What’s on in November?
Gift Day is when we celebrate God’s goodness to us by giving above and beyond our regular giving. Come join us his Sunday morning at the Vancity Theatre in Yaletown. We are gathering to worship our Father and hear the preaching of His word (the last of our mini-series on Finance for Disciples).
Trinity Kids and Youth – All Trinity Kids teams are on – the children will leave at the break. Youth will be in the service.
Start Time: Come for coffee at 10am, then the service begins at 10:30am Come Dine With Us on November 9
On July 13, 2019 we experienced our first Come Dine With Us evening. More than 50 people got together in different homes across the city to eat together and make new friends.
We had so much fun that we’re doing it again! So if you missed out last time and want to see what all the fuss is about, or you loved it so much you want to get involved again – sign up for Come Dine With Us, taking place on November 9.
You can choose either to be a guest at a meal somewhere around the city, or to host a meal for a group of friends you haven’t yet met.
We’re expecting a fantastic evening, so please join us! Come to our prophetic training morning Nov. 16
On Saturday, November 16, our good friends Steve and Ruth Brading will host a prophetic workshop for us called “Hearing God”. Steve served as an elder in two UK Newfrontiers churches, and Steve and Ruth planted a church in Sydney, Australia. They are now retired and so available to us (with thanks to Terry Virgo, who recommended them). Steve and Ruth will be visiting us from November 11 to November 25.
When: 9:30am – 12:30pm Where: City Life Church (2715 West 12th Ave, V6K 3X3) Come pray with us at the Roundhouse – Nov. 27
We love to pray. We’re excited to praise God and pray together on Wednesday, November 27th at the Roundhouse. Amazing things happen when we pray to our faithful Father. Hope to see you there!
When: 7:30 – 9:30pm Where: Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown
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Looking back on Thirst 2019
Every year we take a weekend to get away and saturate ourselves in God’s word, purposes, and presence through the ministry of His Holy Spirit.
Thirst is like Trinity Central’s annual family reunion! This Thirst was our first at Camp Squeah in Hope and we all enjoyed the space to roam, breathe in the fresh air and stretch our legs.
Some healthy competition
We love to seek God’s face together; He faithfully meets us in different and personal ways. Over the weekend there were many moving, reflective and celebratory moments as we worshipped Him together, prayed together, pressed in, and listened to His words for us and over us.
God spoke prophetically to us about restoration: calling us into all He has for us. Restoration in the church means restored relationships, restored faith, restored joy and renewed energy for mission. We shared the intimate, beautiful, convicting and redemptive work God is doing between and among us. There is an excitement that is welling up among us around the plans and purposes God has for His Kingdom through Trinity Central, in Vancouver and the nations.
God is great!
Guest speaker Lee Yarbrough
This year we enjoyed having Lee and Stacey Yarborough with us from Mexico. Lee, in his easygoing, fatherly way, encouraged us to step out in faith like Abraham and Sarah, and to take up the call of the early church and partner with God to be witnesses in this city. Rhys exhorted us to keep the main thing the main thing – remaining in Jesus, letting the Father prune us and make us Christlike so we can bear good fruit.
Daniel Tse tells his story
It is always so encouraging and life-giving to see people respond to God – whether it is deciding to get baptized, or sharing a word up front for the first time. For others it is less public, maybe it’s a conversation or an encouragement spoken or a prayer for a new friend, and sometimes it is very personal and not seen by others at all. However it looks, GOD IS THERE!
Maggie gets baptized
The five baptisms we had on Sunday (Daniel Tse, Maggie Sampogna, Taylor Scott, Ken Chen and Bin Qi) were extra celebratory as we rejoiced in the good work God is doing in His people. God has been enlarging our hearts for His mission on this earth in and through us. We love that He loves to dwell among His people, and we love to be in His presence together.
Stories from Thirst 2019: Mark MachinAs you know, our weekend with you all was just fantastic; we were made to feel loved and really at home, both spiritually and in terms of community. Within an hour of arriving we were in double figures of new acquaintances! There was such an incredible sense of God’s Presence as we met together as a church too: a room full of people, unreservedly celebrating and loving Him. We have utter confidence in our Father as we make the move from the UK, but knowing we are going to be part of TC makes us feel even more at peace and tremendously excited for the next year – we can’t wait!
Ken RuffelleOn the Saturday evening, while I was praying for my son, John, as he went to bed he said “I see a picture of God at a huge desk and on the desk is a tree and the tree is full of fruit and he said to me “come and eat healthy food.”
