CONNECTIONPOINT - Gracepoint Community Church

our staffourstaffJEFFRENAUDGREGGBAKERDANICAWARKENTINCommunity LifePastorjeff@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 209Worship ArtsPastorgregg@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 213OfficeAdministratordanica@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 200PHILWAGLERRANDYPLETTLOREEMITTONLeadPastorphil@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 208Ministry OperationsPastorrandy@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 214Children’s MinistryAdministratorloree@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 203STEVEBAINSCHRISREITMAYERLYDIAKINNIEOn the cover: ‘Apple with Honeycrisp’ by Michael NaplesOil on 1/4” Board. Approx 6”x6” To see more of Michael Naples work you can find him here. http://michaelnaples.blogspot.ca/CONNECTIONPOINT is a free publication of Gracepoint Community Church, Surrey BC CANADA.Printed by Western Imperial www.wimMedia.comCommunity DevelopmentPastorsteve@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 215Student MinistriesPastorchris.r@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 211Family & Children’sPastorlydia@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 207Confession of FaithWe believe in God as eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created and sustains the universe. The eternal purpose of God the Father is tocreate a people who will bring glory to God forever. God alone is worthy of worship.We believe that God became human in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to restore the world because humans have rejected God in disobedience.Jesus taught and modeled the way of God’s kingdom. He died on the cross, making it possible for us to accept a renewed relationship withGod. He rose from the dead, broke the power of sin and death, and frees us to live in obedience to God’s will.We believe that God the Holy Spirit invites all people to be reconciled with God and to join the global family of faith. Believers confess theirfaith, are baptized, and join in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and guided by the Bible, membersof the church seek to live as followers of Christ and invite others to experience this new life.in this issue020406070810142021323334. gracepoint staff. summer-ies & anticipations . phil wagler. dare to commune . jeff renaud. freedom session. worship arts . gregg baker. student & young adult ministries . chris reitmayer. kids unlimited . lydia kinnie. “Building out, Building in” . steve bains. our missionaries. women’s ministry. G6:10 fund. gracepoint community connections36 . Community373839. sept 2013 calendar of events. gracepoint elders. my gracepoint . karen epptable of contentsEXPERIENCE GODENGAGE OUR WORLDt o g e t h e rSUMMERservice times10amoffice information3487 King George BlvdSurrey, BC V4P 1B7T. 604.538.1825F. 604.538.6139Mon - Fri8:30am - 4:30pmwww.gracepoint.caCommunityDinner5pmgracepoint staffGracepoint is an evangelical church affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Conference of Churches, but people of all backgroundsand denominations – or lack thereof – are welcome here2 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 3

phil waglerphil waglerSummer-ies & AnticipationsAfter all those uncharacteristically endless summer days of sunshine my wife, Jen, confessed, “I’m ready for arainy day.” It may have been the pregnancy talking, I’m not sure, but it reminded me of something Ecclesiastes3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”Every season is to be embraced. Yes, even the rainy times. Truth is if we don’t accept both the sun and rain (andnow let’s move this into a metaphor and assess our lives) we may very well miss the transformative moves of theHoly Spirit. So, as we “look forward” to the rain that will inevitably fall, join me in some reflections and summariesof the summer of 2013 from a Gracepoint perspective and in a few anticipations of what is to come.Summer-ies• Gracepoint sent and celebrated a team of various ages who traveled to Mexico to build homes, relationships,and a bigger vision of what God is up to in our world. We’ll hear the team’s story on September 8.• Gracepointers served Jesus with active love this summer both locally and around the world. Youths served ata variety of summer camps. Gracepointers served in Vancouver and China and other places. We had over 100people serving kids through Wonderfaire. Others served at Sunday Night Dinner. Not to be underestimated, therest of us– whether we knew it or not – were serving our King in our workplaces and neighbourhoods.