The time to start the countdown to Christmas begins today! This season is known as “advent” meaning “the coming” or “coming toward”. It denotes a period of time where we prepare our hearts once again to celebrate the coming and birth of Jesus Christ and it also serves as a reminder that we now await His second coming. Today marks the debut of advent calendars that are often used to help us prepare for the celebration of the advent of the Christ-child.

These 24 numbered pictures on tiny, shuttered doors or windows are opened each day of advent to reveal a sweet item or small object. It’s simple and fun tool you can use as a springboard for engaging your family in focusing on the reason for this season – Jesus.

I heard this cute quote this week … “It’s only the first day but according to my chocolate advent calendar, there are only three days left to Christmas!” Remember you only get to open one door per day! 😊

In the spirit of Christmas giving, our Women’s and Men’s Ministries are joining together to support men and women in need by providing coats this winter. If you have a larger sized coat, specifically XL or XXL sizes, please drop them off at the containers labeled in the church lobby by Sun. Dec. 17. Please only bring clean,fully functional coats that you would wear.

We want to help a group of refugees who are in need of our love and help. Thank youyou’re your willingness to help in this manner and be a blessing this Christmas!

This Sunday we are beginning a new message series based on a popular Christmas song recorded years ago called Mary’s Boy Child. Together we will explore the announcements, birth and person of Jesus Christ because knowing what you believe about Him is absolutely essential to your faith and your future. So invite someone to join you on this journey throughout the month of December. See you this weekend at PPT!

In our new series, "Knowing What You Believe," we explore fundamental Christian truths about the Bible, God, creation, Jesus Christ, salvation, angels, Satan, demons, and future events. It's a chance to understand how these beliefs impact your life and your future.

Recently, we wrapped up a series that revealed your unique gifts from God, meant for service in the local church. To take the first step in ministry, get Plan-to-Protect certified. You can still register for the training at PPT, open for both youth (ages 11-16) and adults (ages 17+). Serving in ministry is one of God's great purposes for your life, promising joy and fulfillment. Join us this Saturday at 9:30 am.

In these turbulent times, we urge you to keep praying for the Middle East crisis between Israel and Hamas. Let's seek God's wisdom, protection, comfort, and power for this situation.

For our Ride-To-Thrive participants, it's time to collect and submit your pledge funds by this Sunday. If you'd like to contribute to supporting children in Tanzania, you can do so this Sunday by marking your offering with "RTT."

In closing, we invite you to help us cultivate a vibrant culture at PPT. Make Sunday's Worship Service a priority in your hearts and homes. It's a divine appointment to meet with Jesus through worship and the Word. When we gather, God's presence is powerful, so let's make every effort to be on time. We eagerly await your presence with us this Sunday.

Blessings,

Barry Risto
Senior Pastor

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend everyone! We pause to remember all that we are grateful for in our lives and that everything we enjoy comes from the goodness of God. The fall season is about harvest and reaping the benefits of the growing season.This Sunday’s message is about YOUR UNIQUE GROWTH. We all grow differently and at a different pace. Growth comes about in our lives based on our cravings. Do you have a spiritual craving in your life for more of God, His Word and His Spirit? Discover where you are in your journey of growth this weekend and be inspired to keep growing!

30 people in 30 days has been our goal during this season. Recruiting people to serve in the various ministries of PPT by this Thanksgiving weekend! Come this Sunday to celebrate a special testimony about this! We will also be featuring our Welcome Team Ministry this weekend after service … those who serve as ushers, greeters, welcome centre staff, parking attendants, and on our safety team. Meet the leaders and pick-up an info card that will tell you more about what’s involved in serving on these teams. You have been gifted by God to serve and there is nothing more rewarding or fulfilling that finding your ‘sweet spot’ and serving a great cause with others.

Your first step to becoming involved in serving is to get Plan-to-Protect certified. So be sure to register now for our next training and in your preparation to get involved. There will be two classes … one for Jr Training (ages 11-16) and the other for Adults (ages 17+). Together lets all discover our unique design and place of service in ministry!

We look forward to your presence with us this Sunday and just a friendly reminder to please be punctual by arriving before the service begins. This will prove to be such a blessing for you to receive all God has for you and so it will not interrupt others while they are in our worship experience!

Every Blessing,
Pastor Barry Risto

Whether you’re more introverted or extroverted and more task-oriented or people-oriented, you have your own unique personality that God has given you and wants to use for His benefit and your blessing. Knowing all about your particular personality leads to finding your purpose and place to serve.

So join us this Sunday as we continue in our series on Your Unique Design by exploring your particular personality. When you embrace your God-shaped personality, you’ll begin to experience the powerful and positive difference you make in the lives of others!

