Austin & Emily Malnis - TREK - Gracepoint Community Church

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Ordinary People,Extraordinary God.A few weeks ago in our study ofthe New Testament book of Actswe noticed the extraordinarilyordinary lives of the first followersof Jesus. They were really, reallynormal people, filled with the HolySpirit, whose conviction that Jesushad risen from the dead causedthem to live with a boldness thathas leavened the ends of theearth. This can be our story too.In fact, it is our story.I know a gaggle of ordinary saints.They are Gracepointers like youwho are shaping a different worldevery day by the way theyrespond to the Spirit’s leading.Sensitive to God’s leading,learning to hear his voice, they aredoing amazingly ordinary things.Can I give you some examples?One young couple with greatcareers is currently taking most ofa year to follow the stirring of Godto experience and serve inanother culture. Another family isopening their hearts to start arelationship with a young singleDad who needs to know what lovelooks like. Still another family builta meaningful relationship with aneighbour that resulted in thatnew friend being baptized as afollower of Jesus. Many normalpeople in our church fellowshipgive time every Sunday toengage relationships with lonelyand needy individuals at ourCommunity Dinner. Still anotheryoung family is consideringtaking a year to serve and usetheir gifts in another country. Awoman is using an earnedsabbatical from her job to servechildren. A man gives his heartand gifts to regularly servethose in transition betweenprison and freedom. A youngteen shares his money with thechurch to join in the work ofGod and somehow make adifference while another youngadult is passionate aboutteaching children how toworship God. And then thereare those who coach kid’steams, volunteer at hospitals,and take the life and love ofJesus to their ordinary jobsevery day where they serve withintegrity and compassion.We may feel extraordinarilyordinary, but our extraordinaryGod is doing amazing things!This is the future of Gracepoint!We are the people of God,shaped by the grace of God thathas rescued us. We stand in thepower of the resurrection as agroup of very normal peoplewho know God desires tochange the world through thosewho walk by faith.Our faithful God is renewing usas a people and workingthrough individuals and familieslike you to make our city a greatplace. This has not and will notalways be easy, but it is glorious.It is proof again that Jesus lives.It is a sign yet again that whenthe Holy Spirit fills ordinarypeople they are witnesses to theends of the earth.Top 5 things youneed to know...1. We are moving forward withthe calling of elders and thesharpening of our ElderLeadership Policy Document. ASteering Team has being formedfrom people suggested by ourcongregation to serve as elders.The members of the SteeringTeam are Steve Bains, ArnoldMachel, Randy Plett, JeffRenaud, Phil Wagler, Ron Walland Lois Waterton. Please prayfor this process and for thisPage 5

team as they serve in this way.2. Our staff and elders retreatedtogether toward the end ofOctober and did great worklistening to the “Big Q” commentsconnected to our study of Acts asa church and began to formulate asharpened Gracepoint visionheading into 2012 which we lookforward to processing as a body.3. We have reengaged the processto find a Student Pastor. We hadbeen considering building apartnership with a para-churchyouth ministry, but given thechanges we have gone throughwe have decided to call one LeadStudent Pastor for now who willoversee our ministry to youth andmaximize the capacity of ourcampuses to reach young peopleacross Surrey. The searchcommittee is Cecil Rast (elder),Linda Mott (youth leader), JuliaMcDougall (youth leader), JeffRenaud (Bell Campus Pastor), andPhil Wagler (Interim LeadPastor). Please pray for thisteam.4. We are excited that DebMurray has agreed to serve asour Bell Children’s Ministry in aninterim, ¼ time basis while wefigure out next steps forchildren’s ministry. Pray for herand give her encouragement asshe serves our volunteers andchildren.5. The reality is that this hasbeen a challenging year forGracepoint. We have seenenough change for a lifetimeand yet see God’s hand even inthe challenges we have faced.We are tackling areas where wehave failed, consolidating ourstrength, and moving forwardwith hope and a new sense ofcalling and community. Somany of you have helped us healas a people. May I ask for yourhelp in one more crucial area?We are well behind in meetingour budgeted needs for thisyear. Would you considergiving generously to our workas a church family? God hasplaced a lot of greatopportunities in front of us,there are great thingshappening through Gracepoint.How might you share in thework financially as this yearmoves toward sunset?I’m thankful for God’s use ofordinary people! May God useyour ordinary life and ourordinary church forextraordinary things that willbring him glory!Phil WaglerInterim Lead Pastorphil@gracepoint.caEx. 209Page 6

True Christmas SpiritBefore long the typical signs of allthat has come to denote Christmaswill soon be here. There will be theusual television and prints adsexhorting us to buy that special gift,the changing décor in stores,“seasonal” school concerts, andpacked malls where finding a parkingspot will be considered a modernmiracle. All this hurriedness of bodyand soul will crescendo in theexchange of gifts and turkey. Ifbusyness and materialism is whatChristmas will be about again, I sayBah! Humbug! Instead of falling intothe monotony of a self-centeredholiday season, make plans toengage in the true spirit ofChristmas.This Christmas things can bedifferent. You have a choicebetween a “me” centered Christmasand a “we” centered one. A “me”centered Christmas always leaves usfeeling that we did not get enough.Whereas a “we” centered focusleaves us feeling that we really didcapture the essence of Christmasbecause we thought of others. Theformer produces the feeling ofdissatisfaction and emptinessbecause “stuff” is never enough,while the later results in joy for theserver and their recipient. Whichemotions do you prefer? If youprefer feelings that come with doingsomething significant and God-like,here are a few suggestions that youcan begin to consider as you lookahead to the Christmas season.others with them. Here are just afew examples of self gift giving:1. Use your God-given talents torepair a car or computer, do childcare,clean someone’s home,power-wash a neighbour’sdriveway, or visit someone youknow in the hospital or in prison.2. Spend the time God has givenyou to write an encouraging emailto a missionary, church member,co-worker, or anyone who hasblessed you this year.3. Give away the financialresources God has provided you tobuy groceries for someone in needwithout them knowing it was youwho did it. Buy a ticket to asporting event for someone whowould not otherwise be able toafford it.4. Offer a spirit of hospitality.Invite someone over for Christmasdinner or goodies; especially thosewho have no place to go or areunlikely to invite you over.The possibilities are endless. Becreative. You are only limited byour willingness. However you giftyourself, make sure you do it in aspirit of joy and without expectinganything in return.If this call to connect seems a littleto much for your introvertednature, you can always encourageyour small group to join with youin providing supplies toward thetoiletry bags that will be given outon December 25 th to our SundayNight Dinner and Service guests(see your small group leader formore details). We have a choicebetween the usual “me” centeredChristmas and one that reflectsGod’s heart of generosity.Steve Bainssteve@gracepoint.caEx. 215This Christmas choose to emulateGod’s heart. God gave Himself to usat the very first Christmas. God hasequipped us to do the same everyChristmas. He has given us talents,spiritual gifts, time, finances, andother resources so we can “gift”Page 7

