Global Focus
A word from Pastor Derrick

Advent is off to a great start at CLA. I hope you received my Christmas card & letter. The congregational letter outlines some important family news for December and January. I know you will enjoy our special online Sunday services. I hope you will come by the Langley Campus this week for Miracle on 56th Ave.

Last week, one of my favorite moments, was meeting over 100 cars that came by on Sunday to pick up their Miracle on My Street Advent Calendars. I hope you have yours. About 700 have been distributed but we still have 50 left. It’s not too late. As I write this, our special Christmas Eve invitations are being delivered to 100,000 homes near our three campuses. Did you receive yours? I hope it’s a reminder to pray for our community this Christmas. Additionally, may it provoke positive conversations with neighbours. Each of us have been placed in a strategic place (within a family, work setting or geography). God wants to shine through you this season. I’m praying you are filled with His love, generosity and boldness. The coming of Jesus was the most important game changer in the history of the world. I’m praying you have opportunity to share this good news.

This is also the first Sunday of December, which means it’s our Global focus. This month we are encouraging you to support our Missions General Account (with a special offering). Every month we need $25,000 to allow our monthly missionary commitments to be met. Together we support 25 missionaries or agencies. If you want a list, please go here and most of them are there.

We have recently raised $70,000 (of our $75,000) for 2200 Boxes of Love, Village of Hope, Africa. This weekend the container was packed, not only with the Boxes of Love but also with supplies and special designations for the ministry in Zambia. We are still hoping that the CLA short term mission team scheduled to go in May will be able to meet the container and deliver the Boxes of Love in person. In November we raised about $10,000 to help support the James Project in Guatemala. Each year CLA sends two teams (men’s and women’s) to be a blessing to this important work. Due to Covid we could not do that this year. Therefore, this gift was a very important gesture of support in challenging times.

In September, CLA raised over $20,000 for Bangladesh pastoral support. These funds were directed straight to pastors and their families who were struggling during the pandemic. They allowed many small churches to carry on ministry when everything was shut down by government. This fall we also continued our support of The Helm in Nova Scotia under the leadership of Kevin & Dawn Bralovich. The recovery centre was able to buy property and renovations have begun.

To date (over the past two years) CLA has raised $697,090 for The Helm. Thank you for your support of missions; in our neighbourhoods, nation and world. Your generosity allows the Kingdom of God to move forward in so many ways.

Whether through our “Help Us Tell the Story” campaign or through helping to build a church in Chennai, India … we are making a difference. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Pastor Derrick Hamre,
Lead Pastor