Only 5 Days!

It's only 5 days until Christmas and our family has been experiencing a great Christmas already. Because of travel, we opened gifts on Saturday the18th and enjoyed each others' company for the day. We had a great day at the church too...25 in attendance and one salvation decision! This was our First Christmas Service and it included extra music, stories, videos, Christmas baked goods and sermon. It was a good day all the way around. Plus, one family that used our childcare services for holiday shopping came! This was all a great blessing for us. Christmas is only 5 days away but we have been celebrating for about a week now! :-)

For the message on Sunday, I tackled a very simple subject of Peace on Earth. Simple in that peace comes from simplicity, difficult when you take into account the news that another Canadian soldier gave his life in Afghanistan. (Yep, Canadians are there too...) Peace only comes through knowing Jesus as your Savior and simply trusting Christ brings peace. Good question to ask your friends and neighbors this Christmas. Are they/you experiencing peace on earth? Peace on earth becomes difficult when we are too focused on all the other stuff of Christmas and life.

We can have peace on earth and God gives it freely. That is just great news, right? Great news from the Angels, to the shepherds and now to us today.

Relationships, Relationships!

We have had to learn how important it is to keep building relationships since we have begun this church here in Burlington. It is a test of patience for sure! We have been meeting a lot of people and inviting them to church or to come to our home for a visit. We are having some success but I am looking for the day when all these relationships lead somewhere. You know what I mean?

We had a great Christmas Open House last evening. We started at 4p.m. and the last guests left at 10:30. It was a great time with a mixture of church families and neighbors. If you know Tracey, you know what a wonderful cook she is. We do pretty good at throwing a party and making people feel welcome. We pray continually for the salvation of our new friends and others we are meeting.

You just never know what a relationship may become down the road. My wife and I go back and forth about a few people on our BC3 email list who visited our church once, showed a lot of interest then, but have never returned. I keep them on the list because, they are not enemies. And...you never know when something will change in their lives and they are willing to come be a part of a great church God is building here in Burlington. I am just blessed that they took the time to show some interest at all. They are our "honored guests." Remember that phrase in church when referring to visitors. ;-)

I have had to remind myself to be interested in people and not in building the work. Too many people have hidden agendas for relationships and I just need to be genuine. I read a tweet from Rick Warren that simply said, "Stop trying to be interesting to people and be interested in people." It was very profound and something I will never forget. Out of my own need to be liked and appreciated, I spout off all kinds of things I think will impress or catch attention but miss any kind of impact.

Sadly, I compare who I am today in building relationships vs. my past. I come to very lonely conclusions. I find myself wishing I took more time to be interested in others...maybe I would be reaping the paybacks now. We always had fun, good parties (as we still do), but too many shallow experiences that were more about the fun than the interest in those around me.

I am different today. Trying to build relationships in which I have invested genuine interest. Trying to show a love and concern with the passion Christ would have for me. "Relationships are everything, the rest is just the details," as Gary Smalley would say.

Relationships...I want mine to be genuine, sincere, reciprocated, respected, and cherished. Know anyone out there who needs a relationship like that. Maybe ALL of us! :-)

Merry Christmas!

We had some great pictures taken for our Christmas cards thanks to the Franklin family. They came to Burlington for a Holiday Photo Outreach on November 20th. We met several more families in the community and got a chance to give them the gift of professional photos complements of Burlington Community Church.

God has been good to us and has given us several other opportunities this Christmas season. This past Sunday, Dec. 5th, there was a big Christmas Craft Show in the hallways just outside our meeting rooms. We got a chance to meet many more families in Burlington and invite them to our Christmas Service on Dec. 19th. We also invited them to take advantage of free childcare we are providing for holiday shoppers on Dec. 12th. Tracey and I were blessed because everyone in our church stayed after services to talk to people and invite them to our Christmas events. This is huge in our church development! To add to these opportunities, I am speaking at a Burlington Businessman's Breakfast on Tuesday morning the 7th of Dec.

Keep us in your prayers because we are always looking for ways to meet people and make friends. Our strategy is 3D living of Developing friendships, Discovering stories and Discerning the Spirit. This is an evangelism strategy something Bill Hybels introduced and I like it!

That gives you a little idea of what is going on in the church, here is what is happening in the family...

Tracey is doing good. She went back to work the middle of November. It is not a great job but it brings in a little extra and the hours are great. She works from 8:30 - 1:30 Mon-Fri. at the UPS Store. She is still trying to get the hang of things there but manging quite well. She has also been doing some book reviews for Ed Stetzer, writing blogs for her brother Blake's company Agora, and helping me with church stuff, hospitality, media, childcare, you name it...she is there with me!

Ceilidh is working toward to G driver's license here in Canada. It is a graduated program that is a little different but she will be there soon. She has been working toward nursing. She really has her heart set on this and considering Mohawk in Hamilton as her starting point. There are several great options for her. She has a great future in store and being a huge blessing to me. She and Sarah sing with Greg and I every Sunday and take their turns in childcare too.

Sarah is taking classes in high school for cosmetology. Yes, she wants to run her own shop and work with me at the church. I love her charisma and positive spirit about all of this. I hope she is not expecting the church position to be a paid one. ;-) Anyway, she is really getting better at the keyboard. She has taken on that instrument as I have moved to playing the bass guitar. All in all, she is making incredible strides with school and music. We are also praying about a youth group and leader so she can help with that too. Beyond that, she is a vivacious reader like her mother, sings, plays the keyboard and takes turns in the childcare area for the church.

As for me, I am keeping busy with church work. I am always looking for opportunities and ways to get our church or my face in the crowd. It seems to be working. I was at the Santa Parade here in Burlington on Sunday with 3 lovely neighbors we are trying to reach and saw 3 people in the parade that I knew! I guess I am getting to know more people than I thought. I am also working one day a week in counseling down in Hamilton. This is in efforts to finish my counseling degree at Liberty and build hours toward Family and Marriage Therapy here in Ontario. For licensure in Ontario, I have to get 1000 hours and 200 supervision hours. With all that work, I am thinking about seeing if Liberty will just trade my 60 class hours for some other degree! I try to spend 2 nights and 2 days out meeting people and other times studying, admin stuff for the church and catching some time with my family.

As I think of all the things our church and family is doing in Burlington, I can be very thankful for the continued gifts of friendship, support and encouragement fromPastor Stokes and Fair Oaks Church. Christmas is a time of giving and our home church and pastor have been a great example of that all year long. I thank God for this rich opportunity and for the blessing of this man and ministry.

That wraps up my thoughts for Christmas and all the things going on with us. I wish everyone reading this a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Anyone out there?

I write blogs. Do people read them? It's funny how you get into a habit and encouraged to do so but wonder what good it is doing. As a church planter, it is instilled in us to use all the methods and communication vehicles of the times. Since blogging is one of those things, I do it. This is done purely out of habit because I am convinced, no one is reading this. My wife likes them but she kind of has to say that...you know, stroke the male ego...

