Devotional

Walking Downhill (uphill isn't all bad)

Like most of KW, my neighbourhood has a lot of hills. I know that when I walk the dog it's downhill, uphill, downhill, big uphill, then a neutral homestretch. What's interesting is that it took me a long time to notice this pattern. I knew about the first uphill (when I start sweating, even in the middle of the winter) and I certainly knew about the second uphill climb because it hurts a bit. But one day, I was walking this route backwards and noticed those downhill sections for the first time.

You may wonder, how dense can you be? If there are uphill sections, there are downhill sections, obviously. But when I was going downhill, I didn't give it any thought. Those parts of the walk are long and gradual. They feel more like I am on a flat section and, I guess, I gave my level of fitness credit for why they didn't take much effort.

But when I reversed course, I could clearly see that the downhill sections were very much downhill. I felt them as they became long, slow, uphill climbs. And, as happens to those who preach, a spiritual illustration came to mind.

There are times when the effort to move forward is keenly felt. In fact, much of our life as a disciple of Christ requires intentional effort: we take up our cross and follow Him. It's a long obedience in the same direction... and much of that is a climb. (This is why it's so vital that we don't rely on our own strength, but learn to lean on His perfect strength in our weakness!) The beautiful thing about a climb, like hiking up a mountain, is that the effort always pays off in huge dividends.

More than that, though, my heart was reminded of how easy it is to coast and think that everything is fine... and we don't realize that we're on a decline, moving farther and farther away from a vital connection with God and His life-giving work in our lives. It's not until we turn around and see how far we've descended do we realize that something was lost. What hit me was just how subtly this happened as I walked. How much more easily can I lose track of my progress in the interior life?

I was reminded of this analogy as I studied Zephaniah 1. The people of Judah had lulled themselves into apathy and convinced themselves that everything was okay. I'm sure this didn't happen overnight; it was a slow fade, a gentle downhill section, barely noticed. But it cost them dearly.

The good news is (and we'll hear more about this as we continue through Zephaniah) that we can always check ourselves, change course, and fix our intention once again on our loving Creator who is already present and inviting us into His good plans and blessing.

It's something to think about the next time you're out for a walk.

Climbing with you,
Pastor Tracy

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

You can also find us by driving through the new neighbourhood...

From Fischer-Hallman Road:

1. Turn onto Rosenberg Way (new roundabout near Food Basics plaza).
2. Turn RIGHT onto Forestwalk St.
3. Turn LEFT onto Bleams Rd.
4. Turn LEFT into Freedom's driveway.

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, June 23 @ 10am

ON THAT DAY
Gather Together
Pastor Erin

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.

Thank You, Miss Margaret (watch her "farewell" if you missed it!)

This past Sunday was significant for our church family. We officially honoured Miss Margaret's 16 years on staff at Freedom and released her into full-time preparation to leave for Guatemala as a Global Worker in the coming months. It was beautiful and sad, the definition of bittersweet.

I mentioned on Sunday that I believe it is important to mark these significant transitions in the life of the church and in the lives of those who serve us well. As we celebrated Margaret's ministry, we also remember to thank God for the gift of her life and leadership, knowing that she will bring that gift now to the people of Guatemala. We mark these occasions with gratitude so that we are keenly aware of all that we have been given by our heavenly Father.

If you missed the service, I have posted it on YouTube for you to watch when you have a moment.

And, to Margaret, let me say one more time: The board, staff and congregation of Freedom in Christ would like to thank you for these 16 years of exceptional service. We honour you and are fully confident that you will know God’s blessing and strength, proved by continued fruitful ministry, as you minister in Guatemala. We are with you. We are cheering for you. We love you.

Glad to be part of His body and His family,
Pastor Tracy

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

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, June 16 @ 10am

ON THAT DAY
The Day is Coming
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.

Daily Sabbath (the power of the Bible and coffee... or whatever)

I once heard John Mark Comer talk about the importance of keeping the Sabbath, honouring a day of rest. He shared a common sentiment - his life was very busy with many demands for his time. (I'm sure you can relate!) But the key for him was protecting that day of rest. He said something to the effect of "I can do this (whatever the day or week demanded of him) because I know that Sabbath is coming," and/or, "I can do this because I just observed the Sabbath and I am ready." I've never forgotten it.

