Devotional

Wait Patiently (guest writer | Pernilla Snethlage)

Wait patiently

14 years old. On fire. Burning inside. Pick me, pick me – put me on the team, Jesus! Did a lot, but achieved nothing. Maybe some, of eternal value – hardly.

“I have a word for you.” This is it; this is the time when Jesus is going to tell me what to do, where to do it, how to do it, and when.

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…”

What!?

Okay. Okay. Waiting. That means continue doing what I’m currently doing until Jesus says to do something else. Sure, I can do that.

I couldn’t. I didn’t.

I tried. I tried very hard. I tried too much. Life became too much. In the world, of it, but trying not to be. Trying to be good, holy, to do the right thing. Trying to fit in, everywhere, with everyone. Forgot to wait.

24 years old. On fire. Burning inside. But also scarred, hurt, and lonely inside.

“I have a word for you.” This is it; Jesus has not given up on me, he’s going to tell me what to do, where to do it, how to do it, and when (which is now obviously, because life ends at 30, duh!).

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…”

What!? No way. Haven’t I come any further in 10 years!?

Continued to do what I did, which was running, not waiting. Trying, trying, and trying. And doing – oh so much doing. Mostly in my own strength, to the point where trying to give all to Jesus became a performance in itself. If I just try a little bit harder it will happen.

My world shattered. Broke into pieces. Death, this is how it will happen, I’m dying. “It will be fine”, they said, “just try not to try so hard.” Words, well-meaning words. Words, words, words. I wish they would be quiet.

Even in pieces, I tried. Tried to build a better world. Tried to be light, to be salt, to be different.

And Jesus waited. For me. He waited for me to be still. Still, so he could pick up the pieces and glue them back together. In a new way, in a beautiful way, in a strong way.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7)

Be still. Be patient. Wait for the LORD to act. (Psalm 37:7a, NIRV)

- Pernilla Snethlage

THIS SUNDAY

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM: Unlocking the Parables
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
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.

What are your summer "things"? (a season of reset)

Summer is a great season for about a million reasons, not the least of which is the pace that it allows. When it's hot, you tend to walk slower, hurry less, find reasons to put down your regular work, rest and play. It's a good thing. One of the things I love about this change of pace is that it allows me to reset. I find myself taking time to evaluate the year so far and think about what things need to change, be reprioritized, or get started. It gives breath and pause - like the "selahs" in the Psalms. Aren't you glad for seasons?

Personally, I've declared this "the summer of doing things." I will not get to Labour Day weekend and wish I had been to the beach, been out on the kayaks, been to the ball game, sat out late on the patio with friends or finally learned how to make jebena coffee. I don't want to be busy but I want to spend my time, not just watch it tick by while I watch another episode of Murdoch Mysteries. (Don't knock it. It's a great Canadian show!) Where did this mindset come from? The pace of summer! I'm using the momentum that this season has to reset some things that will make things different in the fall, winter and beyond.

Do you do this in the summer? Do you have more time to reflect and reset? Do you read more, journal more, walk more... pray more? I hope so. Seasons are a gift and God will use each one - literally and metaphorically.

Let me encourage you to use this change of pace to reflect back and think ahead. How do you want to spend your time in the fall? How could the rhythms of the summer help to reset some things for you? Or, as I like to think of it, how does the structure of my life support my life as "God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do?" (Ephesians 2:10)

By the way, I'm writing this from a little cottage at Braeside... I'm "doing things" and preparing my heart for what's next.

See you on Sunday,

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM: Unlocking the Parables
The Parable of the Yeast
Erin Jamieson

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.

Billy Graham on Habakkuk (take another listen)

Last week someone sent me a clip of Billy Graham preaching. He was talking about Habakkuk and how God said that even if Habakkuk knew what God was doing, he wouldn't believe it. Of course, we know that God goes on to tell Habakkuk some of His plan and Habakkuk's response was, well, complaint... but then worship.

In case you missed it or in case you just wanted to see it again, I've attached it here. When we get up on our rampart, this is the kind of perspective we (like Habakkuk) get. NOTE: If you don't understand the "rampart" reference, go back to and watch our July 19 service.