So...you reading? Really? That would be exciting and I'd love to see your comment...

I preached about Gideon on Sunday and told our church of the importance of small things. (Like a comment on this blog is a small thing with huge impact for me.) Gideon took on the Midianites with 300 men! This was a small amount, small deal but it was huge! God wanted them to know that He was going to win the battle for them and Gideon needed to learn that as I am trying today. I get really frustrated sometimes because my efforts don't seem to go anywhere. I wonder if it is even worth it!

Then I remember...the little things mean a lot. I have a guy who is excited to play the guitar for our church. He told me on Sunday that he wished he had more time, money, anything else he could give. Another man in our church told me, "As long as you and Tracey are here, we'll keep coming." Yet another man in our church told me he loves coming because of how friendly everyone is and he and I have a Bible study together each week. One lady has been coming very faithfully and she is a huge example because she is the first to tithe in our church. All these things may seem little but for me, they are huge!

Any little things you can point to today that will make a difference for you? As I think through all the little things about BCC, I am recharged about my mission here. I am honored that anyone would even follow us on this mission. God is so good because He works! His might and power is revealed in the little things too...

Hey, maybe your comment could be about the little things you are doing that mean a lot for God! Now you even have a topic so... ;-)

There's a Wall There...

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach about the Walls of Jericho and the 1st city the Children of Israel were to conquer under Joshua's command. It is a great story and what I like about it is that it has the plan passed down to Joshua with a promise and then communicated through the rest of the people so everyone knew what was going on, what the outcome would be and what was their part in the process. It is a great story of biblical leadership and how leaders can keep their people focused and engaged in the process. As I leader, communication is needed but I know I leave details out. I am working very hard to communicating detailed information about who we are, where we are headed and what God has been telling me. Regardless of how things play out, we all face "the wall."

The first wall is the YOU/ME Wall. This is the wall of getting over ourselves. Yep, we can be very selfish and self centered leaving us a monumental wall to conquer. We allow doubt about ourselves to keep us from moving forward. We doubt plans, God, our abilities...you name it we have the capacity to doubt it. We also deal with our failures and never feel we are good enough or measure up. Then we can sometimes wallow around in disappointment. Things don't go the way we want them to so we become one big sucky baby (warning: Canadian Term). Pat Burns passed away this week after a long fight with cancer. He coached the Canadians, Leafs and Devils in his professional career and brought them all to victory. He had more wins than losses in his entire career. At the end of his life and tribute this past Saturday, he said, "Don't be sorry for me, I have had a good life." What strength, right?! He also told his children not to be sad because something ends but be proud of the fact that you were able to be a part of it.

The second wall is the RELATIONSHIP Wall. There is a lot here for this wall but with God's power, you can overcome. Too many times we guard ourselves because of fear. We simply become too afraid of new relationships, meeting others or witnessing. We fear rejection, intimidation and risk of getting too close to others. We fear that others may come to know too much about us and not like us. This fear causes us to not trust and put walls up to protect from times we may have become too close and gotten hurt by someone else. The relationship wall is a tough one!

The third and final wall is the GOD Wall. This one may take years to tear down. We live in a world that examines everything by experiences, attitudes or cause and effect. The problem with that is that God is bigger! He is bigger than my circumstances, my abilities and He requires my faith to make the walls crumble. Too many times we are eager to believe things about God based on our own human experiences and He never fits. He never will fit! Let this wall come down and experience how awesome and great He is. If we can do that, show faith and follow without growing weary, we will reap and see great and mighty things!

There is a wall there...are you conquering it?

The Blob

Ever watch the movie, The Blob? It is meant to scare you because it takes over everything. I enjoyed the movie as a kid but have experienced versions of it as an adult. For example, I alway get a kick out of Hank Hill from King of the Hill and the pot shots that show takes on "The Mega Mart" and how they are wiping out the small businesses. Big corporate banks have done the same! There are probably many examples we can point to. In a way, they are like The Blob because they grow and take over. In no time at all, they gain control and wipe out anything in their path.

Are there Blob churches? I thought about that this past week after a pastor friend of mine and I had dessert together with our wives. He mentioned a very aggressive growing church movement here in Canada that is coming into our area. He said, "I know as churches we are not in competition but..." I actually really like this church, the pastor and all the creative things they are doing. I even listen to this guy's podcasts. I know that when they roll into town it will be a big wave, many will attend their services and they will scoop up a lot of church people because of their fame. In a sense, very much a blob church.

I have no idea what the outcome of their presence will be. I met a great Pentecostal pastor here in town who has a great church and seeing people saved weekly. Last time I talked to him, they were baptizing 14 people! My heart just bursts in my chest when I hear this because I am excited for them and want to see that in my own ministry. 14 people baptized...that was my attendance last week!

When I think of that Pentecostal pastor, the pastor friend Tracey and I had dessert with, and The Blob Church, I begin to wonder why the 14 people we had on Sunday would even bother coming. To top it off, Tracey and I are going through a rough spell right now that is partly related to the huge sacrifices that had to be made to make any ground here in Burlington. Then I need to encourage myself because...if there are 14 that would follow us, THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE OUT THERE!

We won't be taken back by The Blob Church because we have nothing to lose. :-) As a matter of fact, we had a visitor from The Blob Church on our first Sunday. They liked me and the church but when I asked them to join the endeavor, they wanted Blob Church. They liked Blob Church preaching, programs, and the fact that they can go and sit. You can't do that at Burlington Community Church. As a matter of fact, pretty much everyone has to do something. There are a few still flying under the radar but not for long. Church plants take sacrifice...sacrifice Tracey and I were not aware of until we were in it. We have no reservations asking for people to sacrifice because we've already done that ourselves! Jesus put it this way, "Take up your cross, and follow Me."

I had several conversations with Christians from other churches who would have come to help me but wanted to give me a week or two of there time. They were even trying to calculate how they could serve in two churches at once. I am not asking the people to enjoy a comfortable time, or enjoy my preaching (though I hope my preaching is not completely boring!). I am asking them to die with me, and I told them so this past Sunday. I will have to reassure them next Sunday that I didn't mean like in a compound kind of way where everyone drinks Kool-Aide at the end. ;-)

The Blob movie never scared me as a kid and The Blob Church is not a threat as an adult. As a matter of fact, it is a Kingdom work that I pray will continue to grow and win many for Christ. My prayer is that God will send more to Burlington Community Church and allow His kingdom to grow in many unique and powerful ways through men and ministries surrendered to Him! The important thing is that we are on track with what God has called us to and not worry about Blob Church coming to town.

Refreshing

You know that verse in Proverbs that says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."? That was what this weekend was like. We had some friends up from Virginia (Mike & Brenda Zizolfo) and they were lots of fun and a big encouragement. We are so excited about our church, the people, and the cool things we are doing/trying to do. It was great to have a few from our home church up here to experience a church service with us and take in a few of the sights.

