It's time to return.

The Fall Season is upon us. The time when students are returning to school and to their studies. Much has changed and continues to change in our world, and for some that now even includes their theology.

The word "theology" comes from two Greek words that combined mean "the study of God." Christian theology is simply an attempt to understand God as He is revealed in the Bible. When we do this, we come to know Him as Saviour, Lord, Creator of all things, Sustainer of all things, and Judge of all things. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all things. Proper, biblical theology is a good thing; it is the teaching of God's Word.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

To study theology is to meet and know God, so we may glorify Him through our love and obedience. As a by-product, our lives are immeasurably enriched by the comfort and hope He imparts to those who know, love, and obey Him. Poor theology and a superficial, inaccurate understanding of God will only make our lives worse instead of bringing the comfort and hope we long for. Knowing God is crucially important.

We are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing God. Reject theology and you doom yourself to life with no sense of direction. Without theology, we waste our lives and lose our souls. All Christians should be consumed with theology "the intense, personal study of God" in order to know, love, and obey the One with whom we will joyfully spend eternity.

So we encourage you to avail yourselves of all the online ministries we are offering this Fall for children, youth, young adults and adults in your pursuit of the biblical study of God.

Join us this Sunday for a new message series: Time To Return. As much changes in our world, our theology cannot. A recent survey indicated that Christians are drifting in their theology. It’s time to return to our study of God as He is revealed in the Bible, our only trustworthy source of understanding who God is and our call to serve Him. We will address the theological question of whether Jesus was just a man, a myth or truly the Messiah in my message, Who do you say I am? and then celebrate the truth by sharing Communion together. We look forward to your presence with us in person or online!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Coming out of your cave

What do you think about caves? For some people exploring caves is an exciting adventure that they thoroughly enjoy. For others, not so much. They find them too cold, dark and claustrophobic for their liking. Several years ago, twelve members of junior football team led by their assistant coach embarked on the exciting experience of cave exploration in Thailand after a football practice. Shortly afterwards, heavy rains partially flooded the cave, blocking their way out. Thus began an widely publicized cave rescue that we watched for days until they were all rescued by an international team, though not without incident.

We can find ourselves living in ‘spiritual caves’ in this journey in life. Caves of loss, loneliness, depression and isolation in our lives. Do you feel like you’re living in a cave today? The year 2020 has felt like a bit of a cave for so many of us.

The future King David lived in one for a season, and it wound up being the place where God did a great work of preparation in his life. This Sunday we will explore God’s purposes for allowing us to endure a season of cave-dwelling. We will discover what God builds in us while we are in the cave. But just as importantly, we need to hear the clear call to emerge from our cave experience to live out God’s purposes in our world.

We will be specifically praying in our service for our students, teachers and school administrators as they return to a new school experience this year. Be encouraged that God offers a ‘present grace’ to face the challenges that each season of life brings, including living and emerging from spiritual caves.

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Holding On

“Hold on tightly” or “Get a Grip” are phrases we hear very often when we are facing or about to face unexpected turbulence, a rough patch in the road or a wind blowing storm at sea. To what we hold on to and how we hold on, will determine our survival in any turbulence, or wind blowing storm.

The same is true in the spiritual realm. We are on a spiritual journey and we are often confronted by many opposing forces on our Christian walk. These forces can come in the form of persecution, trials, temptations and a changing culture which impacts our Christian faith. There are many believers who once boasted of their relationship with Jesus; but sadly, many are no longer part of the faith because they have “let go” of the confession of the hope they once professed.

In the message this Sunday we will not only see what or how we should be holding on, but we will find out that who is holding us is more important than anything else.

Join us in person or online this Sunday as we worship our king and declare that we will hold on tightly to Him. We will not let go regardless of the situations and circumstances that come our way. We will gain new strength as we stand together declaring the greatness of our God.

God bless you richly!

Pastor Wayne Russell
Associate Pastor

Worshipping the God of the Unexpected.

God certainly works in our very unexpected circumstances. As we seek the Lord in prayer regarding these situations, He often provides very unexpected answers that reveal He moves in some very unexpected ways. That’s what the book of Habakkuk teaches us about the plans and purposes of God.

Habakkuk cries out to God regarding the evil, violence, and injustice that he saw in his day and questions how long God is going to allow this to go on. God answers his complaint by describing how a foreign nation called Babylon would be used by God to discipline His people. Habbakuk questions that justice of God. The Lord makes it clear that His plan will be fair and well executed according to His perfect nature.

