Call to Action

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Raised to Life (a preview of Sunday)

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If you go to our website and read about being baptized in water, you'll find a lot of great information there. (See for yourself... freedomkw.com/baptism) I was re-reading it today and found myself with a "yes and amen" to all the reasons that baptism is 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.

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 guest speaker, Dean Welten, is going to dive deeply into this from Romans 6:1-14 on Sunday. We were dead in our sin but have been made alive in Christ... What a way to celebrate Thanksgiving Sunday!

If you have a relationship with Jesus and have never been baptized in water, I challenge you to take this step. We have an opportunity for you to do that next week on Sunday, October 20th. 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 raised to life,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, October 13 @ 10am

WHEN IN ROMANS
Raised to Life
Guest Speaker: Dean Welten

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.

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Don't Walk Alone (join a Group this fall)

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I love the Church. I love being a part of a community of believers. I love being able to serve others with what God has given me. And I love learning and growing by gathering with and listening to others who are also following Jesus. That's why I intentionally put Groups on my calendar each season. It's like a breath of fresh air in the middle of the week.

Admittedly, I don't always want to get in my car after dinner and get myself to the church for my group or log onto my computer and open Zoom. There are always things pressing for my time and energy. But, I can honestly say that I can't remember ever regretting the effort I made to get together with others and talk about the Lord. Literally, never.

And, not to be dramatic, but I don't know where I'd be as a disciple, how I would have made it through some dark days, or stayed encouraged all these years if it wasn't for the input of others in the body of Christ. Even the most average time in a Group far exceeds any input I might get from Netflix or scrolling on IG. It's not even a contest.

I don't say this to pressure people or make anyone feel guilty. I'm simply always going to be a champion of Groups in all their various shapes and sizes. True connection and learning that leads to engagement with the church and the world who needs to know Jesus is beautifully facilitated when we spend intentional time together.

If you have a place where this happens for you, go after it with all your heart. If not, join a Group at Freedom this fall. Most of our Groups happen on Wednesday night so we can provide a great program for kids (KizConnect) and childcare. But we also have a new Tuesday night Group on Zoom for men.

My heart for every one of you is to be connected with God and others in life-giving relationships. Join us to connect, learn and engage in new ways this fall.

Pastor Tracy

PS - Hope to see you on Saturday for Prayer & Deep Roots!

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, September 22 @ 10am

WHEN IN ROMANS
Freely By His Grace
Pastor Tracy

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.

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Where it All Begins (engage in Fast & Pray Days)

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I don't think anyone would argue that prayer isn't important or even that it's optional for a person who follows Jesus. I also know that the honest assessment of most of our lives is that we don't pray as much as we could/should/need to/want to. It's a curious thing, really. We know it's vital but we find ourselves struggling to make it a priority.

This is one of the main reasons that we've put prayer on the calendar in September. There isn't any particularly special about the 16th-21st. They are just days that we've intentionally set aside to pray. They are on the calendar so that we can do the thing we know is vitally important and, we can do it together.

We know that we are called to pray and we believe that God moves as we do. You are invited to engage with us on September 16-21 for Fast & Pray Days. Here's how to do it:

  1. Sign up for a day to pray and fast for at least one hour. Find the sign-up form here: freedomkw.com/prayer (this will help us to know that all the days are covered with people praying)

  2. Check your inbox for our Prayer Guide. This will give you some things to pray for and about during the week.

  3. Join us on Saturday, September 21. Every hour from 10:00-4:00 we will have time for personal prayer for 45 minutes and a host to lead you in corporate prayer for 15 minutes. At 4:00 we will have an hour of worship (Deep Roots).

We had a similar day of prayer several months ago and it was powerful to see how God moved and what we sensed the Spirit was doing in us and in our church through it.

If you've never been a part of something like this before, don't let uncertainty or worry stop you. You won't be centred out in any way and this could be the beginning of a whole new season of your walk with the Lord!