It was brought to my mind this morning as I sat quietly in my kitchen with my Bible and a cup of coffee (a winning combination indeed). It was early, my kids weren't up yet, the street was quiet outside my kitchen window and I was just still for a moment. My time and attention have been fragmented in the past few weeks, that's just the season of life I'm in right now. There are more things on my to-do list than minutes to accomplish them. But as I read the Word and gave the day to God, I had peace.

John Mark's comment came back to mind. I knew that the day was going to be okay because I had a moment of Sabbath before it began. I also know as I go through the rest of the day I can keep working away at whatever challenge pops up next because another moment of Sabbath is coming soon.

Yes, I believe that we should strive for a day of rest and that we were not built to work 24/7. We need healthy rhythms in our lives. But, there is also a reason that spiritual disciplines have been practiced by believers since the Early Church. We need built-in moments of pause and stillness so that we can hear what the Spirit is speaking to us, for pointing our lives toward worship, and to learn to rely on His strength and not our own. We need daily Sabbath.

Let me encourage you to build these kinds of practices into your day. You don't know what each day will bring but you can always know where your strength is coming from.

Blessings,
Pastor Tracy

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

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, June 9 @ 10am

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Comforter
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.

Jesus Teaches His Disciples But.... (does that apply to me?)

As a pastor, I have the privilege of hearing and responding to a lot of questions about faith, the Bible, sin, Jesus, and more. Even though I've been in vocational ministry for over 20 years, some questions still surprise me.

Last week someone wanted help answering an objection she keeps running into with someone in her life. The objection is that what Jesus taught in the Gospels was only for His disciples, not for us. The question is: How do we know that Jesus' teachings are for us?

What an interesting question. I can't remember ever running into that objection before. I suppose you could expand it out and discount the whole Old Testament with that line of thinking since it was clearly written for the Jewish people. Pretty dangerous territory.

I did a tour of the scriptures and sent my response to her. I also wanted to share it with you for two reasons: 1. Perhaps you've wondered the same thing or have been asked this question by someone. 2. I couldn't help but be grateful and excited when re-reading these scriptures. What a gift it is to be included in the family of God!

So, to encourage your faith or to help you search the scriptures for answers, here is my response...

John 17:20-24
Jesus prays for all believers after He prays for His disciples (17:6-19). The assumption is that there will be other believers beyond the original disciples.

Matthew 28:19-20
Jesus tells His disciples to go into all the world (Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth) and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything He had commanded. So, what He said to them is for all who will become disciples, and those disciples will be from all over the world.

Acts 10 & 11 (note 11:18)
God makes it very clear that the gospel is not just for the Jews (in case the argument is that “disciples” or “believers” are only Jews).

John 15:1-17
The Jews believed they would be saved just because they were Jews and “Abraham is their father”, but Jesus says that people are only saved when they remain in Him. It’s faith, not bloodline. (More about this on Sunday!)

Romans 11
Paul explains that believers who are Gentiles are “ingrafted branches” and are standing on the promises made to Israel (so don’t be arrogant, be grateful).

More scriptures about this:
Ephesians 2:11-18
Galatians 3:26-29
Galatians 6:15
John 1:12
Romans 2:25-29

There is a lot to unpack here so don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions!

Pastor Tracy

UPDATE: The start of construction has been delayed until MONDAY, JUNE 3rd.

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, JUNE 2 @ 10am

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Friend
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.

The Long Way Around (detour information)

I know I'm strange, but one of my hobbies is reorganizing things. I find it relaxing to tear a closet or drawer apart and put it back together. It's so delightful. The problem is always the mess you have to make in order to create something lovely. There are always a few scary moments of, "What did I get myself into??", before it starts to come back together. It's worth it in the end but you have to trust the process.

This week the Region has started something similar. They are going to make a really big, annoying mess, and it's going to be so much better in the end. We're going to have to trust the process for the next year or so!

Bleams Road will be closed starting on Monday from Fischer-Hallman to Forestwalk St (the one beside us with all the new houses). To get to church you'll need to come from Donnenwerth Dr or Trussler Rd. The maps below should help you see what we mean.