• Watch that roof! Our great maintenance staff and stewardship team secured a roofing contractor andthe generosity of this body enabled us to get on with replacing the flat sections of our building’s roof that was indesperate need of help.• We joined together in one corporate worship gathering and at Sunday Night Dinner to praise, pray, be encouragedand sharpened by God’s Word and our relationships with one another. We were led in musical worshipby gifted, generationally-diverse and often first-time musicians and vocalists who worked with Pastor Gregg. Wesought intentional community as we ate together and even boccied and played baseball. We heard from avariety of preachers as we looked into the “Upper Deck” stories of ancient saints who cheer us on to rememberGod’s lavish grace that we are recipients and extenders of.• Some of us experienced loss. Some of us experienced the rains of mourning, loss or disappointment in unexpectedways.• Some of us experienced new birth. We’ve got a bunch of new babies among us. There are also some newbelievers, including a number of children who decided to follow Jesus at Wonderfaire.• We are getting to know a number of new people. We’re getting to know people who are new to the area,new to our church family, new to our Sunday Night Dinner, and new to faith in Christ.• Finally, your pastors and staff invested in a lot of preparation for the next season of equipping us to be growingfollowers of Jesus who experience God and engage our world together. We tweaked job descriptions, took time torest and holiday, and worked diligently to foster a community of disciple-making disciples (i.e. YOU!)Anticipations –a season of intentional communityWe believe the Spirit is leading us into a season of intentional community, one of our core values. We need tobe unified in Christ, strengthened in our resolve, and clear in our identity to grow as Jesus’ followers and be a Christlikecommunity that can envelope and disciple people God loves. Here are a number of purposeful initiativesmeant to focus us as an intentional community:• Sunday GatheringsFor the time being we will continue with one Sunday morning worship gathering at 10am and our Sunday NightDinner at 5pm. Building on our summer of togetherness, we see this as an opportunity to strengthen our onenessas a people and discover who we are and what the Spirit is leading us to. You can anticipate some creativetweaks in the way we live Sundays together to make our corporate gatherings more intentional in the practiceof worship and life together.• The CoreYou will begin to hear about “The Core,” a disciple-maker-shaping journey. This will be led by yours truly and bethe foundational development process for those who are committed to the mission of Gracepoint. So muchdepends on the strength of our core and you will have the opportunity to sink your roots deep – or deeper.• Community Life & CareEqually foundational to our unity and mission is our ability to be a community of Christ-centered care. Jeff Renaud,Community Life Pastor, will oversee a dedicated artery system of care that will connect Gracepointers inthe various regions we live. We will become even more neighbourhood-like in our knowing of one another andconnectivity. We will call out and equip pastorally gifted Gracepointers to work with our elders and pastors inbecoming a body where intentional community is something we practice.• Life GroupsLiving in the Word and on mission together is vital to our unity. We hope every Gracepointer will be growing andserving with others. Our life together outside of Sundays in groups of various sizes will grow in importance andfocus in the months ahead.• Freedom SessionMany Gracepointers and followers of Jesus in other local churches have experienced renewal through FreedomSession. A new season will kick off in September led by Gord and Heather Wookey. Maybe it’s your time join?• FUEL(s)Phil WaglerLead Pastorphil@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 208This fall FUEL, our monthly prayer gathering, will involve both a town-hall for the whole church led by your LeadershipTeam and regional gatherings where Gracepointers in various parts of the city will be invited to gather toworship, pray, and share the Lord’s Table together.4 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 summer-ies & anticipations . phil waglerCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 5