On Thanksgiving Sunday we had theprivilege of witnessing three men atthe Bell Campus, along with one ladyfrom the South Surrey Campus,declare their love for Jesus throughthe waters of baptism. It was apowerful morning as we were able towatch three men – all with vastlydifferent backgrounds and stories –share their journeys with us, and asthey shared, be able to see a commonthread emerge in their experiencewith Jesus. That common thread wastransformation.One man shared honestly about thedeep valleys in his past and how herealized that he could not moveforward in life on his own strength.Through an invitation from aneighbour - a family that attends theBell - he decided to check out churchwith his young family, and it wasthere he reconnected with Jesus in apowerful way. They have beenattending now for four months, andthe transformation in him has beenincredible. Free from the strongholdsholding him back in the past, he seeshis future with much more clarity andfreedom, all because of the work thatGod has done and is doing in his life.Transformation has taken place.Another young man shared openlyabout his knowing who Jesus waswhile growing up, but never reallytook any of it to heart. He knewabout religion, but was cold towardsany sort of relationship with hisheavenly father. It was through thetragedy of losing some friends fromhis high school class that he began toask the deeper questions of life, andas he explored the person of Jesusand what he has done for us, thateverything began to make sense.Through an invitation from a familymember, he came back to church witha completely different motivation, andnow, with his own family, engagesGod regularly.Transformation has taken place.The third gentleman had a bit of adifferent view on church. While hiswife and children attended the Bellregularly, he never really saw his ownneed to go. He was a great husbandand father, but a relationship withJesus was just not something on hisradar. After regular invitations fromhis wife, it was a question one dayfrom his daughter about why hedidn’t go with them to church thatmotivated him to attend. Heattended a couple of times, and thenbegan to ask the deeper questions inregards to faith and life. Thosequestions led him to giving his heartPage 8to Jesus, and he has been on agrowing journey ever since. Onceagain,transformation has taken place.Jesus declared in the gospel of John,chapter ten, that “the thief comesonly to steal and kill and destroy; Ihave come that they may have life,and have it to the full.” What atransformative statement that is. Theinvitation from that verse, andhighlighted by these three stories, isboth an inspiration and a challenge tous. If you are reading these stories,and have yet to embrace the love ofour heavenly father for you, what isstopping you? And if you are afollower of Jesus, are you allowinghim to transform your heart on a dailybasis? If we are, we know that it is alife filled with hope, passion, andpurpose.Transformation can take place.Jeff Renaudjeff@gracepoint.caEx. 205

THE CHURCH, A SAFE HAVEN….. OUCH!In the local church we finally have found asafe, secure haven. Right? In the local churchwe have found people we can trust, who weknow are honest and reliable. Right? In thechurch we have found the home that we havelooked for and longed for. Right?Well the local church truly should be all of theabove, but too often that seems not to be thecase. If we have been part of a church for anylength of time we have probably beendisappointed by it. But why is that the case?Let’s explore that problem for a moment.The Bible makes it clear that Jesus Christ haschosen the church to be his body. I find thatto be an awesome statement and at the sametime extremely humbling. As head of thisbody Jesus is absolutely pure and holy. Butunfortunately his body is made up of peoplelike you and me. And if you are anything likeme, if I should ever find a perfect church, itwould not be perfect as soon as I became apart of it.In Ephesians 5 I find an interesting parallelbetween a husband and a wife, and Christ andthe church. Here husbands are asked to lovetheir wives as Christ loved the church. Andhow did Christ love the church? He gave Hislife for it. And for what purpose did He dothat. The next line tells us, “to make herholy.” By implication that means that thechurch is not holy. In fact the church isanything but holy, for it is made up of sinfulhuman beings. Oh yes at one level the churchis holy because God has imputed Hisrighteousness to us because of what Jesus didfor us. But when it comes to our walk in theworld we are far from perfect, but rather weare a work in progress. So when it comes toour local church we should not expect it to beperfect, but rather that it is a work in progress.Some would argue that we should be a NewTestament church, and I must confess that Ihave argued for that at times as well. But let’slook at the New Testament church as we find it in thebook of Acts. As early as chapter 6 we have aproblem in this church with a social dilemmaconcerning widows in the church. In Acts we haveproblems over legalism versus freedom in Christ. Andin the following chapter we have a church splitbetween two of the leading evangelists of the earlychurch, Paul and Barnabas. The apostle John in 3John notes a problem with Diotrophes who had sethimself up as a kind of dictator in the local church. Sowhile we have much to learn from the early NewTestament church, it was not a church withoutproblems.When we see problems in the local church we tend tocome to one of two conclusions, neither of which iscorrect. The first response we often make is that thechurch is no better than any other organization andmaybe worse than many. Since the church is such adisappointment why bother going to it. This kind ofresponse fails to recognize the fact that we are allsinners and therefore should not be surprised thatthere could be problems in the local church. Theother response is an indifference to the sins orproblems present in the church. While we can alwaysexpect that there can be problems in our church weneed to do what by the grace of God we can do tolimit or mitigate them. We need to remember thatJesus died in order to make us holy. And so we needto surrender to Him daily, allowing Him to mold usand transform us in His image.At Gracepoint we have seen some of the failings ofour church, and I am deeply saddened by this, but notaltogether surprised. But hopefully for all of us thiswill be an opportunity to reassess our relationshipwith God, confess our sins and wherewe may have contributed to theproblem, and then trust God forhealing, and for the transformationthat He wants to bring.Ernie IsaacPage 9

Our Leadership TeamErnie Isaac,ChairmanErnie grew up in a non Christian home in rural Saskatchewan, but became a Christianaround the age of 10 through the wonderful witness of people from a neighbouringchurch who began Sunday school in his home.Early in his new found faith he felt the call to ministry. After bible college and universityhe began pastoring. First he was a lead pastor in a smaller church in the interior of BCand then in the lower mainland where he was also involved in a church planning situation.He has also worked in other Christian organizations, a variety of sales positions and now, a food cateringbusiness with his wife, Marie.He has been a member of Gracepoint Community Church through its forerunner, Panorama CommunityChurch, since it’s inception and has served on its leadership team for about 17 - 18 years. Most of thattime as it’s chairman. In addition to that he has been involved in the life groups at Gracepoint, teachingspecial adult classes on biblical or theological themes, and in hospitality.His passion is to see God’s people becoming a mature spiritual body that is united in faith and in love forone another.Marie IsaacMarie is the oldest of 7 children having grown up in Quesnel, B.C. she came to a personalrelationship with Jesus Christ at 13 years of age. Although raised in a non-Christian home,she was sent to church and Sunday school. Very early in her Christian life she desired tofollow the Lord...first as a missionary to darkest Africa, with Bible and machete in herhand! After high school she trained as a Licensed Practical Nurse, and worked in Terrace,B.C. before graduating from Miller Memorial Bible Institute.Ernie and Marie were married in 1969 and immediately following their honeymoon, theybegan pastoring a little church in Clearwater, BC. Over the next 15 plus years they were involved inpastoral ministry in British Columbia. In the early 1990’s they joined Panorama Community church andhave served the Lord in various lay opportunities. As well as being an equal partner in ministry withErnie, she has had my own cleaning business, daycare, worked in retail, done secretarial work and ran apub kitchen, and for over 10 years now operated a catering business along with Ernie.Ernie and Marie have two children. Their son Dale is a wholesale plumbing specialist and lives inKitsilano. Their daughter Darlene is a single parent foster mom of three beautiful special needs children.She attends Gracepoint.Marie’s passion in ministry is to serve the Lord mainly through the stomach to the heart. You will oftenfind her in the kitchen at Gracepoint, where she heads up the food service component of the SundayNight Dinner.She has been a member of the leadership team for over 15 years.Page 10

