Bethel CRC Lacombe

Today, we will begin a short summer series based on 2 Peter. We will begin by reflecting on 2 Peter 1, Confirming Your Election and Calling. 2 Peter is not just about Peter’s time; it’s also for us today in that Peter teaches us how to think about God, ourselves, sin, obedience, worship, suffering, community, and hope. His letter invites us to come close to him to understand Jesus and to respond to him. It’s a letter written to warn people about false teachers, but also to stir us out of spir...

Today, Pastor Jake is away on a pulpit exchange. We have the privilege of having Pastor Ken Vanderploeg lead us in worship. During our worship service, we will reflect on Psalm 130, Because of God’s Grace, Here I Go! The Awesome Character of God: His amazing grace, his unfailing love, full (complete) redemption; He does it all! Because of His grace, we are able to approach him, cry out to him, and reverently serve him. Praise the Lord and give thanks for God’s amazing grace.

Today we will reflect on Exodus 34:1-8, What's in a Name?

Today, we will reflect on 3 John, Walking in the Truth. This letter is closely connected to 2 John, which was written to encourage the church not to support traveling teachers who were teaching heresies about Jesus. Here in 3 John, John is now encouraging them to support those who are travelling teachers who are teaching about Jesus. Even in the early church, there were power struggles, and so John is encouraging them to walk in the truth, to walk in the way of Jesus, to remember who they are...

Today, we will be reflecting on Romans 12, Peacemakers. In a world of chaos and hatred, we are still called to be peacemakers.

Today, we will be finishing our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 12:1-14, The End of the Matter. Solomon now comes to the end of his journey of examining the world from the perspective of “under the sun.” He discovers that he’s been looking in all the wrong places, and his search leads him back to his Creator, the God of heaven and earth. Solomon calls us to remember our Creator, to commit ourselves to God

Today, we will reflect on Ecclesiastes 11:1-10, The Work of God. God created us to work, to have dominion over creation and help it flourish, responsible human work is part of God’s creation plan for humanity, but human sin spoiled God’s good creation, work is now much harder and made our work less certain. Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sin and to restore the good creation. Jesus sees work in the context of the kingdom of God, “I will make you fishers of men,” and urges his followers ...

Today, we will be continuing our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 9:1-12, The End is the Same for All. We will be reflecting on death and life. In the end, we will all die, and for Solomon, death is the great enemy, the punishment for sin. No matter how hard you work, how much you gather, or how evil you’ve been, we all end up the same, in the grave. This is why Solomon encourages his readers to eat, drink, and enjoy life with your life. We will also be installing our new ...

Today, we will be returning to our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 8:2-17, The King and Obedience. When Solomon calls for obedience to the king, he’s speaking about obedience to God as our king. Solomon has been reflecting for so long about life under the sun, and as we near the end of Ecclesiastes, Solomon is turning his focus more and more towards God, recognizing that without God, life is meaningless, and there is no hope or future without God.

Today, we will be celebrating Pentecost by reflecting on Ezekiel 37:1-14, The Holy Spirit Renews Us. Pentecost is about the coming of the Holy Spirit, but this is already foreshadowed in the Old Testament in a number of places, including Ezekiel 37. Israel is in exile, and hope is lost, and the people feel like dry bones, that life has left them. The Lord comes to Ezekiel with a promise of new life and restoration! Pentecost is about the Holy Spirit coming into the world and creating new life...

Today, we will be celebrating Ascension Day. We will reflect on Acts 1:1-11, Being Witnesses. After Jesus’ resurrection, he spent 40 days with his followers, teaching them and preparing them to continue the work he had begun. Jesus leaves them with this charge, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This is the call of the church still today, to be Jesus’ witnesses to our communities, to repent and believe because the kingdom of Go...

Today, we will reflect on Ecclesiastes 7:1-8:1; Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20, Wisdom is a Good Thing. These are two passages that reflect on what wisdom looks like, and yet what wisdom looks like in various circumstances can be difficult to figure out. When we live under the sun only, wisdom is often overlooked or even rejected. Wisdom is often disregarded because of who it comes from. Wisdom is a good thing, even if disregarded.

Today, we continue our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12, Contentment. Wealth carries its own temptations, as Solomon observes. If you love wealth, you’ll find that you will always be striving for more, and living a life of thankfulness becomes almost impossible; wealth can harm you through worry, stress, and hurt relationships and trust in others; wealth can be lost. Solomon reminds us over and over again what a blessing it is to enjoy God’s daily blessings and to...

