bell campus - Gracepoint Community Church

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CONNECTION POINT
serves a purpose within the Gracepoint Community:
To CONNECT \kə-ˈnekt\ 1 : to become joined ... 2 a : to find out about opportunities to share your gifts and serve shoulder to shoulder with
others at Gracepoint b : to connect with ministry leaders
To IGNITE \ig-ˈnīt\ 1 : to subject to fire or intense heat; especially : to render luminous by heat
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
To INSPIRE \in-ˈspī(-ə)r\ 1 a : to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural
inspiration b : to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on c : to spur on : IMPEL, MOTIVATE < her decision
to join a Life Group was inspired by an article in the Connection Point > d : AFFECT
To TRANSFORM \tran(t)s-ˈfoṙm\ 1 a : to change in composition or structure b : to
change the inner essence and therefore outward appearance of c : to radically change
in character or condition as to what one cares deeply about
COME AS
YOU ARE
BE MOVED
BY GRACE
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INSIDE THIS
4 Our Staff
5-6 “Ordinary People, Extraordinary God” - by Phil Wagler
7 “True Christmas Spirit” – by Steve Bains
8 “Life Transformation” – by Jeff Renaud
9 “The Church, a Safe Haven…. Ouch!” - by Ernie Isaac
10-11 The Leadership Team
12 “Let Your Light Shine” – by Gregg Baker
13 “With Thanksgiving Gratitude” – by Gregg Baker
14 Gracepoint Worship Arts
15-17 Children’s Ministry at Gracepoint
18-20 The Parent Link - Children’s Ministry Edition
21-23 The Parent Link – For Parents of Teens
24 Community Dinner Schedule & Recipe from Marie’s Kitchen
25 Ladies Book Club, FUEL, & Life Groups
26 “Ice Fishing” – by Nathan Caleb
27 Introducing….
28 Christmas in November - Great Expectations
29-32 Window On The World –Updates from Austin & Emily Malnis,
John & Ev Wiens and John & Julia Poole
33 November Calendar
34 Service Times and Locations
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GRACEPOINT STAFF
SURREY SOUTH
CAMPUS
BELL CAMPUS
Jeff Renaud
Bell Campus Pastor
jeff@gracepoint.ca
Ex.205
Phil Wagler
Interim Lead Pastor
phil@gracepoint.ca
Ex.209
STEVE BAINS
Surrey South Campus Pastor
steve@gracepoint.ca
Ex. 215
Danica Warkentin
Office Administrator
danica@gracepoint.ca
Ex.200
Loree Mitton
Children’s
Administrator
loree@gracepoint.ca
Ex.203
Michelle
Rakotonaivo
Children’s Pastor
michelle@gracepoint.ca
Ex.207
Gregg Baker
Creative Programming Director/
Music Pastor
gregg@gracepoint.ca
Ex.202
Randy Plett
Pastor of Technical Arts
randy@gracepoint.ca
604-809-4050
Connie Plett
Visual Media Administrator
connie@gracepoint.ca
604-272-2211
Jeremy Pue
Young Adults Pastor/
Music Pastor
jeremy@gracepoint.ca
Ex.213
Jon Pue
Student Ministries Intern
jonmichaelpue@gmail.com
Ex.211
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Julia McDougall
Student Ministries Intern
julia@gracepoint.ca
Ex.211