I’ve never taught my son who is five years old about how we see God in pictures. He had never said anything like that before ever. Normally when he prays he would say something like “thank you Jesus for mommy and daddy and Camden, bless our day, amen”.
We had a fantastic time at Thirst and are so glad that we went. God met us through His people, word and worship. On Saturday night, we encountered Him in a profound way – we were reminded of his goodness, mercies and plans through the ups and downs of our life journey so far. It was wonderful to share this experience with so many Jesus-hungry people – we felt very much at home. Being new to Trinity Central, Thirst was a great opportunity to get to know people.
Chris DyerPrior to going to Thirst 2019 I had a real desire to see breakthrough and healing in a particular relationship. The first evening during worship the word ‘restoration’ was brought, which immediately resonated, and encouraged me to pursue a conversation. Knowing the Lord was with me and ‘on the case’ and the Holy Spirit would enable me to navigate the conversation, I stepped out in faith and connected. Consequently restoration and breakthrough has occurred in this relationship, and the Lord has lifted the weight for both parties. Despite there being more to do this was a real advancement for us both. Thank you Lord.
Scot SustadI was thrilled at how quickly we entered into God’s presence as soon as we gathered. His Spirit was tangible and thick and set the pace for the rest of the weekend. I felt filled and encouraged. I also believe that an undercurrent of this Thirst was us learning how to go deeper together. To let down walls, cross over lines, have conversations with those outside our typical circles and to generally be more curious about one another and invitational. I’ll continue to carry this insight and believe it was the beginning of something that needs to continue to be leaned into and carried out.
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Steve and Ruth Brading are coming to visit
We are very pleased to welcome Steve and Ruth Brading to Trinity Central in November. Steve has served as an elder in several Newfrontiers churches, and Steve and Ruth helped plant Grace City Church in Sydney, Australia. They are now retired and so available to bless us (with thanks to Terry Virgo, who recommended them). Steve and Ruth will be visiting us from November 11 to November 25. Steve will preach during our Sunday services.
Prophetic WorkshopIn addition, on Saturday, November 16, the Bradings will host a prophetic workshop for us called “Hearing God”. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. It will go from 9:30am-12:30 pm, and it will be held at City Life Church (2715 West 12th Ave, V6K 3X3). Don’t miss it!
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What’s on in October?
Due to the demands of the Vancouver International Film Festival, we are temporarily moving our service to the Park Theatre on Cambie Street for two more Sundays: October 6, and October 13.
PLEASE NOTE that the service will begin an hour earlier than usual, at 9:30am, with coffee and tea served afterwards. Welcome Students: Free Lunch Oct 6
If you are a university student at Trinity Central, please do join us for lunch Sunday afternoon after the service on October 6th. We will be meeting at Jarrett and Ashley Vaughan’s place, which is close to Kits Beach.
If you aren’t a student but have student friends, why don’t you bring them along? Please let Emma Marsh know if you will be attending on Sunday.
Time: from 1:00pm Place: 1346 Arbutus Street, Vancouver New to Trinity? Come for lunch with us October 27
Our Newcomers’ lunches are a terrific way to meet people. We will be enjoying a meal together at Milly and Steve Jones’s home in Fairview. If you’re new to Trinity please do come along. All you need to bring is yourself as lunch will be provided. If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday or email office@trinitycentral.org.
When: Sunday, Oct. from 1:30pm Where: #517 – 518 Moberly Rd, Vancouver Join us for our Calling on God prayer meeting Oct. 30
We love to pray. We’re excited to praise God and pray together on Wednesday, October 30th at the Roundhouse. Amazing things happen when we pray to our faithful Father. Hope to see you there!
When: 7:30 – 9:30pm Where: Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown Save the Date
Nov 3 – Gift Day
Nov 9 – Come Dine With Us
Nov 11 to 25 – Steve and Ruth Brading visit
Nov 24 – Newcomers’ Lunch
Nov 27 – Prayer Meeting
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Time and location change for Sunday services
For three Sundays we will be meeting at The Park Theatre due to the film festival at our usual venue. The most important thing to note about these Sundays, apart from the location, is that we will be STARTING EARLIER THAN USUAL at 9:30am.
Other than that, things will be pretty much the same. We will still enjoy a time of worship together followed by biblically-based preaching and a time for prayer ministry at the end of the service. Children aged 1-2 and 3 to Kindergarten will enjoy Trinity Kids sunday school after the worship time.
