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Oct. 4th Bulletin

Here's what's happening around our church this week. 👋 Take a look at what’s happening around the life of SCC this week. You’ll find upcoming events, gatherings, and opportunities to connect with our church family. Friday, October 2nd The Table | A Place for WomenThe Table 7:00 pm | Thrive Young AdultsThrive Saturday, October 3rd Loaves and Fishes Cook Day - Serve alongside the Loaves and Fishes team as they prepare meals for our community. New volunteers are always welcome. Email summersideloavesandfishes@gmail.com for more information. Sunday, October 4th 10:00am | Worship Service - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. 10:00 - 12:15 pm | Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during the servic 4:00 pm | Jesus the Anointed One Church - Meets in the Kids Wing. Monday, October 5th 5:15–6:30 pm | Step Study for Women - meets in the prayer room at SCCWomen's Step Study 7:00 pm | Knitting & Crocheting Connect Group - meets in the youth room at SCCKnitting & Crocheting Tuesday, October 6th 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, October 7th 4:00 - 6:00 pm | Art in Church - meets in the kids wing in room 2Art in Church 6:30 pm | Route 2 - meets in rotating homesRoute 2 6:30 pm | Joyce Meyer Study - meets at Jocelyn Holden’s home at 425 Tower St. Apt 209 6:30 pm | Joyce Meyer Study 2nd group- meets at SCC in the Multi Purpose Rmjoyce meyer study Thursday, October 8 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 7:00 pm | Elev8 Youth - Meet at SCC for a night of fun, friendships, and discovering what it means to follow Jesus.Elev8 Youth Upcoming Events Connect Sunday | Oct 4 - Stay after the service and explore the groups happening at SCC. Meet some of the people involved, ask questions, and discover a group that could be a good fit for this season of life. Last call for The Nativity: A Night of Music - School age kids are invited to step into the Nativity story through music and performance, with rehearsals beginning October 4 at 3 PM at SCC. Register at the button below or on Oct 4 at the rehearsal.Sign up hereNew here? We'd love to connect. Oct 2 - Fred Pope Oct 8- Mikayla Adams Oct 12 - Andrew Bryce Oct 14 - Deb Howatt Oct 15 - Dale Linkletter Oct 15 - Mason Matheson Oct 19 - Emily Martin Oct 19 - Iris Linkletter Oct 21 - Cellian Barnett Oct 31 - Mark Melanson We’re making space to celebrate one another as a church family through birthdays and our People We Love feature. Fill out the form below so we can know more about you!Help us get to know you! Community Prayer We carry each other through the spiritual practice of prayer. Here's what our community is lifting up this week: 🙏 Loaves & Fishes – Pray for the volunteers, guests, and every conversation that takes place through the ministry of Loaves & Fishes. 🙏 Brandon Rogers - Pray as he starts his YWAM discipleship training school in Niagara. If you would like to donate to his schooling please etransfer sccgiving@sccpei.com and write YWAM in the memoSubmit your own prayer request Giving Update - September 27, 2026 General:$ 7, 584.44 Building: $295.00 YTD General: $273,826.47 *updated as of September 30* 2026 Revenue Forecast: $462,600.00 Please note that our giving update section may not be updated every week. While we strive to provide regular updates, there may be occasions when circumstances prevent us from doing so. Your generosity helps make the life and ministry of SCC possible. Thank you for being part of what God is doing here. If you’re new, we’re simply glad you’re here.Give Now Here Watch last week’s sermon 👇This weeks sermonWatch our Services Online This weeks episode of Between the Shores 👇Subscribe To Our Between the Shores Podcast Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox. 📸 Follow us on , Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube 💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here. Services: Sundays at 10:00 AM 150 Industrial Crescent, Summerside, PE, C1N 5N6

Natasha Kelly • 4 Minute Read

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October 1, 2026 • 4 Minute Read

Oct. 4th Bulletin

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 23, 2026 • 4 Minute Read

Oct 11 Bulletin

Here's what's happening around our church this week. 👋 Take a look at what’s happening around the life of SCC this week. You’ll find upcoming events, gatherings, and opportunities to connect with our church family. Friday, October 9 Enjoy your Friday! Saturday, October 10 Have a wonderful Saturday! Sunday, October 11 10:00am | Worship Service - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. 10:00 - 12:15 pm | Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during the servic 4:00 pm | Jesus the Anointed One Church - Meets in the Kids Wing. 6:30 pm | Hope & Glory - meets at Gloria Maclean’s homeHope & Glory Monday, October 12 5:15–6:30 pm | Step Study for Women - meets in the prayer room at SCCWomen's Step Study 7:00 pm | Knitting & Crocheting Connect Group - meets in the youth room at SCCKnitting & Crocheting Tuesday, October 13 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, October 14 4:00 - 6:00 pm | Art in Church - meets in the kids wing in room 2Art in Church 6:30 pm | Victory by the Sea - meets in rotating homes in Victoria by the SeaVictory by the Sea 6:30 pm | Joyce Meyer Study - meets at Jocelyn Holden’s home at 425 Tower St. Apt 209 6:30 pm | Joyce Meyer Study 2nd group- meets at SCC in the Multi Purpose Rmjoyce meyer study Thursday, October 15 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 7:00 pm | Elev8 Youth - Meet at SCC for a night of fun, friendships, and discovering what it means to follow Jesus.Elev8 Youth Upcoming Events The Table a Place for Women is on October 2 doors open at 7pm. Casting call for The Nativity: A Night of Music - School age kids are invited to step into the Nativity story through music and performance, with rehearsals beginning October 4 at 3 PM at SCC. Register at the button below or on Oct 4 at the rehearsal.Sign up hereNew here? We'd love to connect. Oct 2 - Fred Pope Oct 8- Mikayla Adams Oct 12 - Andrew Bryce Oct 14 - Deb Howatt Oct 15 - Dale Linkletter Oct 15 - Mason Matheson Oct 19 - Emily Martin Oct 19 - Iris Linkletter Oct 21 - Cellian Barnett Oct 31 - Mark Melanson We’re making space to celebrate one another as a church family through birthdays and our People We Love feature. Fill out the form below so we can know more about you!Help us get to know you! Community Prayer We carry each other through the spiritual practice of prayer. Here's what our community is lifting up this week: 🙏 Loaves & Fishes – Pray for the volunteers, guests, and every conversation that takes place through the ministry of Loaves & Fishes. 🙏 Brandon Rogers - Pray as he starts his YWAM discipleship training school in Niagara. If you would like to donate to his schooling please etransfer sccgiving@sccpei.com and write YWAM in the memoSubmit your own prayer request Giving Update - September 20, 2026 General:$ 3,507.78 Building: $295.00 YTD General: $218,296.47 *updated as of August 31* 2026 Revenue Forecast: $462,600.00 Please note that our giving update section may not be updated every week. While we strive to provide regular updates, there may be occasions when circumstances prevent us from doing so. Your generosity helps make the life and ministry of SCC possible. Thank you for being part of what God is doing here. If you’re new, we’re simply glad you’re here.Give Now Here Watch last week’s sermon 👇This weeks sermonWatch our Services Online There was no episode of Between the Shores this week. Feel free to watch previous episodes on the playlist 👇Subscribe To Our Between the Shores Podcast Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox. 📸 Follow us on , Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube 💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here. Services: Sundays at 10:00 AM 150 Industrial Crescent, Summerside, PE, C1N 5N6

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

October 1, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Giving Update

Generosity is one of the ways we participate in what God is doing. Each week, as we give together, we help support ministry, care for people, and create space for lives to be changed. Below is this week’s giving update and a snapshot of God’s continued provision through our church family. Sunday, September 27 General: $7,584.44 Building: $60.00 Quarterly Missions Giving total: $2,495.22 YTD General: $273,826.47 *updated as of September 30* 2026 Revenue Forecast: $462,600.00 Please note that our giving update section may not be updated every week. While we strive to provide regular updates, there may be occasions when circumstances prevent us from doing so. Your generosity helps make the life and ministry of SCC possible. Thank you for being part of what God is doing here. If you’re new, we’re simply glad you’re here.Give Now Here

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

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September 27, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

One Gospel

Paul begins his letter to the church in Rome with a few words that could easily be skimmed on the way to everything else: “This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus.” Before Paul speaks about faith, belonging, righteousness, Israel, the law, or any of the questions that will fill the pages ahead, he tells us where his own life is centred. He belongs to Jesus. His life has come under the leadership of a King. That matters because the people receiving his letter were trying to work out how to live together when they carried very different stories. A Church Learning to Be Family The church in Rome had lived through years of disruption. Jewish believers had been forced to leave the city under Emperor Claudius, while Gentile believers remained. The church continued without many of the people who had helped shape its early life. Years later, Jewish believers were able to return, and people who had once shared life together were learning how to become a family again. You can imagine how complicated that might have felt. People returned carrying history, Scripture, traditions, and ways of understanding faith that had shaped them for generations. Others had spent years learning how to follow Jesus and care for the church in their absence. They had changed too. Questions of belonging were woven through all of it. Who gets to lead? Whose traditions shape the community? How do people with different convictions share a table? What does faithfulness look like when the person beside you sees things differently? Paul writes into that tension with his attention fixed on Jesus. “The good news is about his Son,” he writes. Jesus comes from the family of David, is raised from the dead, and is Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul then speaks directly to the Gentile believers in Rome and tells them that they too have been “called to belong to Jesus Christ.” The gospel announces that Jesus is King, and His kingship creates a family whose centre is Him. The people in that family still carry their histories, cultures, personalities, convictions, wounds, and experiences. They bring all of it with them as they learn to live under the leadership of Jesus. When Jesus Gets the Final Word We each arrive with a story. Our experiences have shaped what feels familiar and trustworthy to us. We have preferences about church, relationships, money, politics, worship, community, and the way life should work. We carry things we were taught, things we learned through experience, and places where we have been hurt. Following Jesus brings all of this into relationship with Him, where we keep learning what it means to trust His leadership with the whole of our lives. That invitation reaches into places we may barely notice. It reaches the conversation where we already know what we want the other person to say. It reaches the relationship where an old wound still influences how we interpret someone’s actions. It reaches the decisions we make with our time and money, the people we instinctively trust, the voices we listen to, and the plans we have quietly settled in our own minds. Paul’s opening words to Rome keep drawing our attention toward the same centre: Jesus is Lord. Jesus is King. His kingship does not depend upon our agreement, and we spend our lives discovering what it means to trust Him with the final word. That can lead us into some honest questions. Where does Jesus already have freedom to lead in my life? Where am I holding tightly to my own way of seeing things? Which parts of my story might He be asking me to place in His hands again? These are questions of trust, asked in the presence of a King who has already shown us what His leadership is like. The King We Follow As Romans unfolds, we begin to see the character of this King. Jesus leads through self giving love. His life carries the shape of the cross. He welcomes people into His family and teaches them to live with the same generous love they have received from Him. The gospel carries God’s saving power to Jew and Gentile alike, bringing people with very different stories into one family through faith. This begins to change the way we see the person across from us. Someone can carry a different background, generation, tradition, or set of experiences and still belong to Jesus. Someone can challenge the way we have always understood something and still have something to teach us. Paul himself longs to visit Rome because he expects encouragement to move in both directions. He wants to strengthen their faith, and he expects his own faith to be strengthened by theirs. A family centred on Jesus can carry that kind of humility. We come with something to give and with room to receive. When Jesus has the final word, we can loosen our grip on the need for everyone around us to confirm what we already think. We can listen with curiosity and allow Jesus to speak through Scripture, through His Spirit, and through people whose stories are different from ours. The church in Rome was learning to trust that Jesus was able to lead people who did not all see things the same way. That same trust can make room for us to listen carefully to Him and to one another. One Gospel Paul writes to people surrounded by competing claims of power and allegiance, then announces the good news of Jesus Christ. He describes this gospel as “the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.” One gospel. One King. People with many stories learning to become one family under His leadership. That life keeps growing in us as we place another part of ourselves into the hands of Jesus. Our plans, ambitions, relationships, convictions, habits, wounds, preferences, and hopes can all become places where we learn His leadership and discover His faithfulness. Jesus already knows the whole story we are carrying. He knows where trust comes easily and where surrender takes time, and He continues to invite us to follow Him with all that we are. The question of who belongs eventually brings us back to the opening words of Paul’s letter. Paul belongs to Jesus. The Jewish believers returning to Rome belong to Jesus. The Gentile believers who remained belong to Jesus. Their shared life begins with the One to whom they all belong, and He teaches them how to receive one another as family. One gospel. One family. One King. And Jesus gets the final word.One Gospel

