Connect Ignite Inspire Transform - Gracepoint Community Church
Connect Ignite Inspire Transform - Gracepoint Community Church
Connect Ignite Inspire Transform - Gracepoint Community Church
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<strong>Connect</strong><br />
␣ <strong>Ignite</strong> ␣␣␣␣␣␣<br />
␣ ␣ <strong>Inspire</strong> ␣␣␣␣␣<br />
␣ ␣ ␣ <strong>Transform</strong>␣<br />
THE ROAD AHEAD<br />
PG 5<br />
A GRACEPOINT TOP 5<br />
PG 6<br />
I KEEP HAVING THIS DREAM<br />
PG 7<br />
ULTIMATE TREASURE HUNT<br />
PG 9<br />
Page 1
INSIDE THIS ISSUE<br />
3-4 Our Staff<br />
5 The Road Ahead—by Bill Hogg<br />
6 A <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Top 5 - by Phil Wagler<br />
7 I Keep Having This Dream - by Gregg Baker<br />
7 <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Worship Arts Dessert Night<br />
8 <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Worship Arts training Camp—Music Edition?<br />
9 Ultimate Treasure Hunt - by Andrea York<br />
11-16 Kid’s Unlimited<br />
17 Student Ministries<br />
18 Ascent (Young Adults Ministries)<br />
19 Men’s Ministry/Adults Unlimited/Life Groups<br />
20 <strong>Community</strong> Dinner/Recipes by Marie<br />
21 FUEL/G610 Offering/Newcomers Dessert/Ladies Book Club/Strengths Finder<br />
23-24 Window on the World<br />
25 Services Times and Locations<br />
26 February Calendars<br />
Page 2
The <strong>Connect</strong>ion Point<br />
serves a purpose within the <strong>Gracepoint</strong> <strong>Community</strong>:<br />
To CONNECT \kə-ˈnekt\ 1 : to become joined ... 2 a : to meet for the<br />
transference of [fellow travellers] b : to transfer ... as a step in traveling to a final destination 3 : to make a successful hit, shot, or throw 4 : to have or establish a rapport 5 : to establish a communications connection <br />
To IGNITE \ig-ˈnīt\ 1 : to subject to fire or intense heat; especially : to render luminous by heat<br />
2 a : to set afire; also : KINDLE b : to cause (a [heart or passion]) to burn 3 a : to heat up : EXCITE b : to set in motion : SPARK <br />
To INSPIRE \in-ˈspī(-ə)r\ 1 a : to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration b : to exert an animating,<br />
enlivening, or exalting influence on c : to spur on : IMPEL, MOTIVATE<br />
d : AFFECT 2<br />
a archaic : to breathe or blow into or upon b archaic : to infuse (as life) by breathing 3 a : to communicate to an agent supernaturally b : to draw forth or bring out <br />
4 : INHALE 1 5 a : BRING ABOUT, OCCASION b :<br />
INCITE 6 : to spread ([good] rumours) by indirect means or through the agency of the <strong>Connect</strong>ion Point.<br />
To TRANSFORM \tran(t)s- fȯrm\ 1 a : to change in composition or structure b : to change the inner essence and<br />
therefore outward appearance of c : to radically change in character or condition as to what one cares deeply about :<br />
CONVERT 2 : to subject to mathematical transformation <br />
3 : to cause (a [person]) to undergo a total transformation [of the heart and mind].<br />
OUR<br />
STAFF<br />
W elcome to <strong>Gracepoint</strong> – a church for people who have given up on church but haven't given up<br />
on God. Or, to put it more simply, a church for people who don't like church.<br />
Don't get us wrong – personally, we love church. We are the <strong>Church</strong> – the body of Christ. But let's face<br />
it – sometimes "church," with all its religiosity, legalism and sheer irrelevance, can leave people with a<br />
bad taste in their mouths. We want to change that by introducing them to church as it was meant to<br />
be: Grace-filled. Authentic. <strong>Transform</strong>ing. Externally-focused. These are our core values and what we work toward becoming<br />
every day with the help of God and each other.<br />
BILL HOGG<br />
bill@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 208<br />
OUR LEAD PASTOR<br />
I was born in Scotland and enjoyed a<br />
transatlantic boyhood because of my Dad’s<br />
work. I have been a construction worker,<br />
movie extra, talk show host, evangelist and<br />
adjunct professor. I have picked up<br />
Bachelors degrees in Industrial Engineering<br />
and Theology, and a Masters in Evangelism<br />
Studies. I hope to finish my doctorate in<br />
2010. (So much packed into such a young<br />
life!) I am navigating my fourth culture and<br />
loving life in beautiful B.C.<br />
It is a great joy to be part of <strong>Gracepoint</strong><br />
and to lead the staff team. I am excited<br />
about what God has in store for us as we<br />
journey together with Jesus.<br />
I am passionate about us becoming and being a church for those who<br />
have given up on church and connecting with those farthest from<br />
Christ. I want to see those who are “found” experiencing Jesus in the<br />
fullness of His grace, power and healing and being equipped and<br />
released as agents of transformation. I love preaching the gospel and<br />
expounding the Scriptures.<br />
I enjoy strong Starbucks coffee, movies, browsing in bookstores,<br />
watching Manchester United, barbecues and dabbling in the kitchen on<br />
vacation.<br />
PHIL WAGLER<br />
phil@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 209<br />
OUR SENIOR<br />
ASSOCIATE PASTOR<br />
I am an only child born in Ontario and<br />
was rescued by Jesus in my late<br />
teens. Together with my wife Jen we<br />
have served God’s Kingdom in different<br />
parts of the world and in Alberta,<br />
Ontario, and of course beautiful British<br />
Columbia.<br />
I have been a youth pastor, solo pastor,<br />
lead pastor, college dean, para-church<br />
servant, as well as working on dairy<br />
farms, lawn maintenance, hardware,<br />
and even dabbled in radio (and not just<br />
turning the dial!). My family joined the<br />
<strong>Gracepoint</strong> family in 2010.<br />
Jen and I are the proud parents of Caleb, Benjamin, Jessie,<br />
Sadie, and Micah and we all enjoy our pooch, Molly. I love<br />
spending time with my wife and kids, hiking, and sports (pretty<br />
much everything, but mostly hockey, baseball, football and the<br />
other football - i.e. soccer). I’m an avid reader and student of<br />
culture and am passionate about inspiring the church to be on<br />
mission with God for the transformation of our cities, towns,<br />
and side roads. I am also an author of regular columns, a book,<br />
and a lot of scribble notes.<br />
Page 3
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF<br />
OUR<br />
STAFF<br />
DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT<br />
CHILDREN’S ADMINISTRATOR<br />
WORSHIP ARTS ADMINISTRATOR<br />
Lisa Carpenter<br />
lisa@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 204<br />
Maxine Urena<br />
maxine@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 200<br />
Loree Mitton<br />
loree@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex 203<br />
Connie Plett<br />
connie@gracepoint.ca<br />
604-727-2211<br />
WORSHIP ARTS<br />
WORSHIP ARTS<br />
& YOUNG ADULTS<br />
STUDENT MINISTRY<br />
KEVIN SNYDER<br />
kevin@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 202<br />
KIDS UNLIMITED STAFF<br />
LEAD CHILDREN’S PASTOR<br />
EARLY CHILDHOOD PASTOR<br />
SMALL GROUP COORDINATOR<br />
ELEMENTARY DIRECTOR<br />
PASTOR OF TECHNICAL ARTS<br />
CREATIVE PROGRAMMING<br />
DIRECTOR/MUSIC PASTOR<br />
(BELL CAMPUS)<br />
YOUNG ADULTS PASTOR/<br />
MUSIC PASTOR<br />
(SURREY SOUTH CAMPUS)<br />
STUDENT MINISTRIES PASTOR<br />
Randy Plett<br />
randy@gracepoint.ca<br />
604-809-4050<br />
Gregg Baker<br />
gregg@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 214<br />
JEREMY PUE<br />
jeremy@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 215<br />
Beth McGill<br />
beth@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex 206<br />
Michelle Rakotonaivo<br />
michelle@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex 207<br />
Naomi Hogg<br />
naomi@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 212<br />
Carrie Craddock<br />
carrie@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex 210<br />
Page 4
THE ROAD AHEAD<br />
T<br />
his new year of ministry at<br />
<strong>Gracepoint</strong> presents us with<br />
many wonderful opportunities. We<br />
have seen God at work already in<br />
different ways: amongst the 56 men<br />
who gathered at Timberline Ranch,<br />
amongst the 130 plus who<br />