It was also great to work with friends we worked with in Virginia, and now again in Canada! The added voices and guitar really boosted our services. We really do not get artistic work out of our music right now so it was great to have a nice song before my message. We are usually a few songs, praying and message. We may incorporate a video but that is all we have for now.

We are always looking for guests to come up and just hang out with us. If you are up for that, email me asap!

Thanks again Mike and Brenda for coming to help us for a weekend!

Do you have an enemy?

It is interesting how God directs a person when in charge of praying for and guiding a church. As Burlington Community Church has been working through the series Epic, we stopped yesterday to talk of the epic battle in heaven when Satan and his angels were thrown out. It was kind of cool with yesterday being Halloween to have a creepy, scary story. Even bigger than the story is the fact that we face this enemy everyday of our walk in Christ. He is our accuser, author of evil, deceiver, liar and much more. We most of it...have a part 2 next week and I can't believe we had to cut short. I usually don't have that much to say! ;-)

We do have an enemy. His name is Satan and we must resist him and learn how to counter his attacks. We cover that this week, Nov. 7th. If you are in the Burlington area, stop in at 10:30 a.m. at the Tansely Woods Community Centre to check it out! More information on our website at www.burlingtoncommunitychurch.ca

It is so hard to get back into a good habit once you take a break. The last few Monday's have "gotten away from me" especially with one of them being Thanksgiving here in Canada. Love having turkey! The other Monday was spent in line a immigration...I get to do a lot of "fun" stuff!

It has been a great trip through these stories because they are such a powerful display of what God can and will do through his servants. For Thanksgiving Weekend, October 10th, I preached about Elijah and the Prophets of Baal. I never thought about the fact that is was Thanksgiving but something was being cook and it was't the prophets of Baal's sacrifice! It was a supernatural display of God's work through the man God sent. The major themes of the prophet is that he must be called of God, speak only the message God gave him, and God be the only One to get the glory through it. At the end of this message, I talked wholeheartedly about what I had expected to happen in starting Burlington Community Church and what actually happened. To make a long story short, we are in a position in which much prayer and proving God must take place. Only God can give us the increase and only He will get the glory out of what is being done! I pray He is ready to bless this little church with His power and glory!

On October 17th, I preached about Esther and how she was in the right place at the right time. We have all had those type of experiences from as little as a good sale on something to a powerful moment like salvation. Whatever can be said of Esther, she was in the right place and ready to do what she needed to to save her people. The simple but profound application is that the people coming to Burlington Community Church are here by design and God can and will use us if we are ready to see that He has called us "for such a time as this!"

Yesterday, October 24th, I preached David and Goliath. This is a classic story of the underdog winning. Beyond winning was David's ability to see and say that "the battle was not with sword or spear but the battle is the Lord's!" Giants are hard to miss in our lives and we have to face them...it is our destiny as it was David's. What giants are you facing and are you confidently putting them in God's hands? At the end of this message, we talked about the giants a church start faces and encouraged each other to take on the City of Burlington for the Lord, give in finances to the budget we must face, and the service we must commit to to be ready for visitors.

This Sunday, October 31st, I am preaching about Satan and his final destination. I figured this is a pretty appropriate topic for Halloween, right? ;-)

EPIC - sermon 1

We started a new series this past Sunday called EPIC. This is a series that will run for through Christmas and we will add a special emphasis at the end of November for Christmas. The idea of these messages is to help those new to faith get familiar with the greatest stories from the Bible ending with the Nativity. It was interesting to watch the faces of those who have never heard the story of Daniel and the Lions' Den. To pull together the elements of the story and draw the application for our lives. I thoroughly enjoyed preaching it.

Daniel is a great character in the Bible and one I admire for his wisdom, conviction and boldness. He knew what was right and followed it no matter what. The end result was that God shut the mouths of the lions and Daniel was rescued.

The final point of the message was in regard to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be broken just like we face the law of sin and death for eternity. As Daniel was rescued by God from the terms of the law, we are rescued by God from the terms of the spiritual law. As Daniel was doomed to face the lion so we were doomed to face the "roaring lion" (Satan) except that God rescues.

If you haven't read the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den, it is found in Daniel 6. Read it and discover once again all the great applications of consistency in prayer, conviction to stand, integrity before the world and much more!

Church, Why Bother? sermon 4 & 5

We wrapped up the series this past week and I cannot believe I am headed into my 2nd series or messages already. It seems like only yesterday we arrived in Burlington...time flies!

I will start by saying message 5 was all about our statement of faith and practice at Burlington Community Church. From this, we hope to draw some into the next steps of baptism and church membership. This will now take place in the Life Group system we established as we move on to the next series of messages, EPIC.

Sermon 4 was all about the Power of the Church. This message was very basic but very pointed. We can do nothing in the church that God has not designed and given us the power and ability to do. From His resurrection power to the power of His Word, we have and always will have a direct line to the infinite power of God.

After looking at the Power of God, we can see His power displayed through the gathering of His people in worship, our prayers and power to spread the Gospel. God wants to reveal His power and it is through His people that He works and demonstrates it.

My prayer is that Burlington Community Church will never stray from the power of an almighty God!

Church, Why Bother? sermon 3

In the 3rd message of Church, Why Bother?, we emphasized the importance of purpose. It is so important that a while back a very important figure in today's church wrote The Purpose Driven Church - Rick Warren. The impact that this book has on churches around the world is incredible! It has given churches and church leaders focus as they prepare and plan ministry. Rick Warren's concepts were used to help us see that we are to be at work with what God is doing and not doing things in church that do not matter. It was a real exploration into what is important to God and our role is making just as important in our church.

Though this message is not a rehash of this book, it is certainly an example for us. This message is more about walking through the perceptions and stereotypes the world has of the church and then revealing what the world should feel if we were a church of purpose.

Church WITHOUT Purpose

• Irrelevant – lost touch, impractical, uneducated
• Hypocritical – inconsistent living, inner politics and power, and focus on leaders’ failures
• Judgmental – pious, self-righteous, other agendas and political aspirations

Church WITH Purpose

• Passion for Christ – Philippians 3:10
• Unity in Spirit – Psalm 133:1; Ephesians 4:3
• Dependence on God – I Peter 5:7
• Compelling faith – Hebrews 11:6
• Faith and Works – James 2

Want to know what the purposes of Burlington Community Church are? Come to a Life

Group meeting this Thursday night! For more information contact Pastor Roy at

pastorroy@burlingtoncommunitychurch.com

What a dirty plug for BCC Life Groups, eh? ;-)

Church, Why Bother? sermon 2

What a great adventure we have had in beginning this journey to build Burlington Community Church! Our second week was awesome. We had a great attendance for a church that had started only the week before. Outside of Labor Day Weekend, we have had visitors to every service. Praise the Lord for that! Keep us in your prayers and below is my sermon from Aug. 29th...