We will finish with coffee and tea after the service, which is a great time to chat. We hope to see you there!
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Welcome Students: FREE Lunches Sept 15 and 22
If you are a university student at Trinity Central, please do join us for lunch Sunday afternoon after the service on September 15th and 22nd. We will be meeting at Zac and Joseph’s place, which is easy walking distance from the Vancity Theatre.
If you aren’t a student but have student friends, why don’t you bring them along? Please let Emma Marsh know if you will be attending on Sunday.
Time: Sept. 15 and 22 from 1:30pm Place: #505 – 238 Alvin Narod Mews
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What’s on in September?
We’re hugely looking forward to our church weekend away, expecting God to meet us powerfully as we gather to worship Him at Thirst 2019 at Camp Squeah. This means, of course, that there are NO SUNDAY SERVICES this week.
Our Sunday morning service at the Vancity Theatre in Yaletown will resume next week onSeptember 15, 2019. Trinity Goes on the Road September 29
As usual, we are vacating our usual premises at the Vancity Theatre this fall due to the Vancouver International Film Festival. This year, we will be meeting at the Park Theatre on Cambie Street (3440 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 2W8) for three Sundays: September 29, October 6 and October 13. Due to time restrictions, we will be beginning our service on these three weeks at 9:30am. Coffee will be served after the service. New to Trinity? Come to lunch with us Sept 29
Our Newcomers’ lunches are a terrific way to meet people. If you’re new to Trinity please do come along. All you need to bring is yourself as lunch will be provided. If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday or email office@trinitycentral.org.
When: Sunday, Sept. 29 from 1:30pm Where: to be announced Save the Date
Oct 27 – Newcomers’ Lunch
Oct 30 – Prayer Meeting
Nov 3 – Gift Day
Nov 11 to 25 – Steve and Ruth Brading visit
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Bienvenidos to Lee and Stacey Yarbrough
We are thrilled to soon be welcoming our good friends, Lee and Stacey Yarbrough, from León, Mexico. They will be with us from September 4 through 10. Lee will be the keynote speaker at Thirst 2019. We are also hoping that Lee and Stacey will jointly teach a seminar for us before Thirst – keep your ears up for more details on that.
Lee visited Trinity Central some years ago but Stacey has never been with us, so we are very glad to finally meet her. Here is a brief sketch of the Yarbrough’s life and ministry:
The Yarbroughs have been leading and planting churches and training up leaders in Mexico for over 30 years. Originally from the USA, Lee & Stacey were sent from a church in Anchorage, Alaska to Mexico in 1985 (that must have been a welcome change weather-wise!). Lee and his team currently serve more than 20 New Frontiers churches in Mexico, in both large cities and rural areas, plus a few churches in Bolivia and Peru.
Here is Lee:
Our desire and vision is to see grace filled, Christ centered, vibrantly worshipping churches planted and established throughout North, Central, and South America. Along with that, our vision is to see nationals equipped and trained to plant new churches, and provide strength and leadership to existing churches.
The Yarbroughs have four children: Ryan, Daniel, William and Matthew.
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What’s on in August at Trinity Central?
Please join us as we gather together to worship God on Sunday mornings at Yaletown. We will be continuing our sermon series on the book of Exodus.
Location: Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour St., Vancouver)
Time: Coffee is served at 10am; service begins at 10:30am Want to connect & grow in your faith? Join a LifeGroup
LifeGroups are an amazing way to make friends and go deeper in our walk with God. They are the building blocks of our church. If you are looking to make deeper connections at Trinity Central we strongly encourage you to join a LifeGroup – you can find out more HERE. Save the Date
August 23-26 – Devoted 2019 (UK)
Sept 6 to 8 – Thirst 2019
Sept 11 – Family Meeting (for members)
Sept 25 – Prayer Meeting
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What’s on in July?
We will be doing something delightfully different for our Sunday morning service on July 7 – having a wedding! Our dear friends Art Graham and Laura Petek will be exchanging marriage vows during our morning service in Yaletown. We will begin with a time of worship and then have a short preach on marriage. We will take a quick break to bring in the children from their Trinity Kids activities, and then finish with the wedding ceremony and a final song.
