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2021 G O O D

N E W S

N O W

SUMMER EDITION

| CONTENTS |

We're so glad you picked up a copy of GNN's 2021 summer edition

BECAUSE EVERYONE NEEDS A DOSE OF GOOD NEWS!

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GNC MINISTRY HIGHLIGHT

SAVED BY GRACE

JOURNEY OF MIRACLES

WINGS EATS

DECLARATIONS

THE PROPHETIC WINDOW

ACTS AFTER THE ACTS

THE ESSENTIAL CHURCH

I LOVE YOU MUCH MORE

GNC KIDS

GNU

WE ARE RMNT

JOE'S TESTIMONY

PROMOTION COMES FROM THE LORD

YOU GOTTA READ THIS

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By: Past o r St eve G e s u a ld i Over the past year, we have seen much take place that has challenged our lives. There hasn’t been one part of our lives that hasn’t been disrupted during the course of this time, including our spiritual lives. Over the past year, churches have been forced to close, and even for ourselves at some points, we were obliged to move to Online Church only; the virus did not do that, the Government did. I have always maintained that the virus is a real disease, but after a year, it’s pretty obvious that its classification, by definition, as a pandemic has fallen short. The pandemic isn’t about the virus; the true pandemic is the fear that has gripped the globe and the fallout of that will greatly eclipse whatever damage this virus has produced. It’s no secret that the threat to our health has been weaponized and politicized. People have always been concerned about their general health but what has been exposed over the past thirteen months is the level of concern and the cultish obsession with ‘staying safe.’ Never before in our history, has there been such a response to a virus or sickness as has been evidenced in 2020/21. People have become so afraid, that they have given up certain precious rights and privileges in order to safeguard their lives from this virus, as if it were the only thing in existence that should garner our full attention 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If only people would wake f rom their ignorance and see the numbers of deaths caused by other pathogens, diseases and even psychological distresses; then they would understand t h a t Cov i d -1 9 i s m i n u s c u l e i n comparison. If people were always so concerned about their health, then the same measures should have been applied in other areas where our health is threatened.

All restaurants should be shut down because they serve unhealthy foods that cause heart problems. Bakeries and soda manufacturers should have been closed down because of their contribution to diabetes. Candy should be regarded as lethal narcotics because of diabetes and tooth decay. All cigarette manufacturing should have been halted and sales considered illegal, because cigarette smoking alone had a higher mortality rate than Covid-19. As I write this article, 2.95 million people have died from the virus worldwide, whereas 8 million people have died of cigarette smoking during the same period of time. 7 million people have died f rom direct usage and another 1.2 million as a result of second-hand smoke; and that is a yearly figure, not an isolated incident. (www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco).

Where was the outrage for the 8 million annual deaths for the past several decades? However, for a virus, with a 99.97% survival rate, the whole world came to a screeching halt. People have stayed home, shut their businesses, lost their jobs (many have even entered poverty as a result), families dissolved, marriages broke up, physical violence in the home has increased, and children have been destabilized in their education. Anxiety and depression metrics have gone through the roof, not to mention the number of suicides has skyrocketed. The response: shut down churches because they are problematic. To my surprise, many Christians and churches thought the same thing. Thirteen months ago, we complied with a government that seemed to be taking genuine steps to combat the virus. “2 weeks to flatten the curve” has become thirteen months and counting, to make sure that no one ever dies again. Christians and churches fully agreed with the measures to keep

their churches closed, under the guise of respecting and submitting to the government, a sentiment that they never held and honored before, in exchange for a false sense of security and protection from sickness. I don’t think it was God’s intent in the Scripture to command unconditional submission and allegiance towards leaders and government. The great flaw is the thought that the Church is like a business that could be closed and opened at will. The Church functions despite whatever catastrophe or distress surrounds her; the Church of Jesus Christ stands separate f rom all others because it is ruled by the Sovereign of sovereigns. Not realizing this, people have willfully bent their knee to Caesar. If only people understood the context of Romans 13, which by the way, seems to be the only Scripture “pro-church closing Christians” seem to reference. However, they do so without even knowing what it says, nor understand the greater context, not just of the book itself but its position in correlation to the rest of Scripture. They have diff iculty reconciling Romans 13: 1-7 with Acts 4:19-20 which says, “But Peter and John replied, [two apostles closest to Jesus] “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Often, people do not know to whom their loyalties lie: to God or government. Jesus stated in Mark 12:17, “give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." This plainly shows that there are things that belong to “Caesar” and things that belong to God. However, as we have witnessed, most have given that which is God’s to Caesar: our worship, our time and our gathering.

NAL

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The common omission in peoples’ thought process are the very words found in Romans 13:1, “for there is no authority except that which God has established”. This means God is the giver and guardian of authority. Therefore, “when rulers put themselves in the place of God by legislating moral or spiritual positions (all acts have moral and spiritual roots) which are contrary to the revealed positions of God, resistance is warranted.” (F.F Bruce) F.F. Bruce goes on to say with regards to the context of Romans 13 that, “it is plain f rom the immediate context, as f rom the general context of the apostolic writings, that the state can rightly command obedience only within the limits of the purposes for which it has been divinely instituted— in particular, the state not only may but must be resisted when it demands the allegiance due to God alone.” Sir T. M. Taylor said, “the obedience which the Christian man owes to the State is never absolute but, at the most, partial and contingent. It follows that the Christian lives always in a tension between two competing claims; that in certain circumstances disobedience to the command of the State may be not only a right but also a duty.” This is consistent with the rest of the Scriptures and not a “cherrypicking” of passages that serve our purposes. You can refer to the stories of Moses and Pharaoh, Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel and King Darius, the Apostle Paul throughout his journeys, and you would see that there was no compromise in their actions when it came between choosing what God had commanded and what people were demanding of them. Not to mention, in more recent times people like Corrie Ten Boom and Dietrich

Bonhoeffer who stood for what was right over what was legislated. The Church is to follow the words of the Scripture closely and faithfully.

We are to be at peace so much as it depends on us, but that doesn’t mean to be silent when conf ronted with blatant evil. We don’t take revenge because that ultimately is God’s department, and He will not leave one evil act unpunished. Overcoming evil with good can also mean that what you and I do which is good according to Scripture, may not always appear as good to those who do not fear God. We are called to pray for our leaders, without a doubt, and to submit to them so long as their laws and orders do not inf ringe on God’s laws and commands. Our hope is for our leaders to know Christ and to share in the same hope that we have in Jesus; that is our ultimate desire for them. We must pray but we must also be at work. Part of our life of faith is to gather, worship God and build one another up until the coming of the Son, and no government has the right to stop the Church from doing what God commands.

“RESTORE TO ME THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION, AND SUSTAIN ME WITH A WILLING SPIRIT.” PSALM 51:12

WHAT IS R E STO RE MI N I ST RY? Restore Ministry is an outreach program to help people going through difficult times. There are many individuals going through issues of fear, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and spiritual oppression. We are here to meet with anyone who needs help, offering them counselling, prayer and to share the Word of God with them. God restores the life of the individual and we are the vessels that He uses to help them and to show them His love.

Isaiah 41:10 says: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Even in your brokenness, God will give you strength and will hold you up when you can’t hold yourself up. * By Lucie Conte

For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact us at info@goodnewschapel.org

My name is Emanuel, but my friends call me Manny. I grew up in a broken home;

my parents were never married, and my father left when I was young. Growing up, I never felt the love and safety I needed in my mother’s house. She did her best, but she could not give me what she didn’t have herself. In high school, I started selling drugs and went from selling pot to selling crack cocaine. I had money, nice clothes and girls but I was never happy; I always longed for something more. When I was 17, my mother committed suicide. By the age of 20, I had my own drug distribution network. One day, someone I’d once considered a friend, tried to supply my workers behind my back. In that world, this was unacceptable. He had to pay the price for what he had done. There could be no forgiveness. I was 21 when I was arrested and charged with first degree murder. I was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole before 25 years. Violence had been a normal part of my life. I knew killing a rival drug dealer was illegal, but I did not know it was wrong. One day I read a quote from John Donne: “any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind”. For the first time, I understood that there was something wrong with what I had done, and I began meeting with the prison chaplain. He listened to me and shared what Christ had done in his life. One night, I finally agreed to go to a prison chapel service. The Good News Chapel prison ministry team shared the Gospel message and invited anyone who wanted to commit their lives to Christ to come forward. I did not have the courage to go forward, but I met with a volunteer afterwards. I thought I had to get my life in order f irst, but the volunteer explained to me God’s love and grace. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour that day and have never stopped praying and reading the Scriptures since. It was only through the volunteers from the prison ministry, who exemplified Christ’s love, that I came to know what love was. They came to visit me when my ‘friends’ from the street had long forgotten me. They testified and ministered to me and to any inmate who came, never caring what crime they had committed.

