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FROM PASTOR ROB
A note from our Lead Pastor
FROM THE TEAM
Notes from each of our staff members
2022 HIGHLIGHTS
Some of our favorite moments from the year
TGP PATHWAY
All about getting connected here at TGP
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175TH ANNIVERSARY
Celebrating 175 years as a church.
PICTURE GALLERY
Photos from throughout the year GENEROSITY
Making an impact in and around the community
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Yesterday, Today and Forever…
God’s unfailing and unchanging love for us has been our focus and celebration throughout this year. His grace and mercy have been present every day of our church’s 175 years. What a blessing to join in with the generations of His redeemed that have come before us, and to work towards leaving a healthy and gospel centered local church for those that will come behind us so that His name can be known
God has graciously allowed us to serve many that have needed tangible expressions of His love, He has drawn over 40 people out of darkness and into new life in Jesus right in our midst, He has given us small glimpses of heaven while we’ve watched dozens identify with Him in baptism and declare His change in their lives We’ve also seen many new families and individuals join us at our Sunday Gatherings, but more importantly we’ve seen them enter into the life of our church and begin to build relationships in the Family of God. He allowed us to steward His resources and has blessed us in miraculous ways financially. God is building His church and I am humbled and excited to be a part of it, I hope you are as well!
2023 presents a number of opportunities for us to continue in the mission that’s God has given us to reach every man, woman, and child with opportunities to hear and respond to the gospel We will continue to walk through our Pathway classes with those that feel led to know more about who we are at TGP, I would encourage you to consider joining us for these classes if you haven’t already While they are helpful for those that are new to our church, they have also been a great help and encouragement to many who have been part of th TGP family for a while We have over 40 people our current Winter 2023 classes and will hav another round off Pathway classes in the Fall
By now you have probably heard some about Gospel Communities, the future of TGP’ers being in life, community and mission together. We have spent this past year equipping leaders and beginning with a small amount of “pilot groups” as we prepare to multiply and provide more opportunity for you to join a GC. Early this year you will be seeing and hearing how you can let us know that you are interested in being involved in a Gospel Community. We currently have another round of leaders that are being trained to begin GC’s in the near future and would love for you to prayerfully consider joining one as they become available
God has blessed us with all of this, and so much more that we can’t even include here He has been beyond gracious to us as as church and the future He has planned for us is bright
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than we could ask or think, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever Amen ”Ephesians 3:20
For Jesus and His Church
Pastor Rob and the TGP Elders
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F R O M T H E T E A M
PASTOR BEN TINSCH - YOUTH & WORSHIP WORSHIP/MUSIC
The Worship ministry exists to Glorify God and help the Church [the family of God] lead worship to God, our Audience of One. We do this by seeking to engage everyone as best as we are able. It has been a privilege to serve with so many wonderful individuals to work toward this amazing goal Over this past year it has been such a blessing to hear the overall voice and volume of the church grow louder and louder as it seems that more are participating in corporate worship To God be the glory! We are grateful for everyone who plays, sings, and leads as a ministry to the Lord and to His Church. They all put in so much preparation and practice time, going above and beyond for the Kingdom
TGP YOUTH
TGP Youth is a ministry that exists to Glorify God by helping students grow to be spiritually healthy followers of Jesus Over this last year God has really been working out some amazing things We made a rather big change when we made the informed decision to separate middle school and high school to different nights This was for the purpose of helping students build good relationships with their peers and youth leaders while creating a better environment to learn about the Bible and grow in faith With this separation of ages we were in need of additional leaders God has brought 9 new leaders to our team that each have a passion for students These leaders are working really well together and have brought a really great spirit to the ministry. Additionally, Nate Zablotny has been able to join our team as an intern from Word Of Life He has been a real help to administrative tasks and helping with student programming including music leadership I am so excited to see what 2023 will bring Thank you to all who serve, pray for, and support TGP Youth
SPENCER WRIGHT - MEDIA
PASTOR MIKE PESCHKA - YOUNG ADULTS & MISSIONS TGP YOUNG ADULTS
January of 2022 was the official launch of TGP Young Adults Over the year, we saw the start of the growth and development of the Young Adult community here at TGP, and God has been so good to us. Our regular gathering is called First Friday, where Young Adults gather on the First Friday of each month for fellowship, to drink coffee, study God’s Word together, and then discuss it in small groups following the message We’ve been digging into an overview of God’s Word, and will continue that journey through 2023 Beyond First Fridays, we have had a number of other Young Adult gatherings, including a couple of topic panels where members of TGP came to discuss and answer questions regarding singleness, marriage, divorce, and family dynamics around the holidays It has been incredibly encouraging to see Young Adults pursue God, His Word, and biblical community
TGP CAFE
The TGP Cafe has flourished over this last year as we’ve made adjustments and changes to the menu, equipment, and staffing. We are now staffing 4 people on Sunday mornings to meet the higher demand, and we are excited to roll out mobile ordering sometime in the new year
UPWARD BASKETBALL/CHEERLEADING PROGRAM
We are anticipating a great Upward program this year with 180 basketball players and 10 cheerleaders The program uses the church building 6 days a week when games begin on January 14th The focus of the devotions this year is faith, focusing on key men and women through the Bible as we walk through Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith Please be praying for the kids and families to come to know Jesus by faith, as most of the players are from our community!