I love this reminder. No matter what you see in the world around you, no matter what you are facing down in your life, God has not left His throne. He is at work even if we can't see it. He loves us even when we wonder why He is allowing it. He is sovereign even when don't understand the plan.

Take another listen and be blessed.

On the rampart with you,
Pastor Tracy

“Habakkuk said, “Lord please tell me what you’re doing.” And God said, “No, I’m not going to tell you, Habakkuk. Because if I told you what I was doing you wouldn’t believe it.”

If God today told us what He’s doing in the world, we wouldn’t believe it.

Don’t you think God’s given up, and God’s abdicated, and God’s left the throne. He hasn’t.

He’s still on the throne. And those of us that know Him put our trust in Him and Him alone.

I don’t put my trust in Washington. I don’t put my trust in the United Nations. I don’t put my trust in myself. I don’t put trust in my money.

I put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

When all the rest of it fails and crumbles and shatters, He’ll be there.”
— Billy Graham

THIS SUNDAY

CALL AND ANSWER
Rescued By God
Margaret Pfeiffer

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.

Do you camp? You should! (well... this kind of camp :))

Camp. This word can mean a lot of things. I hope it brings up good memories from your childhood and not images of homesickness, cafeteria food and outhouses. :)

Here we are again in the season for camp and with so many of the pandemic restrictions being lifted, there will hopefully be lots of great things for you and your family to enjoy outside of your normal routine this summer.

One option that you may not know about is Braeside Camp. It is part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (like us) and is located in Paris, about 30 minutes from the church. I went to kids camp and youth camp there for many years when I was growing up and recently my family has been spending as much time there as possible over the summer, renting a cottage for a few days or going out to attend a service. It's not fancy, but it's a really special place that not only is a great spiritual retreat but also a safe place for kids and fun place to connect with others.

I want to invite you and encourage you to take in some of the camp experience over the next few weeks. Family Camp runs from July 2-24 with services on Thursday-Sunday each week. There are also activities for all ages and childcare for the little ones (more details are on their app which you can find on the website). I know that several of our Freedom families will be spending time at camp and are looking forward to the casual pace of life that allows them to connect with whoever else is out at camp at the same time as them.

Also, we've decided that we will spend our Deep Roots time in July out at camp, attending the 6:00pm service and encouraging you to join us there. We hope you'll be able to come!

So go ahead and look at your calendar for July. Is there a time that you could take the short trip to camp and invest a few hours into connecting with God and others? I hope to see you at the tuck shop for some post-service ice cream and fries!

Looking forward to a great summer,

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

CALL AND ANSWER
Waiting For God
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.

Activating Peace (quieting yourself)

“My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.”
— Psalm 131

Often when I think of the peace that we have in Christ, I think about the gift of peace that He gives regardless, and perhaps in spite, of the circumstances we're facing. While that gift of peace is truly incredible and is more than we can understand (Phil. 4:7), a scripture from our through-the-bible-in-a-year reading plan reminded me that I can participate in receiving this peace. When I came to Psalm 131 last week, I saw that it was underlined and circled in my bible and so I've been reflecting on it for the past few days.

The contentedness of the Psalmist, David, comes from the active choice to calm and quiet himself. Himself. He chose to not be proud and not to try to control what was God's to control but instead to not be concerned with those things. The implication is that he didn't rush from day to day and ask God for peace in the midst of the busyness; he purposefully found a way to quiet his heart.

I'm not sure what "quieting" might look like in your life, but I'm sure you know it when you're doing it. It's when you come away from the noise, when your mind isn't buzzing, when your phone is on DND, when you're walking or journalling or cooking or kayaking or sitting on the deck. It's when you are calm and can pray without hurry, able to listen more than you talk. David says there is contentment there. I agree.

I hear the scripture gently calling me to more a more active pursuit of peace, a more intentional carving of time and space to participate in the peace that is freely given by Jesus. There is contentment there.

How can you calm and quiet yourself, fully trusting God with every concern? Listen with me to the call of scripture and actively engage in His peace.

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

Just for fun, here’s a colouring sheet (for adultS and kids alike!) that you can download… maybe this a way to quiet yourself? Give it a try!