Right Relationships/Right Direction

In continuing our series on "Church, Why Bother?," it is important to understand and have the right relationships. Many get frustrated in church because the relationships built are not with direction or purpose. Friendships may be built on interests and opinions but close relationships have deeper foundations. In his book, DNA of Relationships, Gary Smalley builds his case of the importance of relationships and how interaction is vital to humanity. He simply begins by saying, "Life is relationships; the rest is just details." He points out that there is no way to avoid relationships completely and we need them! John 15 is an excellent passage for understanding the right relationships one can build.

1. A Growing and Personal relationship with Christ.

John 15 starts by showing that we are to have a relationship with Christ and His Father. He shows how he is the vine and we are the branches. We cannot do anything of spiritual significance and growth outside of this relationship with Christ. As a matter of fact, God is the one who prunes and shapes us for his glory and production. It is all a matter of glorifying God that we are drawn into the continue in our relationship with Christ. God will accomplish His work through us as we stay connected to Him and doing His Will.

A great and interesting promise in this passage is that verses 14 and 15 point out that Christ no longer calls us servants but friends. This is an incredible concept because a servant only does what he is told where a friend will know and understand everything the friend wants and asks. Very simply, we are His friend and He will show us exactly what He wills, and as his friends, we understand and are excited to be a part of it.

2. A loving relationship with each other.

It is interesting that we are commanded here to love one another. Why is that? Is it because we do not have the capacity to love another Christian? I believe it is because the closer we get to one another and the more we "experience" of each other, the easier it is to become comfortable and predictable. Just like a marriage can "cool down" in passion because of familiarity, any intimate relationship can be taken for granted. It is also much easier to criticize and condemn a person the more you know what they think, say or do. That is why our first relationship in a growing and personal one with Christ is so important. He will sort out our thoughts and help us to truly love each other because we are growing and sustaining in Him as our vine.

Loving one another is also a commitment and choice. There is no way Burlington Community Church will continue without those of us who have come together to stand up and say we are one. We will find out more about the mission and passions of our pastor and this church so we can make a difference! What kind of difference are we talking about? Here it is in our third point...

3. A compassionate relationship with the world.

At the end of John 15, we are given the sobering state of our relationship with the world. We will not be loved but persecuted. This means there is opposition to our efforts as His kingdom people. Opposition in also motivation. If there were no opposition, what a wimpy, lame cause we would have a Christians!

Now, that means our efforts are about loving and reaching the world with the Gospel. Here in Toronto, a pastor and his congregation picketed a gay man's home. The reporters asked what they were doing and why. This pastor's response was, "We have freedom in this country to preach the gospel!" I agree with the pastor's statement but his actions do NOT match his words. Picketing a gay man's home is NOT preaching the gospel. The gospel is the life, death, burial, and (very importantly) resurrection of Christ! If we are persecuted for this, we are on the right path and doing the Will of God. Cases like this pastor in Toronto leave a community and world wondering why they would bother with church.

So what is our response to the world...?

A. Be in it but not of it (Romans 12:2)
B. Do not love the world or practice its lusts and pride (1 John 2:15-17)
C. Love the world and endure its persecution (John 15:18-19)

Church, Why Bother? sermon 1

Beginning BCC has been one of the most difficult things I've done but picking out the first sermons series was not. I knew from day one that I would want to deal with the subject, Church, Why Bother?. This has been an incredible journey and the question is something many are asking. We have had more than one encounter with Canadians who have simply given up on church. BCC is shedding the weight of "church and religion" to take on the life Christ meant us to have. You see, when most in the world see the church in light of their perception or stereotype, it is important that we present a church that is about life and abundant life in Christ. This is something the world does not see and we, the church, are to blame. We can become so rigid, set in our ways and filled with rules that we do not present a living church. So with this in mind, my very first sermon on August 22nd was about what a person should expect from a church. Here are my thoughts:

Act 2:42-47 tells of of a very real and very alive church. When the church was doing all it was supposed to do, people were saved, baptized and added to the church. This is the goal, what every church wants to be. This is the church Christ is the foundation of and power for.

Sadly, the church is not seen as a place of life change and growth. As a matter of fact, many in Canada do not go to church at all. “It is no longer 1955, when 68% of Canadians attended a place of worship on a weekly basis. Now, church attendance in Canada is more like 13%. In some urban settings, it is even lower.” Borderland Churches - Nelson (2008) We can argue over the reasons behind this but the truth is that most Canadians will not be in church this Sunday.

What can a person expect from Burlington Community Church? Are we going to have life, growth and change or are we going to be another presence in the community with no power to change anything? Because of Christ, there are 3 things we can promise a person will experience when they walk through our doors.

1. Love – I Corinthians 13.

We want anyone who comes to our church to experience love. This love is patient, gentle, kind but also casting out of fear and willing to be open and honest. It is the kind of love that will be greater than the imperfections we may encounter in each other.

2. Forgiveness – Ephesians 4:32.

Forgiveness is not condoning what someone has done but choosing not to dwell on their failures or sin. It is knowing what is wrong and extending grace to the repentant soul.

3. Hospitality – Romans 12:13

Hospitality is more than "throwing a good party." It is about being willing to give of ourselves. It is about giving up our own comforts for the sake of others. “The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not-knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is the friend who cares.” Out of Solitude - Henri Nouwen (1974) There are so many ways that we can show hospitality but we get stuck in our own selfishness most of the time.

Perfection and ultimate example found in Christ! Here is how we know…

1. Love – John 3:16 & 1 John 4:10

Christ loved us so much that He came to die on the cross for our sins. His expression of love is our salvation. His example of love is our witness to the world. Because he loved us that much, we can love each other.

2. Forgiveness – Ephesians 4:32

Because Christ forgave us, we can forgive others. This is more than a suggestion, it is a command. Christ forgave ALL of our sin, we are to do the same for others.

3. Hospitality – Philippians 2:6-11

Christ took on the form of man and humbled Himself by taking on our sins and dying on the cross. He left his throne in heaven to be our savior. The least we can do is leave the comforts of our own homes to reach out to someone who needs Christ.

Church, Why Bother?

This is the current sermon series we are in at Burlington Community Church. The special interest article, radio ads, newspaper, mailer and flyer distribution brought in an interested bunch of people. What is interesting to me is that this topic has attracted a younger, 20 something group to our first services. It is a group who have watched the previous generation of church goers in Canada fail in some key areas in life. There is also an underlying sense that the church is completely boring and impractical for life. Just this week I had a pretty deep discussion with a lawyer who occasionally goes to church and his wife does not. He said his friends tease him for the few times that he does go which he said is only about 4 times a year. He said he knows there must be more to it and he wants his kids to experience church though he does not know why he is doing any of it.