The craziest part was that they were always happy to be there with us to share the Word. They did it because they had love. They had peace, and they had it because of Christ. I had lived in fear all my life but with His love and through His Word, I am being transformed. My behaviour and my attitude changed. I stopped looking at my fellow man as an enemy or prey and started looking for ways to be kind, to help, to listen, and to support. Despite the challenges in a federal penitentiary, His love gives me the courage to try, to trust and to have faith. Reading the Scriptures is like wearing glasses, it allows me daily to see that there is still a lot of cleaning up to do. The more I read, the better my eyesight becomes. With Him, I am encouraged to keep cleaning things up daily. Christ has redeemed me and His Spirit bears fruit in me. On December 2nd 2018, while on an outing from the penitentiary, I was allowed to come to GNC. It was my first chance to worship in a church with other Christians. I remember looking to my left and seeing rows and rows of Christians and then looking to my right and seeing more Christians. I remember crying as I was overwhelmed by everyone worshipping and praising God in song with their hands raised. It was the most beautiful day. Less than a year later, I was baptized at GNC thus cementing my commitment to Christ. GNC is the most beautiful place, the happiest place I’ve ever been to; everyone smiles! I know only God can do that. I have found a home here. I have been welcomed like a brother, and for a man who never got to experience what family is supposed to feel like, it is a heavenly blessing. It is a true miracle and I thank God and everyone at the church for that. Miraculously on December 18th 2019, following a 2 week trial to review my sentence of 25 years without parole, a 12 person jury unanimously decided to make me eligible for parole a full six years before what the judge had originally ordered. Praise the Lord! I long for the day I can be back with you at GNC. God Bless you all!

Journey of Miracles Wednesday afternoon, Angelo went for the angiogram and angioplasty. We had prayed and were at peace. Forty minutes later, he was back in his room. I thought this was amazing because they had said it would take 90 minutes. The cardiac team came in later to explain to us that they couldn’t place the stent since there were other arteries clogged. The right coronary artery was blocked 90%, the left coronary artery was blocked 85%, the anterior descending artery was blocked 75% and the little branch feeding the ADA was 98% blocked.

In September 2020, Good News Chapel entered into a 21-day partial fast. My husband Angelo and I agreed to fast and pray for our country, our province and for physical healing. Angelo was awaiting an angioplasty procedure, since after many tests, one revealed that one of his coronary arteries was 90% blocked. On Monday October 5th, things took a turn for the worse. Angelo was in serious pain, to the point where he had to take 4 sprays of Nitro (a heart medication) throughout the morning. At around 2 in the afternoon, he got dressed, and with a pallor face, came to tell me “take me to the hospital!” All the way to the hospital, I prayed scriptures over him as I was driving. We prayed that God would place in our path all the right doctors and nurses. We claimed no heart attack in Jesus’ Name! I prayed Psalm 91:16 “with long life I will satisfy you” over him. We arrived at the ER at the Jewish General Hospital and despite the Covid-19 situation, checking in went quickly. I could hear my heart beating through my chest and was extremely nervous. A porter stopped and asked me if I was alright. He turned to me and said, “don’t worry, he is in God’s hands!” Blessed assurance! It was just what I needed to hear at that moment. I looked for the porter afterwards, but I never saw him again. G o d arranged for all the right doctors and nurses to care for him.

We prayed that the correct steps were ordered, and we saw them unveiling before our eyes (Proverbs 20:24). He was admitted to the CCU (coronary care unit) and despite restrictions, I was allowed to stay with him! Also, although he had all the symptoms, he never had a heart attack! He also had a wonderful male nurse that we later found out was attending a Russian Baptist Church near the hospital. God provided godly people to care for him.

DO YOU HAVE A TESTIMONY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Email us at info@goodnewschapel.org

As we began to digest the news, the cardiologist informed us that he was not going home since he was a ticking time bomb. A triple bypass surgery was scheduled for the following Tuesday since Thanksgiving weekend was coming up. When the team left, I took my husband’s hand and we prayed that the surgery would be sooner. Again, we felt God’s unexplainable peace. Two hours later, a doctor comes in from a different cardiac team and informs us that they had an unexpected cancellation for the next day at noon. Hallelujah! As my husband told the doctor, “let’s get this show on the road!” We then find o u t t h e d o c to r performing the bypass was the chief of cardio thoracic surgery. God provided the best of the best! The morning of the surgery we were able to be together and we both prayed and truly experienced the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Just before noon, the porter came to bring him to the OR and I went in the elevator till the ICU floor. We kissed each other and waved to each other. This was a very difficult moment, and it was then that I had my first meltdown. Again, I felt God’s peace within me, however it was the longest 6 hours. I would get calls from my daughters which were welcomed and other family members. I could tell everyone was on pins and needles. Nearly seven hours later, I was standing at the foot of my husband’s bed in ICU. It was surreal! There were about 8 healthcare workers in the room working to stabilize him. There were tubes everywhere, 9 bags of IV in every possible vein you could think of. I could hear the heart monitor beeping each heartbeat and the vacuum sound of the respirator pushing air into his lungs. There were 3 evac systems draining fluid around his heart, chest and lungs. I could feel my legs shaking and I remember

calling out “oh God”! Truly God never leaves us nor forgets us! Immediately, I felt such a comfort come over me! I was overwhelmed! I was under God’s wings where I found refuge (Psalm 91:4). I called the hospital at 6 am and the nurse assured me he was stable and had the respirator removed, which was music to my ears. As I was getting ready to go to the hospital, I got a call from a private caller. My heart skipped a beat since I knew it was the hospital. I a n swere d an d h eard “g o o d morning sweetie”. Angelo had called me! Another miracle, all his tubes had been removed. Later that day, Angelo was moved from the ICU to the step-down unit. Another miracle! Thanksgiving Monday, the doctor came in and said that Angelo would most probably go home the next day since he was doing very well. He was weak but fine and we f igured recovery at home would be better. Monday night there was a turnaround, Angelo developed a fever of 40°C. He just couldn’t get warm, he shivered so much that the nurses went to get heated blankets for him. We were told this happens; it’s a post-operative fever. The next few days were a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs. Thursday morning when I arrived, I didn’t see my strong husband, all I saw was a frail man. The doctors started him on IV antibiotics as he had developed pneumonia. He hadn’t eaten for days and seemed weaker by the minute. I remember sitting on his bed, holding a frigid hand and asking God why? Immediately John 10:10 came to my mind: “the thief comes to kill, rob and destroy, BUT I have come to give life!” The enemy wasn’t going to win this time! God is the giver of life! His promises are true, He promised us a long life. I prayed over him, squeezed his hand and told him in his ear “God hasn’t brought you this far for you to give up! Give the devil a good f ight!” Saturday morning, I got a call f rom the ward doctor that they received the results f rom blood cultures and X-rays; it wasn’t good news! He had inflammation around the heart and pleural effusion. I had my second meltdown! My brother-in-law Gino phoned, and I couldn’t even talk, I just remember him saying “this is all unbelievable! This requires corporate prayer!” As I’m driving to the hospital, I could hear my phone ding with text messages but couldn’t answer till I got there. I tried to pray in the car, but my heart was so heavy that the words couldn’t come out! When I arrived, I looked at my phone and saw so many wonderful messages f rom so many people saying that they were praying for Angelo. One message that really touched me was f rom Pastor Jessica as it said, “praying for you both and believing that Angelo will come out of this brand new.” I received this and knew things were going to change! Upon arrival I see Angelo sitting on

the side of his bed with 2 doctors and a nurse at his back. The doctor explained to me that they were draining his lung and fluid around his heart. They drained a liter of blood and the doctor reassured me this will relieve his breathing and his fever would drop. Sunday, the Lord’s day, he miraculously came home. Two weeks later, once the antibiotics finished the fever restarted. Upon seeing the surgeon, he informed us that his incision was infected and the pain (which was worse than the initial surgery) was from a fractured rib caused by the surgeon cracking open the chest wall. He was placed on three weeks of antibiotics and the surgeon told us if this didn’t work, he would have to have the incision reopened and drained! We prayed against it and it never happened! Praise God! The next two and a half months, he recovered slowly but steadily. It’s now f ive months later and he graduated from cardiac rehab. I watch him exercise daily, pump weights and like Pastor Jessica said he has been made new! He’s stronger, healthier and an inspiration to myself and my family. I’ve written a journal to never forget what God did for us. Every day is a blessed gift. Although Angelo doesn’t remember much of what happened in the hospital, we are so thankful for what the Lord has done for us. I am forever grateful that

the Lord gifted Angelo back to me. In April, we celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary. We remind ourselves daily of Psalm 27:13 “I (we) are still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” I want to thank my family, friends and my GNC family for all the prayers, phone calls, text messages and cards during this time; you will never know what it did for us both. Each message and phone call came at divine appointments. Thank you for those who visited (incognito during the lockdown) and encouraged Angelo, you will never know what you did for us! (Matthew 10:42) I leave you with this last verse Psalm 30:2 “O Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.” Thank you Lord for healing my husband!

