"...so that you may know him better" (a prayer for you)

Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:15-23 NIV (emphasis mine)

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I've been spending a lot of time in the book of Ephesians and read a portion of this scripture as our benediction on Sunday... and it is exactly what I want to say to and pray over each one of you this week.

Fasting and praying with you and for you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

WALK TOWARD EACH OTHER
Walk Toward Your Marriage

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.

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

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

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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.

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

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

_______________________

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.

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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.

Financial Peace & Freedom (resetting our hearts and minds this Blue Monday week)

I'm writing this on Blue Monday, which you have probably heard about this week. I understand the mid-winter, post-Christmas, cold & dark atmosphere that contributes to this being called this most depressing time of the year. What really got my attention was the other reason that contributes to this - debt accumulated over the holidays that has now come due.

I don't have to tell you that finances are a BIG deal. We're prone to think, stress, fight and worry about money more than most things in life. No surprise there. It's also an area where we get stuck, feel overwhelmed, make mistakes and also keep very private so the weight of our finances can be very, very heavy.

Freedom in Christ really does mean freedom in every area of your life. We don't want you to be dragging burdens around with you as you go through life. We want everyone to know the freedom that comes from trusting Christ in everything - not the least of which is our financial life.

I know a lot of you who want so much to be generous and to be able to serve and help others with freedom. But you can seem to get out from under your debt in order to live generously. I've heard from some of you who know the right principles when it comes to being a good steward (or manager) of your money but are struggling to put them into practice.

Whatever your situation, you are definitely not alone.

We know that as Christ-followers we're called to live generously in every way. It's important for our hearts to know how to trust God with our resources and to be able to bless others extravagantly as an act of worship in response to all we've received from God. We also know that this is counter-cultural and a daily discipleship decision.

With Blue Monday lingering and new year's resolutions starting to (or already!) fizzling out, here are some ways that you can walk in new freedom this year and live out the life of generosity that you have always had in your heart.

Pray about it.
Tell God about your financial situation. Confess the mistakes you've made with your resources. Find forgiveness. Ask Him how you can trust Him more and be a good steward. (Do this with your spouse and kids as applicable!) Listen for His direction and step out in obedience.

Walk it out with others.
Finances don't have to be a big secret. No one has a perfect track record and we can learn from one another, keep one another accountable and find encouragement in the journey toward freedom.

• We have some people who are would love to talk with you and help to coach you toward financial peace. Just let us know and we'll get you connected.

• Just launched... Financial Peace Facebook Group... for CP group alumni or anyone else that wants to learn and stay accountable! (Watch our socials!)

• You can join our Financial Peace Connecting Point group the next time it's offered to get you started with some amazing teaching and biblical challenges. Watch for it later this year.

Keep learning.
Read books/listen to podcasts/watch seminars and sermons about finance. Keep your mind engaged with the priorities in your heart.

• Here's a webinar that we shared in our CP Facebook group recently that had lots of ways to reset your finances this year: Ramsey+ Money Reset

Advancing the Kingdom starts in our own homes.

Praying during this Blue Monday week that we would find much hope and freedom as we follow Christ together.

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

FREE YOUR MIND
The Captives

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.

Will we make it to spring? (Blue Monday + Stay-At-Home Order + Jesus in You)

A stay-at-home order... in the middle of winter? Not a great combo. Some of you are wondering how you're going to make it to Easter.

In fact, coming up in a few days (January 18th) is Blue Monday. It was decided that this is the most depressing day of the year (according to Google) "because of the bad weather, dark nights, post-Christmas debt and failed New Year's resolutions." Not very hopeful.

It might be fair to call this the Bluest Monday in our lifetime because the social separation we're experiencing is taking a heavy toll on our mental health.

What's the answer? Should we just try to survive until spring? What if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on February 2nd and we have six more weeks of winter? Will we totally lose it?

The truth is, I don't know what the answer is for you. My situation is different than yours. My struggles are different than yours. My job, health, family, etc. is different that yours. I can't prescribe the antidote to Blue Monday but I can describe some things from scripture that are given to us for help in our time of trouble. I do know that God can use any circumstance to draw us close to Himself and that He is always working on our behalf as we trust in Him.

