Monday, November 30, 2009

We're Back in VA

Yes, the Dowdy's have returned from their trip to Burlington, Ontario last week and have a few answers. The interesting thing is that we have a few more questions too...funny how that works.

We did find the right neighborhood for the Dowdy family and accompanying schools. We are going to a newer community of young families and professionals in the northern area of Burlington. Many in this area travel daily into the city for work. (Sound familiar Fair Oaks Church?) This is exactly what we were looking for and there are great possibilities all around the area for a church plant.

We were hoping to get some information and paper work to file for our church name but the church planting group we are working with did not offer these items on this visit. I am not the "Maverick Type" but I am sure now that I just need to make it happen. It would be nice to have some assistance in this area and it may still come but I am not holding my breath on that. The conflict of interest is that I am all about what I can get out of them, period. So... :-)

One great discovery for our missions endeavor in August is that we found a great location for the short term missions group coming to help us get started. A sales manager from the Hilton Garden Inn in Burlington is putting together some prices and packages. The hotel is right across the street from a movie theater, restaurants and outlet shopping. It will be a great place to stay and plenty of leisure activity during the down times of the missions week, not to mention the downtown Toronto sites only 30 min. away.

Another positive adventure in Burlington was our visit to the radio station JOY in Oakville. The sales manager there is putting together a package for radio opportunities. This may be a great way to promote the Burlington Community Chruch through a program from Pastor Stokes and a connection for the future. Keep this matter in prayer. We know a church that started in Oakville with a radio support of an American pastor and the church is growing strong. It would also be great to have a on-site visit from this station on Sunday, August 22nd when we are all up there.

We also visited the Crossroads Christian Broadcasting Ministry while we were there. This is a big step for Canada because for the longest time, Christian media was not allowed. Now they have radio and television. It was neat to see how God is working in broader areas of Christianity up there.

More details of the church will unfold by January and we are happy with the progress. We look forward to training and working with anyone coming to help us plant the church. As you know, Fair Oaks Church is our home church and supporting pastor David R. Stokes. We cannot thank the Lord enough for our pastor, church and this opportunity to plant a church in the GTA.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Getting clear, solid details for my wife and kids

Do you know what it's like to lead something that you are not an expert in, trying to learn and lead your family as you "explore together?" It is a challenge I will tell you that. As we press forward in establishing a life in Burlington, Ontario just outside Toronto, we have had a few moments along the way. If you know my wife, she is a delightful, energetic person who holds back no punches. What she always says is that she doesn't have to be in charge but she needs to know someone is in charge and that there is a plan. For the last year, I could give her nothing but "living by faith." :-) I would tell her my thoughts, what to expect and some of the plans for the church and its government structure...very comforting, right! :-) Though these were good conversations, I know her frustration is in wanting to know all the where, when and how answers. God has been giving us that as we go. It is one of those things you would love for God to just snap His fingers and everything is in place.

Next week, we are going to get some clear solid plans in order. We are going with a realtor to find the right neighborhood to live in, visit the high school my daughters will attend, meet with a school administrator about a rental possibility for the church, line up some great rates for hotel and sightseeing, and get the paper work and details for securing the name Burlington Community Church. We are also going to be asked to be pulled over at the Canadian border. Yes, you heard that right. We want to talk face to face with an immigration officer to find out exactly what we need to to to bring me over the border. Tracey is Canadian and the paper work is in for my daughters to be Canadian as well. This will give them dual citizenship. We just need to find out what to do with me. This is a question my wife and daughters have been asking for years! :-)

We have also been learning from a couple different church planting sources. One has great resources and the other has a network of Canadians. We are learning a lot and gathering materials for the our home church, Fair Oaks Church, and putting together some cultural, missions and evangelism tools for training this spring. I am using these ministries for training, network and development because my biggest fear, yes (vivid, heart pounding, loss of sleep, high blood pressure) FEAR, is that I get up there and suck! I know I can get all the materials and planning together and still fail but at least I'll know why! :-) You know what I mean... And here it is for my family, I am just as anxious about not knowing fully what to do but lets DO IT! With all our heart, soul and mind.

As always, we are very humbled and comforted by all the encouragement and support of our church. Your continued trust in what we are getting ready to do is like saying "go get em!" And how could we not feel that charge ahead spirit when our church will be completely supporting us financially and through prayer, many workers, details, and short term missions trips along the way. This will be an incredible journey together!

So what is my purpose in this blog? Please pray for us as we travel next week to get all the solid, clear details we need so the rest of our work this year has a good target to hit. We want to start seeing all the details so we have a plan, a list we can start checking off as God provides.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

We're not dead yet!

I just looked at the last time I blogged and noticed that I haven't done a thing since October 5th! People must be thinking we died but "we're not dead yet." :-) There has been a lot of ground covered since then and we are pressing forward with plans for Toronto.

Since my blog on the 5th, we had Thanksgiving. Canadian Thanksgiving was the second Monday in October and we had a crew over to celebrate. There are 3 couples who joined us for dinner who are interested in helping us in Toronto. They are all on different levels of commitment. One couple is coming for as long as they are able, another is coming for the summer and the last couple is coming for the missions trip and short term trips beyond that. This is very exciting for us because we are planning a full week of ministry for the 100 or more coming from Fairfax, VA. This is all happening August 16 - 22, 2010.

Pray for us and our next visit to TO this November. We are lining up a few details for our move and I am praying God will give us a free place for one of these couples to stay for the summer. I am also praying that God will give us some free or relatively cheap office space and use of equipment. A few things are lining up and we just need to see what God has in store for us.

Also, pray that we are able to secure the name of our church, Burlington Community Church. We have already bought the websites and Phil Bassham (Media Pastor at Fair Oaks Church) should have something for us soon.

Pastor Stokes also has an opportunity to develop a live radio show in Oakville, Ontario. Oakville is the next town over from Burlington. If God is in that, there will be a good opportunity to promote the ministry and give a daily voice to the ministry there as we take Loud On Purpose to Toronto.