Bryan JakemanBryan has served on the GracepointCommunity Church ‘LeadershipTeam’ as an elder for the past 5+years. His first memory of going tochurch was when he was 7 yearsold living in North Delta. Together,with his parents and 3 youngersiblings they attended forapproximately 6 years. Sports then became hispassion through High School and University. Upongraduation from SFU in 1980 with a BSc Kinesiologyhe began his career with London Life. Togetherwith his wife Carolann, and their daughters,Courtney and Micaela, they were introduced to‘Panorama Church’ 18 years ago. As a family theyquickly became connected with many of the otherfamilies at that time. Their next step was to becomeactive and involved with some of the other‘younger’ families. Meaningful and long lastingrelationships were forged through familyinvolvement such as nursery duty, growth group, setup assistance at ‘The Bell Center’, hospitality,serving with Wonderfaire, and also the BC ChristianSoccer League. It was his pleasure to serve ascoach/manager for the team for several years. (1997-2009) He was baptized in 2005.Ron MarshallRon Marshall has been a memberof Gracepoint Community churchfor seventeen years and has beenon the Leadership Team for overten years. Ron has worked as abanjo teacher and player, pizzacook, served two years in the USArmy, worked as a craps (dice) dealer in RenoNV, an aerial survey photographer anddarkroom technician, and in sales. Ron has aMaster of Divinity in pastoral studies and hasserved as an associate and lead pastor. Hecurrently owns a business and enjoys spendingtime with his three children and two amazinggrandkids.Cecil RastCecil was born in a 1st nationsvillage in northern BC. His parentswere teachers and missionaries tothe people there. He felt calledinto ministry shortly after finishinghigh school, and after bible schooljoined Youth for Christ. 25 yearslater, he is now serving as theSurrey Area Director and he still loves workingwith kids who are marginalized. He startedcoming to Panorama when it was 3 years old andstill met in the elementary school. For him theexperience was a breath of fresh air, and he hasbeen coming to Gracepoint ever since.Sam RowlandSam, Rita and their family havebeen attending Gracepoint foralmost five years. Sam is a fulltime missionary with Youth forChrist and serves worldwide inthat capacity. He studied atRegent College in Vancouver. Samloves the West Coast, BBQs and spending timewith friends and family.Doug StuartDoug Stuart has attendedPanorama Community Church andnow Gracepoint since September2000. His wife’s name is Kelley andthey have two children Andrayaand Karsten. He has a heart forchildren and has invested much ofhis youth and adult life in school, church and campministries. He has been employed in aneducational setting for 18 years and has taught inboth the public and independent school systems.Currently he is a physical education specialist andathletic director at Surrey Christian Middle School.He is a huge sport enthusiast and loves playinghockey, soccer and golf.Page 11

In case you were wondering, Ihave the best job in the world. Iget to encourage people todiscover and trust the gifts thatGod has placed in their heart forHis glory, and then cheer them onas they do exactly that! A fewmonths ago, I met a high schoolgraduate named Rachel Jongejan.Rachel has been attendingGracepoint for some time, but Ionly became of aware of her andher heart for serving through hervolunteer work at Wonderfaireand her love of music through hercrazy ‘chipmunk-like’ videosposted on Facebook (you shouldseriously check them out).Because I believe personal storiescan be inspiring and one of thebest ways to communicate thegospel, I asked Rachel if I couldinterview her via Facebook so youcould hear her story too.GB: How did you first getconnected at Gracepoint?Rachel: My family attendedGracepoint years ago. I think Iwas in grade 3 the first time Icame. I guess that's how I got in.Haha. Years later, though my dadchanged churches, I still went toyouth at Gracepoint. Then ingrade 11, I decided to startbussing out to the services on myown on Sundays to start gettingmore involved. Now I'm thereevery week and I help out withthe Kids Unlimited programwhenever I can!GB: Tell me about how you firstcame to personal faith in JesusChrist.Rachel: I couldn't give you aspecific time or place. I mean, Iwas raised in a Christian home, soI've known my whole life aboutGod and what He's about. I wasvery much a "Sunday Christian"LET YOUR LIFE SHINEfor years though. Just going tochurch to get my dose of God, thencarrying on with my life, forgettingeverything I learned on the previousSunday. It wasn't really until Spring2011 though, when Kevin Snydertook the youth up to Stillwood for aweekend when I really had my firstintimate moment with God andrealized how real this all is. From thatday forward I've done all I can to liveby His word.GB: What do you love to do more thananything else (or when do you feelmostalive)?Rachel: As cliché as it sounds, I reallydo have a heart for giving. It'ssomething I just love to do, whetherit's a couple bucks to a homelessperson, or giving away hundreds offree cookies at a Skytrain station, I'mall over it. I've recently startedvolunteering at Night Shift (a streetministry that supplies food andclothing everyday of the year for thepoor in our community) and havegained so much humility from doingso. For my birthday this year I askedmy friends if they would like to,instead of bringing me gifts, bringme money that I could use to help a"nearly" homeless man I had cometo know very well. I ended up raisingover 200 dollars for him, and he usedit to pay his rent at the trailer parkhe's living at. So in response to yourquestion, I love giving. It's the bestfeeling in the world.GB: Tell me about how you see thesepassions/loves fitting into your lifeand ministry over the next severalmonths or years.Rachel: Well, giving isn't necessarilyjust referring to giving money, butalso time. I'm looking forward togetting more involved at Gracepointby helping lead the Children's Choirthis coming season, as well asgetting involved with the Jr. HighPage 12By Gregg BakerYouth! I've also always had a love ofkids, which is why I'm pursuing acareer in elementary teaching. Andalong with all that, I've got apassion for music (though I'mprobably the most shy person in theworld about it). I'm super excitedabout working with the Children'sChoir because it will incorporateboth those things!Thank you Rachel for sharing yourstory with us—you are aninspiration to everyone around you.I hope that people who hear yourstory will also begin to askthemselves question two and three:what do you love to do and how doyou see that fitting into your lifeand ministry? If you have neverasked yourself these two criticalquestions, or you are not sure howto begin formulating an answer,come and talk to one of yourpastors. I for one would love tohave coffee with you. I love my job.PS. I have included Rachel’s bio andphoto so that if you happen to seeher at the Surrey South Campus,you can greet her warmly and cheerher on! Especially as we get closerto Christmas because she will bedirecting the Kids’ Worship Teamwith Deb Mitchell, volunteeringwith the Jr. Youth, working parttime,and studying toward herEducation degree. I’m exhaustedjust thinking about it :)Name: Rachel JongejanBirthday: Sept. 17Age: 18Hobbies: Baking cakes,drawing,writing, playing guitarWork: McDonalds &Gateau My GoshCustom Cakes

WITH THANKSGIVING GRATITUDEI would like to communicate a special word of thanksto six volunteers who helped make the Thanksgivingservices (October 9 th ) look and feel beautiful. From theSurrey South Campus, I would like to thank Pat Corder,Alison Boettcher, and Jo Ann Lyon for theirresourcefulness, decorative design, and willingness toshare their gifts. At the Bell Campus, I would like tothank Sharon Bell, Linda Joyce and Lorraine Epp for alarge and lovely design, and an incredible collection offall bounty. Although Lorraine could not be with us onthe 9 th , she contributed several gorgeous items fromher home that became part of the display. If you loveto decorate and would like to become part of ourdecorating team for Christmas and/or Easter this year,please contact me by calling the church office or emailme: gregg@gracepoint.caGregg BakerCreave ProgrammingDirector/Music Pastorgregg@gracepoint.caExt. 202Page 13

Acrylic Painng & DrawingGroup (Junior Youth and Up)Purpose:To encourage involvement ingraphic arts & set building for special projectsin the church & community.Method: Create a safe environment wherepeople can gain knowledge of painting andexperience artistic and spiritual growth.Place: Mainly at Surrey South Campus. Therewould also be times for Plein Air (paintingoutdoors). The Plein Air sessions naturallylead to arts evangelism & letting people knowwho we are as a church (Jesus Followers).Learning: We are able to offer basic lessonsin acrylic painting & even have special times tobring in other artists for workshops.Special Projects: Art Installations. Thesewould include: Wonderfaire, empty spaces onthe church stage, murals to cover blankspaces (this could include the mobile GIANTCANVASES),For more information please contactRick Bell at rsbell@telus.netPage 14