PLEASE NOTE THE SERVICE WILL BEGIN AT 10AM and end at about 11:45am. There will be a stand-up reception with appetizers served after the service. Come early to get a good seat. Come Dine With Us – Saturday, July 13
We want to get the church eating together and making new friends – to see Trinity folks enjoying lovely meals with great people they might not normally spend time with.
How can you be involved? SIMPLY SIGN UP and tell us whether you want to be a guest or a host. We’ll be in touch with the details (such as number of guests you can accommodate or dietary requirements you may have) and then we’ll match guests to hosts.
If you’re a guest, a few days in advance you’ll be given the address where you’ll be enjoying a meal. If you’re a host, you’ll be told how many people are coming and other relevant details. Then come Saturday the 13th, turn up and enjoy yourself!
**** We recommend you get your babysitters booked in quickly! ***** Come pray with us Wednesday, July 24
The church is powered by prayer – we know that it is God who changes lives and the world so that’s why we call on Him. Please join us on Wednesday, July 24 as we come together to pray at the Roundhouse.
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre When: 7:30pm
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What’s on in June?
New to Trinity? Please come to lunch June 9th Our Newcomers’ lunches are a terrific way to meet people. Our next lunch will be hosted by Sam and Kath Wade in Mt. Pleasant. If you’re new to Trinity please do come along. All you need to bring is yourself as lunch will be provided. If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday or email office@trinitycentral.org.
When: Sunday, June 9 from 1:30pm Where: 46 11th Avenue West, Vancouver Let’s welcome Jeremy & Ann Simpkins June 14
Our great friends Jeremy and Ann Simpkins are visiting us from June 14-27. Jeremy leads the ChristCentral sphere of churches within NewFrontiers and provides apostolic oversight to Trinity Central. He and Ann have been visiting us annually since the very beginning of Trinity and have built so much strength into the church.
You can find out more about Jeremy and Ann on our website. Come pray with us June 18 at the Roundhouse
Our mission is powered by prayer – we know that it is God who changes lives and the world so that’s why we call on Him. Please join us on Tuesday, June 18 as we come together to pray at the Roundhouse. Jeremy and Ann Simpkins will be joining us.
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre When: June 18 at 7:30pm Save the Date
June 23 – Leaders’ evening with the Simpkins
July 24 – Prayer Meeting
July 28 – Newcomers’ Lunch
Sept 6 to 8 – Thirst 2019
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What’s on in May?
We love the Week of Prayer! This is a significant time for us as a church as we worship God, seek His will, and hear from Him. Please plan to come out as often as you can! This Week of Prayer will feature morning and evening prayer meetings at various times and locations.
Details are HERE Become a member of Trinity Central
We are excited to welcome new members at our next Membership Sunday on Sunday, May 26th. If you would like to become a member of Trinity Central Church you can begin the process here. Save the Date
June 9 – Newcomers’ Lunch
June 14 to 27 – Jeremy and Ann Simpkins visit
June 23 – Leaders’ evening with the Simpkins
Sept 6 to 8 – Thirst 2019
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The Priority of Prayer
BY MILLY JONES
This morning Rob got up at 5am, an hour earlier than usual, so that he could go to the hospital to pray. Sara spent half her lunch hour walking to and from an apartment, so she could meet with friends to pray. Another girl I know changed her day off work so she could spend it in prayer.
Why? Because we believe prayer works. Because we believe prayer is powerful. And because God wants us to pray to Him.
Terry Virgo – a man of prayerWhile Terry Virgo was visiting Trinity Central in April he shared some of his and Wendy’s story: how he came to be the father of a movement of churches, and the many amazing adventures God has taken them on in leading people to rediscover New Testament church life founded on the unity of the Word and Spirit. What came across powerfully is that so many of his stories began ‘I prayed…’ or ‘as I was praying…’. Terry’s life has been lived in constant communication with his Father.
This prayer-fuelled life certainly has been an adventure! From seeing a restoration of spiritual gifts in worship, to seeing church after church being planted across the UK; doors opening for churches to be planted in countries closed to the Gospel, and doors opening on buildings that were impossible to buy; bodies healed and relationships restored and Jesus’ name proclaimed – all starting with prayer.
Terry Virgo is certainly a great man of faith, who has been used by God in an extraordinary way. But he is not an extraordinary man. He is a very humble, personable man, a regular man – just like you or me – who has learned to lean into God. At one of the Sunday meetings Terry shared the story of another man who was ‘just like us’, whose prayers changed the trajectory of a nation. Opening up 1 Kings 18, Terry talked about Elijah’s prayer which shut the heavens. The Bible tells us that Elijah prayed – and God caused the rain to stop. Again Elijah prayed, and God sent the rain once more.