THIS SUNDAY

CALL AND ANSWER
Questioning God
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.

Habakkuk (huh-BAK-uhk) Complains to God (is that allowed?)

Have you ever wondered why God didn't do something that obviously needed to be done?

Have you ever questioned whether or not He was actually listening?

Have you ever thought about complaining to Him but didn't know if you could or should?

You are not alone; not by a long shot. In fact, here's another question: Have you ever read the book of Habakkuk? It's not as famous as Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13 or John 3:16 to be sure. It's tucked into the Minor Prophets between Nahum and Zephaniah (does that help?) and has a lot of insight into communicating with God.

Like us, Habakkuk was looking at the world around him and had questions. His theology said one thing (God sees, hears and answers) but his experience wasn't lining up with it. Ever felt that way? Yeah, me too.

Over the next three weeks we're going to work through this dialogue between Habakkuk and God and find some help for these questions as we face them in our own lives. I encourage you to read it for yourself and get a big picture overview before we dive in together. Here's how we'll break it down:

  • June 12 - Complaining to God - Habakkuk 1:1-11

  • June 19 - Questioning God - Habakkuk 1:12-2:20

  • June 26 - Waiting for God - Habakkuk 3:1-19

I can't wait to dig into this with you!

See you on Sunday,

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

CALL AND ANSWER
Complaining to God
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.

,

Hungry? (some homework for Sunday!)

,

Have you ever just wanted more? Have you ever sensed that there was more for your relationship with God? Have you ever felt spiritually hungry?

I was recently told that someone wanted to get baptized in water again because they weren't sure if they really meant it the first time, or, they felt that they needed another experience because they would mean it so much more now. I understand the feeling. You've grown in your faith and are wondering what's next. You're hungry for more and wonder if that's even a thing.

On Sunday, Pastor is going to teach about one (very significant) way that God can and will satisfy this hunger. It's Pentecost Sunday and we're going to talk about the experience that the 120 followers of Jesus had in the Upper Room (Acts 2) and how it is still available for us today. I believe in the empowerment that comes from being baptized in the Holy Spirit. I have lived it and continue to be amazed at His gifts to His Church.

I know that a lot of us don't come from a pentecostal background and this might be something new that you'd like to study more. Here are some resources to get you started and as always, don't hesitate to reach out to us with more questions or insights. We'd love to hear your story and share in your journey.

Be filled!
Pastor Tracy

SCRIPTURE: The Book of Acts
BLOG: Why do Pentecostals care so much about SPIRIT BAPTISM? (Andrew Gabriel)
COURSE: Life in the Spirit (Del Wells)
EBOOK: Spirit Baptism in the Old and New Testament (Andrew Gabriel)
BOOK: The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke (Roger Stronstad)
BOOKLET: A Scriptural Outline of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (George Gilles)
POSITION PAPER: Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Assemblies of God)

THIS SUNDAY

EMPOWERED
The Holy Spirit in Acts

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.

,

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

,

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.

,

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

,

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.

,

For the Common Good (the Spirit working out loud)

,

On Sunday we heard the Holy Spirit working in an "out loud" way through a message of tongues and interpretation. I mentioned that we find teaching about this in scripture, specifically 1 Corinthians 12 & 14. I know that this might be a new experience for some or it's been a long time since you heard a word for the church in that way.

Pastor Del's course Life in the Spirit, which was referenced by Pastor Erin in her message, has a lesson on the gifts of the Spirit that you will find helpful. You'll notice that it's the 8th lesson in the course and so, of course, I highly recommend going through the whole thing! But still, it's a great start or refresher if you're wondering why hearing a message from God in a church service isn't weird or out of order, even if you've never experienced it yourself.

Click here or on the image and enjoy a deeper dive into the scriptures. If you have any questions, you can reach out to any of us on staff. We would look forward to it!

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

PS - 10 points if you can figure out where the title of this devo comes from!

THIS SUNDAY

EMPOWERED
The Holy Spirit in Old Testament Miracles
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.

, ,

A Step of Obedience (water baptism on 5th Sunday)

, ,

In the fall of 2020, Pastor did an excellent job helping us understand what it means that we are new creations in Christ and how water baptism symbolizes this amazing truth. If you didn't get a chance to listen or watch, be sure to check it out here, including the Q&A afterward.

