the duck commander the capital campaign: are we...

JANUARY + FEBRUARY 2014 • ISSUE NO. 41

THE LOOP IS A COMMUNICATION PIECE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

THE DUCK COMMANDERWe talk to Pete Drost about ducks, Biblical economics andour upcoming Capital Campaign.

THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: ARE WE READY?Capital Campaign consultant Steve Siegel breaksdown our readiness to take on a major capital campaign

GroupNight provides you the opportunity to test drive the LifeGroup experience

in the familiar and comfortable church setting. You will grow in your faith through

teaching and conversation as you explore relevant and relatable topics together.

GroupNight is an initial access point to LifeGroups and your perfect opportunity

find meaningful relationships and connect with your church family.

gnGROUP NIGHT

TUESDAY + THURSDAY7PM (SCOTT ST.)

LifeLessons → GroupNightLifeLessons have now become GroupNight, and the reason is simple. GroupNight more accurately reflects the heart of what we do on Tuesday and Thursday nights - relationally based groups that provide an opportunity for spiritual & practical growth.

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⋅∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙

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3 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

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The Loop is edited by volunteers.

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On The Cover

Pete Drost standing on our York Rd. property

Photo: Andrew Plett

08 | EDITORIAL by Andrew Plett

Do You Know What The Deadliest Animal In Africa Is?

10 | THE LEAD PASTOR by Bill Markham

93 Years In The Making

12 | MISSION OPPORTUNITIES by Jonathan Gallo

2014 Will Be A Year Of New Missional Opportunities

40 | PARTNERSHIP by Emily Grabatin

Why All The Fuss With Partnership Anyway?

DEPARTMENTS

16 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TIMELINEA Timeline Of Events Pertaining To The Capital Campaign

18 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: ARE WE READY? by Steve Siegel

20 | 3 DAY DEVOTIONAL JOURNEY A Devotional Journey To Help Spiritually Prepare Your Heart For The Capital Campaign

28 | EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN VISIT... BUT WERE TOO AFRAID TO ASK by Steve Siegel

30 | PREPARING FOR BIG FAITH by Bill Markham

The Personal Story Of How God Prepared Our Lead Pastor And His Wife To Give First In Our Capital Campaign

32 | THE DUCK COMMANDERAn Interview With Campaign Chair Pete Drost

36 | DEATH BY SUGAR: MY STORY TO HEALTH AND FREEDOM OVER EMOTIONAL EATING by Pam Sykes

FEATURES

48 | CALENDARJanuary + February 2014 events across all campuses.

50 | CONTACT INFORMATIONCentral’s staff directory.

INFORMATION

CONTENTS


DO YOU KNOWWHAT THE DEADLIEST ANIMAL IN AFRICA IS? What I learned about faith from a story about Hippos and how that faith has come alive again through our capital campaign.

Andrew Plett-

Communications PastorCentral Community

Church

▾[email protected]

@aplett

"Do you know what the deadliest animal in Africa is? A hippo! Hippos are the deadliest animals in Africa, and they've been known to pick up sixteen foot crocs in their mouth and break their backs." Those were the opening remarks from a talk that forever changed my life.

I can remember the day like it was yesterday; it was the day my faith first came alive. Ironically, I was already in Bible school on the West Coast, and if growing up a pastor’s kid did one thing, it numbed me to sermons…until that day. Nothing had ever captivated my heart like the things I heard from Randy Friesen that night.

After that story and what seemed like another hour full of heart thumping adventure stories from Randy's life, I was buzzing. I was captivated by this different kind of walk with God: one that involved risk, danger, adrenaline and adventure. That night I chatted with Randy after the service and ultimately told God that it was that kind of faith that I wanted to have. Little did I know what that meant.

At the end of my first year of bible school, I went on my first mission trip oversees to Egypt for six weeks. There are so many stories I could share from that first experience as God did amazing things in my life on that trip; so much so that I dropped out of Bible school to spend a few

years traveling the world doing short term mis-sion work. I had the opportunity to travel with one of the world’s leading Arabic evangelists to cities like London, Cairo and Alexandria as I learned first-hand the cost of following Jesus in the Muslim world. I had the privilege of working along-side gang leaders in Fresno, California, church leaders along the whole California coast, and church planters in Salt Lake City.

Over those years, Randy became a spiritual father and mentor to me as I learned what it meant to put my faith into action. I would often hear my friends at the time grumble about the boring and predictable faith journey they were on and I would usually respond, "I'm not sure why your faith is so boring; I'm having the time of my life. God isn't boring; He wants to give you the adven-ture of a lifetime."

Six years after my first mission experience in Egypt I began an internship in a local church as their worship and creative pastor. For the first five or six years I seemed to have all the energy and enthusiasm in the world; no task was too great! But after years six and seven my faith had slowly become professional. I was now an established pastor who was being paid to exercise my faith, and it wasn't the same anymore.

EDITORIAL

Now twelve years into full-time ministry, I can scarcely remember that heart-pounding, adren-aline inducing faith that once characterized my walk with God…until this past fall.

In September we hosted focus groups related to the capital campaign and 445 of you attended. Over and over again I stood there listening as people challenged our level of faith, saying that they weren't sure the building project would be large enough to adequately handle the growth that we've been experiencing.

Personally, my assumption was that once we got to the part of the focus group where we told people how much the project would cost, it would turn the conversation to the size of the finances required to complete the project. To my amaze-ment, I couldn't be further from the truth. The overwhelming majority of people didn't seem overly concerned about the number; they seemed concerned that our plans reflect radical faith. I remember walking out of a few of those meetings feeling convicted and challenged at the small faith I had demonstrated in my heart.

After the focus groups were over, our campaign consultants (who are in the office beside mine) produced an eighty page summary of their find-ings and provided an analysis of our readiness to tackle this project. When I saw the detail and expertise that went into their assessment, faith began to well up in me; here we have one of North Americas leading experts in capital campaign projects giving us an exhaustive assessment that advises us we are in an exceptional position to proceed with a campaign of this size.

Over the next few weeks, as we gathered our cam-paign team into place, I began to hear stories from the first people to contribute to the campaign. One afternoon, as I was working in my office, I heard someone come into Steve's office. (Steve Siegel is our Campaign Director) This person asked for their pledge form and indicated to Steve that they needed to change it. Steve obliged by returning their form. (I was unintentionally eavesdropping because our office walls are paper thin) This individual then informed Steve that since con-tributing a pledge a week ago, God had blessed them in unexpected ways and they wanted to increase their pledge. When I heard the number I almost fell out of my seat!

My heart was pounding as I witnessed bold faith in action once again. It was like I had just heard "Do you know what the deadliest animal in Africa is?" All over again. I was amazed! Here was an individual who wasn't on staff, hadn't been at Central their whole life and yet was willing to sacrifice on a supernatural faith level.

Over the next few weeks I heard more and more of these stories and they lit a fire in my spirit again.

Not only did I want the honour of giving to the future of our church, I wanted to return to that kind of radical faith that characterized my walk when I was in my early twenties.

I've had the privilege of hearing many conver-sations like this and I want you to know that for months now, ordinary people, from whom you may never have expected it, have been laying a foundation of faith that is nothing short of super-natural. We now have the opportunity to build on that foundation with our own supernatural faith. For each one of us it will look different. But you need to know that inspiring sacrifice has already been made and we have the privilege to jump in and be a part of history.

My heart is coming alive again with every story I hear and we are going to pass as many of those stories onto you as soon as we can. The best part is, this isn't really about a building at all! Sure, it’s true that we need one, but it is more about us joining arms together in a movement that God wants to rejuvenate in a bigger way than any of us can even imagine.

