The Gathering Place

Yesterday was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It was to read my transition letter. I will be transitioning to Student Development at Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills AB in about a month. I thought I would share a few of my thoughts as I transition.

It is amazing to me as I look back and realize that what I now see before me was a dream that took shape in my mind a few years back. Planting a church has been the most difficult thing and the most rewarding thing I have ever put my hands and feet to. I remember looking back across our living room in our rented house and saying to my family, “Wow, this is a small church.” I remember putting on a feast for 50 people that we had invited for supper, and had one person show up. I remember knocking on doors and being turned away, coming home with no contacts. I remember listening to worship DVD’s because we had no worship team. I remember my three kids being the only ones in kids church. I remember people walking away because they didn’t think the church would fly. I remember all the church shoppers looking for the perfect church and finding none. I remember, I remember, I remember. I also think of the scores of people that came to faith and were baptized. I think of watching people who were unsure of themselves take leadership positions. I think of seeing young couples with no kids, experiencing their newborn babies. I think of praying for hope for people, and watching God shed some light on a hopeless situation.

I am focusing this next chapter of my life in ministering to the next generation. I want to educate our young leaders to be pastors and church planters and teachers and educators and business people and trades people and governmental leaders who are passionate about Christ. I want to see alternate communities of Christ spring up across Canada and around the world. I want to spend more time with my family and edify their lives. I want to enrich my marriage and grow closer to my wife. I want to invest in my extended family and spend more time with them.

I will hopefully leave behind these things: a church that is soley passionate about Jesus.

I want our church to always focus on Christ, to spend every ounce of energy on getting to know Jesus better. I want our church to plant and daughter other churches in Airdrie and around the world. I pray they will never, never lose that passion. I want our church to exibit love to everyone they meet. I want our Elders to lead with integrity and skill and heart. I want our small groups to nurture everyone they encounter. I want our worship teams to lead with freedom. I want our Kids Church and Youth Ministry to be inspiring.

This is my prayer for TGP

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6

Leading Women 2008 (A National Christian Leadership Conference for Women)

February 28, 29 + March 1, 2008

Toronto ON

MB Leading Women Scholarships Available at www.mbconf.ca

Join us on Sunday July 22nd @ 10:00 a.m. at Madden Community Hall for our famous Church Picnic/Baseball Game.  Please bring a salad, or dessert, a lawn chair, baseball glove and some sun screen.  We will be traveling out to the Madden Community Hall. 

Directions to Madden. Travel West on Highway 567 from Airdrie.  Turn north (right at Golden Rod Community Hall) on Highway 794. Travel 21.7 kilometers north to hamlet of Madden. Continue travelling north through Madden. Baseball diamond is on the left hand side of the road (west side) before Madden Community Hall.  If you pass Beaver Dam Golf Course you have gone too far.

All Youth are invited to Nose Creek Park on Friday June 22nd @ 6 pm for a Free Concert.  The bands who will be performing are The Clay Weiler Band, Traced Image, Steve Hazeltine, Ilythia and more.  Come and bring your friends.  Check out www.youthflood.com

“Without vision the people perish,” so goes the proverb. It is amazing to me that many churches do not have a vision to reproduce themselves. It is a simple plan “multiply and fill the earth” is one of the Lord’s first commands to mankind. It is kind of like watching my wife plant her garden. She asked me to rototiller the soil, we threw in some fertilizer and softened things up and then she simply put seed in, covered it with soil, put on the water and waited until the sun came out. The all by itself principle took place. The greenery is breaking through the soil and we can’t wait for our yummy vegetables to grace our table.

So our church, in it’s DNA has a multiplying gene. We are not content to have one church or even mega church, we know and believe and trust God that we will be a partner in Him in reproducing ourselves. We are so excited by Vision 2012-24, our denominational credo to have 24 new initiatives by 2012. Our personal goal is 2010. By 2010 we believe that God is calling us to begin a new initiative in Airdrie or beyond. What is a new initiative? A new initiative is anything that God will birth from within us: a new church plant, a multi cultural effort, a youth initiative. I am so looking forward to see what God will birth in The Gathering Place for his glory!

I was thinking about our Vision as a church this afternoon and it was reaffirming to me why we exist. Our church was put in place to share God’s story and our story within the context of our Airdrie community. For my own personal vision and we as a church, it is so vitally important to be the church in action. God’s love is not just meant to be “love in words” but “love in action and in truth” as I am reminded in Scripture. I trust that as this next week builds with momentum for Love Airdrie that we will shower our community with love, so that they will say, “Maybe God really does love me?”

July Series - “Just Walk Across the Room” (based on Bill Hybels book by the same title)

I am so excited as we engage in this four week experience to equip our church for sharing our story in today’s world. I believe that this will take the “edge” off what it means to share our story without “sweaty palms” and “weak knees.” Join us for all four weeks!

July 1 - The Single Greatest Gift

July 8 - Living in 3D

July 15 - The Power of Story

July 22- Church Picnic* Madden Community

July 29 - Grander Vision Living

Join us on Sunday July 1 at 10:00 a.m. for our first Outdoor Summer Service at Mac and Gina Horwood’s new home. The address is 777 Luxstone Landing SW. In case of rain, we will meet in their basement.  If you are new to the community we would love to see you there. Please bring a lawn chair.

Join us Saturday July 21 @ 7:00 a.m. for golf at Tooth of the Dogpound Golf Course. Cost is $30.00/9 holes (Powercart $15.00), $38.00 for 18 holes (Powercart $30.00). Walking is free!

Join us Friday September 14 to Sunday September 16 for our second annual church family retreat at Camp Evergreen. The Gathering Place will cover the cost of your attendance…all we need from you is a $20 deposit/individual or $50 deposit/family to secure your spot.  Please check out www.camp-evergreen.com for more information and directions for Camp Evergreen.