So here is my sort-of checklist for the next few months as a Christ-follower, wife, mom, and person who feels that spring can't get here fast enough:

1. Read the Word every day. (More about this on Sunday!) Psalm 119:15-16

2. Quiet your mind and heart for as long as you can at the start of each day (pray, journal, sit silently and listen to God for at least a few minutes) and repeat throughout the day as required. :) Psalm 131

3. Find a point of connection with others. Eat meals with your family if you can. Go to the Connecting Point Facebook Group (instead of mindless scrolling social media) and read the thoughts an encouragements of others. Call/text/Zoom with someone. Hebrews 10:23-25

4. Move. Walk, climb stairs, or change your environment in some way. We know that this has a powerful impact on our mood and state of mind, our ability to problem-solve and to gain perspective on the day. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

5. Set priorities for the day. Give yourself goals to work on (without needing to put on your superhero cape) that move you toward something you've always wanted to learn or be or do. Don't try to accomplish everything at once but do give yourself something to work on. Colossians 3:17, 23-24

6. Be grateful - about everything you can be, every day, in every situation, as often as you can remember to do it. No lineup at the grocery store - I'm grateful. An encouraging email in my inbox - I'm grateful. The ability to work in sweatpants - I'm grateful. You get the idea. This will transform the inconveniences and challenges of this season in remarkable ways. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I'm working through this list daily, letting it steady my heart and quiet my mind as we walk through whatever is next. Every. Day.

This Free Your Mind series has also been helping me be acutely aware of the battle for my thoughts that is happening all the time. We have been set up for victory over these battles through Christ and I'm grateful for how the Lord has led me to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 in this season.

How about you? How has the Free Your Mind series been helping you? Are you learning something that you didn't know? Have you had a victory in a battle that you've been fighting and want to celebrate? Would you be willing to encourage others with it? We want to tell your stories on 5th Sunday at the end of January. If you can share, please do! Just click the link below and share your hope with others!

Believing with you for a life-transforming season ahead,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

FREE YOUR MIND
The Weapons

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.

How to Get Things Done (new year, new method)

I've had the privilege of going through my dad's old files and sermons as I was preparing for the Free Your Mind series. He gave me everything he had on the renewed mind and the battlefield of the mind and related topics. Incredible, incredible resource.

I pulled an article out of one file that had been clipped from Christianity Today around 1983 or 1984. It isn't really about the transformed mind... but it is. It's almost 40 years old but was so helpful in grabbing up a bunch of things that are happening in our lives and church and looking at them from another perspective:

• new year (and all the goals we like to set to get things done)

• new series (about getting our minds right) and;

• new week of fasting and praying (starting with Deep Roots on Sunday night)

““Prayer must become your method, not just a good activity in which you engage from time to time!” ”

— see attached article

• And so, as we prepare for another week of prayer and fasting, I encourage you to read this article slowly and maybe twice. Let it sit in your heart and let's begin to practice "praying our way through the day".

Learning to pray unceasingly with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

FREE YOUR MIND
The Stronghold

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.

Where's Your Head At? (winning the battle)

Where is your head at these days?

Ever feel like you have to fight just to keep moving through your day? Like there is more struggle going on in your thoughts than you even know how to express?

Yeah, it's not just you. In fact, scripture talks a lot about the battle that is going on in your mind right now. So, if my mind is a battlefield, how do I come out the winner?

I'm glad you asked! Our new series, Free Your Mind, is about exactly that. We're going to work together to identify the battlefield, the strongholds, the weapons and the captives in this struggle and learn how the Bible teaches us to be more than conquerors.

You and I need to understand and live these truths. It's a fight worth taking on and will be a game changer in 2021. Come with us as we dig into 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and where it leads us... and invite someone to join you. It's so easy to share our livestream!

But why wait until Sunday to get started. Philippians 4:8 says:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

So, I've collected the testimonies that came in on Sunday and I've put them into their own blog post. Ready to be encouraged and fix your thoughts on some excellent and praiseworthy things? Go ahead and click the link below.

Excited for lives transformed by renewed minds!
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

FREE YOUR MIND
The Battlefield

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.

Telling the Story: Testimonies from December 27, 2020

Our service on Sunday was so powerful with the stories that were told of God’s faithfulness. We wanted to capture the stories that were told in one place to honour Him and encourage His Church. As we begin a new year, remember, we’re choosing to fix our thoughts on what is excellent and praiseworthy! (Philippians 4:8)

You can watch the service on YouTube or Facebook if you missed it (or again!).

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Adam Brodrecht

“The change in our family is incredible.”

— Adam

Coming out of 2019 we were lost. Eyes set on Christ, trying to stay in tune with the Spirit, but struggling hard. Our Church of 15 years had become painful, because there was both beautiful components and seriously concerning components. Parenting was becoming harder. Our world was consumed with pressure and struggle. 