Ninety-three years ago our church began, not as a church, but as a move of God that power-fully impacted people to their very core. This, I believe, is what God wants to do again. He's not interested in watching us build a nice church; I think He's interested in fueling a movement of people who will risk big, dream bigger, and do whatever it takes to see our region transformed by the power of Jesus.

I'm not talking about misguided and careless faith here; I have a family to provide for these days too. I'm talking about calculated risk, count-ing the cost and being obedient. I believe that God is in what we are doing, He is showing Himself around every corner in ways that no one on our staff or board could ever have anticipated.

My challenge to you is simple: how badly do you want to be a part of the history God is writing for our region at this time? You and I either have a chance to jump in and in five years be standing on the floor of our new building celebrating as the ones who fought shoulder-to-shoulder for God's vision, or to sit on the sidelines and miss the opportunity to say we played a role in a move of God that we haven't seen in our lifetime.

I know where I want to be in five years. Where are you going to be? There is no better time than now to have your own watershed moment like I did so many years ago, and again last fall. The question is: "Do you know what the deadliest animal in Africa is?"

THE LEAD PASTOR

93YEARSIN THEMAKINGI’m looking forward to this New Year with incredible excitement and hope! I believe that God has been preparing us for this moment since the beginning of our church ninety-three years ago. It truly is an honour to be a part of what God is doing right now in the Niagara Region.

As most of you know, we are actively working towards the process of building a new facility within the next few years. This new building project is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about the amazing opportunity God is giving us to impact thousands of people over the next season of our church’s history. Its purpose is far bigger than we could even imagine!

Ponder this for a moment. In these next years just ahead of us, we’re going to see lives transformed by the power of God as we are obedient in doing what He is calling us to. This is the edge of what “could be” and we are standing there right now!

As we look ahead, I want to take a moment to talk to those that call Central ‘home.’ We are embarking on an amazing adventure. As with every adventure, we’ll face risk and reward, fear and faith, anxiety and hope. But for those who believe in the God of the Impossible, faith, hope, and reward will be the foundation for moving forward.

Bill Markham-

Lead Pastor ofCentral Community

Church


@billmarkham

We realize that this next step is a huge one! The dream of building a $23 million dollar facility can seem overwhelming. While it’s easy to become immobilized by such a large number, when we understand the principle of multiplication, we will realize that all things are possible. This is why our sermon series in January is all about gaining a Biblical perspective on our resources.

Now I know that the temptation for some might be to look to the person next to you as the solution to the challenge. We can easily get caught up in looking for someone else who is not “us” to come in and save the day. Let me be clear: somebody else isn’t going to resource this; we are! In today’s culture, it’s common to default to the thinking that everybody has more than us and so many of us defer to others to make it happen. But when we do what we can, just like we read about in the Bible where a young boy has small lunch (John 6:1-14), God will multiply it.

One of the things that I did not completely expect was what God was going to do in me through the process of this project. He has demonstrated His amazing power to me through open doors in our community and in the generosity of His people. The result has been a deepening conviction that my faith has been too small! I have left town council and business meetings in awe of the favour God has given us in the Niagara Region. I have wept with humble thanksgiving as I have left houses where people have given sacrificially and joyfully. I have marveled at young men who have decided to step up to lead the charge and have seen the future with extraordinary faith. I have been able to understand, in even a greater way, that if God is in it, nothing can hinder what He wants to do!

And so, the reality is this: over the next five years, we need everyone to consider giving a sacrificial pledge well over and above what we already give. I realize that for some this may be a really big stretch, but I also know that there are some who don’t give much at all. To help you

process this, we have included, in this edition of the Loop, a three day devotional that we would like everyone to prayerfully work through. We have also included stories, graphs, and other information that will be vital for us to understand what is possible when we work together.

Finally, I want you to know my heart in all of this. The intention is never to put someone in a position where they feel that they are disappointing anyone. This is not so much about dollars as it is about people. Everyone has their own story. This is about what God is asking each of us as

individuals to give. This is about obedience, not obligation. This is about hearing the voice of God, not the voice of men. At the core of the matter, God knows your heart.

This whole project is about relationships: our relationship to God, to one another, and to our community. I believe that we are going to see this dream become a reality because, together with you, I believe strongly in a God who provides in supernatural ways when we trust in Him. I can’t wait to take this next step together with you, and see the amazing view from where God is going to lead us next. We’ll be able to tell the next generation stories of how God miraculously provided for us and walked with us though this adventure just ahead. We’ll be able to

share, that just by creating a larger space, so many more people were able to be impacted by the truth of Christ in the Niagara Region, and that God has shown his faithfulness yet again.

So, I pray you’re ready to open your heart and ears to what God is going to teach us over the next few weeks, months and years. I believe that as we trust Him with what He has already blessed us with, He will take it, bless it, and multiply it. I’m humbled and excited that God has entrusted us with this next step at this moment in time. Let’s make the most of it!

"I HAVE LEFT TOWN COUNCIL AND BUSINESS MEETINGS IN AWE OF THE FAVOUR GOD HAS GIVEN US."


MISSION

2014 WILL BEA YEAR OF NEWMISSIONALOPPORTUNITIES"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to God, and will be repaid for his deed…" Prov 19:17

In the movie, Pay it Forward, young Trevor McKinney, is caught up by an intriguing assignment from his teacher, Mr. Simonet. His project is to think of something to change the world and put it into action. He comes up with task of repaying good deeds - not with compliments - but with new good deeds done for three other people. His initiative catches on and the selfless service brings positive payback to those who pay it forward.

I wonder if the principle of giving is God's version of that in action. As we will discover in our financial series this month, all we have has been given to us by God. When we are encouraged to give to those in need, it is the opportunity to pay it forward and comes with the promise that God can keep the cycle going.

Having been at Central for the last few months I have been encouraged by the great enthusiasm to give and serve our region - in everything from our Backpack Giveaway, Light The Night, Warm Niagara, Coats For Christmas, Adopt a Family, and more. Thank you very much.

Its because of you that 2014 is shaping up to be even more exciting as we relaunch our Live Different Movement and take our community impact initiatives to the next level. We will be serving in over 7 communities with regular programs, launching new initiatives to help employ people, and impacting kids like never before.

If you would like to get involved I want to invite you to a special information session at the Scott Street Campus Sunday, February 9 from 12-1pm. We will be sharing about the opportunities for people who want to serve regularly, once a week, once a month, or even a few times of year

Jonathan Gallo-

Mission & Outreach Pastor


CENTRAL101

Would you like to know more about why we do what we do, or what our structure and values are?

Are you considering Partnership?

This class is just for you! You can RSVP via Connection Card or by contacting: [email protected].

If Partnership is on your mind, why not get a sneak preview by visiting partners.centralcc.ca or by picking up a partnership info package at the Info Centre.

January 19, 6:00 – 7:30pm [SC]

Your Last Opportunity To Become A Partner Before TheAnnual Business Meeting.IS COMING UP ON JANUARY 19

APRIL 2103Partners vote 97% to buyYork Rd. Property.

JULY 2013Board votes to retain the ser-vices of JD Klote & Associates to lead a capital campaign.

SEPTEMBER 201325 Focus Groups conducted to discuss a project proposal with 445 attendees.

SEPTEMBER 201380 page summary and assessment is presented to the Board Members byJD Klote & Associates.

OCTOBER 2103Capital Campaign commit-tee is formed. Pete Drost is named Committee Chair.

capital campaigntimelineOn January 26 we will officially launch the Capital Campaign for our York Road development. This is a concise timeline of events from spring 2013 to 2014. The intent is not to be exhaustive, rather it is to provide you with a basic understanding of the process and key groups involved.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

OCTOBER 2103Campaign visits begin with the Lead Pastor, staff, board and others.

NOVEMBER 2013Initial pledges are made.

JANUARY 26, 2014Official kickoff of Capital Campaign and celebration of initial pledges made.

