Hello DBC Family,
It is so crazy that the end of June is almost upon us. It seems like only yesterday that it was March. And sometimes it seems like it was years ago that it was March. Time is a very strange phenomena. There are moments when days pass by quickly and we don’t think about it. But there are MANY times that days move so dreadfully slow that we think about everything that is bad in our lives. Grief, sadness, pain, loss, and many other things compound. These things tend to knock our eyes off of God and we lose heart. Because we are humans living on this earth for a time, it is a battle to Keep the Faith. But the awesome thing is that God is still in control and has a plan, even when it seems like life is tumbling all around us.

For online worship this Sunday, I have uploaded my message titled "Keep the Faith” and it is found in Exodus 32. Jared’s Communion message is about character during trials. These videos have been uploaded to RightNow, Vimeo and our webpage.

As always, we think about you continuously and pray for you.
Ivan

Order of Service at the Chapel:
Welcome and Prayer: Ivan
Song: O Worship the King
Song: O The Blood

Communion: Jared
Song: Hosanna
Song: Draw Me Close
Song: Majesty

Message: Keep the Faith
Song: The Blessing

Hello DBC Family,
Tomorrow, we will be hearing from leader of United Campus Ministry in Fairbanks. I hope that you will be able to join us. Because I am not preaching, we will NOT have a message or Communion uploaded tonight. I will record the Communion and the Message and will upload those to our website and Vimeo by around 2pm Sunday. If you do not feel that you can come into the Chapel, we will have the FM Transmitter on FM 105.3. If you do this, we would be glad to bring Communion elements out to you so you can partake with us (please let one of us elders know). 

Last week we had over 60 able to fellowship in-person at the Chapel! I want to thank you all for being considerate and loving to your brothers and sisters in regards to masks. It is this mutual love and concern that will define us as Christ’s followers. Again, as elders we ask you to wear masks in the common areas and to your seats and if you want to keep them on, to sit on the Right side and if you want to take them off, to sit on the Left side. We have placed the Communion cups more centrally in the middle.

God-willing, I will see you soon,
Ivan

Dear DBC family,
This week has once again seemed to throw many things in our way that the enemy is trying to use to avert our eyes from Jesus. Way more riots and protests, angst and frustration, loss and sadness. It seems that the world around is in pain. And Satan would like to bring us to our knees too - not in prayer to God, but asking for him to stop. It’s just a tactic because he is not in control. Only the Creator, the One Who controlled the winds and the rains and the ones that calms the storms in our hearts is in charge. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, He was the greatest example because throughout His earthly life, He kept His eyes on the Father. 

I’m praying for you.
Ivan

Hello DBC Family,
I hope that you will be able to worship together with us, whether it’s in person, in parking lot, or in home. We will be meeting at the Chapel for worship at 10:30 for those that want to worship in person. If you would like to come and worship, but would prefer distance, we will be broadcasting the service on FM 105.3 so that you can listen from your car. If you do this, we would be glad to bring Communion elements out to you so you can partake with us (please let one of us elders know). For those that are at home, I have uploaded a Communion message from Jared and a message from me. These are on Vimeo, our website and also RightNow Media. On RightNow Media, there is a link to a video from the Sea of Galilee, as well as a video for the kids of Jesus walking on the water.
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Lord-willing see you soon!
Ivan

Order of Service at the Chapel:
Welcome and Prayer: Ivan
Song: The Name of the Lord
Song: I Stand in Awe

Communion: Jared
Song: Great is the Lord
Song: Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
Song: God is So Good

Message: Eyes on Jesus
Song: The Blessing

To those that call DBC their local church home,

Yesterday, I let you know about this Sunday’s upcoming worship plans. Today, I would like to let you know how this will operationally look. There are 3 distinct viewpoints regarding masks in our church body. One side feels that the coronavirus has been blown out of proportion and is being used to take away freedoms. On the opposite side are those that feel that the coronavirus is one of the most widespread epidemics of their time and absolutely unpredictable. In the middle are those that are unsure what to even think, let alone know how to respond. One thing that is the same about all of us - we bleed red blood. We are all the same in Christ: Fairbanksans/North Poleans, Wealthy/Not-Wealthy, Happy/Sad, Worried/Carefree, Mask-Wearers/No-Mask-Wearers. And Christ has brought us all together. Sadly, as more time has passed during this strange period, it appears that the Coronavirus and all of its ilk is being used to divide us as the Body of believers. We cannot allow Satan to have the upper hand. That would be either given up or giving into fear, and neither of those are Godly reactions. These truth remain, God wants us to be 1) known because of our love and 2) to live united together. 