kids unlimitedfamily & children’s ministrysunday (0-gr.5)PARENTS!!! We are expecting every KU parent to sign up for one or two Sundays in your child’s class FOR THEFALL. This is a great opportunity for you to join in and be a part of the way your child is involved in worshipingJesus in KU! You will enjoy the privilege of meeting your children’s friends, teachers, helpers and seeing all thathappens during KU on Sundays! Parent sign-up sheets can be found just outside the Nursery, Early Childhood &Elementary classrooms.Nursery: 0-23 months (main, off lobby)It’s never too early to teach children about Jesus! We use Gospel Light’s Baby Beginnings Curriculum in the Nurseryto introduce little ones to Jesus and share His Love.Early Childhood: 2-3 years (main off lobby beside Nursery), 4-5 years (downstairs, Room 106)Elementary: Grade 1-5 (downstairs, Studio A)KU Curriculum is developed from the sermon series so that the children will be learning a similar Bible messageeach Sunday as the adults.ku pROMOTIONMost of the kids already joined their new KU CLASSES for the summer to help them transition into the fall. Thenew grade 6’s joined the Junior High Youth and the rest of the kids moved up to their new KU classes accordingto their birth year and/or the grade they will enter this new school year 2013-14. See chart below:Early Childhood (0-K)Did you know that at the end of June, 12 kids were promoted fromEarly Childhood to Elementary?Nursery: 0-23 months (children are promoted automaticallyto the Toddlers class when they turn 2)2-3 Year Olds: 2 years-born 20104-5 Year Olds: born 2009- 2008Elementary (Gr.1-5)Did you know that at the end of June, 17 kids graduated from KU toJunior High youth in Student Ministries?Grade 1: born 2007Grade 2: born 2006Grade 3: born 2005Grade 4: born 2004Grade 5: born 2003midweek programs starting in the fallGEMS GIRLS CLUB (Gr.1-5) Girls Everywhere Meeting theSavior: A club for girls to learn about God, His Word, and Hisworld.We are getting ready for another fantastic year here with the GEMS Girl’sClub! We’ll be registering the week of September 16th (watch our bulletinand website for dates), and all returning GEMS can register in advance byemailing Counsellor Janet at janet-loewen@telus.net or Counsellor Theresaat Theresa@theresawiebe.com.The Ladies of Gracepoint are welcome to partner with us in the ministry. Wehave all sorts of opportunities to serve and be served, from a weekly commitmentas a counsellor, to a one time special visit to share something aboutyour life , experiences and talents. We are also looking to mentor a newGEMS Coordinator as some of our key leaders will be leaving the program atthe end of this year.Please contact Theresa Wiebe at Theresa@theresawiebe.comKU SUMMER INTERN:THANK YOU SIDSELkids unlimitedfamily & children’s ministryWe love the job of ministering to children and their families! We strive to do our best in all that we do to providequality times of meeting together, heart-driven child care, and creative moments to encounter God. This is onlyaccomplished as we work together – and with the investment of very special people. One of those very specialpeople was our family & children’s ministry summer intern. God exceeded our expectations withSIDSEL:S PECIAL & SWEETI NSPIRINGD ILIGENT & DELIGHTFULS PIRIT-LED & SERVANT-HEARTEDE XPRESSIVE & EXTRAORDINARYL OVER OF GODThank you, Sidsel, for your commitment to excellence and for using your gifts ofcreativity and artistry to enhance our summer in KU and for God’s glory. It was a joy to watch you flourish and excelin your internship. We were very grateful for the opportunity to partner with you and to get to know you overthe summer. You’re beautiful inside and out! We wish that we could keep you but pray that you enjoy anotheryear of studies at TWU as you follow the path God chose for you. Please come back and visit - we will miss you!family resourcesPartnering with Parents:Resources & Events to inspire & equip familiesMake sure your family is registered in KU to receive select info and updates. Registrationforms are available at the KU Info tables in the lobby and downstairs.THRIVING FAMILY: Focus on the Family bi-monthly magazineComplimentary copies of the August/September issue available at KU Info Tables.ADOPTIVE & FOSTERING FAMILY MINISTRYWaiting to Belong – an initiative of Focus on the Family Canada – started as a movementto help more than 30 000 kids in Canada who are waiting to be adopted. Their goal isto see as many waiting kids as possible be placed into loving, forever families. They workto shape realistic perceptions of adoption and to encourage the body of Christ to comealongside adoptive families in practical, loving ways.Waiting to Belong recently featured an online article entitled, Working with ChallengingChildren, written by our own Beverly Moffat. She offers hope to adoptive families whomay be struggling based on her experiences as a special education teacher and anadoptive mom. Check the article out @: http://waitingtobelong.ca/articles/workingchallenging-children*Plans to develop an adoptive and fostering family support group at Gracepoint are underway.For more info, check out upcoming Sunday info sheets and Connection Pointissues or contact beverlymoffat@gmail.com16 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 KIDS UNLIMITEDKIDS UNLIMITEDCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 17