SPRING 2014Campaign visits continue as church is empowered to take ownership of the project.

LATE SPRING 2014Campaign finished and the church meets to celebrate and discuss next steps.

As capital campaign consultants we have worked with hundreds of churches across many denom-inations for a wide variety of capital campaign causes. We have been on-site at Central since the beginning of September. As professionals we are very serious about what we do and how we evaluate the readiness of a church to initiate a large scale project like yours. What have we seen so far at Central Community Church? How does Central stack up against other similar campaigns?

We believe that there are four pre-requisites for any successful campaign: 1) Proper timing2) Appealing case3) Influential leadership4) Membership with adequate resources

Let’s take a look at those four criteria one at a time.

1) Proper Timing: Timing does not refer to timing the economy or the stock market. It refers to the church being willing to give of their time. A good campaign that focuses on personal relationships is time consuming. So far, Central is doing very well. Church leadership has given the atten-tion the church needs to devote enough time and attention to this important effort. Members of the steering committee have made a huge

Steve Siegel-

Campaign Consultant with James D Klote & Associates


THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN:ARE WE READY? Professional campaign consultant Steve Siegel has worked in our offices for five months preparing us for the launch of our capital campaign. He reflects on what it takes to execute a successful campaign and assesses our readiness to undertake our upcoming campaign.

time investment already and volunteers are stepping forward to help launch the campaign successfully.

2) Appealing case: The reason we did so many focus groups in September is because we wanted to test the case in front of a large audience. The result of those focus groups was unanimous. The vast majority of the 445 individuals who attended agreed that Central needed to do something soon to accommodate the growth that God is sending. The conceptual plan for the new facility on York Road, although ambitious, was seen by most as reasonable and worth pursuing.

3) Influential leadership: There must be access to the top staff and lay leaders who are willing to provide their influence, time and resources to support a campaign. Ideally, a core of these indi-viduals must remain heavily involved with cam-paign organization and implementation. Central has scored well in this area. Staff leadership has taken an active role. Pastor Bill Markham has made this a top priority for his time. Members of the board and building committee are not only active on the campaign steering committee; they are also active in making personal visits with others. Leadership is united on this project.

4) Membership with adequate resources: The bot-tom-line, however, is being able to raise the funds

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

necessary in order to fund the vision. Our track record shows that campaigns can produce 4 to 5 times annual giving if they follow our plan of campaign carefully. For Central this would be $12 to $15 million. Early indications are that this benchmark will be more than possible to meet, if not exceed. Leadership giving for this campaign will be announced at the kickoff on January 25th, but I can share with you now that the early pledg-es from our leadership are at a level just under 6 times annual giving (taken as a whole).

So what are the challenges and opportunities Central Community Church will face in complet-ing a successful campaign based on what we’ve seen from other churches?

Opportunities: Early pledges from young adults at Central are astounding! Your young adults and young fami-lies have really caught the vision AND have been willing to sacrifice in order to fund it. It’s some of the best I’ve seen.

Growth: Central is growing steadily. As people continue to come to Central the opportunity for them to participate in this vision will exceed the opportunity in most churches that are not growing as quickly.

Relationships: Churches that have the most suc-cessful campaigns are also the most relation-al. Central has an extraordinary commitment to promoting spiritual growth in the context of relationships.

Tax climate: The tax advantages for charitable contributions in Canada are far better than in the States. In reality, the government will be paying for over 30% of your building due to direct tax rebates you will receive from your contributions. Churches in the States do not have anywhere near this kind of tax advantage for charitable giving. Take advantage of it!

Challenges: A lack of volunteers willing to visit others: So far so good, but as the campaign moves forward many more volunteers will be required in order to reach everyone at Central.

Procrastination: We all do it, but agreeing to your own campaign visit promptly, making that short one hour meeting a priority for your sched-ule, and making a timely decision on your own campaign pledge is absolutely vital to success. Churches who commit to these principles do far better than those who don’t. Fear is sometimes part of the reason why some may put off making

a pledge. But this is also an opportunity to grow in faith.

Waiting for someone else: In the most successful campaigns individual families are looking first at how they can sacrifice as much as possible in order to help the church reach its goal. They’re not waiting for others to give “the big bucks” or assuming that “I have nothing to give.” Churches that have too many families looking around for someone else to give, or sacrifice, have very dis-appointing results.

Thinking too small: This is a big project that will require big sacrifices and big commitments.

Not willing to listen: Vital to the success of any campaign is an overall willingness of individuals and families to listen. Listen to the story, the vision, the opportunities and challenges before making any decisions.

The opportunities are there. The challenges can easily be overcome if we all work together. I’m looking forward to a very successful campaign!

-

The directors of James D. Klote & Associates have provided counsel and direction to hundreds of church campaigns for a wide variety of causes. They have worked with churches of all denom-inations and sizes throughout North America. Recently, a survey of 1,000 churches who had recently conducted capital campaigns showed that they were the number one ranked consulting firm in North America based on results and satisfaction.

devotional journeyTHREE DAYS OF SPIRITUAL REFLECTION

Key ThoughtsAs you read and meditate on the scripture verses presented in this Bible Study, we encourage you to allow God’s word to stimulate your own thoughts of what you’re being called to do as a part of the Capital Campaign. Through all of this we want to encourage you. God does not always ask us to do what is easy, but He does ask us to trust Him as He stretches our faith to do what is needed.

Prayer IdeaWe have a saying at Central: “prayer before everything.” That is especially true of endeavors like the one we are embarking on right now. Here are some ideas of how to pray through this three day journey as an individual, with your spouse, and with your family:

“Lord I give you room in my heart to speak. Please show me what you want to do through me as I think about the giving commitment you would have me make.”

“Father, this is a big step for us. We are asking you to strengthen our faith and help us grow spiritually through giving. We thank you for all you have given us. We know we wouldn’t have anything to give if you hadn’t first given it to us. We want to be cheerful givers. Thank you for this opportunity to spiritually grow. Thank you for our church. Work a miracle though our giving so that more people will have the opportunity to join your forever family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”


One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:24-25

1day one


Scripture Reading“All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 16:17)

“But who am I and who are my people that we should be permitted to give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we only give you what is yours already!” (1 Chronicles 29:14)

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“Since we believe that Christ died for all of us, we should also believe that we have died to the old life we used to live. He died for all so that all who live—having received eternal life from him—might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

ReflectionAt its very core, Christianity is about giving. In the beginning God gave life. In Christ, God gave us eternal life. Followers of Christ give out of love for God so that others might be blessed in knowing and experiencing Him. We give out of obedience to God so that others will understand that the gospel of Christ changes people.

Giving begins by understanding the source of everything you have. Right now, take a moment to make a quick list of everything God has blessed you with.

Why does God give us anything?


2day two

Scripture Reading“So the whole community of Israel left Moses and returned to their tents. All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments. Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord.” (Exodus 35:20-22)

“So Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and all the others who were specially gifted by the Lord and were eager to get to work. Moses gave them the materials donated by the people of Israel as sacred offerings for the completion of the sanctuary. But the people continued to bring additional gifts each morning. Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough mate-rials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!’” (Exodus 36:2-5)

“But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much. Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes. God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

ReflectionLots of people think we are crazy for giving our money away. They are con-vinced that we have lost our senses when we give cheerfully. God wants us to be cheerful and generous people who go about doing good. In this way we demonstrate that our trust is in God, not in our money or possessions.

Why did Israel give so extravagantly?

What attitude does God like to see in us when we give?