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

September 17, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

Deep Water

For seven days, families gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, remembering the years Israel had lived in the wilderness and the God who had cared for them there. Near the end of the feast, priests carried water to the temple and poured it out, an ancient picture filled with memory, longing, and hope. It was into that setting that Jesus stood and spoke. “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me. Anyone who believes in me may come and drink.” John tells us that Jesus was speaking about Holy Spirit, describing rivers of living water flowing from within those who trusted Him. The invitation carries the sound of another river. Centuries earlier, the prophet Ezekiel had been given a vision of water flowing from the temple. At first it reached his ankles, then his knees, then his waist. Eventually the water became deep enough to swim in, a river he could no longer cross on foot. Everywhere it travelled, life appeared. Even the waters of the Dead Sea became fresh. Trees grew along the banks, bearing fruit, with leaves described as bringing healing. The river keeps getting deeper, and everywhere it goes, life follows. When the Water Gets Deep Ezekiel steps into a river that is already flowing. He does not create its current or determine where it will go. Its source is the presence of God, and Ezekiel is invited to follow it into deeper water. Our life with the Holy Spirit begins in much the same place. We are learning to become available to the One who is already present and at work, allowing His life to reach further into ours as trust grows. Deep water gives us a beautiful picture of what that trust can become. At ankle depth, we can still feel the ground beneath our feet. We can choose our direction fairly easily. As the water rises, each step requires greater awareness of the current. Eventually our feet leave the bottom and the river carries us. That can feel vulnerable. Most of us have places where we like to know exactly where our feet are going to land. We have learned ways of protecting ourselves, making plans, holding tightly to what feels secure, and preparing for whatever might come next. Some of those patterns have been shaped by disappointment or pain. Others simply grew through years of trying to make wise choices and take responsibility for our lives. Deep water brings us to the edges of what we can manage for ourselves, and those edges have a way of revealing where our trust rests. Israel discovered this in the wilderness. God provided manna each morning, enough for the day, and told them to gather it fresh. Their experience in Egypt had taught them something very different about survival, so trusting daily provision took time. They were learning the character of the God who had brought them out of slavery and was now teaching them how to live as free people. Trust grows through relationship. We come to know God as we spend time with Him, encounter Him in Scripture, recognize His faithfulness, and learn to bring our uncertainty into His presence. Some days that trust feels steady. Other days it feels fragile. Both can become places of honest relationship with God. Perhaps that is part of what makes Jesus’ words at the feast so tender. He speaks to thirsty people and says, “Come to me and drink.” He invites us closer. Wherever the River Goes The water Jesus offers is life itself, flowing through the presence of Holy Spirit. Paul later describes believers as the temple where the Spirit dwells, which makes Ezekiel’s picture especially beautiful. The river flowing from the temple becomes an image we can carry into ordinary life. God’s life is at work within His people and spills outward into homes, workplaces, friendships, neighbourhoods, conversations, acts of forgiveness, quiet faithfulness, generosity, courage, and love. This gives us a fuller picture of the Spirit’s power. His presence can be experienced in ways that leave us amazed, and His work can also be seen in a person learning to forgive, choosing gentleness when anger would come easily, serving without needing recognition, remaining faithful through disappointment, or loving someone who is difficult to love. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of life taking root and flowing outward. What the Deep Water Reveals In deep water, surrender begins to reach the places we have held tightly. Control can loosen its grip. The need to prove ourselves can grow quieter. Old wounds can be brought into the healing presence of Jesus. Even familiar ways of hearing God may shift as we enter a different season with Him. The river moves, and we keep learning the character of the One who carries us. There may be an area of your life right now where the water feels deeper than it once did. Familiar rhythms have shifted, and you are learning to trust God without knowing very far ahead or having the certainty you would like. Perhaps this deeper place is becoming another part of your life where you are learning to know Him. What would trust look like there? A River Full of Life Ezekiel’s river offers a beautiful answer without giving us a map of every bend ahead. He sees the water move toward a dead place, and as it arrives, that place begins to live. The river carries healing and fruitfulness with it because its source is the presence of God. This story of water runs throughout Scripture. A river waters the garden in Genesis. The prophets picture water bringing healing and restoration. Jesus calls Himself living water and promises the Spirit. Revelation closes with the river of life flowing from the throne of God, with trees growing beside it and leaves for the healing of the nations. One river. One story of life flowing from the presence of God. And we have been invited into it. Becoming More Available Deep water asks for trust because our feet cannot always reach the bottom. It gives us room to discover that the river was never depending on our ability to hold everything together. The Spirit has been moving long before we recognized the current, bringing the life of Jesus into places that need healing, restoration, courage, mercy, and hope. The invitation in this season may be as simple as becoming more available to Him. Where are you sensing the current of His presence? What are you holding that may be ready to loosen in your hands? Where might Jesus be inviting you to trust His life within you? The river is still flowing. There is life in the deep water.Learn the River

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

September 17, 2026 • 7 Minute Read

Learn the River

You can learn a surprising amount about canoeing before your paddle ever touches the water. Someone can show you how to hold the paddle, how to steer, what to watch for when the current changes, and how to work with the person sharing the canoe. You can listen to stories from people who have travelled rivers for years and learn from everything they have experienced. Then you push away from shore. Suddenly the current is something you can feel. The wind matters. The depth of the water matters. The person sitting in front of you matters. You begin listening differently because you are actually in the river, and what you learned on land starts making sense in ways it couldn't before. Life with the Holy Spirit grows much the same way. Scripture gives us the story of God and shows us His character and ways. Other people can tell us what they have learned through years of following Jesus. All of that matters deeply, and as we begin living attentively with Holy Spirit ourselves, what we have learned becomes part of our lived experience with God. Learning the River When Jesus stepped into the Jordan to be baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. Matthew tells us that immediately afterward, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. His baptism was followed by movement, and the life that unfolded from there was lived in continual relationship with the Father and the Spirit. That gives us a helpful picture for our own life with God. Saying yes to Jesus brings us into a relationship that keeps unfolding. We learn to recognize Holy Spirit as He leads us toward Jesus, reminds us of His words and ways, and helps us follow Him through the life actually in front of us. A river is a fitting picture because it requires a different posture than walking on land. On land, we choose our direction and put our feet where we want them to go. Once a canoe enters moving water, the current becomes part of the journey. We learn how to travel with something already in motion. Learning to live with Holy Spirit carries some of that same discovery. We begin to realize that God is already at work around us. Our part is to become increasingly attentive to where He is moving and how He is inviting us to respond. Paying Attention Anyone travelling a river learns to notice things. The current quickens. The water becomes shallow. Clouds gather in the distance or the wind changes direction. A bend blocks the view of what is coming next, so you pay attention to what is happening where you are. Discernment asks us to notice what is happening here and now, while keeping our attention on Jesus and listening for what Holy Spirit may be showing us. We may not know what is around the next bend, but we can become familiar with His voice and His ways as we travel. That also means learning to hold our circumstances with some humility. Calm water does not always mean we are heading in the right direction, and difficult water does not necessarily mean we have taken a wrong turn. The river can change quickly. What matters is that we remain present with God, attentive to what He is doing and willing to follow where He leads. What are you noticing in the stretch of river you are travelling right now? The answer may have less to do with figuring out what comes next and more to do with seeing clearly where you are. Learning Together Experience changes the way someone reads a river. A person who has travelled it for years notices things a newer paddler might miss, simply because they have seen the current behave this way before. Their experience becomes especially valuable when the water changes and we are unsure what we are seeing. The people around us can offer that kind of perspective as we learn to recognize Holy Spirit too. Scripture places followers of Jesus within a community where people pray together, learn together, share wisdom, offer correction, and help one another discern what God is doing. There is room in those relationships to bring what we are experiencing into the conversation, especially when we are unsure how to understand it. We can say, “I think God may be showing me something. Can I talk this through with you?” Someone we trust may help us test what we are hearing against Scripture, notice something we have missed, or recognize when our own desires and assumptions are influencing what we see. Their stories matter too. Someone who has already travelled through grief, uncertainty, transition, disappointment, or a long season of waiting carries knowledge of the river that can steady us when we reach similar waters. Some of the deepest formation in our lives happens through relationships that stay with us across many kinds of water. Years pass, circumstances change, and we discover that God has been using those friendships to help us know Him and understand ourselves along the way. What We Learn Upstream Every river eventually changes. Every river eventually changes. A calm stretch can carry you toward faster water, with rocks beneath the surface and bends that limit your view of what lies ahead. Storms can alter the conditions quickly, requiring you to draw on what you have already learned about navigating the river. When the water speeds up, there is little time to begin figuring out how to paddle. What became familiar upstream is already with you, and you discover how much you have learned simply by travelling the river. We can recognize something similar in our own lives. Holy Spirit may prepare us through experiences whose significance only becomes clear later. A skill developed years ago, wisdom gained through a difficult season, something learned through work, or a relationship that stretched us can become exactly what is needed in a situation we never anticipated. Looking back, we sometimes discover that God was preparing us long before we knew what He was preparing us for. That can change how we see the season we are living now. The experiences in front of us have value even when we cannot see where they are leading. Holy Spirit knows our gifts, our history, our limitations, and the parts of us that are still growing. He also knows what lies farther down the river. There is something deeply reassuring about realizing we do not need a map of every bend in order to keep travelling. We can learn what this part of the river has to teach us. Around the Bend There are also places on a river where paddling stops for a while. The water becomes too shallow, the route is blocked, and the canoe has to be carried until there is water again. Our lives have seasons like that too, when the familiar ways of moving forward no longer fit and we find ourselves in a landscape we did not expect. Staying present matters here as much as it does on the water. When our attention becomes fixed on getting somewhere else, we can miss what Jesus is showing us where we are. Holy Spirit remains with us through rest, waiting, healing, change, and all the places where the way forward is still taking shape. Matthew 14 gives us a picture of that trust. In rough water, Peter hears Jesus calling and steps out of the boat toward Him. His confidence rests in the One he is following, which brings us back to the heart of learning the river. Holy Spirit continually turns our attention toward Jesus, helping us trust Him through whatever kind of water we are travelling. Nobody learns a river in one afternoon. We learn by travelling it, paying attention, listening to people who have gone ahead of us, and staying close to those beside us. Over time, we become increasingly confident in the One who already knows where the river is going and what waits around the bend.Learn the River