As part of this series, we have set a goal of recruiting 30 new volunteers to serve in ministry by Thanksgiving weekend! Each Sunday we feature a different ministry in the lobby after our service. This weekend, you can learn more about our LifeGroups and how you can join one–or even lead your own, by interacting with Pastor Wayne and his team. Kofi Akoto and His team will also be in the lobby to talk to you about our Prayer Ministry.

Your first step to becoming involved in serving is to get Plan-to-Protect certified. So sign-up now for our next training and in your preparation to get involved.

Together let's all discover our unique design and place of service in ministry. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling!

We look forward to your presence with us this Sunday and invite someone to join you!

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Senior Pastor

You are uniquely designed by God. A complex combination of spiritual gifts, character, personality, passions, abilities, skills, knowledge, gifts and talents make you the very special person that you are to God and others! Come this weekend and learn more from a dynamic speaker, Dr. Harrison Mungal. He will also be with us for a special seminar on Saturday for parents.

Knowing all about your unique design is key to finding your purpose and place to serve others.

There are so many exciting and different ways and places to serve in ministry. Explore all your options with us this weekend. We will be featuring our Youth & Young Adult Ministry with Pastor Robby Mba and Worship Ministry with Susan Pond this weekend. Just visit the tables in the lobby after service to chat with these leaders and their teams and learn more about how to get involved.

Your first step to becoming involved is to get Plan-to-Protect certified, so you can sign-up now for our next training and in your preparation to get involved. Together let's all discover our unique design and place of service. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling!

We look forward to your presence with us this Sunday and invite someone to join you!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Senior Pastor

Life experiences. We all have them. In fact our lives are the sun total of them. What gainful experiences have you thoroughly enjoyed and prospered from in the past? What painful experiences have you endured and what did you learn through them? What kind of spiritual experiences have shaped your understanding of God and how you live for Him?

In our new message series, Your Unique Design, we are exploring the ingredients that make up who you are as a person. God has created you with a specific design. This weekend we will share how the various experiences of your life have molded you into the person who you are today. God wants to use those experiences in fulfilling His unique purpose for our lives as we find our place to serve.

As part of this series, we have established the goal of having thirty new volunteers in the next 30 days finding their place to serve in ministry and to celebrate it on Thanksgiving weekend!

Where can you serve you ask? Just click this Ministry Involvement link and explore the various ands exciting areas where you can fulfill your ministry. Your first step to becoming involved is to get Plan-to-Protect certified, so please sign-up now for our next training. Together, lets discover our unique design and place of service. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling!

We look forward to your presence with us this Sunday and invite someone to join you!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Senior Pastor

You are unique! When God made you, He threw away the mold. The Bible says each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-16). There is nobody else quite like you in all the earth!

You have been given various ingredients by God, that when combined together created your unique design and purpose in life. The more you understand the way God designed you, the better you will be able to cooperate with His purpose for you. Doing so will provide you with the most amazing sense of joy and fulfillment in this life.

In our new message series, Your Unique Design, we are going to help you recognize your unique design and find your place to serve His purpose. So join the journey with us this Fall and move closer to become all you desire you to be! Invite a friend to come and discover this too!

Barry Risto
Senior Pastor

Everyone desires to live an overcoming life. We have been learning that the first step and the key to being an overcomer is learning to win the war that rages in our minds.

There is so much in life that can cause us to panic. Problems come, our thoughts begin to race and even spin out of control which can cause us to move in the wrong direction. The issue is we are getting fixated on the presence of our problems instead of the presence of God that is with us. We need to slow down, focus and listen for God’s still small voice in the midst of it all. But how?

We must learn to practice the presence of God. It means we draw close to God and bring our concerns to Him in prayer and worship. Then we get refocused on God’s presence that is with us and our perspective changes! We all know that praise and prayer changes things but did you know it also changes your brain! Discover how this weekend, in the message “Reviving Your Soul” and discover how to reclaim your life.

We look forward to your presence and bring someone with you who needs to hear this too!

Every Blessing,

Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

Have you ever discovered that circumstances are not always as they appear? That your perspective of any situation may be affected by the lens or filters through which we are see these events?

In the art of leading an overcoming life, we must recognize the mental filters by which we view what we think is reality. When we think back through our lives, so often we are disappointed by the problems we experienced, their purpose and even a lack of answers to our prayers. That can cause us to have a certain bias in our minds.

The reality is we cannot control what happens to us, but you can control how you see it.

What if we could see it from a different point of view? What if we could see it from a different perspective? What if we started looking for God’s goodness in the experiences of life?

Join us this Sunday as we learn to recognize our filters, see the hand of God in our past experiences and thank Him for His goodness instead. It will change your life!

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

You’ve heard the phrase, “what in the world were you thinking?” Usually its in response to something we did that we later regret. In our current series, we are teaching on learning the art of living an overcoming life. We will face many challenges at times in our lives, but God wants us to learn how to not get stuck in a rut and keep moving forward in our journey.