I'm looking forward to this next week and hope to see many, many of you participating however you can, whenever you can. Let's believe for God to move in powerful ways!

Pastor Tracy

PS - Scroll down through the slides below to find out what's happening in September in church life. So many ways to CONNECT, LEARN and ENGAGE!

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, September 15 @ 10am

WHEN IN ROMANS
Kindness & Judgment
Pastor Tracy

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.

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So Many Reasons (why serving matters)

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We are fighting a battle in the Canadian church. We are constantly battling to live our beliefs and not just try to survive the busyness of one day to the next. A culture of overwhelm surrounds us and it seems that everyone lives beyond their capacity. This pressure isn't going away any time soon. It's one of the hallmarks of our culture. And, it's not just us. It's human nature.

I was struck by this in Psalm 39:6 (NLT) - "We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing." So, take heart, it's not just you. It was King David's observation in the 10th century BC, too!

As the church, we will always be pushing back against this cultural norm. We know that Scripture teaches us to be about "one another". The example that Jesus gave us was one of intentional living, withdrawing to be with the Father, and serving everyone He met from that source of strength. We are called to do the same.

Let's lament for a moment how difficult this can be. Maybe it's the expectations of family or work. Maybe it's a health challenge or a personal crisis. Maybe it's the pressure of raising a family and working to make ends meet. Whatever your situation, God sees and knows. The call to us is not to add even more to our schedules but to be mindful that our schedules are serving our call.

Perhaps counter-intuitively, finding ways to serve others is one of the best ways to fight the cultural trend. When I structure my life to include using what I have (time/resources/talents) to benefit someone else, my life gets richer. I find meaningful community and push back on the loneliness epidemic we hear so much about. I gain perspective on my issues and challenges as I meet someone else in their place of need. I go to bed at night with a full heart. It's very freeing when my life is about more than just me and my "busy rushing that ends in nothing."

I bet you've found the same thing.

So, as you enter these beautiful summer months, hopefully with some extra rest booked on your calendar, I invite you to consider how you are serving. Is it time to start? Time to make a change? Time to challenge yourself? Time to reorganize your family's schedule? This is a great season to evaluate!

On Sunday, Pastor Erin, Pastor Ethan and I reminded you of how you can get involved in church life and find meaningful ways to serve at Freedom. You can find that information here. But wherever God is calling you, however He has equipped you, don't miss out on the blessing of serving others!

Pastor Tracy

UPDATE: construction has BEGUN. leave yourself some extra time to get here on sunday!

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, July 4 @ 10am

PRODUCE
The Fruit
Pastor Tracy

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.

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It's Time to Testify! (also, what day is it?)

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Does anyone know what day it is?

I love this week between Christmas and New Year's Day. It has a pace all its own. And, if you're like me, as you rest and reset, you reflect on the past year and start to wonder what's next in 2024.

This week's challenge is very simple: testify. Think about how God has met you, spoken to you, healed you or provided for you in 2023 and share it. Maybe it's as simple as a journal entry between you and the Lord, maybe it's a Facebook post or a text message to a friend. And, on Sunday you will have a chance to share that testimony with your church family during our 5th Sunday service. (If you won't be here, feel free to email me and I will share it on your behalf.)

He's been good. He is faithful. Let's share some good news about Him!

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

5th SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31 @ 10am

WAITING FOR JESUS
Lessons from 2023
Tracy Dunham, Erin Jamieson, Margaret Pfeiffer

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.

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On Mission (working together here and around the world)

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For the past several weeks, one of my least favourite ministry tasks has been going on behind the scenes at Freedom... we've been working on the 2024 budget. We have a team that does great work with this each year but of course, as Lead Pastor, I still need to spend quite a bit of time just looking at it, thinking about it, and trying to be sure we haven't missed anything or made any mistakes. It's an absolutely necessary process but I wouldn't call it the highlight of my year!

