This is Good News! A Story from Heartland, A Church Connected
Board members from Heartland, A Church Connected. From left to right: Christine Werenich, Vaneeda Joyekurun, Grace Jose, Pastor Fraz Mirza, Wendy Beckles, Elizar Flores, Francis Blaboe and Paul Lapointe.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1, ESV). Heartland, A Church Connected, and lead pastor Fraz Mirza, officially marked the dedication of their new building with a celebration service and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday, September 18, 2022, in Mississauga, Ont.Invited guests included Brad Butt, VP Stakeholder Relations for the Mississauga Board of Trade and former MP for Mississauga-Streetsville, Kaleed Rasheed, MPP for Mississauga-Cooksville, Rob Higgs, Peel Police Superintendent (on behalf of Nishan Diraiappah, Peel Police Chief), Ward 3 (Mississauga) Councillor Chris Fonseca, Mr. David Parker of Parker Architects Inc., and Mr. Bernie Gerber of Kembic Construction. David Wells, general superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, sent video greetings, as well as Jason Small, the district superintendent for Western Ontario.
Former pastors were acknowledged, including former pastors Don and Carol Anne Noble (1991-1996). Pastor Don has gone to be with the Lord, but they were grateful that Carol Anne could be with them for the celebration day. Pastor Joel Spiridigliozzi (2013-2019) sent a video greeting. He pastored at Heartland along with his wife, Sylvia. Pastor Kelvin Honsinger and his wife, Mary Lynn (1988-1991), were present. Pastor Kelvin shared some words of encouragement and offered a word of prayer during the morning’s worship service. He planted the church 34 years ago with his wife, Mary Lynn Honsinger, when it began as Central Pentecostal Church on Traders Boulevard in Mississauga with 30 people present. Pastor Gary Stagg and his wife, Ruth (1996-2011), were also in attendance. Former staff members were also invited and attended.
Pastor Mirza was commended for his leadership of the church through the COVID-19 pandemic while navigating the transition to the new building. He expressed thanks for all God has done, acknowledging that the Heartland community did not get to that point on its own. He noted that the celebration was a milestone reminder of the series of people and investments that made Heartland what it is today—people who laid a foundation of hard work, vigilance, success and even failure. “I recognize that I’m just another person, holding the baton, doing my part, just like everybody else. We didn’t get here on our own. In fact, our part is merely one part in the grand tapestry that God has woven together with love, vigilance and faith. In any way that you showed up, served, gave or prayed, God has used it all to be a part of this grand tapestry that we call Heartland – A Church Connected. And while we have laboured, we are also here today because we recognize that we are not the Master Builder.”
Pastor Fraz cautioned against the danger of forgetting the church’s true mission. “While the building is a blessing to us, we can never lose sight of the fact that God has called us to do something with this facility—He has equipped us [with it] that we might do good works in Jesus’ name, that we might tell people how much God loves them, and that love might change their lives from the inside out. That’s why we’re here—to tell people that Jesus loves them, that God has a plan for their life.”
Join Heartland’s services on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Visit https://achurchconnected.ca.
Congratulations, Heartland!
Heartland Church Board, Building Committee and special guests and dignitaries.
Mark Beckles, chairman of the Building Committee at Heartland, A Church Connected.
Kevin Parks, associate pastor at Heartland, A Church Connected.
Fraz Mirza, lead pastor at Heartland, A Church Connected.
Photography by Grace DM. Photos © Heartland, A Church Connected.
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