God’s Love in the Ordinary: Gathering as a Community

By now, we have seen most of the remaining summer heat leave the Sierras as we
welcome the cooler days and nights of October. Soon, we will move beyond the yearly
dangers of forest fires and hopefully welcome the cooler temperatures, much-needed
rain, and perhaps even a little snow.

October is also the heart of the fall season. It may seem a little early to start thinking
about Thanksgiving and Christmas—even though the resale stores may try to convince
us otherwise! Yet, as we make our way through October, I want to remind our
community about one of Groveland’s great annual gatherings: Trunk or Treat.

This year, Trunk or Treat will be held Saturday, October 31, from 5:00–8:00 p.m. at Mary
Laveroni Park. Gateway Community Church will be there with a trunk full of treats. I
want to encourage everyone in our larger community to come and enjoy what I have
come to call the “Great Groveland Community Get-Together.”

These community gatherings remind us that sometimes God works through the
ordinary. A decorated trunk, a piece of candy, a conversation, a smile, or simply taking
the time to be with our neighbors may seem like small things. Yet God can use ordinary
moments and ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference in someone’s life.

I would also like to invite the men of our community to join us for a Men’s Retreat at Old
Oak Ranch near Sonora, beginning Thursday evening, November 5, through Saturday
noon, November 7, 2026.

The cost is $250 per person, which includes lodging, meals, and the speaker. This
retreat will provide an opportunity for men to step away from the busyness of life, spend
time together, and search for truth while considering what God desires for our lives. For
more information just email Pastor Bob at bobgefc@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing many of you at these upcoming events. Both are opportunities
for our larger community to come together, build relationships, and experience Christ-

centered love. While there is no cost to attend Trunk or Treat, and the community
gathering is offered freely, both events remind us of something far more valuable: God’s
love is a gift freely given to each of us.

My prayer is that Gateway Community Church can continue to be a place where our
mountain community feels welcomed, cared for, and reminded of the love of Jesus
Christ.

Come join us. Bring your family, bring your neighbors, and come as you are. Sometimes
the ordinary gathering of a community is exactly where God chooses to do something
extraordinary.

In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Bob Kandels