I’m saying all of this because there will be many different opinions on how we will operationally run in-person church. We have those that must stay healthy for their jobs, others that must stay healthy to ward off cancer, and others that are in the higher risk group and want to heed medical advice. We realize that decisions are most-likely not built on fear, but on being well-informed, and we all will respect that. That being said, the elders will open the chapel up for those that want to wear masks and those that do not want to wear masks. In order to accommodate both groups, we are asking for everyone that comes to worship in-person to wear masks into the Chapel and then all the way to their seats. Those that want to wear masks for the service will sit on the Right side of the Sanctuary. Those that would like to not wear masks during the service will sit on the Left side of the Sanctuary. There will be a 5m (15ft) area in between the 2 sides, as that is the distance droplets can fly in a light breeze. When you need to leave your seat, we ask that you put on your mask and wear it until you are either seated again or leave the Chapel. Mask-wearing does not apply to children 5 and under, as they are the least vulnerable and least able to keep masks on, nor does it apply to those that have medical issues.

Please understand that we are not forcing you to go against your conscience or even feelings. We are providing what we believe is an acceptable balance between optional mask wearing and providing a safe place for those that need to be safe from potential infection. For those that choose not to worship in-person, we are still offering the parking lot service on radio station FM 105.3 and will be uploading Communion and the message online to our Vimeo account and website. Our earnest desire is for you to have the tools to worship God wherever you are and with whatever you are wearing and to do it with all your might.

Lord-willing see you Sunday,
Ivan

Dear DBC family,
Our nation is hurting. We hurt because of injustice. We hurt because of poor decisions. We hurt because of pent-up emotions. We hurt because of a lack of patience. We hurt because Jesus is the only answer and people don’t see it. And God is relying on you and me to show the world HOW He is the answer. We are not citizens of this world, and yet God has us as His missionaries for just such a time as this to THIS world. How is He wanting to use you to reach the people that He has brought into your path? Even if you can’t get out of the house or are limited in what you do, you can still do much for God.

One thing I know that we can do to help the world heal is to respond with grace and mercy to anger and hurt. For the past few days, I have been thinking about a Gentle Answer that turns away anger and I recorded a thought. It is extremely hard to return good for something that is meant for harm, but God calls us to it. And God calls us to not live in fear either. Over the past 2 weeks, and even longer, God has been having us talk about fear and about how we can rely on Him. Sometimes when we are in the heat of a problem or a pandemic or a sickness or anything, we tend to take our eyes off of Christ and start sinking back under the water of worries. I read an excellent book by John Piper called Christ and the Coronavirus. It really gives some concrete answers about the solid foundation that is our Savior and how He helps us to conquer fear. It is free, not only in ebook format, but also audiobook and can be found here.

This past Sunday our in-person worship seemed to go well, even though it was a little different with masks and spaced rows. Still, we were worshiping our Lord and Savior together. There were over 40 in-person and there were several others that were able to listen from the parking lot. The elders have been reevaluating the service, just as we said that we would, and we would like to make a change regarding masks. After much prayer and seeking God and godly counsel, and finding out that the Fairbanks Northstar Borough has not had any new cases for almost a month (article), we as elders are making masks optional for in-person worship at DBC. We realize that this might cause some who would attend if masks were worn, to not come. And there will be some who feel that they now can come because masks will not be worn, who will attend. Regardless of what your brother and sister in Christ decide, we must - and I mean MUST - treat them with love and respect and not look down on their decision. This means not looking at those without masks as reckless and not looking at those with masks as fearful. What God wants is for us to be united before Him, loving to each other, and have our eyes firmly planted on Him.

Ivan