Pastor Jeffrey Sapocinik
On April 23, 2023, Bro. Jeffrey Sapocinik was officially called by the membership of Grace Missionary Baptist Church to be their new pastor. He was mentored and trained by the late Dr. Gary La More.
(2 Timothy 2:2) "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."
About Pastor Jeffrey Sapocinik
He and his family joined GMBC in 2017 and he has been a faithful member since. He is also a street-preacher and is leading our church’s street evangelism program. Pastor Jeffrey was saved on May 22, 2005 and joined Toronto Baptist Church where he met his wife, Rowena. The Lord blessed them with six children, Jacob, Elisha, Josiah, Isaiah, Nathanael, and Yael-Ruth.
Bro. Jeffrey has a passion for reaching the lost and bringing them to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He enjoys preaching in the streets and having one-on-one interaction with those around him.
In Loving Memory
Pastor Gary LaMore went home to be with the Lord on January 31, 2022. He had been pastor of Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1987.
About Pastor Gary LaMore
Gary Elden La More was born September 23, 1943 in Lawrence, Massachusetts to Everett James LaMore and Virginia Gale LaMore (nee Woodward). He had an older brother, Clyde Everett LaMore and a younger sister, Sharon Gale D’Antonio (nee LaMore). When Gary was 12 the family moved to Alpena, Michigan and a few years later they moved to Washington State and lived in Concrete, Mt. Vernon and Sedro-Wooley.
As a teenager Gary was invited by other teens to attend First Baptist Church of Sedro- Wooley. After some time, he finally accepted their invitation and began attending. It was a few months later that he trusted Christ as his Saviour.
He graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1961. After high school he earned an Associate of Arts degree from Skagit Valley College and a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. While in Bellingham he was a faithful member of Grace Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Cordell Baker. While there he was called by the Lord to the ministry. He studied at Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary and during that time married Georgel Moir on June 9, 1967. In 1969 he graduated from seminary. Their first daughter, Jennifer, was born January 15, 1969. After seminary the family returned to Washington State and he was Assistant Pastor under Pastor Cordell Baker’s ministry in Bellingham. During this time he also earned an M. A. in Ancient Near Eastern History from Western Washington University.
In 1971 they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where Gary was a professor at Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College. It was there their second daughter, Julie, was born on October 23, 1971. Shortly after that, Gary became pastor of Community Baptist Church of Millington, outside of Flint, Michigan where their third daughter, Joy, was born on December 23, 1973. From 1974 to 1976 he was principal of John R. Rice Baptist Academy in Flint, Michigan. Then the Lord called them to Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, Wisconsin where he taught for four years. At the same time he was pastoring Edgerton Baptist Church in Edgerton, Wisconsin.
In 1980 the family moved to Simcoe, Ontario where he became Vice President of Baptist Bible College Canada and the seminary there and they were members of Bethel Baptist Church. During this time he also earned a Ph.D in Philosophy from Clarksville School of Theology.
In 1984 he became pastor of Ambassador Baptist Church in Stoney Creek, Ontario. Next they were led of the Lord to Toronto, Ontario, specifically the area of Scarborough and the Grace Missionary Baptist Church where Gary and Georgel faithfully served the Lord for 36 years and where he will be sadly missed by current church members. During that time he also worked for close to 30 years for Stock Transportation driving school bus and training drivers and was known to his co-workers as Pastor.
Pastor La More was known for his strong defence of the King James Bible. He was also known for his enthusiastic preaching and singing, and his love of books, and his generosity. He owned thousands of books and loved giving books.
On January 31, 2022 the Lord called home to Heaven a beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, teacher, bus driver, and pastor.
He was preceded in death by his parents and older brother, and son-in-law, Pastor Hugo Schonhaar. He is survived by his loving wife Georgel, three daughters; Jennifer Schonhaar, Julie and Pierre Geoffrion, and Joy and Edward Daggett as well as 18 grandchildren - Eva-Joy, Noah, Ezra, Elisabeth, Rebekah, Micah, Ethan and Jonah Schonhaar; Jonathan, Emilie, Genevieve, Timothee, Stephanie, and Melanie Geoffrion; and Sara, Amy, Edward Jr. and Elizabeth Daggett.