Ordinary People,
Extraordinary God.
A few weeks ago in our study of
the New Testament book of Acts
we noticed the extraordinarily
ordinary lives of the first followers
of Jesus. They were really, really
normal people, filled with the Holy
Spirit, whose conviction that Jesus
had risen from the dead caused
them to live with a boldness that
has leavened the ends of the
earth. This can be our story too.
In fact, it is our story.
I know a gaggle of ordinary saints.
They are Gracepointers like you
who are shaping a different world
every day by the way they
respond to the Spirit’s leading.
Sensitive to God’s lead ing ,
learning to hear his voice, they are
doing amazingly ordinary things.
Can I give you some examples?
One young couple with great
careers is currently taking most of
a year to follow the stirring of God
to experience and serve in
another culture. Another family is
opening their hearts to start a
relationship with a young single
Dad who needs to know what love
looks like. Still another family built
a meaningful relationship with a
neighbour that resulted in that
new friend being baptized as a
follower of Jesus. Many normal
people in our church fellowship
give time every Sunday to
engage relationships with lonely
and needy individuals at our
Community Dinner. Still another
young family is considering
taking a year to serve and use
their gifts in another country. A
woman is using an earned
sabbatical from her job to serve
children. A man gives his heart
and gifts to regularly serve
those in transition between
prison and freedom. A young
teen shares his money with the
church to join in the work of
God and somehow make a
difference while another young
adult is passionate about
t eachi ng children how t o
worship God. And then there
are those who coach kid’s
teams, volunteer at hospitals,
and take the life and love of
Jesus to their ordinary jobs
every day where they serve with
integrity and compassion.
We may feel extraordinarily
ordinary, but our extraordinary
God is doing amazing things!
This is the future of Gracepoint!
We are the people of God,
shaped by the grace of God that
has rescued us. We stand in the
power of the resurrection as a
group of very normal people
who know God desires to
change the world through those
who walk by faith.
Our faithful God is renewing us
as a p eop l e and w o rking
through individuals and families
like you to make our city a great
place. This has not and will not
always be easy, but it is glorious.
It is proof again that Jesus lives.
It is a sign yet again that when
the Holy Spirit fills ordinary
people they are witnesses to the
ends of the earth.
Top 5 things you
need to know...
1. We are moving forward with
the calling of elders and the
s h a r p e n i n g o f o u r E l d e r
Leadership Policy Document. A
Steering Team has being formed
from people suggested by our
congregation to serve as elders.
The members of the Steering
Team are Steve Bains, Arnold
Machel, Randy Plett, Jeff
Renaud, Phil Wagler, Ron Wall
and Lois Waterton. Please pray
for this process and for this
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team as they serve in this way.
2. Our staff and elders retreated
together toward the end of
October and did great work
listening to the “Big Q” comments
connected to our study of Acts as
a church and began to formulate a
sharpened Gracepoint vision
heading into 2012 which we look
forward to processing as a body.
3. We have reengaged the process
to find a Student Pastor. We had
been considering building a
partnership with a para-church
youth ministry, but given the
changes we have gone through
we have decided to call one Lead
Student Pastor for now who will
oversee our ministry to youth and
maximize the capacity of our
campuses to reach young people
acro ss Su rrey. The search
committee is Cecil Rast (elder),
Linda Mott (youth leader), Julia
McDougall (youth leader), Jeff
Renaud (Bell Campus Pastor), and
Phil Wagler (Interim Lead
Pastor). Please pray for this
team.
4. We are excited that Deb
Murray has agreed to serve as
our Bell Children’s Ministry in an
interim, ¼ time basis while we
figure out next steps for
children’s ministry. Pray for her
and give her encouragement as
she serves our volunteers and
children.
5. The reality is that this has
been a challenging year for
Gracepoint. We have seen
enough change for a lifetime
and yet see God’s hand even in
the challenges we have faced.
We are tackling areas where we
have failed, consolidating our
strength, and moving forward
with hope and a new sense of
calling and community. So
many of you have helped us heal
as a people. May I ask for your
help in one more crucial area?
We are well behind in meeting
our budgeted needs for this
year. Would you consider
giving generously to our work
as a church family? God has
p l a c e d a l o t o f g r e a t
opportunities in front of us,
t h e r e a r e g r e a t t h i n g s
happening through Gracepoint.
How might you share in the
work financially as this year
moves toward sunset?
I’m thankful for God’s use of
ordinary people! May God use
your ordinary life and our
o r d i n a r y c h u r c h f o r
extraordinary things that will
bring him glory!
Phil Wagler
Interim Lead Pastor
phil@gracepoint.ca
Ex. 209
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True Christmas Spirit
Before long the typical signs of all
that has come to denote Christmas
will soon be here. There will be the
usual television and prints ads
exhorting us to buy that special gift,
the changing décor in stores,
“seasonal” school concerts, and
packed malls where finding a parking
spot will be considered a modern
miracle. All this hurriedness of body
and soul will crescendo in the
exchange of gifts and turkey. If
busyness and materialism is what
Christmas will be about again, I say
Bah! Humbug! Instead of falling into
the monotony of a self-centered
holiday season, make plans to engage
in the true spirit of Christmas.
T h is Christmas th ing s c an be
different. You have a choice between
a “me” centered Christmas and a
“we” cen tered one. A “me”
centered Christmas always leaves us
feeling that we did not get enough.
Whereas a “we” centered focus
leaves us feeling that we really did
capture the essence of Christmas
because we thought of others. The
former produces the feeling of
d iss atis faction and emptiness
because “stuff” is never enough,
while the later results in joy for the
server and their recipient. Which
emotions do you prefer? If you
prefer feelings that come with doing
something significant and God-like,
here are a few suggestions that you
can begin to consider as you look
ahead to the Christmas season.
1. Use your God-given talents to
repair a car or computer, do childcare,
clean someone’s home,
p o w e r - w a s h a n e i g h b o u r ’ s
driveway, or visit someone you
know in the hospital or in prison.
2. Spend the time God has given
you to write an encouraging email
to a missionary, church member, co
-worker, or anyone who has
blessed you this year.
3. Give away the financial resources
God has provided you to buy
groceries for someone in need
without them knowing it was you
who did it. Buy a ticket to a
sporting event for someone who
would not otherwise be able to
afford it.
4. Offer a spirit of hospitality. Invite
someone over for Christmas dinner
or goodies; especially those who
have no place to go or are unlikely
to invite you over.
The possibilities are endless. Be
creative. You are only limited by
our willingness. However you gift
yourself, make sure you do it in a
spirit of joy and without expecting
anything in return.
If this call to connect seems a little
to much for your introverted
nature, you can always encourage
your small group to join with you in
providing supplies toward the
toiletry bags that will be given out
on December 25 th to our Sunday
Night Dinner and Service guests
(see your small group leader for
more details). We have a choice
between the usual “me” centered
Christmas and one that reflects
God’s heart of generosity.
Steve Bains
steve@gracepoint.ca
Ex. 215
This Christmas choose to emulate
God’s heart. God gave Himself to us
at the very first Christmas. God has
equipped us to do the same every
Christmas. He has given us talents,
spiritual gifts, time, finances, and
other resources so we can “gift”
others with them. Here are just a few
examples of self gift giving:
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On Thanksgiving Sunday we had the
privilege of witnessing three men at
the Bell Campus, along with one lady
from the South Surrey Campus,
declare their love for Jesus through
the waters of baptism. It was a
powerful morning as we were able to
watch three men – all with vastly
different backgrounds and stories –
share their journeys with us, and as
they shared, be able to see a common
thread emerge in their experience
with Jesus. That common thread was
transformation.
One man shared honestly about the
deep valleys in his past and how he
realized that he could not move
forward in life on his own strength.
Through an invit atio n from a
neighbour - a family that attends the
Bell - he decided to check out church
with his young family, and it was
there he reconnected with Jesus in a
powerful way. They have been
attending now for four months, and
the transformation in him has been
incredible. Free from the strongholds
holding him back in the past, he sees
his future with much more clarity and
freedom, all because of the work that
God has done and is doing in his life.
Transformation has taken place.
Another young man shared openly
about his knowing who Jesus was
while growing up, but never really
took any of it to heart. He knew
about religion, but was cold towards
any sort of relationship with his
heavenly father. It was through the
tragedy of losing some friends from
his high school class that he began to
ask the deeper questions of life, and
as he explored the person of Jesus
and what he has done for us, that
everything began to make sense.
Through an invitation from a family
member, he came back to church with
a completely different motivation,
and now, with his own family,
engages God regularly.
Transformation has taken place.
The third gentleman had a bit of a
different view on church. While his
wife and children attended the Bell
regularly, he never really saw his own
need to go. He was a great husband
and father, but a relationship with
Jesus was just not something on his
radar. After regular invitations from
his wife, it was a question one day
from his daughter about why he
didn’t go with them to church that
motivated him to attend. He
attended a couple of times, and then
began to ask the deeper questions in
regards to faith and life. Those
questions led him to giving his heart
Page 8
to Jesus, and he has been on a
growing journey ever since. Once
a g a i n ,
transformation has taken place.
Jesus declared in the gospel of John,
chapter ten, that “the thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy; I
have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full.” What a
transformative statement that is. The
invitation from that verse, and
highlighted by these three stories, is
both an inspiration and a challenge to
us. If you are reading these stories,
and have yet to embrace the love of
our heavenly father for you, what is
stopping you? And if you are a
follower of Jesus, are you allowing
him to transform your heart on a daily
basis? If we are, we know that it is a
life filled with hope, passion, and
purpose.
Transformation can take place.
Jeff Renaud
jeff@gracepoint.ca
Ex. 205