It was God who closed the heavens to bring drought to Israel, not Elijah. It was God who gave the rain. God alone has this power over the natural world. However, He did it because of and through Elijah’s prayer. Elijah’s prayer for the drought was not a random thought, but came from his reading of the Hebrew scriptures. He read of God’s promise to the nation Israel of the consequences if they should abandon their covenantal relationship with Him. He read the promise, and when he saw how Ahab and Jezebel had turned the nation away from worship of God, he prayed God’s promise back to him.
Terry showed us how
“again and again God makes us a promise – and then invites us into that promise in prayer.”
It is something of a mystery, why God loves us to pray. He doesn’t need us; we cannot change His mind or force Him to do something He doesn’t want to. And yet somehow when we pray He allows us to partner with Him in bringing about His promises to us. I can’t pretend to fully understand it. But I get a thrill at the prospect!
I believe God has promised that through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Kingdom of God has entered into this world. Which means healing is possible. It means the resources of heaven have been made available to us. It means we can and do expect to see miracles. If we will ask for them – if we will enter into God’s promises through prayer.
This is why we pray
That’s why I spent the day praying for a little girl undergoing surgery, and a mother about to give birth. That’s why I choose to arrive at church at 9:30am instead of 10am, so I can spend 30 minutes in prayer with others for the service. That’s why the monthly prayer meeting is one of my favourite evenings; it’s why I love to meet with my friends not just to drink coffee together but also to pray together! Because it is exciting, it is an adventure, and it joins our hearts to God’s.
Terry encouraged us to prayer – to pray specifically, to pray fervently, to pray intimately. He encouraged us to pray with the Spirit and in the Spirit. If you haven’t had chance yet, I recommend you to listen to his message on prayer (scroll down) if you want to be encouraged that your prayers matter! And then I invite you to come join me in praying for our church, our city and our families.
Come join the adventure!
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What’s on in April at Trinity Central?
We are very excited to welcome Terry and Wendy Virgo to Vancouver – they arrive on April 3rd. If you want to find out a bit more about them you can check out their websites here (Terry) and here (Wendy). On April 4th at the Roundhouse (181 Roundhouse Mews) you are invited to our Meet the Virgos evening. This will be a great opportunity to meet them, hear their story and ask a few questions. Prayer Meeting at the Roundhouse April 10
The church is built on prayer – we know that it is God’s power, not ours, that changes lives and the world. Please join us on Wednesday, April 10 as we come together as the Body of Christ to pray at the Roundhouse. Terry and Wendy Virgo will be praying with us – we have much to learn from these two saints and it will be a joy to pray with them.
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre When: 7:30pm Don’t miss the Amazing Grace conference April 13
On Saturday, April 13 at UBC Terry Virgo, founder of New Frontiers, will be speaking on God’s extraordinary, powerful and unstoppable grace. It’s a life changing message that is open to everyone so invite your friends. Sounds pretty sweet!
You can find out more here or register now.
If you want to hear what Terry is all about why not listen to a few sermons? New folks: please join us for lunch on April 28
A wonderful way to meet some great people is to come to our monthly Newcomers’ lunches. If you’ve never been to one of our Newcomers’ lunches please do come along. All you need to bring is yourself as lunch will be provided. If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday or email robina@trinitycentral.org.
When: Sunday, April 28 from 1:30pm Where: TBA Join us for Membership Sunday, April 28
We are excited to welcome new members at our next Membership Sunday. If you would like to explore becoming a member of Trinity Central Church you can begin the process here.
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What’s on in March at Trinity Central?
We love prayer – Jesus made praying to his Father a priority and so do we. Please join us on Wednesday, March 20 as we come together as the Body of Christ to pray at the Roundhouse.
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre When: 7:30pm Newcomers’ Lunch on March 31
There’s no better way to meet people than at our monthly Newcomers’ lunches. This month we are being hosted by Benjamin Sampson, Zac Bosma and Joseph Tinlin at their apartment in Yaletown. If you’ve never been to one of our Newcomers’ lunches please do come along. All you need to bring is yourself as lunch will be provided. If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday or email office@trinitycentral.org.