We have all learned the behaviours and customs of this world that have become ingrained in our lives through repetition in our minds. If you want to change your life you have to change your thinking. Your thoughts truly count in that process. Learn this weekend how to build new patterns of thinking that will bring the transformation you long for and that will help you to prosper and succeed in all you do. We look forward to your presence with us this Sunday!

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

We are called to be overcomers in this life. There is certainly an art and skill set that is required to become an overcomer in your life. But what are we trying to overcome?

Last Sunday we looked at the importance of moving forward in faith in the face of difficult circumstances.How David encouraged himself in the Lord, took a step of faith and kept moving forward. In doing so he found victory in his life.

If you took that word to heart, how did things go for you this week? Did you make any progress? Why or why not? Did something hold you back? Did you struggle with any negative thoughts that created anxiety or fear which kept you stuck?

It has been said that our lives are also moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts.

So much about life and moving forward is won or lost based on our thought life.

Join us this Sunday as we bring you practical biblical truth about how we identify the lies we are believing, determine to break the strongholds that have been created by our thinking, using the powerful counter-weapons God has given us.

Get ready to break the strongholds in your life that are holding you back to reaching and fulfilling your destiny!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Senior Pastor

Do you feel like you are overcoming or being overcome in your journey in life?

We all will face traumatic experiences that can throw us into a state of shock and cause us to be gripped with grief and sadness or anger and frustration. It might be the loss of a job, or lifelong dream or even a loved one. What do we do now? Sometimes in the midst of those circumstances we can feel completely alone or so paralyzed with fear that we cannot move forward. What do you do next?

The Bible declares that as believers we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ.

That in all things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

How do we achieve that victory in our lives? What’s the key to freedom, healing and deliverance?

This Sunday we will learn from the life of King David how to gain the strength to move forward in the most dire circumstances of life. What is the first step? Find out what gets unleashed when we take just one small step of faith to move forward. Discover what God will do as you learn the art of overcoming and taking back what has been stolen from your life!

We look forward to your presence with us!

Bring a friend who needs to hear this word of encouragement too!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

It will happen to all of us at some point in our lives. Something traumatic happens. It might be the loss of a job, or lifelong dream or even a loved one. You are thrown into a state of shock and gripped with grief, sorrow, and sadness. In the midst of that moment you feel paralyzed by your emotions and unsure of what to do now. Is there a path forward?

What you do next in these situations is key and pivotal to your journey. What’s the first step you need to take? Why is it important to keep moving forward in your life? What role does faith in God play in taking that first step forward? No matter what we face in our lifetime, if we wait until we feel like taking that first step, then you’re not going to feel like it for a long, long time. We have to move forward in faith.

Join us this Sunday and learn how from the lifetime experiences of King David. God’s Word will inspire you with practical steps that will move you forward towards peace.

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

There are certain things in life that really do matter. We have been exploring what matters based on the experiences of the early church as we read about them in the book of Acts. We have discovered that God’s presence is paramount. That our presence in kingdom of God is vital to the overall plan. That we all have spiritual gifts that matter and need to be used in family of God. How money matters in building the kingdom of God and experiencing God’s blessings in our lives.

We wrap up this series this weekend with the final message, ‘For God And Country.’ What important role do countries play in God’s plan for humanity?

How does God use nations to help bear witness to the reality of His presence and power? Finally, what is the ultimate country that awaits all believers?

Are you looking for it?

As we come to this Canada Day Holiday, let’s celebrate God’s plan and purpose for countries and nations!

Every Blessing,

Pastor Barry Risto
Lead Pastor

YOUR MONEY MATTERS

Your money matters are an important aspect of life and living.

Money truly does matter as we make daily decisions regarding it use.

Your money matters to you as its a tool that God has given to provide for your basic needs and the needs of your family. Your money matters to God too as its resource given to honour Him and provide for His kingdom purposes. The Bible is full of monetary wisdom and principles, that if practiced, will position us to experience the blessing and favour of God and advance His kingdom on earth!

Join us this Sunday to worship the one who has given us all things freely to enjoy. Learn how He wants you to steward those resources for His benefit and your blessing!

Every Blessing,
Pastor Barry Risto

Lead Pastor

YOUR MINISTRY MATTERS

You have been created in the image of God. God has also given you the ability to do certain things well. That ability is based on certain gifts that He has given you. He wants to help you discover those gifts and use those abilities to contribute and be a blessing to others in this life. He has also given us the Holy Spirit to empower us in using those gifts and to be faithful. Join us this Sunday as we explore your ministry and why it matters so much.

We will be honouring our fathers with a very special kids video tribute, a powerful testimony from one of our newest dads, and a gift for every father as you leave the service. So please join us as we celebrate dads!

Every Blessing,
Pastor Barry Risto

Lead Pastor