Church Pro�leLead Pastor

Maranatha Christian Reformed ChurchBelleville, Ontario

Maranatha Church

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Maranatha Church of Belleville, Ontario is seeking a new Lead Pastor who can join us as we move into a new season of ministry, seeking what God has in store for us.

Many years ago, the leadership of Maranatha formally declared that Maranatha belonged to God, giving Him permission to lead His church, pledging to follow Him as the Holy Spirit gave us grace to do so. From the beginning, God honoured that commitment, and the church we are today has emerged from that. We have renewed that pledge over the years, and we have renewed it again in this time of searching for a new Lead Pastor.

Two years ago, we realized we needed to prayerfully discern the kind of church God was calling us to be. A�er 20 days of prayer as a congregation, we gathered for a Discovery Weekend led by Jack Tacoma from Resonate Global Missions. It was a wonderful time of unity for us as a congregation, and a number of themes emerged, not about speci�c strate-gies or ministries, but about the kind of church we are and the church we want to be.

We said that weekend that we wanted to be a church:Filled with fervent prayerInspired to passionate, Spirit-�lled worshipDrawn together into a unity and love for each other in ChristCommitted to valuing and cultivating youth and young familiesPassionate about seeing lost people come to ChristHumbly serving our community in His name

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If that stirs your heart, as it does ours, then you may be the Lead Pastor God is calling here to help lead us into God’s future for Maranatha.

Maranatha is seeking a Lead Pastor who can bring gi�s of leadership into a collaborative partnership with Council, sta� and key volunteers. We are looking for a dynamic and authentic communicator who can connect with all ages, but especially with youth, young adults and young families. We are seeking someone who can help us grow in our faith and in our walk as believers and help us learn how to serve our community in practical ways in the name of Jesus.

Our Lead Pastor will help to implement the key elements of the church we believe God calls us to be:

Modelling prayer in his own life and ministry and seeking to develop opportunities for prayer in the congregation.

Planning and leading Spirit-�lled worship with worship leaders and teams.

Encouraging the congregation to engage in warm and connected community and working with sta� and other leaders to create opportunities for that to happen.

Making a priority of youth, young adults and young families in the life of the church.

Cultivating the passion we have to reach our neighbours for Christ, intentionally designing worship services and ministries that the Holy Spirit can use to draw people to God.

Intentionally seeking practical ways for us to serve our community in the name of Christ.

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Youth helping to lead worship

ABOUT US

OUR HISTORYMaranatha began in 1953 with a group of new immigrants from �e Netherlands who gathered in the local Moose Hall to the smell of beer from the night before. In 1957, the young congregation built a basement in a gravel pit on the edge of town where they wor-shiped for six years until the superstructure was �nally built.

At the time, a pastor told them they were building too big and they would never be able to �ll it. But in the 1990s, the congregation exploded with new believers through Alpha, and we would hold two morning worship services for 18 years! We also hosted Duna-mis Conferences for eight years and grew as a congregation in our knowledge and experience of the Holy Spirit.

�e original property was too small and cramped for any further development. Driven by a vision of a church that could serve as a light to the city and a “hub” to the local Christian community, the congregation began a search for a new property. Maranatha was able to purchase a large 12-acre property on a major arterial route in the city in 1997. In 2003, the church celebrated its 50th anniver-sary in a huge tent on the property and, shortly a�er that, launched a building program that resulted in a new facility in 2008.

�e facility was designed to be a public building – a welcoming and non-threatening place for people who otherwise rarely, if ever, enter a church. �e heart of the building is the worship centre – a fully-equipped performing arts auditorium suitable not only for worship but also for concerts and other performances. It is the largest such venue in the area and has served us and the broader community well.

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We built in a gravel pit

We met in the basement for 6 years

“You’re building too big!”

Too small – even with an education wing!

OUR PRESENT Since our move to a new facility, Maranatha has become a well-known presence in Belleville – people know who we are and where we are. Many have visited the facility, attending various community events that have been held here, and that has helped change the public perception of Maranatha. We are no longer known as “the Dutch church,” but as a place where people have enjoyed a community performance or other event.

