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August 13, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Aug 23rd 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. Thursday, August 20th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth - Burgers & Bibles at Andrew & Shirley Bryce’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Friday, August 21st 7 pm | Thrive Young Adults - Real Community. Lasting Faith. Saturday, August 22nd The weather looks good! - Maybe one last beach day? Sunday, August 23rd 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, August 24th 7:00pm | Connect through Knitting and Crocheting - Connect with others as you knit, crochet, share stories, and enjoy unhurried conversation together. Tuesday, August 25th 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, August 26th Nothing on the Calendar today! Thursday, August 27th 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. Friday, August 28th Enjoy your Friday! Saturday, August 29th Have a great weekend!! Upcoming Events August 22, 29 & September 5 | Prayer & Fasting - 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. September 12, 6 pm | Worship in Unity - Join believers from across PEI at Summerside Community Church for an evening of worship, prayer, and declaring God’s goodness. Click on the image below to learn more about this shared journey.prayer promptNew here? We'd love to connect. 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. 🙏 YWAM Niagara Mission Team – Pray for Deb, Gideon, Deborah, Nathan, and Jazmyn as they serve alongside YWAM Niagara in Niagara, Ontario this week, August 2–8. Hear what God did through the team on Sunday, August 30 🙏 Isaac Gillis – Pray for Isaac as he prepares to return to New Zealand in November to put his YWAM training into practice. 🙏 Our Highschool Graduates - Pray for Nathan Adams, Clara Arsenault & Jaelle Linkletter as they move into the next part of their journey this fall. 🙏 Inter-church Worship Night – Pray for the upcoming Inter-Church Worship night, asking God to move in our churches and across PEI.Submit your own prayer request Giving Update - July 26th General: $9,947.44
Building: $180.00
YTD General: $186,204 *updated as of June 30th*
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 👇Living with the Presence of the Holy Spirit Every DayWatch 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
August 13, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Aug 16th 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. Thursday, August 13th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth - Burgers & Bibles at Henk & Catherine Visser’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Friday, August 14th Enjoy your Friday! Saturday, August 15th 7 pm | Men’s Fire - A safe place for men to connect, listen, share, and walk together in faith.
More info below 👇mens fire Sunday, August 16th 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, August 17th 7:00pm | Connect through Knitting and Crocheting - Connect with others as you knit, crochet, share stories, and enjoy unhurried conversation together. Tuesday, August 18th 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, August 19th Pinky & Me fundraiser- Great music, great company, and a great cause with all proceeds supporting Summerside Loaves & Fishes. Thursday, August 20th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth -Burgers & Bibles at Andrew & Shirley Bryce’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Friday, August 21st. 7 pm | Thrive Young Adults - Real Community. Lasting Faith. Saturday, August 22nd Freedom Feast is cancelled for this month. See you in September! Upcoming Events August 19th | Come enjoy an evening of live music with Pinky & M.E. while helping care for our neighbours in practical ways. Every ticket supports the important work of Summerside Loaves & Fishes as they provide food and hope to people across our community. August 15, 22, 29 & September 5 | Prayer & Fasting - 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. September 12, 6 pm | Worship in Unity - Join believers from across PEI at Summerside Community Church for an evening of worship, prayer, and declaring God’s goodness. Click on the image below to learn more about this shared journey.prayer promptNew here? We'd love to connect. 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. 🙏 YWAM Niagara Mission Team – Pray for Deb, Gideon, Deborah, Nathan, and Jazmyn as they serve alongside YWAM Niagara in Niagara, Ontario this week, August 2–8. Hear what God did through the team on Sunday, August 30 🙏 Isaac Gillis – Pray for Isaac as he prepares to return to New Zealand in November to put his YWAM training into practice. 🙏 Inter-church Worship Night – Pray for the upcoming Inter-Church Worship night, asking God to move in our churches and across PEI.Submit your own prayer request Giving Update - July 26th General: $9,947.44
Building: $180.00
YTD General: $186,204 *updated as of June 30th*
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 👇Living with the Presence of the Holy Spirit Every DayWatch 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
July 30, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Sept 12
Come Holy Spirit, Come Across Prince Edward Island, believers gather each week in different churches, led by different pastors and expressed in different ways. Every congregation shares the same hope. We long to see Jesus lifted high, lives transformed, and Holy Spirit moving in fresh ways throughout our communities. Worship in Unity is an opportunity to express that shared hope together. Join believers from multiple churches on Saturday, September 12 at 6:00 pm at Summerside Community Church for an evening of worship, prayer for Prince Edward Island, and declarations of God’s goodness. As we come together with one heart, we are praying with expectation and inviting Holy Spirit to move among us. Prayer & Fasting As we prepare for Worship in Unity, we invite you to join churches across PEI
in prayer and fasting on August 15, 22, 29, and September 5. Set aside time each Saturday to seek God, asking Him to pour out His Spirit, strengthen His Church, and prepare our hearts for what He wants to do across our province.