participated in our Walk Thru’ The<br />
Bible Seminar. It has been deeply<br />
encouraging to see the hunger for God<br />
and His Word expressed in those<br />
venues. It has been marvellous to see<br />
people make first time faith<br />
commitments to Jesus and the<br />
response to the call to leave it all on<br />
the field for Jesus at the kick off of our<br />
“Get In The Game” sermon series.<br />
I believe 2011 is a pivotal and strategic<br />
year for us. We are making strategic<br />
changes at <strong>Gracepoint</strong>, with an eye to<br />
the future and cognisant of the need<br />
to serve the needs of our communities<br />
in the here and now.<br />
Jesus has given us his marching orders,<br />
he has called <strong>Gracepoint</strong> to “Mentor,<br />
multiply and move people to follow<br />
Jesus Christ for His mission”. As we<br />
follow Jesus and get on board his<br />
mission this involves grappling with<br />
our multi-site reality, strengthening<br />
<strong>Gracepoint</strong> and positioning the church<br />
for growth.<br />
We plan to add two new members to<br />
our staff team. Our search team has<br />
reconvened and is prayerfully pursuing<br />
the appointment of two Campus<br />
Pastors. We are working prayerfully<br />
and diligently to hire both a Bell<br />
Campus Pastor and a Surrey South<br />
Campus Pastor to bring shepherding<br />
oversight to those who gather, worship<br />
and serve at these respective locations.<br />
Please stand with us in prayer as we<br />
move towards these key appointments.<br />
Currently, ministries are being<br />
restructured to bring greater alignment<br />
with our multi-site reality and the mission<br />
God has given us. Worship Arts has led<br />
the way in campus specific ministry. Our<br />
Creative Programming Director, Gregg<br />
Baker serves as the Bell Campus Music<br />
pastor and Jeremy Pue brings campus<br />
specific music ministry leadership to the<br />
Surrey South Campus. We are prayerfully<br />
exploring how we can have distributed<br />
ministry and campus specific leadership<br />
for our ministry amongst students.<br />
At the same time, we are retooling our<br />
children’s ministry to be more effective<br />
and campus focussed. This means<br />
repositioning childrens’ staff around<br />
campus specific leadership and<br />
curriculum development.<br />
As we navigate change, retool and<br />
consolidate ministry in the days ahead<br />
we will keep you posted. We greatly<br />
value your prayers as we pursue Jesus on<br />
his mission in 2011.<br />
May God richly bless you and make you a<br />
blessing,<br />
Bill Hogg<br />
bill@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 208<br />
Page 5
A GRACEPOINT TOP 5<br />
M<br />
usic has its Top 40. David<br />
Letterman has his Top 10.<br />
And now, <strong>Gracepoint</strong> has its Top 5!<br />
As a relative newcomer – we only<br />
joined the <strong>Gracepoint</strong> family in<br />
September 2010 – I still look at our<br />
church with fresh eyes.<br />
Such<br />
perspective can catch glimpses of<br />
what we lose sight of when time<br />
breeds familiarity.<br />
So, before the<br />
beauty becomes too common, here<br />
are, in no particular order and with<br />
all sincerity, the Top 5 things I love<br />
about being part of the <strong>Gracepoint</strong><br />
family:<br />
1. Cinnamon Buns.<br />
I know it sounds a little cheeky<br />
and rather trite, but any body of<br />
believers that makes cinnamon<br />
buns an integral part of the<br />
communion of the saints is<br />
alright with me. I don’t mean to<br />
over-spiritualize baking, but they<br />
really are sweet nectar from<br />
heaven and I love the way people<br />
look for these sweet treats as<br />
part of their experience of the<br />
church gathered.<br />
They add an<br />
expectation to every Sunday<br />
morning that is a metaphor of<br />
what we look forward to in being<br />
together to praise God and grow<br />
in our walk with Christ. It is true<br />
that every good and perfect gift<br />
comes from the Father above –<br />
including sticky buns.<br />
2. Great Tunes. When we<br />
gather we are led by amazing<br />
musicians.<br />
Great music drills<br />
deep the poetry of the soul and<br />
causes us to sing the truths of<br />
Scripture. It’s easy to take for<br />
granted how well we are led<br />
when it is the “normal” we are<br />
used to, but we dare not do that.<br />
God has blessed us with amazing<br />
teams of people who are lead<br />
worshippers in song…throw your<br />
heart into praise with them!<br />
3. Multiple Campuses.<br />
I am struck by the beauty and<br />
diversity of our campuses and see<br />
it as God’s way of preparing and<br />
shaping us to be a people with the<br />
freedom and creativity to reach the<br />
diversity of Surrey and beyond.<br />
Our multiple campuses discipline<br />
us to think about our city with<br />
bigger vision; to see Surrey as God<br />
sees it and not just how we do.<br />
This has challenges, no doubt, and<br />
will continue to call us to<br />
adjustments, but our multi-site<br />
reality is a great gift.<br />
4. Come As You Are.<br />
This is a church that knows how to<br />
welcome and make space for<br />
people of all sorts, kinds, and<br />
histories. The power of this type of<br />
embrace cannot be overstated.<br />
Each week I see people welcomed<br />
without question. I have never<br />
heard one disparaging comment<br />
about anyone who comes among<br />
us. That’s not to say we’re perfect,<br />
but it does say a lot about how we<br />
understand the heart of God for<br />
people on a journey. This is an<br />
enormous strength and the<br />
embodiment of the love of God<br />
that welcomes prodigals – which<br />
we have all been in some way.<br />
5. Grace Is The Point.<br />
This band of Jesus-followers is aptly<br />
named. Grace is truly the point<br />
Page 6<br />
around here. All of us come to the<br />
table as sinners and eat the bread<br />
and drink the wine of a new<br />
covenant whereby sins are<br />
forgiven and a new hope for the<br />
future is born. I have heard the<br />
stories of how grace has<br />
transformed members of our staff<br />
– what a great place of wonder,<br />
humility and thanksgiving they<br />
lead from as a result. I also hear<br />
this same theme echoed over and<br />
over again as I come to know<br />
people’s stories: God’s grace has<br />
claimed us and amazed us and that<br />
is the point we long to share and<br />
demonstrate in our community<br />
and shout to the ends of the earth.<br />
What are the Top 5 things you love<br />
about <strong>Gracepoint</strong>? I’d love to hear<br />
them. In fact, I’d love to print of a few<br />
of your lists in a future <strong>Connect</strong>ion<br />
Point. So, jot down your Top 5, send<br />
it on (phil@gracepoint.ca), and look<br />
for more <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Top 5’s from me<br />
in the future.<br />
Phil Wagler<br />
phil@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 209
I KEEP HAVING THIS DREAM<br />
I<br />
t starts out where I am transported back to my old junior<br />
high school, Cloverdale Junior Secondary, and I am dressed<br />
in nothing but my Fruit of the Looms …<br />
No, I’m just kidding. It’s nothing like that at all—<br />
it’s a dream of an entirely different sort. It’s my God-inspired,<br />
agitating, soul-stirring BHAG for 2011.<br />
If you’ve never heard of a BHAG before that’s okay,<br />
I hadn’t either. It stands for<br />
“BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL”<br />
and I’ve got one.<br />
If you go to <strong>Gracepoint</strong>’s website, click the Plug In tab → and<br />
then click on Worship Arts, it says: “We want to provide an<br />
encouraging environment where artists can thrive and find<br />
plenty of opportunities to share the truth of Jesus through<br />
their creativity, whether at our worship gatherings or in their<br />
community.”<br />
So, in the past few years, the seeds of<br />
expanding <strong>Gracepoint</strong>’s Worship Arts department beyond<br />
simply musical worship have been well planted, we have even<br />
enjoyed the delicious fruit of a few precious interdisciplinary<br />
harvests and now—in in this season—I am standing firm in<br />
the belief that this year’s crop has the potential to bring glory<br />