We will be working on the general operating budget until late in 2023 but it's not the only budget that we work on in the fall. This is also the time of year that the Missions Committee, Finance Committee and Board consider our missions giving for the coming year. What is God asking us to do in the new year? Do our missions partners still align with our core values? How can we commit to missions giving in a thoughtful and also faith-filled way?

2024 will be a special year for us in Missions. We will be launching our own Miss Margaret as a full-time Global Worker in Guatemala! We've known this for more than a year and the time has come for us to make some financial commitments to her that will reach into the next two years. It's been extremely exciting for us as we've worked on the 2024 and some of the 2025 missions budget... a lot more fun than budgeting for office supplies! And, not to leave you in suspense, but you will be hearing more about this in the coming weeks.

We believe in the mission God has given us as a church. We believe in making an impact here in Kitchener and in supporting those who are sent out from here to engage the world for Christ in other countries and contexts. Our missions giving budget is an expression of faith and obedience to what we believe God is calling us to do. It depends on each member of Freedom asking themselves, what is God asking me to do to support His mission through my local church?

As we get toward the end of this year, we are doing well in our General Fund and also well behind our target for missions giving year-to-date. (63%, $13,765 of our $22,000 goal.) This is an unusual circumstance for Freedom. At the end of the year, we will fulfill our commitments to our missions partners (for details, go to freedomkw.com/missions) and any shortfall in the Missions Fund will be covered by the General Fund.

The economy has been tough this year. So many people are worried, uncertain or struggling in their financial lives. That's reality to be sure. And still, as the people of God, we are called to trust Him in and with everything. As He cares for us, would you join Rob and me as we pray about what God would have us do to support the spreading of the Gospel in Kitchener, Canada, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Cambodia?

As you know my heart, you know this is not about guilt or obligation. This is simply an invitation to help us meet a need and believe in how God might stretch us for the global mission this year, into 2024 and beyond!

A few practical items:

  1. You can meet our missions partners and learn more about all of this on our website: freedomkw.com/missions.

  2. You can learn how to designate to our Missions Fund on our website: freedomkw.com/give

  3. You can hear from our Global Worker in Ethiopia, Jeremy Feller, this Sunday morning in service! Join us in person or online at 10am.

Finally, let me say thank you. Your generous giving to our General Fund has been unprecedented this year. Your response to meeting practical needs in our community (gift cards for seniors, food pantry donations, furniture and household items for a family new to Canada...) is inspiring and beautiful. God is using us, church. Let's keep pressing into lives of generosity!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19 @ 10am

THE PRESENCE OF GOD
We Have Seen His Glory
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.

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Easter is VERY Good News (who do you know that needs to hear it?)

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On Sunday we will be sharing some very good news. The best news, in fact. He is risen indeed! We are so privileged to know that regardless of any bad news that we've received in our lives and no matter what comes our way, we have this good news each and every day as our anchor. Thank you, Jesus!

On Friday, Scott Corkill will be sharing from the Gospel of John with the headline "Jesus is Love". We will gather around the communion emblems, proclaiming His death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26) and consider what the "headline" of our lives is because of Christ.

On Saturday, we will rest, considering that quiet and grief-filled day of the first Easter weekend but with the full knowledge that the story doesn't end in death.

On Sunday, we celebrate. As Pope John Paul II said, "We are an Easter people and hallelujah is our song!"

If there is someone you'd like to invite, we want you to know that they will hear the message of the gospel on Friday and Sunday. There is toddler care for the littlest in our Freedom family and all other ages will be involved in the service. We've been mindful of this in our planning and have been intentional about how we can keep our Freedom kids engaged.

We have an easy invitation card ready for you on our website and lots of FAQs answered if someone is new to our church. freedomkw.com/easter

Also, we will be livestreaming on Friday and Sunday. That might be a great way to invite someone who is hesitant about attending in person. Details for that are always on the homepage of our website.

