By Rick Lamothe
Lead Pastor,
I hope you will join me in giving praise to God for His amazing sovereign activities over the last year at
A year ago something happened I thought would never take place. My wife and favourite “buddy” Donna, was called to leave her
This miracle calling came while we were in
The reality is that I am a better man and pastor, much more complete, with my wife right there beside me. I think it’s closer to the Genesis account of Eve being the “help-mate” to Adam. Donna is allowing me to work in my areas of giftedness like I never have before. And the bonus: we are having an amazing time working together.
Then another miracle happened. Ryan and Vanessa Dawson, who have been at Sequoia since our very first Experiencing God Bible study—that’s how we started Sequoia in the fall of 1998—felt the Lord calling them to leave their ministry with Athletes in Action (AIA), of Campus Crusade for Christ, after 15 years of ministry there. For five of those years Ryan was AIA’s national ministry leader. He will soon become the full-time teaching pastor at Sequoia and Vanessa will work alongside Donna to develop “inSPIRE Ministries,” that Donna founded.
I feel the Lord has answered my prayer, that I can be the lead pastor and use my strongest gifts, which are the first three of those described in Ephesians 4:11: Apostle, Prophet and Evangelist. So I joke around saying that I have gone from being the “lead pastor” to being the “lead APE.” Now, as each of us on Sequoia’s staff employs our gifts, we are seeing, as in Ephesians 4:12-16, biblical results.
I have clearly felt the Lord saying, “Now Rick, you are free to be the catalyst for more new things at Sequoia: planting new churches, and also pushing the vision to reality for an Eastern Canada Mission Centre (ECMC) in
For years I have had this vision for an ECMC that would help support and synergize the troops (the churches) on the battle front to accomplish the CCSB’s 2020 vision—1000 healthy, reproducing, cooperating churches and 100,000 baptisms. Since I was a logistic transportation army officer in the Canadian Forces prior to my early retirement call to full-time ministry, I know very well the importance of “third-line support:” support in proximity to the troops on the field in order to help them succeed.
The ECMC will provide that support by housing the following:
God has confirmed our vision by answering another prayer. Harold and Helen Hancock have just retired after 50 years of ministry. For the last 20 of those Harold was the missions pastor at
I believe strongly in the Ephesians 3:20-21 prayer: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Please pray earnestly for the reality of this prayer because it’s all about God’s glory and having His power evident and at work in our lives.
We praise the Lord for His amazing sovereign activities. He is at work here and we are joining Him!