From Pastor Keith _______________

Keith Lockhart, D.L.M.

Riding God’s Wave…together

Southern Georgian Bay is well known for its beaches. Wasaga Beach has bragging rights to being the longest fresh water beach in the world. We don’t have the Beach Boys or Jan & Dean or surfing to the extent that California does, but we do have waves. Surfing is the art of riding waves that God builds. God makes the waves, surfers just ride them.

“I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar. ”Isaiah 51:15

Only God can create waves – waves of revival, waves of growth and waves of spiritual receptivity. Our job as church leaders is to recognize a wave of God’s Spirit and ride it.

This is a very exciting time in our congregation. I believe God is creating Spiritual waves among us. More and more people are open to hearing the Gospel. As we tell and live out the story of God’s love for us, more and more people are coming to Christ. Because of the many ways God has blessed our ministry here, we have outgrown our facility and need to position ourselves to expand.

Absolutely, the challenge of providing appropriate space where life-change will happen does stretch us and call us to sacrifice.

I invite you to carefully and prayerfully reflect on God’s blessing in your lives and how you may be a part of this amazing adventure.

God is moving, creating waves – let’s catch His wave and “Ride God’s Wave…together!”

Pastor Keith

Our History___________________________________

Wasaga Beach United Church 1998-2007

After a 40 year absence of a United Church in the beach, a committee was formed in October, 1997 to start Wasaga Beach United Church. Public services were held in various buildings as well as parks. Toronto United Church Council purchased the current property which included a Christian school building and portables in 1998. The first service was held in one of the portables Christmas, 1998 with Rev. Tom Lowry leading worship and from January to June 1999 Rev. Rudy Plug from St.John’s in Elmvale led the worship services. Our official opening was Sunday, April 18, 1999. Our first minister, Rev. Fred Snyder, joined us in July, 1999 and before leaving in June 2000, a Plan of Organization was drawn up, and a Constituting Service held, which allowed Wasaga Beach United Church to become a full member of the United Church of Canada instead of a Mission church.

Pastor Keith Lockhart and his wife Margaret joined us in July 2000 and the now growing numbers of members and adherents tackled renovation of the school in earnest to create a “church where people can find their way to God…where everyone’s gifts will be received and shared”.

The call and challenge now is to reach out further to invite those moving to the Beach to share the word of God, to prepare to expand our facilities and to prove that we are alive and well and ready to provide a facility for all ages and meet the needs of the community better. We are excited about the future and where God is leading Wasaga Beach United Church.

Our Plans for the Future

• We are excited about our ministry here at Wasaga Beach United Church. God has blessed us with tremendous growth in our 10 years.
• As we faithfully carry out the opportunities God presents to us our impact on the community becomes greater and greater. It is our belief and desire that we continue to reach out to more and more people with the good news of the Gospel, to make a positive difference in their lives. In order to do this we must expand our facilities to meet those needs.
• On August 19th, 2007 we kicked off an ambitious stewardship campaign, which is taking place over the next 3 years, to raise the funds required for this expansion.
• Out of this two things need to happen:
• First we undertake a mortgage on the property which will give us greater autonomy and second, we position ourselves for continued growth within our congregation. To facilitate this we plan to use the money raised to pay down the mortgage to a workable amount and plan for expansion of our current worship space.
• At this time we are consulting with contractors about doubling the size of our worship space with a basement that would provide for extra amenities. Some of this expanded space has the potential to be used for Nursery School or a Montessori School. We would also be able to host more and larger music venues here instead of renting the Rec Plex. More meeting space would allow for several small group ministries to start up. In fact we are limited only by our willingness to follow God’s leading as God continues to pour out blessings upon us.
• “For unto whom much is given, much is required; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given.” ( Luke 12:48)
• Please join us in “Riding God’s Wave…together!”