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

September 7, 2026 • 9 Minute Read

Get in the Water

Baptism is a word that carries a picture within it. To be baptized is to be immersed, plunged beneath the surface, surrounded by water until there is no part of you untouched by it. When the Bible speaks about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that picture gives us a beautiful place to begin. It invites us to imagine a life immersed in the presence of God, learning to live within the life He has already opened to us. For many people, the words “Holy Spirit” carry other things too. There may be memories of a particular church tradition, experiences that were deeply meaningful, questions that were never fully answered, or disappointment connected to things witnessed along the way. Each of those experiences becomes part of the story we carry. Jesus welcomes us to bring the whole story with us as we return to Scripture and allow our understanding of Holy Spirit to keep growing. When we follow the Spirit through the biblical story, we discover that His presence has been there all along. The Spirit Over the Water The Bible opens with a world waiting for life. Genesis describes the earth as formless and empty, with darkness covering the deep, while “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” The Hebrew word used for spirit is ruach. It can mean breath, wind, or spirit, and there is something wonderfully alive about all three. Breath fills lungs. Wind moves through trees and across open water. The Spirit hovers over creation, completely present and ready to bring life. The word translated “hovering” gives us the picture of a bird staying close to its young, watchful and attentive. Before anything begins to grow, before the waters are gathered or the land produces vegetation, the Spirit is there. Genesis gives us our first glimpse of Holy Spirit as the One who is present within the unfinished places, bringing life where life is waiting to emerge. That picture can stay with us when our own lives feel unfinished. Holy Spirit remains present within places we cannot quite understand, including situations where the way forward has not become clear. What might change in the way we see those places if we began to trust that the Spirit of God is already present within them? A few verses later, God breathes life into humanity. Breath fills what God has formed from the dust, and a human being becomes alive. From the beginning, the biblical story connects the Spirit of God with life. That thread keeps moving. A Presence Drawing Closer Throughout the Old Testament, Holy Spirit works through people in wonderfully varied ways. He gives wisdom and skill to Bezalel as he creates the furnishings for the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1–5). He empowers leaders and speaks through prophets, working through people such as Deborah with courage and wisdom for the particular place and time in which they live (Judges 4–5). Then the prophets begin speaking about something still to come. Jeremiah describes a day when God will write His ways upon human hearts. Ezekiel speaks of God giving His people a new heart and placing His Spirit within them. In a valley filled with dry bones, Ezekiel watches as the breath of God brings life again. Joel hears God promise that His Spirit will be poured out upon sons and daughters, young and old, men and women. These promises were spoken to people who knew disruption, exile, grief, and uncertainty. Their familiar world had been shaken, and God kept speaking about presence, restoration, breath, and life. He was drawing His people toward a future in which His Spirit would dwell within them. God’s desire for closeness runs through the whole story, and the promises of the prophets begin to take visible form when Jesus arrives at the Jordan. As He rises from the water, the Spirit descends upon Him like a dove and the Father speaks His love over His Son. Father, Son, and Spirit are present together as Jesus begins His public ministry. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters of creation now rests upon Jesus, who will live in complete dependence upon the Father and the Spirit. John the Baptist had already told the people that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. The One standing in the river would open the way for people to live immersed in the presence of God. The Water Begins to Move After the resurrection, Jesus tells His followers to wait for the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, wind fills the house, fire rests upon ordinary people, and voices begin speaking in languages they had never learned. Peter reaches back to the prophet Joel to explain what is happening. The promise they had been waiting for is unfolding among them. God pours out His Spirit on people. The rest of the New Testament begins to explore what life with the Spirit looks like. Paul tells followers of Jesus that they are God’s temple and His Spirit lives within them and among them. The Spirit grows fruit in human lives, gives gifts, helps people pray, leads them, and forms the character of Jesus within them. He creates a people whose shared life becomes another place where the presence of God can be seen. This brings the idea of immersion very close to home. Life with Holy Spirit reaches into prayer, relationships, work, creativity, decisions, conversations, disappointments, and the quiet thoughts no one else hears. His presence belongs within the ordinary texture of being human. We begin to recognize that He has been present in places we once overlooked. A conversation lingers in our thoughts and becomes an invitation to pray. Compassion rises unexpectedly for someone whose story we barely know. A familiar passage of Scripture suddenly speaks into something we are carrying. Beauty catches our attention on an otherwise ordinary morning, and for a few seconds we become aware of the goodness of God. Learning to live immersed begins with attention. We keep turning toward the One who is already near. Pouring Our Stories Into the River Our stories come with us into that life. The traditions we have inherited, the experiences that have awakened us to the reality of God, and even the disappointments that have left us carrying questions all become part of the way we understand Holy Spirit. These stories stay with us, sometimes for years, influencing what we expect and how open we feel to what God may want to show us. As we bring them into His presence, Holy Spirit can continue to meet us within our stories and deepen our understanding of who He is. The image of water helps here too. Water held in a bottle stays contained. A river moves, carrying fresh water onward as it follows its source. There are parts of our stories that can become contained in much the same way. We can hold tightly to one experience, one understanding, one disappointment, or one explanation until it becomes difficult to imagine that God might still have something to show us. Holy Spirit invites us to pour those stories into His living water and let Him carry them toward their source. Surrender can look like bringing our whole story with us, including the traditions that first taught us about Jesus, the experiences that awakened faith, the ones that left us confused, and the places where God acted differently than we expected. We can hold all of it openly before Holy Spirit, trusting Him to meet us within what we have lived and continue showing us who He is. After His resurrection, Jesus walked beside two disciples on the road to Emmaus who were carrying their own expectations and disappointments. As He opened the Scriptures, He helped them see their experiences within the larger story of what God had been doing all along. Their understanding began to change as they walked, and eventually they recognized that Jesus Himself had been with them on the road. Their story gives us room to consider our own. What might Holy Spirit be helping us see differently as we bring our experiences back to Jesus and allow Scripture to open our understanding of who He is? Come The final pages of the Bible return us to water as “the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come,’” inviting anyone who is thirsty to receive the water of life (Revelation 22:17). Genesis begins with the Spirit hovering over the waters, ready to bring life into creation, and Revelation closes with the Spirit still inviting people toward life. Between those two scenes, we find the story of God drawing near, breathing life into His creation and making His home among His people. We are living somewhere within that story, with places in us still waiting for renewal, questions we continue to carry, gifts we are learning to recognize, and trust that grows as we walk with Jesus. Holy Spirit is present there too, patiently leading us deeper into the life of Jesus. The invitation is beautifully simple: get in the water. Bring your story with you. Bring your questions, your history, your hope, your longing, and the parts you still cannot explain. Let Scripture keep introducing you to the Spirit who hovered over the waters, filled ordinary people, rested upon Jesus, came like wind and fire at Pentecost, and now makes His home within those who follow Christ. And as you move through the coming days, pay attention. Notice where life seems to be stirring. Listen for the quiet invitation to pray, to love, to create, to speak, to wait, or to move. Watch for the places where something that has felt stagnant begins to breathe again. The water is still moving. The Spirit is still giving life and Jesus is still inviting us deeper. The invitation remains open to every thirsty heart: come, get in the water, and discover where Holy Spirit is leading.Get in the Water

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

August 30, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

Around the Bend

Most of us would probably like a little advance notice from God. A glimpse around the corner would be helpful. A few details about where a decision will lead, some reassurance that the thing we sensed Him inviting us into will unfold the way we imagined. We can pray, listen carefully, take a step of faith, and quietly begin forming a picture of what our yes will look like. Then the road turns. Plans can change in ways we never saw coming, leaving us to watch an opportunity disappear or something we prepared for move forward without us. We may find ourselves somewhere entirely different from where we thought we were headed, wondering how a path that once felt so clear could have taken such an unexpected turn. Those moments can bring honest questions to the surface. Did I hear God correctly? Did I misunderstand? What am I supposed to do now? The Psalms describe God’s Word as “a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 A lamp gives enough light to take the next step. There is a tenderness in that image because it describes a life of trust, one step illuminated at a time, with God close enough to lead us as we go. When the Plan Changes A heart prepared to serve can keep saying yes when the destination changes. We may sense God leading us in a particular direction and begin preparing ourselves for what lies ahead. Then circumstances shift, and the opportunity we expected takes a different turn. Questions naturally come with that. Did I hear God correctly? Was all that preparation leading somewhere? Those questions can become a place of deeper trust. God may be forming something in us before we understand where it will be needed. The willingness, compassion, courage, patience, or generosity growing in our hearts can become part of His work in a setting we never anticipated. This gives us a different way to hold our plans. Open hands leave room for God to guide the outcome while we continue offering Him our yes. The path may turn, and the work He has been doing within us continues into whatever comes next. Where might God already be using something He has been forming in you? God Is Already There Learning to live attentively with Holy Spirit can change the way we move through ordinary places, as the people and needs around us begin to hold our attention differently. A walk through the neighbourhood might draw us into prayer for the families who live there, while a practical need can invite us to serve or an unexpected conversation can help us notice the story another person is carrying. As our attention turns toward God, we begin to recognize more of what He may already be doing around us and how we might participate with Him. Prayer is part of that attentiveness. Romans 8 tells us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes according to the will of God. When we pray for another person, a family, a school, a workplace, or a community, we are joining a conversation God has already begun. His care was present before the need caught our attention, and His Spirit is already at work in places we may only be beginning to notice. That can make prayer wonderfully simple, because the places we already move through can become places where we notice what is on God’s heart. A walk through the neighbourhood might draw our attention toward the families who live there, passing a school might prompt us to pray for students and teachers, and a conversation might stay with us long enough to become a prayer later in the day. These small moments invite us to stay attentive to Holy Spirit as we move through everyday life. And as we pay attention, compassion can become increasingly personal. Jesus consistently saw the whole person in front of Him. Throughout the Gospels, He draws near to people carrying complicated stories and receives them with dignity and compassion. Following Him teaches us to look with that same kind of care, allowing another person’s humanity to matter to us. Our own stories can become part of this too. Experiences that have marked us may deepen our ability to recognize pain, loneliness, fear, or hope in someone else. What we have lived through can open our eyes to people we might otherwise have passed by, giving compassion somewhere tangible to go. Who has been coming into view lately? Where might Holy Spirit be inviting you to pay closer attention? Walking Humbly With God Micah gives beautifully ordinary language to this kind of life: “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” - Micah 6:8 Walking with God happens in actual places among actual people. We listen as we go, allowing mercy to become part of our responses and obedience to take form through the choices in front of us. A few quiet minutes with Jesus, a prayer offered while walking down the street, practical help when someone needs it, or an unexpected opportunity to care can all become places where faith takes root in everyday life. There is a steady companionship in Micah’s picture. We walk with God through plans and interruptions, familiar routines and unexpected turns. We keep learning His voice and becoming attentive to His presence, trusting that He is already at work beyond what we can see. Over time, the truths we have carried in our minds begin to become part of the way we live. As we keep trusting God, learning to see people as Jesus sees them, and bringing the people and places around us into prayer, trust and compassion begin to take deeper root in our everyday lives. And step by step, we discover that life with Holy Spirit can happen right where we are. Around the Bend We rarely know what waits around the bend. God does. He sees the family member who will need our care, the stranger whose story will touch something in our own, the neighbourhood that needs prayer, the unexpected interruption that will become an opportunity to serve. He sees the ordinary moments where a quiet yes will become part of something much larger than we can see. That gives us room to loosen our grip on the map. We can ask Jesus what He is doing here, in this place, with these people, in the life directly in front of us. We can carry our plans with open hands and trust that the God who has been faithful behind us is already present ahead of us. And when the road turns, we can keep walking with Him.Empowered For Love

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

August 23, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

What Feels Like Home?