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SINCE 1880

Wings SEA TS ummer Picnic Edition Shredded Beef or Pork Sandwiches F io re nz a Su bm it te d by Jo IN GR ED IE N TS :

rk bu tt bl ad e ro as t or po ef be or k uc ch 1 bo ne le ss ro x. 4 lb s) or sh ou ld er (a pp in ly sl ic ed 1 la rg e on io n, th 1 cu p ke tc hu p e ¼ cu p le m on ju ic sh ir e sa uc e er st ce 3 tb sp W or 2 tb sp vi ne ga r ga r 2 tb sp br ow n su 1 ts p sa lt er ¼ ts p bl ac k pe pp or sm al l pa ni ni ns bu er H am bu rg Co le sl aw

Directions:

Cut the r o a s t in h a lf , p la a s lo w c c e in o o k e r. T o p w it h C o m b in o n io n . e the ne x t 7 in g a bowl a r e d ie n t nd then s in pour ov roast. C er the over an d cook on 8 -9 h o u rs or un lo w fo r t il m e a t R emove is t e n d e roast an r. d cool s Shred m li g h t ly. e a t w it h t w o fo r k fa t fr o m s . S k im c o o k in g li q u id ; r meat to eturn s lo w c o oker an through d heat . U s in g a s lo t t e tongs, p d spoon la c e s o m or e meat T o p w it on a bu h a li t t le n . c o le s la w p r e fe r r ed, serv o r if e c o le s la w s id e . M a on the kes abo u t 15 s a n d w ic h e s.

Wings EATS

Pasta Salad with Spicy Italian Vinaigrette Submitted by Angela Di Michele

INGR E D I E N T S : S A L AD: 2 lbs. cheese tor tellini, cooked al dente ¼ cup olive oil 2-3 broccoli, cut into 1-inch chunk s 1-2 car rots, shredded or g rated 5 g reen onions, chopped 1 cup red onion, coarsely chopped 1 small g reen pepper, coarsely chopped 1 small red pepper, coarsely chopped 10-15 cher r y tomatoes 1 cup fresh basil, chopped ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped ¼- ½ lb pepper salami ½ cup g rated par mesan cheese (optional) Salt and pepper to taste

D R E SS ING: ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil ¼ cup white wine vinegar or 3 tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 1 heaping tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or to taste Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook tor tellini in salted boiling water until al dente; drain well. Toss with the ¼ cup of oil. When cool, mix in remaining salad ing redients. In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing ing redients. Pour some of the dressing over the salad ing redients, reserving some to add just before serving. R efrigerate several hours or until ready to serve. Mix in remaining dressing and serve.

Sparkling Summer Punch ING REDIENTS:

1 frozen concentrate orange juice (295ml) 1 frozen concentrate lemonade (295ml) 2 litres tonic water 2 litres ginger ale 1 orange, sliced thinly Strawber ries, fresh or frozen*

Directions:

Combine the orange juice, lemonade, tonic water and ginger ale in punch bowl and stir well to break down the frozen concentrates. Add in orange slices and strawber ries as desired. Serve. *NOTE: frozen strawber ries can be used in this recipe to serve as ice cubes to keep the punch cold.

Wings EATS

Vegetable Sa lad

S u b m it t

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INGRED IE 1 c a u li f lo N T S : wer 1 brocco li 2 -3 c a r r ots 2 -3 s t a lk s c e le r y 2 red be ll p e p p e rs 2 green b e ll p e p pers 1 c lo v e g a r li c , m in c e d ½ c u p o li v e o il + 1 -2 t b s p 2 -3 t s p D ij o n m u s tard 1 pkg(4 5 0 -5 0 0 g ) t r i- c o lo S a lt a n d r e d f u s il pepper t li p a s t a o taste

Directions:

Cook the p a s t a in s a lt e d w ‘a l d e n t e ater unt ,’ d r a in il it is and toss Chop the in c a u li f lo w 1 -2 t b s p 1 -i n c h c o er and b hunks ( r o c c o li in il . see note t c e le r y a o ) . D ic e c nd pepp arrots, ers. In a m ix t o g e separate ther gar b o w l, li c , m u s and ½ cu tard, sa p o f o li v lt , p e p p e e o il . T o a ll t h e v r ss dress e g e t a b le in g w it h s. Add p Taste an asta and d a d ju s t m ix w e ll s e a s o n in p r e fe r e n . g to you ce. Refr r ig e r a t e fo hours be r severa fo r e s e r l v in g . * NO T E : t h e c a u li f lo w e r a r e c ip e a nd brocc re mean o li in t h t to be u c a n b la n is s e d r aw ch them b ut you 1 -2 m in u and put te; then in t o c o ld d r a in water to a n d d r a in stop coo a g a in . k in g

Wings EATS

Berried Treasure P ie

L in da C ar lo ne

IN G R E D IE N

S: 1 ba ke d pi e cr u st (o r a g ra ha m cr ac ke 8 oz (2 5 0 g) r pi e cr us t) cr ea m ch ee se , so f te n ed 2 tb sp su ga r 2 tb sp m il k 2 cu ps st ra w be r ri es , w as h ed an d h 1 ½ cu ps 3 5 al ve d % w h ip pi n g cr ea m , w h ip or C oo l W h ip pe d 1 pk g va n il la in st an t pu dd in g 1 cu p m il k

Directions:

Jam Sq uares

Yo l a n d

a Di Paolo

B ea t cr ea m ch ee se , su ga r an d 2 ta bl of m il k in a es po on s bo w l u n ti l sm oo th . S pr ea ev en ly ov er d co ol ed pi e cr u st . A r ra n ge st ra w be r ri es ov er th e cr ea m ch ee se m ix tu re . P re pa re th e va n il la pu dd in g w it in st an t h 1 cu p of m il k . Fo ld 1 cu of th e w h ip p pe d cr ea m in to th e pr ep ar va n il la pu dd ed in g. S po on on to th e st ra w be r ri es an d re fr ig er at e fo r at le 2 h ou rs .G ar as t n is h w it h re m ai n in g w h cr ea m an d ad ip pe d di ti on al st ra w be r ri es .

Directio

INGR EDIE 1 ½ s ticks NTS: 1 cup butte Crea r (3/4 m 1 egg sugar cup) add e butter a n g 1 tsp w e l l . g , a n d v a d s u g a r, . van n S t il 2 cup and a ir in f lo illa; mix s sift la u l r, m onds ¼ tsp ed f l the m . Spo allspice our . all i x on h tur spice 1 cup squa (opti re pa e into a 9 alf onal) ½ cup chopped n -in j am, t . al op w Spread w ch r a s p s t r aw b e r m o n d s d i t ith ough h rem berr ry or y ainin Conf 40-4 . Bake at g ectio jam 5 350° ners delic minutes for ’ sug a o ar Sif t p tely brow r until ned. owde C surfa r ce; c ed sugar ool. ut in to sq over uare s.

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PH OTOS BY: AN TH ON Y PETROT TA

DECLARATIONS

It is without question, time to trust the Lord more than ever before! Sometimes, we can get caught up in what we see around us in the natural. It can make it difficult to fully trust God, but how amazing is it that with God, we do not need to go by what we see or feel. We are living in the most exciting days of history, despite how things may look like this year. We are in the final hour of time, and it is imperative that the Church of Jesus Christ put their total trust in God alone. Our God is good, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, and He works wonders. The more we come to know God through His Word, the more we can trust Him. These declarations from the Word of God will help increase your faith and allow you to place your trust in the only living God.

note: we are to go boldly before our god knowing full well that he is able to do the impossible (hebrews 4:16). there is, and there will never be a god like our god, who reigns supreme! **DECLAR E T H ES E O U T L O U D ! **

WILL TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT MY SITUATION LOOKS ❶ ILIKE, BECAUSE I KNOW HE WILL HEAR ME WHEN I CRY AND HE WILL PROTECT ME. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Ps a lm 62: 8

WILL STAY IN PERFECT PEACE AS I ENTRUST MY LIFE TO THE ❷ ILORD, HE IS MY EVERLASTING ROCK OF SAFETY. “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. “Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock I s a ia h 26 : 3 - 4

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I WILL NOT FEAR ANY BAD NEWS, FOR I KNOW THAT MY GOD TAKES GOOD CARE OF ME. WITH HIM, I CAN FACE ANYTHING THAT COMES AGAINST ME. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. P sa lm 11 2 : 7–8

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I WILL TRUST GOD AND NOT BE AFRAID OF ANYONE ELSE BUT HIM. When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? P sa lm 5 6:3–4

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I CANNOT BE MOVED BECAUSE I ABIDE IN HIM AND THE LORD SURROUNDS ME IN THIS MOMENT AND FOREVER. Those who trust in the Lord Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever. P sa lm 125:1-2

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I WILL NOT GIVE INTO THE FEAR OF MAN. THE LORD WILL TAKE NOTE OF THIS AND TAKE ME TO NEW LEVELS IN HIM. The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted. Many seek the ruler’s favour, but justice for man comes from the Lord. Proverbs 2 9:2 5

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I WILL NOT LEAN ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT PUT ALL MY CONFIDENCE IN GOD AND TRUST HIM WITH ALL MY HEART. Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5- 6

Stefi

T H E P RO P H E T I C W I ND OW WIT H PASTO R DAV I D C O LA N TO N I O

Why is the timing of the Rapture so important for the Believer?

