David Payaniandi, or Dave as he is fondly known, is the marketing manager at Veritas College and also a pastor at Turning Point Ministries.
For how long have you been a resident of Springs?
I have been here since 2011 when I was offered the job at Veritas.
What do you love most about the people of Springs?
I love the potential of the people and the town. The people here are extremely down to earth and very honest.
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You are a pastor at Turning Point Ministries, can you tell us a little bit more about the church?
Turning Point was established in 2016 by a group of 14 people and it has grown ever since.
The church was founded out of love for the town and dedication to help those in need.
We know there are many residents struggling with addiction and homelessness and it is our aim to reach out to them.
Anyone is welcome at the church, as we are a family and we want to grow and reach out to as many people as possible.
What message do you want to bring to your congregation?
I want them to know that God does not have a preference, and that we are all one under Christ.
He gave his life for all of us. The essence of our message is love and forgiveness as it is told in the Bible.
I also want to encourage people to start reaching out to others, to pay it forward and help other people who might be in need as much as you can.
Where do you see Turning Point going in the future?
I want the church to equip young people with the ability to help those most in need in our community.
This town has many broken people, and we need the youth to step up and reach out to these people.
But at the end of the day, our main aim is to lead as many people as possible to Jesus.
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What motivates you?
My main motivation is to see people happy.
I want to see them conquering the hurdles that come into their lives .
What hobbies do you have outside of your job and the church?
I enjoy playing with my dogs.
I love my wife, Chantal very much and try to spend as much time with her as possible.
My children bring me great joy as well and I enjoy spending time with them, especially outdoors whenever we can.
I am also currently doing a masters in counselling so that keeps me occupied as well.
Do you have a message you want to share with the Springs community?
I want to tell them to never doubt themselves.
There is a quote that goes: “Hold a funeral for I can’t and say yes I can.” I want people to remember that quote and tell themselves that they are capable of doing extraordinary things when they start to believe in themselves.
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