We Give Thanks
By Ryan Dawson
Life is better when we give thanks! The writer of Psalm 100 reminds us to make it a practice of giving thanks to God for His ongoing goodness to us as His children.
Psalm 100
A psalm of thanksgiving.
1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
God is faithful and He has been so good to us as a church. Here are a few things we have seen God do this year in and through our church family. We give thanks…
•For the 9 baptisms we witnessed in 2024 (Anna, Mia, Will, Silas, Michel, Anne, Lindi, Aarinola, and Peter.
•For the increased desire and commitment to seek God in prayer through our Prayer Summits, Sunday Prayer Starts, and our Tuesday Zoom Prayer call.
•For the various people and Impact Communities committed to help raise money on the Coldest Night of the Year, in support of Jericho Road & The Mission.
•For the many people who picked up the 90 Day Gospel Reading Challenge, meeting Jesus in the 4 Gospels over 90 days.
•For the Kids Alpha course that was launched as a pilot in the Spring.
•For the two mission trips, where we sent 8 to the Dominican Republic in March & 10 youth & leaders to Mexico in August.
•For the numerous Child Dedications and the families committed to raising their children in the Way of Jesus.
•For the IF women’s conference in partnership with Cedarview Church.
•For the city-wide Capitalyze conference in May that helped cultivate unity and equip churches to reach the city together.
•For No Other Name (April) and the Change Conference (Oct.) where our Youth were encouraged to go deeper with Jesus.
•For the 26 Sundays we spent with Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount message series.
•For the opportunity to bless our OCS teachers and staff with a year-end lunch, compliments of Sequoia.
•For the privilege of blessing our community through the Big Give, & the Canada Day outreach.
•For the 5 Round Tables where we (as staff) listened to our Sequoia family to hear your heart for our church.
•For the 7 Movies in the Park, as a tangible expression of kindness to our community.
•For the 100 kids and 40 helpers who encountered the goodness of God at our "Journey through the Jungle" Sequoia Day Camp.
•For the 54 participants and 20 helpers at our Athletes in Action / Sequoia Multi-sport camp who grew in their faith.
•For the inspiring visit from Aaron Richert, who serves internationally with Tessa and their children in Dubai, U.A.E.
•For the privilege of using the Sequoia Fun Cruiser at the Ottawa Christian School Welcome Back kickoff.
•For the launch of the STEM class in Kids Ministry (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math).
•For the Grade 7 & 8 monthly class on Sundays so our preteens can grow more effectively.
•For the Kids ministry Vault Training, attended by several of our amazing Kids Min team.
•For the 2 serve Sundays where we saw over 40 people commit to serve in some way.
•For the launching of 2 new church plants connected to Sequoia. Restoration for All with Thierry & Ella (Jan.) and Greatness Church with Dayo & Seyi (Sept.)
•For the opportunity to celebrate with David and Diana Hood and their team at Southeast City Church as they celebrated the church’s 5year anniversary. (David and Diana served at Sequoia as church planting interns prior to launching SECC).
•For the Community Table Food Drive in partnership with The Gathering Church over Thanksgiving.
•For the 16 couples who took the Alpha Marriage Course and made a commitment to invest in their relationship.
•For the $6400 that was given (and those who gave it) toward the mission in the Dominican Republic.
•For the great opportunity to partner with our Urban Missionaries to bless people in our community at Christmas.
•For the generosity of all who give so faithfully to support the vision and mission of Sequoia Church. Thank you!
•For the countless hours invested by the members of our church family in God’s work, in and through Sequoia. You are a blessing, and we thank God for you!
Lord, for all these things and many more, we give you thanks! You are a faithful God and we give you praise and honour. Thank you for blessing us in so many ways this year. Help us to trust you in the days ahead so we continue to see your goodness and grace. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that we might be faithful to your good purposes. Amen.
It is a joy to serve the Lord with you. Thank you for being a blessing.