I hope that you've heard by now that there will be an opportunity to be baptized in water on 5th Sunday, May 29th, during our service. If you or someone you know is considering baptism, allow me to reiterate what it's all about. Here is the first page of what you'll find on our website:

So if you've made a decision to follow Jesus and you've never been baptized in water, this is the perfect opportunity. Just click the image above and read about your next step. And, of course, don't hesitate to give me a shout if you have any questions!

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

EMPOWERED
The Holy Spirit in Old Testament Leadership
Pastor Erin Jamieson

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.

We Speak Jesus (a personal reflection)

On Sunday our worship team introduced the song "I Speak Jesus" and it was incredible to listen to the church declare their faith in Him. Why is it so powerful to speak the name of Jesus "over" every situation, need, place and relationship? Not because "Jesus" is a magic word but because He truly does have both the power to intervene and the depth of love to care about all of our lives. Only He can be trusted with each of these things and only He can meet every need. When that gets deep into our hearts and gets expressed in our worship, it's powerful.

This song has been particularly special to me over these past few months. Many of you know some of the deep waters our family has been walking through and unfortunately, the pain that we've felt is universally known by us all at some time or another in our lives. That's the deal while we live in a broken, fallen world. But this song is one that was dropped into my playlist at just the right moment in time and has helped to anchor me in some important truths.

When I "speak Jesus" over my family and against the enemy who is looking to steal, kill and destroy, I invite the Spirit of Jesus to do what He promised to do - be with me, always. We talked about it on Sunday: we are never alone. He invites us to bring our weakness let Him show His strength. We bring our brokenness and let Him be our Healer. We bring our need and let Him be our Provider. We bring our battle and let Him win the victory.

I've had a few people encourage me by telling me that I am strong. I very much appreciate the sentiment and receive it with gratitude. But I've had to reply that the opposite is entirely true. I am not strong and perhaps I've never been more weak. And more miraculously, I have never experienced the presence of Jesus more profoundly than over these past months as I've given Him my weakness. I've said more than once, "This stuff we talk about on Sundays? It literally works. Like, for real - Jesus is all.”

I told you on Sunday and I'll tell you again because it bears repeating: You are not alone. Jesus promised to be with you always and He is. The Holy Spirit lives in you and will sustain, strengthen, correct, love, teach, encourage, remind (how long can I make this list?).... you if you learn to trust Him. It literally works. Like, for real.

Be encouraged, friends. His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). He is always with You and He is strong enough to meet every need. Go ahead and speak His name first every day in every circumstance. His name is power; His name is healing; His name is life.

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

EMPOWERED
The Availability of the Holy Spirit
Guest Speaker: Dr. Chris Padiath

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.

,

A Moment for Gratitude (thanks to all who helps us celebrate Easter!)

,

After a weekend like the one we just had, I get reflective. So many of you made a point to say something encouraging to me about our Good Friday or Easter Sunday services. My heart was so full from knowing that what was intentionally curated for the weekend made a connection to your lives in some way. Thank you, Jesus.

But more than that, I know what it took to make those moments special and believe me when I tell you that for weeks leading up to Easter, the body of Christ was in action, each member using their gifts for the common good.

Thank you to everyone who stayed late on a Sunday night in February to brainstorm ideas, features and songs.

Thank you to Matt who helped to craft each moment of the services from a musical and production perspective, learned songs, tracked down media and led so well on the weekend. #allthethings

Thank you to the worship team who prepared weeks in advance and set aside extra time to rehearse together - Adam, Juno, Matt, Shay, Talitha, Sara and Leanna. And thank you to the tech team of Walt, Brad, Malachi, Vaughn, Jide and Nate for spending time in rehearsals and making sure that the message of the weekend was easily seen and heard.

Thank you to Erin and Margaret who were able to take all of the ideas, interpret them and make them work - devotionals, scripture readings, kids features, communion, and "graves into gardens." So grateful for this staff.

Thank you to everyone who created and hosted our Spring Photo Booth, to bless both our community and our church family with memories from this weekend: Erin, Sandra, Pernilla, Nicole, Dave, Monica, Kari, Joke and Alicia.

