New Year, New Page (join us in the Bible app)

There are 91 people who have made Freedom “their church” in the YouVersion Bible app. Between us, we were in the Word for 13,295 days in 2025. That’s pretty incredible to think about. I believe that our own hearts, our families and our church have been reaping the benefits of these days. 

Reading the Bible is a spiritual discipline and, as such, takes a measure of, well, discipline! Some may find it intimidating, confusing, or overwhelming. But I want to encourage you not to be deterred as we enter 2026. One step at a time, one day at a time, the scriptures will renew and transform your mind (Romans 12:2). And you’re not alone. Your church family is with you every step of the way.

If you haven’t already, we’d love for you to make Freedom in Christ your church on the YouVersion app. We can’t see anything that you don’t share publicly on the app, but it tracks our church collectively and lets us pastors see what people are sharing, highlighting and searching for. 

Once you’ve done that, add us as a friend on YouVersion. This is how we do reading plans together, like the one that we are starting today. 

Yesterday, we finished the Bible-in-a-Year with Malachi 4. Today, we open the Bible freshly to a new page, the first page, and begin with Genesis 1. Will you join us?

Here’s what some of our 2025 Bible-in-a-Year readers said to encourage you…

“As you expose yourself to the scripture every day, God is faithful through the Holy Spirit and His words to give you a golden nugget for the day to lean into and on. It’s warmth for your day.”

“It’s a structured way to help us keep up with the discipline of daily reading. It provides the  opportunity to ask God to reveal things about His character, especially in the hard-to-read portions that we may not think about in our ‘familiar’ passages.”

“In my earlier years as a believer, I went along without reading the Word regularly. My ability to resist the temptations of the world was weakened as a result. When I came through to the other side, I fed on the wod daily like a starving child. It strengthens me and I have seen the fruit of the Spirit grow in me.”

“We live in a time with incredible literacy rates. We live in a time after the invention of the printing press, which has given us easy access to Bibles, further made accessible by the internet. We live in a country where we can freely open, study, and discuss the Bible. None of these things is the historic norm, nor are they a worldwide reality in the present. So given this unique privilege, why wouldn’t you engage with scripture?”

Are you ready to turn the page this year with us? 
See you in the Bible app!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, January 4 @ 10am

HE LEADS ME
Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Will Provide
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Merry Christmas (a prayer for Christmas Day)

The season of waiting is over and our hearts are full of gratitude that Jesus has come and is coming again. I pray that your day is full of the peace and presence of Christ as you celebrate Christmas!

Click here to download a reflective prayer for Christmas Day.

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:2,6

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, December 28 @ 10am

BEFORE BETHLEHEM
Sanctuary
Erin Jamieson

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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A Peacemaker Will Come (prayer and readings for the third week of Advent)

This week, we reflect on the peace we have in Christ.

Click here to download the prayer and readings for the third week of Advent.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, December 21 @ 10am

BEFORE BETHLEHEM
Shepherd
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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A Saviour Will Come (prayer and readings for the second week of Advent)

This week, we reflect on the love we have in Christ.

Click here to download the prayer and readings for the second week of Advent.

"…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, December 14 @ 10am

BEFORE BETHLEHEM
Sovereign
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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Come Lord Jesus (prayer and readings for the first week of Advent)

Last weekend, the kids and I did what we almost always do on the first Sunday of Advent - decorate the house for Christmas. I like to mark the beginning of the season like this. Maybe you do the same!

Now that the lights are twinkling in my living room, I’m reminded that I don’t want this season to be busy; I want it to be about Jesus. I know I’ll have to be intentional about this over the coming weeks, but that’s what I know will be more valuable than anything else I may do for Christmas. 

With that in mind, I want to invite you to follow along with our Advent prayers and offer some scripture readings to help you each week. You’ll find a copy of the prayer we prayed together on Sunday and some traditional passages for each Advent theme in the devotionals all through December.

To start off, we reflect on the hope we have in Christ.