We live-stream our worship services, and even before the coronavi-rus, we had the equivalent of a small church joining us online. We are continuing to develop our online presence through Facebook and other media, and we are committed to using all the digital tools available to us. We also regularly see new faces at our worship services.

�e Discovery Weekend clari�ed and focused how we do ministry, and we have seen the fruit of God moving, especially in a small core group of young adults that has emerged over the past year.

OUR VISION - WHERE WE ARE GOINGMaranatha Church is a community of people who love Jesus and love worshipping Him, who want to grow in following Jesus, and who want to share Him with the community around us.

Our vision for the next season is of a church:

• Filled with fervent prayer and vibrant worship, serving others in the name of Jesus in practical, concrete ways.

• Where young families are strengthened and encouraged and young people know Maranatha is their church and not just their parents’.

• Where we will grow in loving Jesus and following Him every day.

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Worship in our chapel

Maranatha today – a very visible presence in Belleville, located on a major city street

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OUR PEOPLEFrom our Dutch immigrant roots, we have grown to encompass a wide variety of backgrounds – fully half the congregation is from a non-Dutch and non-CRC back-ground. We still have our Dutch roots, but also re�ect the community around us.

PROFESSING MEMBERS AND ATTENDANCE

359 Professing Members 290 - 340 Sunday attenders (includes children & volunteers in Kids Up)

THE CONGREGATION BY AGE:

22% Children & Youth 0-19 7% 20-29 years 15% 50-59 years 5% 30-39 years 13% 60-69 years 13% 40-49 years 25% 70 years and older

Enjoying a luncheon in the fellowship hall after a Canada Day worship service

OUR MINISTRIESKids Up – Our Sunday morning program for children JK to Grade 5

Junior High and Senior High Youth programs

Young Adults Group – 18 to 30

Seniors Group – 60+

Friendship Ministry - Averages 75+ developmentally challenged adults, personal workers and mentors

Maranatha Midweek – Weekly dinner followed by small group studies in the fall and spring

Grief Share – Bereavement Support Groups

Marriage Ministry – Provides marriage prep and men-toring, as well as marriage seminars and small groups for couples. �e ministry also has sponsored Valen-tine’s Day events for the whole congregation.

PASTORAL CARE TEAM

A team of volunteers conducts hospital visitation as well as visiting sick and shut-ins and members living in local nursing homes.

SECTION PASTORING

We have divided our congregation into sections based on our auditorium. Each area has at least one couple that makes sure they meet and know everyone who sits in their section on a weekly basis. �ey watch for and welcome newcomers and organize help for people in their sections as needed.

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Pioneer Club opens with worship

Junior High youth retreat Friendship Nativity Pageant

Worship for an outdoor Young Adult chili fest!

OUTREACHWe have a heart for people to know Jesus that goes back to the very beginning with a couple of key members who had a passion for evangelism that was unusual among early immigrant churches. Outreach takes place in various ways:

• By personal invitation to church services or events.

• Vibrant worship and the presence of the Holy Spirit at our worship services.

• Grief Share for bereavement support.

• Marriage Ministry seminars advertised to the broader community.

• Pioneer Club draws mostly community children.

• Junior High and Senior High Youth Groups also draw many community youth.

• Friendship ministers to many developmentally chal-lenged adults and the personal care workers who bring them every week.

• Rentals to community groups and for community events bring in people who might otherwise never enter a church.

• We support local ministries such as a new shelter for the homeless (Grace Inn), our local food bank (Glean-ers), the Belleville Family and Pregnancy Crisis Cen-tre, a home that ministers to women (the New Life Women’s Home) and a downtown open door ministry (NightLight).

• We were deeply involved with other area churches in a Will Graham Celebration of Hope in 2019.

• During the coronavirus, we have been hosting com-munity-wide food drives for the local food bank, homeless shelter and Salvation Army.

• We are playing a leading role in establishing a Chris-tian ministry for Loyalist College students.