Thank you to everyone who lent your voice, talent and heart to the services in so many other ways: Pastor Del, Jide, Chris & Ruthie (who also created the Good Friday service with me - grateful!).

We had excellent Hosts all weekend - both in person and OFF Campus, not to mention those who worked entirely behind the scenes counting the offering and taking care of the youngest members of our Freedom family on Sunday.

And to each and every one of you who invited someone to hear the message of gospel this weekend (whether they attended or not), who brought someone with you to a service or who prayed with us that Jesus would be known, I am deeply grateful to you and for you.

This, church, is the body of Christ. I am so glad to be a part of it and I'm glad to be serving this community alongside of each of you.

He is risen indeed!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Ascension: 40 Days Later

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.

,

Getting Ready for Easter (resources for the kids... and you!)

,

It doesn't matter what age you are, we all need to understand the Easter story. Some of us grew up hearing it but for some of us, it's a new story and maybe a bit of a mystery. We do our best to tell the story when we gather on Good Friday and Easter Sunday but it's worth hearing it again and again, making sure that everyone has a chance to understand how important the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is.

In today's devo I've linked some videos to help give you an overview of everything we are remembering and celebrating this weekend. They are great for kids and I encourage you to show them to the kids in your life and ask them if they have any questions.

But let's be honest, they're great for adults, too! These might act as a primer for our services or maybe there is someone in your life who is asking questions about what Easter means. Go ahead and share the links - they are all free on YouTube and easy to access.

Here again is the schedule for Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Freedom:

Good Friday, April 15 @ 10am
Family Communion Service (in person and livestream)

Saturday, April 16 @ 9:30-11:30am
Spring Photo Booth (We've invited our neighbours! You can come too!)

Easter Sunday, April 17 @ 10am
Family Service (in person and livestream) with Childcare for ages 0-3
Spring Photo Booth will also be available before and after the service.

We also encourage you to invite someone to join you in person or online. Let your friends, family and neighbours know about our services and invite them to sign up for the photo booth. You can get an invitation card from the church or point them to freedomkw.com/easter2022.

He is risen indeed!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Sacrifice
GOOD FRIDAY

The Christ
EASTER SUNDAY

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.

, ,

Remembering, Proclaiming and Celebrating (a look ahead at Easter weekend)

, ,

Are you making plans for Easter weekend? If you are part of a family that's anything like mine you've already talked about the menu, the venue and the seating. (Spiral ham, my house, room for 12. By the way, Rob, if I've forgotten to tell you this, everyone's coming to our place for Easter Sunday dinner!)

In church life, we start planning for Easter weekend in February. To put it mildly, it's kind of a big deal. We mark Good Friday and Easter Sunday with special significance because what happened through the death and resurrection of Jesus has literally changed our lives - both today and for eternity. And so, we remember, we proclaim His death until He comes and we celebrate His victory over death and the grave. I get excited; I know you understand.

With that in mind, let me tell you what we're planning for Easter weekend in hopes that you will be able to prepare your hearts and calendars to join us.

Good Friday, April 15 @ 10am
Family Communion Service (in person and livestream)

Saturday, April 16 @ 9:30-11:30am
Spring Photo Booth (We've invited our neighbours! You can come too!)

Easter Sunday, April 17 @ 10am
Family Service (in person and livestream) with Childcare for ages 0-3
Spring Photo Booth will also be available before and after the service.

We also encourage you to invite someone to join you next weekend. Let your friends, family and neighbours know about our services and invite them to sign up for the photo booth. You can get an invitation card from the church or point them to freedomkw.com/easter2022.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. I'm glad I get to spend it with you!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Entrance

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.

,

Connection and Generosity (let's have a potluck!)

,

You may have heard us say the word "potluck" a few times in the last week or so and follow it with cheering and clapping. What's the big deal about a potluck?

Good question, I'd love to tell you.

First, providing food for others is a simple way to show care. When you feed someone it communicates that you're willing to show up in the ordinary things of life.

Second, eating together is a beautiful act of connection. Around a meal we can catch up with each other's lives, invite new people to join our community and create a tangible sense of the family of God that we are.

