Trinity Bible ChapelTrinity Bible ChapelTrinity Bible ChapelTrinity Bible Chapel
  • Jesus
  • About
    • Service Times & Location
    • Our Mission
    • Our Four Pillars
    • Our History
    • What We Believe
      • Our Doctrinal Statement
      • Specific Issues
        • Baptism and Communion
        • Church Government
        • Church Membership
        • Church Planting Philosophy
        • Church Structure
        • Counseling Philosophy
        • Creation, Evolution and God’s Sovereignty
        • Eternal Security of the Believer
        • Sufficiency of Scripture
        • Spiritual Warfare
        • The Trinity
        • Women in Ministry
        • Worship
    • Church Staff
    • Job Opportunities
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Project Rehoboth
      • Rehoboth Updates
    • King Alfred Academy
  • Connect
    • New Here?
      • Welcome to Trinity!
      • What Should I Expect?
      • How Can I Be Saved?
      • Get Baptized
      • University Bus Shuttle
    • Get Connected
      • Step 1: Connect
      • Step 2: Consider
      • Step 3: Commit to a Small Group
      • Step 3: Commit to Serve
      • Step 4: Covenant in Membership
    • Resources
      • Weekly E-News
      • Events Calendar
      • Church App
      • Subscribe to Our Podcast
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Bible Reading Plans
      • Weddings
      • The Church At War Conference
      • Antichrist and His Ruin Documentary
  • Ministries
    • Trinity Kids
      • Parenting Resources
      • Web Protection Guide
      • Parenting Conference Audio
    • Trinity Youth
      • Youth Ministry Blog Posts
    • Small Groups
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Small Groups Blog Posts
      • Accountability Resources
    • University Bus Ministry
      • Adopt-A-Student Ministry
    • Worship Ministry
      • Family Worship
      • Weekend Song List
    • Sunday Support
    • Evangelism
      • Evangelism Videos
    • King Alfred Academy
    • Homeschool Collective
      • New to Homeschooling
      • Resources
      • Planning Pages
  • Sermons
    • Latest Sermon
    • View All by Date
    • View by Series
    • View by Preachers
    • View by Topics
    • View by Scriptures
    • Subscribe to Our Podcast
  • Blogs
    • The Pastor’s Blog
    • Trinity Ministry Blog
  • Give

The Pastor's Blog

By Jacob Reaume

Open Letter to Civil Magistrates from Elders of Trinity Bible Chapel

By Jacob Reaume | April 24, 2020 | Leave a Comment |
Tagged: covid-19

In a sincere attempt to respectfully work with our civil magistrates under their COVID-19 measures, while desiring to uphold our mandate from heaven to gather for worship and the ordinances, the elders/pastors of Trinity Bible Chapel have sent the following correspondence to all levels of government, signed by each elder/pastor on church letterhead.

  

April 23, 2020

RE: Worship Services and COVID-19

Attention:
Prime Minister of Canada – Hon. Justin Trudeau and local MPs
Premier of Ontario – Hon. Doug Ford and local MPPs
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada – Dr. Theresa Tam
Chief Medical Health Officer of Ontario – Dr. David Williams
Local Mayors of Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Guelph & Woolwich
Region of Waterloo Public Medical Health Officer – Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang
Region of Waterloo Health Managers

 

Dear Governing Authorities:

Please be assured that you have our sincere thanks, support and prayers during this unprecedented time of isolation due to COVID-19. You are indeed well aware of the huge social and financial implications that this crisis has on Canadian individuals and institutions.

As countries around the world are gradually lifting some of the more restrictive measures that have been put in place, we want to express to you how eager we are to work with you so that we, too, can gather in face to face worship services.

Experts agree, a quarantine can help to keep people from getting the virus. It can, however, also be detrimental to a person’s physical and mental health. Cabin fever and depression can become the unintended consequences of isolation. Solitary confinement, for example, is now deemed cruel and unusual by the federal government and medical professionals. We desperately need the company of others to sustain our well-being.

We concur with scientists who warn of a potential “echo-pandemic.” Social ills could be rising soon, such as; substance abuse, domestic violence, suicide and general despair.

We do not need to belabour these points. You are also keenly aware, that matters of personal faith are cherished and shared in community. Online communication helps but it is not a satisfactory substitute. This past Easter season was particularly difficult, as you can imagine.  Furthermore, we have not been able to practice ordinances like baptism and partake in the Lord’s Supper/Communion.