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Loyalist Christian Life reaches out to college students

Helping collect for the food drive

Our missionary family in UgandaKathy Vanderkloet

MISSIONSWe currently support Kathy Vanderkloet, a missionary in Nigeria with Resonate Global Missions, and Mike and Marianne Botting and their son Elias, a family connected to our church, serving in Uganda with Emmanuel International.

OUR STAFF TEAMAs a large church, we believe sta� ministry is essential to direct and release the gi�s of the body. �e role of sta� is not so much to lead ministries as to equip and resource volunteers for the task of ministry. �e Lead Pastor’s role is to ensure that sta� and ministries of the church are aligned with the vision and values of Maranatha. �e Lead Pastor is the connection between the sta� team and Council.

Sta� and ministry will always change over time as God leads His church, but we are currently going through a unique time of change. �e coronavirus has profound-ly changed ministry, and it has come during a transi-tion in the sta� team as well, as a number of sta� have retired or stepped down because of other life changes.

Every leave-taking has been healthy, and in the pro-cess, we believe God intends to restructure how we do ministry and how we sta� it. We believe it is also part of a generational change the Lord is working here at Maranatha.

We currently have a full-time Interim Lead Pastor and several part-time sta� positions, including O�ce Administrator, Children’s Ministry/Junior High Youth Coordinator and Custodian.

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Interim Pastor Dave delivers �owers to a nursing home

Shelley shares a children’s message at a worship service

Nancy looks after our o�ce

OUR FINANCES

Maranatha’s annual budget is approximately $850,000, which normally would include four full-time and six-part time sta�. In addition, we are committed to paying a minimum of $100,000 annually against the mortgage principal.

Total annual revenue in recent years has been over

$1M, including budget contributions, contributions towards the mortgage, unbudgeted ministry receipts, income from rentals and catering, and o�erings we take for a variety of other causes.

We started with a mortgage of $2.686M in 2008 but currently owe less than $380,000.

OUR FACILITYCompleted in 2008, our facility is almost 40,000 square feet and is fully accessible, including: A beautiful main auditorium for worship and performing arts A spacious and airy lobby A large fellowship hall An intimate chapel for weddings, funerals and other events A youth hall with mezzanine cafe 11 classrooms A fully-equipped commercial kitchen

�e main auditorium is tiered and can seat up to 1,000 but is usu-ally set up for about 700, which works very well. �e tiers provide good sight lines in services and allow for tables for dinner theatre.

We also own about 6 acres of undeveloped land behind the build-ing and parking lot. We bought extra land in 1997, believing God had a purpose for it later. When we were building, the congrega-tion twice refused substantial o�ers to purchase 3 of those acres because of that vision. We continue to seek His purposes for it.

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Neighbours love to check out our beautiful gardens

Our fully-equipped commercial kitchen

Our tiered auditorium

Fall clean up

LIVING IN BELLEVILLE�e city of Belleville is located on the scenic shores of the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario less than 2 hours drive east of Toronto. �e bay and rolling hills of farm and woodland surrounding the city make for a beautiful area to to raise a family or retire. It’s a great place to live! With a population of just over 50,000, Belleville is the largest urban centre in the Quinte region. About 200,000 people live within 30 minutes of the city.

Belleville’s location on the Bay of Quinte o�ers �shing, boating, swimming and other water activities. Just across the bay is historic Prince Edward County with farms, vineyards and art studios as well as Sandbanks Provincial Park, famous for its sandy beaches. Presqu’ile and North Beach provincial parks are also near by.

Belleville has a small town atmosphere but o�ers big city amenities, including a regional mall (the Quinte Mall), a large hospital, a community college (Loyalist), a large public library and art gallery, a bustling farmer’s market and a number of large parks and many trails for running, walking or biking.

�e Quinte Wellness Centre includes multiple ice surfaces and a pool for swim-ming, an indoor walking track and many �tness and community activities. Bel-leville also has several live theatres, including the Empire, which brings in every-thing from rock and country stars to jazz and blues, and the Pinnacle Playhouse. �e city is also home to the AHL Belleville Senators hockey team, the top minor league a�liate of the Ottawa Senators.