“Welcome home.” Those words carry a quiet warmth. They speak of a place where the door opens easily, where your presence is wanted, and where you can settle without wondering if you belong. Home gathers memories over time through shared meals, familiar voices, ordinary laughter, and the comfort of being known. Jesus uses this deeply human language to help us understand the life he shares with us. Home Comes Close In John 14, Jesus is speaking with friends whose world is becoming uncertain. They sense that change is coming, and their questions reveal how little they understand about where he is going. Jesus speaks peace to their troubled hearts and invites them to trust him. He tells them there is plenty of room in his Father’s house, and he promises that they will always be with him. Thomas responds with the honesty many of us carry: “We have no idea where you are going. So how can we know the way?” Jesus gives Thomas himself as the answer. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The way home is found in a living relationship with Jesus, where trust grows through knowing him and receiving the life he gives. As the conversation continues, the language of home comes even closer. Jesus says that the Father and the Son will come and make their home with those who love him (John 14:23). The word translated as “home” carries the sense of dwelling, staying, and remaining. Jesus is describing the settled presence of God within a person’s life. This is where the promise of Holy Spirit becomes especially beautiful. Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit will live with them and within them. God’s presence, once associated with places such as the tabernacle and the temple, will now dwell in human hearts. Through Holy Spirit, the life of the Father and the Son becomes present within ordinary people living ordinary days. For anyone whose experience of home has carried disappointment or hurt, Jesus offers a faithful welcome. He brings the steady care of the Father into the places where trust has felt difficult. He comes with patience, giving us room to learn his voice and become familiar with his presence. What might begin to change as your heart learns that God has drawn near and chosen to stay? Learning to Remain In John 15, Jesus gives his friends another picture. He describes himself as the vine and his people as the branches, then says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you” - John 15:4 A branch receives life through its connection to the vine. Fruit grows gradually as life continues to flow through that connection, often quietly and beyond what the eye can see. Remaining in Jesus can look wonderfully ordinary. It happens as we turn our attention toward him during a difficult conversation, remember his words while making a decision, or invite him into the thoughts that keep circling through our minds. It happens around kitchen tables, during the drive to work, and in the pause before we respond to someone we love. Each moment becomes another opportunity to live from his presence. Where has your attention been living lately? Our attention often reveals where we have been making ourselves at home. Jesus welcomes us to return to him as often as needed, bringing our questions, distractions, hopes, and unfinished thoughts. Every return helps us recognize his presence with greater ease. The Shape of Fruit As we remain connected to Jesus, his presence guides how we carry our gifts and who we are becoming. Spiritual gifts reveal the generosity of God working through a person, while spiritual fruit reveals the character of Jesus growing within that person. Paul places his teaching about love at the centre of his discussion about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 through 14. Love gives every gift its healthy shape and helps it become a source of grace for others. Teaching carried with gentleness helps people feel safe enough to learn. Leadership joined with patience creates room for others to grow. Discernment expressed through kindness brings clarity with care, while generosity rooted in love helps people flourish without becoming a project. Holy Spirit forms the character of Jesus within us so that what we offer carries the heart of the One who gave it. “The fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” - Galatians 5:22–23 These qualities reveal what the life of Jesus looks like as it takes root in a human heart. They grow through days of abiding, returning, listening, and learning to trust. Over time, the people around us begin to experience his patience in our responses, his kindness in our words, and his peace in the way we carry uncertainty. Fruit also gives us a gentle way to pay attention to what God is forming within us. Is what you are learning about God making you humbler and easier to correct? Is your prayer life helping you become gentler with the people nearest to you? Is your desire for truth growing alongside patience and compassion? These questions create space to notice the quiet work Holy Spirit may already be doing. A Shared History With Jesus A home becomes meaningful through the life shared within it. Certain rooms hold memories because conversations happened there, tears were received there, and laughter filled the space. Our life with Jesus grows in a similar way. We begin to remember the morning he gave us peace, the season when his words steadied us, and the meal where his presence seemed especially near. These shared moments become part of our history with him. They remind us that Jesus has been present through changing seasons and that his Spirit continues to make the love of the Father known. Even the ache we feel when our attention wanders can become a quiet call toward home. Jesus keeps welcoming us into the communion he has already opened. Perhaps there is room today to linger with him for a few unhurried minutes. You might bring him the part of your heart that feels crowded, tired, or far away and allow his presence to meet you there. You might simply pray, “Jesus, make your home in me, and teach me to remain in you.” As we stay connected to Jesus, his life continues to grow within us. Love finds expression through the gifts he has entrusted to us, and everyday moments become places where others encounter his grace. Holy Spirit patiently forms a life that carries the character of Christ. The door is open. Jesus has made the way, and his welcome remains. Welcome home.Empowered For Love

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

August 16, 2026 • 7 Minute Read

Empowered For Love

The word “power” carries a lot of expectations. Many of us hear that word and immediately think about doing more, accomplishing more, or seeing extraordinary things happen. It is easy to bring those same expectations to the Holy Spirit. We can begin looking for power while missing the relationship He came to give us. Paul offers a picture that is both larger and deeply personal. In Ephesians 3, he prays that God’s Spirit would strengthen believers so Christ would make His home in their hearts, that they would become rooted in love, and that they would begin to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ really is. Before Paul speaks about all that God is able to do through His power, he lingers over what God longs to do within us. Receiving the Father’s Love Paul’s prayer invites us to slow down and notice where God’s work begins. He asks that we would be strengthened through the Holy Spirit so Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith. As our roots grow deeper into God’s love, our lives become steadier because they are drawing from a source that never runs dry. Paul prays for something deeply personal. He asks God to help people experience the love of Christ, a love so vast that every step with Jesus reveals another glimpse of its beauty. Romans 5 echoes the same invitation. God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. That image is generous and overflowing. Through Holy Spirit, God’s love fills our hearts. We begin to experience the Father’s love in ways that shape how we see God, ourselves, and the people around us. Many of us spend a great deal of energy asking God what He wants us to do. Paul begins by praying that we would know the love of Christ for ourselves. God wants His children to know they are deeply loved. As that love settles into our hearts, it begins to appear in the way we respond to people, carry disappointment, extend forgiveness, and live each day. Love received becomes love shared. Power That Looks Like Jesus The life of Jesus shows us what God’s power looks like when it is expressed through love. Jesus healed the sick, calmed storms, delivered people from oppression, multiplied food, and raised the dead. The very same Spirit also empowered Him to wash feet, touch people others avoided, welcome children, forgive His enemies, and surrender Himself to the Father’s will. Every one of those moments revealed the power of God. That picture stretches our understanding of spiritual power. Holy Spirit gives us courage to forgive when forgiveness feels costly. He gives us grace to tell the truth, humility to listen well, and strength to keep loving when walking away would feel easier. His work reaches into ordinary relationships because that is where the life of Jesus becomes visible. Many of us ask, “Holy Spirit, what should I do?” There is another question that reaches even deeper. “Holy Spirit, what does love look like here?” That single question can change the way we approach a conversation, a disagreement, a difficult decision, or an unexpected interruption. Love may speak. Love may listen. Love may establish a boundary. Love may extend forgiveness. Love may remain present with someone who needs to know they are not alone. Holy Spirit knows what love requires because He knows the heart of the Father. Learning to Live in His Presence Jesus often described life with God through simple images that people could recognize. Branches remain connected to a vine. Sheep know the shepherd’s voice. A seed grows over time. Each picture reminds us that life with God grows through relationship. Paul offers another beautiful picture in Acts 17 when he says, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” God’s presence surrounds our lives more completely than we usually notice. He is never distant, waiting for us to find Him. He is near, inviting us to become aware of the One who already holds our lives together. Fruit doesn’t suddenly appear because we decide to try harder. Nobody wakes up overflowing with patience because they concentrated hard enough the day before. Jesus compares us to branches connected to a vine because fruit grows wherever His life is flowing. As we remain with Him day after day, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control gradually become part of who we are. They are the evidence of His life at work within us. As we remain close to Jesus, His life becomes increasingly visible within our own. The fruit of the Spirit grows naturally. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control become visible because His life is becoming visible within ours. Love in Ordinary Moments Every day brings countless opportunities to receive and share God’s love. Many of them arrive without fanfare. It unfolds while raising children, serving coworkers, caring for aging parents, encouraging a friend, responding to disappointment, celebrating good news, or sitting quietly in prayer. Holy Spirit is present in every one of those moments, inviting us to notice the Father’s love and extend that same love to the people around us. We can spend a long time looking for the extraordinary while God is quietly at work in today’s conversation, today’s decision, and today’s opportunity to love someone well. Instead of measuring faithfulness by dramatic experiences, we begin noticing how God is gently forming our hearts. Holy Spirit meets us there because every part of life matters to God. His love slowly enlarges our capacity to love the people He has placed in front of us. The ocean offers a beautiful reminder of this steady faithfulness. Waves keep moving toward the shore without stopping. God’s presence carries that same steady movement. He has not stepped away from our lives. He continues meeting us through every season, drawing us deeper into His presence. Where might His love be inviting you to pay closer attention today? Where have you already seen quiet evidence that He is near? The Fullness of Life Ephesians 3 ends with one of Scripture’s most hope filled promises. God is able to accomplish immeasurably beyond what we could ask or imagine through His power at work within us. Those words become even richer when we remember everything Paul has prayed beforehand. He longs for people whose lives are rooted in God’s love, filled with the presence of Christ, and shaped by the Holy Spirit from the inside out. The invitation reaches every one of us. God continues pouring His love into human hearts through His Spirit. As we receive that love, our lives gradually become places where others can encounter His kindness, His grace, His patience, and His hope. This is the beautiful work the Spirit delights to do. He empowers us for love, and through that love He continues making us more like Jesus. One of the clearest demonstrations of the Holy Spirit’s power is a life that has become secure in the Father’s love. As His love fills us, we become increasingly free to love the people Jesus loves with the same grace, patience, and compassion He has shown us. That is the beautiful work of the Spirit, and it is a work He continues every day.Empowered For Love

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

August 9, 2026 • 7 Minute Read

Living with the Holy Spirit Every Day

One of the most remarkable things about the life of Jesus is how present He was. He gave His full attention to the person standing in front of Him while never losing sight of the Father. Every conversation, every act of compassion, every hard truth, and every quiet moment flowed from that ongoing relationship. His life reveals what humanity looks like when it is completely at home with God. Jesus never presented that life as something beyond our reach. He promised Holy Spirit would dwell with His people, making communion with God part of everyday life. The relationship Jesus enjoyed with the Father becomes the pattern for the life He now shares with us. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus describes that relationship in beautifully simple ways. He does what He sees the Father doing. He speaks what the Father gives Him to say. He knows He is never alone because the Father is with Him. Even as the people around Him change from one moment to the next, His communion with the Father remains steady. That steady communion shaped everything. Peter could misunderstand Him. Religious leaders could challenge Him. Judas could betray Him. Crowds could celebrate Him one day and reject Him the next. None of those moments became the centre of His life because His awareness of the Father came first. Every response grew out of that relationship. Jesus knew the Father was always at work. That confidence did not begin with Him. It has always been woven through God’s story. That confidence runs throughout Scripture. Joseph eventually looked back over years of betrayal and suffering and could say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” His brothers made real choices, yet God’s purpose never disappeared beneath them. Centuries later, Isaiah expressed that same confidence: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24). From beginning to end, Scripture reveals a God whose purposes continue unfolding through lives that are still being formed. That perspective changes how we experience everyday life. The people around us still matter and our circumstances remain real. Yet they no longer have the final word because Holy Spirit is continually at work, drawing people toward Jesus, shaping hearts, and revealing the Father’s presence in places we might otherwise overlook. Keeping in Step Paul captures this way of living with a simple phrase: “Keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). It is a picture of relationship that grows over time. Walking in step with someone is never accomplished by watching your own feet. You become aware of their pace, their movement, and the direction they are taking. Before long, your steps begin to match theirs. That was the image Paul chose because life with Holy Spirit is deeply personal. He is not asking us to become more disciplined or simply try harder. He is inviting us to walk with the One who is already present. As we learn His ways, our lives begin to move in rhythm with His. Jesus lived this way every day. His responses flowed from communion with the Father rather than from the emotions of the moment. Peter’s misunderstanding did not define His response. Judas’ betrayal did not determine His actions. Even the crowds could not pull Him away from the Father’s purposes. He remained anchored because He continually returned to the Father’s presence. Our lives are shaped in much the same way. Every conversation becomes an opportunity to notice where Holy Spirit is leading. Every interruption becomes a chance to trust that God is already at work. Even the moments that test our patience can become places where we learn to respond from communion with Jesus instead of simply reacting to what is happening around us. Keeping in step is learned over a lifetime. As we continue walking with Jesus, Holy Spirit patiently forms new habits within us, gently teaching us to see people, circumstances, and even ourselves through the Father’s heart. The Footing We Need Jesus promised His followers they would never walk alone. Before returning to the Father, He spoke about sending Holy Spirit to be with them and within them. The New Testament uses the word Paraclete, a name that carries the beautiful picture of One who comes alongside. Depending on the passage, it is translated as Helper, Advocate, Comforter, or Counsellor. Each word reveals something of God’s faithful presence. The word Paraclete has often been compared to a pair of cleats. Cleats do not run the race, yet they provide the traction needed to keep moving when the ground becomes uncertain. They help a runner keep their footing, stay balanced, and continue in the direction they were already headed. Holy Spirit works in much the same way. He does not remove every obstacle from our path, yet He faithfully comes alongside us, helping us remain grounded in Christ when life feels unsteady. Disappointment, uncertainty, and temptation still appear along the journey, but they no longer have to determine where our next step will lead. That is why Jesus could remain so steady. He lived in continual communion with the Father, and every step flowed from that relationship. Holy Spirit now forms that same kind of life within us, gently helping us keep our footing and continue walking in the way of Jesus, even when the path feels difficult. Living with His Presence Living with Holy Spirit begins with a simple awareness that God is already near. Jesus never instructed His followers to search for someone who had gone missing. He promised that Holy Spirit would dwell with them. The invitation is to become increasingly aware of the One who has never stopped being present. That awareness quietly changes the way we move through the day. A difficult conversation becomes an opportunity to pause before responding. A disappointing moment becomes an opportunity to ask what God might be doing beneath the surface. Decisions are no longer carried by our own understanding alone because we are learning to walk with the One who sees far more than we do. Paul described this as praying continually. He was not encouraging constant words as much as a life lived in ongoing communion with God. Prayer becomes a conversation woven through ordinary moments. It continues while driving to work, sharing a meal, making a difficult decision, or celebrating unexpected joy. Communion with God becomes the place from which we live. One simple prayer can help cultivate that awareness: “Jesus, what do You want me to know right now?” There is no pressure to have every answer before asking the question. Sometimes He brings peace. Sometimes He gently reshapes our perspective. Sometimes He reminds us of a truth we had forgotten. Over time, that simple practice helps us become more attentive to His presence and more confident that He is already at work. Living with Holy Spirit every day grows from that kind of relationship. As we continue walking with Jesus, we discover that His presence is steady through every season. The Father is still accomplishing His purposes, Holy Spirit is still at work, and each step becomes another opportunity to walk in communion with the One who has been with us all along.Living with the Holy Spirit Every Day

