July 2019 marks a milestone for the Toronto Christian Community Church and 105 Gibson Centre. Rev. Dr. Harding Ng, founder of 105 Gibson Centre, retired this month after serving as TCCC’s Senior Pastor for 21 years. Rev. Jonathan Chan, 105 Gibson Centre’s General Director since 2013, will succeed him. We thank Rev. Ng and Rev. Chan for their vision in serving the community and for setting the foundation for the team to move ahead from here.
We welcome Pastor Raymond Lee as our incoming Executive Director. He is not completely new to us, as he has been our Community Services Manager and is transitioning out of this role. In his new role, he will be providing pastoral care to the staff, users and volunteers, and leading the Centre in serving more in the community.
What is your general background and how does that relate to the ministry of 105 Gibson?
I have a degree in Computer Engineering and have recently graduated from Tyndale Seminary with a Master of Divinity in Counselling. In between the two degrees, I have worked with homeless/at-risk youths at Youth Unlimited, and at Evergreen Hospice as their In-house Support Worker.
I also served at Richmond Hill Christian Community Church for over 15 years in different capacities, including a pastoral care team member, junior high fellowship leader, adult Sunday School teacher, adult small group and fellowship leader.
Through these experiences I have learned to journey patiently with people with various needs. This can help me to define the Centre’s strategic direction and to execute it with our teams.
How do you see 105 Gibson as a community?
105 Gibson is a community of people and not just a service-offering Centre, and I plan to invest in its people. I will intentionally foster a culture where staff are empowered to seek self-awareness and internal transformation. It is only through understanding about oneself that we can move forward as a team to serve and transform the community.
I also plan to spend time with our users, listening and understanding their needs so that the Centre can respond appropriately. Many of our existing programs and services are designed and launched based on understanding people’s interests and needs.
If you were to describe the Centre in one word, what would that be?
Love. We reach out to the community because of love. It is what I aspire to see at the Centre and for it to be the essence of what happens here. I wish for our users to see our love of them above the programs offered, and to be motivated to come to the Centre because of that engagement. After all, the Bible teaches us that people would know we are Christians if we love one another. (John 13:35)