Dear Parents,Welcome to KU! We’re delighted that your family is joining us this fall. It’s exciting to see God at work inthe lives of our KU kids and families!Kids Unlimited, Gracepoint Children’s Ministry, offers Kids Church on Sunday, midweek programs, familyresources and special outreach events such as Wonderfaire. KU programs are volunteer-led and embraceGracepoint’s mission statement. Our desire is to help each child discover God in a personal way and partnerwith parents to nurture their children in the Biblical foundation of faith in Christ. We value our volunteersand we want to equip and empower them to serve and grow in their faith.For Kids Church, we are using the Faithweaver curriculum which is designed to encourage faith developmentbeyond Sunday so faith grows all week long. It helps children and parents “weave faith into life” byapplying the Bible to their lives throughout every week. Your child will receive a take-home paper thatincludes ideas for family discussions, devotions and activities that will help cement what your child learnsin Kids Unlimited on Sunday. FamilyConnect® weekly pages are also a resource that is available. For moreinformation, visit www.faithweaver.com.Girls Club (GEMS), our mid-week program, will start Monday, September 26. Registration is still open. Unfortunately,Gracepoint is not able to offer Boys Club at this time due to lack of leaders. We are happy torefer you to the nearest club upon request.As we navigate through recent staff changes, we are blessed to have Loree Mitton’s continued support asthe Children’s Administrator and key volunteers to coordinate some KU areas. We are praying for God toprovide a Bell Campus Children’s Pastor.As a part of the Gracepoint Community and the body of Christ, we invite you to consider partnering withus by signing up to volunteer in one of the areas defined on the reverse. Your involvement enriches thelearning experience of the children. Together, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will accomplish ourmission.We look forward to sharing this journey with you. Feel free to connect with me anytime. I can be reachedby phone, email, text or in person. My door is always open.Michelle RakotonaivoSurrey South Campus Children’s Pastor604-538-1825 ext.207604-782-9160 cell/textmichelle@gracepoint.caPage 15

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY at GracepointYour kids mean the world to you. We getthat—and that’s why we provide a safe, funatmosphere where kids can discover God’struth, where the Bible is relevant, applicableand taught creatively by leaders who caredeeply about your kids’ spiritual growth. Webelieve there’s no limit to what God can dowhen kids get involved in a Jesus-centeredchildren’s program like Kids Unlimited.AGES 0– GR 5OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD 2011Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through giftfilledshoe boxes and the message of God’s unconditional love. It provides an opportunity for people of all ages tobe involved in a simple, hands-on project of Samaritan’s Purse that focuses on the true meaning of Christmas – JesusChrist – God’s greatest gift.Operation Christmas Child was started in 1990 by Dave Cooke, a Welshman who felt moved to deliver gifts to Romanianorphans after seeing their living circumstances on television. In 1993, Operation Christmas Child grew andwas adopted by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization run by Franklin Graham.To date, Operation Christmas Child has collected and distributed over 86 million shoe box gifts worldwide. Eachshoe box gift, filled with hygiene items, school supplies, toys, and candy, is given to children regardless of gender,race, religion, or age. When culturally appropriate, copies of a book entitled The Greatest Gift of All, which has beentranslated into 130 different languages, are offered to children after the shoe box has already been distributed.Samaritan's Purse Canada is the Canadian arm of a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that hasbeen providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world since 1970. Donations go to childrenwho are often living in conditions devastated by war, poverty and natural disaster. For more info, check outwww.samaritanspurse.ca or call 1.800.303.1269.Partner with us and bless a child by packing a shoebox this year. Invite your friends and family to join you and increasethe eternal impact on the lives of children. Every shoe box you pack is an opportunity for a child to hearabout the love of God.Did you know that you can pack a box online? Go to samaritanspurse.ca/occ to select gift items to personalize ashoe box and/or make a donation in honour of a family member or friend.OCC shoeboxes and flyers are available in the church lobby and at the KU Info Tables. Shoe boxes are due back tothe church no later than Sun, Nov.20.If you are interested in helping deliver the OCC shoe boxes to the local collection centre (Sonrise Church) afterNov.20, please contact Michelle Rakotoanaivo: michelle@gracepoint.ca or 604-538-1825 ext.207Page 16

FaithWeaver curriculum makes Bible learning fun by using a variety of active experiencesto help kids learn in the ways they learn best. FaithWeaver lessons are designed to encouragefaith development beyond Sunday so faith grows all week long.—helping childrenand parents “weave faith into life” by applying the Bible to their lives throughoutevery week. With the resources that are a part of FaithWeaver, you can make a huge contributionto your child’s spiritual growth by leading activities and discussions that helpmake connections and apply what’s learned at church to daily life. That is why every Sundayyour child will receive a take‐home paper that includes ideas for family discussionsand actitivities that will help cement what your child learns in KidsUnlimited.MIDWEEK PROGRAMSGIRLS CLUB (Gr.1-5)Mondays @ 6:00-8:30pm, Surrey South CampusThe purpose of GEMS Girls Everywhere Meeting the Saviour Club is to bring girls into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.To register &/or for more info, contact Janet Loewen: jamesandjanet@telus.net or 604-536-7668Late Registrations are welcome.SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTParents: Be sure to check your child’s Sunday Home Connect take home sheet to helpthem apply what they learn throughout the week at home. Its fun, interactive activitieswill get families talking about their faith all week long. You are your family’sFaithWeaver, and your actions and words are having a tremendous impact on yourchild’s faith!Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Debbie Murray to the KU staff. She has been a KU volunteer extraordinaireat the Bell so is a very friendly and familiar face to many already. We are so excited that she has accepted theKU Coordinator interim position to lead the volunteers at the Bell while the search continues to find a Children’sPastor for the Bell Campus. Our desire at Gracepoint is to lead our children to the God who loves them and to serveour families well. We thank Debbie for her part in helping to see that vision lived out.PARTNERING WITH PARENTS ResourcesRecommended resources to inspire & equip familiesThe Parent Link: Children’s Ministry EditionPractical ideas for nurturing children’s faith on the following pagesThis month's topic is gratitude for the spiritual gifts with which God has blessed each of us.Just as we thank God for our material and physical blessings, we should also offer thanksfor our spiritual gifts and abilities. This month’s newsletter presents ways to recognizeand nurture your children’s spiritual gifts—and to help them use their gifts in service toGod and other people.NEXT PAGEHighlights of this new issue include:•Insights about how to spot which spiritual gifts God has given each of your familymembers.•Teachable Moments that will help you incorporate gifts and gratitude into daily life.•Two fun family activities for expressing thankfulness for one another’s gifts.•Information and insights about the new Muppet Movie and the debut album fromChristian singer Jamie Grace.Page 17

Children’s Ministry EditionNovember 2011Be Grateful for God-Given GisPOWERSOURCEASK GOD:1. To help you recognize andnurture your children’s talentsand gifts.2. To assure each of your childrenthat God has madethem special.3. To show all family membershow they can best use theirgifts to glorify God.God has blessed each of us with traits, talents, and spiritual gifts thatmake us special. Just as we thank God for our material and physicalblessings, we should also offer gratitude for our unique gifts and abilities.In the wake of Thanksgiving, take time to consider which spiritual giftsGod has given each of your family members. Observe them as they interactwith others and perform tasks. What excites and satisfies yourkids? What challenges them or makes them proud? Offer choices anddon’t compare children’s strengths or interests to other people’s. Finally,provide varied opportunities for kids to use their gifts and to growpassionate about serving. Evaluate what they like best about each experienceand why.For a Biblical primer on spiritual gifts, read passages such as Romans12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; and Ephesians 4:11-16. Share some of theseverses with your children and get their opinions about which gifts theythink they have—or would like to develop.INSIGHTS• 68% of Christians say they’ve heard of spiritual gifts.• The most commonly claimed spiritual gifts are teaching (9%), service (8%), andfaith (7%). The least commonly claimed spiritual gifts are leadership (2%) andevangelism (1%).• Gis people claim that aren’t listed in Bible passages about spiritual gis include singing,paence, happiness, creavity, and health.(Barna Research Group)Page 18