When I have a conversation like this, it fires me up a little because I know that this lawyer and others like him feel this way because they have not experienced a life giving church. They do not know true salvation and God has not been a part of their lives. It is doubtful that they see church as anything but a place to sit for an hour and feel they have "done their duty" for God this week. They have not seen the body of Christ in action because everyone in the congregation has become self absorbed and selfish about life, friends, and time. Getting to know people and investing in their lives is work and giving of yourself. It is MUCH easier to keep the few great friends and cruse through life.

Meeting people is hard for me because I would rather sit in the background and let others interact. I do not usually feel it is necessary to meet others or insert myself in new situations. I have to force myself to meet people and find out more about them. It really is an act of giving of myself to show interest in people and let them talk. I would much rather tell them about our church then they visit, accept Christ, and commit to ministry. Unfortunately, that is not how it works and it can take months and years for some I meet today to even consider church or spiritual things. Bill Hybles calls this "just walking across the room." We need to be willing to do that and let God lead those interactions.

I have had a steady diet of meeting new people ever since I arrived in Burlington. Our family came up here without knowing a single soul but we know quite a few now. My prayer is that God gives us many more opportunities to meet people and share our faith. It has been an experience and I am praying for God to work through me for His Kingdom.

Ready or not, here we go!

We are finishing up the details for a week in Burlington we have marketed at Vision TO. It is set for August 16 - 22. This week is all about getting the word out about Burlington Community Church. We will have several guests from churches come to be a part of this week, get flyers around, talk to people on the streets, dive into community events, run a 3 day Bible Camp for kids and bring one or two people to church with them on the 22nd of August. We are very excited to have over 40 people joining us!

So what will Sunday the 22nd look like?

+ The church service begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Tansley Woods Community Center. Come a little early and join us for coffee and conversation. You may catch the band rehearsing, a few greeters in the parking lot and foyer and nursery and childcare areas ready for you. We take the responsibility of your children very seriously and will have safety measures in place if you chose to leave them in our care. All the volunteers have been background checked and cleared for volunteering with us.
+ The service will have some great music, media presentation and message from the Bible. Church: Why Bother? is the topic. This is a question a lot of people are asking and we hope to answer it in a series of messages.
+ You can stay for a free dinner prepared in your honor. Dinner includes turkey, roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, variety of desserts and drinks.
+ A 20 min. conversation with Pastor Roy during the dinner will give you a full scope of who we are are what our church is about.

This entire day is designed to show you what we pray Burlington Community Church will be and what it will take to build it. This is what we are calling a "display service" to set the goal of what we hope to become with God's blessing and power in this ministry.

You can read more about the Dowdy family at our website at Burlington Community Church. We are also affiliated with Fair Oaks Church in Fairfax, VA and Pastor David R. Stokes. This is our home church and support of this ministry. We thank them for their vision of this and the many friends who will be here to help us in ministry.

Hope to see you at 10:30 a.m. on the 22nd of August at the Tansley Woods Community Center!

A Sarah Story

Last week Sarah and I went on an adventure to find a keyboard for Burlington Community Church. Sarah is very energized about leading worship and will be coordinating our efforts, selecting songs and allowing daddy to guide her. For all intent and purpose, she will be the worship leader and has been prepared as such through her youth group efforts at Fair Oaks Church and Velocity Student Ministries. We decided that we needed a keyboard since that is the only instrument any of us can play and there is no piano in the Tansley Woods Community Centre. We found what we were looking for and getting ready to buy it when we needed to leave for a weekend to get Sarah and Ceilidh to camp.

As the girls were off to Virginia to go to camp with Velocity, Tracey and I were to visit a friend in Michigan and help in their church on Sunday. This is a church plant about 10 years old. They have not had a keyboard player and asked if I would jump in the band for them. I was happy to do that and after the service was over, they gave us the keyboard! Isn't that cool?! They said they had if all this time and it just sat in the closet for 3 years. What a nice gift. Sarah and I are done shopping and we have a keyboard that God supplied! This is great because we can use money in other ways now.

In my conversation with this friend, he talked of a mutual friend because his teens were going to the camps he runs called LIFT. Back in 1999, this man let Sarah sing at a teens camp in Gettysburg, PA with attendance of around 800. Sarah was only 3 at the time and was determined to sing on stage. On 4 occasions, I told her she would not be able to but she insisted. Finally I said, "honey, daddy is not is charge of this camp and if you really want to sing, you will have to ask Dan Brown." I thought for sure this would be the end of it but she said, "where is he?" I pointed him out on stage and she walked straight up to him and asked. She got to sing and was not afraid! As a matter of fact, all the teens sang the song with her and did so a few other times that week. She became a favorite for the week and it was not uncommon to watch her being body surfed through the crowd during the music. She was having a blast.

When I heard my friend would see this guy at camp, I asked him to let Dan know that a little 3 year old girl he let sing at camp is now a 15 year old worship leader for her father and their new church plant. Pretty cool, right?!! You never know what kind of impact it will have when you let someone take a first step in service for Christ.

I am grateful for others in her life who encouraged her and gave her opportunities to grow and become the leader she is and will be. Her youth pastor, Christian Gaffney, gave her the latest opportunities and I am a thankful father and pastor.

Just over a month in Canada

I just wanted to give you an update on our work and life in Burlington along with a huge thank you for your support in prayers and finances. Above all, Tracey and I would like to thank you for sending encouraging words. Every so often drop us a line in email, Facebook, or call…something because it is always encouraging. We came up here without knowing anyone and it can get lonely.

My daughters have downloaded Skype - we are dowdys4. We were also introduced to Oovoo which allows multiple people to talk to each online other at the same time. It’s like Skype only better! The girls have enjoyed spending time in the evenings talking to friends from Velocity. And as you probably assume, Kowdy, Taylor and Jenny are the ones they Oovoo the most.

We have been actively working toward Vision TO Week. There is a lot to do but we a checking things off the list. We have 25 or so who said they are coming up from Fair Oaks Church. We are thrilled. Eric and Jill Bisignano are coming up from OH as well. My sister, brother-in-law and their kids are also joining us from PA, a friend from MI, and my parents (of course).

We plan to get into the community and meet people so we can get them into the service on the 22nd of August. We are going to spend some time in the Tansley Woods Community Center meeting people and engaging in activities. We will task individuals with Facebook and Evites, rehearsals for music and children ministry, and training for 1st Impressions and nursery. Thursday through Saturday will be targeted toward kids in our community. Of course, there will also be a few days to enjoy the sights and activities of Toronto. We’re aiming for flexibility to allow families to choose when and what they would want to do for fun through the week.

We have been pretty aggressively meeting everyone we can in our neighborhood and have had a few very good connections and informal house church meetings. One lady is very interested and asked me a few deeper questions about what we believe. She comes from a Catholic background and is really searching. I would not be surprised to be leading her to Christ very soon. Her name is Laura if you will pray for her with us.