Someone grabbed a photo of some of our team during our final music rehearsal on Tuesday night... it makes my heart happy. I can't wait to see you this weekend and celebrate Jesus together!

Indeed!
Pastor Tracy

THIS FRIDAY & SUNDAY

FRIDAY, APRIL 7 @ 10am
THE GOSPEL
John: Jesus is Love
Scott Corkill

EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 9 @ 10am
THE GOSPEL
It’s Very Good News
Tracy Dunham, 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.

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Palm Sunday to Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Beyond (Holy Week begins...)

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It's time, once again, for palm fronds. This is your warning that you may get hit with a palm branch on Sunday morning if you are with us for our in-person service. We hope you don't, but there are no guarantees! We'll be encouraging our Freedom kids to grab a palm branch and wave it as we sing "Hosanna". Why? Because it is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.

Holy Week (or Passion Week) is the traditional name for the week leading up to and including the crucifixion of Jesus. The Church looks back at the events of each day and in a way, relives them, recognizing the significance of each step Jesus took on His way to the cross. We did a series on this last Easter - you can check it out here.

As we get ready for Palm Sunday, I want to invite you into this journey to the cross. Use each day to prepare your heart for Easter weekend. Here are some ways that you can do this:

  1. Join our Holy Week reading plan in YouVersion.

  2. Watch this video about Holy Week to understand it better.

  3. Listen to the messages from our 2022 series "The Passion".

Looking forward to reflecting and celebrating with you this season,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, APRIL 2 @ 10am
THE GOSPEL
John: Jesus is God
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.

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Looking Back to Look Ahead (praying for our church leaders this weekend)

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As I look at my calendar for the rest of the week, it's filled with 10,000-foot-view-type conversations about church life. Our monthly board meeting is on Thursday, we have our annual "Leadership Summit" with the board, staff and spouses on Saturday, and the annual business meeting is on Sunday evening. I think it's going to be a very inspiring (and maybe a little tiring?) weekend!

I want to invite you to engage with us. This weekend will have us looking back into 2022, considering where we are as a church and using that to help us mark where we feel God calling us in the year ahead. We quite literally look back in order to look ahead. We need God's wisdom to rightly understand our current position and what's next. We can't (and shouldn't and won't) move forward without knowing that we're in step with His Spirit.

But as you know, time flies by. Our calendars are full and our minds are busy. So we know it's vital to take the time to check in and gain perspective, new insights, and clarity in the life of the church.

Here's how you can be a part of that:

  1. Pray for us on Saturday. Pray that God's Spirit would speak clearly as our leadership gathers, prays together, listens for His voice and sets direction for the year ahead.

  2. Join us for the Annual Business Meeting on Sunday at 6:00. Members are especially encouraged to be there and to vote but everyone is welcome to come and hear the good reports from 2022 and together to set our hearts on 2023. (You can even watch on Zoom if you can't make it in person. Just email us for the link.)

It continues to be a high privilege to serve this church. Thank you for your partnership and commitment to unity in the Spirit!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 @ 10am
THE GOSPEL
Luke: The Truth of Jesus
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.

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Christmas Time is... Near! (SHAPED for Serving this season)

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Our Shaped for Serving workshop reminded me of just how uniquely created and gifted each one of us is. Things that I love to do or come easily to me could be the same things that another person has no interest in or finds difficult... and vice versa! It's a really beautiful thing when we learn to appreciate it... and Scott certainly helped us to do that during the workshop.

This idea fits really well with all that we're planning for Christmas at Freedom this year. No need to try to "do it all" or get overwhelmed... we have a few seasonal events and opportunities that we hope will inspire lots of different people to get involved.

Williamsburg Family Christmas Event

  • Sunday, December 18 @ 12:00-2:00

  • Volunteer: Contact Pastor Erin

  • Attend: Mark your calendar and watch for details!

Decorate the Church for Christmas

House of Friendship Christmas Hampers

  • Find needed items on our website: freedomkw.com/offer-help

  • Drop off purchased items at the church by November 30th.