Click here to download the prayer and readings.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, December 7 @ 10am

BEFORE BETHLEHEM
Servant
Del Wells

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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The Best Decision (share with someone you know)

On Sunday, I invited anyone who wanted to make a decision to follow Jesus to pray with me at the end of the service. I was thinking about that later in the day and was reminded that in this season of Advent (which starts this Sunday), people are often more open to responding to the good news about Jesus. There will likely be many opportunities over the coming weeks for people to make the best decision of their lives.

While some people just show up to church without any connection ahead of time, many people who are new to Freedom come with you. They are friends, family, co-workers and neighbours. You’re the one they have been asking questions to, and you’re likely the one who invited them to church. 

Here’s a resource for you as you head into this season. If you know that someone has questions about what it means to follow Jesus, or they’ve made a decision for Him, take a minute and navigate with them to: freedomkw.com/life

This page is simple but has great information. There is a booklet to download, a link to our Alpha course, and a way to connect with our pastors. 

Perhaps it’s been a long time since you talked to someone about becoming a believer. Nicky Gumbel of Alpha has written a great resource called “Why Jesus?” It outlines how to answer the question of why Jesus is so important and what to do about it. I’d encourage you to take a look and be sure that you’re equipped to simply but powerfully share your faith.

It’s going to be a beautiful season of Advent and we start it off with our new series about how Jesus was promised long before Bethlehem. I’m looking forward to celebrating with you!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, November 30 @ 10am

BEFORE BETHLEHEM
Skull-Crusher
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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What's Your Story? (let's hear it!)

Just beside my desk, I have two water baptism applications ready and waiting for Sunday. (I use them as notes for my interviews with the candidates.) They’ve been there for a couple of weeks and every time I look over there, my heart gets happy. No two stories are the same, but what is the same is that Jesus found each and every one of us and brought us into His family. Incredible.

These testimonies are only a sampling of the ones that are in the room each Sunday. I suspect that we could write volumes on what God has done in our lives. What a book that would be… and maybe that’s what heaven will be like!

Over the Christmas season, starting on 5th Sunday, we have some unique times to share what God has been up to. For some of us, it will be around a meal with friends and family as you catch up and reflect on the year. But I’m also wondering if you have a story that you know will encourage the rest of the church. In the same way that you are encouraged when you hear someone else’s testimony, perhaps you could share something that would do the same for others.

If you’re reading this and something God has done or is doing in your life pops into your mind, would you hit reply on this email and share it? I would never share anything without permission, but I would love the chance to talk more as a church family about all that God’s been up to. 

I am praying that through our stories, God will not only encourage us but will make Himself known to those who are open to the gospel at this special time of the year. 

So, what’s your story?
Looking forward to hearing it!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, November 23 @ 10am

A MESSAGE FROM THE KING
Redeemed & Righteous
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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Three Generations (intentionally passing on your faith)

I was challenged by something that was shared in my Group on Wednesday night. We were “debriefing” the message from the previous Sunday (Malachi 1 & 2, bringing God your best) and how the people seemed so quick to forget what God had done for them, so quick to disobey, and so quick to break their covenant with Him. When we read the stories, it’s easy for us to judge and see how foolish they were.

But someone mentioned that things are lost within three generations. The example was from farming: “My grandfather could plough a field with a horse. My father knew how to do it but never had to. I have no idea how.” How many other things could we name that are lost in as short a time as three generations?

Unfortunately, we’ve also seen this in the faith. One generation’s faith can become the next generation’s nominal belief, which becomes the third generation’s unbelief. It wasn’t intentional; the erosion simply happens.

On the other hand, we’ve also seen faith built over generations. One generation’s introduction to Christ becomes the next generation’s ability to grow up in a loving, discipling church family, who in turn raise their children to love and serve the Lord. This is intentional, a thoughtful choice over a lifetime of following Christ.

It caused me to take stock of my life and my kids. What am I actively modelling for them? What elements of faith in Christ could be lost to my children’s children if I don’t intentionally pass them on while I have the opportunity?

The book of Judges starts in a sad way. It says, “The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel… After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:7,10) It can happen so quickly, can’t it?

I want to encourage you to live your faith on your sleeve. Talk about it at the dinner table, discuss it on your way to hockey/soccer/dance/etc, and integrate it into your discipline and problem-solving. Stay sharp in the Word, choosing to learn and grow each day so that you can invest well into the next generation. As you determine to make Jesus known to everyone in your life, your faith will be strengthened at the same time.