to God and bless His people on a whole new level! That’s<br />
where you enter my dream. Weird hey?<br />
For a church of this size, I have to believe there are yet more<br />
than a few individuals who are hiding or burying their artistic<br />
talents. Also, I believe that we have not yet realised or<br />
communicated the full scope of what the “worship arts”<br />
could include and, as a result, there may be people in the<br />
church who don’t even realise that their skills and talent<br />
might be valuable in this creative and nebulous area.<br />
So here’s the plan: You’re all invited...everyone at <strong>Gracepoint</strong><br />
who has any interest in the arts whatsoever to attend an<br />
event on FEBRUAY 20TH from 7:00 to 9:00pm. There, we<br />
will enjoy irresistible desserts (as well as questionable church<br />
coffee), share some of the history of <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Worship Arts<br />
(GpWA), and our burgeoning vision for the advancement of<br />
the arts at <strong>Gracepoint</strong> as a powerful vehicle for expressing<br />
worship to our creative and worthy God, while at the same<br />
time carrying the potential to be an agent of transformational<br />
experience for seekers.<br />
Come and be informed, inspired and maybe even surprised to<br />
find out that you may possess the unexpected requisite skills<br />
to become part of this BHAG<br />
Gregg Baker<br />
gregg@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 214<br />
GRACEPOINT WORSHIP ARTS<br />
DESSERT NIGHT<br />
You’re all invited… everyone at <strong>Gracepoint</strong> who<br />
has any interest in the arts whatsoever to attend a<br />
special event on February 20 th from 7 to 9pm.<br />
Come enjoy some great dessert, learn some of the<br />
history of <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Worship Arts (GpWA), and<br />
share in our vision for the future advancement of<br />
the arts at <strong>Gracepoint</strong>. Please register for this<br />
event by emailing reception@gracepoint.ca<br />
Page 7
<strong>Gracepoint</strong> Worship Arts<br />
ARE YOU READY FOR GpWA<br />
TRAINING CAMP – MUSIC EDITION?<br />
Beginning on February 6, 2011 we will be<br />
opening the doors of the GpWA music rehearsal<br />
studio on the 1 st and 3 rd Sunday of every month to<br />
aspiring and developing musicians and vocalists<br />
who would like to have the space to train to<br />
become part of the <strong>Gracepoint</strong> team of musical<br />
worshippers. Training sessions will be from 2-4 pm<br />
and will be held in the rehearsal studio at the<br />
Surrey South Campus.<br />
The rehearsal space is located downstairs, directly across from the<br />
side entrance/exit to Studio A. If you feel like God is calling you<br />
into this area of ministry and you have been praying for the<br />
opportunity and support to explore and express yourself<br />
musically, this is your chance! To register for a training session<br />
date or multiple dates, or if you simply have questions about the<br />
Page 8
ULTIMATE TREASURE HUNT<br />
T<br />
reasure hunting. Children love it,<br />
pirates are romanticized because of<br />
it and A&E cable network has a television<br />
show about it.<br />
I admit that I love<br />
treasure hunting too. A few years ago, a<br />
friend introduced me to geocaching.<br />
Geocaching is a world-wide treasure<br />
hunt; with only a handheld GPS, some<br />
coordinates and a few clues anybody can<br />
participate. I used to take my son with<br />
me; we saw some amazing secret places<br />
together in search of our treasure and<br />
even now, he sometimes looks around<br />
the woods to find treasure that might be<br />
hidden.<br />
Recently I’ve discovered a different kind<br />
of treasure hunt: The Ultimate Treasure<br />
Hunt by Kevin Dedmon.<br />
In his book,<br />
Kevin describes the parable of the lost<br />
coin (Luke 15) in<br />
which a woman lost a<br />
coin and searches<br />
carefully until she<br />
finds it. Upon finding<br />
the lost coin she<br />
rejoices with her<br />
neighbours (community). The coin is her<br />
treasure and the story reminds us that<br />
God rejoices when lost treasure is found.<br />
The parable likens people to lost<br />
treasure.<br />
If people are lost and God wants to find<br />
them, how can he reach down to find<br />
them except to use those willing to<br />
participate in the Ultimate Treasure<br />
Hunt?<br />
In the last issue of <strong>Connect</strong>ion<br />
Point, I posed a question to myself and<br />
other <strong>Gracepoint</strong>ers, asking what it<br />
would look like to spread God’s love in<br />
Surrey. Since then, I’ve discovered that<br />
treasure hunting is a piece of the puzzle;<br />
and it’s fun, to boot.<br />
For a long time, I approached<br />
evangelism in the same old way – meet<br />
a pre-Christian, become friendly, wait<br />
for an opportunity to share the Gospel in<br />
a relevant but<br />
n o n -<br />
t h r e a t e n i n g<br />
way and then<br />
hope<br />
whomever<br />
that<br />
w a s<br />
“evangelizing”<br />
w o u l d<br />
u n d e r s t a n d<br />
their part and<br />
I<br />
pray the sinner’s prayer, be grateful that<br />
now they are saved, and I could move on<br />
to someone else. Treasure hunting is<br />
different; it’s exciting and relevant in a<br />
I will give you the treasures of the<br />
darkness, riches stored in secret<br />
places so that you may know that I<br />
am the LORD, the God of Israel, who<br />
summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3<br />
way that meets<br />
s o m e o n e ’ s<br />
need<br />
right<br />
there in the<br />
moment.<br />
I conducted my<br />
first<br />
treasure<br />
hunt a couple of months ago. I was with<br />
2 other women; some of our clues (over<br />
3 different maps) included Chocolate<br />
Shoppe, red hair, glasses, sinus infection,<br />
brown jacket, left side, foil-wrapped<br />
candy (we had other clues that didn’t<br />
lead to treasure also). My son refers to<br />
the toy store down the street as the<br />
candy store where he buys foil-wrapped<br />
candy, so I suggested we try there first.<br />
When we arrived in the store there was<br />
only one customer.<br />
And, guess what?<br />
She had red hair, glasses, wearing a<br />
brown jacket and was on the left side of<br />
the store.<br />
By Andrea York<br />
We couldn’t believe it! We found<br />
treasure. We were so excited. But<br />
then all of a sudden fear filled me. Now<br />
what? I was ready to call it quits and<br />
say, “Thanks God<br />
for the thrill, but I<br />
didn’t actually<br />
think we’d find<br />
treasure and now<br />
I’m scared and<br />
want to go<br />
h o m e . ”<br />
Thankfully, that<br />
wasn’t what we<br />
did. I was<br />
nominated to approach the woman. I<br />
started out by saying, “This is weird, but<br />
we’re on a treasure hunt and we think<br />
you are our treasure.” She was skeptical<br />
but intrigued and then we showed her<br />
our treasure maps. We asked if she had<br />
a sore right shoulder (it was one of our<br />
clues), but she replied no. I then asked<br />
her if she had a sinus infection. She said<br />
yes and that it was recurring. We asked<br />
if we could pray for her, which she<br />
allowed us to do. She wasn’t healed<br />
instantly but I’ve connected with her<br />
since and have confirmed that God did<br />
heal her of the sinus infection.<br />
This first hunt built faith in me and the<br />
women I was with. We couldn’t wait to<br />
do it again. We learned some things as<br />
well. We learned we edit God when he<br />
speaks. During the clue-gathering time,<br />
I heard, “left-side” but I didn’t write it<br />
down. Likewise, my friend heard,<br />
“brown jacket” and she didn’t write it<br />
down. Thankfully, the clues we had<br />
written down were enough to intrigue<br />
the treasure enough so that we could<br />
continue to engage her and ultimately<br />
minister to her.<br />
Page 9
We also fumbled the “closing”. It<br />
seemed and felt awkward because there<br />
was no offer for future contact. It would<br />
have been helpful to offer a business<br />
card with our contact information to<br />
give the “treasure” so they may connect<br />
if they desire to know more, be discipled<br />
or connected to a church. As it<br />
