Finding the Right Church
“We had a hard time finding a church that was right for us. When we moved to DFW from Chicago four years ago, we visited a few places, but we noticed nobody greeted us or introduced themselves to us. But at Gateway, we felt loved immediately. We met the sweetest couple, and the wife, Deena, invited me to a women’s group. I was so excited, but then I realized I had a scheduling conflict. So instead, she and her husband took us out to dinner that night.
“Not long after that, we found out why God led us to Gateway. My husband and I are both retired. I had a wonderful career as a dental hygienist for 43 years, but I realized I was giving too much time to things that didn’t fulfill me. And we both based a lot of our lives on our professions.
Gateway Helps the Elderly and the Young
“So when we heard there were volunteer opportunities at Gateway, we signed up and started serving! The opportunities are in abundance—probably more than any other church we’ve attended. You can serve the unborn all the way up to elderly citizens.
“It gives me a ‘joy high.’ That’s what I call it. It’s the satisfaction of knowing we can make a difference in our community.
“I remember the first time I got a ‘joy high.’ I was working at the mobile food pantry at the Grand Prairie Campus. This woman pulled up and had tears in her eyes. She said, ‘My pantry is empty, and I can’t believe all these people are here to help.’ I couldn’t talk long because I had to keep the line moving, but I told her there are people who can pray with her at the end of the line. Then I said, ‘Whatever you’re going through, God will be with you.’
“She squeezed my hand before she drove to get prayer, and that was the moment I realized this is what I’m meant to do. This is my purpose.”
–Jan, part of the Gateway family
Additional Resources
Learn more about local outreach at Gateway
Find a Gateway campus nearby