steve bains“Building out, Building in”steve bainsour missionariesWhat happens when you throw in 37 people (mostlystrangers) of various ages, and life experiences,in an impoverished area of San Quentin Valley, Baja,California, Mexico, for five days? There is a potential fora lot of misunderstanding and conflict.Twenty-seven Gracepointers , plus some of theirfriends and relatives made up the group who spentfive days learning what it is to be a caring Christ-centeredcommunity among the poor of the San QuentinValley.While many of us began with the assumption thatwe were going to help the people of Mexico, ourfive days with them changed our minds. Some maysay that the two families for who we built the homes,or the numerous hungry children we fed were the bigwinners of our time in San Quentin, Mexico. However,it was the members of the team from Gracepoint whobenefited even more than those that we served.The truism, “it is better to give then receive”, was realizedas we served others. Below is a sampling ofwhat the team members reported learning and howthey were changed by this trip:• Joy and peace are not based on materialism• We are fortunate to live in Canada with its social,financial, educational, and medical infrastructures• The Mexican’s faith and trust in God dwarfedours- they are rich in faith whereas as we are rich materially• A small group of people can accomplish muchtogether; change the world for better• Loving God involves making personal sacrificesfor the good of others• When we help others, we receive a blessingtoo• Power of a caring community- we are bettertogether• At home we lack real community; Gracepointersneed to work harder at getting to know each otherbetter; authentic church• It is important to go home and show God’s lovelocallyOn Sunday September 8th you will have an opportunityto hear more about our work in Mexico andhow it has transformed members of the team.We are already planning to return again next year.Hopefully you, your family or friends, will join us.Becoming Great in Jesus,Pastor SteveHouse Buildin ProcessFeeding Childrenin San FranciscoTeam Bin front ofcompleted houseGarry & Kristen CorriganThe Canadian Conferenceof MB ChurchesQuebechttp://www.mbconf.caCecil RastArea: Surrey DirectorYouth UnlimitedSurreywww.gvyfc.orgBrian BrownYouth UnlimitedModule Coordinatorwww.gvyfc.orgSam RowlandYouth UnlimitedChristian CommunicatorVancouverwww.gvyfc.orgTim IbbotsonYoung LifeRegional DirectorLower Mainlandwww.younglife.caourmissionariesJohn & Ev WiensMB MissionsZaporozhve, Ukrainehttp://www.mbmission.org/connect/missionaries/wiens-john-and-evelynCarolyn ThiessenChild EvangelismFellowshipGreater Vancouverwww.cefcanada.orgRob & JudyGriffioenMB MissionThailandhttp://www.mbmission.org/connect/missionaries/griffioen-roband-judyCynthia FriesenMB MissionPhuket, SouthernThailandhttp://www.mbmission.org/connect/missionaries/friesen-cynthiaThe 2013 TeamSteve BainsCommuity DevelopmentPastorsteve@gracepoint.ca604.538.1825 x 21520 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 “Building out, Building in” . steve bainsour missionariesCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 21

our missionariesgarry & kristen corrigancanadian conference of mbchurches - quebecN e ws y Note sJULY 2013Dear friends,Summer has arrived in Montreal in all its splendor offering somany insights into God`s magnificent creation. From myoffice window I see a tranquil scene of lusciously-leavedmaple trees in the park-like setting of the top of Mount Royaljuxtaposed with the traffic backlog caused by yet anotherroad construction/repair project. This scene brings to mindtwo thoughts: 1) that our God is Great in His creation; and 2)the great majority of people in those cars stuck in traffic donot know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.That is why our school, ETEM/IBVIE is so important - a keycontributor to preparing equipped disciples to incarnate theirfaith wherever God calls them.