I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Blessings, Ryan
Life is better when we give thanks! The writer of Psalm 100 reminds us to make it a practice of giving thanks to God for His ongoing goodness to us as His children.
Psalm 100
A psalm of thanksgiving.
1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
God is faithful and He has been so good to us as a church. Here are a few things we have seen God do this year in and through our church family. We give thanks…
•For the 9 baptisms we witnessed in 2024 (Anna, Mia, Will, Silas, Michel, Anne, Lindi, Aarinola, and Peter.
•For the increased desire and commitment to seek God in prayer through our Prayer Summits, Sunday Prayer Starts, and our Tuesday Zoom Prayer call.
•For the various people and Impact Communities committed to help raise money on the Coldest Night of the Year, in support of Jericho Road & The Mission.
•For the many people who picked up the 90 Day Gospel Reading Challenge, meeting Jesus in the 4 Gospels over 90 days.
•For the Kids Alpha course that was launched as a pilot in the Spring.
•For the two mission trips, where we sent 8 to the Dominican Republic in March & 10 youth & leaders to Mexico in August.
•For the numerous Child Dedications and the families committed to raising their children in the Way of Jesus.
•For the IF women’s conference in partnership with Cedarview Church.
•For the city-wide Capitalyze conference in May that helped cultivate unity and equip churches to reach the city together.
•For No Other Name (April) and the Change Conference (Oct.) where our Youth were encouraged to go deeper with Jesus.
•For the 26 Sundays we spent with Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount message series.
•For the opportunity to bless our OCS teachers and staff with a year-end lunch, compliments of Sequoia.
•For the privilege of blessing our community through the Big Give, & the Canada Day outreach.
•For the 5 Round Tables where we (as staff) listened to our Sequoia family to hear your heart for our church.
•For the 7 Movies in the Park, as a tangible expression of kindness to our community.
•For the 100 kids and 40 helpers who encountered the goodness of God at our "Journey through the Jungle" Sequoia Day Camp.
•For the 54 participants and 20 helpers at our Athletes in Action / Sequoia Multi-sport camp who grew in their faith.
•For the inspiring visit from Aaron Richert, who serves internationally with Tessa and their children in Dubai, U.A.E.
•For the privilege of using the Sequoia Fun Cruiser at the Ottawa Christian School Welcome Back kickoff.
•For the launch of the STEM class in Kids Ministry (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math).
•For the Grade 7 & 8 monthly class on Sundays so our preteens can grow more effectively.
•For the Kids ministry Vault Training, attended by several of our amazing Kids Min team.
•For the 2 serve Sundays where we saw over 40 people commit to serve in some way.
•For the launching of 2 new church plants connected to Sequoia. Restoration for All with Thierry & Ella (Jan.) and Greatness Church with Dayo & Seyi (Sept.)
•For the opportunity to celebrate with David and Diana Hood and their team at Southeast City Church as they celebrated the church’s 5year anniversary. (David and Diana served at Sequoia as church planting interns prior to launching SECC).
•For the Community Table Food Drive in partnership with The Gathering Church over Thanksgiving.
•For the 16 couples who took the Alpha Marriage Course and made a commitment to invest in their relationship.
•For the $6400 that was given (and those who gave it) toward the mission in the Dominican Republic.
•For the great opportunity to partner with our Urban Missionaries to bless people in our community at Christmas.
•For the generosity of all who give so faithfully to support the vision and mission of Sequoia Church. Thank you!
•For the countless hours invested by the members of our church family in God’s work, in and through Sequoia. You are a blessing, and we thank God for you!
Lord, for all these things and many more, we give you thanks! You are a faithful God and we give you praise and honour. Thank you for blessing us in so many ways this year. Help us to trust you in the days ahead so we continue to see your goodness and grace. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that we might be faithful to your good purposes. Amen.
It is a joy to serve the Lord with you. Thank you for being a blessing.
I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Blessings, Ryan