3


3day three

Scripture Reading“When Araunah saw the king and his men coming toward him, he came forward and fell flat on the ground with his face in the dust. “Why have you come?” Araunah asked. And David replied, “To buy your threshing floor, so that I can build an altar to the Lord, and he will stop the plague.” “Use anything you like,” Araunah told the king. “Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and you can use the threshing instru-ments and ox yokes for wood to build a fire on the altar. I will give it all to you, and may the Lord God accept your sacrifice.” But the king said to Araunah, “No, I will not have it as a gift. I will buy it, for I don’t want to offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that have cost me nothing.” So David paid him for the threshing floor and the oxen. And David built an altar there to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.” (2 Samuel 24:20-25)

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in! “Try it! Let me prove it to you! Your crops will be large, for I will guard them from insects and plagues. Your grapes won’t shrivel away before they ripen,” says the Lord Almighty. “And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land sparkling with happiness. These are the promises of the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 3:10-12)

ReflectionBiblical giving is sacrificial. It is not given from the leftovers. It requires a courageous and determined commitment to doing what is right in God’s eyes. Giving sacrificially calls us to give with all our ability and beyond.

Biblical giving is accomplished in faith – faith in a God who promises to take care of us and provide for all our needs.

How is Biblical giving different than giving out of generosity?


faq


Does giving by faith mean that I do not use reason?All giving must be responsible, realistic, and not reckless. God knows that living in Canada means that I have certain things – food, clothing, shelter and other living expenses. Giving by faith asks, after I have figured out what I can afford to give, faith steps in to ask the pivotal question: “What can I reasonably trust God to provide above and beyond what I can afford to give?”

Does the amount that I think I can give really stretch my faith? Giving by faith is a spiritual exercise designed to help me focus not on what I can afford to give, but on what God wants to give through me. A commit-ment that stretches my faith is based on my faith in God’s ability to help me keep my commitment. No matter what I commit to give by faith, I know God’s ability is greater. God wants me to trust Him to provide the way for me to give even when I cannot see how He will do it. This is how God will stretch my faith and grow me!

“God is able to provide for you, ensuring that you have everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Does my pledge represent God’s will that I “excel” in giving? We are all driven to excel in many things, from school to work to sports. God also desires that we excel in giving. If we desire to excel in these other areas, we should also strive to excel in giving.

“But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.” (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)


Steve Siegel-Campaign Consultant with James D Klote & Associates

EVERYTHING YOUALWAYS WANTED TOKNOW ABOUTA CAPITAL CAMPAIGNVISIT...BUT WERE TOO AFRAIDTO ASK

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN


Sometimes you can see the fear on people's faces; it's that unavoidable look of anxiety and trep-idation when we ask you if we can schedule a visit to talk about the capital campaign. Often, it is simply a fear of the unknown that will illicit such a response. To counter that, we want to take the guesswork out of the equation.

So what happens in one of these visits anyway? A church volunteer will meet with you and ask to hear a bit of your story; getting to know you a bit better. We will share the vision and plans of the church, seek your thoughts and invite your opinions and observations, and ask for your financial support.

1. Why do you have to visit everyone?The vision we have for the future is a big one. We haven’t undertaken anything like this since moving to Scott Street in 1967. We believe that discussing this vision and asking for support is personal and should honour the commitment of everyone who calls Central Community Church their home. That commitment deserves personal attention whether you have been here for 40 years or 40 days, wheth-er you can give $25,000 a year, or $25. At Central, we believe in the importance of relationships.

2. Am I going to be asked to make a campaign pledge? Yes. We believe in being completely transparent and honest. The vision Central has for the York Road Development is a big one. It won’t just ‘happen.’ It will require sacrifice and commitment from each one of us. Although your visitor will ask you to consider a generous pledge to the capital campaign in light of the need, what you decide to pledge is completely up to you.

3. Does the visit have to be in my house?No. It can be wherever you’re most comfortable. Some have taken place right here at church, at a coffee shop, or during a lunch date.

4. How long does a visit last? I’m pretty busy.We understand. Everyone is busy, including our volunteers. We’re asking for an hour or less of your time so that Central Community Church can make our vision for the future more concrete. When you think about it, an hour of your time now will help Central responsibly plan for a building that will serve the ministry of our church for decades to come.

5. I already know what I want to give. Does someone really need to come visit me? As a church, we have made a commitment to making sure that everyone has all the information and answers they need to make a responsible financial decision. We want to make sure that everyone knows exactly what it is they will be supporting. You won’t be wasting our time. We look forward to every visit.

6. No one has called me yet for a visit. What should I do? Stop by the campaign table after service on any Sunday and sign up. Or, you can contact the campaign office at [email protected] If a volunteer has already contacted you, please respond promptly so that we can keep the campaign moving toward its conclusion.


PREPARINGFOR BIG FAITH:HAVING THE PRIVILEGE TO SET THE BAR BY GIVING FIRST CAN BE INTIMIDATING - BUT IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY EXERCISE FAITH

BY: PASTOR BILL MARKHAM

Disclaimer: The following in an honest musing from a regular guy who’s trying to honour God even when it isn’t always easy. This is a personal reflection which I feel will be just one of the many stories that God will tell through each of our lives.

I can remember the feeling of anxiety mingled with excitement that washed over me as I was approached for my contribution to the Capital Campaign. Karlene and I were the first ones visited and I knew that we needed to put our money where our mouths (actually

our heart and vision) were. I knew that as a leader of this great church, I had to lead the way with audacious faith. Along with this, I also knew I didn’t want to place my family into what some might call a hazardous financial situation. I was torn. I wanted to exhibit “big” faith, but at the same time, I also wanted to be responsible. So, here is how we came to our decision:

We prayed: I reflected on the little country church where my Mom came to faith in Christ, as a young girl. I was reminded of the abusive home she was raised in and that if it hadn’t been for that church reaching out to her when she was just a child, I would not be here today. Who knows what her future might have been like. We can only speculate, but I am eternally thankful for

a group of people who sacrificed their time and their resources to share with my Mom about an amazing God of second chances, new beginnings, and amazing futures. So, as Karlene and I prayed about our decision, the question that kept coming to my mind was, “how much is it worth to us, to have one other person hear this amazing message?” The answer, of course, is that one life is far beyond any amount of mere monetary value we could imagine. And so, spurred on by this reality, we felt compelled to do everything we could, if it meant being a part of giving someone else the opportunity that has been afforded to us.

We planned: We then started calculating how we could practically give as much as possible. I hate debt and as a result we are very careful with our finances (I think it’s the Scottish in me). To be totally honest, I really didn’t think we could do too much. But as we began to calculate creative ways we could cut some things out of our life, as well as some resourceful ways we could generate some income, we realized we could do much more than we originally anticipated. We began thinking about how we spend our money and what really matters. By breaking it down into a monthly goal, what at first seemed like an enormous number became doable...It was liberating!

We praised: The greatest gift in all of this is what it has done for me per-sonally, my marriage and family, and my faith in a God who is generous beyond measure. Literally days after we made our pledge, God began to bless us in ways that can not be quantified. Our bank called us with some creative financial information that freed up some resources. Gifts began to appear that were unexpected. As a result, we were able to increase our initial pledge, which I’d already felt was a stretch, within a week of making it.

We even began to celebrate the little things. Like the reality that our van with almost 300,000kms on it never breaks down on us (we are praying that it lasts another five years:). I had the opportunity to talk to my kids about what we were doing (don’t worry, I didn’t discuss the actual amount) and my youngest son, who has no job, wanted to get involved. I was moved when my fourteen year old son came up with a plan to give sacrificially. He is trusting God to help him meet his pledge, and between you and me, I think he is going to exceed it!

I can honestly say that this has been a great journey! Rather than feeling burdened by this pledge, I am actually feeling more joy about giving than I have in a long time. In my own personal visits with other people, I have enjoyed the opportunity to have spiritual conversations about what God is doing in each of us.

This is my story and I am sticking to it!