THE CHURCH, A SAFE HAVEN….. OUCH!
In the local church we finally have found a
safe, secure haven. Right? In the local church
we have found people we can trust, who we
know are honest and reliable. Right? In the
church we have found the home that we have
looked for and longed for. Right?
Well the local church truly should be all of the
above, but too often that seems not to be the
case. If we have been part of a church for any
length of time we have probably been
disappointed by it. But why is that the case?
Let’s explore that problem for a moment.
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus Christ has
chosen the church to be his body. I find that
to be an awesome statement and at the same
time extremely humbling. As head of this
body Jesus is absolutely pure and holy. But
unfortunately his body is made up of people
like you and me. And if you are anything like
me, if I should ever find a perfect church, it
would not be perfect as soon as I became a
part of it.
In Ephesians 5 I find an interesting parallel
between a husband and a wife, and Christ and
the church. Here husbands are asked to love
their wives as Christ loved the church. And
how did Christ love the church? He gave His
life for it. And for what purpose did He do
that. The next line tells us, “to make her
holy.” By implication that means that the
church is not holy. In fact the church is
anything but holy, for it is made up of sinful
human beings. Oh yes at one level the church
is holy because God has imputed His
righteousness to us because of what Jesus did
for us. But when it comes to our walk in the
world we are far from perfect, but rather we
are a work in progress. So when it comes to
our local church we should not expect it to be
perfect, but rather that it is a work in progress.
Some would argue that we should be a New
Testament church, and I must confess that I
have argued for that at times as well. But let’s
look at the New Testament church as we find it in the
book of Acts. As early as chapter 6 we have a
problem in this church with a social dilemma
concerning widows in the church. In Acts we have
problems over legalism versus freedom in Christ. And
in the following chapter we have a church split
between two of the leading evangelists of the early
church, Paul and Barnabas. The apostle John in 3
John notes a problem with Diotrophes who had set
himself up as a kind of dictator in the local church. So
while we have much to learn from the early New
Testament church, it was not a church without
problems.
When we see problems in the local church we tend to
come to one of two conclusions, neither of which is
correct. The first response we often make is that the
church is no better than any other organization and
maybe worse than many. Since the church is such a
disappointment why bother going to it. This kind of
response fails to recognize the fact that we are all
sinners and therefore should not be surprised that
there could be problems in the local church. The
other response is an indifference to the sins or
problems present in the church. While we can always
expect that there can be problems in our church we
need to do what by the grace of God we can do to
limit or mitigate them. We need to remember that
Jesus died in order to make us holy. And so we need
to surrender to Him daily, allowing Him to mold us
and transform us in His image.
At Gracepoint we have seen some of the failings of
our church, and I am deeply saddened by this, but not
altogether surprised. But hopefully for all of us this
will be an opportunity to reassess our relationship
with God, confess our sins and where
we may have contributed to the
problem, and then trust God for
healing, and for the transformation
that He wants to bring.
Ernie Isaac
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Ernie Isaac,
Chairman
Marie Isaac
Our Leadership Team
Ernie grew up in a non Christian home in rural Saskatchewan, but became a Christian
around the age of 10 through the wonderful witness of people from a neighbouring
church who began Sunday school in his home.
Early in his new found faith he felt the call to ministry. After bible college and university
he began pastoring. First he was a lead pastor in a smaller church in the interior of BC
and 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 catering
business with his wife, Marie.
He has been a member of Gracepoint Community Church through its forerunner, Panorama Community
Church, since it’s inception and has served on its leadership team for about 17 - 18 years. Most of that
time as it’s chairman. In addition to that he has been involved in the life groups at Gracepoint, teaching
special 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 for
one another.
Marie is the oldest of 7 children having grown up in Quesnel, B.C. she came to a personal
relationship 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 to
follow the Lord...first as a missionary to darkest Africa, with Bible and machete in her
hand! 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, they
began pastoring a little church in Clearwater, BC. Over the next 15 plus years they were involved in
pastoral ministry in British Columbia. In the early 1990’s they joined Panorama Community church and
have served the Lord in various lay opportunities. As well as being an equal partner in ministry with
Ernie, she has had my own cleaning business, daycare, worked in retail, done secretarial work and ran a
pub 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 in
Kitsilano. 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 often
find her in the kitchen at Gracepoint, where she heads up the food service component of the Sunday
Night Dinner.
She has been a member of the leadership team for over 15 years.
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Bryan Jakeman
Bryan has served on the Gracepoint
Community Church ‘Leadership
Team’ as an elder for the past 5+
years. His first memory of going to
church was when he was 7 years
old living in North Delta. Together,
with his parents and 3 younger
s i b l i n g s t h e y a t t e n d e d f o r
approximately 6 years. Sports then became his
passion through High School and University. Upon
graduation from SFU in 1980 with a BSc Kinesiology
he began his career with London Life. Together
with his wife Carolann, and their daughters,
Courtney and Micaela, they were introduced to
‘Panorama Church’ 18 years ago. As a family they
quickly became connected with many of the other
families at that time. Their next step was to become
active and involved with some of the other
‘younger’ families. Meaningful and long lasting
relationships were forged through family
involvement such as nursery duty, growth group, set
up assistance at ‘The Bell Center’, hospitality,
serving with Wonderfaire, and also the BC Christian
Soccer League. It was his pleasure to serve as
coach/manager for the team for several years. (1997-
2009) He was baptized in 2005.
Ron Marshall
Ron Marshall has been a member
of Gracepoint Community church
for seventeen years and has been
on the Leadership Team for over
ten years. Ron has worked as a
banjo teacher and player, pizza
cook, served two years in the US
Army, worked as a craps (dice) dealer in Reno
NV, an aerial survey photographer and
darkroom technician, and in sales. Ron has a
Master of Divinity in pastoral studies and has
served as an associate and lead pastor. He
currently owns a business and enjoys spending
time with his three children and two amazing
grandkids.
Cecil Rast
Cecil was born in a 1st nations
village in northern BC. His parents
were teachers and missionaries to
the people there. He felt called
into ministry shortly after finishing
high school, and after bible school
joined Youth for Christ. 25 years
later, he is now serving as the
Surrey Area Director and he still loves working
with kids who are marginalized. He started
coming to Panorama when it was 3 years old and
still met in the elementary school. For him the
experience was a breath of fresh air, and he has
been coming to Gracepoint ever since.
Sam Rowland
Sam, Rita and their family have
been attending Gracepoint for
almost five years. Sam is a full
time missionary with Youth for
Christ and serves worldwide in
that capacity. He studied at
Regent College in Vancouver. Sam
loves the West Coast, BBQs and spending time
with friends and family.
Doug Stuart
D o u g S t u a r t h a s a t t e n d e d
Panorama Community Church and
now Gracepoint since September
2000. His wife’s name is Kelley and
they have two children Andraya
and Karsten. He has a heart for
children and has invested much of
his youth and adult life in school, church and camp
ministries. He has been employed in an
educational setting for 18 years and has taught in
both the public and independent school systems.
Currently he is a physical education specialist and
athletic director at Surrey Christian Middle School.
He is a huge sport enthusiast and loves playing
hockey, soccer and golf.
Page 11

In case you were wondering, I
have the best job in the world. I
get to encourage people to
discover and trust the gifts that
God has placed in their heart for
His glory, and then cheer them on
as they do exactly that! A few
months ago, I met a high school
graduate named Rachel Jongejan.
Rachel has been attending
Gracepoint for some time, but I
only became of aware of her and
her heart for serving through her
volunteer work at Wonderfaire
and her love of music through her
crazy ‘chipmunk-like’ videos
posted on Facebook (you should
seriously check them out).
Because I believe personal stories
can be inspiring and one of the
best ways to communicate the
gospel, I asked Rachel if I could
interview her via Facebook so you
could hear her story too.
G B : H o w d i d y o u f i r s t g e t
connected at Gracepoint?
Rachel: My family attended
Gracepoint years ago. I think I
was in grade 3 the first time I
came. I guess that's how I got in.
Haha. Years later, though my dad
changed churches, I still went to
youth at Gracepoint. Then in
grade 11, I decided to start
bussing out to the services on my
own on Sundays to start getting
more involved. Now I'm there
every week and I help out with
the Kids Unlimited program
whenever I can!
GB: Tell me about how you first
came to personal faith in Jesus
Christ.
Rachel: I couldn't give you a
specific time or place. I mean, I
was raised in a Christian home, so
I've known my whole life about
God and what He's about. I was
very much a "Sunday Christian"
LET YOUR LIFE SHINE
for years though. Just going to
church to get my dose of God, then
carrying on with my life, forgetting
everything I learned on the previous
Sunday. It wasn't really until Spring
2011 though, when Kevin Snyder
took the youth up to Stillwood for a
weekend when I really had my first
intimate moment with God and
realized how real this all is. From that
day forward I've done all I can to live
by His word.
GB: What do you love to do more than
anything else (or when do you feel
m o s t a l i v e ) ?
Rachel: As cliché as it sounds, I really
do have a heart for giving. It's
something I just love to do, whether
it's a couple bucks to a homeless
person, or giving away hundreds of
free cookies at a Skytrain station, I'm
all over it. I've recently started
volunteering at Night Shift (a street
ministry that supplies food and
clothing everyday of the year for the
poor in our community) and have
gained so much humility from doing
so. For my birthday this year I asked
my friends if they would like to,
instead of bringing me gifts, bring
me money that I could use to help a
"nearly" homeless man I had come
to know very well. I ended up raising
over 200 dollars for him, and he used
it to pay his rent at the trailer park
he's living at. So in response to your
question, I love giving. It's the best
feeling in the world.
GB: Tell me about how you see these
passions/loves fitting into your life
and ministry over the next several
months or years.
Rachel: Well, giving isn't necessarily
just referring to giving money, but
also time. I'm looking forward to
getting more involved at Gracepoint
by helping lead the Children's Choir
this coming season, as well as
getting involved with the Jr. High
Page 12
Youth! I've also always had a love of
kids, which is why I'm pursuing a
career in elementary teaching. And
along with all that, I've got a
passion for music (though I'm
probably the most shy person in the
world about it). I'm super excited
about working with the Children's
Choir because it will incorporate
both those things!
Thank you Rachel for sharing your
s t o r y w i t h u s — y o u a r e a n
inspiration to everyone around you.
I hope that people who hear your
story will also begin to ask
themselves question two and three:
what do you love to do and how do
you see that fitting into your life
and ministry? If you have never
asked yourself these two critical
questions, or you are not sure how
to begin formulating an answer,
come and talk to one of your
pastors. I for one would love to
have coffee with you. I love my job.
PS. I have included Rachel’s bio and
photo so that if you happen to see
her at the Surrey South Campus,
you can greet her warmly and cheer
her on! Especially as we get closer
to Christmas because she will be
directing the Kids’ Worship Team
with Deb Mitchell, volunteering
with the Jr. Youth, working parttime,
and studying toward her
Education degree. I’m exhausted
just thinking about it :)
Name: Rachel Jongejan
Birthday: Sept. 17
Age: 18
Hobbies: Baking cakes,
drawing,
writing, playing guitar
W ork : M cD onalds &
Gateau My Gosh
Custom Cakes

