ISSUE 17 SPRING 2016
Sunday CELEBRATIONS (see pages 3-8)
Ministries & EVENTS (see page 9-16)
We are a church that loves God, loves people, and loves life! Our church-life is built on three pillars: Connect … on Sunday Grow … in a Group Serve … on a Team. For most people, our Sunday service is their first point of connection to Gateway. We try to ensure that our Sunday services are well planned and executed, driven by vision and purpose, and open to the presence of God intervening in the lives of those who gather, bringing wisdom, healing, guidance and answered prayer - whether that’s in the main auditorium, or in the various children rooms where GatewayKids meet during the service.
Our family have been in Canada (and at Gateway) for 7 years, and we really sense that we are now beginning to enter into a very exciting season for our church as we launch out with a new 5-year plan - our 2020 Vision. Check out our Info Desk in the Gateway lobby, or our website at gateway.ac for more information on what Gateway is all about, how we can serve you, and how you can be a greater part of what we are doing. We’re looking forward to partnering with you as we journey through life together as a family and community!
Martin & Christine Trench
Our House Parties and Groups are the ideal place to get to know others from the church, in an informal social gathering, and our Group leaders are available for pastoral care and discipleship. Once you get settled into the life of our congregation, you may want to check out some of our Teams where you can find a place to contribute your talents and abilities to help God’s House function smoothly and well.
Dr. Martin Trench is our Lead Pastor, and is our main teacher, vision-caster, and leader of our staff team. Christine serves behind the scenes in the church and is involved in strategicplanning with Martin, designing our stage-sets, and pioneering a prayer ministry. They came to Canada, from Scotland, with their two daughters 7 years ago to serve in Gateway. 2 // GTWY MAG SPRING 2016
VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 3
Sometimes, (in fact, probably most of the time) when we face a difficulty in life, or are unhappy with our present circumstances, or desire to make a change in some way, we want to rush ahead, change everything at once, get from “slavery in Egypt” today and start living in “the promised land of milk and honey” tomorrow - without any journey, or having to learn any lessons along the way. We want an “instant better life” without having the time-consuming, laborious work of actually “building a better life” - one brick at a time. We want to build our new life quickly, without having to take the time to make sure that our “foundations” are secure. We want it all, and we want it now! Let’s take the Israelites journey from slavery to promised land as an example, (after all, the Bible itself says about the Exodus that “these things happened to them as examples and were written down for our instruction” 1 Corinthians 10:11). The people who were slaves were used to a particular lifestyle which, over time, 4 // GTWY MAG SPRING 2016
produced a particular mindset within them - “slave mentality” - which shows up time and time again in their wilderness wanderings, and was so severe than it even stopped that whole generation from entering the promised land, (a land which God provided, but which would not produce crops and herds on its own - they would now have to settle down and “work” the land - something they had never done before). They actually asked to elect a new leader who would take them BACK to slavery in Egypt! (see Numbers 14). They wanted the blessings and provisions of the promised land, but they were not yet the kind of people who could carry the responsibility of that new life. Often we want to experience a bigger life, a better lifestyle, a stronger faith, a closer relationship, a more successful career - but we don’t want to actually grow and become the kind of people who can handle that new life, who are strong enough to bear the weight of new responsibilities, who
have gradually developed the skills and wisdom that would be required to maintain the new life we yearn for. We want God to simply answer a prayer, connect us with a person who will solve all our problems, or even zap us with the Holy Spirit to change us super-fast. To use an analogy from Jesus - our foundations are too weak to carry the weight of a heavier, larger life (see Matthew 7:24-27)
Over this series, we will be looking at a number of areas of life, learning how to BUILD A Better Life • A Stronger Faith A Happier Home • A Fulfilling Career A Growing Church • A Better Society
Each week, we are given the opportunity to come together as a Church body and respond to what God has done for us, and how he has impacted our lives. At Gateway - we believe that God inhabits the praises of his people - and that as we reflect and focus on him, our burdens are lifted away. During the Sunday worship times, we choose to reflect on God’s good nature rather than our brokenness - and to CELEBRATE what God has done and is doing in our lives - which in turn opens us up to be made new in Christ. Our Vision as a team, is that every member of our Gateway family is actively engaged in our worship. That (even when we don’t feel like it) we are coming to give God the honour and praise he so deserves. In this - we are all called to be a part of our “Culture of Worship”, and we are all worship leaders. If you’d like to be a involved in either our worship or tech teams, do not hesitate to contact Mitch, as we are always looking to grow our teams!
