Dec 4, 2015 | Announcements
Hi Gateway Family,
God is so good! We have been in an exciting season of God at work in the lives of His people at Gateway: Disciples are being made, lives changed and the church is being established. In fact, November was our highest average weekly attendance to date.
Don’t miss out on another powerful service this weekend. I’m preparing a sermon entitled ‘I Don’t Live There Anymore’. Come hear more about the new life you have been enabled to live in Christ. That plus the second week of advent (we are pulling out some Christmas music), uplifting worship and the friendly Gateway family. Is there any better place to be on a Sunday morning =) See you at 10am.
Blessings and Love,
Pastor Matt
Last Weeks Sermon: Lion Spotter or Lion Killer?
Nov 24, 2015 | Announcements, Missions
Here is another post from Peter and Tanya Hofer who are serving on a short term missions trip in the Dominican Republic:
We were blessed with the opportunity to help a team of ladies from eastern Canada. A paediatrician, two nurses and a hospital administrator. They did medical checks of the kids at the two schools Servants Heart Ministries works with. Also, they checked the moms and babies at the pregnancy centre along with a question and answer time with the moms. This was a really good opportunity to educate the women and explain to them things like, the baby won’t wash out if you go swimming! The team also hosted a ladies meeting where they baked muffins, had a prayer time and one of the ladies gave her testimony. The meeting was very well received and is another step towards building a women’s group in Loma. Servants Heart has a vision to work with the people of Loma to educate, evangelize and support the community. This includes housing, discipleship training, medical help, and the desire to eventually build a community centre. After a week with Servants Heart the ladies team moved on to a different area of the Dominican to help an evangelist with a crusade in Samana province. The neat thing is, the ladies will be on the same flight as Tanya and I back to Canada, so we will be able to talk to them again.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go by the house we helped build. Jesus, the homeowner, and his wife were there, it is always so good to see his smiling face. The floor was finished and all the smooth coating was done.
This week Tanya and I are wrapping up any projects and activities that we have started with Servants Heart and will be getting ready to head back to Canada on Dec. 1st. We have taken a few days to enjoy the beauty of the Dominican and support the local economy by staying at a hotel near Puerto Plata. We are looking forward to seeing our family and friends back home, but are definitely sad to leave the beautiful people of this picturesque country and all of our friends in the Dominican, both new and old.
Thank you Lord for the amazing opportunity to be your hands and feet in such an amazing place with such amazing people!
Nov 13, 2015 | Announcements, Inspiration
From the moment that Jesus ascended to heaven the church has been in the last days; awaiting the return of Jesus. In our day there is a sense among believers around the globe that we are in the last of the last days. What are we to do? The author of Hebrews gives us instruction in Hebrews 10:24–25:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
In these days we are called to gather, called to live in real relationship, called to encourage and to bless. This is one of the primary reasons we gather as a church Sundays, it’s why we offer Life Groups, discipleship and other opportunities for connection. I want to encourage you to make an investment in your faith and in the faith of your brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s commit to do church with the church. Let’s anticipate the return of Jesus together.
See you Sunday at 10am.
Nov 12, 2015 | Announcements, Missions
After the team left, Tanya and I moved over to the Servants Heart Mission house. We took a couple of days off to rest and then we got back to work. Tanya has been busy updating the student profiles for the Hugs for Kids sponsorship program. I have been helping to take pictures of the school kids to send out to the sponsors, writing an article for the Servant’s Heart newsletter, and putting together pictures, music and graphics for a new vision video to be put on the youtube channel and shown to teams when they arrive. I also had the opportunity to go to Puerto Plata last week and pick up a large shipment of food and medical supplies.
Yesterday we were blessed with the opportunity to go to Loma and see Rosanna and Pedro, whose house we helped paint in May. They are such gracious hosts! We also got to see her new son, Joshua, that was born six weeks ago. While there we checked in on Jesus (the recipient of the new house), his family and the house build. They have done a lot of plumbing and electrical work, as well as starting the smooth coat on the walls. I also used this time to take more pictures for use in the vision video.
This morning we had a great time of sharing and prayer with the Servants Heart Team, it was an honour to be included. We are supporting Servant’s Heart in whatever way we can, (this might include testing the waters at the beach, but ONLY if necessary – lol). There will be a small medical team arriving from Canada tomorrow, so I am certain we will have lots to do in the next few days and will get to see the inner workings of supporting a missions team in the Dominican. We are looking forward to it!