WITH THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE
I would like to communicate a special word of thanks
to six volunteers who helped make the Thanksgiving
services (October 9 th ) look and feel beautiful. From the
Surrey South Campus, I would like to thank Pat Corder,
Alison Boettcher, and Jo Ann Lyon for their
resourcefulness, decorative design, and willingness to
share their gifts. At the Bell Campus, I would like to
thank Sharon Bell, Linda Joyce and Lorraine Epp for a
large and lovely design, and an incredible collection of
fall bounty. Although Lorraine could not be with us on
the 9 th , she contributed several gorgeous items from
her home that became part of the display. If you love
to decorate and would like to become part of our
decorating team for Christmas and/or Easter this year,
please contact me by calling the church office or email
me: gregg@gracepoint.ca
Gregg Baker
Creative Programming
Director/Music Pastor
gregg@gracepoint.ca
Ext. 202
Page 13

Acrylic Painting & Drawing
Group (Junior Youth and Up)
Purpose:
To encourage involvement in
graphic arts & set building for special projects
in the church & community.
Method: Create a safe environment where
people can gain knowledge of painting and
experience artistic and spiritual growth.
Place: Mainly at Surrey South Campus. There
would also be times for Plein Air (painting
outdoors). The Plein Air sessions naturally
lead to arts evangelism & letting people know
who we are as a church (Jesus Followers).
Learning: We are able to offer basic lessons
in acrylic painting & even have special times to
bring in other artists for workshops.
Special Projects: Art Installations. These
would include: Wonderfaire, empty spaces on
the church stage, murals to cover blank
spaces (this could include the mobile GIANT
CANVASES),
For more information please contact
Rick Bell at rsbell@telus.net
Page 14

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY at Gracepoint
Your kids mean the world to you. We get
that—and that’s why we provide a safe, fun
atmosphere where kids can discover God’s
truth, where the Bible is relevant, applicable
and taught creatively by leaders who care
deeply about your kids’ spiritual growth. We
believe there’s no limit to what God can do
when kids get involved in a Jesus-centered
children’s program like Kids Unlimited.
AGES 0– GR 5
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD 2011
Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through giftfilled
shoe boxes and the message of God’s unconditional love. It provides an opportunity for people of all ages to
be involved in a simple, hands-on project of Samaritan’s Purse that focuses on the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus
Christ – God’s greatest gift.
Operation Christmas Child was started in 1990 by Dave Cooke, a Welshman who felt moved to deliver gifts to Romanian
orphans after seeing their living circumstances on television. In 1993, Operation Christmas Child grew and
was 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. Each
shoe 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 been
translated 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 has
been providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world since 1970. Donations go to children
who are often living in conditions devastated by war, poverty and natural disaster. For more info, check out
www.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 increase
the eternal impact on the lives of children. Every shoe box you pack is an opportunity for a child to hear
about 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 a
shoe 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 to
the 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) after
Nov.20, please contact Michelle Rakotoanaivo: michelle@gracepoint.ca or 604-538-1825 ext.207
Page 15

Dear Parents,
Welcome to KU! We’re delighted that your family is joining us this fall. It’s exciting to see God at work in
the lives of our KU kids and families!
Kids Unlimited, Gracepoint Children’s Ministry, offers Kids Church on Sunday, midweek programs, family
resources and special outreach events such as Wonderfaire. KU programs are volunteer-led and embrace
Gracepoint’s mission statement. Our desire is to help each child discover God in a personal way and partner
with parents to nurture their children in the Biblical foundation of faith in Christ. We value our volunteers
and 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 development
beyond Sunday so faith grows all week long. It helps children and parents “weave faith into life” by
applying the Bible to their lives throughout every week. Your child will receive a take-home paper that
includes ideas for family discussions, devotions and activities that will help cement what your child learns
in Kids Unlimited on Sunday. FamilyConnect® weekly pages are also a resource that is available. For more
information, 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 to
refer you to the nearest club upon request.
As we navigate through recent staff changes, we are blessed to have Loree Mitton’s continued support
as the Children’s Administrator and key volunteers to coordinate some KU areas. We are praying for God
to provide a Bell Campus Children’s Pastor.
As a part of the Gracepoint Community and the body of Christ, we invite you to consider partnering with
us by signing up to volunteer in one of the areas defined on the reverse. Your involvement enriches the
learning experience of the children. Together, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will accomplish our
mission.
We look forward to sharing this journey with you. Feel free to connect with me anytime. I can be reached
by phone, email, text or in person. My door is always open.
Michelle Rakotonaivo
Surrey South Campus Children’s Pastor
604-538-1825 ext.207
604-782-9160 cell/text
michelle@gracepoint.ca
Page 16

FaithWeaver curriculum makes Bible learning fun by using a variety of active experiences
to help kids learn in the ways they learn best. FaithWeaver lessons are designed to encourage
faith development beyond Sunday so faith grows all week long.—helping children
and parents “weave faith into life” by applying the Bible to their lives throughout
every week. With the resources that are a part of FaithWeaver, you can make a huge contribution
to your child’s spiritual growth by leading activities and discussions that help
make connections and apply what’s learned at church to daily life. That is why every Sunday
your child will receive a take-home paper that includes ideas for family discussions
and actitivities that will help cement what your child learns in KidsUnlimited.
Parents: Be sure to check your child’s Sunday Home Connect take home sheet to help
them apply what they learn throughout the week at home. Its fun, interactive activities
will get families talking about their faith all week long. You are your family’s
FaithWeaver, and your actions and words are having a tremendous impact on your
child’s faith!
MIDWEEK PROGRAMS
GIRLS CLUB (Gr.1-5)
Mondays @ 6:00-8:30pm, Surrey South Campus
The purpose of GEMS Girls Everywhere Meeting the Saviour Club is to bring girls into a living, dynamic relation
ship with Jesus Christ.
To register &/or for more info, contact Janet Loewen: jamesandjanet@telus.net or 604-536-7668
Late Registrations are welcome.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Debbie Murray to the KU staff. She has been a KU volunteer extraordinaire
at the Bell so is a very friendly and familiar face to many already. We are so excited that she has accepted the
KU Coordinator interim position to lead the volunteers at the Bell while the search continues to find a Children’s
Pastor for the Bell Campus. Our desire at Gracepoint is to lead our children to the God who loves them and to serve
our families well. We thank Debbie for her part in helping to see that vision lived out.
PARTNERING WITH PARENTS Resources
Recommended resources to inspire & equip families
The Parent Link: Children’s Ministry Edition
Practical ideas for nurturing children’s faith on the following pages
This 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 thanks
for our spiritual gifts and abilities. This month’s newsletter presents ways to recognize
and nurture your children’s spiritual gifts—and to help them use their gifts in service to
God and other people.
NEXT PAGE
Highlights of this new issue include:
•Insights about how to spot which spiritual gifts God has given each of your family
members.
•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 from
Christian singer Jamie Grace.
Page 17