Belleville’s population is largely European in background, but has been becoming more diverse in recent years. Loyalist College has attracted many international students, especial-ly from India. Most of Belleville would say they are Christian (67%), but 30% would say they are not a�liated with any religion.

Belleville includes two Christian schools – Belleville Christian School, which o�ers JK – Grade 8, and Quinte Christian High School.

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The Bay of Quinte o�ers recreational boating and great �shing

Belleville City Hall

Sandbanks Provincial Park is a popular destination in the summer

Trails in and around the city

LEAD PASTOR PROFILE

Maranatha Church is seeking a Lead Pastor who can work with Council and sta� to build a collaborative team that can minister to the congregation of Maranatha Church, provide vision and direction and help us reach our community for Christ.

CHARACTER

• Deeply rooted in prayer, demonstrating a reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Loves Jesus and loves people – those in the church and those who are not.

• Authentic, transparent and humble, yielded to Jesus in all areas of life and ministry.

• A warm personality, able to engage people emotionally.

• Resonates with Maranatha’s vision and mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Divinity based in Reformed Christian theology with a pref-erence for a pastor who is Christian Reformed.

• Pastoral experience of 5 or more years in a mid-size to large church is preferable, although we are open to the right person who may have less experience.

• Experience in leading and collaboratively working with a staff team.

PREACHING AND LEADING WORSHIP SERVICES

• Listening for the Holy Spirit’s direction in preparing biblically-based sermons and leading worship services.

• Clear and compelling gospel preaching with conviction and authority that connects with real life.

• An ability to communicate across generations but especially to youth, young adults and young families.

• Ability to relate in preaching to non-believers as well as believers.

LEADERSHIP

• Collectively discern God’s vision and direction for the church with Council and sta�, listening for the leading of the Holy Spirit.

• Effectively communicate vision to staff, council and the congregation.

• Must have a growth mindset and be open to change and new ways of doing things.

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A young adult skit

• Encourage, mentor and develop other leaders and potential leaders.

OVERSEEING THE STAFF TEAM

• Ensure that ministry takes place effectively, driven by the overall vision and mission of the church.

• Lead staff in weekly meetings.

• Equip and resource the staff team.

• Although ultimately responsible for staff, the Lead Pastor may work with one or two key sta� members or an executive pastor to provide direction and oversight to other sta� and volunteers.

ENCOURAGING OUTREACH AND DISCIPLESHIP

• Seek opportunities to share the gospel through the church’s ministry.

• Encourage and equip the congregation to share Jesus personally.

• Help to develop initiatives to serve Belleville in practical ways in the name of Jesus.

• Work with council and staff to devel-op a “discipleship path” for believers of every age to grow to maturity in Christ.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER CHURCHES

• Represent Maranatha at classis and de-nominational meetings and with other local CRC pastors.

• Perform Classical and Synodical func-tions as appointed, subject to council approval.

• Represent Maranatha at the Belleville Christian Ministries group (which includes both local evangelical pastors and leaders of local ministries) and participate in local initiatives.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

• Reports to Council and is also an ex o�cio member of Council. Council consists of 6 elders and 3 deacons.

• Responsible with Council to establish Vision, Mission and Strategy for the church and to lead the church in accomplishing it.

• Oversees and directs staff team and ministry at Maranatha and reports on staff to Council.

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We sponsored a community-wide food drive during the coronavirus for three local agencies. The results of the drive are superimposed on the photo.

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OUR MISSIONReaching the Lost

Restoring the BrokenEquipping God’s PeopleReleasing the Workers

Jesus said“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full”

John 10:10

We want to be a place where peoplecan meet God and discover community

as they come to life in a whole variety of ways.

Maranatha Christian Reformed Church100 College St. W.

Belleville, ON K8P 2G5

tel. 613-962-2062email: info@maranatha-church.com