Later this year, the next section of Bleams will be under construction (right in front of the church to the hydro corridor) and we'll have another set of maps for you. And, 2025 will see Trussler and Bleams closed for many months.

The end result of this is going to be an AMAZING Bleams Road (I say that in faith!). We will have safe access to the church property for our neighbours and better traffic flow as our community grows. And, of course, new pavement will be lovely as the condition of the road was getting pretty rough.

Please take note of these detours to minimize frustration and when you're inviting someone to church, let them know the easiest way to get to us.

So much is happening around our property. Take a moment to pray for our church, that all of this development and change would give us more opportunities to share Christ with those who need to hear about Him!

Trusting the process,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MAY 26 @ 10am

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Advocate
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.

The Spirt At Work in the World (it's 50 days after Easter!)

This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost. It will be 50 days since we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday and we mark this day in the calendar to honour what came next. You can read it for yourselves in Acts 2. It's incredible.

We're going to do a couple of special things together on Sunday. Our new series is called "You Are Not Alone" and in the coming weeks we're going to talk about what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in John 14, 15, and 16. But to start things off, we're going to focus in on the amazing work of the Spirit in the world.

Dr. Jeremy Feller, our mission partner in Ethiopia, will be speaking, sharing stories of what he sees God doing in Africa and the Middle East. Our Guatemala Team will be bringing us a report of all that happened on their trip. I know that both of these things will encourage you. And, just for fun, we're serving Guatemalan and Ethiopian coffee in the lobby on Sunday!

I know that many of us don't come from a Pentecostal background and that Pentecost Sunday 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 VIDEO COURSE: The Holy Spirit Lab
BLOG: Why do Pentecostals care so much about Spirit baptism? (Andrew Gabriel)
COURSE: Life in the Spirit (Del Wells)
COURSE: Pentecostal Essentials (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

SUNDAY, MAY 19 @ 10am

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
The Holy Spirit at Work in the World
Dr. Jeremy Feller

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.

But What About... (a follow-up from Sunday's message about hell)

One of the difficulties of a message like last Sunday's is all that couldn't be said in the time we had together. As I try not to think of all the things that we didn't have time for (I could drive myself crazy!), I want to encourage you to study the topic of heaven and hell for yourself. There is much to learn, much to consider, and a lot at stake.

As mentioned, I borrowed heavily from the book Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle. I am going to use this resource one more time to respond to one of the questions I hear a lot but couldn't tackle on Sunday: What about the person who has never heard the gospel?

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or want to talk further. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments!

Pastor Tracy

_____________________________

Excerpt from Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle, p.158-160.

What about the person who has never heard the gospel?

This is a tough one. It comes up in almost every Bible study I've ever taught. What about the man in the jungle who has never heard the gospel and therefore never has the opportunity to accept Jesus? What if he simply responds to the light he's been given? He lived as best he could, and if he had heard the gospel, he probably would have believed it. Will God save such a person?

Everything in me wants to say yes. Because saying yes makes sense. Yes seems fair. But here's the problem: There's nothing in Scripture that says anyone will be saved apart from faith in Jesus.

Scripture also teaches that the so-called "light" we've all been given through creation, what theologians call general revelation, is sufficient to condemn but not sufficient to save. In other words, when people look at creation and see that there must be a God, and yet have no way of knowing His name or the plan of salvation, the Bible says that these people do not respond positively to such "light". Paul addresses this directly in Romans 1:18-22.

This passage says that all people have been given light - general knowledge that there is a God - and yet all people reject this knowledge and are therefore without excuse. Even though I have theoretical stories in my mind of a person living in the jungle who responds positively to the light he's been given, Paul argues otherwise. This passage teaches that all people are condemned not for rejecting the gospel but for rejecting the "general revelation" that's given to all people.

Scripture teaches that a person must come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to be saved. However, God can reveal knowledge through many different forms: dreams, visions, or divinely given thoughts that penetrate the mind of the person living in the jungle, or whomever. I've heard countless stories, maybe you have too, of people living in places thick with Islam, or other religions, where there is little or no exposure to the gospel, and yet people come to Christ. They have a vision or dream in which Jesus appears to them, and they respond. God can save whomever He wants, however He wants, but He always does so through the one avenue He Himself paved: His Son Jesus Christ.