Children’s Ministry Edition
November 2011
Be Grateful for God-Given Gifts
POWERSOURCE
ASK GOD:
1. To help you recognize and
nurture your children’s talents
and gifts.
2. To assure each of your children
that God has made
them special.
3. To show all family members
how they can best use their
gifts to glorify God.
God has blessed each of us with traits, talents, and spiritual gifts that
make us special. Just as we thank God for our material and physical
blessings, we should also offer gratitude for our unique gifts and abilities.
In the wake of Thanksgiving, take time to consider which spiritual gifts
God has given each of your family members. Observe them as they interact
with others and perform tasks. What excites and satisfies your
kids? What challenges them or makes them proud? Offer choices and
don’t compare children’s strengths or interests to other people’s. Finally,
provide varied opportunities for kids to use their gifts and to
grow passionate about serving. Evaluate what they like best about
each experience and why.
For a Biblical primer on spiritual gifts, read passages such as Romans
12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; and Ephesians 4:11-16. Share some of these
verses with your children and get their opinions about which gifts they
think 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%), and
faith (7%). The least commonly claimed spiritual gifts are leadership (2%) and
evangelism (1%).
• Gifts people claim that aren’t listed in Bible passages about spiritual gifts include singing,
patience, happiness, creativity, and health.
(Barna Research Group)
Page 18

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual
gifts. Use them well to serve one another. …Then everything
you 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 be
grateful for them and use them to serve God and other people.
TEACHABLE
MOMENTS
1. Variety Is the Spice of Life—
During family outings at museums,
concerts, and sporting
events, discuss the wide range
of talents that people have.
Emphasize that all gifts are special—and
that the world would
be boring if everyone excelled
in the same areas.
2. Use ’Em or Lose ’Em—After
you help children identify their
talents and spiritual gifts, help
them put them into practice.
Especially watch for ways kids
can apply their gifts at church,
such as singing in a children’s
choir, helping in the nursery, or
preparing goodies for homebound
members.
3. Thank the Giver—During
prayer times, encourage children
to thank God not only for
their physical blessings but also
for their spiritual gifts. Ask God
for wisdom to use the gifts in
ways that honor him.
Start a conversation about gifts and gratitude by asking these
questions:
1. What special talents and abilities do you think God has given you? How do
you 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 encourage
them to use their gifts wisely?
FAMILY EXPERIENCE
Try these fun activities to express gratitude for the gifts God has
given each of your family members.
• Grateful Game— Play a game of Hot Potato with a twist. Sit in a circle, play
praise music, and pass around a gourd or other Thanksgiving decoration. Pause
the music at varying intervals. When the music stops, the person with the object
must say one talent or gift he or she is thankful for. Play until everyone has several
chances 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 the
object when the music stops. For even more excitement, use three or four objects
rotating in assigned directions. Players will have to stay sharp—and think of
even more gifts for which to be grateful.
• Amazing Bodies—Have each family member draw
a gingerbread-cookie-type person and draw arrows
from different parts of the body to the outer rim of
the paper. Say: “From the head, write words or
draw pictures that describe what you like to learn
about. From the hands, things you like to do. From
the feet, places you like to go. From the stomach,
things you like to eat, and so on.” Read aloud Psalm
139:14.
Form a circle and link arms. Have family members say in unison, "I am fearfully
and wonderfully made!" Then have everyone raise their hands and close in a
prayer of thanks for the wonderful bodies God has given us.
Page 19

MEDIA
MADNESS
MOVIES
Movie: The Muppets
Genre: Family comedy
Rating: PG (for some
mild rude humor)
Cast: Jason Segel,
Amy Adams, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy
Synopsis: The beloved Muppets reunite—
and recruit some fans—to save their old
theater from oil tycoon Tex Richman.
Our Take: Parents who grew up
with the Muppets will enjoy introducing
their children to these colorful
characters. Some humor will
likely be over young viewers’
heads; for example, Animal is now
at an anger-management rehab
center for celebrities.
MUSIC
Artist: Jamie
Grace
Album: One Song
at a Time
Artist Info: This 19-year-old singer and
songwriter from Atlanta is the newest
addition to Toby Mac’s Christian music
label. She’s a featured artist and
speaker on Women of Faith’s Revolve
Tour. Grace also is studying children’s
ministry. She was diagnosed with
Tourette syndrome at age 11.
Summary: Grace’s sound is a combination
of pop, folk, and hip-hop. In her first
single, “Hold Me,” Grace sings about
loving God “more than the words in my
brain can express.”
Our Take: Preteens (and their
parents) will enjoy Grace’s refreshing
sound and heartfelt lyrics
about relating to God.
CULTURE & TRENDS
• Competitive carpooling is a hot topic
in some neighborhoods. Statusconscious
parents are racing to fill their
minivans and SUVs with kids they want
their children to be seen with. (USA Today)
• Professor Sheri L. Parks says the hit TV
show Modern Family, which satirizes
family dynamics and relationships, “sets
the expectation that nothing is sacred or
even sincere” about families.
(washingtonpost.com)
GAMES, SITES & APPS
Title Content Rating & Platform
Tetris Axis
Kirby’s Return
to Dreamland
BAM! Body and
Mind
www.bam.gov
This new release of the classic shapestacking
game contains more than 20 game
modes, including marathon, fever, and
tower climber.
The popular character returns with some
new abilities. Players help Kirby rebuild an
alien spaceship so the aliens can return to
At this free site, kids learn about eating
well, exercising, handling stress, and more.
Content includes games, virtual tours, and
a fitness calendar.
This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to
endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll make
informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and wear.
E; Nintendo 3DS
E10+; Wii
Geared toward kids
ages 9-13
QUICK STATS
• 85% of American parents feel it’s important
to tell their kids they’re smart
(parenting.com)
• 69% of families have
moved to a new home at
least once in their children’s
lifetime. When
choosing a new home,
61% of parents say a safe
neighborhood is most
important. One-third of children want
their own bedrooms, 27% wish for a
neighborhood with kids their age, and
25% want a big backyard. (Denver Post)
Page 20