one brick, one step, one small incremental change at a time. It’s going to be Biblical, practical, and applicable to our every day life as well as our long term future. I look forward to sharing this series with you. Dr. Martin Trench, Lead Pastor VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 5
Did you know that a sign of a follower of Christ (and of His Church) is hospitality? Jesus said, “… I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT) At Gateway, our Hospitality Team takes hospitality seriously – and it’s intentional! We want to reflect Christ’s love to everyone who enters the building. NOT in a legalistic or fake way – but by letting Jesus’ love and joy in us bubble out and overflow onto others. Hospitality is love in action! It means really caring about the people who come through the doors, being welcoming, friendly, helpful, and always striving for excellence. It means actively looking for ways to “go the extra mile” to make someone’s day a little easier or brighter. To make strangers, new-comers, long-time members, children everyone! - feel welcome and loved here at Gateway. If you are looking for an opportunity to serve and share your love of God as you love people, consider a place on the Hospitality Team: Greeters • Info Desk • Café • Ushers • Foyer decorating • Serving at Gateways “BIG” events • and a myriad of “behind the scenes” positions. Serving on the Hospitality team allows you to share in fun and fellowship as you serve.
The purpose of GATEWAYresources is to provide a convenient place to purchase materials to help people “dig deeper” into God’s Word, increase their understanding, and grow in their faith. GATEWAYresources carries a number of general resources including books, music CDs, CD Box sets of message series, and compilations of message series on USBs for your listening and learning pleasure. GATEWAYresources also stocks Pastor Martin’s ”recommended reading” books to expand on the topics in his current message series and the current A.C.T.S. Academy, to help you “dig deeper” into the topics that have piqued your interest.
Interested? Want more information? Contact Marjory Ariza by email at info@gateway.ac or speak to her after a service.
Marjory is the Admin Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator. She is a servant of Christ who enjoys watching God work mightily in and through the staff and congregation at Gateway.
6 // GTWY MAG SPRING 2016
gatewaykids
Grades4-6 overnight Extravaganza
belong. believe. become.
At Gateway, kids matter! They are respected for the way God created them to play, discover, question and have fun! So we at GatewayKids are all about helping kids to BELONG, BELIEVE and BECOME what God made them to be. We believe in kids and have a passion for kids and all that God has for them. We want every experience here at GatewayKids to have an eternal purpose behind it. We provide a place for kids from 0 all the way to grade 6, with our nursery and toddler room, preschool, early elementary and preteen programs. Check out the KidCheck centre and talk to one of our GatewayKids team members on a Sunday morning for more information or email lauren@gateway.ac.
ElementarySummerprogram This July GatewayKids has an exciting summer program for kids in grades 1-6! It will involve drama performances that ignite kids’ imaginations and engage their hearts and minds as they continue to discover life in relationship with God! You can also count on tons of outdoor fun, so make sure your kids come prepared with appropriate clothing and sunscreen!
For all kids who are currently in grades 4-6, GatewayKids is hosting an Overnight Extravaganza to kick off the summer and celebrate the end of another fantastic school year! This will be an amazing opportunity for kids in grade 4 to get to know the grade 5-6 community that they will be joining next year! The Overnight Extravaganza is going to be a blast, with tons of exciting activities, competitions, prizes, treats, popcorn and movies, so kids, make sure to invite your friends to come along for the fun! Parents can contact Lauren Reid for permission forms for this event! If you are looking for more information or to get involved in either our Summer Program or Gr. 4-6 Overnight Extravaganza, contact Lauren Reid by email at lauren@gateway.ac or by phone at 780-456-0252 ext. 107.
