We are already one week into this new year of 2023. So, have you made any preparations for this new year? Are you preparing the way for what God wants to do in in your life and his church?

In this Sunday’s message, Preparing The Way, we will discover from Scripture how we can prepare the way for the most important dimension of our lives. We will be looking at the life of John the Baptist who was the forerunner of Christ. He was chosen by God and given the task of helping prepare the way for the public ministry of Jesus Christ. His role was to prepare people’s hearts to receive Jesus and the message of the kingdom of God. So, journey with us in discovering how you can prepare the way for the Lord to work and move in this coming year. Let’s prepare the way for what God wants to do this year!

Come this Sunday with anticipation and expectation in your heart! God’s mighty presence has been so real in our services over these past few weeks. We are believing for another breakthrough in praise and worship and in the ministry of God’s Word! We will be sharing communion together and anointing people for this season of fasting and prayer at the end of the service.

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

We trust you had a blessed Christmas with your family and friends this week! Now we come to this weekend looking forward to celebrating the beginning of a brand-new year! We all wonder what lies ahead for us in this new year. What great joys will we experience? What unusual challenges might we face? Where will the road take us in this journey of life? In my message, The Road Ahead, we will launch into this new year understanding there are some certainties we can claim in the midst of so many uncertainties. So, plan to join us on the first day of 2023 in a spirit of praise and worship!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

This Sunday, The Roads of Christmas message series focuses on the trip Jesus took from heaven to earth. The angels proclaimed to the shepherds, “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11, NLT). Jesus came from heaven to earth, to die for our sins so that he might lead us from earth to heaven!

In this illustrated message, The Gift is Given, we will celebrate God’s most precious undeserved gift that came in plain wrappings. You will experience some incredible Christmas music, special musical numbers, and each child and youth will receive a gift as the leave the service that day! Please note this Sunday will be your final opportunity for in-person giving in 2022.

Join us as celebrate Jesus’ birth this Christmas Day! On behalf of Pastor Debbie and I, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas as you gather with your loved ones and friends to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour, the merriest of Christmases as you celebrate with your loved one and friends!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Most people like to travel, and in today’s ‘global village’ we have the ability to be almost anywhere in the world in just a matter of time. We enjoy the opportunity to explore new places, taste unique cuisine, and experience different cultures. However, most people are happy to return home because there is no place quite like home. Especially during this season, people want to home for Christmas.

This Sunday, The Roads of Christmas series takes us on Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus’ trip from Egypt back to their home in Nazareth. In this message entitled, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, we will explore the yearning within us to come home, what it means, and the circumstances God uses to do so. Join us in worship for our final week leading up to Christmas!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

This Sunday, The Roads of Christmas series takes us on the quick exodus from Bethlehem to Egypt by Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. We know that when they arrived in Bethlehem there was no room at the inn for Jesus to be born. God’s nature is to be a provider, so how come there is no room in the inn for Jesus at his birth? He is born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. Sounds like pretty meager provisions. Shortly after, wisemen arrive with exceptional provisions of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to present to the holy family just before they made a dash out of town to a foreign country. In the message, No Room, But Three Gifts, you will learn the wisdom of the whys and hows of God’s provision and protection as he seeks to fulfill his destiny for our lives, just like he did for holy family.

We look forward to your presence with us this weekend for this month-long celebration of Christmas at PPT!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

This Sunday we are launching our Christmas message series entitled, The Roads of Christmas. There were a variety of roads taken in the Christmas story—the journey to Bethlehem, the quick exodus from Bethlehem to Egypt, and then the road back home to Nazareth. These roads of Christmas teach us about how God works to guide, provide, and protect us as part of his plan to fulfil his destiny for our lives.

We look forward to your presence with us this weekend for this month-long celebration of Christmas at PPT!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Contending for the faith and truth involves sharing our stories of how God has changed our lives. Come this Sunday and hear the incredible testimonies of men who have found freedom from addictions and new life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Bring someone with you who needs to hear a message of hope! You will also have the opportunity to buy some Christmas presents and support the work of missions after the service!