was our first attempt, we<br />
decided to live in the grace God<br />
offers. I’m certain he was<br />
delighted by our obedience and<br />
he loves perseverance.<br />
Intrigued yet?<br />
It’s simple. For best results, go<br />
with a group of 3 or 4 people. Christ<br />
promises that where two or three are<br />
gathered in his name, he is there also.<br />
It’s important that Jesus is present<br />
because when we find the treasure, we<br />
can tell them about Jesus, or we can<br />
introduce them to Jesus and give them a<br />
personal encounter with him. Guess<br />
which is more effective?<br />
Next, a treasure hunt needs clues. Since<br />
God knows where the treasure will be<br />
found, ask him for clues. To do this, we<br />
[silently] wait on God, ask him for clues,<br />
then listen and write down what we<br />
hear from him. Ask for clues involving<br />
location and description (names work<br />
well). It’s also helpful to ask God for<br />
specifics about the treasure that will<br />
grant favour while speaking with the<br />
treasure. These may be physical or<br />
emotional issues they are dealing with.<br />
Remember that the Lord is always kind.<br />
He will never give us a word of<br />
knowledge to be used to shame anyone;<br />
it is always to call out the gold in them.<br />
Finally, allow God to surprise you and to<br />
offer a clue you may not understand.<br />
Write it down anyway. When finished<br />
your clue-gathering, look at your paper<br />
– that is your map to the treasure.<br />
Discuss your findings with the others;<br />
often clues from other people will<br />
make up the “whole” clue – they might<br />
only make sense together.<br />
Once you have your map the<br />
next step is to start looking for<br />
treasure. Now, as a group,<br />
interpret the direction you are<br />
going and head off. Keep<br />
looking at the clues on your<br />
maps. When you find<br />
someone that might be your<br />
treasure take a chance and<br />
approach them. Start by<br />
saying something like, “This<br />
may seem weird to you, but my friends<br />
and I are on a treasure hunt and we<br />
think you might be our treasure.” Then<br />
show them the map with the clues.<br />
The more specific the clues, the more<br />
intrigued the treasure will be. As you<br />
gain acceptance ask them if anything<br />
else on the map applies to them.<br />
Perhaps they will highlight one of the<br />
unusual clues you didn’t understand.<br />
Once you’ve received favour to<br />
continue, tell them God has highlighted<br />
them and ask if you can pray for them.<br />
If they need healing for something in<br />
their life, ask God. Be confident that if<br />
God gave you the clues he will surely<br />
give you power in prayer.<br />
This might seem like a really hard to<br />
do, particularly if you’re an introvert.<br />
However, this is where faith is involved.<br />
What’s the worst-case scenario? The<br />
treasure you approach thinks you’re a<br />
little off your rocker, you pardon<br />
yourself, they walk away thinking “that<br />
was strange,” perhaps they tell their<br />
family about it over dinner and you<br />
never see them again. Big deal!<br />
Alternatively, the best-case scenario<br />
is the treasure experiences God’s<br />
presence and love! They allow you<br />
to pray, are surprised by joy, healed<br />
and go home to tell their family<br />
about their amazing experience.<br />
And, your faith increases because you<br />
stepped out in faith and God showed<br />
up. It’s a win-win. If you never try it,<br />
I guarantee you’ll never win.<br />
Not every treasure hunt is successful.<br />
In the parable of the lost coin, the<br />
woman looked many places before<br />
finding the treasure.<br />
Likewise, we<br />
may have to look long and hard<br />
without finding the treasure before<br />
we find what we’re looking for.<br />
Don’t give up; God is honored by the<br />
obedience.<br />
For more information about the<br />
Ultimate Treasure Hunt, consider<br />
reading Kevin Dedmon’s book. If you<br />
want to try it yourself and need a<br />
partner, I am willing to go treasure<br />
hunting with just about anyone.<br />
Contact me for more information or<br />
to plan a treasure hunt.<br />
Blessings,<br />
Andrea York<br />
a called servant<br />
Page 10
KIDS UNLIMITED MINISTRY (AGES 0<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
CURRICULUM<br />
EARLY CHILDHOOD (0-K)<br />
NURSERY (0-23 Months) is provided for babies & toddlers up to 2 years old.<br />
Children will be promoted automatically each month from Nursery to the Tadpool class when they turn 2 years old.<br />
Focus: My Family Loves Me<br />
“God gives us families.” (See Psalm 68:6)<br />
This month we will help your child:<br />
• To begin to associate God and Jesus with loving people at home and at church<br />
• Respond to demonstrations of affection<br />
For more activities to do with your child to continue the learning your child has<br />
experienced at church, check out the monthly Nursery Parent’s Home Page at<br />
the KU Info Table.<br />
TADPOOL—KERMIT (2-5 year olds):<br />
DiscipleLand Bible Curriculum: Disciples For Life<br />
The New Testament Series uses sequential Bible<br />
(AGES 0-GR 5)<br />
WE NEED EARLY CHILDHOOD<br />
volunteers for the 11:15am Service<br />
Nursery, 2-5yr. old teachers, helpers<br />
Please contact Beth McGill<br />
beth@gracpoint.ca<br />
stories to teach about Jesus’ life, message and purpose. Children will discover Jesus as a friend,<br />
experience His great love, His powerful messages, and amazing abilities. They will be introduced<br />
to many Bible stories and gain a basic understanding of the New Testament.<br />
Jesus Comes to Us<br />
In February, your preschoolers will continue to celebrate the time when God sent His special Son,<br />
to be with His people. They will rejoice that Jesus wants to be their very best Friend!<br />
Bible content: Luke 1-4<br />
Quarter Memory Verse: “God loves you so much that He gave His Son for you.” John 3:16<br />
ELEMENTARY (Gr.1-5)<br />
FROG SQUAD(Gr.1-3) & LEAP ZONE (Gr. 4-5)<br />
We are excited about our February curriculum for our Elementary kids. ‘TruStory’ is a new<br />
curriculum designed to reveal The Big God Story of God’s redemptive plan for elementary-age kids, allowing them to<br />
Anticipate, Celebrate, Respond, and be Blessed in an participatory environment. Best of all, TruStory begins in the<br />
home, equipping parents to be primary in spiritually nurturing their child through a pre-teaching resource called<br />
“Homefront Weekly.”<br />
February’s Memory Verse: “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His<br />
sight.” Ephesians 1:4<br />
Page 11
PARTNERING WITH PARENTS<br />
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES TO<br />
INSPIRE & EQUIP FAMILIES:<br />
FAMILY TIMES VIRTUE PACKS<br />
Family Times Virtue Packs are an<br />
effective monthly resource to help you &<br />
your kids rediscover family time. The<br />
packs also enhance the core virtues that<br />
the gr.1-5 learned about in Bible stories<br />
taught in KU. They include:<br />
• Morning Time note cards<br />
• Meal Time cards for family discussions<br />
• Drive Time CD loaded with fun for kids, music<br />
and practical parenting advice<br />
• Bed Time cards with Bible stories to share with<br />
your children<br />
Family Times is a simple plan designed to help<br />
parents transfer a spiritual legacy to their children.<br />
It is based on the Hebrew method of teaching<br />
children found in Deuteronomy:<br />
“These commandments that I give you today are to be<br />
upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk<br />
about them when you sit at home and when you walk<br />
along the road, when you lie down and when you get<br />
up.” Deuteronomy 6;6,7, NAS<br />
The virtue packs are available for purchase while supplies<br />
last at the KU Info Table in the lobby.<br />
$5 ea ~ Uniqueness ~ Joy<br />
BETH’S BOOK FAVOURITES<br />
The Divine Mentor<br />
by Wayne Codeiro<br />
This month’s practical ideas for nurturing children’s faith are available on the following pages.<br />
The Sabbath Rest of God: Restoring<br />
Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath,<br />
by Mark Buchanan<br />
Formational Children’s Ministry: Shepherding<br />
Children using: Story, Ritual and Relationship,<br />