Lauren Reid is the GatewayKids Program Director. She recently graduated with a
At Gateway we take our kids’ safety seriously. All workers are screened and trained in Plan to Protect Policies. Parents, please create a KidCheck profile at: www.kidcheck.com/signup.aspx
degree in theology, is happily married to Andrew Reid, and is passionate about children discovering and developing their relationship with Christ as they explore who they are and who God is. VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 7
Fill out an info card at the Info Desk any Sunday for more information about any of these milestones.
MILESTONES
We want to hear your stories of God working in your life or how being a part of Gateway has helped you grow in your faith journey and life. Email pastordrake@gateway.ac
As we journey through life, we come to major milestones along the way. Let us celebrate and support you through every stage of your journey. Our Elder’s Team would be happy to connect with you about the following Milestones:
FAMILY MATTERS The journey of life is full of beginnings and endings.
FAITH COMMITMENT Are you seeking meaning and discovery? Are you asking: Who is God? Who was Jesus? Why does it all matter? We want to help you wrestle with these questions. If you are exploring Christianity or if you want to know what the next steps are in following Jesus, email Pastor Drake.
WATER BAPTISM Baptism is about declaring you belong to the Kingdom of God. Much like a wedding ring is an outward symbol of a commitment to someone, baptism is an outward symbol of the inward work God has already done in your life and a declaration that you belong to Him.
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MEMBERSHIP Do you call Gateway home? Membership is all about digging your roots deep and planting yourself in a community that you can call family. Be a part of what God is doing at Gateway and discover what God has for you in this Faith community.
HEALING PRAYER & CRISIS COUNSELLING The Bible says: “Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master.” (James 5:13) One of our Elders would be happy to meet and pray with you. We also have special healing services throughout the year. You can email prayer@gateway.ac and our prayer team will intercede for you.
WEDDINGS Email mitch@gateway.ac to inquire about booking our facility and/or having Pastor Drake officiate your wedding.
CHILD DEDICATION When your family is blessed with a new addition, we want to celebrate and support you. Child Dedication is one avenue to do this.
FUNERALS Funeral preparation can be difficult while grieving the loss of a loved one. While never easy, this can be a time to celebrate a life and shared memories. Let us come along side you and be of any help we can with service details and connections to different options.
VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 9
For the last three years, Gateway has held occasional classes - which we called A.C.T.S Academy - where we focused on a number of theological issues. We now want to focus on how to apply these ideas in a practical way - in our lives, families, careers, and in our church. For the next season, we are rebranding the Academy as EQUIP: Ephesians 4:11-16 These are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to EQUIP God’s people to do his work and build up the church‌ so we will fit together perfectly, as each one does their own unique work, helping the others grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
EQUIP is open to everyone, and is free of charge to attend. We especially encourage everyone who is a volunteer leader in any area of the church to attend (House Party and Group leaders, apprentice leaders and hosts; Team leaders, room Shepherds etc) as this is our primary place for leadership training, development and mentorship - but regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, EQUIP will be a valuable part of your spiritual growth. Our first block will be every Wednesday in May from 7pm-9:15pm. We have two 40 minute sessions, with a coffee break between, and an opportunity to receive prayer & prophecy at the end. Be part of this exciting new development! Sign up at our Info Desk in the Gateway Foyer, or online at gateway.ac.
Session 1 will focus on Discipleship and spiritual growth, and developing a strong Relationship with God, and will be taught by Goran Ogar.
10 // GTWY MAG SPRING 2016
Session 2 will focus on healthy Relationships with people and developing Leadership skills, and will be taught by Martin & Christine Trench.
YOUNG ADULT HOUSE PARTY WHO: Young Adults SENIOR HIGH HOUSE PARTY
WHEN Sunday: 12:30pm-3:30pm (once a month)
In the early church, they met in large gatherings in the Temple courts or a rented Lecture Hall and other places, but they also met in smaller, home-based groups. (See Acts 2:42,19:9,20:20) Sunday mornings are all about Celebration! It is a place to come and gather with many people and celebrate all that God has done, is doing and will continue to do. But it can be very hard to make meaningful and helpful connections on a Sunday morning and so HOUSE PARTIES is about about digging deeper in our faith and life as a community and walking along side one another. We believe that people will come alive and flourish best in groups that are organic and have genuine connections by being informal, allowing people to really know each other and have a place to grow into the people God has planned for them. The feel and culture of each HOUSE PARTY is driven by the gifts and passion of the people who make up each group. No two HOUSE PARTIES will look identical and each will have a life of its own Whether you are new to Gateway, or have grown up in the church, there are always new people to meet and new friends to make. We encourage you to visit some of our House Parties and find the right one for you!