2022 was an exciting year for TGP and our mission heading into it was clearer than ever. Bringing people in and around the good news of Christ Working alongside over 40 tech volunteers I had the opportunity to see the gospel reach hundreds of people online, on TV, and through radio each week Every aspect of audio, lighting, and video is in conjunction with the message of the Gospel, in hope of creating a distraction-free and immersive environment In 2022 we saw consistent virtual attendance, while in-person attendance increased! In 2023 we hope to continue to make the online to in-person transition smooth and encourage our online church family towards discipleship All glory to God as he has been faithful in bringing and connecting many new people within our church body
JOHN PRATT - DEAF
We continued Sunday & Wednesday Bible studies and worship gatherings weekly with an average of 12 Deaf members. Wee saw a slight increase in growth, with an average of 15% which translates into 2-3 Deaf weekly throughout the past six months We had our annual Deaf Christmas party last December and 37 total members (24 Deaf members) attended We have continued with ASL livestreaming with enhanced PIP and best camera quality for the Sunday's worship service with an average of 25 Deaf/Hearing viewers weekly through the Facebook's group page Since Pastor Steve Blann's retirement, we, as a team of the Deaf Ministry, are continuing to work together to make some changes to bolster with the growth of reaching out to more Deaf from the Syracuse area In 2023, we are praying to be able to monitor growth in both the Deaf to reach through the Gospel and reaching out to expand ASL interpreters to help with the Deaf ministry in various ways. We pray there will be more leadership as we continue to roll on through 2023.
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PASTOR LARRY TAYLOR - MISSIONS/DISCIPLESHIP
One of the greatest blessings of this past year has been to participate in Jesus’ Great Commission to His church (Matt 28:18-20) Another has been to help others see the centrality of that commission gain new ground in the life of our church.
DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY
2022 was the first full year that the “Pathway” took shape as the way forward with adults and even entire families participating in all four phases: The Discover Lunch, Foundations, Faith and Family I have especially loved the teaching times in Foundations, Faith and Family. In previous years we attempted to achieve a similar outcome with various programs yet, nothing has caught on quite like the Discipleship Pathway
GOSPEL COMMUNITIES
In 2022 Gail and I had the privilege of joining other TGP leaders to roll out a new small-group concept called, Gospel Communities. In 2020 COVID-19 forced us to suspend LIFE Group activity, which left a large vacancy in our disciple-making efforts What is a Gospel Community, you ask? The term, “Family of Servant Missionaries” can help answer that question Simply stated, Gospel Communities incorporate the “Missionary” emphasis in what it means to be a missionary in the Family of Servant Missionaries In 2023, Gail and I look forward to beginning a new Gospel Community as we release the one we started in 2022 into the Eastwood and East Syracuse areas.
LEGACY SHAPERS
In March we launched Legacy Shapers for TGPer’s 50 and older Legacy Shapers is about finding meaning and purpose in our retirement years by laying up treasures that have heavenly value Our objective is leaving a legacy for our children and grandchildren, our church and our community that can be exhibited in terms of transformed lives. This past October Legacy Shapers participated in the Legacy Coalition’s Grandparenting Summit via a simulcast from Jacksonville, FL We were challenged, changed and charged-up to make a difference in our grandchildren’s lives for the sake of the Gospel
MISSIONS
Giving pastoral oversight to our Missions Team has been a delight once again this year The Lord has given us a great team of servants with hearts for our missionaries Please pray for the Team, led by Tom Major, as they take on the monumental task of evaluating our thirtythree active missionaries faithfully serving daily on six continents in 2023.
In the new year the Missions Team is eagerly pursuing the addition of three new missionary units that reflect Jesus’ description of the scope of the Church’s missionary endeavor in Acts 1:8 Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth
At the end of this report you will find a list of our current active missionaries including where they serve and the mission agencies under which they serve. Thank you for your prayers on their behalf!
GAIL TAYLOR - WOMEN’S MINISTRY
TGP Women’s Ministry exists to welcome all women to our church, to equip them to grow in spiritual maturity and lead other women to do the same With that as our goal, we welcome women in various ways, times and places from MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) to Soul Sisters, a new group started at the end of 2021 specifically for women without a spouse It provides an opportunity within our church to gather socially for fun, fellowship and meaningful conversations
MOPS
There are 38 moms registered this year, 15 from TGP and 23 that have come with a friend, who heard about us from Little Lamb or found us online. We are excited that a young mom placed her faith in Christ for salvation.