These trials are trivial compared to some! But it was significant knowing that we were in the transformative years of our kids lives. 

And through the least predictable way, we ended up in the sanctuary of Freedom in Christ and found family, found home. 

In the natural, it makes no sense. We live in Elmira, church is in west-end-Kitchener. We knew nearly no one. And yet, everything witnessed in our spirits that this was good. 

We have been here 9 months now and the change in our family is incredible. It makes me think of how our bodies are created to heal when wounded. The Brodrecht’s spirits have been healing over the last 9 months. And we are better than we have been in many years. I see Jesus shining through each one of us. 

We love you Freedom and what you’ve brought to our family. It’s come through so many of you. 

I could go on, but I will leave it at that. 

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““The angel’s in Heaven are rejoicing. So even through this pandemic, God works miracles.””

— Angie

Angie Morris

God has blessed my family. When my grandson, Jamal, was young, Mike & I would bring him to church with us at Freedom as much as possible - especially if he came for a sleepover with us. God has given us opportunities to minister to him and also in his life growing up as a teenager. Mike & I always pray for all of our grandchildren, that God will reach their hearts that they would find Jesus Christ as their Saviour. God has been good because Christ has been working on Jamal's heart. Jamal told us how he had many dreams of Jesus talking to him. He then started to tell people about how God is good and can help them in their lives during difficult times.  So Happy, Glad, Rejoicing, Dancing & Thankful for the Best Christmas gift of all - I’m so honoured to tell you that Jamal got baptized and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. He found a home church family and that is where he got baptized. Thank you, Pastor Tracy, for helping to guide Jamal in his young years when he was attending Freedom with us and encouraging him to participate and help so that he can be at church as much as possible. So happy to let you know that the seed planted in his heart was fertile & has grown & flourished & bloomed. The angel's in heaven are rejoicing. So even through this pandemic, God works miracles. Praise God. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

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Juno Park

Losing my dad over thanksgiving this year will always be tough. But God has shown me that this is true thanksgiving. When it means something it has weight. God’s given my dad peace, my family strength and joy. God knows what we need and provides more than we will ever need. We can only be left with gratitude and thankfulness.  

“God knows what we need and provides more than we will ever need.”

— Juno

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Eric Jackson

“There are plenty of reasons for me to leave this to the professionals. Except I’m called to action. ”

— Eric

I haven’t heard one person say “2020 was great! Let’s do it again!” For me? Yes, there have been some things that have caused me displeasure and concern. But ultimately, I’m filled with peace, remembering that this is temporary, and God is still in control. 

Throughout this year, I have personally known  people struggling.  Anxiety. Depression. I’ve watched strangers in public treat each other with angry outbursts and disrespect. I understand where this is coming from, and acknowledge that without Jesus, without understanding that there’s more than just this broken world, I’d be in the same state of mind. 

Romans 10:14 really weighed on me this year. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?”

How could this apply to me? I’m not a gifted orator. I’m not educated in theology. This is out of my comfort zone. There are plenty of reasons for me to leave this to the professionals. Except I’m called to action. 

Our faithful God answered my question as to how. Multiple times, with multiple people, I have been offered the opportunity to tell people in whom I believe. I have been able to share with them that despite this world being broken, there is a Father in heaven that created and loves them to the point of offering salvation to us through his son. These were natural conversations. No awkward “have you heard the good news?” statements. No judgemental “Repent!” declarations. Just real conversations that I thought would be unlikely if not impossible. I pray that I never miss one of these opportunities! 

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Domm Family

God truly is so faithful.....he has been with us this whole year...every week...every day...every hour...every moment! HE didn’t bring us this far to ever leave us!

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Walt Kippenhuck

I want to highlight another little miracle from 2020. People started to share again. We’ve always known people had great stories of God’s faithfulness and that He was STILL working in our church and world today. The pandemic has pushed us online and separated us, yet it has brought us together in this new way of sharing. People have found a medium by which to share...walls have come down and people have found courage to tell their stories. Praise God, even in 2020.

“Walls have come down and people have found courage to tell their stories.”

— Walt

We're Still Together (at Christmas and beyond)

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

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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.

Christmas Encouragement (a reason for joy)

I'm not sure I've ever done this before so I'm excited about what you're going to read next. Dave, who is a part of our Freedom family, posted in our Facebook Connecting Point Group after the service on Sunday and shared a vision he'd had and not just for himself but for the church. (I have to tell you, going back and reading posts and comments from Sunday is my favourite way to start my week!) Dave's vision was right in line with so many of the conversations I've been having over the past few weeks and really spoke to my heart so I'm sharing it with you in this format with his permission.

_____________________________

Afternoon Church Family,

I had to write about a vision I had this morning in church and I think it was meant for more then just me today based on Pastor Tracy's word.

I came to church today feeling very alone in a crowd and I could see myself just going through the motions thinking that no one knew or had to know. It felt as if there was a spotlight on me, singling me out as the odd ball in the group. Not participating emotionally or spiritually - just standing alone, existing.

Today's message was about Joy. Joy, in the coming of Christ. Joy in the sacrifice that would be made for us and me. Joy, that the birth of Christ was about the end and not the beginning. Joy, that it was set in place before I knew I needed it or before I had to clean myself up to get it. Joy, that new has come for me and all those who call on Jesus...

That was when God cleared up the vision I had seen in my heart and head. The spotlight was not to show me that I am isolated from those around me, isolated and alone, alone and lost...but...that HE has isolated me in His eye's vision. He is looking right at me even though everything else is happening around me and I feel alone. Instead He is FOCUSING on me alone (and you in your place right now). He is LOVING right on me - alone from those around me. His love is not corporate when it is directed at me...it is FOR ME ALONE. BOOM!

Yes, I feel alone still, right now in the physical - the situation of the loneliness has not changed yet but... I am NOT alone, but instead, a focus of His attention. And with that came JOY. Oh, not the jump up and down because I just won one of the Sunday morning prizes, but a sense of His presence in that loneliness - a loneliness in Joy.

I think that wasn't just for me today and so I felt I needed to share. May the Holy Spirit of God lavish you with JOY of isolation today.

- Dave Hancock

______________________________

This touched my heart. He sees you. He knows you.

And, He is working through US to speak to the individual heart. How amazing is our God who teaches us to lay down our selves but also speaks to each one of us personally?

We are TOGETHER this Christmas because we are IN CHRIST. Indeed, there is so much reason for joy.

Would you invite someone to join you for our Christmas Eve service? It's all online so you won't break any by-laws! Just click the "Together at Christmas" graphic below.

Do you know someone who will be joining us for Christmas Eve and would like our Christmas Eve service package? We would be delighted to get one to them. Just let us know!

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE GIFT
Gold (A King Like No Other)

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Together at Christmas (more Christmas at Freedom)

It's happening! Our online Christmas Eve service is coming together and we're excited about the opportunity to not be limited by room capacity or registration forms but to be able to extend the invitation to hear the good news about Jesus this Christmas to absolutely everyone.

Here's your assignment for the week. Check out our website with all the details about our Christmas Eve service and decide who you can invite. There is even a simple inviter tool right there on the page. So easy!

But wait, there's more! If you are on our regular mailing list (as in, you get this email), we are working on a special package that we will deliver to you before Christmas Eve so that we can be as together as possible while we're apart this year. It has a lot of nice things in it but our favourite is that we're sending you candles that you can light with us during the service... the same ones we use when we're in person. Yeah!

If you are wondering if you really are on the list or if you've invited someone who would also like a package from us, just reply to this email and let us know. We're making a list... and checking it twice... we'll bring you a package no matter how naughty or nice you've been. :)

The Christmas Eve page on our website has lots of information, including what to do if you aren't on/don't like Facebook. Be sure to check it out!

Lastly, I'm asking that you'll pray with me that we'll have a Christmas with lots of impact for Jesus. Pray for Rob and our tech team that they will have much success in putting the service together. Pray that the Holy Spirit would begin to soften hearts to respond to the message of the gospel. Pray that you would have the courage to invite others and talk to other about Christ this whole season long.

It's going to be a very merry Christmas indeed!
Pastor Tracy

It's not too late... join us for our ADVENT READING PLAN on YOUVERSION.

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This Sunday

THE GIFT
Myrrh (It’s Hard to Believe)

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Christmas At Freedom... And How You Can Participate (together at home!)

Go ahead and watch the video above and here are all the links you need!

CHRISTMAS EVE: Watch our socials and your email for shareable invitations to our Facebook Live Service on Christmas Eve at 7:00pm. You don't need a Facebook account to watch. Just go to our page without logging in: CLICK HERE

ADVENT READING PLAN on YOUVERSION: CLICK HERE

Looking forward to celebrating with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE GIFT
Frankincense (No One Understands Me)

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

5th Sunday... Let's Celebrate the Church in 2020! (all the hope, love, joy and peace)

I don't know about you but I'm happy to have some reasons to celebrate at the end of this year. I always love the Advent and Christmas season but I'm looking forward to understanding it even more and deepening my gratitude as we go through it together.

There are lots of great resources to help us understand this season. I've included one below that does a great job with teaching and with a great soundtrack. :)

So this Sunday, we're going to use our 5th Sunday service to celebrate some things as a church and get our hearts ready for the days ahead.

We're hoping to celebrate some baptisms, have some fun with new vs. old, celebrate our new normal, introduce you to our new Freedom Church campus, talk about the exciting opportunities to impact the world for Christ this Christmas and more.

On that note, I have a few action items for you this week:

1. If you would still like to be baptized, I need to hear from you today. Just click the button below.

2. If you have a question for one of our pastors, email it to question@freedomkw.com.

3. Whether you're in person or online, get ready to participate. We have built the service to be fully interactive and we can't wait to hear from you!

4. If you're watching the livestream and have an Advent wreath at home, wait and we will light the Hope candle together during the service.

Are you ready for 5th Sunday!? We are!

Looking forward to celebrating with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Pastor

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Have You Braced Yourself? (suiting up from Ephesians 6)

Have you braced yourself?

I'm writing this after the insane wind storm we had on Sunday that came after that ugly rain in the morning. My daughter watched a chair fly across the street and smash into the side of a house. That was right around the same time that a neighbour's shingle hit my bedroom window. Yeah, not the prettiest of fall days.

It was quite a wake-up call after the record-breaking warm days we had. Winter is on the way and it has the potential to be one of the loneliest on record.

So I'm wondering, have you braced yourself?

Are you emotionally and spiritually prepared for the season ahead? Do you have the rhythms and disciplines in place that you're going to need in order to walk with grace and peace through the winter?

Let's do a check-in with our hearts and calendars this week and see where we need to be prepared to fight fear, anxiety, sadness, and apathy over the next few months. Like putting winter tires on your car, what is going to give you the best spiritual traction?

Ephesians 6:13-18 gives a great picture of what it means to "suit up" spiritually, to be ready for every season, every storm that comes our way.

"Put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."

So in these next few days, consider how prepared you are for what's next.

1. Are you in the habit of reading the Bible daily?

2. Do you consistently communicate with God in prayer?

3. Have you built time into your calendar for connecting and growing with other believers?

4. Are you confessing your sin and living rightly before God through Jesus?

5. Do you ask God to use you to share the hope, peace and freedom you have in Christ?

6. Are you finding rest and being restored in Him?

Take an inventory of your heart, mind and spirit as we head into the darkest days of the year (in a very literal sense!). Join me in asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to be more intentional so that we are ready for the season ahead... and the one after that!

Staying alert with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Prayer

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

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The New Creation (all about water baptism)

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, November 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 button at the top of the page 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

PS - Fast & Pray Days are still happening and it's not too late to join in. Jump into our Connecting Point Facebook Group for guided prayer and other encouragement for the week!

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Tithe

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

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Fast & Pray Days (let's do this together!)

Fasting is a simple concept, truly. It's a spiritual discipline that is practiced throughout scripture (old normal and new normal!) and is still valid for us today. It's abstaining from food for a period of time to be able to focus in prayer with increased intentionality.

But still, we have a lot of questions about fasting. I've put together a few thoughts in the video that I hope are helpful and more than that, I hope they encourage you to join us for Fast & Pray Days next week.

November 8 - Deep Roots

• Worship @ 6:00pm (FB Live & In Person) CLICK TO REGISTER

• Prayer @ 6:30pm (Zoom & In Person) EMAIL US FOR ZOOM LINK

November 8-14 - Fast & Pray Days

• Follow us on social media for specific needs and a prayer guide for the whole church!

Thank you for praying with me,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Creation

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

The New Normal (even though we're tired of hearing about it!)

There are certain words that I have banned in the past few months. It started in April or May when we’d been locked down for a while and I was just entirely fed up with our new pandemic-related catch phrases. Can you guess what they were?

Unprecedented – pivot – bubble – new normal…

Yes, the new normal. This one is not as bad as unprecedented but people are sick of hearing it. So, I thought that’s what we’d name the new series. Giggle. 

But… throughout human history there have been a series of new normals that have made the most unbelievable, incredible, fantastic things possible for us. We’re going to use some precedents from the Old Testament and compare them with what was new and unprecedented (see what I did there?) in the New Testament and hopefully fill your heart with joy and hope at the idea that a new normal can be a beautiful, life-transforming act of grace from God. 

