Episodes
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Pastor Jeff Edwards - Just Keep Praying
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how one of the reasons people don’t pray is because they don’t understand why they need to keep asking. Doesn’t God know? Why does He delay? Fortunately, Scripture has good answers to this. Listen and be reminded why we need to persevere in our asking… and just keep praying! He used 1 Kings 18:41-45 for his message.
Also, BGCA District Pastor Dennis Gulley led us in celebrating Communion. If you would like to celebrate Communion, please have your elements ready.
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Guest Speaker - Josh McAuley
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Josh McAuley, camp coordinator at Camp Chestermere, shared with us. Josh spoke about how, as Christians, we can expect to encounter difficult circumstances but that they don't have to lead us to destruction and despair. Isaiah helps us navigate a better way through by reminding us of the love and faithfulness of God. Josh used Isaiah 43:1-4 as his scripture reference.
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Epiphany - Chaplain Valerie Salked
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Chaplain Valerie Salkeld spoke about Epiphany. Have you had an Epiphany? What is it and why does it matter? Let's not overlook the significance of what we have just celebrated and think about it some more.
We had some sound problems which resulted in the beginning of Valerie's sermon not being recorded. Please read the introduction below before listening to the recording.
Epiphany - Introduction
Happy New Year everyone. How was the Christmas season for you? Many Christians around the world celebrate Christmas as a season - not just a day. After Advent, the Christmas season is 12 days long and the readings and focus are meant to take us deeper into commitment, understanding, faith, and perhaps most poignant of all, hope.
I noticed that as we approached New Year’s Eve, many people I chatted with did not have any plans; no parties to attend and there wasn’t the typical anticipation of what is to come in 2024. People are hesitant and cautious. There is little hope.
As one does during this season, I have been reading a lot in Isaiah and the words from Isaiah 43:18-19 come to mind as I think about our next year.
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
This passage talks about direction and nourishment in difficult places.
This will become the theme for us that Pastor Jeff introduced us to last week – “freely and lightly”.
Christmas is a time of reflection and rejoicing; joy to the world, the Lord is come! We decorate, we buy, we invite, we eat, we ring in the new year, and reflect some more, and eat some more. We may even make a list of hopes for the new year. Yet, we know this is not all there is to it. The season is meant to be filled with the awareness of the ongoing work of God within Jesus who came, but also God with - or within - us. This is the foundation of our own hope.
Jesus came and was born at a time of great oppression and turmoil, a time of great darkness. Has anything changed? The facts are different, but there is great oppression and turmoil and there is great darkness in our world today as well. Jesus is with us today. He is our light and He is our hope. Jesus came to free us and give light - Freely and Lightly.
Yesterday was Epiphany. Traditionally, it is the day many take down the tree and put away the decorations as we move into the next season on the Christian calendar. But what is it and why does it matter? Epiphany encourages us to not overlook what we have just seen - the coming of Jesus and to think about it some more.
The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation.”
Depending on the church tradition, Epiphany means different things.
- In some traditions, Christians focus on the baptism of Jesus.
- In other traditions, the Church focuses on the story when the wise men were led by the star to visit baby Jesus.
- Both focal points reveal who Jesus was/is -
- He was human and His baptism was the manifestation to the world that He was the Divine.
- And in the Magi coming to see Him, He was the Divine becoming human - coming in physical form.
- He was the Messiah for whom Israel had been waiting.
- He is the Light of the world.
This is the season of readings. We watch and listen as God is quietly revealed before us once again.
- We also listen and watch what is happening in our lives.
- Sometimes, even when we try hard to do so, we just don’t see God in our everyday lives or in the events of our world.
- Epiphany gives us the time to remember to watch, wait, listen, look, and anticipate the light, life, and truth of the Lord’s presence in our midst.
Let’s look at two stories:
First, Matthew 2: 1 – 12
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Pastor Jeff Edwards - Freely and Lightly
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how God answered our 2023 prayer question, “What is next?” Now, what are our church prayer goals for 2024? As we enter into a new year, we ask Jesus to show us how to live freely and lightly as a united church and as faithful families. Pastor Jeff spoke from Matthew 11:28-30.
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023
Christmas is Coming. Are you ready? Really?
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023
Pastor Dennis Bunio spoke about how the Christmas season can be a phenomenal blessing... especially when we are prepared for (and don’t miss) what Christ wants to give us. Pastor Dennis preached from Luke 2:1-7.
Note: We had issues with sound on Sunday. The first part of Pastor Dennis' sermon did not get recorded. However, we do have his text from the part that was missed. Please click here to read the text from the first part of his sermon before you listen to the recording.
Thanks!
Tuesday Dec 05, 2023
Pastor Jeff Edwards - Jesus, THE Christmas Tree
Tuesday Dec 05, 2023
Tuesday Dec 05, 2023
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about looking forward to Christmas. It’s time for the tree, the decorations and the lights! It’s time for the to-do lists. What’s the most important thing on your list? As this season begins again, what should be front of mind for Christians? What’s the most important thing to get done? Christmas is a beautiful time, filled with lots of expectation. And everyone is looking at the Church right now. Let’s show them the acceptance, harmony, and hope of Jesus!
Pastor Jeff preached from Romans 15:7-13.
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tyler Dobson - The Importance of Giving Thanks
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tyler Dobson spoke about the importance of giving thanks. What would our lives look like if we chose to give God thanks in all circumstances? On the hills and in the valleys, in the good and bad, how would we be different if we decided to fix our eyes on the goodness of God and give thanks to Him in everything? Tyler shared about what the book of Philippians teaches us about thankfulness.
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
Chaplain Valerie Salkeld - The Responsibility of Prayer
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
Chaplain Valerie Salkeld spoke about why we need to bother praying if God is sovereign. She looked at the responsibility of prayer. Valerie preached from Genesis 1 and Matthew 6.
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Pastor Jeff Edwards - Why is God Not Answering?
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Pastor Jeff Edwards - Pray for Direction
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023