Today, we continue our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Careful Words. In this passage, Solomon is warning us about the power of our words and how we speak to and about God. God is in heaven, he is the creator of the universe, and we are his creations, valuable, precious creations, created in God’s image, and we are called to humbleness and respect for God.

Today, we will reflect on Ecclesiastes 4:1-16, A Cord of Three Strands. Solomon is seeing the pain and brokenness in the world, but he’s also seeing how many people walk alone in the world and reflects on the value of companionship, that two are better than one, that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. We are not called to walk alone; we were created in the image of God, created for companionship and community.

Today, we re-enter our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 3:1-22, A Time for Everything. This is a well-known passage, yet there is more to this passage than many of us realize. Solomon is looking at life under the sun, where everything is always changing. There is little permanence in our lives; everything we build will one day fall, we are born, but we also die. This leads us to a place where the only permanence we can count on is God; wisdom calls then to live well under ...

Today is Easter Sunday! We will be reflecting on Leviticus 25:8-22, New Life! Jesus is risen and brings new life and hope into the world as death is defeated, sins are forgiven, and our relationship with God is healed. We will be reflecting on the Year of Jubilee, a year where people who are slaves are set free, people who have lost their land have it returned, and all debts are forgiven. The Year of Jubilee is a year of new starts and restoration, pointing ahead to the return of Jesus and th...

This week is Good Friday. We will be hosting our Good Friday service at 7:00 p.m. and will be reflecting on Leviticus 23:26-32, The Greatest, Most Dreadful Day. This passage is on the Day of Atonement, a reminder that the daily and weekly sacrifices for sin were not enough to atone for the people’s sins; the sacrifices were a temporary measure that God gave the people to enable them to come close to him. The Day of Atonement points directly to Jesus’ sacrifice of his life for our sin as the o...

Today, we will be reflecting on Leviticus 18, Intimate Holiness. God reminds Israel of the actions God took when God liberated God’s people from Egypt, and then God uses that as the reason for calling God’s people to holiness. So, when a holy and majestic God acts to redeem us, we will not live recklessly or indifferently before that God. Instead, we surrender ourselves to the one who redeemed us. This includes obeying God in the most intimate areas of our lives.

Today, we will be reflecting on Leviticus 17:1-16, Power in the Blood. As you read through the Bible and are introduced to the sacrificial system of Israel, you begin to see how blood represents life. In the sacrifices, we see how the sacrifices point to the seriousness of our sin and that the cost of our sin is life through the shedding of the blood of the animals. The original punishment for sin in Genesis is death; the cost for sin is life. Over time, people began to believe that our life ...

Today, we will be reflecting on Leviticus 13:1–8, Mold, Mildew, Sores, and Infectious Diseases. God communicates our need for holiness in all areas of life by giving rules for the transmission and elimination of unclean matter. This pointed God’s people to a greater spiritual reality: Living in God’s presence requires holiness in all of life, and ultimately God provides holiness for us.

Today, we will be reflecting on Leviticus 8:1-13, The Go-Between. Aaron and his sons are chosen to become priests for Israel. Priests in Israel offered sacrifices on behalf of the people, and after the Tabernacle was built, the priests were the ones who were able to enter the Holy of Holies to offer the sacrifices of atonement for the people. They acted as mediators, as go-betweens between the people and God. To be able to do so, Aaron and his sons needed to be washed with water, as a symbol ...

Today, we are celebrating GEMS Sunday. The GEMS theme this year comes from Deuteronomy 7:6-10, Walk on Water. Girls everywhere are battling the storm of life and are tossed and turned by waves of lies, doubt, and fear. Many girls are simply treading water, looking to culture, social media, or peers to determine their identity and define truth. In Deuteronomy 7:6-10, we discover God’s faithful character and learn that God is always with us. God invites ordinary people to step out in faith to b...

Today, we are beginning our Lenten series Holy God, Holy Lives as the 40-day Lenten period in the church year begins this Wednesday, a time of reflection as we journey to the cross on Good Friday and Jesus’ resurrection on Easter. We will begin by reflecting on Leviticus 1:1-9, When God Moves In. Leviticus is all about our holy God calling for his people to be holy as he is. It’s a book of sacrifices pointing to Jesus, and a book that reveals through laws and images, how serious our sin is an...

Today, we will continue our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 2:17-26, Work is Meaningless. For so many people, their identity is wrapped up in what they do to earn a living and put food on their table and a roof over their head. Unfortunately, we then equate our value by what we’re able to accomplish rather than in who we belong to. We will take a look at how work is a good thing, but not an ultimate thing.