My Life in France,<br />
by Julia Child<br />
The Tale of Three Kings,<br />
by Gene Edwards<br />
PARENT LINK MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: Children’s Edition<br />
As a Family, Mark Spiritual Milestones<br />
This month's topic is celebrating spiritual firsts, or faith milestones. These include occasions such as being baptized, receiving a<br />
first Bible, and transitioning to the preteen years. Such milestones help children know they're growing up as Christians. This<br />
month's newsletter describes how parents can use those special times to discuss and build their children's faith.<br />
Highlights of this new issue include:<br />
• Insights from Shift author Brian Haynes about having "faith talks".<br />
• Bible-based tips for pursuing spiritual training with your children.<br />
• Discussion questions to help children think about their own faith milestones.<br />
• Activities to help you celebrate your family's past and future.<br />
• Information and discussion questions about the new movie Gnomeo & Juliet and the new Christian album from worship leader<br />
Yancy Richmond.<br />
Thanks for your dedication to children and families-and for relying on The ParentLink for practical, faith-nurturing ideas.<br />
Stephanie Martin<br />
Editor, The ParentLink<br />
Page 12
FEBRUARY<br />
CELEBRATE SPIRITUAL<br />
MILESTONES<br />
Marking children’s physical “firsts,” such as first steps and first words, is an exciting<br />
and memorable part of parenting. Just as important, and just as worthy of<br />
celebration, are spiritual firsts, or faith milestones.<br />
These milestones, or rites, help children know they’re growing up as Christians and<br />
continually reconnecting to their faith family. Milestones also allow churches and<br />
parents to partner together to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus.<br />
Spiritual occasions that warrant family celebrations include:<br />
Baptism or Dedication—Because children are a gift from<br />
God, we “give” them back to God by committing their lives<br />
to him. By witnessing a baptism or dedication, fellow church<br />
members agree to partner with parents to help raise children<br />
in the Christian faith.<br />
Receiving a First Bible—When children receive God’s<br />
Word, it’s like their very own special love letter from God. He<br />
wants us to read the Bible and apply it to our lives. Making a<br />
“big deal” out of getting a Bible shows kids how important<br />
the book is to our faith and its growth.<br />
Transitioning to the Preteen Years—Leaving behind<br />
elementary school symbolizes that preteens are beginning to “own” their faith.<br />
Somewhere along their spiritual journey, they’ll decide whether to draw closer to<br />
God or reject him. The great thing is that God is always there, waiting for young<br />
people to find him. And he’s always there for parents, too, guiding us as we lead<br />
our children through faith milestones.<br />
GOOD INTENTIONS DON’T<br />
ALWAYS PAN OUT<br />
• In a Barna Group survey, 85% of parents said they believe they have the primary<br />
responsibility for teaching their children about religious beliefs and spiritual<br />
matters.<br />
• But in another Barna study, fewer than 10% of parents who regularly attend<br />
church have consistent family time with God.<br />
ASK GOD:<br />
1. To help your family focus on<br />
Jesus’ birth this Christmas.<br />
2. To reduce your emphasis on<br />
buying and receiving.<br />
3. To help your children treasure<br />
God, not earthly things.<br />
PARENTING INSIGHTS<br />
In Shift (Group), Brian Haynes<br />
discusses the value of at-home “Faith<br />
Talks” for leading kids spiritually:<br />
1. Faith Talks should occur regularly<br />
and be age-appropriate. Each<br />
week, set aside time to focus on<br />
biblical truth in a relational way.<br />
2. Faith Talks should focus on God’s<br />
Word. Read the Bible together,<br />
celebrate it, and adjust your lives<br />
accordingly.<br />
3. Faith Talks don’t have to be<br />
difficult or formal. Make them fun;<br />
for example, go outside on a hot<br />
day and compare standing in the<br />
sun and shade. Then read and<br />
discuss Psalm 121:5.<br />
4. Faith Talks are a priority. They<br />
shouldn’t depend on children’s<br />
choices or attitudes. God instructs<br />
parents to be intentional about<br />
leading their children spiritually.<br />
Page 13
OpenThe<br />
TheBook<br />
“Train yourself to be godly. For<br />
physical training is of some value, but<br />
godliness has value for all things,<br />
holding promise for both the present<br />
life and the life to come.”<br />
1 Timothy 4:7-8<br />
The apostle Paul reminds Timothy—<br />
and parents—that a strong<br />
relationship with God should be our<br />
ultimate goal.<br />
T EACHABLE<br />
MOMENTS<br />
1. Celebrate Baptisms—After seeing a<br />
baptism, talk to your children about<br />
their own baptisms—or their desire<br />
to be baptized. Tell them God<br />
washes away our sins. As a family,<br />
make handmade cards for newly<br />
baptized people.<br />
2. Make the Bible Relevant—Show<br />
children how God’s Word applies to<br />
their lives. Talk about biblical<br />
heroes and how they both stumbled<br />
and grew in faith. Tie Bible verses<br />
into kids’ interests, from music or<br />
poetry to travel or adventure.<br />
3. Model Lifelong Learning—Preteens<br />
often feel as if they’ve outgrown<br />
Sunday school. Provide ageappropriate<br />
Bibles and devotionals<br />
for preteens who are forming their<br />
identity in Christ. Also help them<br />
anticipate the future rather than be<br />
anxious about it.<br />
“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to<br />
these words of mine. Tie them to your hands<br />
and wear them on your forehead as<br />
reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk<br />
about them when you are at home and when<br />
you are ON THE ROAD, when you are going to<br />
bed and when you are getting up.”<br />
Deuteronomy 11:18-19, NLT<br />
Get your children thinking about their own faith milestones by asking these<br />
discussion-starter questions:<br />
1. What times or events in your walk with God stand out the most to you,<br />
and why?<br />
2. As you grow up as a Christian, what occasions would you like to celebrate,<br />
and how?<br />
3. In what ways has your faith changed since you were younger?<br />
4. What can I do to help your faith grow even stronger?<br />
FAMILY EXPERIENCE:<br />
JOURNEYS WITH JESUS<br />
Use these activities to celebrate your family’s past and future.<br />
• Family Timelines—You’ll need a 6-foot piece of butcher paper, markers,<br />
masking tape, and a Bible. Tape the butcher paper to a wall. Together,<br />
create a timeline of your family’s journey with God using words, drawings,<br />
and Bible verses. Include marriages, birthdays, and milestones, such as<br />
when a child entered preschool or when you moved. Add fun memories<br />
and difficult times that affected everyone (illnesses or injuries, vacations,<br />
job or school changes, and so on).<br />
Afterward, discuss these questions: “What are our best memories? What<br />
difficult events have we overcome? How did those events make us closer?<br />
How have you seen God moving in our family through the years? How<br />
have we experienced God’s faithfulness? What are our future dreams for<br />
our family?”<br />
• God’s Path—You’ll need a map of your hometown, a highlighter, a Bible,<br />
and a red marker. Mark important spots on the map, such as your home,<br />
school, church, friends’ houses, and more. Highlight the roads your family<br />
uses most often. Read aloud Psalm 139:1-3. Say: “God always knows<br />
where we are, what we’re doing, and where we’re going. He has big plans<br />
for us as we grow and get to know<br />
him better. God loves us and will<br />
always be with us.” With a red<br />
marker, draw a large heart around all<br />
the map sites you’ve highlighted.<br />
Hang up the map as a reminder of<br />
God’s promises.<br />
Page 14
This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product.<br />
Our prayer is that you’ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and wear.<br />
W HAT’S PLAYING AT THE MOVIES<br />
Movie: Gnomeo & Juliet (Feb. 11)<br />
Genre: 3D animated comedy<br />
Rating: G<br />