Speaking of prayer….here is the list of people we have currently connected with and would like you to pray for their salvation:

 Scott, Meghan and daughter, Ryan
 Dragon (no kidding…a guy from Serbia!)
 Paul and Jesse
 Don, Laura and daughters, Eva and Claire
 Darla
 Mansoor

We had a pretty successful event on July 1st with 11 of us on Canada Day for dinner. We were pleased because we have only really gotten to know people in the 2 weeks we’ve all been here plus the week Tracey was here on her own. We were able to share what we are doing in Burlington and we are still interacting with these families.

We were able to share our testimony and the story of Pastor Stokes’ vision in starting this church with my brother-in-law’s church in PA and will share at a friend’s church in MI on July 18th. We are going down to Virginia for a wedding the last weekend in July and as a bonus we’ll see you that Sunday. We look forward to catching up with friends. Ceilidh & Sarah will be down early to go to camp with Velocity and visit friends until Tracey and I arrive.

To say the least, we are having a busy summer and loving it! We are anxious to see what God will do in forming Burlington Community Church and thankful we will be His instruments.

See you on August 1st!

Canada Day Event

Well, we did it! Our first outreach event was a success! We had invited several neighbors to come and spend Canada Day with us and had a total of 11 of us there. We decided to "play our strong suit" which is that of hospitality. Tracey and I did a cookout. The weather could not have been better and the guests any nicer. We were able to enjoy the company and talk about what we will be doing in August. The guests stayed for 4 1/2 hours so we were certainly pleased with the fact that they were comfortable around us. I pray they will come to Christ and to Burlington Community Church.

When we were inviting neighbors to the cookout, I asked one lady if they wanted to come over and grill with us on Canada Day. She said, "Eeewww...what's that?!" Pretty funny, right? As I was explaining she said, "Oh, you mean BBQ" and laughed at me! :-) I'm still being reeducated to Canadian ways, but she came with her husband and 2 young kids.

We are grateful for a good turn out though Satan was at work even that day. My daughters stayed a few days with their cousins in PA so I left that morning to go get them. It was a simple enough task but when I go to the border, I sat for 4 hours! My sister was kind and loving enough to keep coming my direction rather than the half way point we designated. She ended up coming all the way to the border with the girls. I left the house at 9:30a.m. and returned with Ceilidh and Sarah at 4:40p.m. with guest due to arrive at 5:00p.m. NOT what we had planned and potentially very defeating. Thankfully Tracey was home to keep moving on things and the girls and I were home just in time to help clean a few things, put sodas on ice, pull out little kids' toys and fire up the grill. Incredible obstacles but we got through it and Tracey was the key player in that first outreach event.

We look forward to seeing what God will do with us in the future and can't wait to have our friends and family come to help us get the word out during Vision TO Week!

In Canada Now!

The Dowdy family is finally in Canada! We have had quite an experience getting life wrapped up in Virginia and settling in up here. We actually had two very weird weeks when our family was apart for school and setting up in Canada. Tracey and the dog were up here unpacking boxes (more Tracey's work than the dog's) and getting us organized while Ceilidh, Sarah and I were back in VA finishing school, studying and (believe it or not) packing another small truck. I had no idea how much it would take to move us this time but it was no small task. My wife and a team of people from Fair Oaks Church finished packing a truck on Friday, June 18th, as I was traveling home from Lynchburg. We took off Saturday morning, landed at home in Canada around 5:40 p.m., unloaded the truck, and had it returned by 7. This is just my family on that project and I was very proud of the hard work the did! (Dog, again, was no help!)

It is now Tuesday, June 22, and we have finished settling in and I am able to focus on the church today. I am so thrilled to be at work here and our house is starting to feel like home. My office is set up in a cold, unfinished basement so as far as status goes, I can only go up from here! :-) There are still a few logistical things to figure out as we prepare for Vision TO week and know that it will fall together now that we are physically in place. Look for heavy publicity soon!

My Brother-In-Law, Trent Kirkland, is having us visit Zion Baptist Church in Clarion PA to talk about our church plant and visit with them on June 27. I am looking forward to catching up with them and another opportunity to talk about Burlington Community Church and the missions work of Fair Oaks Church. I never get tired of sharing what God has and is doing for us.

What to pray for right now for the BCC?

First outreach opportunity on July 1 when we invite neighbors to a Dominion Day BBQ
House Church begin in July
2 Community wide invitations to hear about BCC @ Tansely Woods Community Centre
Warm reception from Canadians
Many to come help us get 100 Canadians to our church on Aug. 22

We appreciate your prayers and support! Hope you will come and visit us soon!

One Week to Go!

What is going on?!! I feel completely out of control and unable to focus as we head toward our final moments at Fair Oaks Church.

My wife called me after rehearsal tonight and asked me to go for ice cream. What a nice idea and wonderful treat because...I LOVE ICE CREAM!!! She was being very kind and showing love to doing something I love to do. What a sweet woman! Everything was going great! Birds were singing, we were holding hands while running through a meadow, church bells were ringing, love was in the air, people we didn't even know were giving us fist bumps on the way into the ice cream shop, then...I opened my mouth! What is wrong with me and why am I stressing out? She was trying to help me relax and relieve some stress but I was a complete JERK! I cannot believe I am allowing myself to get so worked up about nothing. Those who know us would not even believe I was panicking over things. I need to get control over myself and let God work in my heart and mind. Only then will I have peace to enjoy my life and wife again. I pray I have the wisdom to rely on God now for what is going to happen because I can do nothing on my own.

Lord, help me to live a life that is pleasing to You. Help me to love my wife and daughters in such a way that I will deal with my own issues and talk to my pastor and friends to get the strength and support You provide through them. Help me to keep trusting in You because I foolishly try to keep doing things my own way. You are my God, Creator, Savoir, King and Father. You know the future and You know what is best for me. Live in and through me because I am useless without You. I love and adore you, your servant, Roy. Amen and Amen!

New Determination

I noticed that I haven't written a blog for a while. The last one was on March 11th so... There are several reasons I can give you but they would be pretty lame. :-) The guys on staff still laugh at one of my comments around the lunch table, "I read a blog once." Writing and reading blogs are not a top priority for me but it needs to be.

Tracey and I were at a conference last week and received some greater, new determination from the Lord. The interesting thing is that the person who made the most impact at a time when we really needed it, lives right in our area. Mark Batterson shared some of the struggles he and his wife went through in starting a church. This was good for us because a person (me) can feel alone/unique in their circumstances. In my head, I know others have had many different trials that are similar and I needed to hear that...again. I was beginning to think "doors are shutting" but they weren't. I am caught in some things that only God can work out for us and it can be uncomfortable. It challenges my ability to trust and depend on Him. But when you think about it, why wouldn't I just trust and depend on Him? I am one of His children, right? On that fact alone, I am set, right? Though some things are not going as we had planned, we still have a church family who is behind us in all these efforts God has orchestrated. Pastor Stokes is still very encouraging to us in our efforts and we really have nothing to fear or dread.