This question might be the last thought in the minds of believers today. Jesus promised His followers that He was going to prepare a place for them, and when it would be ready, He would return to take His Church/Bride with Him (John 14:1-3). At His Ascension (Acts 1:9-11), we read that as the disciples were listening to His final departing words, as they watched, He was taken up in the cloud of God’s glory. As the disciples were still looking up and amazed at what they had just witnessed, two angels appeared and said to them: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner (same way) as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). His return in the clouds is as sure as His first coming in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. However, there are differing views or beliefs on its timing, so I decided to take another look at what the Scriptures has to say about the subject. You may say “what difference does it make what I believe about the time of His return?” Agreed, the time of His return does not affect your salvation, however, it will affect your lifestyle and preparedness.

Here are some beliefs concerning the truth of Jesus Christ’s Return:

1. Post-Tribulation Rapture: These believe that all Christians/ followers of Christ, will be caught up/raptured at the end of the Seven Years Tribulation period.

2. Mid-Tribulation Rapture: These believe that all believers will be caught up/raptured after the first three and a half years of the Tribulation period.

3. Pre-Tribulation Rapture: These believe that all believers will be caught up before the Seven Years Tribulation period. We will consider the different views, and the effect these could have on your Christian life, your effectiveness as Jesus’ disciple, your eagerness for His Return, and how some views can be deceptive. Jesus was often asked by His disciples: “when will your return be or take place?” Jesus replied in Matthew 24:36 “but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father.” Also, in Matthew 25:13 Jesus says, “watch therefore for you know neither the day, nor the hour in which the Son of God is coming.” Jesus never gave them the precise time of His return, but He did give signs that would precede His return, and warned: “watch be on the alert, observe the events happening around the world, the society behaviour.” Based on Jesus’ response, let us consider the various views on the timing of the Rapture.

Post-Tribulation Rapture: These believe that the Rapture will occur at a specific time, at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period; after the seven seals are broken, seven trumpets have sounded, and the seven vials have been poured, and God’s judgment is over. Jesus never said: “wait for all the calamity on earth to be over, then prepare for My return.” Jesus taught that there would be no fixed date for His return, but that He would come as a thief in the night, when people least expect Him. This belief suggests that one can live a Christian life as he/she wills, and when these world signs begin to

manifest, then they would have seven years to prepare for Jesus’ return. Bare in mind that according to the Sriptures, the Tribulation time is an extremely difficult time on earth.

Mid-Tribulation Rapture This belief is similar to the posttribulation view but believe that Jesus’ return will occur in the middle of the seven years Tribulation. This also teaches that you do not have to worry about Jesus’ imminent return; just go on living as you like, then as you get closer to the end of the first three and a half years of the Tribulation, prepare for Jesus’ return.

Note: The Bible teaches that the Tribulation period will last seven years and are the events recorded in Revelation chapter 6 to chapter 19 verse 10. These events have never happened before in the history of the Earth and will never happen again. This is the time in which God deals with the Church, Israel and the Gentiles. The judgment will be God’s vengeance on the rebellious multitude (those who have rejected Jesus). Someone might ask, “would God judge the world?” We have a prototype of God dealing with mankind when Sodom and Gomorrah came under God’s judgment because of their rebellious attitude. Noah and the flood is another example of God’s dealings with mankind in their rebellion.

Pre-Tribulation Rapture We believe that Jesus will return for His Church/Bride; those who have received Him and made Him Saviour and Lord of their lives and have a daily relationship with Him. We believe according to the Bible, that those who give their lives to the Lord, will be spared from God’s judgment when it will be poured out on Earth during the Tribulation. On the cross, Jesus’ sacrifice paid for the debts of sin and He restored our relationship with God the Father. Those whose trespasses have been forgiven, God will spare them from His judgment to come. To those who believed in Jesus, He warns to be ready at all times, not knowing the moment of His coming. Here are some examples from the Bible that point to why we believe that the Church will not go through the Seven Years Tribulation period, known as God’s wrath.

N EW GN C

Romans 5:9 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (NKJV)

1 Thessalonians 1:10

“and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (NKJV)

1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NKJV) There are many other Scriptures that confirm this truth, as well as the many signs that Jesus gave His disciples concerning the signs of the End Times.

I would like to close with this thought: Your view concerning the timing of the Rapture may not affect your salvation, but it will affect your Christian life, your service for the Lord and your expectation for the Rapture. If you observe the signs through Bible prophecy, you will live a life of expectancy. Jesus reminds us to be busy for His kingdom until He comes.

MUSIC S I N GL E COM I NG S OON !

Hebrews 9:28 “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

AVA ILA B LE O N

May the Lord revive in all of us an expectation for His return. iTunes

Apple Music

Spotify

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AC T S AF TER TH E AC T S

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BY: E L I S A B E T H G E RO N I M O

SECOND INSTALLMENT

“Church History is the record of God's gracious, wonderful and mighty deeds, showing how by His Spirit and Word He rules His Church and conquers the world.” -- Nils Forsander, Life Pictures from Swedish Church History

The Apostolic Age can be subcategorized into four eras:

In my previous article, I highlighted how important it is for the Church to know its history. It’s important that we know how the Church came to be, how it has grown, and to learn from the example of the mighty men and women of God who have built the kingdom here on earth over the centuries. In my introductory article, I explained how Church history can be divided into six main periods.

The main sources of information we have for this period are the Book of Acts, the Pauline Epistles, Josephus (a Romano-Jewish historian at the time) and some Roman historians. It could be said that the Book of Acts gives us “the external history of the early church and the Epistles give us the internal history.”This means that the book of Acts gives us the events, figures and locations of the early church while the Epistles show us the issues, doctrines and functions within the early church. It is important to note, that dates provided in this article are approximate, since there are differing opinions. In this issue, we will be investigating the first two eras of the Apostolic Age, covering the years between the inception of the Church at Pentecost to the Council of Jerusalem in 48 AD (Acts 2- 15).

The Pentecostal Church: 30-35 AD The Expanding Church: 35-48 AD

The Church Among the Gentiles: 48-68 AD The Age of Shadows: 68-100 AD

As a refresher, the six main periods of Church History are: The The The The The The

Apostolic Age: 30-100 AD Persecuted Church: 100- 313 AD Imperial Church: 313- 476 AD Medieval Church: 476-1453 AD Reformation Age: 1453- 1648 Modern Age: 1648- present

THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH: 30-35 AD

*Note: these dates are approximating and not concrete fact*

As mentioned before, the Apostolic Age begins on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. At Pentecost, one hundred and twenty believers gathered together in the Upper Room in Jerusalem and received the promised gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). From that moment, they were empowered by the Spirit to preach the Gospel

In this issue, we will begin to delve into the first period of Church history, which is the ‘Apostolic Age’. Echoing its name, this period covers the time of the apostles, beginning with the inception of the Church in 30 AD and ends in and around the year 100, with the death of the last of the disciples, John.

and build the Church of Jesus Christ. In these early years, the Church was limited to Jerusalem and its immediate surroundings. The early church was also almost exclusively Jews, with a small number of Gentiles who had converted to Judaism. For some years, they continued to live like Jews: they prayed at the Temple, observed Mosaic dietary laws and practiced circumcision. It is said that “the first Christians are a new breed of Jews who believe that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.” It is only after several key events, which we will discuss later, that the early Christians began to separate themselves from their Jewish roots. The early Christians didn’t think that the Gospel was for the Gentiles, or they believed that Gentiles would have to convert to Judaism before receiving Christ. The early Christians met in synagogues (since by law Jews were allowed to freely speak and teach there), Solomon’s porch in the Temple, or in each other’s homes. Concerning doctrine, at first the church had a simple theology or body of beliefs, with systematic doctrine only being developed later with the writings of Paul. The main doctrines of the time were: the identification of Jesus of Nazareth as the long-expected Messiah, the death and resurrection of Jesus and His soon expected return. They also exercised the ordinances of water baptism and communion. In these first few years after Pentecost, there are certain events that should be highlighted. Firstly, there begins to be tensions between the Hebrew Jews (native Jews) and the Hellenistic Jews ( Jews who