When: Sunday, March 31 from 1:30pm Where: #505 – 238 Alvin Narod Mews, Vancouver Sign up for Thirst – beat the March 31 price break
Thirst 2019 is our annual and amazing church weekend away in the magnificent mountains of Hope, BC from September 6-8. Thirst is a wonderful time of friendship, Spirit-filled worship and teaching and fun – we’d love everyone to be there! Tickets won’t be any cheaper than they are right now so REGISTER NOW to get the best deal – prices go up as of March 31st!
Have questions? Find out more about Thirst here. Save the Date
April 3 to 15 – Terry and Wendy Virgo visit
April 4 – Meet Them Virgos
April 10 – Prayer Meeting
April 13 – Amazing Grace day conference
June 14 to 27 – Jeremy and Ann Simpkins visit
Sept 6 to 8 – Thirst 2019
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What’s on in February at Trinity Central?
Our good friend Gary Gallant from ChristCentral church in Fredericton will be with us from February 5th – 14th. You can expect to see him at our Sunday services on the 10th or our prayer meeting on the 13th, or just randomly around Vancouver bird-watching.
We are also excited to welcome Bo Noonan, lead elder of New Community Church, a NewFrontiers church in Tacoma, Washington. Bo will be preaching at Yaletown and UBC on February 10th. Come join us! Let’s call on God together February 13th
We’re excited to praise God and pray together on Wednesday, February 13th at the Roundhouse at 7:30pm. Amazing things happen when we pray to our faithful Father. Hope to see you there!
When: 7:30pm, Feb. 13 Where: Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown New folks, please join us for lunch Sunday, Feb 24
If you’re new to Trinity Central then we’d love to have you at our Newcomers’ Lunch on Sunday, Feb 24 following the morning service. This is a great opportunity to meet people over some delicious lunch. You don’t need to bring anything except your appetite! If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday.
When: 1:30pm Where: to be decided
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More stories from the PHP Team visit
It’s been a few months since we had Dave Fellingham and the Pursuing His Presence team ministering to us. As we start a new year, it is good to look back and remember all God has done and is doing in us, and to let that inspire us as we look ahead. Pursuing God’s presence is a lifelong adventure, and so I wanted to share two more testimonies from that time to encourage you in your walk with our Father who loves us and loves us to be in His Presence!
ALICIA JERREATI’ve struggled a lot in the last few years with feeling ‘overlooked’: being in the shadows/background, feeling as though I am not good enough, that I have nothing of value to offer. Whether it’s as a friend, serving, stepping out in new areas, whatever – it is a lie that I’ve been fighting for many years that never seems to quite go away. These lies have held me back from stepping out, skewed my perspective of how God and other people see me. They have challenged my sense of belonging, my own worth and my own personality. This last season has had a fair few challenges and I have been struggling with my purpose here in this city and not hearing God’s voice clearly, feeling uncertainty in decisions and whether I am in the right place doing the right things.
At the PHP conference on the Saturday I encountered the Holy Spirit in a very strong way and responded.
I remember hearing others around me being prayed and prophesied over and I wanted God to speak into my battles and struggles through someone else too. Someone briefly prayed for me but I was very much left alone with God. My time with God was refreshing and great but I was very frustrated with God as I felt abandoned and ignored in my struggles. On Sunday I stepped out for prayer again and the same thing happened. I started to question why, when I needed some input and clarity so badly, was God withholding it from me?
The next day during a conversation however, something clicked. Someone reminded me about a gift God had given me and how maybe that was where God wanted me to step out. Suddenly I realised that God had been speaking to me for months about this in small ways, like pieces of a puzzle, and I now had the picture of how all these pieces fit together. I wasn’t being overlooked by God! He had been speaking gently to me and working on my heart through my frustrations and battles.
So while I may not have received any prophetic words or words of knowledge from the Horsham team, and certainly life wasn’t ‘solved’, their visit brought an opportunity for me to engage deeper with God and a realisation that I do not need someone else to tell me what God is saying. I had been hearing from God and I was just waiting on the overall picture to sort out the pieces that didn’t make sense by themselves. It has helped me to have patience for the struggles still ongoing as He is faithful and He will continue to speak to me.
God does love to bless us by speaking into our lives through others though and since that weekend, I’ve actually had 14 prophetic words brought to me by my Trinity family, reaffirming and challenging me. Sometimes there is one life-changing word/weekend/experience but mostly God loves to use us as a family to change each other and to grow together.