It is interesting that while I am going through this, my Bible reading plan is taking me through the book of Joshua. Isn't that incredible! This is a guy taking on a big challenge of taking the promised land and needs the encouragement to "be strong and courageous." I need to hear that and have been hearing it during this entire trial. I just need to do it now. Which JUST DO IT, by the way, was the series our pastor just preached during the time we were going through this trial! Now I'm thinking...am I just stupid or what?!! (Don't answer that question out loud to me, please. Spare me a dignity...) So God has been speaking to me in many ways and I now see myself in a state of blessing and care throughout my trail.

So...what are my current trials I am determined to get through? Well, we went up to Burlington the first full week of April and found "the perfect house and church building." Seriously, they are beautiful! We talked to the realtor 3 times on the other side of the house deal and let him know our contract was coming. He told us the house has been vacant since February so no problem get it in next week. Then, we talked to a community center in Burlington that would rent to us but another church was looking to rent. I told the person to talk to that church to see if they wanted the space before we took it. She called them and they were only looking so I said, "Great, we want it and we want to be exclusive renters for Sunday mornings." She said I will send you the paper work and we are good to go. We got back into town and talked to our pastor and his wife on Tuesday morning about "all the great things God has done!" Then we submitted our paper work for everything. The VERY next day we lost the house (rented out on the weekend we returned) and the church (that other church came back and wanted to rent here too). What?!! We were so discouraged because we had everything set up so we just had to gather stuff and move up on June 5th. Now we have to figure this all out again and find time to get back up there in May. On top of that, the buyer on our home in VA bailed on Friday afternoon! This buyer was patiently waiting for the bank who had negotiated 3 times with them and coming back with more changes. This was very frustrating but we understand why the buyer walked. They had an offer on our home since October 2009 and enough is enough.

So...these are the circumstances we went with to the conference. Pastor and Karen were as loving and gracious as can be. They showed compassion and knew what we were going through because they have been through many trials too.

I went to the conference wondering what to expect. When Mark Batterson was the first up to share how they lost 2 homes and a place for their church to meet then God gave them National Church in Union Station, I was ready to listen and experience the conference...selfishly. I was looking for things for me and my wife to help us recommit. I got a chance to talk personally to Ed Stetzer and ask him the "what would you do?" question about our circumstances. (Different set of circumstances regarding starting a church without a team but my family.) Then, the conference ended with hearing Francis Chan talk about leaving one church he started to start another in the heart of LA. In the message, he shared a 4 min. testimony his wife gave at their goodbye service. This was very good for us and gave me a greater appreciation for what Tracey was feeling. The bottom line is Francis Chan came to the conclusion that God wanted him to plant this church though he is 40 and pretty set where he is. He came to realize that though he wanted to stay at Cornerstone, he could never again speak of obedience before his people because he was not obedient. At that point, we fell in complete surrender and submission once again to be obedient to our call.

Tracey and I have new determination! We are frustrated with our circumstances and ask God daily to reveal Himself so we can move forward. We know it will change and we need to trust. God is good and we wait for His answers.

Interestingly, as we continue through our trials, my Bible reading plan has me going through another book, the book of Job. Is this incredible or what?!! God gave me a verse last week that I had read over and over but now took root in my heart. "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." (Job 23:10) Reaching for the gold now! :-)

Seriously...what is REALLY important?

Ever have a conversation that just makes you so angry afterward that you want to punch a wall so as to not hurt the person you just talked to because deep inside you really love them but just think for a moment that they are super stupid and miss the whole point?!! Ever read a run on sentence longer than that one? ;-)

I am going to say straight up that there are a lot of things that go through your mind and a lot of plans in preparation for a church plant. The more I check off my list and evaluate my heart and motives for what I am doing and thinking, the more "narrow minded" I am becoming. I am asking a truck load of why questions to myself (and to Tracey when she is willing to hear them). I do not want to waste time focusing on anything but what is entirely essential in starting a church.

Two incredible thoughts are spinning around me from the last two Unleashed Conferences in Anderson, SC from the mouth of Perry Noble.

Last year Perry said, "If God has called you to start a church, get your Bible and go preach with fire! Grab some dude to help you who can play a guitar and make it happen!" This was very encouraging to me because THAT'S WHAT I THINK! This is not an excuse to be lazy or to dismiss anything creative or costly. Planting a church WILL COST no doubt about it. Nor is this an excuse to think small...I plan on 100 Canadians to help me kick this baby off the ground. This statement is one of focus. God called - I go! Plain a simple. I fully intend on building a large church to God's glory. Rick Warren said, "There is no sin in being small but there is in thinking small." I just need to focus narrowly enough to know that the call to go has real, significant power accompanied with the promise of God to be with me as I follow Him.

This past year, Perry Noble said that we did not have to study and follow all the steps of starting a church. If God called you to start a church, he will give you direction. (I paraphrased but this is the essence of what he said.) This is not an excuse for lack of preparation or gathering information and ideas. I readily admit that I don't know everything about what I am getting ready to do but I have a pastor, David R. Stokes, who has offered his help. He is becoming more dear to me on this journey. He has provided vision, finances, mentoring, and education to move forward. I am going to the Exponential Church Planters Conference and I know that I will grow. I will find out more stuff and ways to reach people than I ever knew before but at the end of the day, it is God and I who need to "run the ball down the field." God knows where I'm headed and what am am capable of and He care about me more than anyone. I know I can trust Him and find what is right in reaching people of the GTA.

Since I have started this journey to Toronto, I have had a few "nay sayers." Yep...they are there and have discouraged me at times even before I get to TO! I had a few preachers and a counselor tell me of many churches that have tried to start in the area I am going. They said that there were some pretty talented preachers and gifted people come up there only to fail. I had another guy tell me of a church in that area that preys on churches that have stared and failed...THAT'S NICE, RIGHT? :-) They told me the whole strategy. The bigger church befriends the pastor of the new work. As it struggles, the pastor would dissolve the church and have the congregation join the bigger church. The bigger church will hire the church planter then fire him after 6 - 8 months. If this isn't building a large church to the glory of God, I don't know what is?!! (read: very heavy, heavy, extremely heavy sarcastic remark) When I hear this stuff, I can't help but think I am either being warned of my fate or I'd better be so committed and stubborn that nothing will move me. I choose to believe the latter! I am NOT going up there to fail. One thing I have that other church planters going to Canada do not is that I know church life up there and I grew up there. I know the hardships ahead of me...and I am still going!

So, seriously! What is really important? The call, preaching the word with power, fervent prayer life, and worship that reveals God is present. I'm just that narrow minded to believe that works!

A Little somethin' somethin' about my dad...

So...if you follow me on facebook and/or twitter, you have noticed a lot of verses in Proverbs. I have posted them because they speak to my heart and give great wisdom and guidance to any who would hear them. As a matter of fact, Solomon said that in proverbs several times...and he was the main author!