We look forward to your presence with us this weekend!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

It’s beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas! We’re moving quickly into that most wonderful time of the year and there are so many exciting activities taking place now through the new year! Be sure to check out all the events at: ppt.church/christmas

The very essence of the Christian life is godliness. But it’s a word that is often misunderstood by so many. What is godliness? What are the marks of a godly person? How does a person become godly. This Sunday we will answer those questions in my message, Contending For Godliness.

We look forward to your presence with us this weekend!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Today is Remembrance Day. Since the end of the First World War, our nation takes this memorial day to remember all those who have fought and died in the line of duty to keep us free. So, wear a simple poppy as “a reminder that courage, faith and honour will stand where heroes fall.” We honour those who have paid the ultimate price to help secure us as a free people and nation. We will be paying tribute to them this Sunday in our service.

We will also be addressing people’s desire and search for truth and the struggle they are having finding it in today’s culture. How do we know what is true and what is not? Who is really telling the truth? What role do we play in speaking that truth? This Sunday we will answer those questions in my message, Contending For The Truth.

We look forward to your presence with us this weekend for our Communion Sunday Service!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Let’s make an eternal difference in the life of a child. Bring your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to church with you this Sunday and keep them with you during the service as you will be praying over them.

It is also the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We will be praying for believers around the world—that they will know they are not abandoned by God nor his people in their struggle.

We are living in days of great confusion due to great deception. Over the next several weeks we are going to examine what it means to contend for the faith that was delivered once for all. It will help you break out of any confusion and deception by finding the truth and building your life upon it.

If you’re newcomer to PPT, we would like to get to know you more! So make plans to join us for our upcoming Connect Lunch. We look forward to sharing a meal with you and taking time to meet with you.

One of the greatest keys to living a purposeful and fulfilled life is learning to use the motivational gifts God has given us. We want to help you discover yours and how you can be a blessing to others. Register to attend our upcoming Spiritual Gifts Class!

With so much happening at PPT, we hope you will join us as we lead and walk with you in your journey of faith! We look forward to your presence this weekend!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

We all have individuals or causes that we choose to identify with in this world. Identifying is to feel that you are similar to someone and can understand them or their situation. People today identify with all kinds of different people or causes based on their beliefs, practices, and what they promise. Who do you identify with in this life?

This weekend we are looking forward to celebrating with people who have chosen to identify with Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to offer his life as the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins. He commanded those who choose to believe in him to make a public declaration of their faith by being water baptized, by full immersion, in his name. It also expresses their desire to identify not only with Jesus but also with his church and ultimately with all his promises.

These water baptism services are always so exciting as people share their unique journey of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. We invite you to come and hear their incredible stories and celebrating their decision to be followers of Jesus Christ. Be sure to invite someone else to join you for this thrilling experience!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Everyone is on a journey in life. Where are you going? How do you know which path to take? You have been given life for a purpose. Finding that purpose and fulfilling it is the key to experiencing a sense of destiny, fulfillment, and joy in your heart.

Last week we spoke about how important it is not to follow our hearts, but rather lead our hearts to follow God and value what He treasures. This weekend you will hear the story of a young man who did just that. He felt so empty inside that he decided to follow God wherever He was leading him. God transformed his life is a dramatic way and he has never been the same.

Come and hear all the twists and turns in this young man’s journey, as he heard and responded to God’s call on his life. It has led him to help students come to know and experience Jesus in a real and life-changing way, on the campus of the University of Toronto.

We look forward to your presence with us and be sure to invite someone to join you as we learn what it means to Follow His Lead.

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

There is a common phrase we hear today that says follow your heart. It has a noble, heroic, adventurous, and courageous ring to it. It becomes a value that informs how we make decisions. It implies to deny doing so would mean we are not being true to ourselves.

But what does it really mean to follow your heart? Together let’s explore this cultural creed and come to a true understanding of this immaterial thing we call ‘the heart’ in this Sunday’s message, Lead Your Heart. Also, plan to catch a cup of coffee and a baked treat after service this Sunday and connect with one another around tables we have set up in lobby. We truly are better together!

