Church and Community Profile 2018
Gateway Community CRC Profile Our HISTORY Gateway was founded in 1950 by Dutch immigrants who after many years of attending worship services across the border in Sumas, Washington had the desire to establish their own church in the community of Abbotsford. At its beginning Gateway was known as First Christian Reformed Church of Abbotsford. The congregation consisted of 28 families and quickly grew to over 200 families within the first 10 years. In 2002 the name was changed to Gateway Community CRC since our location at that time on McCallum Rd was considered the southern “Gateway” into Abbotsford, and now at our current location we’ve become the northern “Gateway”. Over the years Gateway daughtered three CRC churches in the community of Abbotsford.
VISION and MISSION Gateway’s vision is:
“Gateway CRC is to be a healthy, growing, and diverse family of God expressing the good news of God’s Kingdom that transforms lives in our church, in our city, and in our world.“ Gateway’s mission is:
“Helping People to Love and Serve Jesus.” Gateway is currently being guided by our 3 - 5 Year Strategic Plan (2013) which includes Core Beliefs and Strategic Goals to guide us into the future. The complete report is attached.
WORSHIP Gateway believes that Spirit-directed and heartfelt worship honours God and draws us into His presence. The worship services are contemporary and have a focus of biblical preaching that challenge listeners to holy living.
View of auditorium from the stage
Gateway CRC MEMBERSHIP We have a good mix of all age groups and have ministries which reach out to all ages. Our current membership is 740 people. Of which 402 people are confessing members, 224 members are under the age of 18 and 38 are inactive or non-resident members. (Graph below includes adherents) 61+ years 41-60 years 25-40 years 19-24 years 13-18 years 9-12 years 3-8 years 0-2 years 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 Number in age category
Our FACILITIES In 2006 Gateway moved to the property where it is currently located: a former elementary school campus on 12 acres just on the edge of the city. The campus consists of 85,000 sq ft and includes a gymnasium and classrooms, a new sanctuary with seating capacity of 1120, office space, and an unfinished basement. A portion of the campus is leased out to a preschool. In 2013, after many years of fundraising and congregational support, we were able to begin worshipping in the new sanctuary.
Approximately 70% of Abbotsford is zoned agricultural with 16% zoned residential. The remainder is made of up Industrial/Institutional and Parkland
FINANCES Gateway is blessed with a history of generous giving. From its beginning in 1950 and the construction of its first facility, to the resources needed for the establishment of three additional CRC churches in Abbotsford, to the support for its missions work abroad, and most recently the money raised for the new building. The yearly operational budget (2018) for Gateway is 1.231 million dollars. In 2017, Gateway surpassed a budget of $1.28 million, of which 100% of denominational and classical ministry shares were paid.
BY THE
NUMBERS
CURRENT STAFFING Executive Pastor F/T (Commissioned) Senior Pastor F/T (Vacant June 2017)
740
Youth Pastor F/T (Vacant May 27, 2018) Worship Director (1/2 time) (shared by 2 people) Facilities Manager (1 F/T, 1 P/T)
23
Gateway Community CRC desires to be a safe place for all people and therefore requires that all staff, leaders and teachers, and anyone volunteering in ministries involving minors and/or vulnerable adults
Seats in
current membership
Administrative Assistant (3/4 time, 1 P/T)
SAFE CHURCH
1,120
Gateway Campus is
85,000
auditorium
National/International Missionaries and scholarships to students in Mexico
100%
take the training course offered at Gateway. This training course takes place every quarter, and requires
square feet
Percentage paid to Classical and denominational ministry shares
our employees and volunteers to a criminal record and
Full time and part time staff
9
vulnerable sector check for participation in any ministries involving minors and/or vulnerable adults at Gateway. Gateway is further promoting safety of children by having a secure electronic check-in system for Sunday nursery and Kidz Church as well as our weekly children’s ministries.