BIBLE STUDIES
Following the Pathway classes, we began a women’s Bible study entitled, “Just Open the Door” The emphasis of the study was Biblical hospitality and looking at how Jesus did it. One lady that attended made the decision to place her faith in Jesus for salvation, now her entire family is attending TGP regularly In the fall, over 50 ladies joined together in one of two studies “Just Open the Door” (more than 60 of our TGP ladies have completed this study) and “Job” After two years of Covid restrictions, fall brought the welcomed return of GGW (Girlfriend Getaway Weekend) in September at Camp-of-the-Woods, 56 ladies were in attendance.
CHRISTMAS COFFEE TALK
Jen Schmidt, author of “Just Open the Door” was the speaker 56 of our TGP women served as hostesses for the 472 who attended About 2/3 of that number were women not from our church but friends, family, co-workers and neighbors of our TGP ladies. 33 indicated that they placed their faith in Jesus for salvation that day and 3 more asked to be contacted because they want to know more about Jesus
We are thrilled and excited to see God work through the women of our church - to see them reach out to others around them – and see the response as women accept Jesus’ offer of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life WHAT A PRIVILEGE to be used of the Lord to disciple other women Each of those who responded this year are already connected with a TGP lady who is following up, answering questions and helping them learn from God’s Word.
THANK YOU to the TGP Ministry Team.
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HENRY ZABOROWSKI - OPERATIONS
Last year was a year of transition and 2022 was a year of celebration! TGP celebrated 175 years of Gods faithful provision to our church throughout the years While churches continue to struggle nationwide, we find ourselves to be blessed with rising attendance and a great financial position This year we had over eight thousand more people through our doors on Sunday morning than we did the previous year Numbers often reveal a story but there’s not a Sunday morning that goes by where I hear “Wow, we have so many NEW people here!” Our in-service numbers and online numbers continue to grow each week. It is truly a blessing to be a part of and see our CONNECT team engage these new visitors on Sunday mornings Personal growth as well as financial growth happened this year We set out to raise $175,000 for a hundred and seventy-five years and we exceeded this amount and collected a total of $252,939 What a blessing! September was nothing short of amazing as we celebrated our past and look to our future with praise for all He has done here at the Gathering Place!
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever
NICOLE O’DONNELL - LITTLE LAMB DIRECTOR
It has been such a pleasure to come alongside of our wonderful teachers these last few months God has blessed us with such a caring group of women who pour their talent and love into their students. The children are growing academically and as they learn about God’s love for them I look forward to serving our teachers and families at Little Lamb
JANICE COOPER - TGP KIDS
This past year has been another rewarding year of watching the children grow in their faith and in their friendships! In September we started into our second year of Gospel Project Curriculum where the children will go through the entire Bible in three years! I am so thankful for the many adult and teen volunteers that serve faithfully in our children’s Ministry on Sundays mornings, during Kids Camp and throughout the year! We had another fantastic week of Kids Camp this past June where we were able to share the gospel with almost 200 children! Not long after Kids Camp, an amazing friend went to be with Jesus after a long battle with cancer Jack Davis was only 10 years old, faithful to church, had a bright smile and was certain of his salvation which gives us all peace and hope of one day seeing Jack again in Heaven September brought another start to our Little Lamb Preschool and Kindergarten. We have added 5 new staff to our creative and hardworking team of teachers and assistants! Please continue to pray for this important ministry that many families would understand the love that Jesus has for them
This fall has also brought a change for my family as we have clearly felt the Lord opening the doors for us to join our children in Charlotte, NC. We thank you for allowing me to serve the children and their families over the years I am so please to leave these ministries in the capable and creative hands of Nicole O’Donnell for Little Lamb and Becky Piazza for TGP Kids Both of these women love Jesus and children deeply and will continue on the mission of bringing children to the saving knowledge of Jesus! God is so good all of the time!
This past year was eventful as we said good-bye to two of our long-time staff members, each moving on to different adventures in their lives.
Janice Cooper, our Little Lamb Director and TGP Kids Director, was with us here at TGP for 21 years Janice made sure the school ran smoothly every day leading teachers, teacher assistants, parent volunteers and hundreds of children She also led many special events for both Little Lamb and TGP Kids including Birthday Parties for Jesus, Graduations, Little Lamb Sundays with bake sales, many fundraisers, Trunk or Treat, Family Movie Nights and so much more. Most of all she will be missed as she has lovingly touched many lives of church family. Gary was very active in the church being on the Deacon and Elder Board, he was a member of the orchestra and was involved in many more ways throughout the years Blessings to them as they move on to serve in their new hometown
Jeanette Davis was one of our Administrative Assistants who was with us for over 26 years Jeanette was a very valued employee and is still involved in many ministries throughout the Church including children’s ministry, MOPS, knitting group, missions committee and more. We are very thankful for her time here on staff and will continue to be blessed by her service here at TGP.
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