TheDuckCommander

His name isn't Phil Robertson, but Pete Drost is dead serious about his family duck busi-ness, Biblical economics and our upcoming capital campaign. We went out to our new land to talk to our campaign chair about what has brought us to this point and what God has been doing in his life since getting involved on a personal and business level.

Interview by: Andrew Plett

being here?” As soon as I drove home, I said “Yes! This is it!” I felt great and ever since then I feel like God is confirming our decision at every corner.

Andrew: When did you start to really get involved in a greater capacity in this capital campaign?

Pete: After the focus groups were over pastor Bill and Steve Siegel started to form a team to take leadership of the campaign itself. At that point, they approached me to chair the team and I began to get actively involved at that point.

Andrew: What was your experience with the Focus Groups like last September?

Pete: It was great. At first I wasn't sure what the real purpose of the Focus Groups was, but after the first one that I attended I began to see the value as part of the process. The response during the groups was actually excellent – very positive – compared to some of the respons-es we had at previous Towne Hall meetings in terms of proposals that were much less in scale, one-quarter the cost, and yet, here we’re looking at $20-$23,000,000 and wow, people were very positive. I believe the reason for that is because it’s God.

Andrew: Let’s just talk for a few minutes about you personally. Since you made the decision to be involved, and made the decision to contribute to the campaign, what has God been doing in your own life?

Pete: When the opportunity to contribute came about, I was kind of excited because it had been a while since I really put into practice some prin-ciples of Biblical economics that I'm really pas-sionate about. Sometimes things can get pretty lackadaisical, I mean you absolutely still tithe, but after a while, you get comfortable, so when this opportunity presented itself I was really excited because it gave me a chance again to stretch my own faith. I believe sometimes as Christians we flippantly say “everything we have belongs to God” and yet when you really have to live that out, it’s a different ball game.

What this Capital Campaign is doing is rejuve-nating my faith in God to provide for me. I was actually excited, I felt like “OK, God, we’re back – we’re doing this again, we’re gonna pledge this and I know you’re going to come through.” I know it because He promises that He will take care of all our needs. I don't mean that in a superficial name-it-and-claim-it way. I don't ever give to get something monetary in return. I give out of gratitude and faith. The thing we always have to keep in mind is it’s impossible to please God except through faith, and giving is 100% faith. You know, to give first and then believe that God is going to take care of you takes faith. There’s no other way to put it and some of the things people struggle with is “Wow, if I give what’s

Andrew: So Pete, tell me a little bit about yourself and your family.

Pete: Well, I am 55 years old, married to my wife Joyce for 32 years, and we have four children. One daughter and three sons. I am self-employed in the business of raising and marketing game birds as well as poultry to the New York city live markets.

Andrew: Are your sons involved in the business with you?

Pete: Yes, my three sons are all involved – they all work for me.

Andrew: How long have you attended Central?

Pete: We joined Central in the spring of 2004.

Andrew: How long have you been a Partner at Central?

Pete: I don’t recall exactly but it was shortly after we started attending here.

Andrew: Let’s just talk a little bit about the journey we’ve been on as a campus over the past couple of years as it relates to expansion. Over the last two years we’ve had some different opportunities, some different roadblocks, and different zigs and zags in this process of looking at expansion. What has that whole process been like for you?

Pete: As a businessman and leader, I can relate to the situation that pastor Bill and our board have been in over the last two years. I believe in the principle that if you feel God is leading you in an area, you go there. You might have to kick open some doors which are the wrong ones, but if you stand back and do nothing, nothing will happen.

As I reflect back on the last two years, yes, you could say “Hey, you missed God here or you missed God there!” But that’s not how I view it. God has been working in the leadership of this church, and particularly pastor Bill. We have to do something because of the growth we’ve experienced, but the solution isn't always the first option available. Ultimately when I was at the Annual Business Meeting last spring and heard the presentation from John where he articulated all of the research and cost analysis associated with all available options, and told us the story of the York Road property opportunity it kinda made my spirit jump a little bit. If felt right away that this was something God was orchestrating.

Then, in the fall when I first found out the magni-tude of what we were going to do my first thought was “WOW!” Are you kidding me?” You know, we had people concerned about a small project, and now all of a sudden we’re talking possibly $20-$23,000,000. As I left the room at first, I thought “We really have a choice – either we’re on board, or if we’re not on board, what is our purpose for

gonna happen? Am I gonna to make my mortgage payment? Am I gonna be able to send my kids to college?” But you gotta do it with faith, and if you do it with faith, you’ll be blessed abundantly, beyond what you can imagine.

On a personal note, after we were visited I talked to my brothers and we made a pledge from our company that operates out of the US. (We are involved in growing birds in Pennsylvania as well as at home here) Within a week, I made a cou-ple proposals of what to do with the product we were growing, and within a week, the company I work with down there handed over more birds to us to grow for no reason whatsoever, which covered our pledge and matched it.

Andrew: Wow! So as you think about that now, what was your response to that?

Pete: The first thing I did was send a group text saying “Wow our pledge is covered” with the people that work in our family.

Andrew: And what was their response?

Pete: It varied. Some were more excited than others, but it’s hard to deny it. You can always find an excuse or push aside the God factor, you know. God doesn’t just drop stuff out of the sky, because that’s not faith. Not only do you gotta give in faith you also gotta receive in faith. So the response was very positive, it’s awesome, and this is not just us – there have been other stories that are unbelievable. Stories of people have pledged and God has taken care of their pledge, not only taken care of it, but He has matched it.

Andrew: There have been a number of stories, without going into detail, of people who have come in after they have pledged and actually wanted to change their pledge, and increase it because of what God had done in the meantime.

Pete: I’ve actually heard two, on a personal note, we did that with ours, we increased it, not phe-nomenal, but we increased it. But I know of peo-ple that have pledged and called me back a couple days later and increased it even before God came

through. I believe when you’re new to this, God will reward you, God will show you really fast how Biblical economics work. But what I was excited about was the fact that I was not new to this, I had phenomenal teachings on this and God still provided. I think that it was another conformation to me that He is the one breathing life into this project.

Andrew: So how does this capital campaign actu-ally work? What is the process.

Pete: Well, on the last Sunday of January we will publicly launch the campaign. We will reveal how much the staff, leadership and first contributers

have given, which every-one will be amazed by. Then after that it is pretty simple. We want to meet with every single person in our church to process the project with them. To do that we have a team of trained volunteers who will continue to equip more and more volun-teers to meet with more and more people. In the end, the amazing thing about this process is that everyone will have had a chance to meet with someone. It is very rela-tional. You can't contrib-ute without relationship. We feel that this honours people whether they con-tribute financially or not. Everyone matters.

Andrew: If someone is considering signing up for an appointment to visit with you or one of the team, what can they expect when they have a visit with us regarding the capital campaign?

Pete: They can expect a thorough explanation of the project as well as a chance to ask any and all questions they may have. Hopefully we'll be able to answer most of the questions they have, and if we can’t answer then we definitely will get back to them. The whole point of organizing the campaign this way is to reinforce that everyone matters and that everyone has an opportunity to get involved and contribute. We want to encourage them and help build up their faith, maybe share some person-al testimonies and encourage them to seek the Lord on what’s the best they can do. Lastly, we will challenge them with a contribution amount. (Continued On Page 38)

"WHAT THIS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IS DOING IS REJUVENATING MY FAITH IN GOD TO PROVIDE FOR ME. "

Once again I found myself pulling up to the drive thru speaker. I was battling between the overwhelming need to satisfy my most recent sugar craving and blocking out the (much quieter) voice saying "Don't do it." Like many times before, the sugar won and I ordered my "go to" - a box of 20 Timbits. And yes, I ate every single one.

It was episodes like this, and the constant binging on sweets and junk food to get me through the day that contributed to my gaining over 100lbs in the past 5 years.