This revelation of God changes Habakkuk. His circumstances have not changed, but he has changed. He has had an encounter with God in a fuller and deeper way. He is now walking by faith instead of sight. He is living by God’s promises and not human reasoning. He is focused on God and His majestic glory.

He enters into a worship experience of God by holding on to what He knows about the Lord. He takes time to ponder and meditate on the awesome deeds of the Lord. This leads to a heartfelt, passionate request that God would send revival in the midst of the chaos. Then he catches a glimpse of God’s splendor, power, and victory which leads him to worship God with an incredible statement of faith. Because when we focus on God and not our circumstances, the result is worship!

Join us in person or online this Sunday and have your hope in God renewed, even if you feel like He is not doing anything; have your trust in God deepened even when you do not understand His ways. Together we will worship God by holding on to what we know about Him and catch a glimpse of His glory that will strengthen us in our journey and allow us to soar above our current circumstances! Come ready to rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in the God of your salvation.

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Not quite the answer you were expecting.

So you’ve got some questions for God. Some legitimate, soul-searching questions about the evil, violence and injustice you see in the world around you. So you go to God, laying out your concerns to Him in prayer and waiting for Him to answer. And lo and behold He does! But the answer God gives you completely blows your mind away. You can’t help but question the wisdom of God. How in the world can God justify this action plan? So you just have to inquire of the Lord further on the matter.

And it sounds like this second complaint that the prophet Habakkuk brings,

O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal—surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins. But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?

Can you hear how incredulous this sounds to Habakkuk. How in the world can God be just and perfect in all His ways by allowing His people to be disciplined at the hands of a foreign nation that was more wicked than the Israelites? Was God going to allow them to get away with this forever and allow their enemies to succeed forever in their heartless conquest of our nations and peoples?

God certainly moves in unexpected circumstances and replies with very unexpected answers to our questions and further more, His explanations reveal very unexpected ways that He carries out His plans.

Come and hear (in person or online) God’s second answer to the prophet’s second question. Together we will discover the wisdom and ways of the omnipotent Lord of all creation. We will grasp insight into His wisdom and catch a glimpse of his glory that will cause us all to stand in silence, awe and wonder of the one who declares Himself to be THE GREAT I AM!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

He is the God of the Unexpected

Life is filled with questions. But not all questions have easy or pretty answers.

Are you troubled by what you see unfolding in our society and our world? Do you wonder why there is so much violence, atrocities and evil in our times?

Do you wonder where God is and what He is doing in this moment? Have you sought God for those answers to life’s difficult questions? Have you heard His answers?

The prophet Habakkuk had similar concerns and cried out to God, “How long, O Lord must I call for help? But you do not listen! Violence! I cry, but you do not come to save.” (Habakkuk 1:2-3). He then goes on to describe what he sees happening in his world—sin, misery, destruction, violence; people who love to argue and fight; the law that has become paralyzed and useless; the lack of justice given in the courts; the fact that the wicked far outnumber the righteous; that justice is perverted with bribes and deceit. Sounds a lot like what’s happening in our times and it is upsetting to say the least.

God answers Habakkuk’s questions, but not with answers he expected. Are you maybe a bit less impressed or bewildered by some of your answered prayers? He is God of the unexpected. Unexpected answers done in unexpected ways. But He is the sovereign, all-powerful Lord of glory, who is in complete control. Perfect in His power and love, the Lord is carrying out His plan and fulfilling His purposes in our world, as unorthodox as it may seem to us.

Join us this Sunday, in person or online, as we explore this prophet’s complaints and God’s answers. It will help answer some of your ‘why’ questions and provide you with a new understanding of God’s power and love. You will get a glimpse into His ways and workings. Then you too can rejoice that the Lord is at work in the world and in your life!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Are you floundering or flourishing?

Like the four seasons of nature, there are spiritual seasons in our lives. “For everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NLT). Every season offers us the opportunity to respond and how we respond will determine if we flounder or flourish spiritually in that season.

Last Sunday, we spoke of the dry season which is no doubt, a tough season. It’s a time when God seems to be quiet, and you can’t hear His voice or sense His presence as you once did. In a dry season, God seems very distant. David the psalmist expressed it this way, O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1, NLT). To flourish in this season, we must press through it. Draw close to God despite how far away He feels. Don’t wither up. Continue reading His Word. But also talk to Him in prayer, even though He’s quiet. Because He is there. He hasn’t left. He promised never to leave nor forsake you.