AC T S A F TER THE AC T S TIMELINE

APOST 4 BC Estimated Birth of Christ

30 AD

• Death + Resurrection of Christ, Day of Pentecost, Beginning of the Church:

34-36 AD 36 AD • Paul’s Persecution of the Church (Acts 8:1-3)

• Stephen Martyred First Christian Martyr

40 AD

• Paul’s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14): late 40s

• Paul’s Conversion in Damascus (Acts 9)

50 AD

Council of

•Paul’s Sec Journey (A

• Peter’s Ministry in Judea (Acts 9) late 30s-early 40s • Cornelius’ Conversion- Gospel preached to the Gentiles late 30s-early 40s • Growth of the Church in Antioch, the term ‘Christian’ first used (Acts 11:19-26): late 30s-early 40s AD

•Paul’s Thi Journey (A

CHURCH IN JERUSALEM: 30-70 AD CHURCH IN SAMARIA AND JUDEA: 34-100 CHURCH IN CYPRUS, PHOENICIA AND ANTIOCH: MID 30S-100

CHURCHES IN ASIA MINOR, M

KEY EVENTS GROWTH OF THE CHURCH COMPOSITION OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

James: mid 40s

SOURCES: “New Testament Books in Chronological Order.” Grace Fellowship Church. Accessed March 26, 2021. https://www.gfcto.com/articles/bible-books/the-nt-chronologically “The Apostolic Age.” Grace Notes. Accessed March 26, 2021. https://www2.gracenotes.info/topics/apostolic-age.html "The Timeline of the Apostolic Era.” First Christian Church of Asia. February 20, 2017. https://www.first-christian.net/the-timeline-during-the-apostolic-age/

1 + 2 Thess. : 50-51

spoke Greek). The Hellenistic Jews began to feel that they were being unfairly treated and their needs were being overlooked (Acts 6). As a result, the twelve disciples instituted the selection of seven Spirit-filled men to deal with the day-to-day affairs of the Church; this is the origin of deacons within the church, which in some forms is still in usage today. One of the deacons selected was Stephen, who not only oversaw affairs within the church but also preached and performed amazing miracles and signs (Acts 6:8). Stephen is an important person to highlight because he is traditionally recognized as the first Christian martyr. Because of his preaching, he upset the religious Jewish leaders of his time, so they falsely accused him and stoned him to death (Acts 7). His martyrdom begins a wave of persecution against Christians in Jerusalem, which caused many believers to scatter and leave the city (Acts 8:1-4). The fleeing believers however began preaching the Good News of Jesus wherever they went, which caused the Gospel to expand to other areas, instead of being limited to the surroundings of Jerusalem. THE EXPANDING CHURCH: 35-48 AD

This era sees a big shift for the early church because the church goes from being mainly concentrated in Jerusalem and its membership exclusively Jewish, to the church being expanded to Syria, Asia Minor and Europe and its membership being extended to Gentiles. During this period, we see the founding of many churches outside of Israel and the commencement of Paul’s missionary journeys. One of the emerging churches at this time was the church of Antioch which was founded by Jews escaping persecution. However, at Antioch, we see the Gospel also being preached to Gentiles, which caused concern among leaders of the mother church in Jerusalem. The church in Antioch grew to such prominence that it is here that the term “Christian” was first used (Acts 11:26). Keep in mind, in the early years of the Church, believers were usually referred to as “followers of the Way,” echoing the words of Jesus who declared in

John 14:6 ““I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (NLT). During these years, the main topic of discussion amongst believers was the Gentiles. Christians in the early church debated whether or not the Gospel should be reserved only for the Jews. Some felt that they should not preach the Gospel to the Gentiles or that Gentiles must first convert to Judaism before receiving Christ; most importantly, be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, not only preached to Jews in the synagogues but also preached to Gentiles, which caused some tension. We also see this tension with the story of Cornelius. In Acts chapter 10, Peter has a vision from God which instructs him not to consider Gentiles as unclean. Shortly after the vision, he is asked to visit an Italian centurion called Cornelius who is seeking God. Today, we don’t understand the cultural ramifications of Peter sharing the Gospel to Cornelius and his family. We must not forget that the early Christians, like Peter, still considered themselves as Jews. According to the law, it was prohibited to enter the home of a Gentile or to associate with a Gentile because they were considered unclean (Acts 10:28). However, following the leading of God, Peter shares the Gospel with Cornelius and his household and not only do they accept Jesus as their Saviour, but they also receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the physical evidence of speaking in tongues. This is a critical event in church history for Cornelius is believed to be the first Gentile to convert to the faith. It is also this event that truly sparks the debate and need for resolution on the subject of Gentile converts. The close of the first half of the Apostolic Age is the resolution to this debate;

the Council of Jerusalem. We read in Acts 15, that the apostles and elders of the Church met together in Jerusalem in 50 AD to study the

matter and to render a decision since the situation had reached a boiling point. After arguments from Paul, Barnabas, Peter and James, the final decision was that the Gospel should be preached freely to the Gentiles, and that no Jewish laws or customs would be imposed on them except that they “abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication” (Acts 15:28-29). The decision was then conveyed to the churches through a letter. This event is extremely important for the years leading after this, because the council’s decision paves the way for an explosive expansion of the Church. From henceforth, no one has to be uprooted from one’s own culture to receive Jesus and the transition from a Jewish Christian church to a church for people of every race and land was complete. This event begins a strong severance of ties between the Christian faith and Judaism. In conclusion, the first fifty years of the Church’s history plays an integral role. In fifty years, the Church goes from one hundred and twenty Jewish believers in the Upper Room to a network of churches from Jerusalem to Antioch, with both Jewish and Gentile membership. The first two eras open the door and pave the way for an organized body of believers, ready to share the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth at any cost! I encourage you to read through the Book of Acts to learn more about the Apostolic Age; by reading a chapter a day, you can read through the entire book in one month.

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE, WE EXPLORE THE LAST TWO ERAS OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE!

BIBLIOGRAPHY Hurlbut, Jesse L. The Story of the Christian Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970. “The Apostolic Age.” Grace Notes. 2017. https://www2.gracenotes.info/topics/apostolic-age.html. “The Apostolic Age: The Birth of the Church.” LPI. Feb 8 2021. https://uploads.weconnect.com/ ChurchHistory/PART%201%20THE%20APOSTOLIC%20AGE.pdf

TOLIC ERA

60 AD

f Jerusalem: 50 AD

70 AD

Paul’s 1st Imprisonment in Rome: early 60s

cond Missionary Acts 16-18): early 50s

100 AD

Paul’s 2nd Imprisonment in Rome: mid 60s

Death of John

Neronian Persecution: 64 Peter and Paul Martyred: 64-67 AD

ird Missionary Acts 18-19): mid 50s

MACEDONIA, GREECE AND ROME: MID 40S-100 Gal., 1+2 Cor., Rom. : 56-58

Eph., Phil., Col., Phile.: 61-62

Mark+ Matt.: late 50s-early 60s

Heb.: 68

John, 1-3 John, Rev.: late 80s-early 90s

Luke + Acts: 62 1 Tim., Titus, 1 Peter: 63-64

2 Peter + 2 Tim.: 65

Jude: late 60s-early 70s

All years provided are for reference and are approximate, Diagram includes rough estimations of the year the NT books were written, The purpose of the diagram is not to prove or disprove any fact

“AND LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER, AS SOME PEOPLE DO, BUT ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE DAY OF HIS RETURN IS DRAWING NEAR.” - HEBREWS 10:25 “The Essential Church” is a phrase that has come to have great meaning to the members of Good News Chapel and believers across the country this past year. After more than a year of government lockdowns and restrictions on religious gatherings, the Church has found a renewed appreciation and passion for meeting together as one body to worship God. The Church has been re-awakened to its purpose, and Good News Chapel has been active to fulfill it. With every step of faith taken, God has proved Himself Faithful and True! The Church of Jesus Christ is essential to bring in an explosive End-Time harvest of souls! The purpose of this article is not to argue as to why the Church should be deemed essential, but rather to remind ourselves of the great testimony we now have through our “Essential Church” initiative! It is so easy to forget the steps we’ve taken and how God has sustained us throughout this time. 1 Chronicles 16:12 says, “Remember the wonders He has performed, His miracles, and the rulings He has given.” Let us do just that and remember and thank God for what He has done for us and for all that is yet to come!

INCUBATION, NOT ISOLATION

In March 2020, the Quebec government, imposed restrictions on religious gatherings, forcing church services to move solely online; this sparked the beginnings of “The Essential Church.” The leadership at Good News Chapel decided that we had to do something, that the Church of Jesus Christ is to exercise her authority here on earth. From April 8-10th, the church called for a 3-day time of fasting and prayer. The theme of this time was “incubation, not isolation.” We truly believed that as we took time to pray and fast, that God would edify and refine us in order to prepare us for what was to come!

