Don't Give Up on the Church
By Cathie Ostapchuk
Over the past week, so many of you wrote to us after reading A More Beautiful Church Is Possible. Your words reminded us that behind every conversation about women and the Church is a real person with a real story.
Some of you wrote with joy, describing churches where your gifts have been welcomed and your faith has flourished. Others shared stories that were much harder to read - stories of disappointment, misunderstanding, loneliness, and seasons when you quietly wondered whether there was still a place for you.
If that is your story, we want you to know something.
We see you.
More importantly, Christ sees you.
We also know that for some women, remaining in a particular church, ministry, or leadership environment is neither healthy nor safe. There are situations marked by abuse, manipulation, or spiritual harm, and choosing to leave those environments may be the wisest and most faithful decision you can make. We would never ask you to remain where your dignity, safety, or well-being is continually compromised.
But we also want to say this gently.
Please don't confuse leaving a harmful place with leaving the Church.
Jesus has not given up on His Bride.
And neither have we.
At Gather, we believe the Church is still God's beautiful, imperfect, hope-filled plan for the world. She is still becoming. She is still being refined. And she still needs women who love Jesus enough to pray for her, serve within her, strengthen her, and help her become more like Christ.
The Church needs women who teach children, welcome strangers, lead ministries, ask wise questions, offer compassionate leadership, open their homes, mentor younger women, pray faithfully, exercise discernment, extend hospitality, and quietly reflect the character of Christ in countless unseen ways
Please don't underestimate what God has entrusted to you.
Your presence matters.
Your faithfulness matters.
Your voice matters.
Your discipleship matters.
This is why Gather exists.
We refuse to let another generation of women
quietly disappear into the background of the Church
because no one reminded them
that they were deeply loved by God
and deeply needed by His people.
We are here for female disciples who want to know Christ more deeply, love His Church more faithfully, and discern where and how He is calling them to serve in this season of their lives.
If you're asking, Where do I belong now? Is it time to stay? Is it time to go? What is God inviting me into next? we would be honoured to walk with you.
Applications are now open for The Studio, a nine-month formation journey designed to help women clarify their calling, deepen their roots in Christ, and lead from wholeness rather than uncertainty.
This fall, as Gather celebrates ten years of God's faithfulness, we won't simply be celebrating the past. Together, we'll imagine what the next decade could look like if thousands of women across Canada were deeply formed, deeply encouraged, and deeply connected to healthy Christian community.
We would love for you to be part of that story.
Because we still believe...
A more beautiful Church is possible