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

August 4, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

Learning to Live From a New Heart

Throughout Scripture, God’s saving work comes first. Learning to live in that freedom unfolds over time. Israel walked out of Egypt in a single night. The sea opened, the people crossed on dry ground, and the power that had enslaved them disappeared beneath the water. Pharaoh’s voice had shaped their lives for generations, and those years could still be heard in the way they thought, reacted, and made decisions. They had left Egypt, though Egypt still occupied places within them. The wilderness became the place where their hearts slowly caught up with what God had already done. Pharaoh no longer decided where they would live, how hard they would work, or what their future would hold. God walked with them, teaching them what life looked like as His people. Their story gives language to something many followers of Jesus discover. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has broken the power of sin and opened the way home to the Father. Scripture describes those who belong to Christ as new creations. Holy Spirit dwells within us, giving us a new heart and shaping the life of Christ in us. That new heart is God’s gift. Learning to live from it is the journey. Freedom Takes Root Israel lived under Pharaoh’s rule for four hundred years. Generation after generation grew up hearing the same messages of pressure, fear, production, and survival until those voices became familiar. Even after they crossed the Red Sea, they carried those old ways of thinking with them. Freedom was real, but it took time for their hearts to believe they were no longer slaves. Our hearts carry voices too. Some were formed in childhood. Others grew through painful relationships, disappointment, cultural expectations, or seasons when we learned to protect ourselves. We may have discovered that staying in control felt safe, that performing well earned approval, or that keeping people at a distance reduced the chance of being hurt. Those responses may have helped us through difficult seasons, but they can quietly settle into the way we see ourselves, other people, and God. Holy Spirit knows every one of those places. He uncovers the beliefs beneath our reactions and the fears beneath our need for control, creating space for honesty because, as Romans 8 declares, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We can bring every part of ourselves into His presence, including the places that feel frightened, guarded, or uncertain. Where might an old voice still be shaping the way you see yourself? What has it taught you to expect from God? A Heart Under Renovation Giving Jesus access to our heart resembles handing Him the keys to an entire house. His work reaches every room. He strengthens the foundation, opens long closed doors, and restores places that have carried years of wear. Anyone who has lived through a renovation knows the work unfolds one room at a time. Hidden problems appear beneath the surface, plans change, and progress can be difficult to recognize while you’re living in the middle of it. Hearts grow in much the same way. God works through our desires, thoughts, relationships, choices, and responses, shaping something that will last. Jesus described life with Him as remaining connected to the vine. That picture reminds us where growth begins. His life flows into ours through everyday moments that can seem ordinary at first glance. A conversation where we pause before responding, an apology, a prayer whispered during a difficult morning, or choosing to bring our anxiety before God all become places where He continues His work. A gardener understands this rhythm. Seeds spend weeks beneath the soil before anyone sees a hint of green above the surface. While nothing appears to be happening, roots are reaching deeper and preparing for the life that will emerge in time. God works with that same quiet faithfulness, accomplishing far more than we can see. Learning Another Voice Learning to live as free people also meant learning whose voice would shape their lives. Pharaoh’s voice belonged to the past. God was drawing His people into a relationship where they could learn to recognize His voice and follow Him day by day. Many voices continue speaking long after their authority has been broken. Shame, fear, performance, and self protection still try to shape the way we think. They may sound familiar, but they no longer have the final word. Holy Spirit teaches us to recognize the Father’s voice above every other voice. We come to know Him through Scripture, prayer, and life together with other believers. Over time His voice becomes familiar because we continue spending time with Him. Like any relationship, trust grows through shared life. Prayer becomes part of that shared life. We bring Him our work, our families, our decisions, our disappointments, and our questions. We learn to ask, “Holy Spirit, what are You doing here?” That simple prayer slows us down long enough to remember that God is present in this moment, not waiting somewhere farther down the road. Living From What Is Already True When Israel reached Mount Sinai, God gave them His law after He had rescued them. They received instruction as people who had already been redeemed. The law showed them how to live with the God who had brought them into covenant with Himself. Learning to live from a new heart begins with receiving the gift God has already given. Jesus brings us into new life, and Holy Spirit forms that life within us day by day. As our trust grows, our hearts become more at home in the freedom Jesus has given us. This journey unfolds over a lifetime. Feelings do not always change overnight. Habits formed over many years may take time to loosen their grip. God never loses sight of the work He has begun, and His grace meets us in every stage of that process. What would it look like to trust the new heart Jesus has given you today? That may begin with noticing which voice has your attention. It may begin by opening one guarded place to God and allowing His presence to meet you there. The story of God is the story of One who keeps drawing closer. He walks with His people, forms them with wisdom and love, and teaches them to live in the freedom He has already given. One ordinary step at a time. Watch the Sermon 👇Learning to Live From A New Heart

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

July 26, 2026 • 7 Minute Read

When Love Rearranges Your Heart

When Love Rearranges Your Heart Most people can remember something they carried everywhere as a child. A favourite blanket. A stuffed animal that had seen better days. A toy that somehow made unfamiliar places feel a little more manageable. Those objects offered real comfort. They helped us take small steps into a world that felt much bigger than we were. Then, almost without noticing, there came a day when they stayed behind. We had grown, and what once felt essential quietly became something we no longer needed. Growing older changes the things we carry. The blanket may disappear, yet the longing to feel safe remains. We don’t usually outgrow our need for security. We simply find new ways to look for it. Over the years, life quietly teaches us habits that help us navigate disappointment, uncertainty, and pain. Some become so familiar that we stop noticing them altogether. Those habits look different for each of us. Some people learn to stay in control because uncertainty feels overwhelming. Others work tirelessly to get everything right, hoping perfection will protect them from failure or criticism. Some become fiercely independent after learning that relying on other people can lead to disappointment. These responses rarely appear without a story. They are often shaped by experiences that taught us, consciously or unconsciously, what was necessary to make it through. The surprising part is that these ways of coping often begin as something genuinely helpful. They carry us through difficult seasons and help us keep moving when life feels uncertain. Over time, though, what once served as protection can quietly become a limitation. The need to stay strong can make it difficult to receive help. The desire to get everything right can leave little room for grace. Independence can become isolation, and control can make trust feel risky. Where Trust Was Broken This tension is much older than any one of us. The opening pages of the Bible tell a story that helps make sense of our own. They show us where trust was broken, why fear took root, and how our hearts learned to protect themselves. Genesis 3 begins in a garden where humanity lived in close relationship with God. Adam and Eve enjoyed His presence, cared for His creation, and experienced life as He intended it. Fear had no place there, and shame had not yet entered the story. Their lives were marked by trust. Then another voice entered the conversation. The serpent quietly planted doubt about God’s character, suggesting that He was holding something back. In that moment, trust gave way to suspicion. Adam and Eve reached for life on their own terms, and everything changed. The first thing they noticed was their own vulnerability. They covered themselves, hid from God, and began blaming one another. Those responses have echoed through every generation since. When we feel exposed, we instinctively look for something to hide behind. We protect ourselves from rejection, disappointment, and pain in ways that often feel ordinary because they have become so familiar. We stay in control, work harder, keep people at a distance, or convince ourselves that we can manage on our own. Although those responses look different from person to person, they all grow from the same place. Somewhere beneath them is a question that has lingered since the garden: Can God really be trusted? God Keeps Moving Toward Us The story could have ended there, with humanity hiding and God walking away. It didn’t. From the very beginning, God has been moving toward the people who turned from Him. Throughout the Bible, He continues pursuing hearts that have learned to hide, patiently revealing His faithfulness to generation after generation. The distance between God and humanity was never created because He stopped loving His creation. Even in the middle of humanity’s rebellion, His desire has always been to rescue, restore, and bring people back into relationship with Himself. That story reaches its fullest expression in Jesus. He entered the very world that had become marked by fear, shame, and self protection, not to condemn it but to save it. His life, death, and resurrection opened the way for something entirely new. The question is no longer whether God is willing to come near, in Jesus, He already has. The invitation now is to learn to trust the One who has been reaching toward us all along and allow Holy Spirit to work from the inside out. Life in a Different Atmosphere That is why Paul’s words in Romans 8 carry such hope: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is more than a comforting promise for difficult days. It describes the kind of life Jesus has made possible. Life with Jesus is shaped by a different atmosphere. Many of us have spent years expecting failure to be met with rejection, weakness to be met with criticism, or vulnerability to be met with disappointment. Those expectations become part of the way we move through the world, and before long we begin assuming God will respond to us in much the same way. Romans 8 tells a different story. Through Jesus, we no longer have to live beneath the constant weight of shame or the fear that one wrong step will push God away. His presence becomes the place where honesty is safe, grace is abundant, and healing can begin. This is where the work of Holy Spirit becomes so personal. He does not expose our hearts to embarrass us or make us feel guilty. He brings truth into the places we have kept hidden because those are the very places where God’s healing is needed most. What we have spent years protecting, He gently invites us to place into the hands of Jesus. The purpose of His light is to reveal what is real and true, ultimately leading us to recognize that we can trust His goodness and that His presence is meant to heal and restore that which was distorted and lost. From that place we can then begin to experience the freedom to be who we are and continue to grow in the light of Holy Spirit in us. Learning to Let Go The security blankets of childhood were never meant to stay with us forever. They gave us comfort for a season until we were ready to take the next step. In much the same way, many of the ways we have learned to protect ourselves once served a purpose. They helped us through difficult moments, painful relationships, and uncertain seasons. Yet Jesus loves us too much to leave us depending on what was only ever meant to carry us for a while. Most of us eventually left our childhood security blankets behind. The harder things to recognize are the ones we still carry today. The Holy Spirit has a gentle way of bringing those places into the light, not to shame us, but to remind us that we no longer have to carry them alone. What are you still holding because it once helped you feel safe? Jesus meets us there with patience and kindness, inviting us to trust Him with the parts of our hearts we have guarded for so long. Watch the Sermon 👇When Love Rearranges Your Heart