From a heart of compassion, we are working to be a blessing to the men of our city and children around the world during the month of October. We are partnering with Regeneration Ministry in Brampton to provide all types of clothing for men. You can bring gently used or new items to the church and deposit them in the barrels in the lobby. We are also providing the only Christmas gift some boys and girls will receive around the world through Operation Christmas Child. We have more shoeboxes available for you to pick-up this weekend if you need one. Please follow the directions on the attached pamphlet and work on filling these boxes this month. We will be offering a prayer of dedication over them on first Sunday of November.

There is a lot happening at PPT and we hope that you will join us in making a positive, tangible difference in our world for the glory of God!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Anytime you thank someone, you honour that person. For example, if you say to your wife, “I’m so grateful for that great Thanksgiving dinner you made,” you just honoured her. An expression of gratitude is a way of honouring another person.

The Bible also says that you also honour God when you express gratitude to him. God says, “Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honours me.” (Psalm 50:3, NLT)

But at some point, we must start moving to a higher level of thanksgiving—not just thanking people for what they do, but thanking them for who they are. That’s a deeper, more mature kind of thanksgiving. If the only time we thanked people was when they did something for us, they might begin to wonder—do they love me, or just what I do for them?

The same is true with God. Do we really love God, or just the things that he does for us? We must learn to thank God not just for what he does, but for who he is. It’s that kind of gratitude that truly honors God and gives us deeper spiritual roots.

This weekend we are going to offer up an abundance of praise and worship to God for his faithfulness to us over this past year. We are going to celebrate with testimonies of God’s goodness. Together we will be making thanksgiving declarations and decrees based on the character and nature of God and conclude by sharing Communion. It is going to be a powerful expression of thanksgiving to God for who he is and for what he has done! We look forward to your presence with us, and be sure to invite someone to join you!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

As we move into the month of October our thoughts turn to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and gathering with family and friends to celebrate. We invite you to join us for a special Thanksgiving Worship & Communion Service on Sunday, October 9. As part of that service, we want to share stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness with one another. So we invite you to participate, by emailing us your thanksgiving testimony, or by filling out the Praise Report section on the back of a Connect card while you are in service this Sunday (deposit them in the Tithes & Offerings boxes in the sanctuary). Together, let’s thank God and encourage one another!

It’s not only appropriate to give thanks to God but to also provide a tangible expression of our thanks by giving to others to need. This month, we are partnering together with Regeneration Ministries in Brampton to provide men in our city with much needed clothing this fall and winter. You will find bins located in the lobby where you can drop-off any type of men’s clothing you would be willing to donate. Thank you for helping provide this tangible expression of love and thanksgiving to God!

Whenever we’re facing uncertain times, we’re apt to be apprehensive. It’s what we do with our apprehension that matters. The more we trust God, the more naturally we’ll worship him. When we trust him with our problems, it enables our hearts to praise him more freely. Join us this Sunday as we learn about Trading My Worry For Worship and then practice this principle together in the service!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Passion is what we can’t keep inside. It spills over and can’t be contained. We love our kids—we can’t help but talk about them. We love our favorite sports teams— we talk about them first thing Monday morning at the water cooler. Christians love God more than anything else—he should constantly be on the tips of our tongues. Our passion for the Lord should be evident to all those around us.

That passion should extend to a sincere concern for those who don’t know the Lord. The fate awaiting those dying without Christ should compel Christians to set off on a rescue mission—to bring our family, friends, neighbors and coworkers toward Christ before it’s too late. Learn more about this call in this Sunday’s message, The Rescue Mission.

Join us this Saturday at 9:30 am for our Ride To Thrive event. We will be either walking, riding a bike, or riding a motorcycle to help raise funds for children in crisis due to conflicts around the world in countries like the Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Yemen. Your participation and sponsorship will help children who suffer from lack of healthcare, education, food, and shelter as we work through our PAOC global workers, ERDO, and Mission Global. It will be followed by an outdoor BBQ at 12 pm. It’s going to be great time working together for this great cause!