Today, we return to our series on Ecclesiastes by reflecting on Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, Pleasure is Meaningless. Our “under the sun” understanding and experience of pleasure is so often “me” focused instead of cultivating pleasure in God. We are a culture lost in meaningless pleasure, filling our minds and souls with vapid meaninglessness; this can cause us to miss meaningful God-moments and encounters.

Today is Cadet Sunday, and we will be reflecting on 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Stand Firm. We will reflect on being on our guard, standing firm, being courageous, being strong, and doing everything in love. The Cadets and their counselors will be leading us in the worship service.

Today, we are beginning a series on the book of Ecclesiastes, a book found in the Wisdom section of the Bible. The word “hevel,” often translated as “meaningless,” is found 38 times in this book, making it an often-misunderstood book of the Bible. Over the next few months, we will explore what “hevel” is and where the author is looking to guide us in search of wisdom.

Today, we will have Pastor Chad Vandervalk leading us in worship. We will be reflecting on Genesis 1:26-31; Jeremiah 29:1-14, Life and Work in a Broken World. God’s original call for humanity to cultivate and extend the goodness of creation still stands today. Though sin brought brokenness, God has promised renewal, which has been initiated through Jesus and will be completed at the final restoration. In the meantime, God calls His people to live as witnesses to that coming renewal by seeking...

Today, we are celebrating Friendship Sunday! We will be reflecting on their theme of Spiritual Gifts by looking at 1 Peter 4:7-11, Spiritual Gifts for Serving Others. Peter is writing about the last times and Jesus’ return and encouraging the people to be alert and of sober mind so they can pray. Then Peter moves into speaking about the importance of love and using whatever gift they have to serve others. When we grow a servant’s heart, we become more like Jesus, and God is praised!

Today, we will reflect on Jeremiah 29:1-14, a Christmas Letter? With Christmas behind us and a New Year in its infancy, we are reminded that God desires for us to include Him in every part of our lives over the course of the next 365 days. He will walk with us through the simple and the challenging moments this next year holds.

Today is New Years Day. We will be reflecting on Luke 6:37-42, Noticing God in the New Year. As we enter into a new year, we will reflect on what to keep our eyes on as we journey through the 365 days ahead. We can choose to keep our eyes on each other; unfortunately, this often leads to a lot of comparison and judging of others. This year, let’s make a commitment instead to keep our eyes on God’s presence in all the small things of life and to respond to him with a spirit of gratitude, humbl...

Today we wrap up our theme of GROUNDED AND GROWING, by reflecting on John 4:27-38, The Fields Are Ripe for Harvest. Our passage this morning is part of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Through advent, we’ve reflected in the images of growth, and now Jesus is reminding his disciples that the fields, the world, is ripe for a harvest of souls, the good news has come, the Messiah has arrived, and salvation is at hand. We have the gospel, the good news, and it’s meant for the...

Today is Christmas Day! We will be reflecting on Isaiah 61, Psalm 98, Luke 2:1-20, The Promised Seed. If Christ’s birth was ordinary, there wouldn't be angels announcing it. If Christmas was all about a cute baby, then the shepherds wouldn’t have left the field, nor the magi their home. “Do not be afraid,” we read in Luke 2, “for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” The point isn...

Today we will reflect on Isaiah 37:26-32; Psalm 36:5-12; Matthew 1, The Loving Gardener. For plants to truly flourish and for there to be an abundant harvest, the gardener or farmer needs to carefully tend to them. Whether it’s a few plants on a patio, a back yard vegetable garden, or acres of corn, for plants to thrive, someone needs to care about their health: make sure the conditions are right and that there aren’t weeds competing with them for nutrients and water. In scripture, God is the...

Today we will reflect on Isaiah 41:17–20, Psalm 126, Luke 1:46–55, From Wilderness of Despair to the Flourishing of Joy. Isaiah talks about the living nature of water, of how it can restore us, and how it brings life in even deserts. All through Scripture, nourishing rain and rivers serve as a picture for spiritual nourishment that God gives to quench our thirsty souls, bringing joy. In the passages next week, it is the poor and needy, those who are weeping, the lowly, and the hungry who are ...

Today we will reflect on Isaiah 27:1-6; Psalm 85; Matthew 3:1-12, From Repentance to Growth. Our world is full of prickly weeds—full of sin. We are all sinners, whether we want to admit it or not. While this is an uncomfortable truth, we need to sit in that reality. We need to take off our rose- colored glasses and truly look at the world and look at ourselves. This is where the Advent journey takes us. It is a journey among dangerous dragons, prickly weeds, and a warning from John the Baptis...