``Wouldn`t you know - just when I wentto take the picture - the traffic moved on``StudentNewsTwo of our studentsfrom our first year ofoffering the Certificatein Pastoral Studiesexemplify their commitmentto serve in waysthat were onlydreamed of a yearago. Jade and Elsahave just returned fromfive weeks in a closedNorth African countryas part of our internationalmissions course- a 1st for our school!Friends, family, churchesand the schoolspartnered with them - afresh demonstration ofhow our sense of communityis building torespond to God`s call.Jade is positively radiantfrom her experience!Her firstresponse when askedhow it went was,"I miss being therealready! I love the people and the place. I went there withmany hesitations and a few fears - none of which were realized.The people were warm and friendly. We receivedexcellent coaching and mentoring." Jade expressed morethan once in just a few minutes that she would really like togo back, in fact when the Dean asked her if she wouldcome to share with students who will be in the 19-24Program this year, she laughed and said, "Does this meanI can go back again next year?"Please pray for Jade and Elsa as they will be meeting withtheir professor, Barry Whatley on July 23rd for a crucialdebrief. Perhaps future letters will include yet untold storiesof their adventures...GARRY & KRISTEN CORRIGAN cont’dFacultyProfile:David Miller, Ph. D.candidate – Theology(Laval University);Master of Divinity(Ashland TheologicalSeminary, Ohio; B.A. –Biblical Studies (MessiahCollege, Pennsylvania)David has been a gift tothe Christian community inQuebec for many years. Asa Brethren in Christ pastorfrom Pennsylvania, Davidand his wife Patricia responded to God`s call to Quebec in 1981,pastoring originally in a church plant in Quebec City until 1997,back in Pennsylvania from then until 2004, and then in Montrealsince 2004. He currently pastors the MB church plant at Terrebonne‘’Intersection’’, a C2C initiative which includes participation withthe Brethren in Christ church. Having taught for several schoolsincluding our three current partners IBVIE, IBQ and ETEM, Davidis also an Adjunct Professor of the Faculty of Theology andReligious Sciences of Laval University. In addition to the manyNew Testament and Greek courses that David has taught, this fallhe will be teaching Introduction to Servant Leadership in theChurch. A man wearing many hats, David also serves as a memberof the Board of ETEM and of the Joint Interim Board ofETEM/IBVIE. If ministry were not exciting enough, David andPatricia have recently welcomed their first grandchild to the world.Text that has characterized their ministry:Accept one another , then, for the gloryof God. as Christ has accepted you.Romans 15:7David is struck by the 3 movements in the verse:a) accept one another – characterizes our relationship in Christ tobe there for one anotherb) for the Glory of God He is the one that is making this happen.c) as Christ has accepted you – how he has accepted us.David sees this as not just a theological treatise, but how we canlive together in Christ.Progress toward ourBHAG’s 1As of July 15 th , we are over 45% of the waytoward welcoming 150 course registrations(37.5 FTE) for Fall 2013 with many of ourreturning students not yet having completedtheir course selection. Never before have wehad that number confirmed this early, so wepraise God for the bounty of opportunity toprepare many to serve Him.Preliminary numbers for our fiscal year-endindicate that we balanced our budget for 2012-2013. We praise God and thank you each foryour prayers and your generous supportthroughout.Our goal for the 2013-14 school year is to raise158K (an increase of $8,000). With summertimebeing a time of heavy workloads to prepare forthe upcoming year, yet low revenues, wehumbly extend an invitation to join us in ourministry from a financial perspective in additionto your prayers so that we may meet our financialobligations in a timely manner.May God bless you richly as we strive to reachQuebec for Christ!KRISTEN CORRIGAN M.A.PRESIDENT – ETEM1 The term ‘Big Hairy Audacious Goal’ (BHAG) was proposedby James Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1994book entitled Built to Last: Successful Habits of VisionaryCompaniesour missionariesTEACHING AT A UNIVERSITY LEVEL, WHICH PURSUESMISSION IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WIDER SOCIETY.ETEM & IBVIE are in partnership withla Faculté de théologie et de sciences religieuses4824, Côte-des-Neiges, bureau 301Montréal (Québec) H3V 1G4Téléphone: 514.331.0878Télécopieur: 514.331.0879info@etem.ca www.etem.ca24 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 our missionariesour missionariesCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 25

