The Fence is Down!

 The news said that we would get our building back on July 1st. Today the fences came down. We still can't get in (the security is still there and keeping us out, except the people caring for the lawn, dealing with weeds (in what would otherwise be our flowerbeds) and a couple other people; we think our admin guy, but we don't know for sure), but the fences are down and it looks like we really can go home. AHS still hasn't informed us of that fact.

Somehow, GraceLife ended up with what we're thinking of as our anthem. The Sunday after Pastor James was arrested, we sang it loudly and with great joy and conviction; the first Sunday that he was returned to us, we sang it again; we sang it in our underground church one week; we are looking forward to singing it again in our building. It speaks clearly about our hope and why we can keep praising God in the midst of this storm. Jailing our pastor and jailing our church couldn't stop us from worship because our hope isn't in them; it is in Christ alone.

Here it is, Christ Our Hope in Life and Death:

The Government War on Worship

The Government War on Worship

Cult of Covid v. GraceLife Church

 

Good News...But Keep Praying

The government plans to give us back our building on July 1 (when the province opens again). You can read all about it here or here (which is how we first found out; no one thought to tell the church leadership).

At the same time, Pastor Tim Stephens is still in jail for holding an outdoor church service; you can (and should) read about it here.

In Ontario, where they have surpassed their initial reopening goals, they're keeping the restrictions and still punishing those churches who dare to meet; you can read about that here.

We need to keep praying, for Pastor Stephens, for the churches in Ontario (and other places in Canada), for the believers, and for the freedom of religion and conscience guaranteed in the Charter. The government has tried to take our freedoms once and so many churches acquiesced; history shows us that it is more likely than not that they will try again.

Pastor Tim Stephens arrested illegally again

Pastor Tim Stephens arrested illegally again

I should have posted this last week when he was arrested. He committed the terrible crime of holding an outdoor church service, which is completely against the rules. Please pray for him and his family (he has a wife and small children).