THEPARENTLINK
November 2011
TEENS
FOR PARENTS OF
CHALLENGE YOUR TEENAGERS TO SHARE
THEIR FAITH
Many adult and teenage Christians view spiritual conversations as intrusive
and inappropriate. They think it’s none of their business to meddle in their
friends’ spiritual beliefs. But evangelism, or faith-sharing, is actually a desperate
search-and-rescue mission. It’s about reaching into other people’s
lives with Jesus’ grace, truth, and salvation.
Help your teenagers see that a life without Jesus is like a car without an engine
or a cell phone without a service provider. Kids need to know that even
if their friends don’t realize it, they’re hungering and thirsting for Jesus. At
the core of every human is a gaping hole—a hole that can be temporarily
filled 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 need
for God by sharing the gospel with them. A great place for teenagers to
start is with their friends, sharing stories of their own experiences with Jesus.
So-called “friendship evangelism” allows kids to develop relationships
with peers while helping them build a relationship with their Savior. It also
makes it easy to conduct discipleship and follow-up with these new young
Christians.
THE VIEW
The number of Christian teenagers
who say they’ve explained
their beliefs to someone
with different faith views
in the last year declined from
63% in 1997 to 45% in 2009.
Yet teenagers are among the
most religiously active Americans,
with nearly 60% engaged
in some type of group
spiritual activity in a typical
week.
Two out of three Christians
make their commitment to
Christ before turning 18.
(Barna Group)
TIPS >>>
PONDER THIS
In Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide to
Sharing Your Faith (Focus on the
Family), Greg Stier offers these
evangelism insights:
Share your own story. A compelling
story has 1.) a “before-andafter”
factor about how your
life is different with Jesus, 2.) a
turning point that convinced
you Jesus was your only hope
for eternal life, and 3.) authentic
honesty about how you still
struggle but are forgiven.
Discover your own faith-sharing
style. Four types of sharers
include talkers (articulate and
persuasive), stalkers (blunt and
courageous), brains
(intellectually stimulating and
logical), and buddies (loving and
relational).
Maximize your strengths but try out
different styles in different situations.
Use the seven secret spiritual
“weapons” at your disposal. These
include 1.) people’s inner knowledge of
God, 2.) their personal conscience, 3.)
the power of the word of God, 4.) the
power of the gospel, 5.) the power of
prayer, 6.) a life of doing good, and 7.)
your love for other Christians.
Have L3 conversations. Use this formula
to talk about Jesus: Loving3 x Listening3
x Learning3 = Reaching3. When
you truly love people, deeply listen to
them, and learn from them and God’s
word, you can reach them on a deep
level—with God’s help.
What does evangelism mean
to you? Do you consider
yourself to be an effective
faith-sharer? Why or why
not?
How easy or difficult is it for
you to discuss Jesus with
other people? What is your
personal faith-sharing style?
How can your family work
together to tell people about
Jesus?
Page 21

GOING DEEPER
Expert Insights for Parents of Teenagers
At SimplyYouthMinistry.com, Dare 2 Share
president Greg Stier discusses the urgency
of sharing Jesus with others:
Christians, especially adults, have lost
their faith in the simple gospel message to
truly transform lives. Most sing about its
power on Sunday but don’t carry that
confidence to work on Monday.
What’s the result of our failure to proclaim
Jesus with our lives and lips? America is
falling apart morally. We’re keeping the
cure to the cultural cancer of sin locked in
our hearts. If we discovered the cure to
the real disease of cancer, we’d share it
with everyone, wouldn’t we? We’d “force
our beliefs” on cancer victims out of love.
We’d do our darndest to get them to accept
the cure. We wouldn’t say, “I’ll just live out
the cure and hope cancer victims see the
cure in me.”
Well, guess what? Those around us who
don’t know Jesus are headed somewhere
infinitely worse than death. And we have the
cure. Yet the average Christian has never
shared it with their closest friends, coworkers,
and neighbors.
But I refuse to be discouraged. I have the
privilege of training tens of thousands of
Christian teenagers to share the cure, the
ultimate antidote to the poison and cancer
of sin. What I see in the eyes of teenagers is
a hunger. They believe in the power of the
gospel.
At conferences, it’s awesome to watch
thousands of teenagers call up their
friends and share the good news of Jesus.
What’s amazing is that they do it without
blinking.
So I’ve got to ask: Are you sharing your
faith? Think of one person you know who
doesn’t know Jesus. Pray for them and
then give them a call. Let them know you
have something important to talk about
and set up a time to chat. Evangelism still
works—but we must be willing to take
the initiative.
By Greg Stier
RESOURCE
In 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 tell
their friends about Jesus.
BIBLE FOCUS
For I am not ashamed of this Good News
about Christ. It is the power of God at work,
saving everyone who believes.
Romans 1:16
Page 22

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
MAINSTREAM MUSIC
CHRISTIAN MUSIC
MOVIE
SLIPKNOT
Background: This metal band formed
in 1995 and has sold more than 14
million records worldwide. The band
always wears matching suits, and
each member wears a unique mask.
Their music is heavy, dark, and full of
profanity. The trailer for the rerelease
of their second album, Iowa, shows
someone hanging a severed goat
head onto nails, with a pentagram as
an underlay.
Albums: Iowa (2011, 2001), All Hope Is
Gone (2008), Slipknot (1999)
What Slipknot Says: In an interview
about his book, which tries to diminish
how bad the deadly sins are,
singer Corey Taylor says, “I ask more
questions about how can we be better
people toward each other than
worrying about the planet or worrying
about this or that…. There’s a
bigger issue, and it’s…why are we so
ugly toward each other?”
Explore: You can watch the trailer for
the reissue of Iowa. This video is filled
with profanity, but if your kids are
listening to Slipknot, you owe it to
them to see the darkness and depravity
the band admits to: youtube.com/watch?v=O6nstylji3s.
SEVENTH DAY SLUMBER
Background: This rock band was independent
for 11 years until signing with
Tooth & Nail in 2007. Frontman Joseph
Rojas has an incredible testimony of
drug addiction, an overdose, and a
conversion in the back of an ambulance
as he cried out to God in what he
thought was his last moment. Since
then, the band has had a strong heart
for disaffected, fringe, and abandoned
teenagers.
Albums: Anthem of Angels (2011), Take
Everything (2009), Once Upon a Shattered
Life (2005)
What Seventh Day Slumber Says:
“There are things going on with Christian
kids that no one wants to talk
about because we’re supposed to be
happy,” says singer Rojas. “We always
paint Christ as the answer to hurting
people and tough situations.”
Explore: You can listen to some of the
band’s songs on their MySpace page:
myspace.com/7thdayslumber.
Movie: The Twilight Saga:
Breaking Dawn—Part 1
Genre: Drama, Romance,
Thriller
Rating: PG-13
Synopsis: Bella and Edward go
to Rio for their honeymoon,
and Bella soon becomes pregnant.
The birth nearly kills
Bella, and Edward has to decide
whether to make her immortal.
Our Take: Although the
“Twilight” books aren’t the hot
commodities they once were,
teenage girls still care deeply
about Bella and her completely
dysfunctional relationship with
Edward. Blech.
Movie: The Muppets
Genre: Comedy, Family
Rating: PG
Synopsis: Some Muppets super-fans
reunite the gang for a
telethon so they can save the
Muppet Theater from a nefarious
oilman who’s trying to tear
it down.
Our Take: I wasn’t sure teenagers
would care about this—
until I heard how much they
LOVED The Smurfs. So maybe
the beloved Muppets are
poised for a comeback, too.
For more media discussions
and ideas, go to
www.MinistryandMedia.com.
VIDEO GAME
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim—The celebrated RPG (role-playing game) series returns, and your character must defeat a
dragon 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 and fighting
against rival gangs. One of the early-release videos shows a completely nude female character parachuting off a high-rise
building. So it isn’t exactly family-friendly. The rating is still pending but will likely be M (mature).
Page 23