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. We enter Advent by reflecting on Isaiah 11:1–9; Psalm 72:1–7, 12–19; and Luke 1:26–38 A Shoot from a Stump—A Sign of Hope. It’s been a long time since the last prophets from God have come and spoken to the people, 400 years. There have been political upheavals, making life hard, and God’s people often feel that the only thing that has happened is they’ve simply changed oppressors. What is happening with God’s promises? Will the Messiah ever come? Were the ...

Today, we will reflect on Jude’s letter to a church where there are members who have embraced some of their culture’s values on sexual values and practices. Our God is a holy and pure God and calls us as his children to purity and holiness. God has given us a way of relating to each other, of living with each other that leads to us becoming more Christ-like and to help us flourish as his children, growing more and more into who he has created us to be. The temptation is to make God into our i...

Today, we will have Pastor Ed Jager leads us in worship. We will be reflecting on Matthew 6:12,14-15; 18:21-35, The Gospel of Forgiveness According to Matthew .

Today, we will be reflecting on Acts 4:1-31, Speaking the Word Boldly. Peter and John have been told not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Their witness was so powerful that people believed their witness about Jesus and accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and this threatens the rulers and elders of the Jews. Peter, John, and the other apostles led many people to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit and were able to clearly and boldly share who Jesus is and show the people their ne...

Today, we will reflect on Luke 18:9-17, Qualities of the Kingdom – Humility. Jesus is travelling to Jerusalem, and it’s getting closer to when he will take all our sins on himself. Jesus’ teaching takes on a deeper intensity as he seeks to instill in his disciples a strong foundation of what the kingdom of heaven looks like, what the qualities of the kingdom are. Jesus looks at the quality of humility and the importance of having a humble heart. He offers a parable of a Pharisee and a tax-col...

Today, we will begin a two-week series on Sharing Our Faith. We will begin with reflecting on Acts 8:26-40, The Gospel. It’s shortly after Pentecost and the rapid growth of the church, but it also introduces a time of persecution of those who follow Jesus as the Messiah. Philip finds himself in a town in Samaria, where the gospel news is received with joy, but the Spirit then leads him away from Samaria to a eunuch travelling back home to Ethiopia. This is a gospel encounter. A moment guided ...

Today, we will be led in worship by Pastor Rob Toornstra. We will be reflecting on Zephaniah 3:14-20, The Soothing Savior. Although we live in a world that is often driven by fear, we can rejoice because God, who dwells among us in Christ, soothes us with His love.

During our Thanksgiving service, we will be reflecting on Exodus 15:1-21, A Song of Praise. God has rescued his people from the armies of Pharaoh, leading them out of slavery into freedom. On the far side of the sea, Moses and the people of Israel sing a song of praise, a song filled with gratitude for what God has done, but also gratitude for who Good is. We often give thanks for what God has done for us; it’s as important to be grateful for who God is, our creator, father, redeemer, and eve...

Today, we will wrap up our series on the Holy Spirit. We will be reflecting on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, The Holy Spirit: Gift Giver. The Holy Spirit gives each one of us various gifts to bless the church and for the common good. Gifts are not given to us for our own sake, but for the sake of the work of God in our church, community, and world. There are various gifts, and they are all rooted in the love of God for his people and for the world. These gifts also shape us and our character, helpin...

Today, we will be having a reading service with Peter Prins reading the message. We will be reflecting on Acts 16:6-40, Doors & Windows. Our message today is to encourage believers that, even when God says “no” to their current plans, they are still equipped and sent by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel.

Today, we will reflect on Matthew 3:13-4:11, The Holy Spirit: Guide and Sustainer. This passage shows the relationship between Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy comes down on Jesus at his baptism and then leads Jesus into the wilderness, where he is tempted by the devil. The Holy Spirit is given to us and guides us, sometimes into places we’re not expecting, in order to prepare us for what lies ahead of us. The wilderness was the place Israel went in order to encounter God, to ...

Today, we will reflect on Judges 3:7-11; 6:33-35; and John 14:15-21, The Holy Spirit: Spirit of Power. Over and over again, we read in the Bible of the Spirit of the Lord coming on people to empower them to save his people from their enemies after the Lord allowed their enemies to conquer them as part of his judgment. In John, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to prove the world wrong about their concepts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. We’re given the Holy Spirit to stand strong in our wor...

