NOTE: The SRBC Tuesday night Bible study now takes place at Rosemary Heights Elementary School (15516 36 Ave, Surrey, BC. See our Fall 2017 Update for complete info.
As an outreach of Free Grace Baptist Church (FGBC) in Chilliwack, BC it is our desire is to see another Reformed Baptist witness commence in the BC Lower Mainland, west of the Fraser Valley.
Context
At the last church plant meeting in early Spring 2017 decisions were made by FGBC office bearers as to the following:
- Locate a public location in the area for the Surrey Bible study (ideally with some future thought for the church plant itself, though the former would be the initial focus) and;
- Determine ways and means of “getting the word out”.
Social Media and General Advertising | Getting the word out
Meetings have since been held to discuss the FGBC + FGBC-Surrey web and social media items with a view to “getting the word out” about the Surrey FGBC Bible study and future church plant.
Website: To date, considerable work has been done on the church website providing exposure to FGBC-Surrey. Among other items, a menu item has been added named “Surrey Church Plant” as well as a banner “We’re Now in Surrey” that links to an informational page. This can be viewed at www.freegrace.ca and a screen shot is below.
Social Media: Work is being coordinated with a view to utilizing social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) in order to “get the word out” regarding the Surrey Bible study (and later, church plant).
Present Location
Commencing in September 2016, the Surrey-FGBC outreach has been meeting for Bible studies in Surrey at a FGBC members home. This has been going very well, but has been limited in extending the outreach more publicly.
Public Location | Selection Criteria
In Spring 2017, numerous locations were broadly considered and venues contacted, for a public venue location. The set of location and venue criteria that was established were based on:
- Area / Location.
- Maximum geographic pull.
- Availability / Suitability / Price.
Area / Location
The area and location targeted for a public venue has been White Rock & South Surrey. This has been in keeping with the area of the existing FGBC Surrey Bible Study.
Public Venue | Specifics
Below is a summary of research and inquiries that were made into a public location for the Surrey Bible Study and future church plant. The broad public venue location types contacted/and or researched were:
- Hotels
- Surrey schools
- Commercial Warehouse
- Halls
- Arts Building
- Libraries
- Community Curling Rink
- Trailer Park Meeting Hall
- Community Recreation Centre
Public Venue type: Commencing June 20, 2017
Following research and making contact with numerous public venues, a decision was made by the office bearers, in concert to other input, on choosing the Pacific Inn for the Bible study (and possible “option location” for the church plant) which is located in South Surrey.
After visiting the location and various discussions and communications with the Director or Events, on 11 May 2017 a meeting room in the Pacific Inn was secured for every other Tuesday commencing 20th June. On August 1st we plan to commence meeting for Bible study each Tuesday at this location.
Pacific Inn Resort & Conference Centre
This hotel is situated close to the USA border and immediately off HWY 99. It is easily found and recognizable. It is well situated due to the HWY and also has easy access from Langley and the surrounding main travel routes. There is plenty of free parking and, as noted, the location has easy access from Hwy 99, King George Blvd., and 16th Avenue, etc. We are permitted to place signs on the road and in the hotel itself directing people to the Bible study.
Public Venue, in summary:
- Area / Location: South Surrey, near border with immediate HWY 99 access and core travel corridors leading toward it.
- Maximum Geographic Pull: Good location overall.
- Availability: Tuesday PM’s secured.
- Other: ample free parking, elevator/wheelchair + stair access to meeting room, quiet meeting area and large room, hotel will set up and take down chairs (for up to 50-60 people), very good location, easy to find, best hotel pricing we could find, will allow a sandwich board out front on busy King George Blvd., available immediately for Tuesday Bible study, could lead to Sunday services seamlessly in January 2018 depending on availability at that time, and our option.
- For more info: http://www.pacificinn.com/
Maximum Geographic Pull
A map below shows a concentration of the area and location with surrounding area “pull”, meaning the time or distance it would typically take to get to the subject area from the surrounding area.
The centralized blue box in the map below shows the area of the targeted public venue that has emerged and which meets the Selection Criteria noted above. The red lines show the general travel time to/from that blue box area.
What’s next?
In the will of the Lord, Mike Kirkpatrick will be taking the first Bible study at the Pacific Inn on June 20, 2017 at 7:30 PM. Mike will be under the tutorship of Pastor Butler and Pastor Porter during his internship which follows his graduation from the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies at Westminster Seminary, California.
How can I be part of this?
Since the official inception of the FGBC Surrey church plant initiative in September 2016 we have been praying for the following 3 core items, and would ask you to do the same, for the glory of God and the advance of His kingdom:
- That the Lord would provide a called man equipped to lead the Bible study and church plant;
- That the Lord would raise up a core group of committed people to be part of the Bible study and church plant;
- That the Lord would provide us our own building in due course, where the work can be anchored for many years to come.
In addition to the vital aspect and foundation of regular prayer, perhaps you would consider being part of any of the following:
- Web work and social media to help “get the word out” consistently. If you feel this is an area you can contribute, please connect with Tony van Oort.
- When Sunday services commence, it would be wonderful to “borrow” people and/or families in a coordinated fashion each week to drive out to Surrey so that our numbers would fill out as things get off the ground. Perhaps you would consider this in due course (possibly as early as January 2018)?
- Make a special point of praying for, and getting to know, Mike and Jessica Kirkpatrick as Mike interns at FGBC.
- No doubt there are other areas that will emerge that you can be part of as you pray and get behind the work. Please let us know any of your thoughts by speaking with Pastor Butler, Pastor Porter, any of our Deacons, Mike Kirkpatrick, or Howie Jones.
Concluding Remarks
Many thanks to all who have been involved so far and to the family at FGBC who has committed to this work. May the Lord continue to lead and guide in all things, for His glory and the building of His church (Psalm 127:1).
Sola Dei Gloria