Nov 6
Rob & Kandy Yakemchuck
Dec 4
Fred & Pat Wiens
13 Joe Milankovics
20 Dane & Trish Jones
27 Pa’s Pickin’s
11 John & Dorothy Howat
18 Helen Jackson
25 Dorothea Bergen
If you would like to volunteer please arrive at 2:30pm on any Sunday afternoon and be
prepared to stay until approx. 6:30pm (after all is cleaned up). If you are interested or
have any questions please email cater4umi@yahoo.ca
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup crushed chocolate wafers
3 tablespoons melted butter
12 oz semisweet chocolate c hips
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1-250 gram package cream cheese
1/2 cup caramel topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Caramel Chocolate Pecan Torte
Mix together the chocolate crumbs and the
melted butter. Press half of the crumbs into
the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan.
Over hot water combine 1 1/2 cups of the
chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the whipping
cream, stir until chocolate is melted and cream
is combined. Cool for about 30 minutes.
Whip 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream until soft
peaks form. Blend into the cooled chocolate
mixture.
Combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of caramel
sauce and 1/2 cup of pecans.
Page 24
Carefully spread 1/2 of the chocolate
whipped cream mixture over the crumbs in
pan. Top with all the cream cheese
mixture, then sprinkle remaining chocolate
crumbs over this layer. Add the remaining
chocolate mixture. Cover with plastic wrap
and freeze for 4-24 hours.
Remove from freezer 15 minutes before
serving. Take torte from springform pan
and place on serving plate. Cut into
wedges. Whip remaining 1/2 cup of
whipping cream. Mound the whipping
cream in the center of the torte and drizzle
caramel topping over it. Sprinkle chopped
pecans on top.
from the
Kitchen of:
Marie
Isaac
Got a favorite recipe that you would like to share? Contact Marie at cater4umi @yahoo.ca

LADIES
BOOK
CLUB
TUESDAY,
NOV 15TH
WEDNESDAY, NOV 30TH
(last Wednesday of the month)
Surrey South Campus
Dinner ($7) starts at 6:30pm
and then as we clear away the
plates from a great meal we will
turn our hearts to God through
music and guided prayer.
There will also be opportunity
to receive prayer. Come and
enjoy the opportunity to linger
in prayer.
7pm at Judy Marshall’s home
(13112 66B Ave, Surrey)
We will be discussing
“The Midwife of Venice”
by Roberta Rich
For more info contact
Lorna at 604-341-0526
Gracepoint Life Groups are a great way to connect with others
and grow as a follower of Jesus. A variety of groups are up and
going this fall and we’d love to see many new ones begin.
If you have questions or want to know about getting plugged
in, connect with your Campus Pastor and check out the website
to see existing groups.
Surrey South: steve@gracepoint.ca
The Bell: jeff@gracepoint.ca
Page 25

ICE FISHING
Question: 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 for
many people. Most people agree that meeting and welcoming others in the church is a fantastic idea. The question
is how?
It is generally considered by most to be much safer questions to ask someone either “How long have you been attending
Gracepoint?” or “How often do you attend Gracepoint?” instead of the potentially awkward “Are you new
here?” (which can sometimes offend a longer term member of the community). Both you and the person you’re
speaking with are at a Gracepoint service or event. It is totally fair game to ask how often or how long they’ve
been 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 riding
a bike you can be certain that it does get easier over time. Similarly, after an awkward conversation you can be
sure that if you strike up a conversation with another person that A) conversations will become easier and B) you
will 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 standing
alone waiting?
Wayne Gretzky said “You miss 100% of the shots you never
take.” God may be asking us to take a shot (or two!) at
building community and fellowship with others. To be fishers
of men and women. With that in mind I guess the ultimate
question becomes: “So how ready are you to break
the ice?”
Looking forward to ice fishing with you,
Nathan “Ice Man” Caleb
Page 26

INTRODUCING...
Nathan & Miranda Caleb
(Holding medals at the Royal Mint Pavilion during the Olympic Games last year.)
We’ve been attending Grace Point Community Church for the past 8 years. We met at a College & Career group
event put on by Grace Point. We got married on June 21, 2008 and were honoured to be able to have our wedding
reception 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 Hospitality
Team E at the Bell Campus (lead by our intrepid leaders Rob Saare and Wendy Townsend) for the past 4 years. Nathan
is also blessed to be able to serve on the Bell Campus Financial Kiosk team. We greatly enjoy and appreciate
the wonderful opportunity to co-lead a small group with Steven & Sarah Cook on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm
every 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. She
enjoys 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 in
the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will
make your paths straight.”
Nathan’s passion is business. He can talk about all things business for hours and hours and be energized through
the process. Discussing with him how to do something more effectively or efficiently is of great interest to him. He
is an avid supporter of our Lions and Canucks. Golf is an emerging passion (he’s a work in progress!!). A great conversation
is the best thing in the world to him!! Nathan’s favourite verse is 1 Timothy 5:8 - “Don’t let anyone look
down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in
purity.” The Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 is very cool to him too!!
Stay tuned for more introductions!
Page 27

Christmas in November
Great Expectations
Monday, November 21st, 2011
Gracepoint Community Church
3487 King George Blvd, Surrey.
There will be crafters, Christmas music, delicious dessert, and beautifully
decorated 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 amazing
outreach evening to kick of the Christmas season. During this very special night, ladies have
the opportunity to host a table of 8 friends and family. Hostess' set their individual tables
just like you would if you were hosting a Christmas gathering at home. The variety of decor
and table settings is just incredible and the venue lights up with candles and scents and
sounds 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' have
to say about the experience…
"I love the outreach opportunity that Christmas in November offers. It is easy to invite a friend or neighbour who
may not normally attend church and it is so much fun to decorate a table and have the church auditorium look so
festive. 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 of
picking up a few gifts for Christmas and enjoying the company of other women at my table. Whether we purchase
any gifts or not, I feel that we all get to leave with a special Christmas message given by some very spiritually
gifted women speakers. Recently on the same day, I had four friends ask if they could come again this year. I'm
praying that they too will hear the voice of God and be able to find the true meaning
of Christmas this year."
"I find Christmas in November such a wonderful way for women to kick off the
Christmas season! It is a delightful evening to spend with your friends doing what
women love to do – browse & shop, enjoy a sweet treat, and engage with other
women. Since I first attended 6 years ago, I have enjoyed inviting my friends and
neighbours to share in a special evening just for women and have always been inspired
and 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 you
would like further information on what being a table hostess is all about please
visit the Ticket Sales tables on Sunday morning or call the church office. If you are
unable to purchase your tickets on a Sunday morning you can contact Danica
at danica@gracepoint.ca. Hope to see you there!
Page 28

Cecil Rast
Jen Hubbard
Serving with Youth for Christ in Surrey,
www.gvyfc.org
Brian Brown
Sam Rowland
Serving with Youth for Christ in Greater
Vancouver,
www.gvyfc.org
Tim Ibbotson
Serving with Young Life in Great Vancouver
www.younglife.ca
Carolyn Thiessen
Serving with Child Evangelism Fellowship in
Greater Vancouver crtcare@telus.net
Our Missionaries & Sponsorships
Garry and Kristen Corrigan
Serving with the Canadian Conference of MB in
Quebec
Rob and Judy Griffioen
John and Ev Wiens
Serving with MBMSI in (Zaporozhve) Ukraine
www.mbmsi.org
Serving with MBMS International in (PHUKET) Southern
Thailand
www.mbmsi.org
Cynthia Friesen
Serving with MBMS International in (PHUKET) Southern
Thailand
www.mbmsi.org
Page 29