A co-worker said to me yesterday, "So, you reading through the book of Proverbs Pastor Roy?" And as a matter of fact, I am. This book has always been my favorite. I cannot tell you how many times I have used its wisdom. Sometimes even in a negative way...like when someone doesn't follow through on a promise. I love using the proverb, "an unfaithful man is like a loose tooth or a foot out of joint!" Those people love it when I quote that verse to them! :-)

So...where did my love for Proverbs come from? Well, I grew up going to a small Christian School in Canada. My father was the principal, administrator, and eventually even the pastor of that church and school. He wore all 3 hats! Suffice to say, "grass did not grow under his feet." One thing he always led at school was the opening devotion and prayer with the staff and students. It was only 5 - 10 min. long and he always used passages from Proverbs. I remember sitting there and soaking in the verses and brief commentary saying to myself, I hope I can be that wise or gain enough wisdom to do the right thing all the time. Dad loves Proverbs and passed that love along to his oldest son and I would dare say to all who listened to him day after day. I love my father for passing along that wisdom and giving of his time to others. I pray I am passing wisdom along to my family and those around me.

If you are not gaining wisdom from Proverbs, start today. If you're thinking you'll pass on that one, let me give you one old Canadian expression..."Smarten up, eh!" a.k.a. don't be so stupid. :-)

Something about Tracey...

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and I spent it with my wife of 20 years. We actually got to spend the entire weekend together since our daughters were away for a weekend camping trip with the church youth group. I would like to say we had a whole bunch of things planned with a weekend filled with romantic, loving acts and thoughtful expressions but we didn't. :-)

Friday night we went out for wings, watched a movie from blockbuster, and watched the opening of the Olympics in Vancouver, BC (I mean the opening was in Vancouver not us, we were on the couch). Saturday, we had breakfast together, did a few things necessary to be ready for Sunday church services, took in an early dinner and movie (we went to see Wolfman not that the Valentine movie...), and home early for me to work on my role for Sunday. Sunday, we went to church, I ran home afterward to clean the house for prospective buyers while Tracey finished a project at church, then we went to Wendy's for lunch. (By the way, have you tried Wendy's bacon blue? If you like blue cheese, this is a good burger! I will order it with two beef patties instead of one next time but I digress.) Then, we got the kids from camp, ran a few errands and enjoyed dinner and the all star basketball game with a few friends.

For some couples, this may have been a very lame weekend and I would agree with them as far as activities and gifts go, but for us, it was a combination of what needed to be done, what we wanted to do, and a lot of just hanging together. After 20 years, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather just do stuff with. She is my friend, my love, my joy, and my everything (reference to our new favorite song by Micheal Buble).

Tracey is a great woman with a wealth of interests. She has a great sense of humor and drawing personality. These things drew me to her 20 years ago and I still find them attractive today. I pray God gives us many more Valentine's Days together!

So...did you spend Valentine's Day with someone that comfortable to be around? Is your relationship good/comfortable? This was a weekend to test things like that and make sure you are enjoying each other for who you are and who God placed in your life.

Now, will Valentine's Day always look like this for us? I sure hope not! :-) I would hope we are creative enough in our relationship to make the next one special in it's own way just as we have done (or not done) in the past. I just hope we are always connected enough to roll with whatever is right for us each year.

Welcome to my blog...

Welcome to my blog. I am thrilled that you have taken the time to read about what is happening in our ministry and what God is doing in our lives. My prayer is that this will be an uplifting experience each week for you and a reminder to pray for the Dowdy family and the Burlington Community Church of Burlington, Ontario.

We have been called by the Lord and commissioned through Pastor David R. Stokes and the Fair Oaks Church in Fairfax, Virginia. Though we are an autonomous, independent church, we have been blessed to have the support and guidance of a larger ministry. It was through God’s leading and preaching of Pastor Stokes that this ministry came into existence. Fair Oaks Church has been phenomenal in its support leading in the area of finances, short term missions, and potential church planting members. Because of Vision TO, our ministry in Canada, we are partnering with this ministry for combined future missions efforts.

Burlington Community Church proudly proclaims the work of Jesus Christ and Salvation through His name. We are committed to reaching out to the community and living our lives as a faithful testimony of the transforming power of Christ. We invite you to do the same!

Continue to follow this blog and comment as God leads you. I am happy you joined me in the conversations and pray they will be a blessing to you.

Do you have a fishbowl?

Roy asked me awhile ago to post here on his blog. Here's my last post from the Fair Oaks Arts blog http://fairoaksarts.blogspot.com/




“We are praying hard for everything going on for you guys in the coming year. We have a Toronto fund for our trip up there... I save all our change and the rebates I've been doing with my crazy couponing in a fish bowl. Silly, I know - but not only is that fish bowl of money on my kitchen counter a good saving tool (and of course home decor fashion statement), it's also a good reminder to pray daily for you guys b/c I think God is going to do amazing things through you.”

That’s an email from my friend Jill (re-printed with permission of course).
In less than 5 months, Roy & I are leaving the comfort of the familiar to step out in faith & start a church in Burlington, Ontario, just outside Toronto. On paper, not much of this makes sense. Who in their right mind would leave the security of a solid ministry with strong leader & talented team to start all this from scratch?

That doesn’t even consider the personal aspect. We have daughters – 16 & 14 - who are starting over with us. My biggest concern when Roy & I started praying about all this was how they would react. They were immediately on board & for me, that was further proof of it all being God led. It would take hours to tell you all the ways God has opened doors & given us direction. All the time He was working on me & Roy He was working on our kids as well. He was also giving Pastor Stokes direction. God’s timing is perfect.

Our families are very supportive. Even more humbling is the support we’ve received from friends like Jill. There’s no way I would even consider something like this if I didn’t believe the vision God planted in our hearts Roy’s ability to lead the work.
All of this brings me back to my question about security & comfort. This is well outside my comfort zone. What is God asking you to do that is outside your comfort zone?

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
C. S. Lewis

Do you have a fishbowl? How are you stepping out in faith to be part of something bigger than the every day? How are you demonstrating your faith to your kids? To your unsaved family & friends? God may never ask you to pack up your life & move your family to another country and start over. But He does expect you to be part of His work. He expects you to stretch outside your comfort zone. Get out of your routine, out of your rut.

Remember, as Vance Havner once said,
“A rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out.”

New Year - New Creation

It is hard to believe that we move to Toronto THIS YEAR! Please pray for the Dowdy family and our move. There are a lot of things to get ready. We are finishing up details for a website, getting radio lined up and trying to sell our home in an upside down economy.

I will tell you that we are ready to do what God would have us do. We are setting up the details with Pastor Stokes for Fair Oaks Church and others to be a part of this project. God has blessed us and we look forward to the future.

I will keep you posted on our progress and when we have launched our website. Until then...Keep praying!