  • Watch for an opportunity to bless The Pregnancy Centre coming up in December!

Share Your Christmas Traditions

  • What is a special tradition in your family? Let Pastor Tracy know and we'll use your stories throughout our Advent and Christmas services!

God has so beautifully gifted His church. I'm looking forward to serving alongside you as we all put what He's given us to use for His kingdom... inside and outside the church!

Let us know if you have any questions and/or click the links to get involved.

Happy Christmas!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

CHOOSE BLESSING
Relationally Blessed
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.

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Let's Start at the Beginning (it's a very good place to start!)

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Sometimes, one thing informs another. Have you ever found this? You start doing one thing and it leads to something else that leads you back to the first thing but more deeply. That might seem a bit ambiguous but that's what I feel has happened in church life over the past few weeks. Let me explain.

We launched Sunday Night Conversations (SNC) with a discussion on the sanctity of life, primarily focusing on the issues surrounding abortion. While our conversation was appropriately heavy, it was also beautiful, encouraging, challenging and helpful. As part of my research for the night, I had a chance to Zoom with the Executive Director of The Pregnancy Centre in Kitchener (thanks for taking the time, Jenn!). It was enlightening and I left that conversation more informed and also inspired by the good work that they are doing at TPC.

From that, Pastor Erin and I were talking about how we can help the community this Christmas season. The heart of our church is to find the places where needs can be met and the love of Christ can be shown in practical ways. So, we are doing Christmas hampers for five families whom House of Friendship has identified as being in need but don't qualify for other programs. And then, in the month of December, we're going to collect stroller covers for TPC (and make a Christmas tree out of them in the lobby!) because we asked what they really needed and that's what they said. We can do that.

I was shown in new ways how meeting the needs around us can show people who are hopeless or simply feel like they have no options that they are loved and not alone, that they do have options and there is someone to help them. Simple and profound. What a sobering (and inspiring!) reminder.

So our SNC informed our Christmas collections in November and December and those things started to stir another conversation and settled my heart on what our next SNC should be.

Why do we do these things and think this way? It's because we believe what the Bible says and trust it to guide our lives. That is the basis of every SNC. That's our worldview, the lens that we look at everything through. So... how do we know that we can trust the Bible? It is actually trustworthy after all of these years and all the translations and all that we know now in modern society?

So, our next Sunday Night Conversation, coming up on November 20th, will be about precisely that. We'll lay the foundation of why we believe in the authority of scripture and also leave lots of space for you to ask any "yeah, buts" that you might have. I know that you face this in your families and workplaces and I'd like for us to talk about it. Join me if you can.

From this to that and back again. I love when that happens. So let's start at the beginning on November 20th... it's a very good place to start. :)

Looking forward to it,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

CHOOSE BLESSING
Financially Blessed
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.

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Pavilion Update! (where we are and what's left to do)

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If you've been around our property in the last few weeks you'll know that it's anything but same old, same old around here. Many, many new houses are being built to the east, the trees have come down, ready for a newly landscaped property line, and the Pavilion is more than dreams and plans... it's actually a structure you can see and picture being used. It's incredible to see these years of ideas and conversations taking shape in real life.

The Pavilion Project is the next step in our vision of developing a Life Transformation Campus, where every acre is used as a spiritual oasis for our neighbours and for us. It was necessary to upgrade the old grey shed and we took the opportunity to be able to consider what else that space might be used for. We envision a connecting point for our church family and community, a place to offer radical hospitality and build authentic relationships with others, and a space that invests in the next generation by making room for meaningful activities and programs. I know you can see it too!

Read even more about the "why" behind this project HERE.

Our original Pavilion Project budget was $330,000 and the great news is that we've exceeded that amount in our fundraising over the past couple of years. Way to go, Freedom! That is truly remarkable.