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

July 19, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

When God Loves Your Enemies

When God Loves Your Enemies Jonah sat outside Nineveh and waited. He had delivered God’s warning, the people had listened, and the entire city had turned toward God. From the king to the ordinary citizen, people humbled themselves and changed their ways. Mercy had reached a place known for cruelty and violence. Jonah watched the city and hoped judgment might still come. His anger feels startling until we remember who lived inside those walls. Nineveh belonged to the Assyrian Empire, a people remembered for the suffering they caused. Their violence had touched homes, families, and nations. Jonah carried the weight of that history with him when God asked him to go. He already knew what God might do. “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love,” Jonah prayed. He knew God’s character well enough to recognize that repentance could open the door to mercy. That possibility troubled him so deeply that he had sailed in the opposite direction. Jonah wanted God’s compassion to have boundaries. The story brings us close to a struggle that can live quietly within the human heart. Mercy feels beautiful when it reaches our own wounds and failures. It can feel far more complicated when it reaches someone who has caused harm, spread fear, or left damage behind. Jonah had already decided what Nineveh deserved. God continued to see what Nineveh could become. That difference sits near the centre of the story. God saw a city filled with people who could turn, change, and receive His care. He saw the sailors caught in the storm, the reluctant prophet sinking beneath the waves, the king stepping down from his throne, and thousands of people learning to call upon a God they had barely known. Everywhere Jonah saw people as categories, God saw people with the capacity to respond. The sailors responded with worship. The people of Nineveh responded with repentance. The king responded with humility. Even Jonah eventually walked into the city and spoke the words God had given him, though his heart continued to resist where those words might lead. God stayed close to him too. When Jonah fled, God pursued him. When Jonah sank, God rescued him. When Jonah became angry, God met him outside the city and began a conversation. The same mercy Jonah resented in Nineveh had already carried him through the sea and placed his feet back on dry ground. God’s compassion held the city and the prophet at the same time. This is where Jonah’s story begins to reach into our own lives. Most of us carry a few names, groups, or faces that stir something uneasy within us. The reasons may be deeply personal. A wound may still feel tender. A disagreement may have hardened over time. Someone’s choices may have affected people we love. God meets us honestly in those places. He understands the weight of what happened, and He cares about justice. He also keeps revealing a mercy wide enough to reach every human heart. Who have we come to define by the worst thing they have done Who have we quietly decided will never change? These questions open a tender place within us. They invite Holy Spirit to show us where pain has shaped our vision and where our hope for another person has grown small. Jonah knew the truth about God, though he struggled to welcome what that truth meant for his enemies. He described God as gracious, compassionate, patient, and full of faithful love. Those words came easily to him. Living inside their meaning asked something deeper of his heart. The same invitation meets us whenever God’s mercy reaches beyond the lines we have drawn. Paul writes in Romans that Christ came for us while we were still sinners and reconciled us to God while we were His enemies. Our place in God’s family began with mercy. Jesus came near while our lives still needed healing, forgiveness, and restoration. We were all Nineveh once. Jesus carried God’s welcome directly toward us, and He continues carrying it toward people whose stories are still unfolding. His mercy sees the harm a person has caused with complete clarity. It also sees the possibility of repentance, healing, and new life. Jesus later pointed to Jonah’s three days in the fish as a sign of His own death and resurrection. Jonah descended into the depths and emerged alive. Jesus entered the grave and rose again, opening the way for people everywhere to return to God. The early church held tightly to this image. Jonah emerging from the fish became a picture of resurrection, a reminder that death would not have the final word. Through Jesus, life could rise from places that appeared finished. That hope reaches into the way we see other people too. A heart can soften. A life can change direction. A person who once caused fear can learn humility. God can enter stories that seem beyond repair and begin forming something new. This does not make every relationship simple. Trust may need time, wisdom, and healthy boundaries. Forgiveness can unfold slowly as God cares for wounded places. Mercy begins with placing another person’s story into the hands of Jesus and trusting Him to work with truth, patience, and love. Jonah wanted to sit at a distance and watch the story end. God invited him to come closer to His heart. The book closes with God asking, “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?” The question remains open, giving each generation room to answer with its life. God still cares about cities, neighbours, families, and individuals who seem far from Him. He still sees potential where we see a settled story. He still sends His people toward those they would find easier to avoid. Along the way, He patiently works within the messenger as well as the person receiving the message. Perhaps someone has been coming to mind as you read. Their name may carry frustration, grief, or disappointment. God may already be drawing your attention toward a simple beginning: a prayer offered with honesty, a willingness to listen, or a quiet release of the ending you have imagined for their story. Holy Spirit forms hearts that can receive mercy and make room for mercy to keep moving. Jesus walked toward His enemies. He prayed for those who harmed Him. He carried justice in His own body and opened the way home for every person willing to turn toward Him. His love is still reaching farther than we expect and He is gently teaching our hearts to follow.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

July 13, 2026 • 6 Minute Read

Get 'em God

The Gospel That Destroys "Us vs. Them Psalm 139 ends with a prayer many people know well: “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” It is a tender invitation for God to uncover what is hidden and lead us in His everlasting way. A few verses earlier, the same psalm carries a fierce desire for God to destroy the wicked. The writer names people as enemies and speaks of them with total hatred. Then comes the prayer: Search me. Test me. Point out anything in me that offends You. Those words belong together. The prayer asks God to examine the anger, loyalties, judgements, and dividing lines within the human heart. It makes room for Him to reveal where love has narrowed and where another person has quietly become “them.” That division can appear almost anywhere. We sort people by politics, theology, personality, nationality, background, behaviour, and countless smaller differences. A disagreement becomes a category. A painful interaction becomes a settled opinion. Someone begins living in our thoughts as an opponent long after the conversation has ended. The lines may feel reasonable to us. They can even feel righteous. Romans speaks directly into this deeply human habit through a church shaped by different histories, cultures, and convictions. Jewish followers of Jesus gathered alongside people from Roman and Greek backgrounds, including some who had embraced Jewish customs along the way. Each group brought its own understanding of faithfulness, belonging, and truth, which made learning to live as one family in Jesus both meaningful and difficult. Paul spends the first eleven chapters bringing every group onto the same ground before God. As his argument unfolds, every reason for elevating one group above another begins to fall away. Religious experience, cultural background, and the systems people build around themselves all prove unable to carry the weight of salvation. Everyone has sinned, everyone needs mercy, and grace is offered through Jesus. At the centre of Romans stands a truth that reshapes the entire letter: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). No condemnation means that shame and accusation no longer define those who belong to Christ. Jesus has carried sin and death through the cross, and His resurrection has opened a new way of life. Holy Spirit now lives within His people, forming them into a family that human divisions could never create. This grace reaches every person from the same source. Mercy Changes the Way We Love Paul’s vision is wonderfully practical. It appears as people honour one another, share what they have, open their homes, celebrate another person’s joy, and sit beside someone in sorrow. It reaches even further by calling God’s people to bless those who oppose them and care for an enemy who is hungry or thirsty. In these ordinary moments, the life of Jesus becomes visible through His people. Paul quotes Proverbs 25 when he writes that kindness toward an enemy will “heap burning coals on his head.” The image can sound like an indirect form of punishment, especially when it is read through the language of shame. Within Scripture, burning coals often point toward God’s holy presence, worship, and purification. Kindness places the situation in God’s hands, trusting Him to work in hearts and circumstances that remain beyond our control. Love leaves room for God to do what only He can do. This kind of love asks something honest of us. Who has been placed on the far side of an invisible line? Whose opinions have come to define their entire identity in our minds? Whose failure has become the only part of their story we can see? The question can turn inward too. People often divide their own lives into acceptable and unacceptable parts, allowing a weakness to become an enemy or a painful chapter to remain buried. A pattern of behaviour can bring shame, and over time that shame begins whispering that some part of us lies outside the reach of God’s grace. Jesus gathers the whole person into His healing presence. One Family, Many Stories He already knows every tangled motive, wounded place, repeated habit, and unanswered question. His mercy invites honesty because condemnation has lost its claim. We can bring every part of ourselves into the light and ask, “Jesus, what are You doing here? What are You showing me about my heart?” The gospel gives us courage to stay curious as we listen to people whose experiences differ from our own and receive wisdom from stories that have taken a different shape. It also teaches us to hold our convictions with humility, remembering that each of us sees only a small part of the mountain. God remains greater than our understanding of Him. Romans describes a family formed through Jesus, where people learn from one another, serve beside one another, and offer their distinct gifts for the good of the whole body. Each person belongs to the others, and faith takes visible form through mutual honour, patient love, and a shared dependence on Jesus. This family will still carry tension. Different experiences do not disappear, questions remain, personalities rub against one another, and old assumptions take time to loosen. Holy Spirit works within that very process, revealing what has shaped us and teaching us how to remain open to His leading. Mercy changes the atmosphere in which those tensions are held. Where the Lines Begin to Fade The person across the line becomes someone God sees, knows, and loves. The part of ourselves we have rejected becomes a place where Christ can meet us. The need to prove our position begins to soften as we remember that everyone stands by grace. The gospel destroys “us versus them” by drawing people into the life of Jesus. At the cross, every claim to superiority falls away. In the resurrection, a new humanity begins to take shape. Through Holy Spirit, ordinary people are formed into a community capable of loving beyond familiar boundaries. That work begins close to home. It reaches into conversations, family relationships, online interactions, church life, and the private stories we tell ourselves about other people. Each moment carries an invitation to pause and let Jesus search the heart. Perhaps His presence is already warming a place that has grown cold. Perhaps He is bringing a person to mind with tenderness. Perhaps He is uncovering a judgement that has quietly settled into certainty. “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” This prayer keeps us open before Jesus. It gives Him room to uncover the lines we have drawn and lead us along His everlasting way. As His mercy reaches those places, our lives can carry that same mercy into the world, creating space for enemies to become neighbours and strangers to discover a place within the family of God.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

Connect Groups

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September 1, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Connect Sunday

At SCC, Connect Groups are where Christ-centered community grows. These small gatherings offer space to share life—through prayer, Scripture, meals, encouragement, and care. They’re a place to walk together in every season, where friendships grow and faith is strengthened. Let’s do life together. Find your place to connect Connect Sunday · October 4 Following the 10:00 AM service Connect Groups are one of the ways relationships grow at SCC. They create space to share life, grow in faith, discover common interests, care for one another, and find meaningful ways to serve. On October 4, Connect Sunday will give you a chance to explore the different kinds of groups available this fall and meet some of the people leading them. You may already know exactly what you’re looking for, or you may simply be curious about where you could connect. What could connection look like for you? Connect Sunday is a chance to find out. Meet group leaders, ask questions, explore the possibilities, and find a group that fits the season you’re in. Ready to explore now? The complete Connect Group collection is available on the Digital Hub.Connect Groups

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

September 13, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Hope & Glory

Hope & Glory builds on the community and relationships of Hope Fellowship while creating space to grow together in life with the Holy Spirit. Through Scripture, conversation, prayer and time together, we’ll explore what it means to abide in Jesus, experience the presence of the Holy Spirit, understand spiritual gifts, pray for one another, and grow in grace. Meets: Every second Sunday | 6:30 PM Location: 116 Alexandra Ave. Summerside Facilitator: Gloria MacLean | 902-598-6112 This is a place to ask honest questions, learn together, encounter God, and become more attentive to the work of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives. Whether these ideas are familiar or completely new, there is room to come, learn and grow together.Email Gloria to sign up

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 14, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Chosen

Chosen is a group for anyone who wants to explore the life of Jesus through The Chosen TV series. Together, the group will watch the series and use the Come and See study guide to explore the biblical stories behind each episode and continue the conversation together. Meets: Mondays | 7:00–9:00 PM Location: SCC | Multipurpose Room Facilitator: Susan Christensen Come with your questions, curiosity, and a willingness to learn alongside others. Each week offers an opportunity to spend time in Scripture, talk through what you’re discovering, and consider how the life and teachings of Jesus connect with your own life and faith.Email Susan

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 14, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Knit & Crochet

Knitting and crocheting are even better when you can enjoy them with others. Bring along the project you’re working on, learn something new, or pick up a skill you haven’t used in a while as we spend time creating and connecting together. Meets: Mondays | 7:00 PM Location: SCC | 150 Industrial crescent | Prayer Room Facilitator: Dorothy Fry Along the way, finished items can become a practical way to bless others in our community. It’s a relaxed space to share ideas, encourage one another, enjoy good conversation, and experience the simple joy and stress relief that comes from creating something by hand.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 14, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Daniel Plan

The Daniel Plan Support Group is a place to find encouragement and support as you work toward a healthier lifestyle using the five essentials of faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends. Together, we’ll encourage one another, share what we’re learning, celebrate progress, and work through challenges along the way. You can come wherever you are in the process and find people to walk alongside you as you take practical steps toward greater health and well-being. Meets: Monthly | 7:00 PM Location: SCC | 150 Industrial Crescent, Summerside Facilitator: Linda Pope This group is about having people beside you as you make changes at your own pace. Share the wins, talk honestly about the challenges, and find practical encouragement to keep moving forward.Email Linda