Today, all informed people agree with our Lord’s words when He quoted a passage  (Deuteronomy 8:3) which was about 1,500 years before He lived on earth: “Man shall not live by bread alone …” (Matthew 4:4).

We have observed how other essential services, such as grocery stores, have been operating during this time. They practice social-distancing, which we can also practice, and much more. We have a team of enthusiastic volunteers motivated by a high calling to serve and protect our congregation. Please see the attached addendum that outlines potential COVID-19 protocols for a worship service. We will gladly receive further guidelines and instructions from our local health authorities.

If grocery stores can remain open with certain protocols, worship services can do the same.

We continue to respect your important leadership role. Our operations remain compliant with your instructions, keeping ourselves, fellow citizens and neighbours safe. It is our desire that you can similarly respect our roles as leaders within our faith community, trusting us to practice physical distancing when being together for a worship service.

Please let us know at your earliest convenience if the measures in the addendum are sufficient to conduct our next worship service.

We continue to pray to the Creator, our Heavenly Father, being thankful for your commitment to protect us all and that He will give you wisdom and protect you in the days ahead.

Yours sincerely,

TRINITY BIBLE CHAPEL

Jacob Reaume, Sr. Pastor

Will Schuurman, Associate Pastor

Randy Frey, Pastor of Christian Education

Chris Cattle, Elder Chairman

Jeff Bauman, Elder

Siva Gnanananthan, Elder, Secretary

 

cc.
Members of Parliament:
Bardish Chagger, Waterloo
Tim Louis, Kitchener-Conestoga
Raj Saini, Kitchener Centre
Marwan Tabbara, Kitchener South-Hespeler
Bryan May, Cambridge
Lloyd Longfield, Guelph

Dave Mackenzie, Oxford
John Nater, Perth-Wellington
Michael Chong, Wellington-Halton Hills
Members of Provincial Parliament:
Catherine Fife, Waterloo
Mike Harris, Kitchener-Conestoga
Amy Fee, Kitchener South-Hespeler
Belinda Karahalios, Cambridge
Mike Schreiner, Guelph
Ernie Hardeman, Oxford
Randy Pettapiece, Perth-Wellington
Ted Arnott, Wellington-Halton Hills

Mayors:
Dave Jaworsky, Waterloo
Berry Vrbanovic, Kitchener
Cam Guthrie, Guelph
Kathryn McGarry. Cambridge
Sandy Shantz, Woolwich Township
Julie Kalbfleisch, Manager, Information & Communications, Region of Waterloo Public Health
Aldo Franco, Manager, Health Protection & Investigation, Region of Waterloo Public Health


SHARE


Comments

Related Posts

  • We Lost our Constitutional Appeal: Now What?

    By Jacob Reaume | March 14, 2023

    The week before last the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled on Trinity Bible Chapel’s constitutional challenge.  I’ll talk about that in a moment, but first let me offer some background. Back in 2020 and 2021, the Canadian people got scared because the news said we were facing a death-dealing pandemic.  Our provincial government granted PremierRead more

  • Wine at the Lord’s Table: Our Broken Tradition

    By Jacob Reaume | February 9, 2023

    Paul, when admonishing the Corinthians to be orderly and proper at the Lord’s Supper, said, “For what I received from the Lord that I also delivered to you” (1 Corinthians 11:23).  In other words, the institution is a tradition that is passed hand to hand and generation to generation.  Starting with Jesus, He passed itRead more

  • The Rainbow Flag, Local Council, and Elmira’s Streets

    By Jacob Reaume | August 23, 2022

    Elmira is Ontario’s latest community to look at painting a trendy rainbow on one of it’s streets.  Apparently, the Canadian Association of Mental Health has requested that the municipality paint one on a local crosswalk as a show of support for the LGBTQS2+ community.  Those letters — LGBTQS2+ — are likely the latest alpha-numeric codeRead more

  • A Gay Bar with Free Math Lessons

    By Jacob Reaume | June 15, 2022

    I have been advising parents to pull their children from public schools for several years.  The primary objective of education should be to foster Christian virtue in the hearts of children.  Apparently this view was once shared by the majority of Ontarians to the point that they had it enshrined in law.  Section 264.1.c ofRead more

  • Protect Your Children from Public School

    By Jacob Reaume | June 9, 2022

    A few months ago, I reported (here) of a Waterloo Region public school teacher who the WRDSB chair censored at a board meeting.  Her offence?  She questioned whether school officials should be teaching children that hormone blockers are a good idea.  She did so while quoting a public school library book that presented hormone blockersRead more

Newer PostOlder Post

Top 5 Trending

  • We Lost our Constitutional Appeal: Now What?