I must mention, however, that in Scripture, people are normally saved through a human messenger. In fact, Romans 10:13-15 indicates that preaching the gospel is the prescribed means through which God saves people. While God has used dreams and visions to reach people (see Galatians 1:12-16), we should not depend on such means to reach the unreached. There are still billions of people who have never heard the gospel. God makes it clear that it is our responsibility to go to them.

Everything I've said thus far seems clear to me from Scripture. There are heaps of important follow-up questions that should be asked, but at the end of the day, we have to simply believe what Scripture says and not go beyond it. With all these tough questions, it's best to let God be God and believe that the Judge of all the earth will do right (Genesis 18:25).

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MAY 12 @ 10am

Q&R: Question and Response
Why Do Christians Change Their Minds?
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.

Praying for Our Guatemala Team (prayer requests included!)

Yesterday, our Youth & Young Adult Team made it to Guatemala to begin an 11-day mission trip. Our church is excited to support them in every way we can. Thank you to those who have given to their fundraising efforts and encouraged them as they prepared to leave.

And now, let's turn our attention to praying for this team over the next week and a half. On Sunday, Pastor Ethan shared what the team will do in Guatemala and how we can pray for them. If you missed it, I've grabbed the clip for you to watch again. (See below.)

Here's how we can pray:

  • Safe travel and health for the team.

  • The team would serve the Guatemalans and Hector & Ruth well, being a blessing and helpful in meaningful ways.

  • That God would open each team member's eyes to what God is doing around the world, expand their perspectives, and give them an openness to other ministry callings in the future.

Please make these prayers (and however else the Lord leads you) a priority from May 1-11 and pray for each one by name. We are expecting a GREAT report when this team gets home!

Pastor Tracy

Guatemala Team

Leader: Pastor Ethan

Team Members: Jide, Talitha, Noah, Maddie, Kelsey, Dante, Vaughn, Benson, Ruthie, Shay, Malachi

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MAY 5 @ 10am

Q&R: Question and Response
Is Hell Real?
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.

Pastor Erin's Prayer Plant (no, that's not a typo!)

In August, I brought a prayer plant into my office, I love plants! Sadly I severely misunderstood its watering needs and by winter, I was left with just one sad leaf. Surprisingly, this struggling plant became a reminder of my daily shortcomings, of my own failures. A bit dramatic, but honestly how I felt.

I was tempted to throw it out but I couldn’t. So, I pruned it, learned its watering needs, made sure it received the warmth and sunlight it needed, and decided to give it time.

Recently, signs of new life began to emerge. A tentative leaf peeked through, followed by another. In the quiet moments of my office, I witnessed a tangible representation of God's grace and renewal unfolding before my eyes.

Reflecting on this experience, I am reminded that God's work extends even into the depths of our failures. By acknowledging our mistakes, inviting His pruning, and immersing ourselves in His Word and presence, we pave the way for new growth and vitality.

My prayer plant remains a work in progress, mirroring my own imperfect journey. Yet, it serves as a testimony of the transformative power of God's love. In embracing our mistakes and positioning ourselves at the foot of the cross, we open ourselves to the possibility of new life amidst our shortcomings.

As I look at my revitalized plant, I am filled with gratitude for the redemptive work of God in my life. May we all find encouragement in His promise of renewal, allowing His grace to breathe new life into every area of our lives.

Pastor Erin

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, APRIL 28 @ 10am

Q&R: Question and Response
Do All Religions Lead to God?
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.

Spring Cleaning (literally and metaphorically)

I have a love/hate relationship with cleaning. I really don't like to do it but I also really don't like things to be dirty or untidy. And, I love how satisfying it is when things are neat and clean. I'm sure you can relate.