Austin & Emily Malnis - TREK
Intimacy over Efficiency
Over the past five weeks, Austin & I have been living in a
basement suite in Abbotsford, BC & spending our days at the
MARK Centre with 19 other people. Most days we have 3-5
sessions on various topics such as Hearing God’s Voice, Personal
Holiness, Team Building, Personality Styles, & Evangelism.
It has been an intense and stretching time, but we feel
so blessed that we are able to take this time to prepare ourselves
and our team before we leave Canada.
When Austin & I started our TREK application last year, we
knew that one of the possible locations would be somewhere
in Thailand. This was a very unappealing option to me, so I
jokingly told Austin that this was where God would probably
send us. Thankfully God knows me so well and understands
that I can take a long time to warm up to a new idea. Over
the past year, I can see many specific times when God was
asking me to surrender EVERYTHING to him, including where
we would be sent. It has been a long process, but God is so
patient and I am constantly reminded that he chooses intimacy
with me over efficiency! A few weeks ago, we had the
opportunity to briefly connect with Rob & Judy Griffioen who
are currently working in Thailand. Through their stories, God
really began to break my heart for the people there. On the
morning of September 27 th, we found out where we will be
spending our 7.5 months abroad. The TREK leadership team
spent the evening before praying & discerning where God
wanted to send each one of us. As they were preparing to
uncover the list of teams & locations to the group, I realized
that I would be really disappointed if we were not going to
Thailand! I should not be surprised, but God was able to take
the one place in this world I did not want to go and grow in
me a deep desire to serve him there! Thankfully, we learned
that 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 out
http://trekae.tumblr.com/
John & Ev Wiens
As you know, God placed in our hearts and minds a vision for
developing a Trade School for ‘graduating orphans’ even before
we moved to Ukraine more than 4 years ago.
Our passion has only increased as we come face-to-face with the
challenges 16 year-olds face when they leave the safety of the
orphanage and enter Trade Schools, living on their own with
large groups of other youth in dormitories. We plan to provide
high quality practical education and job placements after
they complete our Trade School.
We will develop Group Homes with Parents, the best way to
model healthy family living and marriages. To fund our programs
and ministry to orphans, and other youth from villages,
we plan to
begin a 200-cow dairy. The Trade School and Dairy Farm will
be located in a former Mennonite Village, Nikolai Pole, just a
40 minute drive from our apartment in Zaporozhye.
God continues to bless New Hope Church. We have successfully
launched a change in our Church Service times. For the
almost two years of existence, New Hope Church met Saturday
nights at 6pm. We chose a Saturday time because Ev and
I also support the ministries of 7 other nearby Mennonite
Churches. This past Saturday 37 people were present in the
10 am Service, and over 50 people Sunday at 5 pm. Ev and I
will still be able to help support these other churches because
God has supplied our young church with 4 others who
love to preach, and are good at it. Wow, wow, wow! Thank
you Jesus!! God continues to bless New Hope Center. Every
day 6 - 10 graduated orphans access our Centre, for friendship
and to use computers.
Tuesdays Max is teaching the boys how to cook, and then
they eat together.
We invite you to pray
1. For God’s favour with village officials regarding the
purchase 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 us
Maybe you would like to leave a legacy resulting in changed
lives.
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, support
and guidance leads to awful statistics.
10% of orphans commit suicide within a year of leaving the
orphanage; 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 AND
FAULTLESS: TO LOOK AFTER ORPHANS . . . . JAMES 1:27
More info on the website: http://newhopecenter.org.ua/en/
Thank you for your partnership.
John & Ev Wiens
John and Ev Wiens will be at Gracepoint Thursday, Nov 24 at
7pm. For more information or to RSVP please email Paul and
Anne Unger at pa2_unger@uniserve.com
Page 30

John & Julia Poole – In China
John 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 and
found that there are several people that wanted to join an English speaking mixed group. I have volunteered to
help establish this group and give mentoring leadership if needed. I also auditioned for the worship team and will
provide my support to the English choir and worship team until January. I have been asked to join the team and
will be practicing with them for the next month while the church leadership team assesses all newcomers prior to
singing before the congregation.
Class picnic at Haidian Park Gardens
Walking around the Summer Palace
My teaching responsibilities are going well and gathering momentum. I have arranged several field trips with my
classes and met with a group at the local park to have a picnic and play games to enhance their English speaking
outside of class time. As foreign teachers, we often use this opportunity to talk about our personal faith and our
lives outside of teaching. It has been impactful and the students appreciate our honesty and opportunity to talk to
us 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 the
many famous people and scholars who have contributed to Peking University and China. There is a very close relationship
to the history and political development of the country here at PKU. Also, the many international relations
that have been established since the early stages of the university was inspiring. I realize that the students here
have great respect and honor for the brilliant scholars of the past and present. This is something I have missed in
my education. I have not developed an appreciation of the history of scholars and recognition of their contributions
to my country and the world.
I am reminded today that we are to hold loosely to our worldly possessions. Unfortunately, this came as a reality
check as my digital SLR camera was stolen from John’s backpack on the crowded bus. We are warned of the pickpockets
and how we should not leave our things unguarded. It was the first time we carried my camera this way
and am praying that God will help me understand why this happened. I have my small point and shoot Canon with
me 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 must
focus 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, we
do have better things to fill our time and energy. I will not be distracted by the small things in my life and move on to
continue building God’s kingdom here on earth. The rest are blessings we count daily and these are to be lifted up before
the people with joy.
Thanks to those of you who have blessed us with your financial support this month. God has shown us through your support
of the ministry that he uses all of our efforts towards the growth of the work here in China. I am inviting more into
our home and sharing our faith and hospitality. It is a simple home but rich in fellowship and hope. God continues to
open our lives to my students and they have enjoyed getting to know both John and I as a couple and asking us questions
about our meeting. Sometimes it is hard to remember the early years since it is over 30 yrs. ago we met. But the
conversations 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 reading
the 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 and
knowledge of God and his plans.
4. Growing understanding for my students and the personal sharing they do through their writing. It has been such a
wonderful experience to learn more about the people of China through my students and the activities we are doing
together. 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 continued
ministry of ERRC.
John and Eric at the Yuanmingyuan Park Relics
Julia at Weiming Lake at PKU
Happy Thanksgiving! I will miss sharing this day of prayer and thanksgiving with you at home but our thoughts
are with you!
“Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God.” Phil. 4:6
Page 32

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1
2
3
4 5
Sr. High Youth
ASCENT
Jr. High Youth
Floor Hockey
Men’s Prayer Meeting
6
7
8
9
10
11 12
Daylight Savings time
ends—clocks fall back 1
hr.
GEMS Girls Club
Sr. High Youth
ASCENT
Floor Hockey
Jr. High Youth
Men’s Prayer Meeting
Sunday Jam
Freedom Session
Sunday Night Community
Dinner
13
14
15
16
17
18 19
Freedom Session
Sunday Night Community
Dinner
GEMS Girls Club
Sr. High Youth
Ladies Book Club
ASCENT
Floor Hockey
Jr. High Youth
Men’s Prayer Meeting
20
21
22
23
24
25 26
Operation Christmas
Child shoeboxes deadline
GEMS Girls Club
Sr. High Youth
ASCENT
Floor Hockey
Jr. High Youth
Men’s Prayer Meeting
Sunday Jam
Freedom Session
Sunday Night Community
Dinner
27
28
29
30
Season of Advent begins
GEMS & Girls Club
Sr. High Youth
FUEL
Freedom Session
Sunday Night Community
Dinner
Page 33

SERVICE TIMES &
LOCATIONS
SURREY SOUTH CAMPUS
3487 King George Boulevard
SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES
9:00am
BELL CAMPUS
6250 144th Street
SUNDAY SERVICE TIME
10:30 am
OFFICE
INFORMATION
3487 King George Blvd
Surrey, BC V4P 1B7
(T) 604-538-1825
Visit our website
www.gracepoint.ca
Page 34