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 15, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Hearts in Harmony

This group creates space for women to build meaningful relationships while growing into who God created them to be. Through honest conversation, shared experiences, prayer, and encouragement, women can explore how faith speaks into the real places of life and discover the hope and healing Jesus brings. Meets: Every 2nd Tuesday | 12:00 PM Location: Garant Home at 100 Putters Street Facilitator: Catherine Garant Meetings: September 22, October 6, October 20 There is room here to ask questions, be encouraged, and take meaningful steps toward greater wholeness and purpose. Wherever you are in your journey with Jesus, you can grow alongside other women who are learning, supporting one another, and discovering more of His life together.Email Catherine

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 16, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Art in Church

Art in Church is a space for creativity, connection, and enjoying the process of making something alongside others. Bring whatever art medium or project you’re currently working on and spend time creating in a relaxed and encouraging environment. Meets: Wednesdays | 4:00-6:00 PM Location: SCC | 150 Industrial crescent | Kids wing room 2 Facilitator: Ceilidh Barnett & Noelle Caron You don’t need to be an experienced artist or arrive with a finished idea. Come with what you have, learn from one another, share inspiration, and make room for creativity as one of the ways we express what God has placed within us.Email Ceilidh

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 16, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Joyce Meyer Study

Battlefield of the Mind 🧠 Our thoughts shape so much of how we experience life—how we see ourselves, how we respond to circumstances, and how we understand God. This Connect Group will work through Joyce Meyer’s book Battlefield of the Mind, exploring what Scripture teaches about our thought life and how we can recognize patterns of thinking that keep us stuck. Together, we’ll learn practical ways to renew our minds, grow in truth, and become more aware of what we’re allowing to take root in our thoughts. There’s room for questions, conversation, and honest reflection along the way. You don’t need to have everything figured out. Come ready to learn, talk, and take some practical steps together. Meets: Wednesdays | 6:30–8:00 PM Location: 425 Tower St., Apt. 209 Facilitator: Jocelyn Holden Second Group Meets: Wednesdays | 6:30–8:00 PM Location: SCC | Multipurpose Room Facilitator: Ceilidh Barnett Interested in joining? Let us know if you’d like to be part of the group.Email Jocelyn

Jocelyn Holden

September 16, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Route 2

This bi-weekly group is all about building strong relationships and growing together as followers of Jesus. Through prayer, conversation, and shared life, we encourage one another to walk more closely with God and support each other in every season. Meets: Every second Wednesday | 6:30–9:00 PM Locations: Rotating | Contact Joel Leadership and hosting rotate between members, alternating between 4 homes and creating a shared sense of ownership and community along the way.Email Joel

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 16, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Victory by the Sea

A Spirit-led Connect Group gathering every second Wednesday evening to worship, grow, and live as the family of Jesus. These evenings include live worship, meaningful conversation, and listening to the Holy Spirit together. We aim to walk in love, encourage one another, and activate the spiritual gifts God has placed within us—all while staying mission- and community-minded. Meets: Every second Wednesday | 6:30–9:00 PM Locations: Rotating between homes in Victoria by the Sea Leader/Facilitator: Catherine & Henk Visser, Deborah Christie Meetings rotate between homes in the Victoria area, starting at Deb & Gordon Christie’s, and new members are always welcome. Come as you are—we’re learning to lean into grace, love boldly, and live in the power of Jesus together.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 18, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

JAM

JAM is a relaxed space for people who enjoy making music together. Bring an instrument, bring your voice, or bring both, and spend the evening playing and singing worship music and spiritual songs with others. Meets: Fridays | Bi-weekly | 7:00 PM Location: SCC | Great Room Facilitator: Susan Christensen There’s plenty of space to try new things, stretch your musical muscles, learn from one another, and enjoy the simple fun of making music together. Bring what you love to play or sing and spend the evening sharing songs with others who enjoy music too.Email Susan

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

September 18, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Thrive

Because adulthood is better with Jesus. Thrive is a space for young adults (ages 18–30) who are passionate about following Jesus and doing life together. From meaningful conversations to fun hangouts, it’s a place to grow in faith, build friendships, and be part of something real. Meets: Every 2nd Friday | 7:00 PM | Next Meeting Oct 2 Location: SCC | 150 Industrial crescent | Youth Room Leader/Facilitator: Julianna & Titus Stimson, Ron & Harmony Goddard Stay up to date by joining our social media pages.InstagramFacebook

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

Women's Ministry

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September 23, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Interdenominational Womens Retreat

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 Finding your Authority in Christ You are invited to a Holy Spirit led women’s retreat for a weekend of worship, soaking, teaching by Pastor Tracy Linkletter, and waiting on the Holy Spirit. Make space for one-on-one time with the Holy Spirit as you learn to walk in your authority in Christ. Unity In The Body Of Christ Interdenominational Weekend for Women October 23 - 25, 2026 Center Goeland, 7151 Rte 11, Cape Egmont, P.E.I. The weekend fee is $150 and includes food, lodging, bedding, towels and facecloths. Please pre-register by October 14, with payment due at the door. Final numbers will be submitted on October 15. Things to bring: Bible, notepad, pen, toiletries, warm coat and boots for walking on the beach, plus a snack for the share table. Feel free to bring a favourite blanket or pillow. For more information, Contact the Unity In the Body of Christ members Theresa Lidstone - 902 439 6949 Fin Perry - 902-853-6337 Blye Perry - 902-439-9104 Donna Bernard - 902-807-9354 Beverly Gaudet - 902-290-1510

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

July 30, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Women's Ministry Updates

Every woman needs people who will listen, laugh, pray, and walk alongside her. That’s why we gather around The Table. Around every table, stories are shared, friendships are formed, and lives are strengthened. Our prayer is that each month you’ll find encouragement, grow in your faith, and discover the joy of walking with Jesus alongside other women. On the first Friday of every month, we pull up a chair around The Table. Join women from every background and every stage of faith as we worship Jesus, learn from Scripture, encourage one another, and build genuine friendships rooted in Christ. Friday, October 2 Doors Open: 7:00 p.m. The Table Begins: 7:30 p.m. Concludes: 9:00 p.m. Centre 150: 150 Industrial Crescent, Summerside You don’t need to know anyone before you come. Pull up a chair, enjoy a cup of coffee, and spend an evening encouraging one another as we follow Jesus together. There is room for honest conversations, shared laughter, prayer, and encouragement along the way. What You Can Expect Worship centred on Jesus Biblical teaching you can apply to everyday life Honest conversations around the table Prayer and encouragement Genuine friendships that continue beyond one evening

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

Family & Kids Ministry

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June 3, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Kids Church Update

Got Kids? 🧒 We invite your children ages 1 to grade 6 to join us for Kids Church on Sundays at 10 am. Check-in for Kids Church (nursery to Grade 6) is between 9:45 - 10:15 am. Once Check-In is closed, children will be required to join their parents in the Great Room. Our Kids Church is a place where children experience the Bible in ways they can understand, remember, and enjoy. Through hands-on activities, engaging lessons, worship, games, and meaningful conversations, kids discover who God is, how much He loves them, and what it looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life. Every week builds a strong biblical foundation while helping children grow in faith, friendships, and confidence. We encourage parents to keep the conversation going at home. Ask your kids what they learned, what surprised them, and what they discovered about God. Those simple conversations help faith take root far beyond Sunday. Is God calling you to take your next step? Join our team!Start Volunteering Today.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

August 18, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Meet our Children's Pastor!

Freddy Martin For over ten years, Freddy has been serving as our Children's Pastor, with a clear mission: to introduce children to God's Kingdom and help them form a lifelong connection with Jesus. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Pastor Freddy. Click here to email Freddy!

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

Elev8 Youth

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August 5, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

The Heart of Elev8 Youth

The kind of community we’re becoming doesn’t happen by accident. At Elev8, we want to create a place where students can grow in their faith, build lasting friendships, and discover what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. That’s why we’ve chosen a few simple values that shape how we treat one another. Love & Honour Jesus calls us to love one another. That means encouraging each other, speaking with kindness, and handling conflict with honesty and grace. Our Space Everything God gives us is a gift. We care for the places we meet, the things we use, and the people around us, leaving each place a little better than we found it. Our Presence Showing up matters. We come ready to participate, welcome others, and grow together because God often works through the moments we choose to be present. Jesus Shows Us the Way Jesus is our example. He loved people well, served with humility, welcomed those who felt overlooked, and always followed the Father’s will. As we follow Him, these values become part of who we are.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

August 4, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Elev8 Youth Updates

Every week looks a little different, but one thing stays the same: we’re learning to follow Jesus together. Life is better when you have people to walk with. That’s what Elev8 is all about. We spend time discovering who Jesus is, encouraging one another, asking honest questions, and growing together along the way. Some nights are loud. Some are thoughtful. Every night is an opportunity to know Jesus a little better and build friendships that last. The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. - Jeremiah 1:7 In Jeremiah 1:7, God tells Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth.’” It’s a reminder that God has always called and used young people who are willing to listen to His voice and answer His call. At Elev8, we want every student to discover that same truth: that God has a purpose for their life today, not someday. What’s Happening This Week This week we’re changing things up. Instead of our usual Thursday night, we’ll meet for Boardwalk Evangelism. It’s a chance to step out together, meet people in our community, and share the hope of Jesus in a simple, genuine way. 📅 Thursday, September 17 🕡 6:00–8:30 PM 📍 Summerside Community Church | 150 Industrial Cres. New to Elev8? You don’t have to know anyone before you come. We’d love to meet you, introduce you to a few people, and help you feel at home from the moment you arrive. We believe God is still calling young people today. Our prayer is that every student who walks through the doors of Elev8 would discover Jesus, hear His voice, grow in faith, and step confidently into the purpose He has for their life.

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

June 3, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Student Ministry Update

It’s been a week. Middle schoolers, high schoolers – we SEE you. This has been a heavy week for a lot of our students, and Youth Group on Friday is going to be a safe, low-pressure space to breathe, laugh, and talk about real stuff. We'll have food, we'll have some genuinely terrible icebreaker games, and we'll have real conversation. Want to talk to someone before we meet? We’re here. This week's topic is "What do I do when God feels far away?" We're spending time in Psalm 22 – a psalm that opens with "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" – and sitting with the honest, uncomfortable truth that doubt and faith can coexist. No easy answers. Just honest conversation. We also want to celebrate Jaylen Morris, a 10th grader who just got accepted into a competitive summer engineering program at UCLA. Jaylen, we've watched you work for this and we are so proud of you. This community is in your corner. 📅 Friday, March 21, 6:30 PM 📍 The Warehouse (Youth Wing, Side Entrance) Parents – our spring parent info night is Tuesday, April 8. We'll share what we've been teaching, where we're headed, and how you can stay connected to your teenager's spiritual life without losing your mind. We'll also have a counselor on hand to talk through what's showing up emotionally and socially for teens in LA right now. Details coming soon.

Jason Smith

Lead Pastor

Healing Resources

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August 27, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Step Study for Women

A Place to Work Through What’s Holding You Back Some things in our lives need more than a quick fix. Hurts we still carry. Habits we keep returning to. Patterns that keep getting in the way of the life Jesus is inviting us into. This fall, Celebrate Recovery is beginning a Step Study specifically for women. It’s a confidential small group where you’ll work through the Celebrate Recovery 12 steps and biblical principles alongside other women who are doing the same. What is a Step Study? A Step Study gives you time and space to look honestly at your story, work through hurts, hang-ups, and habits, and invite Jesus into the places where you want to experience healing and growth. You’ll work through the Celebrate Recovery curriculum together, answering questions during the week and talking through them as a group. Confidentiality is an important part of the experience, creating space for honest conversations without trying to fix or give advice to one another. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you come. You just need to be willing to take the next step. Curious? Start with the Info Night. Monday, September 14 5:15–6:30 PM Summerside Community Church Women ages 18+ Ready to take the next step?Sign Up Here! Questions? 📩 cr@sccpei.com 🌐 https://www.facebook.com/CRSummerside

Natasha Kelly

Admin & Facilities Lead

Men's Ministry

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July 30, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Men's Fire Update

A fire worth coming back to Life asks a lot of a man. There are responsibilities to carry, people depending on you, decisions to make, and a constant pull to keep moving. Every so often, it’s worth stepping away from the noise to spend an evening with men who understand the journey. Our Men’s Fires are a place to strengthen one another, share what God is doing, and be reminded that courage, faith, and brotherhood are built over time. Around the fire, you’ll find honest conversations, genuine friendships, and men committed to helping each other follow Jesus well. Our next Men’s Fire is Saturday, October 17 at 7:00 pm. Location: Joel’s place | 20 Waterview Court, Granville Bring a lawn chair and join us around the fire.