I recognized years ago that I had a problem: I was unhealthy and I needed to get into better shape. I tried every (and I mean EVERY) single "diet" out there; no carb, counting points, supplement shakes, gluten free, fat free…you know the drill. I found temporary success with each method. But to be honest, each one was absolute torture! My cravings were intense and I

constantly felt deprived. Each diet would boast that it would "…not leave you feeling hungry" and this was probably true, but I didn't eat because I felt hungry - I ate because I craved sugar and felt I would go crazy without it! Having my small allotted sugar "in moderation" was never enough for me and always left me wanting more. I would say I had a "sweet tooth" as if that was some sort of reasonable justification for my out of control eating habits.

About a year ago, I finally just gave up and decid-ed that I would be one of those people that felt comfortable with my size and my unhealthy body. That is so easy to say until the seatbelt on the flight to your family vacation doesn't fit around you, and you are too winded to do most physical activities with your kids. Shopping for clothes is a nightmare. Being asked to be a friend's brides-maid is a horrifying thought. The constant sweat-ing, the humiliation of failing a physical and being denied insurance at 29 years of age, and the list goes on. With each passing day it became more difficult to convince myself that this was "okay". What was wrong with me? I am a driven person. When I set my mind to something, I can usually accomplish it; except when it came to this. With this, I felt defeated.

It took me a while to understand that the healthy changes I needed to make weren’t about looking

DEATH BY SUGAR.MY STORY TO HEALTHAND FREEDOM OVER EMOTIONAL EATING

GROUP NIGHT

BY: PAM SYKES

a certain way or achieving a specific physical fit-ness level. My issue was deeper than that, I was turning to food for comfort in a way that was out of God’s design, and in turn I became addicted to it. I realized that this was beyond having a sweet tooth, this was dysfunctional.

I wanted to trust in God 100%, and turn to Him when I needed comfort and assurance. Instead I was turning to a box of timbits or a bag a pea-nut M&M’s (okay, 2 bags). I prayed and pleaded with God to take my cravings away, and when it seemed like He didn’t, I was left frustrated. One afternoon, while I was polishing off a pan of brownies, feeling overwhelmed with guilt and feeling completely defeated, I called out to God in frustration once more. “Why won’t you help me?!” I didn’t hear an audible voice answer me in return, but I immediately had this strong thought in my mind. “I want YOU to CHOOSE me over food”.

It was as if a light bulb went off for me. I was doing this to myself. I was settling for second-rate comfort and enjoyment. I was turning to cheap, over-processed sweets instead of turning to the creator of the universe! That was it for me. I was finished with the excuses and the half hearted attempts to overcome this. I was ready to give it my all, and not with the goal of looking a certain way, but with the goal of honoring God.

I had made food an idol in my life and I needed to stop. That was when the hard work began! Just because I knew why I needed to make changes didn't mean that the changes came (or still come) easily! I spent the first month concentrating on improving my diet. Since sugar was the main source of my problem I completely cut it out. I wanted to stay away from the thing that was con-stantly luring me away from building a stronger relationship with God. I’m going to be honest- It was really hard!

The first 10 days were torture! I was grumpy, irritable and miserable. I would continually reas-sure myself “This too shall pass”, and you know what, it did! At the 2 week mark of living sugar free, I was really starting to feel great and my cravings had diminished significantly. After 2 months, when I felt I had the healthy eating under control, I knew that I should start thinking about incorporating exercise into my daily routine. I was absolutely dreading this part, exercise and I have never been friends.

When I was a child, my parents enrolled me in summer baseball. I loved the idea of playing baseball, but was terrified of the ball. When you dive out of the batter’s box at every pitch and dodge every ball hit to you, it really affects your ability to succeed at the sport! Every night driving to the game I would feel a knot forming in my stomach. On top of that, I absolutely detest

sweating and even worse: sweating in PUBLIC! So as you can imagine, running around any type of sporting field in the summer heat was never my idea of a good time. Being athletic and working out just wasn’t for me. I had a lot of really great excuses for not exercising: I’m really out of shape, I’m not athletic, I am not coordinated, I don’t like sweating, and I’m really busy with 2 young kids……it’s just too hard you see.

Well, that was until two great friends, Lynda and Becky, talked me into joining a “Cross fit” style gym called "U can B fit" here in St.Catharines with them. When they asked me to do it my lips were saying “Sure…” but my head was screaming “NO way! You are too out of shape! You’re going to embarrass yourself! You are not even coordinated enough to do this! Plus, remember the sweating thing?!!!”

The morning of the first class arrived and I woke up hoping I was feeling sick so that I could get out of going. No such luck. When I stepped out of my car in the gym parking lot, I wanted to run! Just as I was scoping out my exit plan, Becky burst through the doors and welcomed me in. “Oh great” I thought; “Let the humiliation begin.” I think my legs were literally shaking and I had a huge knot in my stomach. I actually surprised myself with how nervous I was! After the registration, the class began and it started off with a bang! After what seemed like an eternity, and when I was absolutely exhausted and gasping for air, I heard the trainer say the words I was long-ing to hear: “OK ladies we are finished.” “Oh thank goodness” I thought; “It’s finally over! I made it!” Just as I was heading for the door he uttered three horrifying words...“THE WARM UP.” I’m sorry…WHAT?!! Did he just say “Ok ladies we are finished the WARM UP”?!! I could instantly feel my eyes welling up with tears. I took a deep breath and quickly blinked my eyes. I was not going to cry here. Not over this. Not in front of all of these people. I grabbed a sip of water and took my spot back on the floor and finished the 45 minute class. I can hardly remember walking out to my car. I was pretty sure I was going to faint and had to sit in my car for 20 minutes before I felt confident that I could make the drive home.

The next morning was interesting! I could NOT move! Every, and I mean EVERY inch of my body was in pain. I thought to myself how ridiculous this was and that I was never going back. I was a busy person. I had two young kids to look after. I didn’t have time for this nonsense!

Thank the Lord for good friends. Becky talked me down and assured me that I would feel better in a few days and that each class would get easier and easier. You know what?! She was absolutely right! Now I've grown to actually enjoy and look forward to it! I’m amazed at how much progress I’ve made in such a short time combining healthy eating and exercising! I have lost a total of 75 lbs so far and I feel stronger and more energized than I have in years! Of course I have hard days when I am tempted to go back to my old unhealthy habits. I still have a long way to go to accomplish my goals, but I am just taking it one day at a time. I wake up every day and try to make as many good choices as I can that day. I am continually refocusing myself on my ultimate goal of honoring God and the body that He gave me. If you have given up and feel like you can't accomplish your goals- it's never too late to try again! If you are on a journey similar to mine- YOU CAN DO IT! And wouldn’t it be fun to do it together?!

-

Pam Sykes is leading a GroupNight group for men and women just like her. If this is an area where you need support, teaching and accountability her group would be an excellent place to start.

You can sign up for GroupNight at Central Connect or email: [email protected]

You can also follow Pam on her personal blog: cleanlifehappywife.wordpress.com


The reason we do this is because this is a big project and we need everyone on board. It will take all of us together. The leadership and staff have already been challenged to a very high bar and we want to give everyone the opportunity to stretch their faith as well.

The way I look at it is I believe this is God’s best for us, and for God’s best to come to pass, we all have to do our best. Does that mean we’re all going to be on board? No. Do we need everybody? Yes we do! But I believe if we all do our best, God will make up the difference and God’s best will be accomplished. I mean, when the Israelites got to the boarder of Canaan, God’s best was for them to cross right away, there was never any plan of being 40 years in the wilderness, and I think we can learn from that.

Andrew: Maybe we could alleviate some pressure and preemptively remind people that when they sit down to talk about the campaign with us, we are not pressuring them to give that moment are we?