Third, we get the chance to practice generosity. When we prepare for our meal we bring what we can with a heart that is wanting to bless others from what God has given us. If there is ever anyone joining us who was unable to bring food, it's never a problem. Everyone is invited, there is always lots to share and no one goes hungry.

Fourth, it's fun and delicious. Enough said.

This Sunday will be the first potluck we've had for over two years. We're excited about restrictions lifting and it does feel like we're stepping into a new season of life and ministry. We'd love for you to stay after the service and join us for lunch. Here are the details if you've forgotten how we do this (it's been too long!) or this is your first Freedom potluck:

  • Bring a main dish. (You don't need to but feel free to add to that if you'd like and also bring something else to share like a salad, dessert, etc.)

  • Drop it off in the kitchen before the service. We'll have a kitchen host ready to plug in your crockpot or find you some counter/fridge space.

  • After the service we'll convert the sanctuary into a dining hall while the kitchen team organizes the food. You can get your dish prepared or help in the sanctuary.

  • It takes about 20-30 minutes to get everything ready then we'll pray and eat!

  • We'll have our host team serving the food as you go through the line.

  • We'll provide frozen treats and drinks.

If you're not comfortable with the potluck format, that's perfectly fine. Feel free to bring a lunch for you/your family and stay to eat with us.

I know the food will be great and there will be a lot of fun energy in the air but mostly I'm looking forward to connecting with as many of you as I can. Be on the lookout for anyone who is sitting alone, someone who is new and you could introduce yourself to or simply who the Lord might direct you to chat with.

Let's do lunch on Sunday!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Table

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.

, ,

Life by Meeting (see you on Sunday night at 6!)

, ,

The word "meeting" almost always has a negative connotation. If you work in the corporate world chances are that you are drowning in meetings. Patrick Lencioni's book Death by Meeting is a national best-seller in the U.S. for a reason. If someone tells you they want to meet with you, it's not often something you work into your schedule with joy.

Meetings can be boring, tense, useless or a whole other host of uninspiring things. But I'm here to tell you that meetings can also be inspiring, informative, helpful and an incredible tool for getting everyone on the same page. For real!

The latter is exactly what we always aim for during our Annual Business Meeting. While moving, seconding, voting, and Robert's Rule of Order is not everyone's cup of tea, these are just the structures that give us the chance to report on what is happening in this church, a local expression of the global body of Christ. How are things going? What have we been up to? How are our ministries being supported? What are we envisioning for the year ahead and beyond? These are the questions that the ABM looks to answer.

Members are asked to be in attendance (on Zoom or in person) but everyone who calls this church their home is encouraged to take an hour or so on Sunday night at 6:00 and be a part of this meeting. We certainly have an agenda and some things that we want to be sure you know about, but you are also welcome to bring your questions and take the opportunity to have them answered by the board and staff.

There are some more details on our website including the 2021 Annual Report and Financial Statement. Take a look when you have a chance in the next day or so: www.freedomkw.com/annual-business-meeting

I hope to see you there. God is at work, church. I'm looking forward to meeting with you to talk all about it!

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Betrayal

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.

, ,

A New Season, Indeed (a word about masking and church life)

, ,

Sunday will mark the beginning of a new season, literally. It's the first day of spring, regardless of what the groundhog said on February 2nd. Every year I have to remind myself that the weather doesn't necessarily sync up with the calendar and no matter how many double-digit temperature days we have I still can't plant anything for two more months.

On Monday, a figurative new season will also begin: the end of mandatory masking in most places. This comes almost exactly two years after our first (awkward!) livestream service in 2020. Wow, it's been a long road. Unfortunately, COVID-19 hasn't disappeared but our province has decided that it is appropriate to make masks optional going forward.

We decided in March of 2020 that we would do our best to comply with the provincial and regional mandates in the spirit of Romans 13. While recognizing that we may have very different opinions and experiences surrounding what was asked of us in this time, the Board and Staff charted this course and have stuck with it. We have endeavoured to lead with consistency and grace through these past two years and I know I speak for all of us when I say thank you to each of you for showing so much understanding, patience, and flexibility.