The waiting season can range from mildly annoying to maddening. Whether for a difficult circumstance to change, or for God to finally fulfill a promise, you need to pour your heart out to God and allow God to leverage this season for his glory and your good. He’s making you ready. He’s chiseling away what’s not needed for the next season in your life, so let Him work however long it takes. Keep the faith and don’t doubt God’s plans and goodness but rather wait with anticipation and expectation. David cried out to God in Psalm 5:3 (NLT): Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

If you are in the spiritual warfare season, then gird up! If you are being spiritually attacked, you’re doing something right that Satan doesn’t like. The enemy will wage war against you. It comes with being a Christian. But don’t be afraid. This is a wonderful thing about being God’s child—He fights for you. You just lean into God and rely on Him by praying and reading His Word. He will take care of the rest. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NLT) Also, with this spiritual battle, we must put on our full spiritual armour.

This weekend we will share about three other seasons: the busy season, the test and trials season, and the happy season. If you examined your life right now, what season would you say you are currently experiencing? Are you flourishing or floundering in this current season of your life? Join us this Sunday, in person or online, as we learn the lessons each season brings, how to live fully for Christ during that season, and how to bear fruit in whatever season you are experiencing!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Flourishing In This Season

Natural life is made up of the four seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter.

Spring arrives as a season of new life and a zest for living. We are busy planting, watching new life emerge, and seeing things grow.

Then everyone’s favourite season arrives—summer. It’s a time of watching things grow to fruition, and also a time of refreshment and relaxation.

Before we know it, the fall season arrives, the temperature drops, leaves change colours, and things start dying and falling away. Fall denotes a season of change.

Then winter descends upon us. Typically, a time when things are quiet in nature. Animals are hibernating in this season of stillness, rest, and reflection.

There is beauty to be found in every season and something to be learned in every season, though we might prefer some seasons over others.

Just like the natural seasons, there are spiritual seasons in our lives. Ecclesiastes 3:1,11 says “For everything there is a season.” “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.”

If you examined your life right now, what season would you say you are currently experiencing? Sometimes it’s difficult to recognize the season of life we’re in, and it can be even more difficult to know how to live fully in Christ during any particular season. Are you flourishing or floundering in this current season of your life?

The first step to flourishing in any given spiritual season is to recognize which one you are in. Join us this Sunday, whether in person or online, as we examine these various seasons and discover how to live fully in Christ during them. We can learn the lessons each season brings and how to bear fruit in our lives, no matter what season you find yourself in.

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Going to The Next Level in your spiritual growth.

Spiritual growth is the process of becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins the process of making us more like Him, conforming us to His image. Spiritual growth is perhaps best described in 2 Peter 1:3-8.

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

These verses tell us that by God's power we have "everything we need" to live lives of godliness, which is the goal of spiritual growth. Notice that what we need comes "through our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," which is the key to obtaining everything we need. Our knowledge of Him comes from the Word, given to us for our edification and growth.

There are two lists in Galatians 5:19-23.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The first list is the "acts of the flesh" listed in verses 19-21. These are the things that identified our lives before we came to Christ for salvation. The acts of the flesh are the activities we are to confess, repent of, and, with God's help, overcome. As we experience spiritual growth, fewer and fewer of the "acts of the flesh" will be evident in our lives.

The second list is the "fruit of the Spirit" (verses 22-23). These are what should characterize our lives now that we have experienced salvation in Jesus Christ. Spiritual growth is identified by the fruit of the Spirit becoming increasingly evident in a believer's life.

When the transformation of salvation takes place, spiritual growth begins. The Holy Spirit indwells us (John 14:16-17). We are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old, sinful nature begins to give way to the new, Christ-like nature (Romans 6-7). Spiritual growth is a lifelong process that depends on our study and application of God's Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and our walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).

As we seek spiritual growth, we should pray to God and ask for wisdom concerning the areas He desires us to grow in. We can ask God to increase our faith and knowledge of Him. God desires for us to grow spiritually, and He has given us all we need to experience spiritual growth. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can overcome sin and steadily become more like our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Wayne will be speaking this weekend and He shares the following regarding his message The Next Level:

God is calling us to grow up in our faith. The time for being perpetual spiritual babes is coming to a close, especially for those who have been in the faith for a long time. It will take a strong relationship with God for us to stand in the trying days ahead. Those who are young in the faith will need those who are strong to help guide them as values and society continue on the decline. This Sunday join us for an encouraging word that will challenge us to go higher in God so that we will be able to stand in these last days and encourage others to do so.