Let’s make every generation as well-informed about the goodness of God as the first generation!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, November 9 @ 10am

A MESSAGE FROM THE KING
Refined & Clean
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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5Q at Freedom: The Follow-Up Conversation (you're invited!)

Back in September, we had a fantastic session of Next Leadership Training with Pastors Chris & Kim from Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly. Using the framework from the book 5Q, we looked at the gifts listed in Ephesians 4 (apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher) and learned how they show up in the church today.

But that wasn’t the end of the conversation. The question still lingers… so what? What should we do with this information? How can we use it for kingdom purposes here at Freedom?

We want to invite you to join us for 5Q: Part 2! On Sunday, November 23rd from 6-8pm, we’re going to work through those questions and gain some insight into how Jesus has specifically called us for this next season of ministry in our local church.

If you didn’t attend Part 1 on September 19 & 20, your first step is to head to our learning platform and get caught up with the material. It will take about 3.5 hours to complete and is well worth the investment. Click here to get started. (And don’t forget to RSVP for November 23rd, too!)

If you did attend Part 1, you can head right to the RVSP link to secure your spot for Part 2.

I’m anticipating a fantastic night of discussion and learning together! I hope you can join me as we discover more about one another and God’s good plans for us!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, November 2 @ 10am

A MESSAGE FROM THE KING
Unfaithful & Rejected
Tracy Dunham

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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I Know God Loves Me But... (maybe this is you?)

On Sunday, I talked about God’s love for His chosen children (including us!) and how easy it is to doubt that love. This is certainly the context of the opening of the book of Malachi: “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ (Malachi 1:2) I believe that many people feel that same distance from the love of God, whether they say it out loud or it’s hidden somewhere in their heart. The Lord brings it out in the open through the prophet’s message and this antipatory question.

After the service, Walt Kippenhuck brought up another way to consider the question of God’s love. He said that for him (and others he’s talked to), the question isn’t knowing if God loves us. He’s always known and believed that. The problem comes when you compare it to how consistently we mess up, even though we are loved so extravagantly. You might ask it this way: “If God is good and he loves me, why do I keep messing up?”

I thought about it a lot this week and asked Walt how he has wrestled through this in his own life. Here are some of his thoughts…

In some ways, the answer is as simple as the fact that we're broken by nature. When we live our own way, we can reliably expect to encounter this, and it will be the story of our lives. But God has given us a better way - clear, detailed instructions, in fact. Unfortunately, we: don’t read them, think we know a better way, think we know an easier way, read them years ago and are pretty sure we remember how it’s supposed to be done, or learned them from someone else who read them but didn’t look for ourselves because we are busy and haven’t made the time.

God is telling us all through scripture to ask when we don’t understand something. But we stay in our confusion because: we don’t know what to ask because we didn’t read the instructions, we feel like the question is dumb (“I should know this by now!”), we’re ashamed because we ignored the instructions and failed, or our relationship with Him has become distant and we don’t feel connected enough to ask for anything.

All of this is exacerbated by the fact that we have an enemy who is focused on throwing all of this in our faces 24-7.

My conclusion has been this:

  • DO read the instructions.

  • DO ask the questions… all of them… all the time.

  • DO read the instructions again and note how holes are being filled in as a result of the questions you asked.

  • THANK Him. Don’t just move on to the next step. Stop and recognize the difference it made just talking to Him.

Walt

————

Maybe you’re not doubting God’s love, but you can’t see yourself as anything but a total mess who can’t be in a life-transforming relationship with Jesus. I trust that Walt’s experience will encourage you to be in the Word, ask for help, ask questions, and observe how you are being changed day by day.

And, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23)

Blessings,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, October 26 @ 10am

A MESSAGE FROM THE KING
Blind & Broken
Erin Jamieson

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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Good. God. Gospel. (the hardest part)

Everyone’s faith journey looks different. We all have unique struggles as we learn to think and act more like Jesus. When we think about the hardest parts of our walk, we often think of battling sin, watching our words, or learning patience and kindness.