IT’S NOT OVER YET!

In the month of May, Good News Chapel initiated the “Essential Church Letter.” Pastor Steve carefully composed a letter that would be sent to both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault, expressing that it is our inalienable right to gather in person to worship God. It also expressed that churches should be deemed essential in order to freely carry out the many ministries that reach and help so many people. The church quickly joined on board. In the span of a few weeks, almost 500 letters were sent out to our government officials! While many would think this was a futile effort, it didn’t matter; when the Church steps out in faith and uses her voice, God honors the declaration and action of faith!

THE

ESSENTIAL

CHURCH

“IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WOULD HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY” On June 14th 2020, Good News Chapel launched “Parking Lot Prayer.” For two weeks, believers met in our church parking lot on Sunday evenings to pray for fourteen different prayer points that were posted all over the property. The prayer nights were a great success, many people attending as families to pray for our city, our church and for revival! The theme for this time was 2 Chronicles 7:14: “then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” A banner with this verse still hangs on our building, as a testament to how God honours His Word above His own Name! It is no coincidence that the very next day, following our second Parking Lot Prayer, the government announced that places of worship may re-open for in-person gatherings! Hallelujah, God heard our prayers!

THE ESSENTIAL CHURCH PROTEST

After meeting together for services for six months, new government restrictions were imposed on the church in January 2021. This time, churches were told to end in-person gatherings and again to return to online services only. The Church had had enough! The leadership at Good News Chapel decided it was time to take a stand, that these new measures were a complete infringement on our rights. As a result, on January 17th, we had our first “The Essential Church” Protest! For four straight weeks, members gathered in the freezing cold to protest near our church building, vocalizing how we believe the church is essential and should be open! We garnered media attention, appearing in several newspapers such as The Montreal Gazette and The Suburban, and were featured in snippets on CTV News and City TV. It was beautiful seeing the Church joining together. Some people in the neighborhood even came out of their homes and told us they supported us and hoped we would open soon! We had no issues with the police who supervised our events, and actually initiated a respectful relationship with the police in Saint Léonard.

Our protests also sparked the initiative to grow, as the pastor of the New Canadian Baptist Church contacted us because they wanted to do the same. Believe it or not, support for our Essential Church Protests reached Russia, as believers with Russian origins here in Montréal shared a video of our protests with their family and friends in Russia, and so they supported us in prayer. Although we did not see government restrictions changed immediately because of our protests,

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE IT PAVED THE WAY FOR THE FAVOR THAT WOULD FOLLOW!

CHURCH IS OPEN!

On February 14th, Good News Chapel stepped out in faith and opened its doors for in-person worship services. The church felt it was discrimination that other venues were allowed to be open under certain guidelines, but the Church had to be restricted to ten people per room; which is completely inefficient for a church of our size. We opened our doors, turning away no one, and also invited certain media outlets to cover the re-opening. The feeling in the church that morning was surreal! It was amazing being able to be together as God has instructed us to do in His Word. People were so excited to be in church that they began to shout along to our pre-service countdown; it felt like it was New Years’ Eve! The presence of God filled the church tangibly that morning, and it will definitely be a service that I will remember for the rest of my days. The church continued to meet week after week. Although the church received multiple threats of fines and heavy police presence on the property, God continued to shield us with His favour week after week! Hallelujah! We are moving forward in the plans God has for His church! In conclusion, I truly hope I have encouraged you today! It is very easy to look at the state of our nation and to be discouraged. However, we must take every one of those thoughts of discouragement and fear captive! God has watched over us, sustained us and provided for us, all the while the world is in chaos and confusion. God has not forgotten His Church! Sometimes we may feel impatient and frustrated when we do not see the results we want right away, but looking back at the past year and a half, I have seen how God has prepared us for today! Do not think that the praying and fasting of April 2020 has had no effect for us today. God has honored our obedience and our faith. The Good News Chapel we see today, is not the same Good News Chapel from June 2020 or even June 2019! God is taking His Church from glory to glory and from strength to strength! God is moving in Canada and our best days are still to come, can’t you feel it?!

LET’S L OOK B A TESTIM CK AT SOME ✱ GOOD N ONIES AUGUS EWS U, OUR OF 202 OTHER GNC T 2020 V ERY OW 0-2021 . N BIBL

✱ GOOD NEWS CHAPE L MUSI ✱ LOVE IN C LAU

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IN N A C C H T E I D A NE DURIN G THIS ON GREW AN W SING TIME. D SERV LE IN 2 E 020. D H ✱ WE HE UNDRE LD TW DS OF O ONL F AMILIE INE HO S ✱ TITHING PEFEST S IN SP CHURC AND OFFER RING O F 2020 ANY O H BUILDING INGS FAR EX . F OUR PROJE C E E D E GIVING CT TO D THE C P C O A O N ST MMITM T ✱ WE HELD ENTS. INUE AND N , ALLOWING TWO B O NEED T AND C A PT HILDRE TO ENDHE N BE B ISMAL SERVI C APTIZE ✱ THE CHUR D IN W ES AND SAW ATER. DOZEN CH HA AND M S OF A ANY RE S SEEN MA DULTS DEDIC N Y N E W A TIONS. SOULS ✱ AND TH COME E BEST INTO T IS STIL HE KIN L YET T GDOM O COM E!!!

GOOD NE WS CH A P E L

go od n ewsch a pe l.org

I LOV E YOU M U C H M ORE A N I N T E RV IE W WI TH T H E AUT H O R

children’s book entitled I Love You Much In Sprin g 2021, Sarah Fuoco released her f irst er, who desires to teach young children teach l schoo ntary More. Ms. Fuoco is an eleme age. young a rom f biblical truths that will impac t them who embarks on a journey to discovery how I Love You Much More tells the story of Elias, ul love of God is. With its whimsical and colorf the deep wide, how long, how high and how the and rs reade itive inquis , young uces introd art and engaging text, I Love You Much More love of God. At GNN, we had the oppor tunity grown-ups in their lives to the overwhelming endeavour. new her about ions to ask Ms. Fuoco a few quest

IT’S QUITE A LEAP TO GO FROM TEACHING TO WRITING! CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF SUMMARY OF YOUR JOURNEY? I like to believe that in some way, teaching has led me to writing. As an elementary school teacher, I read storybooks all the time and I have a huge appreciation for them! Story books are a work of art and often (if not always) have a meaningful message or lesson hidden within their pages. They are versatile and an excellent teaching tool for all ages.

W A

E YO U

E TO R

H THE TIR

R MO E IS A GR EA T B O

WHY BASE THE THEME OF YOUR BOOK ON GOD’S IMMEASURABLE LOVE, OVER OTHERS YOU COULD HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT? WHAT WAS THE REASON BEHIND THAT CHOICE?

Consequently, I am always on the hunt for a good children’s book! As I’ve browsed the kids’ section over time, I’ve discovered the variety of messages being presented to children. Much of what I found is what our world today would call “forward thinking” messages. Except in my spirit, I felt sadness and frustration because these potentially harmful messages are being pushed on children. I began to think to myself that if others could write successful books, why couldn’t I? With the Lord’s help, why shouldn’t I write something for His glory?

LY !

I’ve thought of writing a book for some time now, but I never knew what to write about. My inspiration really came when I was reading a familiar passage of scripture – Ephesians 3:18. All of sudden, I got this image in my mind of a character looking up at a tall building and asking God if His love was that high. It was one of those God moments; when you have this deep conviction that it came from Him. Afterward, I began to craft my story and then one book idea turned into a vision of children’s books based on Bible verses, with the purpose of teaching basic and vital truths from the Word. I think God’s immeasurable love is a great place to start, and I want children to grow up engrained with the thought that God loves them no matter what they do or what mistakes they make. His love is pure and beyond what we could imagine.

A BEAUTIFUL TOUCH TO THIS BOOK WAS THE SALVATION APPEAL AT THE END. WAS THE BOOK MEANT TO BE AN EVANGELISTIC TOOL FOR CHILDREN?

Having a salvation appeal as part of the book was not one of my initial ideas while writing the story. However, as I moved further along the publishing process and was making a lot of decisions about the book, I would often get new ideas. I know the Lord inspired me with those ideas because I had prayed and put much thought into this project. I think the salvation appeal is an excellent addition to the book and a great way for kids to understand what Jesus did for us and what receiving Christ means for them. It also gives them the opportunity to make that decision for themselves, understanding that Christ can come live in them with a simple, heartfelt prayer.

WHAT AGE GROUP IN PARTICULAR DO YOU HOPE TO REACH WITH YOUR BOOK?