I made a plan a couple of months ago to take a week and spring clean my house before the weather got too nice and I would resent spending time indoors. And clean I did. Every corner of my house was dusted, vacuumed, and more importantly, organized. The last project on the list was the pantry which serves as food storage and also has become the home for all the little things that you don't know what to do with: castors from an old storage unit, nuts and bolts from who-knows-what, shoe polish, extension cords, batteries... and the list goes on. Not sure what to do with it? Put it in the pantry just in case we need it again. That's the general philosophy.

So, on Friday, I took a deep breath and took every single thing out of the pantry and laid it out on my living room floor. It was completely overwhelming. I needed to go through every container, touch every item and make a decision whether or not to keep it and if it was staying, how to categorize it.

The mess in the pantry was tucked away around a corner that was invisible to me unless was looking for some tape or a Command Strip. The mess that I made in the living room with all of the stuff from the pantry was huge. It was the same stuff, but I had to make a seemingly bigger mess in order to deal with it. In fact, most of my spring cleaning tasks looked like this: make a mess to clean things. But the truth is, the mess wasn't worse, it was just exposed. There was no hiding from the expired-in-2017 salad dressing. It was there and ready to be dealt with.

If you haven't guessed it by now, here's the analogy: When God is working in our lives, it can sometimes feel the same way. As the Holy Spirit points out an attitude, action, thought or motivation that needs to be transformed, inviting you to dig out the root cause of it from a hidden part of your heart, it can seem like you're making a bigger mess. When you see your sin and selfishness for what they are, you can feel like there is no way that you'll ever be able to clean things up so that you think and act more like Jesus.

But just like spring cleaning, I promise you that the end result of this good work is freedom and joy. When you are able to have gratitude instead of entitlement because He has taught you to be content, it's a very good thing. When you can choose grace over bitterness because He has walked you through forgiveness, it is a very good thing.

I will have to go back to my pantry in a few months and tidy up again. I have a tendency to let it get messy again as time passes if I don't stay on top of it. And it's the same with my heart - the Lord will continue to work on me, speak to me, convict and challenge me. I'll have to revisit the things that tend to hide in the corners of my heart many times in my life. But He is always faithful when I invite Him to empower me to work on and work through what is next in my life.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT) says it beautifully: "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

Happy Spring Cleaning... literally and metaphorically!
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, APRIL 21 @ 10am

Q&R: Question and Response
Is the Bible Full of Contradictions?
Pastor Ethan

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.

Q & ... R? (equipping to engage)

You've got questions, we've got... responses.

Pastor Del kicked off our series last Sunday with the question: How do I talk to God? He had a great response. (If you missed it, you can always listen/watch here.)

And this is the vibe of our whole Q&R series. We've tried to identify some of the questions you might have or might be asked by others so that we can talk about them together. On Sundays, you'll hear thoughtful responses to the questions:

  • Does science disprove Christianity?

  • Is the Bible full of contradictions?

  • Do all religions lead to God?

  • Is hell real?

  • Why do Christians change their minds on social issues?

You might be wondering, why not Q&A? Don't we have answers? Isn't the Bible a book of absolute truth? And yes, to quote our Statement of Essential Truths: "The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the written revelation of God’s character and saving purposes for humanity and for all creation. As God’s revelation, the entire Bible is true and trustworthy, and is the final and absolute authority for belief and conduct. The Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible enables its interpretation and application.

We know, however, that we are not perfect. We are only human, applying ourselves to learning about and growing in our relationship with God. We are in process, and so we have to be humble enough to know that we haven't figured it all out yet.

Our Pastoral Team wants you to be equipped with great responses to these questions. We don't want you to be intimidated to talk with a friend and confidently respond with what the scripture says about these topics. We want you to be able to humbly share what you've discovered and invite others into conversations about these topics that have the potential to point people to Jesus and lead to life transformation in Him.

And so, Q&R. Let's ask some questions and deeply consider our responses so that we can engage the world (and our own hearts) for Christ.

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 @ 10am

Q&R: Question and Response
Does Science Disprove Christianity?
Pastor Erin

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.

Celebrating it All (and Pastor Erin is famous!)

This weekend made me all kinds of grateful. First and foremost, what Jesus has done for us is simply incredible. Full stop. Secondly, pulling off two special services and an Easter dinner in the course of 48 hours is a challenge, to say the least. But, everywhere I looked, people were leading and serving and engaging with one another. So. Very. Grateful.