God bless you as we meet at the church or as you watch online!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Keeping your faith in God.

Many of us are experiencing various challenges in life right now from the COVID-19 crisis, resulting financial implications because of a lost job, business shutdowns, or other health issues. We are living in a world of increased social unrest and cultural upheavals. We are concerned about the future, what it holds and what life is going to look like moving forward.

All of these current trials are at work to produce something in us regarding our faith. Join us this Sunday, for the message Keeping Your Faith. The Bible says our faith is priceless, that it will be tested to be proven genuine, but it will also be tested to develop perseverance, so that in the end, we will achieve the goal of our faith—the salvation of our soul. Learn how to not only keep your faith but how to cultivate it and keep it growing in the midst of these great trials in uncertain days.

This will be our second Sunday to regather in-person and worship together. You must register in advance if you would like to attend a Sunday service. The deadline to register each week is Friday at midnight. It is also imperative that you read, understand, and agree to the conditions for attending in-person services. This will help us to comply with all the necessary provincial guidelines, allow for contact tracing if necessary, and help us plan accordingly for the size of crowd that will be coming. If you are a vulnerable person due to pre-existing health conditions, we ask that you stay home and enjoy the service online.

Know that we are constantly praying for you. If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please also help care for one another. Let’s all reach out to others in our circle of influence (family, friends, and neighbours) and check-in on them. Ask them how they are doing, offer your assistance where you can and pray with them. Together, as the Body of Christ, let's do the ‘work of the ministry and edify the body of Christ’ (Ephesians 4:12).

We look forward to your presence with us in-person or online this Sunday!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

We are living in extraordinary days.

This will be our first Sunday in four months to open our building to regather in-person and worship together! It’s an exciting moment for some, and a scary one for others. You are free to determine to your level of comfort with this and can either join us in-person, or stay online for our worship services. We ask that you respect other people’s convictions about this matter. Above all, may we all operate in love and respect, and honour one another.

It is going to look and feel different as we take this first step, so our goal is to help manage your expectations. We are taking a slow and careful approach to reopening the building for people to attend these in-person services. It will happen in stages, much like how the province is slowly reopening. May we all be patient with one another and our leadership team as we forge ahead in this process.

In this first stage, we will reopen the building only on Sundays for service and you must register in advance through our website. The deadline to register for this first week is Friday, July 3 at midnight. This will help us abide by the provincial guidelines, allow for contact tracing if necessary, and help us plan accordingly for the size of crowd that will come.

Please understand, in this first stage, you cannot just show up and register at the door. If you did not register in advance, please enjoy the service online. It is also imperative, that you read, understand and agree to the conditions for attending any in-person services. If you are sick, are close to someone who is sick, have travelled out of the region recently, or your health is vulnerable we ask that you stay home and enjoy the service online.

We are living in extraordinary days. Days unlike any of us have ever seen. What does the future hold? How should we pray? The early church faced a similar situation and in my message this weekend, we will explore the wisdom they used in their challenging days. So join us for worship and the Word—An Extraordinary Prayer for Extraordinary Days.

We look forward to your presence with us in-person or online this Sunday!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Regathering Update

Starting Sunday, July 5, we will slowly and carefully re-open the building for people to attend in-person services. We require that you be willing to abide by the following measures for everyone’s safety and welfare.

If you are sick, are close to someone who is sick, have travelled out of the region recently, or your health is vulnerable we ask that you stay home and enjoy the service online.

Watch our Regathering Update video.

REGISTRATION

Advance registration online is required to attend service. This is to abide by the capacity regulations stated by the province and for contact tracing purposes.

Do not show up at the door on Sunday morning without having registered.

Registration will close at midnight on the Friday prior to the service.

Register for Sunday, July 5

ARRIVAL/PARKING

We request you arrive 30 minutes early to park. Please park in every other parking space, as guided by our attendants.

Doors will open at 10:00 am.

SCREENING

You must line up to enter the building at the East Entrance only. Outside these doors you will have your temperature checked and answer these COVID-19 screening questions:

1. Do you have any of the following: Fever, Cough, Difficulty Breathing, Sore throat, Trouble Swallowing, Runny Nose, Loss of taste or smell, Not feeling well, or Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea?