Today, we are beginning a series on the Holy Spirit. We will be reflecting on Genesis 1:1-2; 2:4-7; John 20:19-23 The Holy Spirit: Breath of God. We first meet the Holy Spirit at the very beginning of the Bible as “hovering over the waters.” In Hebrew, the word for spirit is “ruah” and can be translated as spirit, breath, or wind. In the creation of Adam, God gives life to Adam through breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, revealing God as the creator of all creation and life. Our s...

Today, Pastor Ken Douma will be leading us in worship. We will be reflecting on Genesis 22:1-19, Yahweh Yireh - The Lord Will Provide.

Today, we will reflect on Habakkuk 3, Habakkuk’s Prayer of Faith. God says Babylon will suffer the consequences of their actions and ends by pointing to himself with a call to worship and honour him. God is calling his people to humility before him. Habakkuk listens and responds, “LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.”; Habakkuk acknowledges God’s power, standing in awe before him, remembering who God is and what God has done for his people in the past because o...

Today, we will reflect on Habakkuk 1:12-2:20, Why Do You Tolerate the Treacherous? Israel had become too attracted to the kingdoms of the world and now faces the punishment of being overcome by the most powerful kingdom on earth at the time, Babylon. Jesus invites his listeners to become citizens of God’s kingdom, a way of forgiveness and prayer, a way of jubilation and celebration, which can be practiced right where we live. Jesus uses Jerusalem as his example. In the center of Jerusalem is ...

Today, we will reflect on Habakkuk 1:1-11, Why Doesn’t God Act or Listen? Habakkuk sees the oppression and injustice happening in Israel, and he wonders why King Josiah’s reforms and God’s Law aren’t creating a holy people; why God is allowing evil and violence to continue? Habakkuk receives an answer he doesn’t expect. We will reflect on God’s answer to Habakkuk. We will also be celebrating the Profession of Faith of a youth in our church family.

Today we have the privilege of having Pastor Gary Bomhof lead us in worship. We will reflect on Philippians 2:12-18, Work Out Your Own Salvation. We have been saved by grace; nothing we do merits our salvation. Yet, this gift needs to be “worked out” in our lives. And that is where our efforts and work comes in !

Today, we have the privilege of having Chaplain Harold Roscher from the Edmonton Healing Center to lead us in worship. We will reflect on 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 & Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, All My Relations.

A reflection on the book of Obadiah to begin our summer series on the Minor Prophets.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 95, Do Not Harden Your Hearts. We often look to the Psalms for comfort, encouragement, and for inspiration. However, Psalm 95 can be a bit shocking as it ends with a sobering reminder of both the temporal and eternal consequences of hardening our hearts to God's offer of grace.

Today we will reflect on 2 Samuel 13:1-22, A Broken Family. This is a story of Amnon & Tamar, and of Absalom & King David, and how Amnon abused his sister. This tore apart King David’s family because he failed to hold Amnon accountable for what he did. In Bethel and in Classis Alberta North, we believe safe church policies & practices are an important and integral part of our ministries. These policies are to protect our children & those who are vulnerable, while holding us ac...

Today we will reflect on the early church story of Barnabas, Ananias, and Sapphira. Our passage will be Acts 4:32-5:11, Generosity. The early church after Pentecost embraced the teachings of compassion and service found in the Torah. In response, Barnabas sells a field and gives the money to the apostles to help those who had need. Pride enters in as Ananias and Sapphira want to be seen as generous, but the lure of money leads them to deceive the apostles. But God knows their hearts and so th...

Today we will reflect on Ephesians 4:29-5:2, The Hardest Thing to Do! Many people struggle with hurt from others. Jesus forgives us and wants us to forgive others. It’s never easy to forgive. We need to choose to forgive with God’s help because our lack of forgiveness blocks our fellowship with God. Forgiveness will release the pain and will give us renewed joy. It also opens the door for God to use us in fresh new ways.

Today we will be celebrating Pentecost by reflecting on John 14:22-31, The Holy Spirit – The Teacher. Jesus leaves his disciples here on earth when he returns to heaven, so we can carry on the work he began. To equip them, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to teach them and remind them of everything he’s said to them. But Jesus also mentions that the prince of this world is coming, Satan, but that he has no hold over Jesus; instead, it’s an opportunity to show the world that he loves the Father ...

Today we will reflect on Psalm 78, The Church Makeover. Psalm 78 is written by a teacher or leader in Israel. The teacher calls the people to listen to the things of old, things our ancestors have told us. One of the important roles of the church is to keep retelling the story of God’s relationship with his people. We retell the family story, reminding ourselves of God’s covenantal faithfulness and our unfaithfulness, calling ourselves back to serving God, following his laws and decrees, and ...