Thank you to our music and tech teams for the weeks of preparation, to the Pastoral team for on-point messages and spiritual leadership, to Margaret and her team for engaging the kids and teaching them to lead us in worship, to the meal team who put in many hours to prepare and serve with excellence, to the host team who rose to the challenge of a standing-room-only Sunday service, to Taltiha, who spent a ridiculous number of hours sewing our tablecloth together on Friday and Saturday, and to each one who went above and beyond to serve others. You see why I love Easter so much? It's the best of everything!

In all the busyness leading up to Easter, something very cool happened that we didn't get the chance to talk about. I tried to share it on our Facebook page but it was removed because of the news ban. (Oy!) So, I share it here with so much joy. As CBC Radio was in Williamsburg to do a feature on our neighbourhood's history and new development, Pastor Erin was interviewed and then invited to go on the radio to be interviewed again. She nailed it! I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the article and listen to the six-minute interview as well. You'll feel proud to be a part of this church family and excited about what God is doing in and through us.

With much gratitude,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, APRIL 7 @ 10am

Q&R: Question and Response
How Do I Talk to God?
Pastor Del

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.

,

Turning East (finding Easer in the sunrise)

,

The morning I wrote this I was up early to walk my dog, Judah. We started our walk by heading north and as I looked to my right, the sky had just begun to turn pink. I said to Judah (yes, out loud), "This one is going to be pretty. We'll see it on our way home." Our walk then turned west where the sky was still very dark. You wouldn't know that it was almost morning when we started walking in that direction. About 20 minutes later, we finally made our way to the homestretch. We turned east and were met with the gorgeous sunrise the sky had hinted at.

It made me think about Easter weekend. The life and ministry of Jesus were incredible. They were full of miracles and authoritative teachings that amazed people. He brought the kingdom of heaven near and here, giving us a taste of what is to come when He makes all things new one day. But that light must have seemed all but forgotten as the story "turned west" into the dark sky of Jesus' arrest after the Last Supper and crucifixion on Good Friday. Saturday must have seemed like all hope was lost and all light had been extinguished. But that wasn't the end of the story. The light was becoming brighter and brighter in the east, it just wasn't fully visible yet.

And then Sunday came. Humanity turned east and got the first look at the Messiah, the King of Kings, the Saviour of the World, and how everything had been leading to His resurrection. We saw that death itself had been defeated and the victory had been won.

Easter is the ultimate reminder that God is at work in powerful ways, even if our lives and our stories are "pointed west" and we don't see all that He is doing. We celebrate Easter because we have full assurance that He is risen indeed and we are called to join Him in His victory.

I'm looking forward to "proclaiming His death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26) on Friday and worshiping the King of Kings with you on Sunday!

Pastor Tracy

Click for Easter weekend details!

THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 @ 10am

WAY MAKER
Fed

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 @ 10am

WAY MAKER
Called

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.

Being Made Alive (don't be afraid, just believe)

I’ve often thought about the prayers that seem to go unanswered. Those ones that you’ve been praying for, for years. Time after time, asking God for healing, knowing that He’s able to intervene. Knowing that He’s able to change the course of your situation. Yet, sometimes it feels as though they go unheard.

I’ve had my fair share of prayers like that. Each time, in the midst of it, I wondered whether or not He would answer in the way I expected Him to. I had set out to pray to receive a miracle in my way and my timing, hoping that I would receive it quicker than Prime shipping. But as you know, that’s not often the way it works.

For some, I’ve seen where prayers were answered on the spot, and we praised God for it. For others, I saw miracles take place after years of crying out to God, and again, we praised Him for it. I’ve also seen and personally experienced times where prayers were left seemingly unanswered. In those times, as hard as it is, I’ve learned to thank God for it. We’re unsure of how God’s timing works but we know that ultimately, He knows far better than we do.

Psalm 27:14 tells us, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

We have a hope that rests in Jesus, and because of that, we know that in this life, even death is not the end!

So, I praise God for the miracles. I’ll praise God in the waiting. And I’ll praise God when my prayers seem to have gone unanswered. Through it all, I will trust in His timing and know that His ways are greater than my own.

