GRACE ETHIOPIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH

our LPD Church of the Week

Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!

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We were pleased to welcome Grace Ethiopian Evangelical Church into our LPD/EFCC Family at our district conference in March. This dear group of brothers and sisters meet at the location of New Westminster EFC on Sunday afternoons, and ministers to a growing population of Ethiopian immigrants (estimated to be more than 10,000 in Greater Vancouver), and has a passion for mission overseas as well.

Please pray for Pastor Fitsum Mekbib, Associate Pastor Worku Mekonnen, and the church family as they serve and spread the Good News.
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At this Advent Season, we are thankful for and blessed through the various Advent Events and outreaches of district churches. Last Saturday evening, Karen and I were so glad to attend the Johnston Heights Church musical celebration of, “Simply Christmas.” It was very well done and presented the message of Christmas in a creative and fun way. Thanks Johnston Heights!

This Sunday, we look forward to joining Tim, Emily, Miriam, Malcolm and Wesley and their Church Family at Parkdale EFC, for their Sunday School Christmas Program. We are praying for you and your church as you minister, and in advance for your Christmas Eve Services. Let every heart prepare him room!

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The Advent and Christmas Season provide wonderful opportunities for ministry, sharing the Good News and welcoming those coming to visit our Christmas programs and outreaches. I like to go “all out,” and to seize every opportunity that comes with the season – but I also need to be cautious…

It is also a time when we pastors and ministry leaders can come to feel burned out and weary.  Take care! As author Pete Scazzero (The Emotionally Healthy Church) encourages us,“It’s not so much that we hold a position with Jesus; we’re held by Him. If we forget to abide in Him, we’ll have nothing substantial to offer people. May God give you grace to slay all four of these Christmas killers as you abide in Him.”

Here is the link to his article:
christmas-killers-for-ministry-leaders

On the subject of burnout, of neglecting our walk with God and maintaining integrity in our lives and ministry, Joel Rainey, Lead Pastor of Covenant Church in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, cautions us  in his article, “Take Heed lest You Fall.” He writes:

No one wakes up one morning after years of faithful ministry and decides to cheat on their spouse, steal money, or abuse their power. These things happen gradually, and they begin with ungodly attitudes we assume about ourselves and our ministries.

If we want to finish well and be faithful to the people God has given us to lead, there are five things we should never forget.

Read the whole article at this link:
church-leader-take-heed-lest-you-fall

By God’s grace, may we live, tell and invite others to receive the wonderful gift of new life and hope through Jesus Christ!
Your Partnership Is Appreciated!

As we approach year end, both regular giving and special gifts are especially appreciated.  Might you consider a special gift to our ministry as we approach year end? As our district serves our Lord, and you and your church in His Name, and it would be a blessing to end the year with our budget met and our missionaries fully supported. We are serving 31 churches, church plants and 7 LPD Missionaries.

Gifts to the LPD should be written to the LPD-EFCC, and mailed to our district office.   Please also explore giving online to our district or missionaries through our district website, at https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/, or contact our office for electronic and automatic withdrawal options. Thank you again for your partnership with us!

Please pray for:

• District churches, as they share the Good News through this Advent and Christmas Season. This time of year, people come to us if we will only seize the opportunity!
• Tom and Sandy Ford and family, as he awaits transplants, made necessary through the impact of his diabetes. He asks for special prayer for: 1. His blood count to rise. 2. Kidneys and diabetes to be stable. 3. Healing of the ulcer on his foot.
• New Westminster EFC. Pray as Jorge and Emily Lin, begin as the “new” New Westminster EFC on January 1, with Jorge as the “Church Planting Pastor.”
• Josh and Clara Lok, as they have successfully completed their church planter assessment, and we look forward to moving forward with them toward church planting.
• Pray for Matt and Mary Howard, who have been volunteering at Wildwood Community Church in Bowser, alongside Pastor Rick and Sandy McAllister.  Matt and Mary have accepted a call to serve as Pastor of Good Shepherd Community Church in Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, and will begin in January.
• Town + Field Church, in their time of pastoral transition. Pray for Matt (Val) Myers and team, as they provide interim leadership.
• Joshua and Nicole Fast, new Children’s Ministry Intern at Parkdale EFC, who is also now a LPD Missionary, as he begins “Priceless Youth Ministries,“ a ministry to families of special needs children/youth.
• The Steveston Project Team – Allen and Hannah Chang and Daniel and Joyce Wong. Pray for them, as they seek the Lord for this developing work of God, and give thanks for the lives being touched through the Gospel.
• Christ Community Church is considering options for pastoral ministry for the future.
• LPD Board. Board members are Randy Lemke (Allana) – Chair, Patrick Chan (Sarah) – Property and Finance, Ben Crumback (Anna) – Island Liaison, Charles Labun (Carolyn) – Church Board Liaison, Rob Stewart (Karen) – D.S., Tim Stewart (Emily) – Innovative Ministries, Paul Yang (Jin) – Korean Church Liaison; Phil Yung (Grace) – Church Planting and Josephine Papp, LPD Office Administrator – Recording Secretary. Please pray as we meet on Wednesday, December 18.

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Upcoming Events:

LPD Conference
at
Grace Hanin Community Church

March 6,7 – 2020

with Dr. Randy Wollf of ACTS Seminaries.
“The Heart of Discipleship”

Plan to join us for a workshop on Friday, March 6 (all are invited), followed by a fellowship supper. On Saturday, March 7, we gather for worship, stories of God’s work in our and through the LPD people and churches, and our annual meeting. We will end with a fellowship lunch, and a special luncheon for women in ministry and pastor’s wives.