The reality of the delay in construction, the last two years of the pandemic and the much higher price of materials has meant a dramatic increase in the budget which is now estimated at $550,000. Our fundraising shortfall is about $200,000 and we're asking God to help us to see this through to completion.

The team has done an excellent job managing costs and only doing what is necessary for the pavilion to be complete, meeting the requirements of the City and Region, and fully functioning for the coming season. We have also invested about $10,000 of this budget into setting up the Pavilion and Freedom Community Centre for future servicing (sewer & water) in order to avoid digging up the property again when the time comes to bring in city services.

I'm inviting our Freedom family to prayerfully consider this project and ask the Lord how He would have you financially invest in it. This is a sacrificial gift that is an offering, over and above our support of the general fund (as we want the ministries of our church to continue to thrive). Rob and I are taking this to prayer and committing to walking in obedience to whatever He asks of us because we believe in this work and that this is our next step as a church family. Will you join us?

As you pray, I invite you to reach out with any questions you have. We are excited about our first summer with the Pavilion and are grateful for your investment.

Believing in faith for what is next!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

EMPOWERED
The Holy Spirit in Prayerful Community
Pastor Tracy Dunham

5th Sunday - Potluck after the service!

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

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

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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Calling the Writers & Teachers! (a ministry opportunity for you this summer)

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This Sunday we're going to be talking about how the Holy Spirit empowers people for ministry. There is a very cool example of this in Exodus 35 and, of course (**spoiler alert**), the connection is going to be made between that and how we are empowered by the Spirit for the ministry that we've been called to as well.

In that same vein, I want to invite you to participate in a ministry opportunity that might tap into a gifting of yours. I'm calling on all the writers and/or teachers out there to put together a short email devotional that we can share this summer. We have eight Thursdays in July and August and I'd like to offer those spaces to eight guest writers from our church family.

Do you have a devotional thought that you'd like to share? Do you have a Christ-centred piece of writing that you think will encourage others? Do you have a short study on a passage of scripture that we might find helpful? Please submit it to me (Pastor Tracy) by the end of June and I'll be choosing eight to share throughout the summer months.

I'm really looking forward to hearing from you, fully anticipating that God is speaking to His church and this will spark some great submissions from you - yes, you!

Can't wait to get reading,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

EMPOWERED
The Holy Spirit in Old Testament Ministry
Pastor Tracy Dunham

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

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

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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Advent | Hope (prayers and readings for the weeks of Advent)

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The season of Advent is a double feature. It brings our attention back to the longing and expectancy of the Jewish people as they waited for the Messiah, which reminds us how desperately we also need a Saviour. It also points to the coming of that very Messiah and the fulfillment of the promise that He really would come, which reminds us to be looking and waiting expectantly for His second coming. It's truly a beautiful season.

Sunday marks the first day of Advent this year and around the church we are getting ready. We intentionally make changes to our decor and sermon series to mark the day. We use these external markers to remind us that we're in a new season. We also mark this date because we are all well aware of how (I hate to say it...) busy December is and how quickly our attention gets drawn away from the miracle of the birth of Christ and the hope, love, joy and peace that we are invited to participate in because of Him.

To help you truly celebrate the coming of Christ and to look to His second coming, I'm going to provide a prayer and some readings (Old Testament, New Testament, Gospel and Psalm) that I have gone back to many times over the years and find helpful.

Advent Readings & Prayers: Week 1

We will pause in each service during Advent to pray the prayer together, so I encourage you to read it over before Sunday.

We also have a YouVersion reading plan for Advent starting on Sunday. It would be great to read scripture with you over the next few weeks so click the link below for the invitation to the plan.

This Sunday's Advent theme is hope. How very fitting for this Season of Hope we are in as a church. I'm really looking forward to sharing these next few weeks with all of you.