And as I said, COVID is not a thing of the past. We are simply stepping into a new way of living with it and that will have its own new set of challenges.

I want you to hear my heart when it comes to masking at church in the coming weeks and months and let you know what my expectation is for the body of Christ in this new season.

Starting next Sunday (March 27th) masking will be optional. That means that if you are more comfortable wearing a mask in public settings, you are very welcome to wear a mask to the service. If you are more comfortable without your mask, you do not need to wear one. This is the simple attitude that I want each and every one of us to take.

There is an opportunity for the enemy to use this as a divisive issue. Some may wonder why anyone would ever wear a mask; some may wonder why anyone wouldn't. The door is open for judgment and I'm closing the door in my heart and asking you to do the same. In the spirit of 1 John 4:7-21, I want to concern myself with how to love you well and not with your masking choices.

It's my suspicion that you've already come to these conclusions on your own because this is how you have conducted yourselves throughout this pandemic. I often brag about you to other leaders and tell them how grateful I am for how you've modelled grace and compassion so well. Let's hold on to that, no matter what the temptation might be to divide and disrupt. We choose unity in Christ in our diversity.

Today the issue is masking, tomorrow it will undoubtedly be something else, some other thing we may disagree on, some new challenge that we'll have to face together. Regardless, we continue to pray for unity among us and that our differences would make us a beautiful reflection of the body of Christ and the power of the Spirit to connect us to Him.

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Anointing

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.

, ,

Checking Your Work (another encouragement about the Word)

, ,

We have wood-carved sign in our dining room that Rob made on his CNC machine a few months ago. He was experimenting with this technique and how to paint the writing. This was the result. (Scroll for the photo!) The CNC file came from a provider online and it reads:

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 23:3-4

Beautiful, right? Except, that's not what Proverbs 23:3-4 says. Those verses actually say, "Do not crave [the ruler's] delicacies, for that food is deceptive. Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness."

Okay, so it's still the Word of God and it was obviously an innocent typo on the part of the creator of the CNC file. When we figured out the mistake (and after we laughed A LOT) Rob asked if I wanted to take it down and I said no. I think the mistake makes the quoted verse even richer and so the sign remains.

What do I mean by that? A couple of things:

  1. The wisdom, understanding and knowledge that we are looking to build our house on is found in searching the scriptures for everything we need and listening for the voice of the Spirit to bring them to our minds and hearts every day. And so...

  2. We can't rely on someone else to do this for us. We need to be students of the Word for ourselves. We can't assume that what someone says about the Bible is true. The disciple of Jesus is committed to the daily discipline of being in the Word and looking for truth.

Yeah, I know, that's a lot to read into a typo in a CNC design file. Still, I see it every day and I'm reminded of the need to check my work... does my life line up with the Word? Am I comparing my thoughts, attitudes, motives and activities with it? Does anything need to be confessed, set aside, picked up, aligned or surrendered?

At Freedom we talk about reading the Bible a lot. We do reading plans together, we study it in groups, we use it as an application for sermons - and you can expect us to keep doing these things. Today is another encouragement for you, disciple of Jesus, to keep going - keep being consistent in reading the scriptures and listening to the Spirit's voice. He will build your house and fill its rooms with rare and beautiful treasures.

Checking my work,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Questions

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.

, ,

What is Lent? (hint: more than giving up coffee and chocolate)

, ,

This week's devotional is coming out a day earlier than usual. Why? Because today is an important day on the church calendar. It's the first day of Lent. Our church tradition doesn't always emphasize some of the key days on the liturgical Christian calendar but there is a lot of value in understanding why Christ-followers throughout the centuries have celebrated seasons as an important part of their faith journey.

I wanted to share a great article I found that simply introduces the idea of Lent and how it can help us to prepare our hearts for Easter. It's about much more than giving up coffee or chocolate for 40 days... it's about examining our hearts, recognizing our need for a Saviour and being ready to celebrate His sacrifice and triumph on Easter weekend.

Perhaps this can be something new and challenging in your journey into what's next in your spiritual life. Join us this Lenten season as we intentionally turn our attention toward the cross and the victory Jesus has won.

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

THE PASSION
The Clearing

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.