our missionariesrob and judy Griffioenmb missionthailandrob and judy Griffioen cont’dour missionariesAdventures in Jesus with Rob & Judy“THERE IS NO END OF OPPORTUNITY”BACK IN ACTION!We landed in Thailand on May 24th(after a medical delay). This timearound, everything was new again.Since our visas and work-permits hadexpired, we needed to get these goingagain. We found a studio apartment torent in Chachoengsao city. WhenRob’s new work permit came in, wewere able to purchase a small Toyotawhich fit our budget. We thank God forleading a family member to help us buythis car. We connected with the Chachoengsao team and quickly beganserving in ministry, clocking over 400 km each week in ministry to theBurmese and coordinating the Thailand MB family camp in Rayong.English outreach in Bang SaiCelebration in MyanmarHIGHLIGHTSNew Believers - we always rejoicewhen people put their faith in JesusChrist and receive him as Lord andSaviour. Since we’ve returned, severalamong the Burmese and Thai havereceived Christ. Last weekend, fourmore people came to Christ at the 2013Thailand MB Family Camp.On July 11-15, we attended the 200thanniversary celebration of Adoniram Judson’smission to Burma. Judson set a great precedentin missions and left behind an amazing legacy.Thousands of believers in Myanmar can linktheir faith in Jesus back to the witness of thisfaithful man of God. If one were to add thetribal believers along the Thailand side of theborder, there are many more. We weresimply amazed by the generous hospitality of our hosts at U Naw Baptist Church inYangon (Rangoon). This church is named after Burma’s first Protestant convert.THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MB MISSION’S MINISTRY.Contact Rob and Judy Griffioen Contact MB MissionWeb: http://mbmission.org/connect/missionaries/griffioen-rob-and-judyEmail: robandjudy2thai@gmail.com3/9 296 Sukprayoon Road, T. Na Muang,A. Muang, Chachoengsao, 24000, ThailandAt the Burmese Church in Bo ThongMaking new friends at U Naw BaptistWeb: http://mbmission.orgEmail: mbmission@mbmission.orgPhone: 1.604.859.6267Address: 32040 Downes RdAbbotsford, BC V4X 1X5July 26, 2013PRAYER REQUESTS:¥ For much spiritual fruit as weprimarily serve among theBurmese factory workers inCentral Thailand¥ That God’s supply would not lackfor this ministry. Young leadersare being equipped formultiplication but lack funds tocontinue. THIS OUTREACHURGENTLY NEEDS SUPPORT(PROJECT CODE C0509)¥ For God’s wisdom as wecontinue to explore long-rangeoutreach strategies for the peopleof Myanmar.¥ For protection of new Burmesebelievers as they are oftenworking in exploitive conditionsand are resented by Thainationals¥ For wisdom in helping newbelievers get established in theirfaith. Their work schedules makethis a big challenge.¥ That God will bless the work andcontinue to look after the needsof our dear friends in Shan State(Sion & Apem and the girls in thesafe house).WITH A NEW FOLLOWER OF JESUS“THERE IS MORE LAND TO BE TAKEN”This challenge, taken from Joshua 13:1, was given to the manywho attended the 200th anniversary of Adinoram Judson’s missioninto Burma (Myanmar). In saying this, they are looking at thespiritual reality of extending God’s kingdom through winning souls,not the physical reality of acquiring land. At this ÒofÞciallyauthorized” celebration, it was a true delight to see so much colourand energy present. While we were noticeably the only western(white) people in attendance, we never felt anything but a hugewelcome and much joy. We saw the rich and we saw the poor.And even though we didn’t see much of anyone in between, wedid see new hope in people’s eyes.On the surface, the church in Myanmar seems stronger than the church in Thailand, with reportedly6% of the population called Christian (compared to 1% in Thailand). Nonetheless, we were told thatthe faith of many has grown cold and that there still are many areas to be won for Jesus. Myanmar isjust waking up from decades of oppression under a powerful military junta. In Yangon (Rangoon), thesense of fear is not nearly as prevalent as we’ve seen before. With recent political reforms and agrowing sense of freedom, hope is stirring. With a progressive government and sanctions removed,western enterprise is rapidly moving in. Is the church ready to meet this change?There is no forgiveness in Buddhism ...A “SEASON OF JUBILEE” FOR MYANMARAfter the end of the celebration, Judy and I had a bit of time toventure out and see some other areas of Yangon. Guided by anEnglish-speaking Burmese couple, we visited a region just north ofthe former capital. Our guides shared many interesting insights.One was that the country had been under the control of the militaryjunta for 49 years. After the “Saffron Revolution” (monks’ revolt) inAugust 2007, the former military dictator sought forgiveness forordering the brutal military crack-down of what had been a peacefulmass protest. This conscience-stricken leader appealed to a leading Buddhist monk, who curtlyresponded that “there is no forgiveness in Buddhism. If you want forgiveness, go to theChristians!” God, who paved the way to forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ our Lord, heard theheart cries of the oppressed and thus put in motion a regime change in Myanmar. Besides thefreedom of many political prisoners and other huge steps towards reform; there are new signs ofspiritual life. For example, a huge new church has formed in the overcrowded Insein prison. Thistroubled, yet beautiful country clearly has a long way to go before full reform will be experienced, butsigns are abundant that spiritual change is on the way. Praise Jesus and keep praying for this!! Prior to taking us to the airport, our guides took us to an area where many impoverished peoplelive. They called it a “brown zone.” We saw children living in hutssurrounded by muck. We visited the pastor of a bare-bones churchserving among the poor. When our visit was done, our hearts were full.! As we were leaving Myanmar, we asked our guides, “Is thereroom for MB Mission, a mission which faithfully does “holistic churchplanting that transforms communities among the least reached,” toengage mission in Myanmar? Our guides laughed and emphaticallyanswered, “there is no end of opportunity!”What is their hope for the future?! Thank you for praying with us forpeople such as these … Rob & JudyWith Rev. Toe Toe, Thiry and friends26our missionariesour missionariesCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 27

our missionariesCarolyn ThiessenGreater Vancouverchild evangelismfellowshipDear friends,“...no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10?29Recently, on Father’s Day, I was thinking about those children whose father has died orleft, and is out of the picture. I met a little boy on the bus the other day. It was obviousthat he was the son of a single mom. She was very busy kissing her boyfriend. This littleguy looked so sad and just stared straight ahead. I tried to get him to smile. He laughedonce or twice but it sounded hollow, like he was forcing it. He cried several times, but hismom basically ignored him. I just covered this wee one with prayer that he would cometo know God’s Love and give his life to him.God says in His Word that those who come to Him, He will not reject and nobody cantake them out of His Hand. This means each child I teach:E ~ was so worried about her parents arguing and often burst out in tears. One day sheasked Jesus to take her burden and He put the smile back on her face.O ~ couldn’t understand why her daddy died. She gave her life to Jesus and she knewthat one day she would see him again.N ~ listened carefully to the Bible lesson at each club. She always seemed very sad untila time during class she accepted Jesus. She smiles often now.J ~ was a very sensitive, shy little girl. Every once in a while she would cry because somebodyhad said something that hurt her. With a smile on her face she declared at clubthat she knew Jesus. What a difference He has made in her life.R ~ didn’t realize that there was a God who loved her. She understood more and moreeach time she came to club. Then came the day when she told me that now she believedin God and wanted to live for Him.Please pray for these dear children, that they would keep on growing in their faith.I have been impressed by the faith of a young girl, N ~, in my club. Her family is Muslimand goes to the temple. They don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but onlya good man. N ~ has a pure and simple faith that is amazing in her situation. She saidthat she prays to Jesus when nobody is looking. The other day she brought her sisterto club. Her grandma did not want them to come, but the hostess and I prayed, andthey came. “Tell her about Jesus. She doesn’t know Him and what He did on the cross,”she said. All during the lesson she explained things to her. Before I left that day I hada chance to tell N ~ that I would be praying for her and that her sister would come toknow Jesus, too. Will you pray for N ~, that she would be strong in her faith and that shewould keep on sharing with her little sister?Carolyn Thiessen cont’dIn my personal life, I have said a number of ‘hello’s’ and ‘good-bye’s’ this past while:In my Good News Clubs, I’ve said ‘hello’ to many new children. The attendancecontinued to grow. We are taking a break for the summer but I am looking forward toseeing