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritualgifts. Use them well to serve one another. …Then everythingyou do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.”(1 Peter 4:10-11)Instead of burying our talents (see Matthew 25:14-30), we should begrateful for them and use them to serve God and other people.TEACHABLEMOMENTS1. Variety Is the Spice of Life—During family outings at museums,concerts, and sportingevents, discuss the wide rangeof talents that people have.Emphasize that all gifts are special—andthat the world wouldbe boring if everyone excelledin the same areas.2. Use ’Em or Lose ’Em—Afteryou help children identify theirtalents and spiritual gifts, helpthem put them into practice.Especially watch for ways kidscan apply their gifts at church,such as singing in a children’schoir, helping in the nursery, orpreparing goodies for homeboundmembers.3. Thank the Giver—Duringprayer times, encourage childrento thank God not only fortheir physical blessings but alsofor their spiritual gifts. Ask Godfor wisdom to use the gifts inways that honor him.Start a conversation about gifts and gratitude by asking thesequestions:1. What special talents and abilities do you think God has given you? How doyou thank God for those gifts?2. What are some ways you can praise God by using your talents?3. How can you express gratitude for other people’s talents—and encouragethem to use their gifts wisely?FAMILY EXPERIENCETry these fun activities to express gratitude for the gifts God hasgiven each of your family members.• Grateful Game— Play a game of Hot Potato with a twist. Sit in a circle, playpraise music, and pass around a gourd or other Thanksgiving decoration. Pausethe music at varying intervals. When the music stops, the person with the objectmust say one talent or gift he or she is thankful for. Play until everyone has severalchances to thank God, the giver of all good things.To add more challenge, throw the object across the circle instead of passing it.This adds an element of surprise because people won’t know if they’ll have theobject when the music stops. For even more excitement, use three or four objectsrotating in assigned directions. Players will have to stay sharp—and think ofeven more gifts for which to be grateful.• Amazing Bodies—Have each family member drawa gingerbread-cookie-type person and draw arrowsfrom different parts of the body to the outer rim ofthe paper. Say: “From the head, write words ordraw pictures that describe what you like to learnabout. From the hands, things you like to do. Fromthe feet, places you like to go. From the stomach,things you like to eat, and so on.” Read aloud Psalm139:14.Form a circle and link arms. Have family members say in unison, "I am fearfullyand wonderfully made!" Then have everyone raise their hands and close in aprayer of thanks for the wonderful bodies God has given us.Page 19

MEDIAMADNESSMOVIESMovie: The MuppetsGenre: Family comedyRating: PG (for somemild rude humor)Cast: Jason Segel,Amy Adams, Kermit the Frog, Miss PiggySynopsis: The beloved Muppets reunite—and recruit some fans—to save their oldtheater from oil tycoon Tex Richman.Our Take: Parents who grew upwith the Muppets will enjoy introducingtheir children to these colorfulcharacters. Some humor willlikely be over young viewers’heads; for example, Animal is nowat an anger-management rehabcenter for celebrities.MUSICArtist: JamieGraceAlbum: One Songat a TimeArtist Info: This 19-year-old singer andsongwriter from Atlanta is the newestaddition to Toby Mac’s Christian musiclabel. She’s a featured artist and speakeron Women of Faith’s Revolve Tour.Grace also is studying children’s ministry.She was diagnosed with Tourettesyndrome at age 11.Summary: Grace’s sound is a combinationof pop, folk, and hip-hop. In her firstsingle, “Hold Me,” Grace sings aboutloving God “more than the words in mybrain can express.”Our Take: Preteens (and theirparents) will enjoy Grace’s refreshingsound and heartfelt lyricsabout relating to God.CULTURE & TRENDS• Competitive carpooling is a hot topicin some neighborhoods. Statusconsciousparents are racing to fill theirminivans and SUVs with kids they wanttheir children to be seen with. (USA Today)• Professor Sheri L. Parks says the hit TVshow Modern Family, which satirizesfamily dynamics and relationships, “setsthe expectation that nothing is sacred oreven sincere” about families.(washingtonpost.com)GAMES, SITES & APPSTitle Content Rating & PlatformTetris AxisKirby’s Returnto DreamlandBAM! Body andMindwww.bam.govThis new release of the classic shapestackinggame contains more than 20 gamemodes, including marathon, fever, andtower climber.The popular character returns with somenew abilities. Players help Kirby rebuild analien spaceship so the aliens can return totheir home planet.At this free site, kids learn about eatingwell, exercising, handling stress, and more.Content includes games, virtual tours, anda fitness calendar.This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant toendorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll makeinformed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and wear.E; Nintendo 3DSE10+; WiiGeared toward kidsages 9-13QUICK STATS• 85% of American parents feel it’s importantto tell their kids they’re smart(parenting.com)• 69% of families havemoved to a new home atleast once in their children’slifetime. Whenchoosing a new home,61% of parents say a safeneighborhood is most important. Onethirdof children want their own bedrooms,27% wish for a neighborhoodwith kids their age, and 25% want a bigbackyard. (Denver Post)Page 20

THEPARENTLINKNovember 2011TEENSFOR PARENTS OFCHALLENGE YOUR TEENAGERS TO SHARETHEIR FAITHMany adult and teenage Christians view spiritual conversations as intrusiveand inappropriate. They think it’s none of their business to meddle in theirfriends’ spiritual beliefs. But evangelism, or faith-sharing, is actually a desperatesearch-and-rescue mission. It’s about reaching into other people’slives with Jesus’ grace, truth, and salvation.Help your teenagers see that a life without Jesus is like a car without an engineor a cell phone without a service provider. Kids need to know that evenif their friends don’t realize it, they’re hungering and thirsting for Jesus. Atthe core of every human is a gaping hole—a hole that can be temporarilyfilled with material things, sports, or sin. But the only thing that can truly,fully, and permanently fill the gaping hole is a relationship with Jesus.Evangelism isn’t about standing on a street corner with a bullhorn yelling,“Repent!” It’s about helping people fill their invisible, unquenchable needfor God by sharing the gospel with them. A great place for teenagers tostart is with their friends, sharing stories of their own experiences with Jesus.So-called “friendship evangelism” allows kids to develop relationshipswith peers while helping them build a relationship with their Savior. It alsomakes it easy to conduct discipleship and follow-up with these new youngChristians.THE VIEW• The number of Christian teenagerswho say they’ve explainedtheir beliefs to someonewith different faith viewsin the last year declined from63% in 1997 to 45% in 2009.• Yet teenagers are among themost religiously active Americans,with nearly 60% engagedin some type of groupspiritual activity in a typicalweek.• Two out of three Christiansmake their commitment toChrist before turning 18.(Barna Group)TIPS >>>PONDER THISIn Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide toSharing Your Faith (Focus on theFamily), Greg Stier offers theseevangelism insights:Share your own story. A compellingstory has 1.) a “before-andafter”factor about how yourlife is different with Jesus, 2.) aturning point that convincedyou Jesus was your only hopefor eternal life, and 3.) authentichonesty about how you stillstruggle but are forgiven.Discover your own faith-sharingstyle. Four types of sharersinclude talkers (articulate andpersuasive), stalkers (blunt andcourageous), brains(intellectually stimulating andlogical), and buddies (loving andrelational).Maximize your strengths but try outdifferent styles in different situations.Use the seven secret spiritual“weapons” at your disposal. Theseinclude 1.) people’s inner knowledge ofGod, 2.) their personal conscience, 3.)the power of the word of God, 4.) thepower of the gospel, 5.) the power ofprayer, 6.) a life of doing good, and 7.)your love for other Christians.Have L3 conversations. Use this formulato talk about Jesus: Loving3 x Listening3x Learning3 = Reaching3. Whenyou truly love people, deeply listen tothem, and learn from them and God’sword, you can reach them on a deeplevel—with God’s help.• What does evangelism meanto you? Do you consideryourself to be an effectivefaith-sharer? Why or whynot?• How easy or difficult is it foryou to discuss Jesus withother people? What is yourpersonal faith-sharing style?• How can your family worktogether to tell people aboutJesus?Page 21