3
daughter churches established since
1950
224 People under the age of 18
40%
of Gateway members in CARE GROUPS
North Entrance to the Facilities
ABOVE: South Entrance to the Facilities
Gateway MINISTRIES Care Group Ministry: Gateway places a strong emphasis on the importance of being involved in the care group ministry. It is one of the main ways
Youth: Junior high & Senior high. SAM’s Café: Singles and couples, age 18 – 25.
Coffee Break for Women: Women from our in which the spiritual care of the members is carried community and our church fellowship gather to out. Pastoral elders maintain close contact with care study and socialize together every Wednesday group leaders to ensure their members are being morning. Children ages 3-5 are welcome to enjoy adequately cared for. Currently Gateway has playtime and fun crafts, Bible stories, songs and a approximately 40% of confessing members involved snack. Nursery is provided. in care groups. Book Club: A group that meets monthly for Nursery: Children ages 0-3 are welcome to come refreshment and discussion. to a safe and loving environment during the Sunday morning service and Wednesday morning during Women's Coffee Break ministry. Kidz Church: A special children’s message is given for children ages 3-8 during the worship service and then the children are invited to Kidz Church for a fun filled program of Bible stories and crafts. Gems Girls Ministry: Girls grades 3-7. Cadets Boys Ministry: Boys grades 3-7.
Vacation Bible School: A 4 day VBS offered to community and Gateway families, typically during the second week of July. Men's Ministry: Men are invited to participate Gateway’s Darts Club and weekly Drop In Basketball evening. Women's Bible Study: A group of ladies, 70+ years old, who gather together every 2nd and 4th Wednesday morning of each month to study God's word.
60+ Seniors’ Ministry: The senior’s group ford who run the program. meets every 3rd Thursday of the month. It's a time of coffee, fellowship and entertainment for seniors.
Gateway Meals: Gateway volunteers provide
Library: Books and resources are available for
meals on a temporary basis to Gateway families in situations of need, such as a birth of a baby or a
checkout before and after Sunday worship services. death in the family. Friendship: This ministry is for adults with mental Extreme Weather Shelter: When the weather disabilities. The group meets every Wednesday eve- get’s cold Gateway opens it’s gym for up to 30 indining for a time of fellowship and praise to God.
viduals to have a warm, dry place to sleep.
Mexico Missions: Since 1995 Gateway has annually sent a team of its youth on a Mexico Missions trip; the team spends a week with the same community each year. In addition to the annual trip, Gateway provides ongoing financial support to the local church as well as educational support for their students. Prayer Ministry: A prayer team is available after Sunday morning services for anyone who would like to be supported in prayer for any reason. Prayer
Starfish Backpack Ministry: A team of volunteers packs and delivers backpacks weekly to several public elementary schools, for children who don’t have enough food on the weekends. This is done in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Abbots-
Lobby and coffee bar
meetings are held twice monthly at the church, and an email based prayer chain is available.
Strategic Goal To be missional in identity
Definition
SNAPSHOT
To be missional in identity describes the heart orientation. Being missional speaks to our identity as God’s people, rather than referring to the outreach activities of a few. Our God is a sending
Core Values
Educate Congregation Encourage Missional Practices Community Partnerships Prayer
God and, through Christ, He sends us. As God’s people, we are called to practice God’s love in all areas of our lives.
To Create a Strong Community
Strong community promotes unity for every member and attendee. Our desire is to move forward unified under God’s guidance. A strong community provides opportunities for service and ministry
To include variety and encourage open expression in worship
this community, we develop strong relationships and guests feel welcome.
To model and practice servant leader-
and to encourage spiritual growth. In
To model and practice Servant leadership
Maintain and support missionaries Develop and Formalize ministries Ministry Sharing Community Events Care Groups Practice Hospitality Pre-worship Prayer
begins with the following qualities: effective communication, accountability, and an attitude of humility.