CONTACT Drake: pastordrake@gateway.ac HOUSE PARTY WHO: Anyone
WHO: Grades 9-12 WHEN Friday: 6:30pm-9:30pm (once a month) CONTACT jayelle@gateway.ac THE KASIHNYATA HOUSE PARTY
WHEN Saturday: 7pm-9pm (once a month) CONTACT Connie: ccorness@gmail.com HOUSE PARTY WHO: Anyone
WHO: Indonesian House Party WHEN Every Sunday: 4pm CONTACT Adela: adela_st@hotmail.com
WHEN Sunday: 12:30pm-2:30pm (twice a month)
HOUSE PARTY WHO: Anyone
CONTACT Adela: adela_st@hotmail.com HOUSE PARTY WHO: Anyone
WHEN Sunday: 4pm-7pm (once a month) CONTACT Drake: pastordrake@gateway.ac
WHEN Sunday: 1pm-3pm (once a month) CONTACT George: galba@shaw.ca
Pastor Drake joined the Gateway team 4 years ago and oversees the building and
If you want more information or are looking to join a House Party, speak to someone at the Info Desk in the Foyer or email Pastor Drake at pastordrake@gateway.ac
discipleship of our various teams and groups at Gateway. One of his greatest passions is seeing people Dig Deeper in their faith and
Rise Higher towards what God would have for their life. VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 11
Jesus said: “Come Follow Me.” APRIL 1 OUTBREAK
Gateway
But what does it really mean to follow Je-
8
Sr. High House Party
13211 105 St
sus? What does that look like? How does
Jr. High Night
Gateway
that change who I am at school, at home,
15
XLR8 Arcade
Gateway
with my friends, on the bus, at work?
22
Girls & Guys Night
29 OUTBREAK
MAY 6
Sr. High House Party
Meet @ Gtwy Gateway 13211 105 St
Jr. High Night
Gateway
13
XLR8 Arcade
Gateway
20
Girls & Guys Night
27
No Youth
JUNE 3
Sr. High House Party
Meet @ Gtwy
make a difference for me today? In this season of XLR8 Youth and at OUTBREAK, we will be looking at what is means to BE a follower of Jesus today and what the
13211 105 St
Jr. High Night
Gateway
10
XLR8 Arcade
Gateway
17
School’s Out BBQ
Gateway
24
No Youth
Larger Than Life Summer Drop-In
JULY 6
Does what was said 2000 years ago really
call to “Come Follow Me” means for me in my everyday life, in the 21st Century.
GATEWAY.AC/XLR8-YOUTH
GROUPS/XLR8.YOUTH
Larger Than Life
Gateway
Larger Than Life
Gateway
Larger Than Life
Gateway
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Larger Than Life
Gateway
a degree in psychology and is now excited
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Larger Than Life
Gateway
about helping the young people of Gateway
20
AUG 3
All XLR8 Youth events are 6:30pm-9:30pm
Jayelle is the Youth & Young Adults Intern here at Gateway. She recently completed
discover who God has made them to be and grow in relationship with Him! Email Jayelle at jayelle@gateway.ac.
12 // GTWY MAG SPRING 2016
XLR8.YOUTH
Are you looking to take the next step in your faith journey and wanting to RISE HIGHER in all that God has for you. Baptism is the outward expression of an inward decision of following Jesus and could be that next step of going public and Rising Higher. We are throwing a party for everyone who wants to take this Step on Sunday, Aug. 28th and it is going to be a CELEBRATION! If you want more information or are ready to take this step, contact Pastor Drake for more information at pastordrake@gateway.ac.