GOING DEEPERExpert Insights for Parents of TeenagersAt SimplyYouthMinistry.com, Dare 2 Sharepresident Greg Stier discusses the urgencyof sharing Jesus with others:Christians, especially adults, have losttheir faith in the simple gospel message totruly transform lives. Most sing about itspower on Sunday but don’t carry thatconfidence to work on Monday.What’s the result of our failure to proclaimJesus with our lives and lips? America isfalling apart morally. We’re keeping thecure to the cultural cancer of sin locked inour hearts. If we discovered the cure tothe real disease of cancer, we’d share itwith everyone, wouldn’t we? We’d “forceour beliefs” on cancer victims out of love.We’d do our darndest to get them to acceptthe cure. We wouldn’t say, “I’ll just live outthe cure and hope cancer victims see thecure in me.”Well, guess what? Those around us whodon’t know Jesus are headed somewhereinfinitely worse than death. And we have thecure. Yet the average Christian has nevershared it with their closest friends, coworkers,and neighbors.But I refuse to be discouraged. I have theprivilege of training tens of thousands ofChristian teenagers to share the cure, theultimate antidote to the poison and cancerof sin. What I see in the eyes of teenagers isa hunger. They believe in the power of thegospel.At conferences, it’s awesome to watchthousands of teenagers call up theirfriends and share the good news of Jesus.What’s amazing is that they do it withoutblinking.So I’ve got to ask: Are you sharing yourfaith? Think of one person you know whodoesn’t know Jesus. Pray for them andthen give them a call. Let them know youhave something important to talk aboutand set up a time to chat. Evangelism stillworks—but we must be willing to takethe initiative.By Greg StierRESOURCEIn the 30-day devotional Reach Out…Don’t Freak Out(Simply Youth Ministry), Greg Stier offers motivation, tips,stories, and strategies that will help young people telltheir friends about Jesus.BIBLE FOCUSFor I am not ashamed of this Good Newsabout Christ. It is the power of God at work,saving everyone who believes.Romans 1:16Page 22

MEDIA SPOTLIGHTMAINSTREAM MUSICCHRISTIAN MUSICMOVIESLIPKNOTBackground: This metal band formedin 1995 and has sold more than 14million records worldwide. The bandalways wears matching suits, andeach member wears a unique mask.Their music is heavy, dark, and full ofprofanity. The trailer for the rereleaseof their second album, Iowa, showssomeone hanging a severed goathead onto nails, with a pentagram asan underlay.Albums: Iowa (2011, 2001), All Hope IsGone (2008), Slipknot (1999)What Slipknot Says: In an interviewabout his book, which tries to diminishhow bad the deadly sins are, singerCorey Taylor says, “I ask morequestions about how can we be betterpeople toward each other thanworrying about the planet or worryingabout this or that…. There’s abigger issue, and it’s…why are we sougly toward each other?”Explore: You can watch the trailer forthe reissue of Iowa. This video is filledwith profanity, but if your kids arelistening to Slipknot, you owe it tothem to see the darkness and depravitythe band admits to:youtube.com/watch?v=O6nstylji3s.SEVENTH DAY SLUMBERBackground: This rock band was independentfor 11 years until signing withTooth & Nail in 2007. Frontman JosephRojas has an incredible testimony ofdrug addiction, an overdose, and aconversion in the back of an ambulanceas he cried out to God in what hethought was his last moment. Sincethen, the band has had a strong heartfor disaffected, fringe, and abandonedteenagers.Albums: Anthem of Angels (2011), TakeEverything (2009), Once Upon a ShatteredLife (2005)What Seventh Day Slumber Says:“There are things going on with Christiankids that no one wants to talkabout because we’re supposed to behappy,” says singer Rojas. “We alwayspaint Christ as the answer to hurtingpeople and tough situations.”Explore: You can listen to some of theband’s songs on their MySpace page:myspace.com/7thdayslumber.Movie: The Twilight Saga:Breaking Dawn—Part 1Genre: Drama, Romance, ThrillerRating: PG-13Synopsis: Bella and Edward goto Rio for their honeymoon,and Bella soon becomes pregnant.The birth nearly kills Bella,and Edward has to decidewhether to make her immortal.Our Take: Although the“Twilight” books aren’t the hotcommodities they once were,teenage girls still care deeplyabout Bella and her completelydysfunctional relationship withEdward. Blech.Movie: The MuppetsGenre: Comedy, FamilyRating: PGSynopsis: Some Muppets super-fansreunite the gang for atelethon so they can save theMuppet Theater from a nefariousoilman who’s trying to tearit down.Our Take: I wasn’t sure teenagerswould care about this—until I heard how much theyLOVED The Smurfs. So maybethe beloved Muppets arepoised for a comeback, too.For more media discussionsand ideas, go towww.MinistryandMedia.com.VIDEO GAMEThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim—The celebrated RPG (role-playing game) series returns, and your character must defeat adragon god who’s prophesied to destroy the world. The world is huge, so you can sink hundreds of hours into the game.It’s rated M (mature) for intense violence, blood, and gore.Saint’s Row 3—This sandbox-style game—similar to Grand Theft Auto—finds players leading up a crime syndicate andfighting against rival gangs. One of the early-release videos shows a completely nude female character parachuting off a highrisebuilding. So it isn’t exactly family-friendly. The rating is still pending but will likely be M (mature).Page 23

Nov 6Rob & Kandy YakemchuckDec 4Fred & Pat Wiens13 Joe Milankovics20 Dane & Trish Jones27 Pa’s Pickin’s11 John & Dorothy Howat18 Helen Jackson25 Dorothea BergenIf you would like to volunteer please arrive at 2:30pm on any Sunday aernoon and beprepared to stay unl approx. 6:30pm (aer all is cleaned up). If you are interested orhave any quesons please email cater4umi@yahoo.caIngredients:1 1/3 cup crushed chocolate wafers3 tablespoons melted butter12 oz semisweet chocolate c hips2 1/2 cups whipping cream1-250 gram package cream cheese1/2 cup caramel topping1/4 cup sugar1 1/2 tsp vanilla3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecansCaramel Chocolate Pecan TorteMix together the chocolate crumbs and themelted butter. Press half of the crumbs intothe bottom of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan.Over hot water combine 1 1/2 cups of thechocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the whippingcream, stir until chocolate is melted and creamis combined. Cool for about 30 minutes.Whip 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream until softpeaks form. Blend into the cooled chocolatemixture.Combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of caramelsauce and 1/2 cup of pecans.Page 24Carefully spread 1/2 of the chocolatewhipped cream mixture over the crumbs inpan. Top with all the cream cheesemixture, then sprinkle remaining chocolatecrumbs over this layer. Add the remainingchocolate mixture. Cover with plastic wrapand freeze for 4-24 hours.Remove from freezer 15 minutes beforeserving. Take torte from springform panand place on serving plate. Cut intowedges. Whip remaining 1/2 cup ofwhipping cream. Mound the whippingcream in the center of the torte and drizzlecaramel topping over it. Sprinkle choppedpecans on top.gspn!uif!!Ljudifo!pg;!!Nbsjf!!Jtbbd!Got a favorite recipe that you would like to share? Contact Marie at cater4umi @yahoo.ca

␣LADIES␣␣BOOK␣␣CLUB␣␣␣TUESDAY,NOV 15THWEDNESDAY, NOV 30TH(last Wednesday of the month)Surrey South CampusDinner ($7) starts at 6:30pmand then as we clear away theplates from a great meal we willturn our hearts to God throughmusic and guided prayer.There will also be opportunityto receive prayer. Come andenjoy the opportunity to lingerin prayer.7pm at Judy Marshall’s home(13112 66B Ave, Surrey)We will be discussing“The Midwife of Venice”by Roberta RichFor more info contactLorna at 604-341-0526Gracepoint Life Groups are a great way to connect with othersand grow as a follower of Jesus. A variety of groups are up andgoing this fall and we’d love to see many new ones begin.If you have quesons or want to know about geng pluggedin, connect with your Campus Pastor and check out the websiteto see exisng groups.Surrey South: steve@gracepoint.caThe Bell: jeff@gracepoint.caPage 25