“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.””
— Mark 5:36

“36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36)


Join me on Sunday as we talk more about the miracle of being alive from the book of Mark!

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 @ 10am

WAY MAKER
Alive

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

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

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Easter Dinner (you're invited!)

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As Easter approaches, I am reflecting on the things I love about this season. From the solemnity of Good Friday to the uncontainable joy of Easter Sunday, each moment carries significance and meaning.

Many of us gather with family and friends around a feast-filled table to celebrate Easter. Although traditions vary, at our house Easter dinner is not complete without braided Easter bread, which my kids help me make and reminds us of the eternal qualities of God in the Trinity. While the food is a highlight, it's not about the food, but about spending time with loved ones.

This year, we're excited to invite our church family and extended community to join us for Easter Dinner. We understand that Easter can be challenging for some who may not have friends or family to share it with. Whether you're new to Canada, Kitchener or following Jesus, we want to provide a welcoming space for everyone. So, we're setting the table with room for anyone who wants to join us for Easter Dinner, ensuring no one is left alone.

Easter Dinner will take place shortly after the conclusion of our Easter Sunday Service, in the fellowship hall. We’ll provide the main course, rolls and dessert, and you can sign up to bring potatoes, casserole or a salad!

Our heart is to ensure that no one who wants to celebrate in community is left behind. Please invite those who may be interested and sign up to come yourself. Register by Sunday, March 17th at freedomkw.com/events.

I can't wait to see you there!
Pastor Erin

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MARCH 17 @ 10am

WAY MAKER
Forgiven
Tracy Dunham

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

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

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It's Time to Post (Children's Ministries Director)

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Even though we knew it was coming, it's hard to believe that it's here. It's time to officially post the Children's Ministries Director job.

As you may know, Margaret will officially be resigning from her position at the beginning of June and focusing her attention on getting ready to launch as a Global Worker in Guatemala. (She hopes to leave Canada in August.) This will leave us with some big shoes to fill in kids ministry.

Our first step in finding a new CM Director is to "post" the position here at Freedom and find out if we might have someone in our church family who is interested and qualified. We will also be posting the position on our PAOC District website.

If you or someone you know might be interested, please send them my way. Questions or resumes can be sent to tracy@freedomkw.com.

We are praying and expecting that God has good plans for Margaret as she launches out and for us as we find a new staff member for Freedom.

Looking forward to what's next!

Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MARCH 10 @ 10am

WAY MAKER
Clean
Erin Jamieson

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

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

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Giving on Mission (welcome to the 2024 Missions Giving Plan!)

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On Sunday, Pastor Erin will be taking a few moments to share our 2024 Missions Giving Plan with you. Living generous lives doesn't happen by accident. It happens when we are intentional with our resources, making everything available to God to use for His kingdom. It happens when we think of everything we have in this life as a gift to steward and we recognize who the true Owner is. This is true of all of our resources: our time, our talent and our finances.

Rob and I invite you to join our family as we make a financial plan for this coming year that demonstrates our commitment to stewarding our resources and stretches our faith in new ways. We continue to set aside our tithe first and ask God to show us how else we can support mission and ministry sacrificially. I'm not just giving lip service when I tell you that we love to do this because of the freedom and blessing we find in generosity. We want to grow in this area of discipleship and we encourage you to make this a part of what's next for you, too!

The button below will take you to our church's plan to give to missions this year. Go ahead and click it and learn more about how to join us in giving over and above this year.

Can't wait to get started,
Pastor Tracy

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, MARCH 3 @ 10am

WAY MAKER
Free
Tracy Dunham

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

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

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He is Building a Palace (living stones and home)

I was reminded of this quote from CS Lewis' Mere Christianity recently and wanted to share it with you. It encourages me that God is actively at work in my life, even when things are not as I expected, even when they are difficult. We are living stones, being built into a spiritual house; God is making His home in us a we obey what Jesus has taught us. What an honour, and a relief... and a challenge to allow Him to work in me.

I pray this parable speaks to you this week!
Pastor Tracy

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"I find I must borrow yet another parable from George MacDonald. Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."

CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
— 1 Peter 2:5
“Jesus replied, ’Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’”
— John 14:23

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 @ 10am

THE BIBLE SAYS WHUT? GENESIS EDITION
Is Jesus in Genesis?
Tracy Dunham

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

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

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More About Grapevines (guest writer: Joel Bromley)

In last week's devotional, I shared some thoughts from my few days in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I had quite a few responses to it and wanted to share this one from Joel Bromley, who read what I had written and was reminded of God's faithfulness over generations. I share his email with permission and know you will be encouraged by it like I was. Enjoy!

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Hey Pastor Tracy,

It’s not NOTL, but these pictures are from the Beamsville/Grimsby area. The backdrop of these photos look like any other parcel of land in that area, covered in grapevines and trellis’.

You’d drive past it and not think a thing. In the winter (it might even have been February when these pictures were taken) it’s even more non-descript and lonely feeling there.

I researched this dirt and saw it not for what it was (non descript parcel of land like every other one beside it) and we went there for what it means and for what it used to be in our family line and the direction our family is going in and the part that the people who settled here have played unknowingly.

To anyone else it’s nothing, not worth more than whatever the value of the land or crops might be worth, but to our family, it’s part of our story and a bit of a bridge between the God fearing relatives that came to Canada after the American Revolutionary War and settled in Beamsville and where our family currently stands spiritually.

So, while it looks a certain way, to me, it shows the work of God.

Hundreds of years ago when these family members settled in America, some escaping from Religious persecution, and then after losing in the Revolutionary War for the north and settling in Niagara Region, God was working. These family members, when retreating to this land, clearing it and working it, never knew the path their great, great, great, great, great, great (I think it’s 6 greats but I’d have to check again) granddaughter and her family would be living for the Lord and praying that for generations to come this would continue to be true.

I don’t know who, if anyone, between that time and the present, followed Jesus (and we’re nothing great). But God. Whoo! Over hundreds of years, God was doing something that our current family is part of for as long as He lets us.

What is He doing on those properties? I don’t know. But He’s alive and active in the story that’s brought us to where we are!

Joel

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 @ 10am

THE BIBLE SAYS WHUT? GENESIS EDITION
Do Words Have Power?
Tracy Dunham

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LIVESTREAM on Sunday!

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

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Is It Still February? (deep work in quiet seasons)

This week, I was in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) for some meetings. Everyone who heard I was going there said something like, "Oh, that's nice!" Why? Because if you've ever been, you know it's beautiful and charming. My response was something like, "Theoretically, yes, but it is February after all." In other words, none of NOTL's famous gardens will be in bloom, many of the shops are closed for the season, and we don't even have a layer of snow to turn it into a real-life snow globe. February might be the worst possible month to be in NOTL.

But as I turned off the highway and made my way toward the town, and as I checked into my hotel and then walked for a few minutes up the main street to find a coffee, something else began to occur to me.

I have been reading This Too Shall Last, a book about how to find God's grace and the presence of Jesus in suffering that persists in preparation for our Sunday Night Conversation about Medical Assistance in Dying (watch for that in April). I'm sure the author's words were why I started seeing the lifeless trees and near-empty main street as something else. I saw what they were going to be. In a few months, this place will look completely different. The trees and gardens aren't dead; they are dormant, waiting for the season to change.

February isn't just a month to endure on the way to May. In some ways, it might be. But in other ways, its quietness and even darkness give space for a deep work.

I trust you're following this metaphor with me. There is no promise in scripture that any struggle, suffering or dark night of the soul will be over next week, month, year or even in this lifetime. But that doesn't mean that there isn't beautiful work being done in your life. If your life feels like you've been stuck in February for too long, breathe deeply. He's with you. I don't know why life twists and turns like it does, why it seems to stall out or rush by too fast, but I know for certain that God is present in each breath.

I hope that encourages you in some small way today. I'm looking forward to spring, but I appreciated my time in Niagara-on-the-Lake as well. I'm praying that is true of my heart and yours as well.

Pastor Tracy

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

THIS SUNDAY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11 @ 10am

THE BIBLE SAYS WHUT? GENESIS EDITION
Can You Negotiate With God?
Tracy Dunham

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

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

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