But maybe one of the hardest things for many of us — and one we don’t talk about enough — is sharing our faith.

We know we’re called to tell others the good news of Jesus. Scripture is clear. The challenge isn’t understanding that we should — it’s finding the confidence to actually do it.

I get it. I’m not a theologian or an apologist. I don’t always have the right words. And sometimes, even when God gives me an opportunity, I miss it.

Just last week at the pharmacy, the assistant helping me went out of her way to sort out an insurance issue. We had a lovely chat, and as I was leaving, she thanked me for being kind — saying she often deals with “creeps” who blame her for things beyond her control.

I encouraged her and told her we all need more compassion. But as I got into my car, it hit me — that could have been a moment to share why I try to be kind, to connect my faith to my words. The Lord handed me an opportunity, and I missed it.

But instead of guilt, I felt gratitude — because I recognized it. That’s growth. Next time, I’ll be more ready.

And that’s what this is all about. On Sunday, October 26th @ 6PM we’re setting aside a few hours to talk together about how to share our faith — how to recognize opportunities, how to have good, God, gospel conversations, and build relationships that point others to Jesus.

There isn’t one perfect way to share your faith, but there is one perfect call — and the empowering of the Holy Spirit that equips us to walk in obedience.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
— Ephesians 2:10

God already has the opportunities prepared. We just need to be ready and willing to walk into them — imperfectly, but faithfully.

So don’t worry about having all the answers. Come and explore with us how we can grow in confidence and courage together as we learn to share Christ.

Pastor Erin

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, October 19 @ 10am

A MESSAGE FROM THE KING
Love & Hate
Tracy Dunham

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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I (Maybe) Can But I Won't

I have been humbled in the past few weeks. I signed up to take a course in biblical Greek as part of my master’s program. I didn’t take any biblical languages in my undergrad, so I was excited about the opportunity. The problem is, it’s kicking my butt. It’s difficult to understand the grammar of another language when you barely remember the grammar of the language you speak and write every day. (When was the last time I had to find the indirect object of a sentence!?) Plus, the memory work. Oh, the memory work. By the time this email gets to you, I’ll be in my fourth week of the course and have already (hopefully) memorized 160 Greek words, in addition to all the other paradigms and conjugations thus far… and I still have nine weeks to go. Yes, I chose and paid for this torture.

I was telling my son how overwhelming it is to fit all of this work into my brain and schedule, and there was something about the way he was looking at me… I froze and realized what I would tell him if the roles were reversed. “Have you asked Jesus to help you?” And, nope, I hadn’t. I’d been powering through and hoping I wouldn’t drown. Why hadn’t it occurred to me until that moment that the Lord would help me as I apply myself to this learning? That would have been my advice to someone else. How quickly I can forget that my faith is integrated into every part of my life.

Sometimes it’s easier to trust Jesus when you’re desperate, when you are facing something way beyond your ability. When you’re scared, anxious or overwhelmed, the prayer, “Jesus, please help me,” comes more quickly. But the truth is, I do have the ability to do this hard work. I can grit my teeth, stress myself out, lose a bunch of sleep and white-knuckle my way to the final exam. But that doesn’t sound much like the life and peace of a believer whose mind is governed by the Spirit. (Romans 8:6) The call on my life isn’t to survive this semester, it’s to walk quietly and confidently in Him.

Even as the coursework has been humbling me, the moment with my son humbled me in an even better way because it pointed me back to the source of my strength, joy, and hope.

So, as you face challenges this week (month, year, or season), be encouraged that even if there are things you can do on your own, choose to say that you won’t live apart from Christ. I am convinced that there are more blessings in this choice than we can even imagine.

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, October 12 @ 10am

THE GIFT OF JESUS
The Gifted Church
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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Welcome, Pastor Isaac! (exciting days for our next gen ministries)

We’re excited to introduce Isaac Quinn, our new Youth & Young Adults Pastor. Pastor Isaac officially started at Freedom on Sunday and is ready to get right into things at his first youth night on Tuesday.