This is a difficult question to answer! On paper, the book is for ages 4-9 years old. However, as I’ve mentioned before, children’s books are often very versatile and can present a concept or message that even adults could learn from. The truth of God’s love is for everyone and I’m praying that even a parent who reads this book to their child, or someone who’s never heard the Gospel before, could receive it for themselves!

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?

ANY NEW CREATIVE PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON?

First, I have to acknowledge that I’ve learned so much about the publishing industry; especially since I decided on the self-publishing route, which required plenty of research. There’s a great deal that happens between your idea and getting your book on a shelf! That being said, I am still on my learning journey, but I continually ask the Lord for help and wisdom!

I don’t believe the Lord has given me just one book idea, but I have a few thoughts in mind for the future. What I know for sure is that I have another story lined up that I plan to begin soon, or when this book is running like a well-oiled machine! I feel hopeful for what the Lord will do now and in the future. God is so good and I’m grateful for the vision He’s blessed me with!

That brings me to my trust walk with God. To take on this project has been a sizeable task and I keep asking the Lord for guidance, ideas, provision, and the wisdom to do things I’ve never done before. I really need Him, and I’ve had to rely on Him throughout this process and will continue to do so as I move forward. I could also say that creating something and then sharing it with others can be scary. You wonder what others will think and if you’ve done the best you could; it could be easy to overthink things. I have to then remind myself that God gifted me with this idea, and if I’m obeying Him, then everything else just needs to fade into the background. It’s for His glory!

AVA I L A B L E O N A MA ZO N OR EMAIL MIS S .S ARAHFUOCO@GMAIL.COM F O R LO CA L P UR CHA SE 23

S U T U BO

ir heart! ith all the w ey’ve d o G e nd lov ce what th oly a ti c w o ra n p k to H ch child to and put in be filled with the e want ea ll Gospel w d , fu hips n s s a e d id h n th K it ie fa rn lea ate fr their to re c p At GNC n , u y re a d d il w il u e h b n ctiv nt that the c the childre o importa and intera s e We want n e is s fu it a to k in t in th ble to od e wan lives! We they are a rn about G ir t a e a learnt! W le l th th il f o o w s r d d o h chil the cente Word of G Spirit. Eac make God on in the to ti to be! a w d o m n h e u th rn fo ated solid re a and lea c in d o ta G b o o h dren and be w these chil His Word n o g n o tr stand s

MINIS: 2 MONTHS- 24

MONTHS

MINORS: 3-5 YEARS O LD

MAJORS: 6-12 YEARS O

MIGHTIES: SPECIAL N

EEDS INITIATIVE

S D I K C N G E C N E I EXPER C being a part of GN I am so grateful for art he my ed Jesus in Kids. I recently ask d this makes me so an zed pti ba t and go r en we go to summe happy. I really love wh o als I d rn and play, an camp and I get to lea d nds and cousins, an frie l oo invited my sch h wit e lov d’s Go to share it makes me happy them.

h fift rs. i! he Majo m t o a in s N d i al m e is old, I’ NC K rson ears m e y G a n rs o y p at 10 My 0 yea I go t as m d ke i 1 n l s d I’m e an Jesu as 7 a ter. I arn a d e d l w g a I te gr nw e I layin cep when ized i caus p c C a n t r I be e fu GN iou bap Kids av ing to Sav I got h NC , we s. Go fe like old o to G and tie my li d g o tivi to t G d ac o live . u o t too an ab es me s me s m ga elp want sh Kid Jesus w ho i

I like GNC Kids because it’s fun and we get to learn about God and we worship Him. I made friends and we have fun and learn stories from the Bible.

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—N

— Brandon

— Santino

GNC KIDS WOR D SEAR CH

G O D 'S LO V E IS .. . WIDE HIGH LOYAL KIND JOY FOREVER BIG AMAZING LONG PATIENT PEACE GREAT FAITHFUL WONDERFUL DEEP

AND MAY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO UNDERSTAND, AS ALL GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD, HOW WIDE, HOW LONG, HOW HIGH, AND HOW DEEP HIS LOVE IS. EPH ESI ANS 3 :18

R E P EX

G E C IEN

DS I K NC

Have you ever learned something from a Bible lesson? Well, I have! Do you guys know the story of the Battle of Jericho? One day, the Israelites and Joshua, their leader, came across a huge city with beautiful architecture and gates wrapped around it. That city was called Jericho. The Israelites wanted to conquer Jericho because God told them to. The people that lived in Jericho were huge! God told them in order to conquer Jericho, they would have to march around it for 6 days while playing their instruments and on the seventh day, Jericho would crumble. The Israelites would listen to God and 7 days later Jericho was destroyed. The lesson is that you should trust God no matter what because He knows what is best and He loves you very much! The 2nd lesson learned here is that you have to have A LOT of patience. The Israelites had to wait 7 days just to conquer Jericho. They probably didn’t want to wait that long, but they had faith in God. Sometimes we have to wait longer than we’d like. When that happens, think about the Battle of Jericho and remind yourself that they waited a lot longer and God was faithful!

—Luca

A few weeks ago, my grandfather passed away, I always thought that when I’d lose someone I love, I would feel very sad and that I might cry and never stop. But when my mom told me that my grandpa died, I felt sad but just for a little bit because then I remembered that he was a Christian and that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life. When I remembered that I felt happy. And for the first time I finally understood what « You turn my mourning into dancing » (Psalm 30:11) meant which I learnt about at GNC Kids. Now, I know that when I see my grand-father, I will see him eternally because I know that both of us will be in Heaven.

— Nala

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It has been almost six years since I have been at GNC Kids. What I will always remember is the support I had f rom teachers, f riends, and Pastor Victoria. Sometimes when I feel nervous or want to talk to someone, I know I can always count on them. They have taught me so much about God’s promises and they always give me some of the best advice. I love hearing their stories and experiences. I am so grateful for the amazing role models God has placed in my life. I remember one time I was having a difficult time with my singing. Every time I would open my mouth and start singing, I would get choked up. The words would not come out and I felt myself getting very nervous. It was something I had never experienced, and I was scared. I spoke with Pastor Victoria and I felt very comfortable opening up to her and to this day, she is always somebody I look to for advice. She offered to pray with me and in that moment, we believed God would heal me. I am now able to sing again for God’s glory and this experience has taught me to trust and believe that with God, all things are possible!

— Sarah

In August 2020, Good News Chapel launched its very own Bible School, Good News U! After a successful first year, GNU is coming back with YEAR 2!

ACADEMIC CALENDAR TERM 1

Students at GNU will attend classes where they will be taught and trained for ministry.

AUGUST 24 – OCTOBER 14

TERM 2

OCTOBER 19 – DECEMBER 9

WINTER BREAK

They will also take part in weekly chapel services, soul winning and experience a hands-on ministry practicum.

DECEMBER 10 – JANUARY 31

TERM 3

FEBRUARY 1 –MARCH 24

SPRING BREAK

GNU was created to empower men and women to, "Build the Kingdom, and Change the Nation!” If the Lord is calling you to be a part of His End Time harvesters, enroll today!

MARCH 29 – 31

TERM 4

APRIL 5 – MAY 26

WEEKLY CHAPEL SERVICES TUESDAYS 10:00 AM TO 11:00 AM MINISTERIAL SERVICE PRACTICUM 4 HOURS A WEEK

APPLICATION

A ppl i c a t i on a n d St ud e nt H a nd b o o k a re a v a ila b l e for dow nloa d a t goodne w s cha pe l.org To a ppl y f or a dm i s s io n to G o o d N e ws U, the fo llow ing pa pe rw ork mus t be com pl et ed a n d s ub m itte d :

● ● ● ● ● ●

Application form Photograph $50.00 registration fee (not applied to the tuition amount) Proof of completion of secondary education (D.E.S) 1 Reference letter Honor code pledge form (found in student handbook)

All paperwork and the registration fee must be received by Good News U Administration before acceptance can be determined. Please submit all paper work to: Good News U 5845 Blvd. Couture S a i n t Le o n a r d , Q C H 1 P 1 A8

TOTAL TUITION: $ 22 50 Tot al t u it io n m u s t b e pa i d pr i o r to or by Augus t 24th

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY

AUGUST 1ST, 2021

DEADLINE FOR WITHDRAWAL OF ENROLMENT WITH FULL REFUND IS AUGUST 31ST, 2021

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS www.goodnewschapel.org/good-news-u OR EMAIL US AT admin@goodnewsu.org

G NU MT L 27

WE ARE RMNT THE BIBLE SAYS THAT “WE GO FROM GLORY TO GLORY, STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AND VICTORY TO VICTORY” — 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 For those who are in Christ Jesus and are called according to His Name, you can rest assured that if you remain obedient to Him, your life will always be in an upward trajectory. This has been our experience in RMNT for as long as I can remember, and this past year was no different. Praise God! The Lord gave us the opportunity to see a handful of young men and women give their lives to Jesus! He also moved on us to launch The Remnant YouTube channel, which accumulated over 75 subscribers in less than 6 months. He also expanded our audience on our RMNT podcast, reaching more than 30 downloads on a weekly basis. The Lord has definitely been good to us! For 2021, the Lord increased our desire to love on the people of Montréal and reach as many souls as we can to Christ. We believe that every person, no matter how young, no matter how old, needs to experience the love of God. In the month of March, we started an initiative called “Endless Love/ Amour Sans Fin.”