some of the children when I give out invitations, and then at the 5-Day Club inJuly. I do miss them. In my SS class there have been a few new 4 and 5 year olds. Soprecious. I will miss them during the summer as well.At my Tuesday morning Bible Study I got to meet new ladies who have becomefriends. I have to wait until September before I see some of them again.A few of my long-time supporters have gone to be with the Lord. I really miss thesedear saints and kind friends. I’m thankful that they are being taken care of by ourHeavenly Father. He is a wonderful care giver.A couple of girls from my club went to China for a visit, so I have missed them, too.I’ve also said ‘good-bye’ to some children who have moved away from the complexwhere I teach my clubs. I am so glad that God will protect them with His angels. I praythat they would be able to sing with confidence that they are safe in the Hand ofGod, as in the words of my song:When I am feeling all aloneMy Jesus tells me I’m His ownHe’ll care for me so tenderlyBecause I’m part of His family.I am safe in His HandI’m secure in His planThis is the truth on which I standHe’s my Father and I’m safe in His HandThank you for caring about the children. Thank you for your emails, your gifts, yourcalls, and mostly for your prayers. They mean so much! Please pray for me, the rest ofthe staff, and our summer workers as we reach out to the children and tell them aboutthe God who loves them very much. Pray that many will come to Him and find Him thesafest place to be.Always for the children,CarolynServing the Lord with CEF of BCour missionaries30our missionariesour missionariesCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 31

Gracepoint communitycurrent eventsLife GroupsAre you hungering for more of a sense of belonging here at Gracepoint?We believe that community is at the core of who weare and what we do, and we would love to have you involved.We express community in a number of ways here, one of the best isthrough what we call Life Groups – groups of between 10-14 peoplewho get to know each other, study the Bible together, and talkabout how it applies to life. If you are interested in joining a lifegroup please contact jeff@gracepoint.ca.Existing Life Groupsgeneral mixedarnold & sharonmachelweekly on tuesdayernie & marie isaacmeet every othersundayfleetwoodphil & jen waglerevery other saturdaysurrey|langleykevin & theresa wiebeweekly on thursdaypanorama ridgegregg & tracy baker1st & 3rd wednesdaynorth deltaSchedule 2013jeremy & cathy wilsonother fridaynorth deltacarey & cherylvandenbergtwo weeks on fridaysouth surreyryan & shari zindler1st & 3rd fridaysurreyAdult childrenempty nestersallan & beverly moffatevery other sundaysouth surreywalt & charlotte eppweekly on wednesdaynorth deltadavid & liz raisonevery other tuesdayguildfordtodd & rita conkeyevery other tuesdaysouth surreysinglesmelanie kartyeweekly on wednesdaynewtonYOUNG MARRIEDnathan & mirandacaleb | steven &sarah cookweekly on wednesdayvarious locationsDessert night withJohn & Ev WiensSat Sep 21 @ 7pmat GracepointPrayer Gathering4th Tuesday of the month 7:30pmEat together @ 6:30pmHoly Land TourwithPastor Phil Wagler&tour leader Wilmer Martinsunmontuewedthufri1 SUNDAY 2 3 4 5 6 7SERVICE10amCommunityDinner5pmOffice closedLabour DayVolleyballdrop-inmen’s floorhockey8 SUNDAY 9 10 11 12 13 14SERVICE10amCommunityDinner5pmVolleyballdrop-inmen’s floorhockey15 SUNDAY 16 17 18 19 20 21SERVICE10amSunday JamCommunityDinner5pmVolleyballdrop-inLadies BookClubGemsregistrationmen’s floorhockeyLeadershipTeam mtg.22SUNDAY23 24 25 26 27 28SERVICE10amwomen'sministrycupcakechallengefallkick-offsatWiensDessertNightYOUNG ADULTSRETREATsEP 20-22September 2013September 01Dane & Trish JonesSeptember 08Maargaret LeggeSeptember 15Fred & Pat WiensSeptember 22John & Dorothy HowatSeptember 29Dorothea BergenOctober 06Helen JacksonOctober 13Marie IsaacOctober 20Outreach OpportunityOctober 27Brigette BourassaJoin John & Ev in theUkraineInterested in utilizing your construction,business, or teachingskills to bless the people of theUkraine? Our church is consideringa missions trip to the Ukrainein 2014.For more into contactthe officeinfo@gracepoint.caor Steve Bainssteve@gracepoint.caFebruary 12-20, 2014with TourMaginationFor more information9 Willow Street, Waterloo, ON N2J 1V6Phone: (519) 885-2522Fax: (519) 885-0941http://www.tourmagination.comCommunityDinner5pmSUNDAY29 30SERVICE10amCommunityDinner5pmFreedomsessionVolleyballdrop-inVolleyballdrop-inGemsmen’s floorhockeyWOMEN’SSTUDYsept 2013 calendar of events36CommunityCONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 CONNECTIONPOINT September 2013 37