Join me in praying for him as he gets settled in Kitchener and gets oriented to life and ministry here. And pray for our youth and young adults, that we’d see incredible growth in their lives as God does great things in them.

Looking forward to a wonderful new season,

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, October 5 @ 10am

THE GIFT OF JESUS
The Gifted Church
Tracy Dunham

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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My Soul Faints (spending time in God's presence)

A few weeks ago, during pre-service prayer (you can join us!), I was moved by someone praying that our church would long for the presence of God. Even while I was agreeing with this, I was thinking about how easily we forget about or rush past the vital experience of waiting in God’s presence. But, it’s been true in my life that the most impactful times in my spiritual life have been when I was experiencing the presence of the Lord, inevitably when I was intentionally spending time seeking Him.

Scripture calls us to this again and again…

Psalm 84:1-2
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry outfor the living God.

Psalm 63:1
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

It’s my goal to continually increase the time I spend in God’s presence, knowing that it’s the source of joy, freedom, life, conviction, and transformation. At Freedom, we are looking for ways to do this as a body, to add to your personal experience. On Sunday evening, we have a beautiful opportunity to join with a sister church (Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly) and attend their Holy Spirit Night. It’s similar to our Sunday Night Service, a time for worship, the Word, and prayer. It’s a few extra moments in your week to seek God with all of your heart. Please join us, even as you prayerfully consider your weekly schedule, finding time to be with the Lord and wait in His presence.

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

PS - I was singing this the whole time I was writing this devo!

Speaker: Pastor Jeff Johnston from Calvary Cambridge
Topic: The Symbol of Fire
Time: Sunday, Sept 28, 6:45 pm
Address: 395 King St. N. Waterloo

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, September 28 @ 10am

THE GIFT OF JESUS
The Gift of Evangelizing & Growing
Erin Jamieson

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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Connect. Learn. ENGAGE. (A call as unique as you are.)

I love my job. I really do. I don’t say that lightly; I know a lot of you don’t have that experience day to day. But one of the downsides of working at the church is that your world can get very small, very quickly. Especially now that my kids are older and I don’t have sports or school drop-offs in my weekly schedule, there aren’t many natural places to stay connected with the realities of the world outside the church. When you’re in vocational ministry, you have to always be on the hunt for these opportunities.

One way I do this is to volunteer for a charity that does great work in Ethiopia. I have met some amazing people and built great friendships with other volunteers doing this work. But I recognize that this is an area that always needs my attention. Engaging with the world around me requires intention. I could easily fill up each day taking care of stuff for me and my family. I know that this is the case for most people, not just those who work at a church! The trouble is, I want my life to engage the world for Christ. Yes, I want that to start with my family, but I know the Great Commission is calling me to go beyond my four walls. How do I keep moving in that direction?

As we’ve been working through our series on the church, I’m reminded that the practical application of “engaging the world for Christ” (our third core value at Freedom) will be as unique as you are. We’ve been created for good works and gifted differently in order to be able to fulfill the call on our lives.

I am grateful for my friend and colleague, Pastor Chris Padiath, from Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly, who has offered to come and teach us more about how Christ Himself has gifted the church and how we can use these gifts in every place we find ourselves - work, home, community, or church. It’s not too late to join us for this special session of Next Leadership tomorrow night and Saturday morning. Just let us know by the end of the day if you’re coming!

Let’s learn to engage even more this year!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, September 21 @ 10am

THE GIFT OF JESUS
The Gift of Equipping, Modelllng & Maturing
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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CONNECT. Learn. Engage. (What does it mean to connect?

Our first core value at Freedom in Christ is CONNECT. What does that mean? It means that we put a high priority on finding ways to connect with God and connect with others in authentic relationship. Sounds great, right? But how do we do that?

There are lots of ways to take steps to connect more authentically with God and others. I use the word “steps” intentionally. It’s one day at a time, one interaction at a time. Here are three key ways that you can take steps in connecting this fall.

  1. Fun. Join us on Sunday for the Corn Boil and chat with some folks. Easy!

  2. Fast & Pray. Commit to fasting and praying for some part of next week. You will connect with God and, as you pray for others, your love for them with grow.