Cast: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine<br />
Synopsis: In this film, which features several songs from Elton John,<br />
two garden gnomes get caught up in a feud between neighbors.<br />
Despite their many obstacles, Gnomeo and Juliet try to find lasting<br />
happiness.<br />
Discussion Questions: How would you define “love”? Why does<br />
everyone seek love? What challenges stand in the way of having<br />
loving relationships? Read aloud 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Which of<br />
these traits of love is the most difficult, in your opinion? What are some ways we can<br />
love other people better—even when they don’t act lovingly in return?<br />
CULTURE & TRENDS<br />
What’s happening right now that<br />
may affect your children and family:<br />
• Parenting forecasts for 2011<br />
include more emphasis on<br />
“couple time,” child-rearing<br />
philosophies such as RIE and<br />
Free-Range Kids, and “flash sale<br />
sites” for buying kiddie gear.<br />
W HAT MUSIC IS RELEASING<br />
Artist: Yancy Richmond<br />
Album: Stars, Guitars & Megaphone Dreams<br />
Artist Info: Yancy, a Christian singer, songwriter, and worship<br />
leader, grew up in the church. She loves ministering to preteens<br />
through songs that empower them and praise God at the same<br />
time.<br />
Summary: Yancy’s new album contains energetic anthems and<br />
heartfelt ballads. The song “God Is for Me” is about “putting our confidence and future<br />
in God’s hands,” she says. “I’m really thankful for the promises in God’s Word [and]<br />
how we can hold fast to those things, whether we’re in the valley or the mountaintop,<br />
because God is on our side!”<br />
Discussion Questions: How comfortable are you with the thought of putting your<br />
entire future in God’s hands? Explain. In what ways do you feel like God is rooting for<br />
you? Read aloud Romans 8:26-28, 37-39. How can God’s promises help you be more<br />
confident in your faith?<br />
W HAT GAMES ARE OUT<br />
Title<br />
Herotopia.com<br />
Learn Science<br />
Content<br />
In this virtual world, players learn about global<br />
culture and defeat bullies. Some portions are free;<br />
others require paid membership.<br />
Mini-games teach players about anatomy,<br />
biology, physics, and more. Geared toward<br />
Rating<br />
& Platform<br />
Web; ages 6-12<br />
E; Nintendo DS<br />
first- through fourth-graders.<br />
RATINGS: EC=Early Childhood, E=Everyone (ages 6+), E10+ (ages 10+), T=Teen (ages 13+)<br />
In this fantasy-based game, the action takes place<br />
Lost in Shadow<br />
between shadows. Violence has a key<br />
E10+; Wii<br />
RATINGS: EC=Early Childhood, E=Everyone (ages 6+), E10+ (ages 10+), T=Teen (ages 13+)<br />
role but isn’t excessive or graphic.<br />
• Kid-trend predictions include<br />
1980s fashions, personalized<br />
party décor, more GPS-tracking<br />
technology, and iPad-hungry<br />
youngsters.<br />
(ivillage.com)<br />
QUICK STATS<br />
• 65% of parents say texting helps<br />
them communicate more often<br />
with their kids when they’re<br />
apart.<br />
(Parenting)<br />
• 65% of young children were<br />
spanked by a parent at least<br />
once during a four-week period.<br />
Parents who fight with one<br />
another are more likely to<br />
spank their kids, research<br />
shows. (medicalnewstoday.com)<br />
RATINGS: EC=Early Childhood, E=Everyone (ages 6+), E10+ (ages 10+), T=Teen (ages 13+)<br />
Page 15
HELLO FRIENDS, PARENTS & KU VOLUNTEERS<br />
Resignation Announcement and Thank you<br />
from Beth McGill<br />
I am sorry to let you know that I am resigning as Lead<br />
Children’s Pastor of <strong>Gracepoint</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Church</strong>.<br />
My last day will be Sunday, March 6, 2011.<br />
I have loved doing ministry with the kids, families,<br />
volunteers and staff at Peace Arch Fellowship and<br />
<strong>Gracepoint</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Church</strong> for the past seven years.<br />
Over that time I took on the Lead Children’s Pastor, full<br />
time position, almost five years ago (Oct. 2006).<br />
This has been a difficult decision to make. However, I<br />
feel the need to ‘step back’ and take time for rest,<br />
spiritual renewal and education. I have been enjoying<br />
taking courses at Acts Seminary/TWU in Children’s<br />
ministry so will continue on with that. Then I plan to look<br />
for a children’s ministry position later on, since I feel<br />
called and passionate about ministry to children.<br />
I am thankful for the opportunity to serve here at<br />
<strong>Gracepoint</strong> and have seen God at work here in so<br />
many ways. I will especially miss all the kids who bring<br />
me joy, energy and amusement just to see them on a<br />
Sunday. I appreciate you as amazing volunteers and<br />
friends who have come alongside our Kids Unlimited<br />
staff and partnered with us in ministering to children<br />
and families. I will miss working alongside a great staff<br />
team here that inspire me as they each bring their<br />
passions and gifting to minister the gospel in our<br />
church and community.<br />
My husband Brian and I feel at peace<br />
with this decision even though it will<br />
be difficult to say goodbye to all of<br />
you.<br />
Blessings on all of you and<br />
your families,<br />
Beth McGill<br />
MIDWEEK KIDS PROGRAMS<br />
GIRLS CLUB<br />
(Gr.1-5)<br />
Mondays @ 6:30-7:45pm,<br />
Surrey South Campus<br />
The purpose of GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting<br />
the Saviour Club) is to bring girls into a living,<br />
dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.<br />
Leaders: Theresa Wiebe & Janet Loewen.<br />
For more info, contact Janet @<br />
jamesandjanet@telus.net or<br />
604-536-7668<br />
WONDERFAIRE 2011<br />
Monday-Friday mornings<br />
JULY 4-8<br />
Surrey South Campus. Wonderfaire is <strong>Gracepoint</strong>’s summer outreach program for kids going into<br />
Kindergarten-Gr.5. It’s a week long half-day fun-filled Bible camp focused on sharing God’s love with the<br />
children of the surrounding community. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.<br />
Page 16<br />
CHRISTIAN SERVICE<br />
BRIGADE BOYS CLUB<br />
(GR.1-6)<br />
Mondays @ 6:30-7:45pm,<br />
Surrey South Campus<br />
Tree Climbers (Gr.1-2): Dads (or significant male<br />
figures) participate with their sons and the<br />
leaders. They enjoy games, a simple learning<br />
activity and hear a story with a Biblical emphasis.<br />
Stockade (Gr.3-6):Leaders and boys participate<br />
in games, stories, projects and earn merit badges<br />
to learn more about God’s plan for their lives.<br />
For more info, contact Candice Tews for more<br />
info @ 604-542-9473 or ctews@telus.net
Kevin Snyder<br />
kevin@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 202<br />
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday<br />
1<br />
Sr. High<br />
7:00-9:00<br />
2 3<br />
Jr. High<br />
7:00-8:30<br />
4 5<br />
6 7 8<br />
Sr. High<br />
7:00-9:00<br />
13<br />
FOCUS<br />
20<br />
FOCUS<br />
Registration<br />
deadline<br />
Sr. High<br />
Retreat<br />
27<br />
FOCUS<br />
14<br />
Valentines<br />
Day<br />
15<br />
Sr. High<br />
7:00-9:00<br />
21 22<br />
Sr. High<br />
7:00-9:00<br />
28<br />
9 10<br />
Jr. High<br />
7:00-8:30<br />
16 17<br />
Jr. High<br />
7:00-8:30<br />
23 24<br />
Jr. High<br />
7:00-8:30<br />
11 12<br />
48<br />
18 19<br />
25 26<br />
FOCUS is a bible study time for Gr 6-12.<br />
On the first Sunday of the month students are<br />
asked to remain in the service.<br />
Surrey South Campus - the Youth Room<br />
The Bell Campus - Room B115<br />
SEE... with God's sees<br />
FEEL... with God's heart<br />
HEAR... with God's ears<br />
SURGE RETREAT Gr 9-129<br />
March 11-13th<br />
at Stillwood Camp<br />
Cost $135<br />
Registration deadline is Feb 20th<br />
SHINE RETREAT Gr 6<br />
SHINE RETREAT Gr 6-8<br />
April 15-17th<br />
at Stillwood Camp<br />
Cost $125<br />
Registration deadline is March 20th<br />
Mark your calendars<br />
Page 17
Jeremy Pue<br />
jeremy@gracepoint.ca<br />
Ex. 215<br />
This season our gathering for Young Adults – Ascent –<br />
continues to meet at Wired Monk Rodeo (152 nd street<br />
&Hwy 10) on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. (with the<br />