2. Have you been in close contact with someone who is sick or has confirmed COVID-19 in the past 14 days?

3. Have you returned from travel outside Canada in the past 14 days?

CHECK-IN

Proceed to the check-in table to confirm your registration and ensure you are wearing a mask (please bring one with you.)

Please follow all markings and signage in the building to help with the flow of traffic and to maintain social distancing.

Masks must be worn at ALL TIMES inside the building.

SEATING

A lobby greeter will direct you to one of the five doors to the sanctuary, where an usher will escort you down an aisle to seat you. Available sanctuary seating will be clearly marked to maintain social distancing. Upon conclusion of service, please wait for an usher to escort you out of the sanctuary and building.

CHILDREN

Children must remain and be seated with parents at all times. A packet of crafts/activities will be available at each sanctuary door for pick-up should you wish to use them.

TITHES & OFFERING

Offering boxes will be available at every door for you to deposit your giving either before or after service. The debit machine at the Welcome Centre will also be available for use. Please line-up according to the stanchions and floor markings.

WASHROOMS

Washroom entrances will be monitored by volunteers to limit the number of people using the facilities at any one time. Change tables are available in both washrooms with sanitizing wipes. Please be sure to wash your hands after using the facilities.

Our building will be properly cleaned and sanitized after every public service.

The Need For Power

Everyone needs power. There many different kinds of powers and forces at work in our world today. We can see the effects of those powers by what fruit they produce. Some are evil and some are good.

Jesus spoke of kind of power that was of another dimension. Spiritual power. A power that can only come from heaven.

It’s a supernatural power that will overcome the spirit of fear in our world and our lives today.

It’s an immediate power that will produce a confidence to step forward and speak with clarity and boldness.

It’s a dynamic power that flows through nine unique spiritual gifts.

A power that would lead us to experience infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Join our online service this Sunday, as we explore the truth and dynamics of this power in the final message in our Infinitely More series.

Prepare you heart and will to be open to hear and receive God’s Word.

Be willing and ready to receive and tap into this glorious, supernatural power!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Everyone needs an advocate

Don’t you wish there was someone advocating for you in this journey of life?

What’s an advocate? They are “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.”

The bible says, we have an advocate in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ took our place on the cross, bearing our sin, shame and punishment. Now He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven, where He pleads on our behalf before the Father. And our Father chooses to forgive us based upon the work of His completely righteous Son—Jesus Christ upon the cross.

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. (1 John 2:1, NLT)

God the Father has promised someone else to us to be our Helper as well. Upon Christ’s return to heaven, He sent us another Advocate. A helper in every sense of the word. Someone who advocates on God’s behalf in our lives.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (John 14:16-17, NLT)

You can meet this Advocate and learn more about His role in your life, in my message this Sunday entitled, The Father’s Advocate. May you not only honour your earthly father this weekend, but may you make your heavenly Father truly happy by opening your heart to the ministry of His Spirit in your life! Because this Advocate has come to truly help you live the most fulfilling abundant life possible!

Be sure to join us after our online service for our Father’s Day Drive-Thru. Pastor Debbie and I look forward to greeting you under the church’s canopy to pray blessings upon our dads and hand out a special gift for every dad.

Hope you will drop by for a brief visit and say hello!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Our Reopening Plans

We are so thankful for the following announcement released from the Ontario Government this past Monday, June 8: all places of worship will be permitted to open with physical distancing in place and attendance limited to no more than 30% capacity as of Friday, June 12. We are also awaiting the Official Order to be posted publicly shortly which will include the guidelines necessary for that re-opening.

While this broad permission to open across the province is helpful, we understand that each congregation and facility is different, and there are many issues surrounding a safe and compliant reopening in our facility specifically. Some churches are opening this weekend, while others are waiting for a week or two. Our staff have been discussing potential plans for opening up our facility. The church board will also be meeting to review, edit and approve any plans moving forward. We also have a unique experience at Peel since we have been dealing this past month with my coronary crisis. I am just back giving full leadership to the ministry team at PPT, so I would ask for your patience and understanding as we work diligently towards a safe and healthy reopening of our church.

