Grace Chapel - San Diego

This week Peter Varberg had the opportunity to interview David and Shelly Alvarado. David and Shelly have been married for over 30 years, so their testimonies are very tied together. However, they both have their unique walks with the Lord, so we’ll be hearing from them individually. This first week, we hear from Dave, whose testimony echoes the many who have had to walk through addiction with the Lord but can thankfully claim victory today with Jesus.

Over the next four months, we will hear testimonies from many of our congregation members, young, old, and everywhere in between.This week we hear from Charlotte Gore. She has a fascinating and challenging growing-up story. Charlotte also has a remarkable testimony around God’s provision throughout her life, which has not been an easy road. We are confident you'll get to know Charlotte better by hearing her story, and as always, see that our God is indeed a faithful God looking out for his children. 

All testimonies are powerful and God-honoring, but sometimes we can use a little extra help expressing them. Over the last two weeks, we've heard powerful and vulnerable testimonies from Lisa Pigeon and Ted Son. And for the rest of the season, we'll be continuing to feature testimonies from the congregation members of the gathering. Maybe even including yours. Today, we're doing something a little different. Peter Varberg will walk through a 30-minute training on how to share your testimony. Hopefully, this will help give you some confidence to share about God's faithfulness in your life. And if you feel like God is prompting you to share more widely, you can reach out to Peter Alannah or me. And we can talk about getting you on this podcast in this series. 

Last week we kicked off with Lisa Pigeon, a must-listen if you haven’t heard. It’s a story of betrayal and healing. Today we hear from Ted Son, who has found himself on the other side of a betrayal, but the Lord’s faithfulness is no less present and no less powerful. Our host Peter Varberg explores the topic of personal addiction with Ted, an issue that we often keep quiet on, but one that almost every person has experienced or has a closed loved one that has wrestled through it. This is one of the most honest and vulnerable conversations we have ever had on this podcast, and I want to commend Ted on his courage to have this conversation. I hope you enjoy the conversation and can see just how profoundly the Lord is working in Ted’s life and our church through testimonies like this.

Over the next four months, The Gathering Church Podcast will be exploring testimonies from a number of our congregation members, young, old, and everywhere in between. We are kicking off what will become our most extended series yet, with Lisa Pigeon. Lisa is someone you have definitely interacted with at Church, whether it's a Serve Sunday or at our welcome table on a worship Sunday. If you have ever interacted with Lisa, you probably experienced her as friendly, inviting, and warm. While you may have met Lisa, you may not know Lisa, so today, you get a front-row seat to Lisa's testimony about the power of God to transform her life. You'll hear about some of the darkest moments of life, which also happens to be where Jesus shines most brightly. 

This February, we are exploring an often forgotten people group within churches, especially smaller churches, and that's singles.Over the last two weeks, one of our Hosts (and eligible bachelor, Peter Varberg) interviewed other singles on what it's like to be single and advice and wisdom on navigating it. In today's episode, I had an opportunity to interview Peter on his journey through singlehood and what lessons God has taught him along the way. This is a rich and vulnerable conversation, and it's a great one to round off this month's topic of singlehood.Yesterday was Valentine's day; make sure you message one of your single friends that you love them.

Welcome to this week's episode of the Gathering podcast. This podcast is all about helping you experience the abundant life that Jesus promised. This February, we are exploring an often forgotten people group within churches, especially smaller churches, and that's singles.Last week we heard Peter Varberg interview author and host of the Heart of Dating Podcast, a podcast focused on helping empower Christian singles navigating dating in today's world. We shift gears this week and hear a powerful testimony and conversation with our very own Janet Baker. Janet lived most of her life single most of her life, until marrying Greg. You can listen to that love story on our podcast from this Valentine's Month series last year. The link is in the show notes.In this episode, Janet shares the struggles of being single, especially for so long, and offers a wealth of wisdom to those single today. This is a must-listen for anyone single, knows a single, or knows and loves Janet.

It is February, and Valentine's day is just around the corner. We wanted to focus on relationships this month, but we are doing something a little different in 2022. We are talking about singlehood and the various joys and challenges of being single. Today, Peter Varberg interviews Best Selling Author, Coach, Speaker, and fellow single Kait Warman, the Heart of Dating Podcast host. Kait and Peter dive into Kait's story a little bit and get some practical advice for those who are single and perhaps struggling through singlehood. This is a great crash course in what it's like to be single if its been a while for you, and without a doubt, you are in a community with singles. We hope this is insightful, maybe even educational, but definitely encouraging for those who are single. 

This week we hear from Lisa Thompson and Lisa Pigeon, who lead our serve first Sundays.In this conversation, Alanna Sullivan covers a lot of ground with Lisa and Lisa. They talk about the history and genesis of serving first at the gathering and why service is important to cultivate in a church.They also beautifully recap the serve-first projects from 2021, some of the behind-the-scenes fruit from those projects. Lastly, they give us a preview of what to expect in 2022 and a call to all of us to get involved. 

