed small group ministries established and flourishing, we will start working on our men’s and women’s ministries.
GCC AFFILIATION
We are happy to announce that as of June 17, 2020, the Great Commission Collective Canada board (GCC) voted unanimously to approve the acceptance of Redemption Bible Chapel – St Thomas as a part of the GCC.
A few distinctions of GCC are:
It is not a denomination or a franchise that promotes a particular brand.
It does not function as a top-down hierarchy of church control, but influences through relationship.
Its member churches are autonomous in governing themselves.
It is intentional in assisting churches to plant churches and strengthen leaders.
We are grateful to Redemption Bible Chapel – London, the leadership of Norm Millar, the RBCL elders, Karen Plantt, and the many staff who have given so much in helping us get to where we are. Glory to God. May God continue to build his church and make us effective in displaying the glory of God in St Thomas as we labour to bring the gospel to our community.
FINANCIAL UPDATE
We are so grateful for your generous and continued giving in this season. We thank God for your heart. By your generous donations, you are a vital part of the work of God.
Over the lockdown, the weekly giving only reduced by seven percent. With the reduction in some of our operating expenses, we are still on track to meet our budget with the help that we are receiving from Redemption London.
We are grateful for the very kind and generous financial assistance from Redemption London because of whom we were able to do some renovations and updates throughout our building.
RBCL is also committed to assisting us financially through 2020-2021 should it be necessary.
Our desire, Lord willing, is that the Lord would grow this church and use our church so that we would not need the financial assistance for Redemption London for the time they have committed. Let us be faithful in what God is calling us to.
Copies of our financial statements are available to those who would like a copy. To receive a copy please contact [email protected]