Joel Wydysh

Pastor of Community and Connections

Prayer Ministry

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September 3, 2026 • 4 Minute Read

Reach

God's heart has always been for people. As we prepare for Worship in Unity, we want to pray beyond ourselves and beyond our churches. This week, we turn our attention to the communities where God has placed us. Jesus consistently noticed people who were overlooked, welcomed those who felt excluded, and brought hope to those who were searching. As we spend time with Him, our hearts begin to reflect His heart for others. Prayer prepares us to participate in what God is already doing. As we seek Him, He often opens our eyes to opportunities to encourage someone, share His love, or simply be present with those around us. About Fasting If fasting is new to you, begin with a simple step that fits your season of life. The purpose of fasting isn't to prove our devotion or earn God's favour. It's to intentionally set aside something that normally has our attention so we can give that time and attention to Jesus instead. Here are a few ways you might participate: Fast one meal and spend that time reading Scripture and praying. Fast from sunrise until supper if you're able. Choose a non-food fast by setting aside social media, television, entertainment, or another regular distraction, and use that time to seek God. If you have medical concerns, are pregnant, or have dietary needs, please choose a fast that is appropriate for your situation. Whatever you choose, let the time you would normally spend eating or engaging with that activity become an opportunity to worship, read Scripture, sit quietly with God, or pray. This Week's Prayer Focus Pray for your neighbourhood and community. Pray for people who are searching for hope, peace, and purpose. Ask Holy Spirit to soften hearts and draw people to Jesus. Pray for opportunities to be a faithful witness through your words, your actions, and your love. Pray that Worship in Unity would encourage believers and point people to Christ. Remember, prayer is about turning to Jesus, and being with Him. Allow for some quiet time to just be with Him in silence. When your mind wanders, because it will, just turn back to focusing on Jesus. Like young Samuel learned from a young age, say, ‘speak Lord, your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:1) Scripture to Read "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them... Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" - Matthew 9:36–38 Pray that Jesus would give us His compassion for the people around us. Ask Him to raise up men and women who will faithfully share the hope of the gospel across Prince Edward Island. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." - Luke 10:2 Pray for churches across our Island to be faithful witnesses in their communities. Ask God to prepare hearts to receive the good news of Jesus. "...God... gave us the ministry of reconciliation... We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." - 2 Corinthians 5:18–20 Pray that we would represent Jesus well through our words, actions, and love. Ask God to help us become people who bring hope, healing, and reconciliation wherever He sends us. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved... How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" - Romans 10:13–15 Pray for those who have never heard or never responded to the invitation of Jesus. Ask God to open doors for conversations that point people toward Him. "Devote yourselves to prayer... Pray that God may open a door for our message... Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders." - Colossians 4:2–6 Pray for open doors to share Christ naturally and graciously. Ask Holy Spirit to give believers wisdom, courage, and kindness as they interact with others. Reflection As you pray today, ask yourself: How can I encourage and pray for another church or ministry this week? Thank you for continuing this journey of prayer and fasting. Next week, we'll pray for our communities and ask God to draw people to Himself. Prayer & Fasting Guide (PDF) Download your guide for practical fasting ideas and weekly prayer focuses.Download Guide Preparation Schedule August 29 — Reach September 5 — Fill September 12 — Worship in Unity

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

August 27, 2026 • 4 Minute Read

Fill

September 12 is almost here. For the past four weeks we've been preparing together through prayer and fasting. Along the way we've asked God to prepare our hearts, strengthen the unity of His Church, and give us His heart for our communities. This week we bring all of those prayers together as we pray for Worship in Unity. Our desire isn't simply for a well-planned evening. We long to see Jesus honoured, His Church encouraged, and Holy Spirit free to work in every heart. We trust that God has been preparing His people long before we gather, and we look forward with expectation to what He will continue to do. About Fasting If fasting is new to you, begin with a simple step that fits your season of life. The purpose of fasting isn't to prove our devotion or earn God's favour. It's to intentionally set aside something that normally has our attention so we can give that time and attention to Jesus instead. Here are a few ways you might participate: Fast one meal and spend that time reading Scripture and praying. Fast from sunrise until supper if you're able. Choose a non-food fast by setting aside social media, television, entertainment, or another regular distraction, and use that time to seek God. If you have medical concerns, are pregnant, or have dietary needs, please choose a fast that is appropriate for your situation. Whatever you choose, let the time you would normally spend eating or engaging with that activity become an opportunity to worship, read Scripture, sit quietly with God, or pray. This Week's Prayer Focus Pray that Jesus would be honoured in every part of Worship in Unity. Pray for the churches participating and for every pastor, worship leader, musician, prayer leader, volunteer, and servant involved in the evening. Pray for every person who will attend, asking God to encourage believers and draw those who are searching closer to Himself. Pray that Holy Spirit would lead every conversation, every prayer, every song, and every heart. Pray that the unity we celebrate together would continue to grow long after September 12. Remember, prayer is about turning to Jesus, and being with Him. Allow for some quiet time to just be with Him in silence. When your mind wanders, because it will, just turn back to focusing on Jesus. Like young Samuel learned from a young age, say, ‘speak Lord, your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:1) Scripture to Read "Lift up your heads, you gates... that the King of glory may come in." - Psalm 24:7-10 Pray that our hearts would be open to welcome Jesus and that He would be honoured throughout the evening. "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith... Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..." - Ephesians 3:16-21 Pray that God would strengthen His people through the Holy Spirit and accomplish far more than we could plan or imagine. "...Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness... After they prayed... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..." - Acts 4:29-31 Pray for courage, faithfulness, and the fresh filling of the Holy Spirit for everyone who participates. Reflection As September 12 approaches, consider this question: How is God inviting me to participate in what He is already doing among His Church? Thank you for joining this journey of prayer and fasting. We look forward to worshipping together on September 12 as we lift high the name of Jesus. Prayer & Fasting Guide (PDF) Download your guide for practical fasting ideas and weekly prayer focuses.Download Guide Preparation Schedule September 5 — Fill September 12 — Worship in Unity

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

August 20, 2026 • 4 Minute Read

Unite

Jesus prayed that His followers would be one. That doesn't mean every church looks the same or expresses worship in the same way. God has gifted His Church with many different expressions, traditions, and cultures. Yet together we belong to one body because we belong to one Lord. As we prepare for Worship in Unity, we want to thank God for the churches He has established across Prince Edward Island and ask Him to continue strengthening His people. Our prayer is that our love for one another would point others to Jesus. About Fasting If fasting is new to you, begin with a simple step that fits your season of life. The purpose of fasting isn't to prove our devotion or earn God's favour. It's to intentionally set aside something that normally has our attention so we can give that time and attention to Jesus instead. Here are a few ways you might participate: Fast one meal and spend that time reading Scripture and praying. Fast from sunrise until supper if you're able. Choose a non-food fast by setting aside social media, television, entertainment, or another regular distraction, and use that time to seek God. If you have medical concerns, are pregnant, or have dietary needs, please choose a fast that is appropriate for your situation. Whatever you choose, let the time you would normally spend eating or engaging with that activity become an opportunity to worship, read Scripture, sit quietly with God, or pray. Remember, prayer is about turning to Jesus, and being with Him. Allow for some quiet time to just be with Him in silence. When your mind wanders, because it will, just turn back to focusing on Jesus. Like young Samuel learned from a young age, say, ‘speak Lord, your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:1) This Week's Scriptures & Prayer Focus "...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you... Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." - John 17:20–23 Pray that the Church across Prince Edward Island would reflect the unity Jesus prayed for. Ask God to help us love one another in ways that point people to Christ. "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace… There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all…" -Ephesians 4:1-6 Pray for pastors, ministry leaders, elders, volunteers, and congregations. Ask God to strengthen relationships between churches and help us walk together with humility, gentleness, patience, and love. "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!... For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." - Psalm 133:1-3 Thank God for the many churches across our Island. Pray that our unity would be a place where God's blessing, encouragement, and life are experienced by His people. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… Bear with each other and forgive one another… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." - Colossians 3:12-15 Pray that God would shape His Church to reflect the character of Christ. Ask Him to fill us with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. Pray that the peace of Christ would guide our relationships so that our unity becomes a faithful witness to the world. Reflection As you pray today, ask yourself: How can I encourage and pray for another church or ministry this week? Thank you for continuing this journey of prayer and fasting. Next week, we'll pray for our communities and ask God to draw people to Himself. Prayer & Fasting Guide (PDF) Download your guide for practical fasting ideas and weekly prayer focuses.Download Guide Preparation Schedule August 29 — Reach September 5 — Fill September 12 — Worship in Unity

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

August 13, 2026 • 3 Minute Read

Prepare

Before God moves through us, He often chooses to work within us. Throughout Scripture, seasons of prayer and fasting were often times of preparation. They weren't about convincing God to act, but about making room to listen, surrender, and align ourselves with God's purposes. As we prepare for Worship in Unity, we invite you to join believers from churches across Prince Edward Island in setting aside time to seek Jesus together. About Fasting If fasting is new to you, begin with a simple step that fits your season of life. The purpose of fasting isn't to prove our devotion or earn God's favour. It's to intentionally set aside something that normally has our attention so we can give that time and attention to Jesus instead. Here are a few ways you might participate: Fast one meal and spend that time reading Scripture and praying. Fast from sunrise until supper if you're able. Choose a non-food fast by setting aside social media, television, entertainment, or another regular distraction, and use that time to seek God. If you have medical concerns, are pregnant, or have dietary needs, please choose a fast that is appropriate for your situation. Whatever you choose, let the time you would normally spend eating or engaging with that activity become an opportunity to worship, read Scripture, sit quietly with God, or pray. This Week's Prayer Focus Pray that God would prepare your heart to seek Him. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal anything that has distracted you from Jesus. Pray for a greater hunger for God's presence and a deeper love for Christ. Ask God to prepare His Church for Worship in Unity and for what He desires to do across Prince Edward Island. Remember, prayer is about turning to Jesus, and being with Him. Allow for some quiet time to just be with Him in silence. When your mind wanders, because it will, just turn back to focusing on Jesus. Like young Samuel learned from a young age, say, ‘speak Lord, your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:1) Scripture to Read "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:23–24 Consider reading the whole Psalm as a prayer and allow yourself to pray other Psalms as you have time. 'Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ' - John 15:4 (vs 1-17) Reflection As you spend time with Jesus today, consider this question: What might God be inviting me to lay aside so I can give Him more of my attention? Thank you for joining believers from across our Island as we prepare together. Next Saturday, we'll turn our prayers toward the unity of Christ's Church. Prayer & Fasting Guide (PDF) Download your guide for practical fasting ideas and weekly prayer focuses.Download Guide Preparation Schedule August 15 — Prepare August 22 — Unite August 29 — Reach September 5 — Fill September 12 — Worship in Unity

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

August 5, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

The Invitation

On September 12, believers from churches across Prince Edward Island will come together for an evening of worship, prayer, and Communion. The journey begins before we gather. Over the four Saturdays leading up to Worship in Unity, we invite you to set aside time to pray and fast, asking Jesus to prepare our hearts, deepen our unity, and move throughout our churches and communities. Watch the introduction below to learn more about this shared journey. Prayer & Fasting Guide (PDF) Download your guide for practical fasting ideas and weekly prayer focuses.Download Guide "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2 Preparation Schedule August 15 — Prepare August 22 — Unite August 29 — Reach September 5 — Fill September 12 — Worship in Unity

Tracy Linkletter

Senior Leader

150 Industrial Cres., Summerside, PE

902-436-8300

Email: sccoffice@sccpei.com