With hope,
Pastor Tracy

This Sunday

SEASON OF HOPE: Secure in the Future
When You See Death, He is Life

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

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+YouTube Live)
9:00 - Kids Church Online (Freedom Kids FB Group)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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Your Turn: Winning With Worship (november mini-series | part three)

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This week Rob is taking us through a couple of incredible biblical narratives: Paul & Silas in Acts 16 and Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. In both cases, choosing to worship in the middle of an impossible situation was key to their victory.

So, just like the last two weeks, I am going to be asking you to respond to the question I'm posing in this email. My goal is to add our voices together to help one another with the practical applications of the lessons. Are you ready for one more? Let's do it!

This week...

What is a song of worship that has helped, strengthened or encouraged you?

You don't have to share the circumstances or details unless you want to - you can just tell us the name of the song. Share as much or as little as you'd like. On Sunday, I hope to have a chance to sing a few of these songs and share your stories along with them!

Thank you for being a part of connecting with God and each other. I'm looking forward to hearing from you this week again.

Together in Christ,
Pastor Tracy

This Sunday

SEASON OF HOPE: Overcoming the Present
Winning With Worship

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

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+YouTube Live)
9:00 - Kids Church Online (Freedom Kids FB Group)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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Your Turn: Witness That Wins (november mini-series | part two)

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This week we're looking at 1 Timothy 4 and how Paul tells Timothy to "watch your life and doctrine closely." The interesting thing about this book of the Bible, as well as 2 Timothy and Titus, is that the advice is being given to a young pastor but the whole congregation gets to listen in.

There’s something extra and very exciting for this service… we're going to have a special guest help us to apply this teaching in a cross-cultural way and to our everyday lives as well. I will be interviewing Jeremy Feller, our mission partner in Ethiopia, at the end of the message and will have a chance to ask him your questions (as well as mine!).

Just like last week, I am going to be asking you to respond to the questions I'm posing in this email. My goal is to add our voices together to help one another with the practical applications of the lessons. Are you ready? Let's do it!

This week...

Share the best piece of wisdom you've been given in your life.

AND/OR

What is a question you'd like to ask Jeremy Feller, our mission partner in Ethiopia?

You don't have to share the circumstances or details unless you want to. You can just respond with the wise words you were given. Share as much or as little as you'd like. On Sunday, I'll read them out loud and we'll all have a chance to learn from what you learned!

Thank you for being a part of connecting with God and each other. I'm looking forward to hearing from you this week and in the weeks to come.

Together in Christ,
Pastor Tracy

This Sunday

SEASON OF HOPE: Overcoming the Present
Winning With Witness

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

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+YouTube Live)
9:00 - Kids Church Online (Freedom Kids FB Group)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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Your Turn: Scriptures That Speak (november mini-series | part one)

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This month, I'm inviting you to be a part of the Sunday message. No, not someone else - you!

We're beginning our November series with a look at Luke 4 and how Jesus "won" by knowing the scriptures. So, does that still work? Does it work for us?

All month long I am going to be asking you to respond to this devo. My goal is to add our voices together to help one another with the practical applications of the lessons. Are you in? Let's do it

This week...

Share a scripture that has helped you with a difficult decision, strengthened you to overcome a struggle or has spoken deeply to your life.

You don't have to share the circumstances or details unless you want to. You can just respond with the chapter and verse(s). Share as much or as little as you'd like. On Sunday, we will be reading these scriptures out loud and not sharing the stories (unless I specifically ask your permission).

Thank you for being a part of connecting with God and each other. I'm looking forward to hearing from you this week and in the weeks to come.

Together in Christ,
Pastor Tracy

This Sunday

SEASON OF HOPE: Overcoming the Present
Winning With The Word

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

10:00 - Live Service & Kids Church (+YouTube Live)
9:00 - Kids Church Online (Freedom Kids FB Group)

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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10/10/10 + Life Transformation Goals (let's keep growing!)

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In our spiritual lives, we're always walking a fine line between faith and works. We never, ever want to think that we can earn our salvation or that if we just apply enough effort, we can do enough things to make us better. We also know that nothing happens by accident and at that we must make every effort to make Christ the centre of our lives by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to keep up the work of being transformed.