exception of the 2nd Wednesday of the month)<br />
To start off 2011 we will be studying the book of Hebrews<br />
as a group for 7 weeks and discussing the importance of<br />
knowing the greatness of our Savior, Jesus.<br />
Through the Fall, one of our regular attendees committed<br />
his life to Christ, and we set aside a portion of every<br />
gathering to pray with each other and for each other. It is<br />
so evident that God is moving in the hearts of some of<br />
these young people, and we hope to be a movement of<br />
people that grows and spreads the love of Christ to those<br />
around us.<br />
With delicious coffee in a comfortable setting and<br />
musicians typically singing to end off each gathering,<br />
Ascent is a growing community of young adults that<br />
are learning to care and pray for each other and dive<br />
deeper into God’s word together. We hope to see<br />
some new faces joining our community throughout<br />
2011, come and be a part of our movement.<br />
Email jeremy@gracepoint.ca if you would like to be<br />
added to the Ascent mailing list, and stay tuned for<br />
news about a day trip to Mars Hill <strong>Church</strong> in Seattle!”<br />
LIFEPOINTS<br />
We long for <strong>Connect</strong>ion Point to become one more way to celebrate God’s work<br />
throughout the <strong>Gracepoint</strong> family. If you have a story of life transformation,<br />
a short story, a poem, an insight, or a question to ask we’d love to hear from you.<br />
Our scrupulous editor will sift through submissions and choose a number to print each<br />
month in a new section called Lifepoints. To lend your voice send a submission to<br />
editor@gracepoint.ca.<br />
Page 18
MEN’S MINISTRY<br />
ALL IRONMEN!<br />
Choose between either<br />
TUESDAY, EVENINGS STARTING ON FEBRUARY 1ST at 8:00 pm OR<br />
THURSDAY, MORNINGS STARTING ON FEBRUAY 3RD at 6:15am<br />
at the South Campus to start or continue your journey into 2011.<br />
All men welcome to these weekly gatherings which will meet through May.<br />
For more information and to send your response please email ironmen@gracepoint.ca<br />
ADULTS UNLIMITED<br />
GET A LIFE...group!<br />
February is the month of love, so we will be having a<br />
"Shades of Red" pot luck dinner followed by Karaoke.<br />
You don't need a singing voice, just lots of enthusiasm.<br />
In March we are planning a morning of volunteering<br />
at the Fraser Valley Gleaners in Abbotsford.<br />
After our work we'll all go out for lunch together.<br />
In April we will again go down to Mount Vernon WA<br />
to see the fields of tulips followed by lunch.<br />
If you have ideas for activities please let us know.<br />
We would love to have your input.<br />
Jo-Ann Lyon 778 292 1229 or<br />
Pat Wiens 604 533 1496<br />
Yes, <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Life Groups are a great way to connect<br />
with others and grow as a follower of Jesus. A variety<br />
of groups are up and going this fall and we’d love to see<br />
many new ones begin.<br />
If you have questions or want to know about getting<br />
plugged in, connect with Senior Associate Pastor Phil<br />
Wagler at phil@gracepoint.ca and check out the website<br />
to see existing groups.<br />
Page 19
Marie Isaac<br />
‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of<br />
these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’<br />
Matthew 25:40<br />
SUNDAY NIGHT COMMUNITY DINNER<br />
Ministries Opportunity<br />
COBBS BREAD DONATIONS<br />
We need a team of two people with a van to pick up the bread on Saturday<br />
nights. If you are interested please call John Howat at 604-538-0411<br />
BURNABY LAKE GREENHOUSE (In the Fleetwood area)<br />
Someone to pick up weekly donation of flowers on Friday afternoon.<br />
If you are interested please email Marie at cater4umi@yahoo.ca<br />
COMMUNITY DINNER<br />
Arrive at 2:30 on any Sunday afternoon and be prepared to stay until approx<br />
6:30pm. (after all is cleaned up)<br />
If you are interested or have any questions please email cater4umi@yahoo.ca<br />
SCHEDULE OF TEAMS<br />
Feb 6 John & Dorothy Howat<br />
13 Dorothea Bergen<br />
20 Helen Jackson<br />
27 Marie Isaac<br />
March 6 Adrienne Alkema<br />
13 Brigette Bourassa<br />
20 Joe Milankovics<br />
27 Rob & Kandy Yakemchuck<br />
April 3 Dane and Trish Jones<br />
10 Lorraine Schroeder<br />
17 Fred &Pat Wiens<br />
24 John & Dorothy Howat<br />
May 1 Dorothea Bergen<br />
8 Helen Jackson<br />
15 Marie Isaac<br />
22 Adrienne Alkema<br />
FUJI APPLE SPICE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING<br />
3 cups of all purpose flour<br />
1 ¾ tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp all spice<br />
1/2 tsp nutmeg<br />
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder<br />
1/4 tsp Baking Soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 cup soft unsalted butter<br />
1 ¼ cup sugar/3/4 cup Br. Sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
2 tsp vanilla<br />
2 T. Bourbon, rum or apple brandy (optional)<br />
1 ½ cup unsweetened applesauce<br />
2 medium Fuji apples finely chopped<br />
1 ½ cup chopped pecans<br />
METHOD<br />
Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl and<br />
set aside. Cream butter with sugar and add<br />
eggs and vanilla and liquor seasoning.<br />
Add the applesauce alternately with the dry<br />
ingredients, beginning and ending with dry.<br />
Stir in apples and pecans. Pour into two 9<br />
inch round cake pans that have been greased<br />
& floured. Bake in 350 degree oven for<br />
approx. 50 minutes, until tester comes clean. Invert on cake rack and cool<br />
gspn!uif!Ljudifo!!<br />
pg;!Nbsjf!Jtbbd!<br />
CREAM CHEESE ICING<br />
Got a favorite recipe that<br />
you would like to share?<br />
Beat together 8 oz of softened cream cheese and ½ cup Contact Marie at<br />
butter. Add a T. Vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. cater4umi @yahoo.ca<br />
Gradually add 3 cups of icing sugar and beat until<br />
smooth. Ice one layer of cake then top with second and finish the icing.<br />
Garnish with crushed pecans.<br />
Page 20
DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR<br />
G610 OFFFERING<br />
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH<br />
(second Wednesday of the month)<br />
WEDNESDAY<br />
FEBRUARY 9TH<br />
In Sudio A at our Surrey South Campus<br />
We will start dinner ($7) at 6:30pm and then as we clear<br />
away the plates form a great meal we will turn our hearts<br />
to God through music and guided prayer.<br />
There will also be opportunity to receive prayer.<br />
Come and enjoy the opportunity to linger in prayer.<br />
Come and be refreshed.<br />
To reserve your spot for dinner,<br />
please email maxine@gracepoint<br />
PIZZA PARTY<br />
The apostle Paul exhorts us,<br />
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,<br />
especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”<br />
(Galatians 6:10).<br />
We have an opportunity to encourage and assist people in need, in<br />
a concrete way. We have created a fund to help those in real need<br />
with real cash. On FEBRUARY 13TH, we will receive a second<br />
offering at the end of the service dedicated to assisting people<br />
facing financial challenges. We will be doing this four times a year.<br />
May God bless you as you<br />
express the love of God in this way.<br />
Ladies Book Club<br />
Hey <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Gals! Do you<br />
love to read? Do you enjoy<br />
connecting with others over<br />
coffee & a good book? Then . . .<br />
the <strong>Gracepoint</strong> Bookclub just<br />
might be for YOU! This is not a<br />
college english course - there<br />
are no essays to write or tests<br />
to take. Just other women to<br />
share your thoughts & reactions<br />
with about the books read. Give<br />
it a try - you just might like it!<br />
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 7pm<br />
at Bill and Morag Hogg’s home<br />
If you are new here, or even if you have been attending<br />
for awhile, please accept our warmest invitation to attend<br />
the next Newcomers’ Pizza Party .<br />
Please RSVP to maxine@gracepoint.ca<br />
WHEN? TUES, FEBRUARY 22ND<br />
WHERE? Judy Marshall's home<br />
(13112 - 66B Avenue)<br />
WHAT'S THE BOOK?<br />
“The Forgotten Garden” –<br />