Increase effective communication Development and training of new leaders Mentorship ministry Strategic Planning Leadership Accountability Staff planning
To model variety and encourage open expression in Worship: Worship is an
Expand patterns of worship God pleasing worship Staff Planning
Debt reduction Financial Responsibility Facility Rental Policies and procedures Facility development Staff Planning
ship: We believe that servant leadership
essential part of Christian living. Worship occurs corporately in Sunday service and is lived out daily.
To be good stewards of our finances and facility
To be good stewards of our finances and facility: There needs to be a sustainable plan that allows us to continue paying debt while supporting church ministries, local ministries, and global ministries. In addition, there needs to be a clear understanding of the missional purpose of the facility for all who use it.
Outreach Ministry
Gateway Community Christian Reformed Church Organizational Structure
Hospitality Ministries
Missions
Host/ Greeters/
Adult Ministries Seniors
Board of Stewards Finance Committee
Caretaker of Faculties
Evening C of F
Admin Assistant Assistant to the Administrative
Youth Pastor Treasurer
God & His Word
Young Adults
Personnel Team
Admin Council
Executive Pastor
Pastoral Elders
Pastor of Preach/ Congregation
Council Worship Directors
Sunday Worship
Deacons
Counting Team
Care Groups Prayer Ministry PreMarriage PoF
Gateway Vespers
In reach/ Outreach
Extreme Weather
Coffee Teams
Gateway Meals
Kitchen Committee
Host Families
Women’s Bible Study
Men’s Ministry
Library
Coffee Break
Repair/ Maintenance
Computers
EXternal Rentals
Friendship
Book Club
Disability Needs
Adults Classes
Host
Safe Church
INternal Rentals
Youth Ministries
Children Ministries
YOUTH GROUP
Praise Teams
Ushers
Media Booth
GEMS
CADETS
Creative Team
Kidz Church
Summer Camp Nursery
VBS
Mexico Mission
Abbotsford is a city
located in the Lower
Mainland region
of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. With an estimated population of 141,497 people, it is the largest municipality of the Fraser Valley Regional District, the fifth-largest municipality of British Columbia, and the largest municipality outside Greater Vancouver. The Abbotsford–Mission metropolitan area approximately 170,191 inhabitants (as of the 2011 census) and is the 23rd largest census metropolitan area in Canada. Abbotsford has the third highest proportion of visible minorities among census metropolitan areas in Canada, after the Greater Toronto Area and the Greater Vancouver CMA. For 9 consecutive years Statistics Canada names Abbotsford as Canada’s most generous city in terms of charitable donations. The community of 375.55 square kilometers (145.00 sq mi) is the largest city by area in British Columbia. It is home to the University of the Fraser Valley, Tradex and the Abbotsford
International Airport which
hosts the botsford International Airshow. ABBOTSFORD
The municipal-
States border. Across the boarder bordered by the Township of Langley to the west, the Fraser River and the District of Mission to the north, and the City of Chilliwack to the east. Many inhabitants of Abbotsford enjoy views of Mount Baker (to the southeast, in Washington) and the Coast Mountains (to the north).
HOUSING Benchmark Price:
Fraser Valley, Mt Baker
Ab-
ity's southern boundary is the Canada–United is Sumas, Washington. In Canada, Abbotsford is
Single Family Home $775,000-$875,000
Townhouse $450,000-$550,000
Condominium $300,000-$400,000
With entry level $650,000-$700,00
RENTAL apartment units 1 bedroom - $850-$1,050 per month 2 - bedroom - $1,250-$1,500 per month CHURCHES
6 CRC 19 Mennonite 11 Baptist 5 Reformed 4 Anglican 55 other denominations (approximately)
Mill Lake, Abbotsford, BC
EDUCATION
Abbotsford Christian School K-12 Mennonite Educational Institute K-12 Cornerstone Christian K-8 St James and St John Brebeuf Catholic K-12 School District 34: Elementary, Middle and High Schools
Universities/Colleges: University of the Fraser Valley Trinity Western University Columbia Bible College Summit Pacific College Regent College
2884 Gladys Ave Abbotsford, BC, V2S 3Y2 604-859-5908 Gatewaycrc.org