SIAN IVES
During the week the Horsham team were here, Jarrett brought a word at the prayer meeting about how he felt there were people who were feeling like they hadn’t connected with the Holy Spirit lately, but He was going to do a new thing in those people. I can’t remember the exact words, but I just felt like it connected with me at the time!
Then in the week following that, I felt like God started to speak to me in the small things, through my day to day. On the Saturday morning [of the Pursuing His Presence conference] I saw two pictures that I felt God speak to me through:
The first one was of the sun rising over the water and I thought how even with a small glimpse of the sun, the water started to reflect His creation. I felt God saying: “I’m the one who shines and you reflect Me”. We just need to soak Him up, and as we go into our day to day we will continue to shine and reflect Him.
The second one was as I drove to the PHP conference – there was a mist over the road ahead of me. The sun still shone through it but there was still this really thick mist and I felt like it was like the Holy Spirit, thick around us. We can see the mist but can’t touch or feel it, but it’s there and this mist is gentle and as it’s feeding God’s earth, watering it, it mirrors how the Holy Spirit is gently sustaining and feeding us. We can’t mould the Holy Spirit, we just need to let the Spirit mould us and gently do His thing.
At the meeting as we worshipped I felt like my hands were dripping with dew, and it felt like the Holy Spirit was doing that exact thing to us. His Presence was thick and drenching us; feeding us and pouring Himself into us and we will “drip Him”, and the overflow will be onto others.
I was battling with whether to bring these pictures, and when I finally got the courage to, there wasn’t enough time!
Then I felt like what Dave Fellingham brought throughout the meeting was totally bringing those pictures to life! He spoke from Psalm 80 where it repeats three times saying ‘make your face shine down upon us’ (NLT) like how God had spoken to me through the sun that morning and he went on with the words “for some of you the Holy Spirit is like a mist in the room gently doing its thing” and that was what I had felt and even written down before he brought it!
I found that so encouraging and affirming, that even though I didn’t get to bring those words, that God still spoke to me so clearly and that He still made His encouragement known!
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. – Psalm 16:11The post More stories from the PHP Team visit appeared first on Trinity Central Church Vancouver.
What’s on in January at Trinity Central?
We are gathering together to worship God every Sunday morning at Yaletown and evening at UBC(now at a new location: Carey Theological College). Coffee is served from 10am and the service begins at 10:30am. You are very welcome to worship with us! Family Meeting for Members Wednesday, Jan. 9
If you are a Member of Trinity Central, you are warmly encouraged to join us for the Family Meeting. We will be meeting in the common room at Steve and Milly Jones’s building. We will review 2018, look forward to 2019 and pray together.
When: January 9 from 7:30-9:30pm Where: 518 Moberly Road, Vancouver Join us for the Week of Prayer Jan. 22, 23, 24
We will be launching the new term with a Week of Prayer. There will be morning and evening prayer on Tuesday January 22nd, Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th. More details regarding location to follow shortly, but please do plan to pray with us. These are significant times for us as a church as we worship God, seek Him, and hear from Him. Come celebrate with us on Vision Sunday, January 27th
We will be celebrating out 7th anniversary as a church at the end of January. We’ll be giving thanks to God for seven great years, as well as looking to what God will do in and through us. We have much to celebrate! Please come to our Newcomers’ Lunch Sunday, Jan. 27
There’s no better way to meet people than at our monthly Newcomers’ lunches. If you’ve never been to one of our Newcomers’ lunches please do come along. All you need to bring is yourself as lunch will be provided. If you’re interested in coming please let one of our Welcome team know on Sunday or email office@trinitycentral.org.
When: 1:30pm Where: TBA
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No Service December 30, 2018
Please be reminded that there will be NO Trinity Central Church services on Sunday, December 30th at Yaletown OR UBC. We wish you the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years and look forward to seeing you on Sunday, January 6th when we resume our morning and evening services.
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PHP Team Reflections
In October we were privileged to host the Pursuing His Presence team (Dave Fellingham, Jos and Jenni Wintermeyer, Nick Tasquier, Jo and Paul McCulloch, Irene and Keith Brooks, and Roshan and Jen Cheraghvandi) who came from the UK to encourage, equip and bless us. It was a wonderful whirlwind of prayer meetings, business breakfasts, youth hangouts, and the much anticipated Pursuing His Presence conference with Dave Fellingham. We are still enjoying the fruit of this time – God changed us!!