Pete: No – it’s not about pressuring you to give that very second, it’s about you being involved. Everybody’s important and that’s the reason we’re visiting everyone. We will leave you with a challenge amount and let you talk that over with God and get back to us in a week or so.

Andrew: If you could challenge people with one thing through the next three weeks of January as we lead up to this?

Pete: You might view this as we’re putting up a big building and we want a lot of money. Of course there is truth to that, but that’s not how I look at it. We’re here on this earth and the ultimate mandate we have is to tell people about Jesus Christ. That’s the ultimate mandate that Jesus gave all of us and based on what has happened here in the last few years, we’re doing that and seeing phenomenal growth.

What this is about is being led by the Lord to put up a building which I believe is going to be a new way of doing church that will transform a whole region. I really do believe it. Pastor Bill has a huge vision related to the community and how the church and community can intersect in powerful ways. I don’t know how it’s going unfold but I believe that if we all do our best, we are going to see a building that’s going to be different than what we’re used to experiencing in this country. Ultimately it’s about what we are willing to do to have other people meet Jesus and experience the life-transformation we have already experienced.

God uses people, he chose to use people – 6000 years ago, he uses people to save people. He could do it himself but he doesn’t - everything is done through people – that’s the way He chose to do it. And he’s gonna make this church happen through people – like you said – it’s not gonna fall out of the sky. Will there be some phenomenal miracles? Absolutely.

Continued From Page 35

Thinking Of Tying The

Knot?

Starting February 13 (7 - 9 pm for 5 weeks)

For couples thinking about getting married, already engaged, or just married, The Marriage Preparation Course is a 5 week course designed to prepare couples with the understanding of what marriage is all about, and what it takes to make

a marriage succeed. Topics like Communication, Conflict Resolution, Developing a Fulfilling Sexual & Loving Relationship, plus talking about Goals and Values,

Roles and Responsibilities and the Importance of Commitment are all covered in this session. An excellent DVD series made by the makers of Alpha, it provides a great opportunity to discuss things you may have never have come across in your

relationship before. A must for any couples getting married!

Our next class will run on Thursday nights beginning February 13th. We will be hosting and sharing our personal stories with you as a way to help you on your journey to preparing for a marriage that will last a lifetime! We look forward to

connecting with you there.

For more info or to sign up contact Emily Grabatin @ [email protected]

~Any couple that has previously attended this course, is free to join again as a refresher! Although targeted towards dating or engaged couples, any married couple would benefit greatly from this

course as well. Contact Emily to sign up!


I wanted to just take a few minutes of your time to share with you the heart and vision for Partnership at Central Community Church.

Let me begin by talking about what Partnership is NOT: Special Status: we are not a social club, nor are we hierarchy made up of some who are “better than others”. Everyone is a part of our family. Whether you have come one time or all of your life. This is NOT about an elite “ruling” class.

Voting Privilege: While it is true that voting is done by our Partners, this is NOT the primary role of partnership. It is one of many responsibilities that they carry.

As we enter our fourth season of Partnership Renewal, let me clear up a couple misunderstandings:

We don’t take anyone’s Partnership away. People who have been removed from the Partnership list have done so by choice. For most, it is sim-ply a matter of a change in their circumstances or a lapse in communication. For others, they choose not to renew because they are unable to uphold the commitments we, as a church family, have designated as being important. If at any time these circumstances change to reflect the

commitments of a Partner, each person is wel-come to renew their Partnership again.

Why do we require what we do?Church Attendance: Just as an ember must remain in the fire to stay hot, we believe that we need to stay connected to God and to each other through regularly worshiping together. (Heb. 10:25)

Statement of Belief: We want to ensure that every-one has a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches about being a passionate follower of Jesus. Just as every social organization has a code of expectation, we, too, believe that God has established these requirements for our well being!

LifeGroup / Serving: As we grow as a church, we recognize that it becomes increasingly difficult for individual care. LifeGroups and volunteer opportunities afford us a way to ensure that everyone receives and gives the care, connec-tion and growth that we all need. We stipulate this because we legitimately care for every single person.

Generosity: The bottom line is that it takes resources to keep everything moving forward in our context. We are diligent in the steward-ship of the resources entrusted to us and we are accountable to each other.

So, what is Partnership?

PARTNERSHIP

WHY ALLTHE FUSS WITHPARTNERSHIPANYWAY?

Emily Grabatin-

Assimilation Director


This is partnership renewal season around Central so we thought it would be helpful to clarify what partnership is, what it is not, and why we do it the way we do.


Partnership tells us you are formally committing to the mission and vision of Central Community Church and are mutually accountable with the Leadership. It tells us you are willing to take own-ership of and responsibility for our church family with your time, talents and treasures each year.

Formal commitment: While Central is brimming with families who are excited about and involved in our church community, being a Partner means you have gone through the official Partnership process (see page ___ in The Loop). This is nec-essary for logistical as well as governing reasons.

Mutual accountability: Partners and church lead-ership are held to a Biblical standard of living and leading by Biblical principles and the church’s values and guidelines. Leaders submit to the established decision-making process, part of which happens through voting at the Annual Business Meeting. Partners use the annual renewal form to let the leadership know they are carrying out their commitment. This account-ability sharpens us individually and strengthens us as a church.

Ownership and responsibility: Because they see a mission that is critical to the lives of the Niagara Region, a Partner shows ownership by giving of their time, talents and treasures. Your example demonstrates generosity through giving tithes and offerings, joy through serving the church, spiritual growth through LifeGroups, and life in the Spirit by living God’s way.

So, why do we have Partnership? Because we believe that the task is great and the opportunities are endless. We have the amazing task of bringing hope to the Niagara Region. We believe that when we work together, with God’s help, nothing is impossible.

Because we believe in accountability. We recog-nize that seasons ebb and flow in our lives, and all of us from time to time need a “nudge” back toward the things that should be priorities.

Partners annually check their motivation and heart as it pertains to God’s church.

Rather than viewing commitments as a set of rules forced upon us, we see these as priorities that we value and for which we ask each other to hold us accountable.

Because we believe in you. We believe that God has created you for a specific purpose on this earth. We believe that you have been drawn to our family by God, to be a part of what He wants to do in and through your life. We are committed to helping you grow in faith and in influence for the Kingdom of God.

If you are a Partner, I want to thank you, because without you, we could not do what we believe God is calling all of us to do. If you have recently allowed your partnership to lapse, could I encour-age you to re-engage in the conversation and help us grow in caring for one another?

If you have never been a Partner, I encourage you to attend Central 101 on January 19th at 6:00pm and find out what it is all about.


Mike and I have hosted the Marriage Preparation Course three times a year for the past four years and are amazed how each time helps us to really take an inside look at ourselves and assess how we are doing in different areas. Like going to the doctor for an annual check-up, we are finding the course does just that in our marriage - a check-up. We always come away motivated and challenged to do what we can to keep it healthy.

Even though our marriage of 23 years has been great, it hasn’t been without struggle or difficul-ty. There were times when love appeared to be absent from our marriage altogether. This was hard to understand until we learned that love was a choice, not always a feeling. Having that per-spective changed everything. Sometimes it took hanging on to that decision to get us through. What I love about the Marriage Prep Course is that it articulates so well the many potential areas of trial. Many couples who have been through the course have expressed that this awareness and understanding has helped them identify and navigate through issues much more effectively. I so wish we had experienced this earlier in our own marriage.

That’s what brings us to this point. Mike and I want to take the things we have learned through our own experiences, plus all that we have stud-ied and observed, coupled with the marriage prep

RELATIONSHIPS

course material, and most importantly, what the Bible has to say… and offer it to all the married couples out there. Whether you are recently mar-ried or married a long time, a couple check up should be a regular part of your marriage. The more Mike and I learn what the bible has to say about love, the more fun we are experiencing in our own marriage!