ICE FISHINGQuestion: How much does a polar bear weigh?Answer: Enough to break the ice.Pretty cheesy I know. Breaking the ice in a conversation can be a daunting and uncomfortable proposition formany people. Most people agree that meeting and welcoming others in the church is a fantastic idea. The questionis how?It is generally considered by most to be much safer questions to ask someone either “How long have you been attendingGracepoint?” or “How often do you attend Gracepoint?” instead of the potentially awkward “Are you newhere?” (which can sometimes offend a longer term member of the community). Both you and the person you’respeaking with are at a Gracepoint service or event. It is totally fair game to ask how often or how long they’vebeen attending which can lead to questions in the next section.Open ended questions are an amazing tool to open up dialogue in a conversation. Questions such as:• “Tell me about your journey to start attending at Grace Point?”• “What things do you like about Grace Point?”• “What were your thoughts on the sermon?”• “What were your thoughts on the Big Q in the bulletin?”• “How are you involved here at Grace Point?”Further along in the conversation:• “How can I pray for you?”• “Paint me a picture of how attending Grace Point has helped your faith?”• “How has attending Grace Point impacted your faith in Christ?”• “What things are you looking forward to in the coming weeks?”You can feel confident that everybody stumbles and has awkward moments when meeting a new person. Like ridinga bike you can be certain that it does get easier over time. Similarly, after an awkward conversation you can besure that if you strike up a conversation with another person that A) conversations will become easier and B) youwill be used by God to bless that person. That person may be crying out in their heart for someone to speak to.Just curious if you can remember a time when you were surrounded by people and had nobody to speak with?How did you feel? Can we agree that taking a leap of faith and talking to a new person is better than standingalone waiting?Wayne Gretzky said “You miss 100% of the shots you nevertake.” God may be asking us to take a shot (or two!) atbuilding community and fellowship with others. To be fishersof men and women. With that in mind I guess the ultimatequestion becomes: “So how ready are you to breakthe ice?”Looking forward to ice fishing with you,Nathan “Ice Man” CalebPage 26

INTRODUCING...Nathan & Miranda Caleb!(Holding medals at the Royal Mint Pavilion during the Olympic Games last year.)We’ve been attending Gracepoint Community Church for the past 8 years. We met at a College & Career groupevent put on by Gracepoint. We got married on June 21, 2008 and were honoured to be able to have our weddingreception at the South Surrey campus. We currently reside in the Newton area.We’ve been involved in the church in a variety of capacities. We have been enthusiastically serving with HospitalityTeam E at the Bell Campus (lead by our intrepid leaders Rob Saare and Wendy Townsend) for the past 4 years. Nathanis also blessed to be able to serve on the Bell Campus Financial Kiosk team. We greatly enjoy and appreciatethe wonderful opportunity to co-lead a small group with Steven & Sarah Cook on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pmevery week. The fellowship and friendships are invaluable to us!Miranda’s passion is in helping others. She is a Recreation Therapist specializing in long term residential care. Sheenjoys playing the harp and is very crafty (knitting, crocheting, baking, scrapbooking, painting, gardening, etc.).She also enjoys beating Nathan at Checkers and Crib. Miranda’s favourite bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust inthe LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he willmake your paths straight.”Nathan’s passion is business. He can talk about all things business for hours and hours and be energized throughthe process. Discussing with him how to do something more effectively or efficiently is of great interest to him. Heis an avid supporter of our Lions and Canucks. Golf is an emerging passion (he’s a work in progress!!). A great conversationis the best thing in the world to him!! Nathan’s favourite verse is 1 Timothy 5:8 - “Don’t let anyone lookdown on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and inpurity.” The Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 is very cool to him too!!Stay tuned for more introductions next month!Page 27

Christmas in NovemberGreat ExpectationsMonday, November 21st, 2011Gracepoint Community Church3487 King George Blvd, Surrey.There will be crafters, Christmas music, delicious dessert, and beautifullydecorated tables guaranteed to inspire!Drop by as early as 6:30pm to shop of plan to come at 7:30pm for dessert,coffee and lots of Christmas Spirit!For many years now, every November, the Women of Gracepoint have hosted an amazingoutreach evening to kick of the Christmas season. During this very special night, ladies havethe opportunity to host a table of 8 friends and family. Hostess' set their individual tablesjust like you would if you were hosting a Christmas gathering at home. The variety of decorand table settings is just incredible and the venue lights up with candles and scents andsounds of all decorating styles. The best part is that you get to invite your friends, family,neighbours, any lady you can think of, that would love a great evening out of shopping, yes,we have shopping, music, dessert and a speaker. Here are what some of our hostess' haveto say about the experience…"I love the outreach opportunity that Christmas in November offers. It is easy to invite a friend or neighbour whomay not normally attend church and it is so much fun to decorate a table and have the church auditorium look sofestive. I look forward to it every year!""The night is filled with beautiful decor and treats that I think would out do Martha Stewart herself. Then the fun ofpicking up a few gifts for Christmas and enjoying the company of other women at my table. Whether we purchaseany gifts or not, I feel that we all get to leave with a special Christmas message given by some very spirituallygifted women speakers. Recently on the same day, I had four friends ask if they could come again this year. I'mpraying that they too will hear the voice of God and be able to find the true meaningof Christmas this year.""I find Christmas in November such a wonderful way for women to kick off theChristmas season! It is a delightful evening to spend with your friends doing whatwomen love to do – browse & shop, enjoy a sweet treat, and engage with otherwomen. Since I first attended 6 years ago, I have enjoyed inviting my friends andneighbours to share in a special evening just for women and have always been inspiredand captivated by the true Christmas spirit."Tickets are on sale at both Campus' every Sunday from now until November 20th.Act quickly as tables have already been sold and this event always sells out. If youwould like further information on what being a table hostess is all about pleasevisit the Ticket Sales tables on Sunday morning or call the church office. If you areunable to purchase your tickets on a Sunday morning you can contact Danicaat danica@gracepoint.ca. Hope to see you there!Page 28

Cecil RastJen HubbardServing with Youth for Christ in Surrey,www.gvyfc.orgBrian BrownSam RowlandServing with Youth for Christ in GreaterVancouver,www.gvyfc.orgTim IbbotsonServing with Young Life in Great Vancouverwww.younglife.caCarolyn ThiessenServing with Child Evangelism Fellowship inGreater Vancouver crtcare@telus.netOur Missionaries & SponsorshipsGarry and Kristen CorriganServing with the Canadian Conference of MB inQuebecJohn and Ev WiensServing with MBMSI in (Zaporozhve) Ukrainewww.mbmsi.orgRob and Judy GriffioenServing with MBMS International in (PHUKET) SouthernThailandwww.mbmsi.orgCynthia FriesenServing with MBMS International in (PHUKET) SouthernThailandwww.mbmsi.orgPage 29