So, this Sunday, June 14, we are planning to continue our live online services, streamed from the church building but with a few enhancements. We plan to safely add praise team members and media staff to help us conduct a service that will look and feel more like our services held prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

Let’s celebrate together this wonderful development! You may also wish to gather with others in your home this weekend to watch our online service together, but please limit that to no more than ten people. It’s wonderful to know we are moving forward towards gathering together once again! Please continue to pray for us as a staff and board that God will grant us great wisdom as we work towards the reopening of PPT!

In my message this weekend, we will explore The ‘I Will’ Declarations. Jesus made some powerful statements about His plan to build His church and return to establish His kingdom. Christ made some trustworthy promises that were intended to lead us to experience infinitely more until His return. Join us online, ready to worship and receive in Jesus Name!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

A Walking Miracle

Do you believe in miracles? The Bible records some thirty-four miracles, signs and wonders that Jesus performed during his ministry on earth. Peter on the day of Pentecost, while preaching his first sermon stated, Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know – Acts 2:22 (NKJV). Jesus proved He was the Son of God, by the miracles, wonders and signs he performed while living on the earth and there were many people who were witnesses to that fact.

Though the miracles recorded in the Bible are an incredible list, it is also an incomplete list. For John wrote, Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25 (NLT).

The Bible further states, The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. John 20:30-31 (NLT)

The miracles recorded in the Bible, were written so that we would continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. This ministry of miracles continued through the power of the Holy Spirit after the church was born on the day of Pentecost, as the book of Acts records for us.

Jesus is still performing miracles today and in our midst. A month ago this weekend, you heard a message entitled Infinitely More Miracles. That weekend, I experienced my own miracle and I want to share my own testimony this Sunday in my message, A Walking Miracle. I hope you will watch and listen and invite others to as well. Pray this weekend, that others we will come to believe in Jesus and receive Him as their Saviour as we give the glory to God for another present day miracle! Be sure to have your communion elements prepared and also some anointing oil (olive oil) as we will be praying for those who need healing and miracles too!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Making All Things New

Don’t you just love new things? Everyone enjoys buying new stuff. Whether it be clothing, jewelry, home furnishings, vehicles or traveling on vacation to new locations.

How about new inventions? Things that have never existed before, but have been made and introduced to society, like smartphones.

How about things that have been recently discovered for the first time? Recently, scientists have discovered an antibody that inhibits the new Coronavirus in a patient who had SARS 17 years ago.

We love these ideas of new. But there is another dimension to new that we might not be so fond of. Like new experiences that can prove to be challenging and even traumatic. Three weeks ago today, I had a new experience and not one I was looking for or anticipating in any way. Hospitalized for days, experiencing two surgeries and multiple procedures all for the first time in my life, in the midst of this COVID environment. Not so pleasant experiences, but nonetheless, new.

We never know what a given day, week or even a year holds. No one could have imagined that we would be facing this new COVID crisis as we launched into this new year. We are experiencing many new changes in our lives right now. No one knows how long this crisis will last. Most people feel that our lifestyles will look somewhat different moving forward. Truly no one knows what our future will be like but we know who holds tomorrow.

As we observe the devastating impact of the Coronavirus around the world, we see the daily effect it has on our personal lives. The question may be asked, What will things be like in the future and will there be better days?

Tune in this Sunday, as Pastor Charles shares the encouragement of God’s Word in his message, Making All Things New. We have an incredible future!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Infinitely more miracles are in the making

Good morning PPT Church Family,

The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “You are a walking miracle.”

Two weeks ago today, I awoke not feeling right. Within a few moments, my heart went into third degree AV (atrium ventricular) block. In layman’s terms, the electrical pulses into my heart muscles were blocked. I was taken by ambulance to Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, stabilized, and then transferred to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket to have a pacemaker installed that afternoon. Further tests revealed that I had no blockages in the blood vessels in my heart. I did not have a heart attack, nor do I have any heart damage! Praise the Lord!

I laid in the hospital bed on Mother’s Day morning listening to myself preach the message about Infinitely More Miracles. I recorded that message the day before this incident, not knowing I would need and experience a miracle myself. As this incident has unfolded, I have met with paramedics, nurses, and doctors, and received a written report that shares the details of this story that truly indicate nothing short of a miracle of God. I want to encourage you to invite family and friends to tune in to hear the details of this testimony on our online service on Sunday, June 7 at 10:30 am. The Lord further bore witness in my spirit that there are more miracles in the making in the days ahead!