This week we join Host Alanna Sullivan in a conversation with Becky Friberg and Danielle Bergen around Kids and Youth Ministry. They share about their love for children and kids' discipleship but don't shy away from their tasting and struggles through the ups and downs of ministry and life. They share their heart for the ministry and what we are trying to achieve through kids and youth at the gathering, and they talk a bit about how you can get involved. You don't want to miss this super vulnerable and inspiring conversation.

The Gathering Podcast will be focusing on ministry leaders from the church this month. The first is Jared Nepute, The Gathering's Worship Leader. Jared shares a little about his testimony, how he got into music, and by extension worship. He also shares some plans he has this year to help develop a Heart of Worship within the congregation. 

In the 1980s, the founder of Horizon Christian Fellowship here in San Diego decided to expand the mission of the fellowship and start a discipleship school focused on making missionaries to help reach the world lost. That man was Mike Macintosh, and he invited our very now Pastor, George, into the program in the late 80's. That program was called HSE, and it was influential in George becoming a missionary. After a decade plus of missions work, George was then invited to take oner the program as director. This episode is all about the Genesis of HSE, how it let to Impact 195, and how that is leading to Impact today. Lately, the episode explores what the new Impact program will look like, who it is for, and how you can get involved. This is the final episode in our 100 days to Impact series. 

We hope to see you this Friday for our Christmas Eve Service starting at 4PM at The Gathering Church at Grace Chapel.We will finish our our 100 days to Impact Series with George Clerie next Tuesday. 

This week on the Gathering Church Podcast we continue our journey of 100 days to impact by exploring stories and testimonies from those who attended and who served at HSE and Impact195. Today our host Peter Varberg interviews Co-Host, Alanna Sullivan, and The Gathering's Podcast Editor, Aeron Sullivan. In 2016 Alanna and Aeron's world was rocked when they came to faith, found God, and were led to Impact. The title of this Podcast says it all. We hope you enjoy part II of II.

This week on the Gathering Church Podcast we continue our journey of 100 days to impact by exploring stories and testimonies from those who attended and who served at HSE and Impact195. Today our host Peter Varberg interviews Co-Host, Alanna Sullivan, and The Gathering's Podcast Editor, Aeron Sullivan. In 2016 Alanna and Aeron's world was rocked when they came to faith, found God, and were led to Impact. The title of this Podcast says it all. We hope you enjoy part I of II.

Today our host Peter Varberg interviews Nick Yates. Nick has an amazing energy I think you’ll enjoy, and an even more amazing journey and testimony, being part of the one and only class to participate in Horizon School of Evangelism and Impact 195. You’ll hear about Nick serving in many capacities from missionary to college pastor, as well as the high’s and lows that have come with his walk with Jesus.Ultimately, Nick offers some insight from the vantage point of someone who is now in marketplace ministry about how identity and purpose transcend the ministerial or pastoral titles we sometimes wear as we partner with God in his Kingdom. 

Jen Law helped found a non-profit called Hopestart with Frederick Clerie. If you have been around Impact or The Gathering, you have probably heard about Hopestart. Today, our host Alanna Sullivan interviews Jen Law about how the Lord used Impact to lead her to Hopestart, its impact on the children and families of Haiti, and finally, how you can partner with Hopestart. It is also a wonderful testimony to how the network of relationships created at Impact has helped build Hopestart.

Today our host Alanna Sullivan interviews Renee Keven on her experience with Impact over 10 years ago. No journey with the Lord is direct, and Renee vulnerably shares her very real story that shows us that Impact continues to make an impression on the lives of graduates well after they graduate.Special Announcement: The Gathering Church is hiring two full-time positions. The first is for a Communications Manager who will be responsible for all outgoing and internal communications at The Gathering. Think of it as a hybrid position (50% Marketing & 50% Volunteer Coordination).The second is for a Impact Manager who will be responsible for driving operations and pastoral care at Impact School of Discipleship Launching in January.

We are on the journey of 100 days to impact by exploring stories and testimonies from those who attended and who served HSE and Impact195. Today, our Host Peter Varberg dives into Greg & Janet Baker’s story of how they ended up at Impact, the impact it had on them, and how it even helped lead to their love story. Special Announcement: The Gathering Church is hiring two full-time positions. The first is for a Communications Manager who will be responsible for all outgoing and internal communications at The Gathering. Think of it as a hybrid position (50% Marketing & 50% Volunteer Coordination).The second is for a Impact Manager who will be responsible for driving operations and pastoral care at Impact School of Discipleship Launching in January.

Scott and Dina were both catapulted into their life with Jesus through Horizon School of Evangelism (HSE), and then were brought into the ministry that came out of HSE, Impact 195. Hear the story of Impact, and more about what Impact offered its students. The Gathering is looking to launch a discipleship school, like Impact, later this year, and this gives you a foretaste of what may be to come!