Also, we are planning a special Thanksgiving Celebration Service with Communion. In preparation for this day, we would like you to share with us your testimony of thanksgiving to God for his faithfulness in your life over this past year. You can do so by either emailing us or by filling out the Praise Report section on the back of a Connect Card while you are in service over the next two Sundays. Just deposit them in the Tithes & Offerings boxes in the sanctuary. Together, let’s celebrate the goodness of God and give him all the glory, honour and praise!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

As we step into this fall season, we are excited for the many opportunities we have to embrace community together as a church family. We invite you to take some time to explore our upcoming events and ministry gatherings… there's something for everyone!

We want to highlight several of our Life Groups which have just launched:

Alpha meets online Wednesday nights. It’s a 10-week program designed to lead non-Christians and new Christians into a discovery about the Christian faith. Explore Christianity and engage in great conversation.

The Discipleship group meets online Tuesday evenings and is a scripturally sound, proven, and practical course to aid individuals and leaders in making disciples. We are currently studying the book of Romans.

The Agape Prayer Life Group meets Thursday mornings on the Prayer Conference Call and allows believers to build stronger relationships with God and each other by gathering and praying for the needs of our church.

Adult Bible Study meets in person on Sundays before our Worship Service and strives to help you grow in the knowledge of God’s Word by providing a friendly space to enjoy fellowship with other believers and build a support network. We are currently studying the book of James.

This is just a sampling of all the Life Groups that we offer.

We look forward to gathering this weekend to worship the Lord and share Communion together around the message, The Desire For Significance. Discover the key to your true significance and why it is far beyond anyone’s ability to measure. We will also be welcoming several people into membership. It’s going to be great time, because we are truly better together!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Life is meant to be experienced together. Growing up as a child, I played hockey for a number of years. I enjoyed being on a team with other people, using our different skills for a common purpose to achieve a common goal… winning the game! It was in that context of playing together with others that I was able to improve my hockey skills. The encouragement of my coaches and teammates helped me play the game better too. We also enjoyed great times together following the game, eating lots of food at the snack bar and playing around together with friends.

Life is better when it is experienced together with others. This is especially true when it comes to the spiritual dimension of our lives. It is the way God designed us as people and it’s also his plan for his church—we are better together.

We invite you to join us this weekend for our Fall Kickoff Sunday. We will be highlighting the restart of many ministries that will be available for you to grow spiritually together with others and help you find your place of ministry. Let’s get spiritually refreshed as we come together in worship and study God’s Word! We will also be having refreshments after service to help you get reconnected with others following the summer.

Please note that PPT Kids: Roots for children ages 3-10 resumes this weekend!

We look forward to your presence with us at PPT for our Fall Kickoff Sunday!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

It is an interesting word—blessing. What does it really mean?

Blessings suggest an intimate relationship between a blesser and the blessed. A blessing from God marks an intimate relationship between God and man, serving as proof that he finds himself in God’s favor. Blessed speaks of our inner state of well-being, the prosperity of our souls in Christ. To be blessed is to experience the full impact of God’s presence in our lives now and for eternity.

Join us for the final message in our series Better Keep Believing and learn of The Better Blessing that is available to all who chose to receive it.

We look forward to your presence with us at PPT as we worship the Lord together this Labour Day weekend!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

There is no end to the information available to help educate you on how to walk better. There are certain warm-up exercises you need to do. There are techniques like interval walking, which calls for short bursts of a quicker speed to help you burn calories and get your heart rate up.

But what about your spiritual walk? Having a relationship with God is described in the Scriptures as walking with God. So what does walking with God look like? How do you start? How does it end? What attitude do you need to maintain during the journey?

Join us this Sunday and discover what walking with God looks like and how to cultivate A Better Walk.

We will also be praying for all our students, teachers and school administrators who will be returning to school this Fall.

We look forward to your presence with us at PPT as we worship the Lord together!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor