Learn to Group (learn, practice, and grow together)

Because community, connection, and discipleship don’t happen on their own, I want to tell you about something we’re doing this fall called Learn to Group.

Here’s what we know: Following Jesus doesn’t happen by accident. Becoming more like Jesus takes intention—and it takes other people. We need one another.

But here's the challenge: we're not always very good at doing life together.

We live busy lives. We can come to church every Sunday, know lots of people’s names, and still not have people who really know us, challenge us, encourage us, and help us follow Jesus.

So this fall, we're going to learn how to do that better. That’s Learn to Group.

For nine Wednesday nights, we’re going to learn together, practice together, grow together, and do what’s next together. We’ll have dinner (if you want), a short teaching, and then we’ll get into groups and actually practice what we’ve learned. There is a kids program and childcare as well.

This isn’t about adding another class to your calendar. It’s about learning how to be the church together—and actually doing it.

Maybe you want deeper community.
Maybe you want to grow as a disciple.
Maybe you want to be discipled—or learn to disciple someone else.
Maybe you want to grow as a leader.

Learn to Group is for you.

And there's a bigger reason we're doing this. Our hope is to develop a core group of people at Freedom who aren't just being discipled themselves, but who are saying, “I'm willing to make myself available to help someone else follow Jesus.” 

Ultimately, our vision is that 100% of the people who call Freedom home would have a place where they're known, where they're growing, and where they're helping someone else grow.

That's where we're going.

Learn together. Practice together. Grow together. Do what's next together.

I encourage you to head to our website to look at the information and sign up for our September 30th start.

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, September 13 @ 10am

FOR GOOD
Saved for Good
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.

The Seasonal Reset

With the last few days of summer coming up this weekend, you likely find yourself between sadness that it’s over for another year and readiness to get back to routine. As you prepare yourself for “regular” weeks, I want to encourage you to include your church calendar in your planning.

Maybe you have a student in grade 7-12 who you want to block off Tuesdays for, making sure they can get to Freedom Youth. Maybe you have a heart for hospitality and need to save a Friday night once a month to host. Maybe you are looking to go deeper in your prayer life, and so you make note of the prayer opportunities each week with your church family. Maybe your next step is to serve and invest with your gifts, but you need to take that next step and turn it into an action item in the next couple of weeks. There are a thousand maybes I could include here… but you get the idea. What is it that God has put on your heart to prioritize?

You know as well as I do that these things don’t happen by accident. So, make your calendar a matter of prayer as you reset for a new season. Ask the Holy Spirit (your ultimate Trail Guide!) to lead your schedule.

I’ve dropped some links below for your quick reference. I’m praying that we experience the transformational work of Christ in our lives as we step into this fall season, and that He would direct us in every way.

Looking forward to it,
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, September 6 @ 10am

FOR GOOD
Love the Good
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.

Praying for the Next Generation (Freedom Kids, Youth, and Young Adults)

When you look back at your childhood and teen years, do you know if someone was praying for you? I suspect a lot of us, whether we were aware of it or not, had someone who was bringing our name to God regularly. Certainly, Christian parents naturally pray for their kids, but you don’t have to be a parent to know that the next generation needs to be covered in prayer.

The next couple of weeks represent a great opportunity and reminder to pray for the next generation.

From today until Sunday, our Freedom Youth and their leaders will be at the Activate Retreat. Let’s take some time to pray over them this weekend. Pray that:

• they would encounter God and experience His presence in a meaningful way;

• they would hear clearly from God and grow in their understanding of His Word;

• God would strengthen and deepen relationships between our youth and leaders;

• there would be unity, kindness, openness and a genuine sense of belonging within the group;

• God would give our leaders wisdom, patience and discernment as they care for and lead our youth;

• our youth would be open to what God wants to teach them and would experience His love in a fresh way;

• there would be protection over each person.

Also, school resumes on September 8th, just a few short days from now (or long days, depending on whether you are the student or the parent!). Some of our students are carrying a lot of anxiety into the school year, some are going to be facing new pressures, and some are taking on new challenges. This generation has the opportunity to show Jesus’ love to so many people each day and needs to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Ask the Lord to bring some of our students to your mind and name them by name as often as you can in the coming weeks.

Let’s be the ones who - whether they know it or not - are praying for the kids, youth and young adults in our lives and our church!

Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, August 230@ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Trail Guide
Del Wells

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.

August Action Items (jump in and click some links!)

Here are a couple of items I want to draw your attention to this week. There are some action items included, and your engagement is so valuable. Thanks in advance!

1 | Course Highlight: Learning to Serve

As Pastor Erin reminded us on Sunday, we all have God-given skills and abilities that we can use to serve others. If you want to dig into this more deeply, let me recommend Learning to Serve. In it, you will develop a practical understanding of true ministry, which includes serving the church body and the world. You will be introduced to the concepts of servanthood, stewardship, and being gifted and equipped to minister effectively.

2 | Ministry Team Opportunities: Worship Team Audition

If you are looking for ways to serve, you can head to our website for some great information on all of our teams. You can browse by ministry area or time commitment, and all the staff contact information is there for you.

Of special note: We are holding a worship team audition on Wednesday, August 26th. If you play an instrument or sing and want to offer your skill to the team, email me and we’ll set it up.

3 | Know Your Church Survey: Respond Today!

The Know Your Church report teaches churches how to leverage what they do well and improve what needs improving. It’s a 160-item questionnaire that measures a church’s perceived health in six areas: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, prayer, and ministry. The survey takes 15-20 minutes, and we are provided with a detailed health report for the church.

Please click on the link and spend a few minutes investing in Freedom’s future. The Know Your Church survey is completely anonymous and will help us immensely as we plan for the future. The survey code is T7XAZYL, but it should automatically generate for you when you click the link. The survey will close on August 26th, so thank you for completing it before the deadline.

Looking forward to our next steps… Thanks for participating in church life!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, August 23 @ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Off Trail
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.

Know Your Church (an action item for you!)

We have an amazing opportunity as a church and need your help. Our District is providing us with two assessments to help with planning and strategy for the future, as we discern what God is calling us to in the next season. The first is a study of our community within a 5-minute drive of the church, helping us to understand who our neighbours are. We are looking forward to seeing those results shortly. The second is where we need you.

The Know Your Church report teaches churches how to leverage what they do well and improve what needs improving. It’s a 160-item questionnaire that measures a church’s perceived health in six areas: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, prayer, and ministry. The survey takes 15-20 minutes (I just tested it!), and we are provided with a detailed health report for the church.

In September, our board and staff will gather with a District team member to go over the results. Like I said, what an opportunity! As we continue to grow and plan for what’s next, this information will be invaluable. All it needs is for you to participate. :)

Please click on the link and spend a few minutes investing in Freedom’s future. The survey is completely anonymous, in case you’re wondering. The survey code is T7XAZYL, but it should automatically generate for you when you click the link. The survey will close on August 26th, so thank you for completing it before the deadline.

I appreciate your time and your voice so much!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, August 16 @ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Special Skills
Erin Jamieson

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.

Get Ethical (our August learning feature)

As mentioned on Sunday, I want to highlight a course on our learning platform that pairs with our Camp Wilderness series. We were only able to talk briefly about the Ten Commandments as we looked at Exodus 19 and 20, but Get Ethical unpacks each one.

“This study examines godly ethics as a system of moral principles established by God and presented throughout the Bible. We focus on the Ten Commandments as a representation of ethical values and conduct that God expects every person to follow, particularly those who are believers in him. When everyone agrees to adhere to one standard of godly principles and behaviours, the whole group benefits. Each individual thinks and acts with moral guidelines to follow and God’s help to do it.”

— Get Ethical, Lesson 1

Head over to our learning platform and download a copy to work through during the month of August, or pick up a copy at our Welcome Centre. If you have questions or want to discuss the content with someone, just give us a shout!

Excited to keep learning with you,
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, August 9 @ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Waypoints
Isaac Quinn

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.

An Invitation to Go Deeper (team member opportunities)

Pastor Erin shared on Sunday about all the opportunities there are to serve at Freedom. She did such a great job, I wanted to put it in writing.

“I want to invite all of you to something: an opportunity to serve here at Freedom. If you’ve been with us for a while, you know that it takes a team of people to make ministries happen. Church doesn’t just happen because the pastoral staff shows up on a Sunday morning. It takes a team, working together through the power of the Holy Spirit, to minister to everyone who comes through our doors.

“I have served in church since I was twelve years old and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It has formed me, it has shaped me, it has drawn me closer in my relationship with God, and as I have poured out in serving others, God has faithfully poured back into me.

“So, I come to you not with desperation, but with an invitation to go deeper in your walk with God by serving others with the gifts He has given you. Each and every one of you is uniquely gifted, talented, and blessed to serve and it would be my pleasure (my honour, my delight!) to walk with you to find where your place to serve is.”

If your next step is to serve, head to this page on our website and connect with me, Pastor Erin, Pastor Isaac, or Theresa!

So glad to be partnered in the Kingdom with you!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, August 2 @ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Safety and Danger
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.

Connecting at the Source

A couple of years ago, there was a fire in my neighbourhood. A friend of mine noticed it and jumped out of her car to warn the residents. She had come on the scene before the fire crews. I asked a firefighter in our church about how long it would take them to respond if hers was the first 911 call they received. As he answered me, he said something interesting.

All trucks carry a certain amount of water. They can rush to a fire and begin working on the flames very quickly. (Cheers for our awesome first responders!) When a fire is active, it’s tempting to get the water flowing immediately. But if the truck runs out of water before the fire is suppressed, precious time is lost. The far better protocol is for the truck to find a hydrant as close to the fire as possible and connect to it before they start battling the flames. Then, the water is unlimited, and they have a chance at a much better outcome.

I’ve thought about this many times. How often do I rush into a situation, decision, conflict, or trouble of any kind, hoping that what I have in reserve will be enough? My age/stage, years of serving the Lord, lived experiences, etc., are often what I rely on to get me through. When life throws us something urgent - and let’s be honest, it does that a lot! - do I run into problem-solving mode, or do I take the time (moment, hour, day… as the situation allows) to connect with God and rely on His infinite power and wisdom?

Whatever you’re facing, let me encourage you to connect to the Source. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26). We are never without His wisdom when we go to Him (James 1:5).

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, July 26 @ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Reinforcements
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.

Soul-Filling Moments

Two weeks ago at Braeside Camp, the speaker was sharing from The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins in Matthew 25. (I’ve linked it for you if you’re not familiar with this story.) He brought something out of the text that I thought was so timely for the beginning of the summer. We’re looking at a stretch of several weeks where routines are minimal, vacation is anticipated, and the days are long and beautiful (if not a little too hot). So this struck me as good timing.

All 10 virgins had lamps with oil in them, but five didn’t bring any extra along, and when it was needed, it was too late. All 10 virgins had the fire, but some had a limited supply of fuel for that fire. And, of course, the oil couldn’t be shared - it was only available for individual lamps.

Here’s the lesson: When we give our lives to Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit, we’re like those virgins lighting their lamps. We love the flame, we love the fire. Think about how we gather around a campfire and just stare at it. Fire is a very special thing that gives light to everything around it and exists because there is a fuel source causing it to burn brightly. But as much as we love the fire, we have to prioritize the oil. Without continually filling up, the flame won’t last. We’re sometimes guilty of chasing the flame (feeling, experience, appearance) and neglecting the oil that makes it all possible. But when we tend to the oil, the flame takes care of itself.

Over these weeks, let me encourage you to tend to the oil of the Spirit in your life. Discover or rediscover the ways that you connect with God. Carve out time for quietness and stillness so that you can check in with your soul. It’s the perfect time to make sure that you’re connected and ready to shine brightly, whatever the next season may bring.

Praying that you will have soul-filling moments this summer!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, July 19 @ 10am

CAMP WILDERNESS
Protection
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.

Joy in Pursuit (what are you chasing after?)

In the links below, you’ll find a PDF of Lesson 5 (the companion lesson for Pastor Tracy’s message on Sunday) from the Get Joyful course by Pastor Del Wells. Or, click to get the full course by heading over to our learning platform for a download or the next module that is now open for you. And don’t forget that you can grab a printed copy at the Welcome Centre in the lobby at any time.

Yesterday was Canada Day. I hope you were able to take a few moments to celebrate and have some fun! For believers, it’s also a chance to pause and take our country to the Lord in prayer. First, we thank Him for the blessing of living here. Then, we ask Him to help and direct our leaders. And finally, we ask the Holy Spirit to be poured out on this nation. If you haven’t already, add this to your prayer time over the coming days.

God keep our land glorious and free!

Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, July 5 @ 10am

GET JOYFUL
Joy in Potential
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.

Joy in Purpose (learning from Jesus' example)

We’re jumping back into Get Joyful after our pause for Father’s Day. Two Sundays ago, Scott shared about “Joy in Purpose” from Philippians 2. If you need a refresher, head to freedomkw.com/messages.

In the links below, you’ll find a PDF of Lesson 4 (the companion lesson for Scott’s message) from the Get Joyful course by Pastor Del Wells. Or, click to get the full course and head over to our learning platform for a download or the next module that is now open for you. And don’t forget that you can grab a printed copy at the Welcome Centre in the lobby at any time.

Praying your life is motivated by joy,
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, June 28 @ 10am

GET JOYFUL
Joy in Pursuit
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.

To the Men of Freedom (Happy Father's Day)

Father’s Day weekend is coming up and I wanted to take a moment to speak to the men of Freedom. I know that our culture’s message to men is confusing at best. But when I look around at our church, I see men who are shaping the culture, not trying to conform to it. I see you caring about one another, being intentional about connecting, and finding the guy who is new to say hi. You’re paying attention to the needs around you and meeting them with your time, skills, and resources. You don’t make a big deal about it, you just do it. I watch how you encourage the next generation as spiritual fathers and protect those who are vulnerable as brothers in Christ. I notice you praying for one another, not just saying you’re going to, but pausing to actually do it. I see you teaching your children and partnering with your wives to centre your lives on Jesus.

Thanks for ignoring the culture and running after God. I’m glad you know that you don’t have to have it all figured out to keep showing up and living for Him. You are appreciated more than you know, and I’m praying that you continue to walk in the power of the Spirit, know His grace, and receive from Him everything you need for life and godliness through your knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3). Happy Father’s Day to you all!

Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, June 21 @ 10am

FATHER’S DAY
Spotlight on Epaphras
Erin Jamieson

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.

Joy in Personhood (becoming a person of joy)

Last Sunday, Pastor Del walked us through the second half of the first chapter in Philippians, where we find the famous verse, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) Here’s a chance to study a little further.

In the links below, you’ll find a PDF of Lesson 3 from the Get Joyful course by Pastor Del Wells. Or, click to get the full course and head over to our learning platform for a download or the next module that is now open for you. And don’t forget that you can grab a printed copy at the Welcome Centre in the lobby at any time.

Aren’t you thankful for the opportunity to be transformed into a person of joy?

Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, June 14 @ 10am

GET JOYFUL
Joy in Purpose
Scott Corkill

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.

Joy in Perspective (how are you seeing things?)

As we continue to step through the book of Philippians - the letter of joy - let’s unpack the first part of chapter 1 a little further.

In the links below, you’ll find a PDF of Lesson 2 from the Get Joyful course by Pastor Del Wells. Or, click to get the full course and head over to our learning platform for a download or the next module that is now open for you. And don’t forget that you can grab a printed copy at the Welcome Centre in the lobby at any time.

Enjoy Lesson 2!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, June 7 @ 10am

GET JOYFUL
Joy in Personhood
Del Wells

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.

It's Time to Get Joyful (a series and a course)

On this 5th Sunday, we’re starting a new series. It’s time to Get Joyful! For the next few weeks, we’re going to walk through the book of Philippians, a letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi that uses the noun ‘joy’ five times, the verb ‘rejoice’ nine times, and the phrase ‘rejoice with’ twice. No surprise that it’s known as the “joy letter.”

Our series will follow the course by Pastor Del Wells of the same name in parallel, taking some of its content and emphasizing different things than the lessons in Get Joyful. So, I encourage you to follow along with the course in your personal study to go even deeper than we’re able to on Sundays together.

The course can be found on our learning platform, with a new lesson published each week. When you sign up, you can do the course in modules or download the whole course as a PDF. Additionally, printed copies are available at the Welcome Centre.

We’ll be covering Lessons 1 & 2 in the message on Sunday, so I’m getting ahead this week and getting Lesson 1 in your hands to start the ball rolling.

I know you’re going to enjoy and be encouraged by the Get Joyful course. And I hope to bring it to life with you on Sundays as well!

Let’s get joyful!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, May 31 @ 10am

GET JOYFUL
Joy in Perspective
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.

From BEGINNING to END (a musical telling of the story)

As I was driving around, I asked Siri to “play Charity Gayle.” (Highly recommend!) A song came on that I hadn’t heard, and I assume was released for Christmas this past year. It is called “Emmanuel” and so beautifully tells the story of God’s presence with us from the beginning to the end of the story. I thought it would be a great way to finish our Middle, Beginning, End series. He has always been, He will always be, Emmanuel.

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means ‘God with us’).”

— Matthew 1:23

We’ll see you on Sunday for the last chapter,
Pastor Tracy

Click here to see the full lyrics.

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, May 21 @ 10am

MIDDLE, BEGINNING, END
The Alpha and Omega
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.

Get More From Revelation

As we dive back into Revelation this Sunday, you might notice that we are skipping ahead… way ahead (from chapter 1 to 21!). Our current series is about understanding the middle, beginning, and end of the story, which doesn’t give us a chance to go through this incredible book in more detail.

But Revelation is a book with special blessings attached to it.

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

— Revelation 1:3

And so, if you want to learn more and get deeper into Revelation, we have a NEXT course that’s perfect for you. Head over to our learning platform and log in (create a profile if you need to) to download a PDF copy of Get Ready: A Study in Revelation. We also have hard copies available at the Welcome Centre in the lobby.

Looking forward to these next weeks in Revelation with you,
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, May 17 @ 10am

MIDDLE, BEGINNING, END
The First and Last
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.

A Change in Identity (let's talk about water baptism)

If you go to our website and read about being baptized in water, you'll find a lot of great information there, namely, the reasons baptism is so important:

• It is obedience to Christ's Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20;

• It follows the example of Jesus;

• It follows the example of the Early Church;

• It confirms identification with Christ;

• It is a testimony of the change in your life.

(See for yourself... freedomkw.com/baptism)

In the book of Colossians, the way that Paul describes the spiritual transaction that baptism models is incredible.

“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

— Colossians 2:11-14

When you are baptized, you are being obedient to Jesus, following His example and making a public declaration of your faith in Him... but you are also making a powerful statement to yourself. Your identity has changed... or, more accurately, has been realigned with who you were created to be as a child of God. Your whole self (identity) that was focused on you is dead and buried, and your life is made new because of your faith in Christ's death and resurrection. You were dead, and God made you alive.

Baptism doesn't save you or make you a "real" Christian. No action can do that; only receiving Christ can. But it is still given to us as a powerful step to take as believers to mark the fact that we have truly been raised to life.

Our next opportunities for water baptism are May 24 (a date that already has someone requesting to get baptized) and May 31 (our next 5th Sunday). If you have a relationship with Jesus and have never been baptized in water, I challenge you to take this step. You can learn more on our website (freedomkw.com/baptism) or talk to any of our pastoral staff (our contact information is on our website).

If you are ready to be baptized but these dates don't work for you, just let us know and we'll happily fill up the tank and celebrate this moment with you on another day!

Grateful to be alive in Christ,
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, May 10 @ 10am

MOTHER’S DAY
Erin Jamieson

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.

Using the Gifts (stewarding God's grace)

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

Pastor Isaac reminded us on Sunday morning that there are many ways to serve in ministry and invited everyone to find out more. I wanted to follow up and tell you why serving matters so much.

1. It’s part of our mandate as Christ-followers. 1 Peter 4 makes it clear that whatever we’ve been given, we’re to serve others with it. This is actually a way to show God’s grace. What an incredible opportunity and responsibility.

2. It connects us. In a world that is increasingly isolating and lonely, the Lord has already built into His Church a way to get connected and stay connected for growth, care, and maturity. Serving puts us in proximity to others and tethers us to the body of Christ, even when we’re prone toward individualism in our Canadian culture.

3. It challenges us. Serving helps to ensure that we don’t stagnate in our faith. When we’re intentionally rubbing shoulders with other believers, working together for a Kingdom that isn’t our own, it sharpens us. I’ve had the most interesting conversations, received the best insights, and been corrected in my thinking or behaviours most when I am serving.

Wherever it is, whatever gift you’ve been given, hear the call to get active as a faithful steward of God’s grace in its various forms. Let the email nudge you to prayerfully consider how you can serve. And, encourage those around you by calling out the gifts you see in their lives.

Faithfully stewarding with you!
Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, May 3 @ 10am

MIDDLE, BEGINNING, END
The Beginning and the End
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.

Be Alert... But Not Afraid

When I was in high school, we took a class trip to New York City and for one afternoon, went on a guided tour of some of the famous sites. Before we got off the bus, our tour guide, a native New Yorker, gave us a little speech about pickpockets and general safety in the city. I’ll never forget what she said: “Be alert, but not afraid.”

This is great practical advice for a tourist, but I’ve often thought about it in a spiritual context as well. When I’m thinking about spiritual warfare and the presence of angels and demons, this advice is excellent. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Us Christ-followers don’t bury our heads in the sand, nor do we cower in fear. We are alert for the schemes of the enemy, but not afraid for any reason. Jesus said this dozens of times in the Gospels.

It came up in another context in our Bible-in-a-Year plan this week as well. As Jesus is teaching his disciples about the signs of the end times, He says some pretty disturbing things. He speaks of wars, rumours of wars, nations rising against one another, famines, and earthquakes. (Matthew 24) But unequivocally the command is the same: “See to it that you are not alarmed.” Often in scripture, the phrase translated as “do not be afraid” can be more accurately translated as “stop fearing.”

There is nothing that we should fear. We are hidden with Christ and He is fully in control. But also, there is something we are commanded to do (not just not do): “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13) Yes, there will be signs all around us that the end is near. Choose to keep watch, not to be fearful.

Church, let’s be those who live watchfully, never fearfully. Let’s be courageous and mindful. Let’s be alert but not afraid.

Pastor Tracy

---

THIS WEEKEND

SUNDAY, April 26 @ 10am

MIDDLE, BEGINNING, END
The Beginning of the End
Erin Jamieson

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.