Today we will reflect on 2 Timothy 1:1-16 & 2 Timothy 3:14-17, The Extended Family Makeover. Paul sees Timothy as a beloved son and is reminded of the influence of Timothy’s mother and grandmother in Timothy’s faith life and growth. Our extended families have a large influence on the faith of our children because our children already know them and trust them. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and we can also say, “It takes a church family to raise a child in the w...

Today we will continue our series Faith Begins at Home by reflecting on Psalm 127, The Child’s Foundation. Our children’s foundation begins at home where they learn about obedience to the Lord and see how their parents live out their faith in God through obeying his decrees and commands. Our children get a Jesus-centered life when we make Jesus the foundation and God the builder and designer of our homes

Today we will reflect on Deuteronomy 6, The Family Makeover. In Deuteronomy, we hear the law given in Leviticus and Exodus repeated a second time. Moses is teaching the people of Israel the importance of observing the laws God has given them in order to shape them into God’s people. Moses is teaching the adults so that they can teach their children and grandchildren to love and serve the Lord. Twice Moses says, “Hear Israel,” and twice he mentions “so that,” to emphasize his teaching that thi...

Today we will reflect on Joshua 24, The Home Makeover. Joshua has led Israel into the Promised Land and the people are now at a time of peace and prosperity. These are the times of danger for the people, times when they are more tempted to drift away from God and embrace idols. Joshua challenges the people to fear the Lord and throw their idols away, but even if they don’t Joshua declares, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” This is the call to all of us, to declare, “As...

Today we will reflect on Exodus 3, Called to Leadership. God calls to Moses to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt into freedom and the Promised Land. Moses is afraid and believes he doesn’t have the skills or gifts needed to lead. Moses comes up with many excuses for not responding, but God counters his excuses by promising Moses “I will be with you.” The church still needs leaders today to lead the people into freedom from their sin, and into a deeper relationship of trust and faith in ...

Today we are celebrating Easter and the resurrection of Jesus! We will reflect on Matthew 28:1-7 and Revelation 1:9-18, The Best Last Word. From the darkness of Good Friday, we come together to celebrate the resurrection of the Light of the World coming in all his glory to banish sin and death. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the Living One who defeated sin and destroyed the curse of death, the one who holds the keys of death, and Hades, the one who has been given all authority in heaven and ea...

Today is Good Friday. We will wrap up our Lenten series Words from the Cross by reflecting on Luke 23:44-49; John 13:1-2; John 19:28-35, Father, into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit. Satan believes he has won as the King of kings hangs on a cross dying. As Jesus draws close to death, in the darkest moments, he reveals his deep trust in his Father, committing himself into his Father’s hands, a place of safety and belonging.

Today we will reflect on Matthew 27:45-49 and John 19:28-30, My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? This is the darkest time for Jesus as he takes the sins of the world on himself, experiencing God’s forsakenness on our behalf. The light of the world is hidden in darkness as the sun is darkened for 3 hours, reminding the people of the judgment of God and the Day of the Lord. Jesus cries out with words from Psalm 22; in this psalm which points so strongly to the cross, we hear a deep agoniz...

Today we will reflect on John 19:25-30, Here is Your Son, Here is Your Mother. Even while on the cross, Jesus is thinking of others. We’ve seen him ask for forgiveness for us, we’ve seen his grace to the criminal, and now we see his concern for his mother. As the oldest son, Jesus is responsible for the well-being of his mother. He places Mary in the care of the beloved disciple, John. Jesus has a larger view of family, seeing it as a covenant community that hears God’s word and puts it into ...

Today we will reflect on Luke 23:39-43; Romans 8:1-4; 33-39, Today You Will be With Me in Paradise. The thief on the cross asks Jesus to remember him. There is no fear quite like the fear of being forgotten. The beauty of Jesus is that he doesn’t forget us and because he doesn’t forget us, we have salvation, a place with Jesus, even after death. The Bible gives us different images of what Paradise is like, the one thing that connects them all is that this is where we find Jesus and that even ...

Today we are beginning our Lenten series: Words from the Cross. We will reflect on Luke 23:24-25, 32-34, Father, Forgive Them. In many situations, forgiveness is one of the most difficult things to offer to someone. Jesus emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in his prayer when he teaches us to ask for forgiveness for our sins. He then goes on and teaches that when we forgive, then the Father will forgive us, but if we do not forgive, then the Father will not forgive us. This is a frighten...

Today we are once again celebrating the sacrament of baptism. We will be reflecting on Psalm 139:13-14, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Psalm 139 reminds us of how precious each one of us is, and how God actively shapes and forms each one of us in the womb. The Psalmist confesses that all God’s works are wonderful, God is the original creator who has created us in his own image! In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul picks up on this theme, when he writes that we are masterpieces of God. N...

Today we are celebrating the baptism of Pax, the newest member of our church family. We will reflect on 1 Samuel 1:27-28 and 1 Samuel 2:1-10, God’s Faithfulness. The birth of Samuel to Hannah and Elkanah came about after a long season of prayer to God. In Samuel’s birth, we see God’s faithfulness and presence, and how God can transform our grief into great joy. In Hannah’s prayer, she rejoices in God and his faithfulness, looking back to God’s long presence with his people and how he hu...

Today we are celebrating GEMS Sunday. Our Bethel GEMS will be participating and leading us in our worship service on their theme for the year; Romans 12:1-2, Transformed. Paul calls us to not conform to the patterns of our world but to be transformed. We’re transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we become new people, focused on Jesus and able to know what God’s will is and to follow it .

Today we will wrap up our series on what we hunger for, by reflecting on John 6:35-51, A Hunger for the Gospel. Jesus gives us a picture of the gospel message in this short passage. Jesus gives life as the bread of life, he comes from heaven to claim his people and they will have eternal life. Jesus is both fully human and fully God and so he’s the only one able to give us life and forgive us all our sins. Death and sin are part of the world, but Jesus is returning to restore and reconcile al...

Today we will reflect on John 14:1-14, A Hunger for the Truth. Jesus tells his followers that he is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the way to God and the only way, the personification of truth, the center of life. But today many people ask the question that Pilate asks before condemning Jesus, “What is truth?” Many today believe we each create our own truth but is this even possible to live this way together as a community and society? Because our society has made the idea of truth a...

Today we will be celebrating Cadet Sunday. This year the theme of the Calvinist Cadet Corps is Lead the Way based on 1 Timothy 4:12. We will be reading 1 Timothy 4:1-16 to give ourselves the reason Paul is writing to Timothy and encouraging him to be an example to the church and not be discouraged if some look down on him because of his young age. How we live is important because people are always watching us; building godly and biblical habits in our lives is important, as how we live shows ...

Today we will reflect on Luke 7:36-50, A Hunger for Belonging. God created us in his image and God is a community within himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We’re not meant to be alone; this is why many people who find themselves on the outside of society or a group hunger for a place to belong, a place where they are accepted. But because of sin, we tend to create groups and those who don’t belong are kept on the outside. Jesus encounters a woman on the outside of society, a woman who i...

Today we will reflect on Psalm 25, A Hunger to be Seen. We live in an often harsh and critical world, and this can sometimes shape our relationship with God as harsh and critical. We all desire to be seen and valued or appreciated by others, especially those who are important to us. Loneliness has been determined to be the health crisis in our time, we desire to be loved. When we know we are seen and loved, we can better able to love others and ourselves. This helps us to find meaning and hop...

Today we will reflect on Genesis 12:1-3, A Hunger for God’s Blessings. When we read this important story of God’s call to Abram to trust in him and leave his country, people, and family behind to follow him to a place that the Lord was going to show him. The Lord promises to bless Abram and make him a blessing to all nations. Life is not always easy and many of us will face times of struggle, times when it feels like everything is against us. In those times we may hunger to experience God’s b...

We are in the time of Christmas this week. We will be continuing our Advent theme Pay Attention to the Dreams. Today we will be reflecting on Matthew 2, Dreams to Protect and Guide. This is a hard story of evil. Herod sees the infant Jesus as a threat and seeks to murder him. God works through dreams to Joseph and the Magi to protect Jesus; leading Joseph and his family to a place of safety. Evil is still in the world today, and Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures to guide u...

Today we will reflect on Psalm 126 and Luke 2:1-20, Like Those Who Dreamed. Psalm 126 is a Psalm of Ascent and reminds us to the return home from the exile during the time of Nehemiah. But the restoration is not complete. This points us to the coming of Jesus and his second coming when our dreams of the restoration of all things will be made complete, but in his first coming already, hope shines forth as we wait for that glorious day

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, we will reflect on Daniel 2:24-47, The Rock That Really Rolls. Daniel is an advisor to the king of Babylon; God has placed him in the center of power of the most powerful empire at the time. Daniel hears of dreams that have troubled King Nebuchadnezzar, and because his wisemen were unable to interpret them, all of them, including Daniel, are sentenced to death. Daniel steps in and asks for time to consult God, who shows him the future of Nebuchadnezzar’s ...

