After opening this morning’s elementary chapel service with the national anthem, the Lord’s Prayer and the Land Acknowledgement, Chapel Team 1 launched into musical worship with an upbeat song called “My Lighthouse”. This song is about about God’s steadfast love, guidance, and protection through life’s “troubled seas” of trials and doubts.
Next, representatives from the Grade 3 classes announced that our upcoming Care & Share day on Wednesday, April 29th, will aid the RISE Support Centre. This organization provides love and care for pregnant women and new mothers as well as counselling for those who suffered the loss of a child. In addition to a small monetary donation for the centre, students will be asked to make Mother’s Day cards that will be distributed to some of the centre’s clients.
Before leading the students in a second song called “This I Believe (The Creed)”, the Chapel Leaders reviewed the six pieces of the Armour of God.
Then, dressed in knightly attire and arriving to the sound of royal trumpets, Mrs. V as “Sir Learns -a-lot” galloped to the front of the gym to conduct more review of this year’s theme, specifically, the sub-theme, Armour Up with Truth. Mrs. V gave a pop quiz on the lessons from the Armour Up with Truth theme. It included asking about the piece of armour (The Belt of Truth), the Bible story (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace), the science experiment (Invisible Fire Extinguisher), as well as the lessons associated with the sub-theme.
After the review, the Chapel Leaders continued with musical worship and the song “How Great Is Our God”. This anthem celebrates the majesty, power, and unmatched greatness of God.
Our guest speaker today was Pastor Jeremiah, who recapped our Armour Up with Truth theme. He started with sharing John 14:6 which states, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” Pastor Jeremiah explained that since Jesus is the truth, we are actually armouring up with Jesus when we put on the belt of truth! He also pointed out that a belt is critical in holding things up for any soldier (such as pants or a sheath for one’s sword). He also spent some time reviewing the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into a fiery furnace because of their refusal to bow down to the king’s golden statue. Pastor Jeremiah emphasized how the three knew God’s word and the truth. They understood that it was greater than the danger from the fire. As a result, God was with them and protected them. When the men were released from the fiery furnace unharmed, the king recognized that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s God was the one true God and announced it throughout his kingdom. Pastor Jeremiah also mentioned the invisible fire extinguisher experiment and how “stored up truth” always extinguishes fear and doubt. To conclude, Pastor Jeremiah shared the following four ways to armour up with truth.
- STUDY and memorize the Word of God – You cannot use it if you do not know it.
- DO what you study – Live out the truth, just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. How you live will impact others around you.
- TRUST – let your faith be your shield against fear and doubt. Truth is stronger than the feelings that you may be having.
- SHARE the Good News – God created each of us differently but we all need the truth – we all need God.
Before leaving the front of the gym, Pastor Jeremiah encouraged the students to put on the belt of truth just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were able to shine the truth of God to the king, who declared it to his entire kingdom. Pastor Jeremiah also encouraged them to STUDY, DO, TRUST and SHARE the Good News as well.
To wrap up, Chapel Team 1 led the reading of the benediction. Students were then dismissed to start their academic day.