by Kate Morton<br />
For more info contact<br />
Lorna at 604-341-0526<br />
Page 21
THINGS TO REMEMBER<br />
FOOD<br />
SAFE<br />
COURSE<br />
SATURDAY, FEB 26TH, 2011<br />
at the South Surrey Campus<br />
<strong>Community</strong> Dinner volunteers - $25.00<br />
Others - $50.00<br />
RSVP to Marie at cater4umi@yahoo.ca<br />
EASTER␣IS␣<br />
BAPTISM␣SUNDAY␣␣<br />
APRIL 24TH␣<br />
BAPTISM CLASSES (4 WEEKS)<br />
TUESDAY’S STARTING ON APRIL 5TH<br />
7:00-8:30pm at the Surrey South Campus.<br />
If you would like to participate please register emailing<br />
maxine@gracepoint.ca<br />
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH<br />
LOCATION AND TIME:<br />
The Delta Lion Pub (11186 84th Ave, Delta)<br />
Starting at 6:30PM Register to attend the event and enjoy<br />
an evening of dinner and discussion.<br />
As always, the show will be available on the web just days<br />
after recording. If you cannot join us live, please check it out<br />
on the web at www.thekindlings.ca<br />
Email register@thekindlings.ca<br />
ARE YOU BEING CALLED?<br />
Do you have a heart for the<br />
women, youth and families<br />
in your community?<br />
Serving at pregnancy Options means<br />
that you will be able to realize your own talents,<br />
gifts and abilities to further God’s Kingdom and<br />
touch the lives of women, men, youth and the unborn.<br />
Training begins on Tuesday evening<br />
FEBRUAY 15TH<br />
Contact Laura Lansink at 604-584-4490 or email at<br />
laura@pregnancyoptionscentre.com to find out more<br />
and receive an application package.<br />
www.pregnancyoptionscentre.com<br />
3rd Annual "HOPE FOR PARENTING YOUTH"<br />
Fundraiser!<br />
SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH<br />
9:00 - 12:30pm at the Surrey South Campus<br />
Measuring talent themes.<br />
Cost $25 book fee. Register by Feb 21st so we can order the<br />
books. Come at 8:30am for registration.<br />
RSVP by emailing maxine@gracepoint.ca<br />
Please join us for a delicious buffet dinner and dance<br />
with live entertainment by "Nearly Neil"<br />
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH<br />
Location: Eaglequest Coyote Creek Golf Course<br />
(7778 - 152nd Street, Surrey)<br />
Reception: 6 pm - 7 pm / Dinner: 7 pm<br />
Tickets: $60 each<br />
For Tickets contact Karen at 604.531.8932 or karen@youthunlimited.com<br />
(tickets will not be sold at the door)<br />
You support is greatly appreciated!<br />
Stepping Stones is a Youth for Christ Ministry<br />
Page 22
Cecil Rast<br />
Jen Hubbard<br />
Serving with Youth for Christ in Surrey,<br />
www.gvyfc.org<br />
Brian Brown<br />
Sam Rowland<br />
Serving with Youth for Christ in Greater Vancouver,<br />
www.gvyfc.org<br />
Tim Ibbotson<br />
Serving with Young Life in Great Vancouver<br />
www.younglife.ca<br />
Carolyn Thiessen<br />
Serving with Child Evangelism Fellowship in Greater Vancouver<br />
crtcare@telus.net<br />
Our Missionaries & Sponsorships<br />
Garry and Kristen Corrigan<br />
Serving with the Canadian Conference of MB in Quebec<br />
John and Ev Wiens<br />
Serving with MBMSI in (Zaporozhve) Ukraine<br />
www.mbmsi.org<br />
Rob and Judy Griffioen<br />
Serving with MBMS International in (PHUKET) Southern Thailand<br />
www.mbmsi.org<br />
Cynthia Friesen<br />
Serving with MBMS International in (PHUKET) Southern Thailand<br />
www.mbmsi.org<br />
Page 23
John and Ev Wiens In the<br />
Ukraine with MBMSI<br />
www.mbmsi.org<br />
The Definition of Love<br />
Love is patient, love is kind. It<br />
does not envy, it does not boast,<br />
it is not proud. It is not rude, it is<br />
not self-seeking, it is not easily<br />
angered, it keeps no record of<br />
wrongs. Love does not delight in<br />
evil but rejoices with the truth.<br />
It always protects, always trusts,<br />
always hopes, always<br />
perseveres.<br />
– 1 Corinthians 13:4-7<br />
While teaching at a local school<br />
in Ukraine, TREK participant<br />
Orrin Lieuwen was given the<br />
opportunity to share about<br />
God’s love to a classroom of high<br />
school students. His team was<br />
helping out at this school during<br />
the seven months that they<br />
spent on TREK….<br />
One day the teacher was talking<br />
to her class about love. She<br />
turned to Orrin and asked,<br />
“Love…isn’t that what holds your<br />
team together?” Although he<br />
was unprepared for this<br />
question, Orrin quickly<br />
responded, “Yes, it is, but we<br />
need to define what love is.”<br />
The teacher urged him to go on.<br />
Orrin had previously memorized<br />
1 Corinthians 13 so he began to<br />
recite this chapter of the Bible<br />
to the students. As he spoke, it<br />
was as if time had stopped. All<br />
movement ceased and there<br />
was complete silence as the<br />
students focused on Orrin and<br />
were captivated by the words<br />
that he was speaking. Their eyes<br />
were full of wonder and<br />
amazement, as if they had<br />
caught on to something of great<br />
beauty.<br />
When Orrin finished speaking,<br />
the teacher asked him to bring<br />
her a copy of 1 Corinthians 13<br />
so that they could use it in class<br />
to discuss and memorize parts<br />
of it. Two of the students asked<br />
Orrin to write it out for them<br />
and one girl even had it<br />
completely memorized by the<br />
next time Orrin saw her.<br />
This girl’s name is Kate and she<br />
soon began to ask Orrin lots of<br />
questions about God. At first,<br />
Kate had a hard time<br />
understanding and accepting<br />
Jesus. But now she is a follower<br />
of Christ and is on a new<br />
journey!<br />
A number of the students from<br />
this class have started attending<br />
New Hope <strong>Church</strong>, a church that<br />
was planted by missionaries<br />
John & Evelyn Wiens. They are<br />
open to talking about God and<br />
are searching for the truth. Pray<br />
that God will reveal His love and<br />
grace to these students and that<br />
they will respond by entrusting<br />
their lives to Him.<br />
And now these three remain:<br />
faith, hope and love. But the<br />
greatest of these is love.<br />
– 1 Corinthians 13:13<br />
Page 24
SERVICE TIMES & LOCATIONS<br />
SURREY SOUTH CAMPUS<br />
3487 King George Boulevard<br />
SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES<br />
9:00am and 11:15am<br />
BELL CAMPUS<br />
6250 144th Street<br />
SUNDAY SERVICE TIME<br />
10:30am<br />
Visit our website<br />
www.gracepoint.ca<br />
OFFICE INFORMATION<br />
3487 King George Blvd<br />
Surrey, BC V4P 1B7<br />
(T) 604-538-1825<br />
(F) 604-538-6139<br />
Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30<br />
LEADERSHIP TEAM<br />
Bill Hogg<br />
Phil Wagler<br />
Ernie and Marie Isaac<br />
Ron Marshall<br />
Bryan Jakeman<br />
Doug Stuart<br />
Cecil Rast<br />
Sam Rowland<br />
Lisa Carpenter<br />
Page 25
FEBRUARY<br />
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat<br />
1<br />
Sr. High<br />
2<br />
ASCENT<br />
Men’s Floor<br />
Hockey<br />
3<br />
Jr. High<br />
4 5<br />
6<br />
Worship Arts<br />
Training Camp<br />
7<br />
Girls Club and<br />
Boys Club<br />
8<br />
Sr. High<br />
9<br />
FUEL<br />
10<br />
Jr. High<br />
11 12<br />
Men’s Floor<br />
Hockey<br />
48<br />
13<br />
G610<br />
Offering<br />
FOCUS<br />
Newcomer’s<br />
Dessert<br />
14<br />
Girls Club and<br />
Boys Club<br />
15<br />
Sr. High<br />
16<br />
ASCENT<br />
Men’s Floor<br />
Hockey<br />
17<br />
Jr. High<br />
18 19<br />
20<br />
FOCUS<br />
Worship Arts<br />
Training Camp<br />
Worship Arts<br />
Dessert Night<br />
27<br />
FOCUS<br />
21<br />
Girls Club and<br />
Boys Club<br />
28<br />
Girls Club and<br />
Boys Club<br />
The Kindlings<br />
Muse<br />
22<br />
Sr. High<br />
Ladies Book<br />
Club<br />
23<br />
ASCENT<br />
Men’s Floor<br />
Hockey<br />
5 Strengths Finders<br />
9 FUEL<br />
MARCH<br />
13 Daylight Savings begins<br />
24<br />
Jr. High<br />
11-13 Sr. High Spring Retreat (Gr 9-12)<br />
13 Newcomers Dessert<br />
21– April 1 Spring Break<br />
28 The Kindlings Muse<br />
DATES TO REMEMBER<br />
25 26<br />
Food Safe<br />
course<br />
5/12/19 Baptism Classes Begin<br />
13 FUEL<br />
APRIL<br />
10 Newcomers Dessert<br />
10 Parent Child Dedications<br />
15-17 Jr. High Spring Retreat (Gr 6-8)<br />
22 Good Friday<br />
24 Easter is Baptism Sunday<br />
25 The Kindlings Muse<br />
Page 26