As a church, our heart is to equip you with any and every tool that we can that might be of value to you as you take your next step and your next step and your next step in Christ. It's completely our joy.

Pastor Erin put together a very practical help for you to write down some spiritual goals that you have for this year and then be able to check back in on them throughout the year, using our 5th Sundays as time markers. Love this! You can make these goals anything that makes sense for where you are right now. Simply pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you know what you need to be intentional about this year and then ask Him for help as you move toward your first check-in on May 30th. (Click here or below to get your download of this document.)

And here's something from Life Church that I came across at the beginning of the year. It's a simple way to approach your daily devotions that does a nice job balancing the Word, meditation, prayer and listening to God while giving some parameters to follows. It's 10/10/10 - 10 minutes of reading the Word, 10 minutes of journaling, 10 minutes of silence and listening to God. Simple and powerful. (Click here or the video below for an explanation.)

We're trusting these resources will be powerful tools for you and that you'll feel the freedom to adapt them and use them to attend to the presence of Jesus (thanks for this encouragement on Sunday, Pastor Cher!) in your life every day.

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

This Sunday

WALK TOWARD EACH OTHER
NEW SERIES from Ephesians 4, 5 & 6

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
We also post the service to YOUTUBE on Sunday afternoon.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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10x5x5x3... Or Something Like That! (a practical tip for ordering a busy mind)

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Today, a practical tip to help you walk toward an ordered mind.

In a world with endless voices pressing for your time and asking to be made a priority, how can you keep Christ at the centre of every part of your life and do the things that HE has for you?

Here's one of the ways that I keep moving forward. A 6x6... or, 10x5x5x3, because, hey, we're flexible! (I promise, it makes sense in the video.)

Praying this helps to support all of the good work that the Holy Spirit is doing in our hearts and minds this season.

Be blessed,
Pastor Tracy

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Before you go... Do you have a story to share about how you have found freedom and victory on the battlefield of your mind? Let us know! Click here.

This Sunday

FREE YOUR MIND
5th Sunday - Celebrate Freedom!

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
We also post the service to YOUTUBE on Sunday afternoon.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

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We're Still Together (at Christmas and beyond)

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I did something this week that I've never done in my 18 years in ministry... I watched a press conference with the staff. Can anything strange surprise us anymore?

With the lockdown mandate from the province that begins on December 26th, I want to take a couple of minutes and let you know what's happening here at Freedom.

For you visual learners, a video.

For you who love the written word, here are the highlights:

  • Christmas Eve is online! No change there. (Thank you, Lord!). Keep inviting others to watch from the safety of their own homes "with" you. Use the resources on our website or share our socials.

  • Sunday, December 27 (this Sunday) until the end of January, we will be livestreaming our service with no in-person attendance. But it's not a problem - we've learned so much this year and we GOT THIS! We just really want to see you there because we have a few special things planned...

  • Send us your testimony of what God has done in your life in 2020. Email or DM us. Encourage one another! We want to hear from you!

  • Send us your song request. What do you want to sing with your church (unmasked from home) to finish off the year? Rob is ready for it! (Again, email or DM us or look for social posts.)

  • We are still about impacting our community so let us know if you have a donation of gloves, underwear or socks for Ray of Hope and we'll get it into our collection box safely for you. (Or, let Amazon do the work for you and deliver it to us!)

Truly, church, we keep walking forward in faith. We are full of courage and excited about what God has in store for us in 2021. We will keep praying, we will keep worshiping, we will keep serving, we will keep caring for one another and we will keep impacting the world for Christ. What a time to be entrusted with the Gospel. I'm thankful that we're in this together.

Pastor Tracy

This Sunday

TOGETHER AT CHRISTMAS
Tell Your Story

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
We also post the service to YOUTUBE on Sunday afternoon.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.