Are you interested in having a check-up? Then join us at Couple Connect. Our first event begins this February… just in time for Valentine’s. Tickets will be $25/couple, which includes coffee, tea and dessert. Registration will be available at the church during weekday office hours, or at Central Connect on Sundays from January 19th – Feb 2nd.

Making healthy connections a priority in your marriage is important not only for you but also for your kids, as they learn from you what a healthy marriage looks like. So make it your date night! We look forward to connecting and learning with you on what it looks like to LIVE OUT LOVE.

A CHECK-UPIS A GOOD THING -EVEN FOR YOURMARRIAGEBY: INGRID DORTONO

WEDNESDAYSMorning Prayer (7:15am - SC)Drop-In (9am - DT)Mom’s Time Out (9:30am - SC) 8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)CYM (6:30 - SC)

TUESDAYSDrop-In (9am - DT)Women/Men LifeGroup (7pm - DT)GroupNight (7pm - SC) - Begins Jan 218am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)

THURSDAYS Downtown Prayer (6:30pm - DT)8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)GroupNight (7pm - SC) - Begins Jan 23

FRIDAYSDrop-In (9am - DT)8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)

JANUARY RECURRING EVENTSThese are ministries that take place every week at the same time in the same location. Please note the campus reference beside the event.

JANUARY UNIQUE EVENTSThese are unique events for the month of January. They are indicated on the above calendar with a grey circle around the date. Please note the cam-pus reference beside the event to confirm which campus you need to go to.

TUESDAY, JAN 7 60's Plus Luncheon (12pm)

THURSDAY, JAN 9 Encounter NF (6:30pm)

FRIDAY, JAN 10 Encounter NF (6:30pm)

SATURDAY, JAN 11 Encounter NF (6pm)

SUNDAY, JAN 12 Hymn Sing (6pm - SC)

SUNDAY, JAN 19

Kids Ministry Orientation

First Serve 101(10:30 - SC)

Central 101(6pm - SC)

TUESDAY, JAN 21Starting Point Begins (7pm - SC)

SUNDAY, JAN 26Encounter Night (6pm - SC)

29 30 31 01 02 03 04

05 06 07 08 09 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31 01

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

JAN 2014

MONDAYS8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)


WEDNESDAYSMorning Prayer (7:15am - SC)Drop-In (9am - DT)Mom’s Time Out (9:30am - SC) 8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)CYM (6:30 - SC)

TUESDAYSDrop-In (9am - DT)Women/Men LifeGroup (7pm - DT)Starting Point LifeGroup (7pm - SC)GroupNight (7pm - SC)8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)

THURSDAYS Downtown Prayer (6:30pm - DT)8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)GroupNight (7pm - SC)

FRIDAYSDrop-In (9am - DT)8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)

FEBRUARY RECURRING EVENTSThese are ministries that take place every week at the same time in the same location. Please note the campus reference beside the event.

FEBRUARYUNIQUE EVENTSThese are unique events for the month of February. They are indicated on the above calendar with a grey circle around the date. Please note the cam-pus reference beside the event to confirm which campus you need to go to.

TUESDAY, FEB 4 60's Plus Luncheon (12pm)

SUNDAY, FEB 9

LiveDifferent Meeting (12pm) Child Dedication (3pm - SC)

Hymn Sing (6pm - SC)

THURSAY, FEB 13Marriage Prep Course(7pm - SC - 6 weeks)

SUNDAY, FEB 16

Plan2Protect &Kids Ministry Orientation(9am - SC)

First Serve 101(10:30 - SC)

SUNDAY, FEB 23Encounter Night (6pm - SC)

26 27 28 29 30 31 01

02 03 04 05 06 07 08

09 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 01

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

FEB 2014

MONDAYS8am Prayer (SC)12pm Prayer (SC)


CENTRAL COMMUNITYCHURCH240 Scott St.St. Catharines, ONL2N 1H1905.937.5610

LEAD TEAMLead Pastor

BILL MARKHAMExt. [email protected]

Associate Pastor

ADAM FRYExt. [email protected]

Operations & Human Resource

MIKE HICKSExt. [email protected]

Communications Pastor

ANDREW PLETTExt. [email protected]

Mission+Campus DirectorCampus Pastor, Niagara Falls

JUSTIN [email protected]

PASTORAL TEAMLifeGroups Pastor

BRENDA DROSTExt. [email protected]

Pastoral Care

DAVID TOPPINGExt. [email protected]

Campus Pastor, Downtown

SHAWN [email protected]

Professional Counselor

AGNES VRIEZE MSW, RSWExt. [email protected]

Local & Global Mission

JONATHAN GALLOExt. [email protected]

Red Frogs

KEVIN SCHLECHTERExt. [email protected]

Family Ministries Pastor

GIANPAOLO GALESSIEREExt. [email protected]

Youth Pastor

ALEX SMETHURSTExt. [email protected]

Family Assimilation Director

JESSICA SMETHURSTExt. [email protected]

CentralKids Director, Scott St.

COURTNEY DICKExt. [email protected]

CentralKids Director, NF

SARAH [email protected]

CentralKids Director, Downtown

CATHARINE [email protected]

FAMILY MINISTRIES TEAM

STAFF CONTACT


Lead Pastor

BILL MARKHAMExt. [email protected]

Associate Pastor

ADAM FRYExt. [email protected]

Operations & Human Resource

MIKE HICKSExt. [email protected]

Communications Pastor

ANDREW PLETTExt. [email protected]

Mission+Campus DirectorCampus Pastor, Niagara Falls

JUSTIN [email protected]

Family Ministries Pastor

GIANPAOLO GALESSIEREExt. [email protected]

Youth Pastor

ALEX SMETHURSTExt. [email protected]

Family Assimilation Director

JESSICA SMETHURSTExt. [email protected]

CentralKids Director, Scott St.

COURTNEY DICKExt. [email protected]

CentralKids Director, NF

SARAH [email protected]

CentralKids Director, Downtown

CATHARINE [email protected]

Production Director

DEREK ELLIOTSONExt. [email protected]

Worship Leader

GREG SYKESExt. [email protected]

Worship Leader

MELANIE [email protected]

Live Video Director

DARRICK VANDERWIERExt. [email protected]

Worship Leader

BECCA [email protected]

Communication Designer

TARYN PLUGERSExt. [email protected]

SUPPORT TEAMAdmin Assistant

JOLENE HARDERExt. [email protected]

Assimilation Director

EMILY GRABATINExt. [email protected]

Director Of Accounting

MONTE MILLARExt. [email protected]

Assistant To Lead Pastor

ASHLEY BERTIExt. [email protected]

Building Superintendent

GREG BURNSExt. [email protected]

Volunteer Coordinator

KARLENE MARKHAMExt. [email protected]

Central Catering

IRIS REGIER Ext. 230

Building Coordinator

CORINNE DURKSENExt. [email protected]

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM

SCO T T SCHULT Z FRANK HAUCKJOE CARUSO JAMIE IDZENGABARRY WILLS PAUL OL ADIPOJOHN SCHROEDER QUINN HOFL ANDRICK RIK K ERINK

OUR BOARD

SCOTT ST. CAMPUS240 Scott St.St. Catharines, ON L2N 1H1P: 905.937.5610

SERVICE TIMESSunday Morning [9:00am & 10:30AM & 12pm]

DOWNTOWN CAMPUS203 Church Street, St. Catharines, ONP: 289.271.1014

SERVICE TIMESunday Morning [10AM]

NIAGARA FALLS CAMPUS6970 Mountain Rd.Niagara Falls, ONP: 905.325.8224

SERVICE TIMESaturday Evening[6PM]

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