GOD IS GOOD, GOD IS AWESOME, HE IS SEATED ON THE THRONE, HE IS FOR US, SO WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH AND THE STRONGHOLD OF MY LIFE! Our hope is that our city will be changed, transformed and renewed by God’s endless love. This is not just a “Young Adults” initiative, but rather this is for everyone that wants to reach their sphere of influence with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! JOIN WITH US TODAY AS WE SPREAD THE ENDLESS LOVE OF CHRIST! Pastor Oscar Sosa

This initiative allows people from all walks of life to hear a salvation message through video. Whether you are at a bus stop, taking the métro or perhaps even in a drive-thru, you can hand out our “Endless Love” cards to those around you. Once they scan the QR code, it will direct them to a message of salvation right on their phone.

‹‹ SCAN THIS 28

JOIN THE FAM

RMNTMTL

JOSE P H' S TEST I MONY My testimony goes back to February of 2020, my graduating year from my technical program at John Abbott College. Coronavirus had just made the news, it was my last semester in college, and I was set to graduate in June. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do; continue my studies in university or enter the workforce. I prayed to God and asked that He would open the doors in the direction that He wanted me to go. When my courses went online, it became clear that 2020 was going to be a special year, but not in the way I had thought. One night, while I was taking a shower, thoughts filled my head and I felt God telling me to apply for a job. I didn’t take this seriously considering it was late in the night, I was getting ready to go to bed, and there was a pandemic going on. I opened up my computer and began looking at positions that interested me and were relevant to my field of study, Computer Science. I looked at both the public and private sector and after scouring through various positions, I found something very interesting. It was a great opportunity with full benefits and so I thought to myself, “there’s no way I could get this, but why not apply for the fun of it.” Keep in mind, I was not qualified, I had no relevant experience, the job was in Ottawa, and the deadline to submit my resumé was in two hours. The deadline didn’t bother me since college students are used to completing assignments the night they’re due. I submitted my resumé and screening questions with half an hour to spare. At this point, I believed there was no way I could get the job with everything that was going on at the time.

Now in the month of April, I received a call and was asked to go for an interview. I remember the shock I was in, not only had I forgotten that I applied for this job, but they wanted an interview! How amazing! As I was preparing for the interview, I told God, “if this isn’t what You want for me, let the door close, but if You’re calling me to this position, may the whole process be smooth and easy.” At the end of the interview, I was told that I was their last interview and they liked that I was well prepared. Three days went by and I got a call saying that the position I applied for was filled, but they wanted to offer me another position. Not only was this position better than the one I had applied for, but it was in a field I was new to and had no experience, which I made very clear to the hiring manager. He told me that they would train me and due to the pandemic, I could work from home for the first few months. The position required me to go through multiple screenings and verifications, and after five months, in September 2020, I began my new job with the RCMP in Digital Forensics. Now in 2021, seven months into my new position, having moved to a new city, I only have God to thank. I look back at the process, and all I can think about is the favour of God. What the world sees as difficult and hopeless times, I saw as a year of blessings and favour. If there’s one thing I would want you to take from my testimony is that no matter the season, as a child of God, you are favoured! No person, no job qualification, no pandemic can stop you from receiving what God has already put your name on.

Joseph Di Pasquale 29

My 2020-2021 testimony shows how the Lord uses the things the enemy meant to break us, to lift us up and use for His glory! For a while, I didn’t want to share my testimony because many people have lost their jobs during this time, but I assure you that God is in the details! Even when it seems that things are not going well or we feel like we are in the dark, we are actually being planted and stretched. It might be uncomfortable for a season, but it’s necessary in order to go from glory to glory. Water yourself with the Word, pray and fast, and use the tools and ideas the Lord gives you. I need to start my testimony back in the summer of 2014. I had lost my job due to budget cuts; I was the last one in, which meant I was the first one out. For a year, I searched and searched but no one would hire me. They all said I had too much experience and they didn’t want to match my previous salary since I would be a new employee. I lowered my salary range, but I still could not find a job. The only person who would give me a shot was offering to pay me minimum wage! What?! I hadn’t gotten paid that amount since I was 18 years old! However, any income was better than no income, so I reluctantly accepted, even though it wasn’t what I had imagined myself doing or being paid at this stage in my

life. I went in to work and did my best daily, while still sending out my CV to other jobs that actually interested me. Within six months, I received an offer f rom another company with a salary increase of $5000, a better location, and tasks which were more in line with my professional later (July 2018). I was promoted another level 23 months later (June 2020) and promoted two levels higher in March 2021. That’s three levels in less than a year - 9 months to be exact – during a global ‘plandemic’! I didn’t have to manipulate the situation, I didn’t have to throw anyone under the bus to move up, I didn’t have to “know someone” who would promote me because they were my friend. I trusted in the Lord and I worked hard. Most of the seasons were not “easy peasy,” they were more “lemon squeezy,” meaning there was a lot of pressure and I had to suck it up. I had to control my mouth and my temper, and truly put into action the things I was asking the Lord to change in me and utilize the fruit of the Spirit daily preferences. Eight months later, I received a promotion there, which meant a salary increase and more responsibilities. Seven months after that, I received a phone call from the government on a process I had applied to four years earlier! I began working there a month later, with again, better pay, and full benefits and insurance, which I did not have at my previous job. This took place in June 2017 and the job was for an entry level position within the Federal Public Service. I continued working diligently as though unto God at that job (Colossians 3:23). I never cut corners or took advantage of the system (Luke 16:10) and I learnt a lot and used every bit of the knowledge I learnt, while doing my best to go above and beyond to help others when possible (Ecclesiastes 9:10a, Galatians 6:9). I was promoted one level 13 months

Glory to God in the highest! Before knowing His basic biblical principles, I was not this person, but I’m proud to say that I continue to grow through Him daily. He gives me strength and I make the efforts needed (Joshua 1:8; Romans 8:37). I’m going through the process and the Lord does what only He can do. Promotion comes from The Lord!

Lisa Marinelli Di Francesco

Our h ope h ere at GNN is that anyon e wh o picks up a copy of this ma gazin e, would be exposed to th e light an d h ope of th e Gospel of Jesus Christ . As you’ ve rea d believers’ testim onies, devotions an d oth er ar ticles, we pray that we have sh own God’s love, faithfuln ess an d power. God is real an d He is workin g in th e lives of th ose wh o call upon Him. Th e Bible tells us that “God so loved th e world, that He gave His only Son, so that ever yon e wh o believes in Him will n ot perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Because ever yon e has sinn ed an d has fallen sh or t of God’s glorious stan dard (Romans 3:23), God sh owed His great love for us by sen din g Christ to die for our forgiven ess while we were still sinn ers (Romans 5:8). Through God’s f ree gift of salvation, we are ma de n ew, f illed an d empowered with His Holy Spirit , an d have inh erited eternal life in Heaven with Him. Life will n ever be th e sam e a gain! Jesus cam e to ear th so that we may have an d enjoy life m ore abun dantly (John 10:10). Th e Bible says in Romans 10:9 that “ if you declare with your m outh, “Jesus is Lord,” an d believe in your h ear t that God raised him f rom th e dea d, you will be saved.” If you have n ever ma de a decision to make Jesus Christ your Lord an d Saviour, an d want to make your life right with God, pray this prayer out loud:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for Jesus, He is the answer I am looking for. Jesus come into my heart today, I surrender my life to you. I admit that I am a sinner, forgive me of my sins. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and gave His life on the cross for my forgiveness. Make me whole and new. I confess You to be my Lord and my Saviour. Help me to live for You all the days of my life. Fill and lead me by Your Spirit. Thank you for this new life and for saving me. This I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen Hallelujah, you are n ow a child of God! You have ma de th e best decision of your life! You n ow belon g to Christ an d h ave becom e a n ew person. Your old life is gon e; an d a n ew life h as begun! (II Corinthians 5:17)

I F YOU ’ VE PR AYE D T HIS PRAYER, WE WO U LD LOVE TO SEN D YO U A F R E E GI F T TO G ET YO U STA RT ED WI TH YO UR NEW L IF E ! Plea s e fee l f ree to conta c t u s a t i n fo @ g o o dn ewsch a p e l .o rg OR Vis it our website at https: //www.g o o dn ewsch a p e l .o rg /g o t- save d

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