Austin & Emily Malnis - TREKIntimacy over EfficiencyOver the past five weeks, Austin & I have been living in abasement suite in Abbotsford, BC & spending our days at theMARK Centre with 19 other people. Most days we have 3-5sessions on various topics such as Hearing God’s Voice, PersonalHoliness, Team Building, Personality Styles, & Evangelism.It has been an intense and stretching time, but we feelso blessed that we are able to take this time to prepare ourselvesand our team before we leave Canada.When Austin & I started our TREK application last year, weknew that one of the possible locations would be somewherein Thailand. This was a very unappealing option to me, so Ijokingly told Austin that this was where God would probablysend us. Thankfully God knows me so well and understandsthat I can take a long time to warm up to a new idea. Overthe past year, I can see many specific times when God wasasking me to surrender EVERYTHING to him, including wherewe would be sent. It has been a long process, but God is sopatient and I am constantly reminded that he chooses intimacywith me over efficiency! A few weeks ago, we had the opportunityto briefly connect with Rob & Judy Griffioen whoare currently working in Thailand. Through their stories, Godreally began to break my heart for the people there. On themorning of September 27 th, we found out where we will bespending our 7.5 months abroad. The TREK leadership teamspent the evening before praying & discerning where Godwanted to send each one of us. As they were preparing touncover the list of teams & locations to the group, I realizedthat I would be really disappointed if we were not going toThailand! I should not be surprised, but God was able to takethe one place in this world I did not want to go and grow inme a deep desire to serve him there! Thankfully, we learnedthat we will be heading as team leaders to Chachoengsao,Thailand (CCS) in November with 4 other team mates!To read more from Austin & Emily’s blog check outhttp://trekae.tumblr.com/John & Ev WiensAs you know, God placed in our hearts and minds a vision fordeveloping a Trade School for ‘graduating orphans’ even beforewe moved to Ukraine more than 4 years ago.Our passion has only increased as we come face-to-face with thechallenges 16 year-olds face when they leave the safety of theorphanage and enter Trade Schools, living on their own withlarge groups of other youth in dormitories. We plan to providehigh quality practical education and job placements afterthey complete our Trade School.We will develop Group Homes with Parents, the best way tomodel healthy family living and marriages. To fund our programsand ministry to orphans, and other youth from villages,we plan tobegin a 200-cow dairy. The Trade School and Dairy Farm willbe located in a former Mennonite Village, Nikolai Pole, just a40 minute drive from our apartment in Zaporozhye.God continues to bless New Hope Church. We have successfullylaunched a change in our Church Service times. For thealmost two years of existence, New Hope Church met Saturdaynights at 6pm. We chose a Saturday time because Ev andI also support the ministries of 7 other nearby MennoniteChurches. This past Saturday 37 people were present in the10 am Service, and over 50 people Sunday at 5 pm. Ev and Iwill still be able to help support these other churches becauseGod has supplied our young church with 4 others wholove to preach, and are good at it. Wow, wow, wow! Thankyou Jesus!! God continues to bless New Hope Center. Everyday 6 - 10 graduated orphans access our Centre, for friendshipand to use computers.Tuesdays Max is teaching the boys how to cook, and thenthey eat together.We invite you to pray1. For God’s favour with village officials regarding thepurchase and lease of these facilities.2. For God’s provision for House Parents for 3 Group Homes.3. For God’s provision for instructors for the three classes.4. For God’s provision for these funds.5. How God might direct your giving towards our projects.We invite you to become a partner with usMaybe you would like to leave a legacy resulting in changedlives.Maybe you want to ‘give back’ to Ukraine.Your partnership at whatever financial level is much appreciated.We are all about orphans. Life without parental love, supportand guidance leads to awful statistics.10% of orphans commit suicide within a year of leaving theorphanage; 70% of the boys will turn to crime and end up in jail;50---60% of the girls will turn to prostitution in order to survive.Very few marry and raise a family successfully.“RELIGION THAT OUR FATHER ACCEPTS AS PURE ANDFAULTLESS: TO LOOK AFTER ORPHANS . . . . JAMES 1:27More info on the website: http://newhopecenter.org.ua/en/Thank you for your partnership.John & Ev WiensJohn and Ev Wiens will be at Gracepoint Thursday, Nov 24 at7pm. For more information or to RSVP please email Paul andAnne Unger at pa2_unger@uniserve.comPage 30

John & Julia Poole – In ChinaJohn arrived safely and we celebrated his birthday with a small Dairy Queen ice cream cake and my Chinese cooking.This meal was shared with our colleagues and neighbors Bill and Anita.I am quite involved with the church community here now. I went to the start up meeting of home groups andfound that there are several people that wanted to join an English speaking mixed group. I have volunteered tohelp establish this group and give mentoring leadership if needed. I also auditioned for the worship team and willprovide my support to the English choir and worship team until January. I have been asked to join the team andwill be practicing with them for the next month while the church leadership team assesses all newcomers prior tosinging before the congregation.Class picnic at Haidian Park GardensWalking around the Summer PalaceMy teaching responsibilities are going well and gathering momentum. I have arranged several field trips with myclasses and met with a group at the local park to have a picnic and play games to enhance their English speakingoutside of class time. As foreign teachers, we often use this opportunity to talk about our personal faith and ourlives outside of teaching. It has been impactful and the students appreciate our honesty and opportunity to talk tous about our lives and faith. It has lead to invitations to come to church and participate with us in the local community.This past week was the National holiday and we were off.One of the fieldtrips was a visit to the Peking University History Museum. It was so intriguing for me to learn of themany famous people and scholars who have contributed to Peking University and China. There is a very close relationshipto the history and political development of the country here at PKU. Also, the many international relationsthat have been established since the early stages of the university was inspiring. I realize that the students herehave great respect and honor for the brilliant scholars of the past and present. This is something I have missed inmy education. I have not developed an appreciation of the history of scholars and recognition of their contributionsto my country and the world.I am reminded today that we are to hold loosely to our worldly possessions. Unfortunately, this came as a realitycheck as my digital SLR camera was stolen from John’s backpack on the crowded bus. We are warned of the pickpocketsand how we should not leave our things unguarded. It was the first time we carried my camera this wayand am praying that God will help me understand why this happened. I have my small point and shoot Canon withme so I will be able to document my trip still. I am saddened at the loss and will exert more caution.Page 31

There are many who are starving here in Asia, as the news of typhoons and flooding seems so prevalent. Our minds mustfocus on what work God has for us to do and to do it with all our hearts. On the scale of what should be meaningful, wedo have better things to fill our time and energy. I will not be distracted by the small things in my life and move on tocontinue building God’s kingdom here on earth. The rest are blessings we count daily and these are to be lifted up beforethe people with joy.Thanks to those of you who have blessed us with your financial support this month. God has shown us through your supportof the ministry that he uses all of our efforts towards the growth of the work here in China. I am inviting more intoour home and sharing our faith and hospitality. It is a simple home but rich in fellowship and hope. God continues toopen our lives to my students and they have enjoyed getting to know both John and I as a couple and asking us questionsabout our meeting. Sometimes it is hard to remember the early years since it is over 30 yrs. ago we met. But theconversations are rich and meaningful.PLEASE PRAY FOR:1. My growing friendship with our tour guide and students from the summer. Some are attending church and readingthe Bible on a regular basis.2. My place within the church community and how I can be a support to the work the church is doing locally.3. John’s ability to help with the ministry here this month. How we as a couple, can help build others relationships andknowledge of God and his plans.4. Growing understanding for my students and the personal sharing they do through their writing. It has been such awonderful experience to learn more about the people of China through my students and the activities we are doingtogether. Pray for the ERRC teaching team of 9 here in Beijing.5. How I can be a blessing in the short time I am here. I know time is valuable and I want to use my time wisely and diligently.Pray my desires will be God’s desires for what is to happen daily and weekly.6. The opportunity to share my experience at Missionsfest Jan. 27-29 th . Pray for what I will share and the continuedministry of ERRC.John and Eric at the Yuanmingyuan Park RelicsJulia at Weiming Lake at PKUHappy Thanksgiving! I will miss sharing this day of prayer and thanksgiving with you at home but our thoughtsare with you!“Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present yourrequests to God.” Phil. 4:6Page 32

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY1234 5Sr. High YouthASCENTJr. High YouthFloor HockeyMen’s Prayer Meeting67891011 12Daylight Savings timeends—clocks fall back 1hr.GEMS Girls ClubSr. High YouthASCENTFloor HockeyJr. High YouthMen’s Prayer MeetingSunday JamFreedom SessionSunday Night CommunityDinner131415161718 19Freedom SessionSunday Night CommunityDinnerGEMS Girls ClubSr. High YouthLadies Book ClubASCENTFloor HockeyJr. High YouthMen’s Prayer Meeting202122232425 26Operation ChristmasChild shoeboxes deadlineGEMS Girls ClubSr. High YouthASCENTFloor HockeyJr. High YouthMen’s Prayer MeetingSunday JamFreedom SessionSunday Night CommunityDinner27282930Season of Advent beginsGEMS & Girls ClubSr. High YouthFUELFreedom SessionSunday Night CommunityDinnerPage 33

SERVICE TIMES & LOCATIONSSURREY SOUTH CAMPUS3487 King George BoulevardSUNDAY SERVICE TIMES9:00amBELL CAMPUS6250 144th StreetSUNDAY SERVICE TIME10:30 amOFFICE INFORMATION3487 King George BlvdSurrey, BC V4P 1B7(T) 604-538-1825(F) 604-538-6139Visit our websitewww.gracepoint.caPage 34