After our Baptism Celebration we will be throwing a MASS HOUSE PARTY event in our foyer to celebrate those taking this step and giving people a opportunity to connect in community. This is a great place to start if you are new to the church or are just ready to DIG DEEPER into community and want to know what the next steps are and more about HOUSE PARTIES, COME ON OUT! You will have a opportunity to meet some people in various House Parties, the leaders of each HOUSE PARTY and hear a bit of the vision. Bring your favorite dish to share and come.
VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 13
Sunday September 11th at 9:30am and 11:15am The summer vacations are over, kids are going back to school, students are getting ready to return to college or university, and life is going back to its usual routine ‌. that means the Fall is here and its time for something fresh, warm, new, bright and colourful to light up your world, inspire you with a fresh outlook, and bring new energy and passion into your life! We have a great event for you. There will be musical performers, glow-in-the-dark faceprinting & inflatables for the kids (and the big kids), and free drinks & snacks after each service, including fire-pits with s’mores, BBQ hotdogs & burgers, and even some pyrotechnics!
14 // GTWY MAG SPRING 2016
If your image of a church service is dull, boring, and monotone - then be prepared for a pleasant surprise. We have a high energy, inspiring multimedia experience awaiting you - that will leave you feeling like you can tackle anything and face the future with confidence, knowing that God is on your side. You don’t want to miss this event, or miss this opportunity to invite your friends to experience something fresh & new. Who are you bringing?
Every Sunday in July and August, (10am-11:15am) we have some slightly shorter, special and unique services planned.
Instead of a message series, we will have individual messages on classic Christian topics, by our summer speaking team.
The First Ten Minutes of each service will be an informal “family time” where you will get to see, hear, or meet members of the Gateway family who have a story to share, enjoy a performance from one of our many talented members, or see a behind-the-scenes video of one of our ministries (Bring your specialty coffee, or ice-cold Italian soda from the foyer Cafe into the auditorium with you).
The type of topics we will look at will include: The Armour of God Mountain Moving Faith Discovering God’s Will The Fruit of the Spirit The Gifts of the Spirit The Power of the Cross The Law of Sowing & Reaping
Our Worship time will include the opportunity to receive prayer from our prayer team, for any prayer requests that you may have for yourself or a loved one.
Larger Than Life Summer Drop In XLR8 Youth’s Larger Than Life Summer Drop-In’s are a great opportunity to stay connected to old friends over the summer, to make new ones or to get plugged into a new community before fall kick-off. The laid-back atmosphere and crazy, fun games allow for new connections and friendships to be made with other students as well as with our leaders and volunteers. If you are wanting to check out the program to plug in, this is time to do it. Anyone going into Grades 6 to 12 this fall is welcome to come out this summer and experience life as an XLR8 Youth!
VISIT GATEWAY.AC // 15
AUG
JULY
JUNE
MAY
APRIL
WINTER/SPRING 2016 EVENTS CALENDAR DATE
DAY
TIME
EVENT
3rd
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 2
10th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 3
17th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 4
24th
Sunday
10am
VISION SUNDAY (and AGM)
29th
Friday
6:30pm
OUTBREAK
1st
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 5
4th
Wednesday
7pm
EQUIP Training Night part 1
8th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 6 (MOTHERS DAY)
11th
Wednesday
7pm
EQUIP Training Night part 2
15th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 7 (PENTECOST)
18th
Wednesday
7pm
EQUIP Training Night part 3
22nd
Sunday
10am
WATOTO Children’s Choir
25th
Wednesday
7pm
EQUIP Training Night part 4
29th
Sunday
10am
Healing Service
5th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 8
12th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 9
19th
Sunday
10am
Building a Better Life part 10 (FATHERS DAY)
26th
Sunday
10am
Communion Service
3rd
Sunday
10am
Summertime Sundays
10th
Sunday
10am
Summertime Sundays
17th
Sunday
10am
Summertime Sundays
24th
Sunday
10am
Summertime Sundays
31st
Sunday
10am
Summertime Sundays
7 • 14 • 21
Sundays
10am
Summertime Sundays
28th
Sunday
10am
Baptism Service w/ Mass House Party in Foyer