    March 14, 2023
  • What does “makes her commit adultery” mean? (Matt. 5:32)

    October 25, 2018
  • Wine at the Lord’s Table: Our Broken Tradition

    February 9, 2023
  • The Rainbow Flag, Local Council, and Elmira’s Streets

    August 23, 2022
  • Yes, Bruxy Cavey Is A False Teacher

    July 11, 2018

Latest Posts

  • We Lost our Constitutional Appeal: Now What?

    March 14, 2023
  • Wine at the Lord’s Table: Our Broken Tradition

    February 9, 2023
  • The Rainbow Flag, Local Council, and Elmira’s Streets

    August 23, 2022
  • A Gay Bar with Free Math Lessons

    June 15, 2022
  • Protect Your Children from Public School

    June 9, 2022

About the Author

Jacob Reaume

Born and raised in Guelph, Jacob holds a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He became pastor of Trinity Bible Chapel in August, 2009. Jacob is married to his high school sweetheart, Joanna, and together they have six children.

CHURCH LOCATION
Address:    1373 Lobsinger Line
Waterloo, ON, N2J 4G8

Phone: 519-658-6333
Email: info@trinitybiblechapel.ca

NEW HERE?

  • Service Times & Location
  • Welcome to Trinity!
  • What Should I Expect?
  • How Can I Be Saved?
  • University Bus Shuttle
  • Our Mission
  • Our Doctrinal Statement

OUR MINISTRIES

  • Trinity Kids
  • Trinity Youth
  • Small Groups
  • University Bus Ministry
  • Worship Ministry
  • Sunday Support
  • Evangelism

GET CONNECTED

  • Step 1: Connect
  • Step 2: Consider
  • Step 3: Commit to a Small Group
  • Step 3: Commit to Serve
  • Step 4: Covenant in Membership
  • Get Baptized
  • Events Calendar
Trinity Bible Chapel on Rumble
Copyright © 2022 Trinity Bible Chapel
  • Jesus
  • About
    • Service Times & Location
    • Our Mission
    • Our Four Pillars
    • Our History
    • What We Believe
      • Our Doctrinal Statement
      • Specific Issues
        • Baptism and Communion
        • Church Government
        • Church Membership
        • Church Planting Philosophy
        • Church Structure
        • Counseling Philosophy
        • Creation, Evolution and God’s Sovereignty
        • Eternal Security of the Believer
        • Sufficiency of Scripture
        • Spiritual Warfare
        • The Trinity
        • Women in Ministry
        • Worship
    • Church Staff
    • Job Opportunities
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Project Rehoboth
      • Rehoboth Updates
    • King Alfred Academy
  • Connect
    • New Here?
      • Welcome to Trinity!
      • What Should I Expect?
      • How Can I Be Saved?
      • Get Baptized
      • University Bus Shuttle
    • Get Connected
      • Step 1: Connect
      • Step 2: Consider
      • Step 3: Commit to a Small Group
      • Step 3: Commit to Serve
      • Step 4: Covenant in Membership
    • Resources
      • Weekly E-News
      • Events Calendar
      • Church App
      • Subscribe to Our Podcast
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Bible Reading Plans
      • Weddings
      • The Church At War Conference
      • Antichrist and His Ruin Documentary
  • Ministries
    • Trinity Kids
      • Parenting Resources
      • Web Protection Guide
      • Parenting Conference Audio
    • Trinity Youth
      • Youth Ministry Blog Posts
    • Small Groups
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Small Groups Blog Posts
      • Accountability Resources
    • University Bus Ministry
      • Adopt-A-Student Ministry
    • Worship Ministry
      • Family Worship
      • Weekend Song List
    • Sunday Support
    • Evangelism
      • Evangelism Videos
    • King Alfred Academy
    • Homeschool Collective
      • New to Homeschooling
      • Resources
      • Planning Pages
  • Sermons
    • Latest Sermon
    • View All by Date
    • View by Series
    • View by Preachers
    • View by Topics
    • View by Scriptures
    • Subscribe to Our Podcast
  • Blogs
    • The Pastor’s Blog
    • Trinity Ministry Blog
  • Give
Trinity Bible Chapel