Just have a walk around the church and speak to anyone who was there – they may not have personally experienced healing, liberation, or had a personal revelation, but they will know someone who did. Many among us were healed, set free, and received prophetic words of encouragement and guidance, but even for those who did not, we are all the more encouraged to step out in faith and to be saturated with His Presence in our lives daily!
Here are a few testimonies from the PHP team visit:
Sam Verghese:I was born with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa. This condition has left me with low peripheral vision, complete night blindness, and partial color blindness.
After the team from Horsham came – there were two people, particularly Nick and another guy – and they prayed for me and had some prophetic words about God restoring my vision in my eyes. As they prayed as a team and the whole church began to pray, I started to realise that spots in my eyes that had been there had started to disappear, and that I was able to see things in my periphery that I have never seen before. Although the healing has not been complete and although I am still praying that God will continue to heal, I am so grateful to God for what He has already done and I have faith for complete healing at a time to come!
Grace Coggan:The week leading up to the conference, God had been speaking to me about my personal worship and stepping out in worship. He was speaking to me about growing that part of my life that gives me life and gives me freedom. I felt like for such a long time I had been trapped in that area, [but] I felt like now my personal worship at home was just exploding and I was having amazing times with God! This meant that when I went to church and it was corporate worship it was so easy to get into worship, even when the kids were running around beside me, because I already had that strong connection with God.
During the week the Horsham team were visiting I had been talking to Jos and Jen about how to bridge the gap in the stage I’m in, and they were just kinda praying for me, praying that God would speak… I felt I heard God speak, but you know you second guess it sometimes?? And so on the Saturday at the Pursuing His Presence Conference, Nick had a prophetic word for someone he called out as a “star”, and then as he was saying that he said that “the girl has star tattoos behind her left ear”, and there was no way he had seen that I had that and I knew this word was for me!! He basically said that my worship was special to God, and that it meant something and that He saw it.
It was just incredible for me, and it really solidified lots of things in my heart, and the awesome thing was that Jos and Jen and Sam were involved in the process and seen what was happening behind the scenes back at home, and so for that to happen on the Saturday was just an awesome thing! It reminded me that God is a personal God, and I was so encouraged thinking about how God knows our insecurities and the things we’re struggling with, and He also knows the things we are pressing forward with and trusting in Him for. I was so encouraged that He just wanted to reveal to me that He says: “I see everything you feel, and I’m pleased with it”, and it was just a confirmation to keep pushing forward in it, to keep seeking Him, because He has and is glorified through it.”
Liezl Vander Woude:The Horsham visit was really a ‘reset’ for me spiritually. I had become quite discouraged and felt really far away from the things of the Lord: unexcited about church life and even my personal walk with Jesus. I had become quite negative and very self critical – even a little bit hopeless.
On the Saturday morning of the Pursuing His Presence conference, while Dave Fellingham was teaching from the Bible, I felt the Holy Spirit confirm over and over to me: “You know this, you love this, you know the Scriptures, you love Jesus. This Truth is what brought you to your knees in the first place. The first time you experienced the freedom that comes with knowing Jesus Christ was when you truly believed this and nothing has changed…” I can really say that as Dave spoke my first faith returned to me!!
Afterwards, as we were worshipping and prophetic words were coming, every word seemed relevant to me. Pointing me to Jesus! Every contribution seemed to take us farther down the road and finally ending in a complete love song towards the Lord. Thankfulness for His enduring love, for His steadfastness and for His faithfulness towards us.
At the very end, Nick pointed me out specifically amongst other people with a word of knowledge. It sealed what had already been happening in my heart. God saw me and was encouraging me to stay in the light: to believe that His Spirit was at work in my life and to avoid choosing dark unbelief over the light of His Spirit.
When I look back on all the different words that people had received from Nick, who didn’t know them at all (but I did!) it struck me that there was a common thread. Through words of knowledge God chose something true of each person, something that was particularly true of each individual and encouraged them in that. I found that so instructive and it revealed to me so much of the heart of God towards His children: there might be many things wrong in your life, but He focuses on a specific good thing in your life and He encourages you in that. He builds us up! I was so struck by God’s goodness to us as a church, and obviously to me personally, that I just thought: “My! Clearly the Lord is among us!!”
What a blessing Dave Fellingham and the Horsham team were to us, and I so hope their hearts were full and their bags were overflowing with gifts from the Lord as they went home because they blessed us so incredibly. I’m very thankful that they took the time and made the effort to come and be with us.
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