  3. Fellowship. I mean like the kind where the Word is shared and relationships are built. I’m talking about Groups (Life, Connect & Women’s), Men of Freedom, KidzConnect, and Freedom Youth… or, inviting someone over for coffee and encouraging them. Connection is for every age and stage in the church! When you set aside this time, you will deepen your relationship with God and others.

Let’s continue to build good habits of connection into our lives, thanking Jesus for the gift He has given us in one another!

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, September 14 @ 10am

THE GIFT OF JESUS
The Gift of Loving, Supporting & Relating
Tracy Dunham

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

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Connect. LEARN. Engage. (fresh learning for every age!)

What an incredible time of the year. We’ve had some vacation, the weather is near perfect, the pencils are sharpened, and the pumpkin spice is reappearing. I’ll admit to being a bit jealous of all the school supplies that I see in the stores. I don’t need a fresh pack of crayons for any reason, but I have to keep reminding myself of this fact. I am taking a course on biblical Greek this semester, so I had to get some shiny new flashcards and that helped!

The truth is, whether we mean to or not, we keep learning all through life. The question is, are you intentional about what you are feeding your mind? God gave us His Word to study so that as we grow and learn in life, we grow and learn toward spiritual maturity and an increased knowledge of Christ, not the latest celebrity gossip or TikTok trend.

We believe in this so much that we have made it one of our core values: Learn. There are lots of ways to learn as a follower of Christ, but let me point you toward an incredible resource that we have at Freedom… courses!

Yep! We have our very own discipleship courses written by Pastor Del that cover first steps, topics, and books of the Bible. And, we’re adding to the library all the time. Check out learn.freedomchurchkw.com to see what I mean…

You’ll find:

  • 10 courses on topics like the fruit of the Spirit, the Trinity, Pentecostalism, and the Ten Commandments

  • 6 courses based on books of the Bible (Ephesians, Philippians, Joshua, Nehemiah, 1 Thessalonians, Revelation)

  • And a few other courses that are for ministry training (Abuse Prevention and Prayer Ministry)

We’re working on adding the four core courses to this platform, and they should be live soon. For now, if you’re looking for First Steps, Life in the Spirit, Learning to Serve, or Learning to Lead, head to this page.

It’s back to school for everyone! Grab a resource from our LEARN page and add it to your growth plan this fall. If you have questions or need a hard copy, we have some in the Welcome Centre in the Lobby and our Host Team would be happy to help you.

Let me know what course you’re working on and what you’re learning through it. I’d love to hear your story!

Happy learning,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, September 7 @ 10am

THE GIFT OF JESUS
The Gift of Belonging & Connecting
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Encouraging the Sower & the Reaper (guest writer: Dave Hancock)

Guest Writer: Dave Hancock

As we have been working through this “Farm to Table” series, I have to admit that I have been really cultivating some hard personal thoughts about farming. Oh, I am not really talking about getting dirt under my nails, but more concentrated on the bushels of harvest at the end. One does not plant if they don’t expect to then reap a crop, right?

Let me share a story with you...

“You see, it was about 20 years ago, and my older brother really started to lay into me about his newfound faith and love for Jesus. As a South African black man, I didn’t see how this Jesus guy was going to help me out of my ‘situation,' and I sure didn’t need someone else to tell me how I had to live. I had dreams that didn’t involve this Jesus.

"I met a beautiful woman and we got married. We started a family and I began to build the future I wanted. My brother had now become the pastor over an intercity church in Johannesburg. I did everything I could to not give him the pleasure of “changing my life." He would always talk about praying for me, and he would not stop talking about this Jesus and what I needed to do to get my life right. 

"I thought if I went to a church my brother would leave me alone. What I didn’t see coming was that my wife and children would get “saved” and want to attend my brother's church. I had to resist. Years went on and I reluctantly started to attend with them in hopes that maybe my brother would back off. However, he just kept on and on about his praying for me and my need for Jesus.  