I will be returning to work next week on a limited schedule for just a couple of weeks and then back full-time the second week of June.

I want to thank everyone for your love, concern, and expressions of concern. What a blessing to be part of such a wonderful church family!

May I encourage you to keep praying for our staff and leadership team as we continue to pray for you. Truly we are in this moment and battle together! We are aware and continue to pray for you as families, as you try to deal with all the stresses that this COVID-19 situation brings. Mental health issues are on the rise for various families. However, there are resources available. So please let us know if you or anyone in our church needs help. Let’s keep praying for each other, connecting with each other, and finding creative ways to help one another.

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

A Message From Pastor Wayne

Good morning PPT Church Family,

We trust that you are having a good week so for. We are certainly living in times with circumstances and situations we have never witnessed before. But we want to remind you that we serve a powerful, majestic God. He is in total control. Therefore, let us continue to cry out to Him and trust Him to take care of us in every area of our lives.

Let us take a moment to thank the Lord for the miracle that He performed this week for our lead pastor. Pastor Barry preached a message to himself and the rest of us last Sunday that ministered in such a dynamic way. Only God knew that our pastor would need the very message he was preaching over the weekend! For those of you who don’t know, Pastor Barry recorded a message last Thursday talking about Infinitely More Miracles. Friday, he was rushed to the hospital with some heart issues. On Sunday from the hospital he was able to watch himself preach a healing message. What a mighty God we serve!

This past Tuesday night, Pastor Barry was discharged from the hospital and he is now home resting and recovering. Praise the Lord! Only God could have planned this!

So today, we are filled with thanksgiving for the miracle that God has performed for our pastor. Pastor Barry said himself, “I am a walking miracle.” Let us continue to pray for his speedy healing and recovery.

Church, we have been praying each night over the last several months and we are going to continue to do so. We don’t know how much longer this COVID-19 situation (and all that pertains to it) is going to last. There are certain businesses and parks that are being allowed to re-open. It seems like our government is trying to balance safety and getting people back to work. Therefore, let us continue to pray for our leaders in government and our pastoral leadership that God would give wisdom as they try to navigate our safe return back to some sort of “normalcy” over the next few weeks and months.

Please be in prayer for our services and prayer times that as we meet together online that God would continue to encourage and strengthen His people.

Remember, Philippians 2:13: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

God bless you,

Pastor Wayne Russell
Associate Pastor

Infinitely More Miracles

As we are in the ninth week of this current crisis, we are praying and trust you are keeping well. Some folks are really struggling and understandably so. The coronavirus emergency order has been extended another two weeks (until May 19) and this journey is starting to weigh on us all. Though we must continue to abide by the order and maintain physical distancing, we want to strongly encourage you not to socially distance from one another. One of the enemy’s chief weapons is to try and get us to isolate socially from one another, which is very unhealthy. If you were unable to join us last night for our Pastor Chat on our PPT YouTube Channel, check out the recording entitled Winning The Battle In Times Of Isolation. There is great truth there that we need to get a hold of and practice in our lives to win the victory in this challenging season of life.

We as a staff are praying much for you and endeavouring to keep connected with you as best we can. However, with a large congregation, we want to encourage you to care for one another by calling people within your circle of influence, check in with how they are doing and pray with them. These are definitely challenging times and they’re bringing changes to the way we experience and do ministry together. But the Lord is with us in this moment and we need to seize this moment for the glory of God.

In the midst of this pandemic crisis, we are hearing incredible stories of miracles of God’s provision. We serve a God of miracles. Jesus performed some thirty-seven recorded miracles in the Bible and one of most familiar was the Feeding of the Five Thousand. In this weekend’s message, we will expound on this story that reveals the power, authority and heart of Jesus for these folks to experience infinitely more in their lives. Be sure to tune into our online service and invite others to join you.

This miracle reveals the truth that Jesus already knows how great the needs are in our lives. He holds the answer to every impossible situation that we so often are scrambling around to figure out what we can do to make it happen. We get so focused on the magnitude of the need that we often lose sight of the ‘Great I am’ who can meet the need. In meeting needs, Jesus often starts with what we already have. And if we will give what we have, Jesus has the capacity to supernaturally multiply and not only supply our need but the needs of others. Jesus shows us that when we give all that we have to Him, we will always walk away with infinitely more. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NLT). Let’s continue to stand strong in the Lord and in our faith and confidence in Him and His Word!

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor