We don’t have to go far to see many complaints about leadership. These complaints seem to be at all levels, but especially to those who hold very visible roles. It would seem as if we don’t have a lot of good examples of leadership. This should challenge us to ask, could we do any better? We are too often led by our own desires or by the desires of those around us. There has to be a better way.

Thank God there is and Ultimately it is looking first to His leadership, but what this looks like on the floor is very different than what we might expect, showing us that we have a lot to learn. Join us this Sunday as we look at good leadership by comparing Herod, the King of Israel, with Peter the rock of the church.

Ministry Sunday: This conversation is very timely as this Sunday after the 10:30 am service, over lunch, we will be exploring together the numerous ministries and leaderships that we take on, or could take on. The time is primarily designed for you to ask people about the ministries they belong to or serve in while sharing your own. There is no pressure to join any ministry, but I would encourage you to discern with God and others where your gifts, joy, and where the love and hope of Jesus Christ are calling you.

We all want to grow, right? Yet, if we are honest with ourselves we don't always want to grow. We may not want to grow in this way or grow this fast. Growth isn't often easy. It challenges us to adapt, change, struggle, make space, practice, get stronger and so much more. These challenges aren't comfortable, but they are important. How we handle those challenges often shapes how we grow or how we dig our heels in. We at St. Matthews are facing a time of growth, as we see previous members coming back and new people walking through our doors. It is an immense blessing. The church through the book of Acts is also going through a time of growth, because of this, they are consistently presented with new challenges, even resistance. Join me this Sunday when we explore what it looks like to embrace growth, while also holding onto our foundation.

We will also be taking some time to remember all those that went before us, who served and gave of their lives to protect and uphold our freedom. It is important that we look back so that we might learn from them and take them with us while we look forward.

Do you think it is really possible to know God? Can we hear his voice, know his presence, or even see him? The Bible presents many situations where this happens, and not just through Jesus. So whether we don’t believe it can happen, or if we haven’t experienced it or just rarely do, these texts should challenge us. The truth is that Bible itself is telling us a story about God coming close and making himself known personally to normal everyday people. So, what do we need to do to really know God, see and hear him? The solution is simple and yet difficult, we must give of our time and ourselves. Come explore this Sunday how we come to know God more closely and fully. 

I think we live in a world where we don't want to think that we have any enemies. I get this because considering someone an enemy can other and separate them. I think that because of this we don't think we have to convert anyone. We have realized through the black lives matter movement and through so much that has happened over the last 3 years that there are many kinds of enemies that stand in the way of what is right and good, even if they are convinced of what is right.

This Sunday we learn a little bit more about Saul, as he became an enemy persecuting the church and how God converted his heart to work the good news of Jesus. So we will hear how our partnership with Jesus can turn an enemy into an advocate.

Do you long for good news? I feel like I hear a lot of good news in today’s world and yet very little of this good news sticks. Much of it doesn’t really affect my life or doesn’t affect our particular struggles and so we keep looking and longing. Yet this Sunday we will hear about the sharing of a good news that leads to joy for all those that heard it: those going through persecution, those searching, and those disconnect and without family.

How far would you go to save someone? What would you do? These days it doesn't feel like a lot of people are in need of saving, outside of extreme situations and yet we know that there is a lot wrong in this world. It is very easy to understand saving someone when it comes to a firefighter or search and rescue, but in our everyday life saving people is a lot harder. It takes time, personal and relational sacrifice, and purposeful presence and accountability centred on Jesus Christ, so that they too can be grounded on the unshakable foundation that is God our creator. In some ways, this is far harder than just pulling someone out of a burning building, because it is consistent and you put more than just your life on the line, but it is even more important. One saves a life, but one saves their way of life. Join me this Sunday when we look at the Martyrdom of Stephen.

In the book of Hebrews, we are reminded to outdo one another in helpfulness, kindness, and good deeds. Sometimes in our present day, though, it is hard to know how to truly take care of one another and to be truly helpful. We know people's physical needs, but we are often less willing to step into their spiritual and emotional needs (if we even know them). The hard part about this is that we look so much to someone's physical needs that we forget that many of the other needs are even more important. Lastly, sometimes we get so caught up in our own desires and needs that we forget the needs of the other. Join us this Sunday when we explore how to be truly helpful and kind.

One of the amazing realities and hopes of our faith in Jesus Christ is that it can lead to a greater unity than we can imagine. In the story of the apostles and in the story of the church this unity becomes immensely important, because it can either be the vision for God's amazing power to work in us and the Holy Spirit's ability to connect us across our differences or in our disunity it can lead people to see a fickle humanity and miss God all together. Our unity is even more important than we realize. It also looks different than what most currently think. Join us this Sunday when we look at the powerful unity created in God.

I am excited this Sunday to have our first real BBQ all together on our patron saint Sunday. This is a fantastic opportunity, as we are all together, as we sing with our worship band, and as we gather around delicious food to invite friends and family. 

 So often though, things stand in our way when doing this. What stands in your way of inviting someone into this church or your faith? There are so many things in the world that resist God and faith, but when it comes to sharing faith, I have found that the majority of the resistance comes within ourselves. We are scared of what it might do to the relationship, we are scared we don’t know enough, we are scared it might be awkward or they won’t like it. Knowing who this community is, it makes me a lot less scared to invite someone in. Knowing how much joy and love we have experienced through this faith, it makes me a lot less scared. Knowing how much hope and life it gives me in the worst times, it makes me a lot less scared. We still have to step out with boldness though. We need to be courageous enough to step beyond our fear and show people God through word and action. There is no greater authority in heaven and earth and so we really have nothing to be afraid of. Join us Sunday as we explore resistance to and boldness for the Kingdom of God. 

This Sunday, as we return back to some of our normal patterns after years of adaptation over the Covid-19 pandemic, we begin a series looking at the acts of the apostles. Jesus has gone up to heaven and the disciples are left to carry on his ministry, just as we are. How are they going to respond and live into the new reality that Jesus has brought into their lives?

We start with a story of a healing, not unlike stories of Jesus. We see them continuing on the ministry of Jesus and yet things are different. They are not God and so their dependency and work looks a little different. This Sunday we will explore how we are healed, how God wants us to heal and what healing looks like in the Kingdom of God. 

What is the Kingdom of God? How do we build the Kingdom of God? What is our mission now that Jesus is gone? Who are we meant to be? How are we meant to relate to the world? Acts tells the story of how the disciples respond to these and many other big questions as Jesus leaves and sends us his Holy Spirit.