Bethel Crc Lacombe

This week we are continuing to look at a number of Spiritual Disciplines as we focus this year on growing our relationship with Jesus. Richard Foster has written an important book on spiritual disciplines Celebration of Discipline: the Path to Spiritual Growth, which will be a main reference through this series. The spiritual disciplines are spiritual practices the Church has developed over the centuries to help us develop our relationship with Jesus, to grow stronger in our faith and to intertwine what we believe with how we live. This week we continue our exploration of the spiritual disciples by reflecting on John 13:1-17 the Discipline of Service. In the discipline of service, we will be exploring our attitudes towards service. Often, we are happy to serve in areas where we feel gifted or we enjoy, but what about service that is unseen or feels like it’s below us, what is your attitude towards service then? Serving is more about attitude than it is about what we actually do. 

This week we are continuing to look at a number of Spiritual Disciplines as we focus this year on growing our relationship with Jesus. Richard Foster has written an important book on spiritual disciplines Celebration of Discipline: the Path to Spiritual Growth, which will be a main reference through this series. The spiritual disciplines are spiritual practices the Church has developed over the centuries to help us develop our relationship with Jesus, to grow stronger in our faith and to intertwine what we believe with how we live. This week we continue our exploration of the spiritual disciples by reflecting on Matthew 4:1-11 the Discipline of Solitude by looking at the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness after spending 40 days and nights fasting alone in the wilderness. God meets us in places like the wilderness, times of solitude. Solitude gives us the space to listen more closely to God, to reflect on who we are and the lives we are living. Solitude helps us to prepare ourselves to be obedient to

This week we are continuing to look at a number of Spiritual Disciplines as we focus this year on growing our relationship with Jesus. Richard Foster has written an important book on spiritual disciplines Celebration of Disciple: the Path to Spiritual Growth, which will be a main reference through this series. The spiritual disciplines are spiritual practices the Church has developed over the centuries to help us develop our relationship with Jesus, to grow stronger in our faith and to intertwine what we believe with how we live. This week we continue our exploration of the spiritual disciples by reflecting on Acts 17:10-12 and Philippians 4:8-9, the Discipline of Study. Many people study the Bible as an interesting book of wisdom from an earlier time. The Discipline of Study seeks to learn to know God better and in knowing God better, we learn more about who He has created us to be. The Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to then shape us more and more into who we are created to be as image bearers of God and fo

We will begin by looking at a number of Spiritual Disciplines as we focus this year on growing our relationship with Jesus.  Richard Foster has written an important book on spiritual disciplines, Celebration of Disciple: the Path to Spiritual Growth, which will be a main reference through this series.  The spiritual disciplines are spiritual practices the Church has developed over the centuries to help us develop our relationship with Jesus, to grow stronger in our faith and to intertwine what we believe with how we live.  We are beginning our journey through the spiritual disciples by reflecting on Luke 11:1-13, The Discipline of Prayer.  Prayer is the gift of communication, the opportunity to share with God what is going on in our lives and a time to listen for his quiet, gentle, or not so gentle leading in our lives.  Prayer is rooted in God’s glory and shapes us by drawing us into His presence on a regular basis 

This morning is the first Sunday after Advent, a time when the church slows down and reflects on the gift of Jesus who came to earth to become human like us.  We also look forward to Jesus’ return during Advent.  This morning we are wrapping up our journey through Revelation by reflecting on Revelation 21:1-7, Heaven and Earth Together Again.  This passage is all about hope and renewal, about victory over sin and death, and about heaven and earth coming together again, as a reversal of what happened in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden.  It’s about how history begins with chaos before creation and how Jesus brings order and peace into our chaotic lives and hearts.  There’s the picture of us being made new again, of all our hurt and brokenness being left behind as we move forward into an eternal future with Jesus healed and forgiven.  Even after Jesus returns, there is still work for us to do to continue the task of discovering and releasing the potential that God has placed in creation

New Year’s Day Service: To begin the year 2020, we will be gathering together as a church family to reflect on Romans 12, Being the Body of Christ Together.  This is a time to dream forward into the New Year and reflect on who God is calling us to be as his church and his children.

On Christmas Eve we will be reflecting on the Christmas story as told in Matthew and Luke. This will be a Service of Lessons and Carols, and the message will focus on the angels’ announcement of Good News. 

This Advent season we are journeying through selected passages from the Book of Revelation: Angels, Help Us to Adore Him. This morning is the fourth Sunday of Advent, a time when the church slows down and reflects on the gift of Jesus who came to earth to become human like us. We also look forward to Jesus’ return during Advent. This morning we are reflecting on Revelation 5, Who is Worthy? The Apostle John is still in heaven’s throne room and the question comes up, “Who is worthy?” Jesus is the one worthy because he has taken the sin of the world on himself onto the cross where we are redeemed from our sin. In Advent we remember that Jesus became human and redeemed for his Father “persons from every tribe and language and people and nation,” as his own. When Jesus returns, we will join Jesus and the Father as heaven and earth are rejoined once again. 

Today, the third Sunday of Advent, a time when the church slows down and reflects on the gift of Jesus who came to earth to become human like us.  We also look forward to Jesus’ return during Advent.  This Advent season we will be journeying through selected passages from the Book of Revelation: Angels, Help Us to Adore Him.  We will be reflecting on Revelation 4, Falling Down in Worship.  In Revelation 4 we are given a peek into heaven’s throne room and the worship that happens there. It’s an amazing peek into heaven and some of the creatures that are found there. The Apostle John marvels at the worship that fills heaven’s throne room. It’s a good time to reflect on how worship fills and shapes our hearts and lives each day.  

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, a time where the church slows down and reflects on the gift of Jesus who came to earth to become human like us.  This Advent season we will be journeying through selected passages from the Book of Revelation: Angels, Help Us to Adore Him.  We will continue with Revelation 3:14-22, Lukewarm Christians. This passage is a letter to the church in Laodicea.  It’s so easy when you’ve been in a relationship for a long time to take the other person for granted.  It’s not that you love them less, but you stop showing it, you allow other things to take your time and attention away from the other person, and you slowly begin to drift apart, allowing your love to grow less hot.  This creates lukewarm relationships, even with God.  The challenge is how to revive a lukewarm relationship again. 

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, a time where the church slows down and reflects on the gift of Jesus who came to earth to become human like us.  This Advent season we will be journeying through selected passages from the Book of Revelation: Angels, Help Us to Adore Him.  We will begin with reflection on Revelation 3:1-13, Wake Up!  This passage contains letters from Jesus to the churches in Sardis and Philadelphia.  It is so easy become complacent as followers of Jesus, allowing our faith to become only a Sunday thing.  We can lose our passion for Jesus and our passion for the world to know Jesus, so Jesus issues a call to Wake Up!  Do we need a wake-up call from Jesus, how is our passion level for our neighbours and community? 

Today we will wrap up our 5 week series on the Canons of Dordt.  We will conclude our study by reflecting on John 17, Protected and Kept Safe.  In John 17 we find Jesus’ prayer for his disciples and followers.  Jesus prays to the Father for protection for them from the evil one, asking the Father to sanctify the people God has given him.  Jesus mentions how he protected and kept safe the ones God has given him.  This directs us to the last point of doctrine in the Canons of Dordt: Perseverance of the Saints. 

We will continue our 5-week series on the Canons of Dordt by reflecting on Ezekiel 36:22-38, Giving Us a Heart of Flesh.  Irresistible Grace is a beautiful doctrine that points to God’s deep commitment to us.  We sing, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,” and God makes his grace so sweet to us that, while we may fight against it for a time, in the end our hearts are so drawn to Jesus that we find we have no choice but accept his love for us and commit ourselves to become his followers and children of our heavenly Father.

We will continue our study of the Canons by reflecting on John 3:1-21, Whoever Believes.   Jesus’ death for our sin washes us clean from the dirt of sin on our souls and hearts and makes us right with God.  But not everyone is washed clean; there are those who reject Jesus as their Saviour and choose themselves as ruler of their lives and so Jesus’ sacrifice is not applied to them, even though it is capable of washing away all the sin in the world.

We will continue our study of the Canons by reflecting on Ephesians 1:1-14, No Conditions.  In most of our relationships, we are loved or accepted because of something that we bring into the relationship.  When the relationship becomes too costly, it’s common to end the relationship and find new ones that fit us better and bring something of value into our lives.  Our relationship with God is different.  We have nothing to offer God, he has no reason at all to want a relationship with us, and yet he chooses us to be his children.  He gives us his love without any conditions, taking away our worry about not bringing anything into our relationship with God.  

This week we will begin a 5-week series on the Canons of Dordt.  This year is the 400th anniversary of the meeting of the Synod of Dordrecht where the Canons were written.  This is our least known and most misunderstood confession ad yet it’s a confession filled with great hope and comfort.  Most of us learnt the Canons through the word TULIP.  We are beginning our study of the Canons with the doctrine of total depravity by reflecting on Romans 3:9-20, Sin Infects Us.  We are also celebrating the Lord’s Supper today.  

Today we welcome Pastor Brian Schouten from Sonrise CRC in Ponoka, as he brings us God’s Word from Luke 12:13-23.

Today we welcome Diana Boot to our worship service as she shares with us her work in Uganda.  We will be reflecting on Luke 9:18-27, Who Do You Say Jesus Is? Some people say Jesus is a great teacher. Others say that he had a special relationship with God and is like a prophet. While others say that Jesus is God, the Son of God, and the Messiah.  Who we see Jesus as makes a difference in how we respond to Jesus, because if he’s simply a teacher or prophet, we can pick and choose what we want to accept from what Jesus says.  If he is God, the son of God, then our relationship with Jesus completely changes. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!  Today at our special Thanksgiving service, we will be reflecting on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, focusing on verse 16-18.  Giving Thanks In All Circumstances.  Paul reminds us to be joyful always, pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances.  God has blessed us and so we take time on Thanksgiving Day to say Thank You! for his blessings and presence in the past year.

Today we will be reflecting on Jesus’ invitation to Follow Me.  What does it mean to follow Jesus, how does that change our lives, our priorities, and our relationships with God, Jesus, others and ourselves? We all like to think that we chart our own way through life, but the reality is that we all find someone to imitate and follow, so who are you following?