Today for the third Sunday of Lent, our children are leading us through their Christmas play. We will reflect on 1 Kings 3:4-15; Matthew 2:9-12; and Philippians 2:6-11, The Way of Wisdom. Solomon is king and God comes to him in a dream and tells him to ask him for anything he wants God to give him. Solomon chooses wisdom! Wisdom is found in recognizing who Jesus is and in imitating Jesus in his humility and obedience to God.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 37:1-11; Matthew 2:9-12; and Philippians 2:6-11, Every Knew Shall Bow. Joseph has 2 dreams where his brothers will bow down to him. This is not received well by his brothers or his father. Joseph ends up in a pit, then a prison, but is exalted to a throne in Egypt where he is able to save his family. Joseph foreshadows Jesus, and we will explore the lordship of Jesus.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 28:10-22, Stairway to Heaven. Jacob has left home after tricking his brother Esau out of the family blessing. Jacob knows that it is not safe for him to remain at home, so he heads out to family in Haran; the reason given is to find a proper wife who is not Canaanite. While on his way, Jacob rests for a night and has a dream of a stairway resting on the earth, with God at its head and angels traveling up and down. The distance between heaven and earth is not a...

Today we welcome Pastor Gary Bomhof to lead us in worship. We will focus our reflection on Daniel 1, Food and Wine From the King’s Table. Daniel and his friends, as an act of defiance and as a commitment to the God of their fathers, refused the "food and wine from the table of the King". Today we partake of "the food and wine from the King's table" (the Lord's Supper), but it too is an act of defiance to what the world is offering and an ongoing commitment to our Triune God

Today we welcome the Cadets from Central Alberta churches for our regional Cadet Sunday. The focus of our reflection will be on Mark 10:35-45, Servant Leadership. The cadet theme this year is focused on leadership and how even cadets can be leaders, no matter their young ages. We will be reflecting on how Jesus reminds the disciples that leaders serve, they don’t lead for power or authority. We will look at what a leader’s character looks like.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 146, A God of Justice. Psalm 146 is one of the Psalms of Ascent, which the people of Israel would sing as they come up the road to Jerusalem. As they came close to the city they would see the temple, and near the temple, they would see the palace of the king. Psalm 146 reminds the people to place their trust in the eternal God over the kings who came and went. Kings were not always kings of justice, so the temple gave the people hope because our God is a God of ...

Today we will reflect on Words of Life, Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is unique among all of the Psalms. It is not only the longest of the psalms but also the longest chapter in the entire Bible! In addition, this longest of all Psalms has one central focus: the Scriptures. What insight did the psalmist have that compelled him to lovingly compose 176 verses on this one topic? How can we share in his zeal in our own reading of God's Word?

Today we will reflect on Psalm 143, Teach Me. In Psalm 143, the psalmist asks God for his mercy as his spirit is faint and his heart is dismayed. He meditates on all God’s works, he hides himself in the Lord, putting his trust in God. He asks the Lord to show him the way and to teach him how to do the Lord’s will. This Reformation Sunday, we will reflect on the importance of sitting at the feet of God to learn, walk in the way of Jesus, and be shaped by God. We will also have the opportunity ...

Today we will reflect on Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17, God: the Best, the Greatest, the Perfect Gardener! God gave us the mandate to rule over everything he had made on Earth. This morning we will reflect on what it looks like to rule over what God has made. What does it look like to be a steward of God’s creation and what part of God’s creation may He be calling you to take care of ?

Today we will give thanks to God for all his blessing through the year, and for the blessing of his presence during the difficult times. We will be reflecting on Psalm 66, Praise the Lord! In Psalm 66 we join the psalmist and all the earth in shouting for joy to the Lord for all the Lord has done for us, his people. As part of our service, we will be giving you opportunities to share some of what the Lord has done for you or who the Lord is to you. We will give thanks for God who hears our pr...

Today we will reflect on Psalm 91, Our Rescuer. This is another of those powerful psalms in which the psalmist is in awe of God and how God is always there for him as his rescuer and refuge. Psalm 8 gave us a “Wow!” look at God through creation. Psalm 91 gives us a “Wow!” look at God through how he is always there for us as our protector and saviour !

Today we will reflect on Psalm 73, Losing Our Foothold. The psalmist is looking at the world around him and he’s puzzled. Why do the bad people succeed more than the good people, why do God’s people suffer while the evil people do really well? These are still important questions that followers of God still wrestle with today. The psalmist decides to go into the sanctuary of God to find answers.