• November 1st is all about the new covenant.

• November 8th, We’re talking about water baptism and the new creation.

• November 15th we're breaking down what scripture says about giving in the new tithe.

• November 22nd is going to be some teaching on how prayer has changed for us.

And in our final week of this series - November 29th - we have a very special 5th Sunday. Not only are planning for water baptisms in the service, we are calling the service - "The New Pastor". And while I'm not very new anymore, I've invited our "old" pastor, Del, to join me for a church-wide, nothing's off limits, Q&A that we'll tackle together. FUN!!!

So much to look forward to this month. The new normal isn't so bad after all. :)

And if you have a question about anything that you'd like a pastor to take a stab at answering for you, email question@freedomkw.com any time this month and we'll do our best to get to it during the service on the 29th.

Embracing the new with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Covenant

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

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People of the "And" (living in the already and not yet)

We are people of the "already" and "not yet." You may remember hearing that in church before. We have already received much of the blessing and promise of the Kingdom of God with the arrival and work of Jesus on earth. But there are still things to be done and Jesus has promised that someday He will make everything right and everything new. We live in the tension of these two realities, thankful for all that we have been given and longing for what's still to come.

One of the keys to navigating a difficult conversation is to use a similar principle. The word "but" has the effect of erasing whatever came before it in favour of what's about to be said. If you say, "I love you, but...," the expression of love has just lost its power. However, "I love you and..." has a different effect altogether. Loving someone and needing to say something difficult about your relationship can and do co-exist. It's incredibly helpful to be able to express them both well.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about being a person of the "and," a person of the "already and not yet." As disciples of Jesus, this tension of recognizing the truth of a situation while still being able to hold firmly to hope is our superpower. Yeah, that's kind of a weird way to say that but it's true! We have been given the supernatural ability to both respond to the needs, grief, happiness (or anything else!) of the moment while having hearts and minds that are fully convinced that this is not all there is. We'll be "living our best life" when we're in the presence of Jesus for eternity and nothing here can compare to that.

Take a read through Romans 8:18-37. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in the "and" and to know how to navigate every day, every circumstance and every season as we both wait for the "not yet" and invite others into the "already".

I'm praying that all of us will be like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what to do. I'm thankful that we have everything we need as followers of Christ to hold on to the hope held out in the gospel and to share it with others.

Thankful to be walking with you,

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE DISCIPLE LIFE
The Company

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

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This is the Way (the disciple life)

Let me show my hand before we get to Sunday. Sometimes when I'm writing messages, the place that I think I'm going to land is not where my studying takes me. I've learned not to fight it (mostly!) but instead to be delighted by it. The Word is so full of beauty and wonder and mystery and is alive and active so it should come as no surprise, really.

What I intended to be a message about the practical aspects of the life of a disciple of Jesus turned into a practical application of how much I need all of you in order to walk in that way. How am I going to be able to stay focused on the things that please the Lord - love and good deeds, according to Hebrews 10:24? How will I stay faithful, growing in maturity and staying in step with the Spirit? Turns out, the Way is you and me doing this together.

Okay, I mean, I knew that. But the freshness that came from these verses in this distracted, fearful, separated (AKA socially-distanced) time has renewed my commitment to The Way, to being humble enough to be challenged by others and kind enough to speak truth in love... and all the practical things that come from that devoted life in Christ. Ah, how refreshing in a culture that teaches us to ball up our fists and keep the best of ourselves to ourselves, worried that we won't have what we need.

To be fully-devoted followers of Jesus we need to know the Way and be able to help others and be helped by others. I'm looking forward to sharing from Hebrews 10 and hearing your thoughts and ideas along the way!

See you on Sunday... however you're able to connect!

Pastor Tracy

PS - Shout out to my CP group who has lots of patience and understanding for me as I led them at the end of a long, not-great day and reminded me of the power of this concept from Hebrews in real time!

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This Sunday

THE DISCIPLE LIFE
The Way

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.

Connected... On Purpose (not just to the wifi)

Not a lot of introduction needed to this week's email. We believe in so much in connecting that we're continuing to remind you that Connecting Point groups are launching. Some started earlier this week, some start next week - and all groups are still open to you.

Looking forward to all that God has in store in our Connecting Point groups this fall!

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE DISCIPLE LIFE
The Test

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
Or, REGISTER TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AT THE CHURCH.

Follow along with the message on YouVersion.