"Jump forward to “that” Sunday. I hadn’t paid any attention to what was happening this day, but apparently, we had a visiting pastor from Canada. I am not sure what the big deal was, but there he was. We don’t often get white pastors preaching in our church, so I figured I would give him a chance. I can’t really tell you what or why or how, but for the first time I was challenged to understand the value of who I am in God, and that struck home. I was encouraged to laugh at the devil when he tried to de-value me and remind me of my sins, and told that God loved me no matter how un-crisp I might look. Needless to say, I met Jesus for the first time that day. 

"You should have seen my brother’s face when we got to tell our story of 20 years of praying for me and how today – of all days – I came home to Jesus. I think he was even more excited than I was.”

John 4:36-38 says:

36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

If you know my and Monica’s story then you can speculate that I was that Canadian pastor. I still don’t know who was more excited about the brother finding a new life in Jesus, the sower or the reaper. It is safe to say that the harvest took more than just one worker to complete. And for that, we can all be encouraged.

Last Sunday, we explored the call to be the harvester. Take a look around your life this week and see where you are called to sow or reap for the Kingdom!

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, August 31 @ 10am

FARM TO TABLE
The Focused Farmer
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Lyric Breakdown: Trust in God (from Psalm 34)

This week's "Lyrics Breakdown" is one of my favourite songs to sing right now - "Trust in God." I love singing things like, "He's been my fourth man in the fire time after time," thinking about the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3, and I love the nods to the hymn "Blessed Assurance" in the verses: "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine... Perfect submission, all is at rest.”

This one, however, sparked a lively conversation at dinner with a friend several weeks ago because of the lyrics in the bridge.

“I sought the Lord
And He heard, and He answered
That’s why I trust Him”
— Trust in God

My friend's issue was saying we only trust God because He answers our prayers. The implication being that if He doesn't, we won't trust Him. Fair point. But that's not how I think of these lyrics when I sing them. They point me to Psam 34:

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, 
and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. ”
— Psalm 34:4-8

This is not a matter of asking for things from God and then deciding if I trust Him based on His response. It has been my experience over decades of knowing Christ that He is perfect in His faithfulness. I trust Him because I know this. Even when my prayers seem to go unanswered, I am confident in singing this song because He has never failed me. Lots of times, I don't understand how, or why, or when, but I'm always safe, even blessed, when I take refuge in Him. (There's a note in the margins of my bible reminding me that only people who are in trouble need to find refuge... but somehow, they are blessed. Amazing.)

From the earliest memories of my faith, I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered. He showed me from day one that He is trustworthy. So, I'll be singing this on Sunday with trust in Him even though I have a long list of prayer requests that, as far as I can see, haven't been answered yet. Join me!

See you then,
Pastor Tracy

Song Credit: Trust in God by Elevation Worship

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, August 24 @ 10am

FARM TO TABLE
Rotting on the Vine
Dave Hancock

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Lyric Breakdown: Cornerstone (from Ephesians 2:19-22)

This week's "Lyrics Breakdown" is a new(er) song (2011) that borrows from a well-known hymn written in 1834. The verses of the song "Cornerstone" are word-for-word from the old hymn "The Solid Rock." The difference is the chorus.

“On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand”
— The Solid Rock (1834)

These lyrics point to Jesus' teaching about the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-29. But the new version changes things up for a slightly different focus.

“Christ alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all”
— Cornerstone (2011)

We still get the idea of Jesus being our anchor in the storms of life, but calling Him "Cornerstone" shifts our attention to Ephesians 2.

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
— Ephesians 2:19-22

(also see 1 Peter 2:4-10)

The cornerstone is the first stone laid in a building, the true level by which the rest of the building is set in place. The picture is not just of us holding onto Jesus as our anchor, the rock in the storm, it's of all of us together being built into His temple. Certainly, the Spirit lives in us each as individual believers, but the promise here is for us as members of God's household to become a place where God's Spirit dwells. He is our cornerstone.

When we sing this together on Sunday, consider the fact that you're not singing it alone. He's building us together on the foundation that was laid perfectly because Jesus is the chief cornerstone.

See you then,
Pastor Tracy

Song Credit: Cornerstone by Hillsong Worship

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, August 17 @ 10am

FARM TO TABLE
The Discerning Farmer
Tracy Dunham

Join us for our IN-PERSON SERVICES OR
LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+Church Online)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.