July 31, 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 August 2nd General: $9,947.44
Building: $180.00
YTD General: $186,204 *updated as of June 30th*
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
August 9, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
August 9th 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. Thursday, August 6th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. No Elev8 Youth - We are meeting Friday instead! 👇 Friday, August 7th 7 pm | Thrive Young Adults - Real Community. Lasting Faith. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth - Burgers & Bibles at Jamie & Natasha Kelly’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Saturday, August 8th A free Saturday to go to the beach!! Sunday, August 9th 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 service. 2 pm | Baptism Sunday | Cabot Beach - Come celebrate and encourage those taking this next step in following Jesus. 4:00 pm | Jesus the Anointed One Church - Meets in the Kids Wing. Monday, August 10th 7:00pm | Connect through Knitting and Crocheting - Connect with others as you knit, crochet, share stories, and enjoy unhurried conversation together. Tuesday, August 11th 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, August 12th Nothing on the calendar today. Thursday, August 13th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth - Burgers & Bibles at Henk & Catherine Visser’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Friday, August 14th Enjoy your Friday! Saturday, August 15th 7 pm | Men’s Fire - A safe place for men to connect, listen, share, and walk together in faith.
More info below 👇More information here! Upcoming Events August 9 | Baptism Sunday - Baptism Sunday at Cabot Beach is coming up on August 9 at 2 pm! If you are interested in being baptized or would like more information, please complete this form > Baptism Info Here September 12, 6 pm | Worship in Unity - Join believers from across PEI at Summerside Community Church for an evening of worship, prayer, and declaring God’s goodness. August 15, 22, 29 & September 5 | Prayer & Fasting - 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. Click on the image below to learn more about this shared journey.prayer promptNew here? We'd love to connect. 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. 🙏 YWAM Niagara Mission Team – Pray for Deb, Gideon, Deborah, Nathan, and Jazmyn as they serve alongside YWAM Niagara in Niagara, Ontario this week, August 2–8. Hear what God did through the team on Sunday, August 30 🙏 Isaac Gillis – Pray for Isaac as he prepares to return to New Zealand in November to put his YWAM training into practice. 🙏 Inter-church Worship Night – Pray for the upcoming Inter-Church Worship night, asking God to move in our churches and across PEI.Submit your own prayer request Giving Update - July 26th General: $9,947.44
Building: $180.00
YTD General: $186,204 *updated as of June 30th*
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 👇Learning to Live from A New HeartWatch 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
July 30, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
August 2nd 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. Tuesday, August 4th 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, August 5th Nothing on the calendar today. Thursday, August 6th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. No Elev8 Youth - We are meeting Friday instead! 👇 Friday, August 7th 7 pm | Thrive Young Adults - Real Community. Lasting Faith. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth - Burgers & Bibles at Jamie & Natasha Kelly’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Saturday, August 8th A free Saturday to go to the beach!! Sunday, August 9th 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 service. 2 pm | Baptism Sunday | Cabot Beach - Come celebrate and encourage those taking this next step in following Jesus. 4:00 pm | Jesus the Anointed One Church - Meets in the Kids Wing. Monday, August 10th Take time to rest, connect, and enjoy the day. Tuesday, August 11th 7:00 pm | Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, August 12th Nothing on the calendar today. Thursday, August 13th 9:30 am | Worship & Prayer in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. 6:30 pm | Elev8 Youth - Burgers & Bibles at Henk & Catherine Visser’s house! Bring a friend! We’ll save you a burger. Friday, August 14th Enjoy your Friday! Saturday, August 15th 7 pm | Men’s Fire - A safe place for men to connect, listen, share, and walk together in faith.
More info below 👇More information here! Upcoming Events August 9 | Baptism Sunday - Baptism Sunday at Cabot Beach is coming up on August 9 at 2 pm! If you are interested in being baptized or would like more information, please complete this form > Baptism Info Here September 12, 6 pm | Worship in Unity - Join believers from across PEI at Summerside Community Church for an evening of worship, prayer, and declaring God’s goodness. August 15, 22, 29 & September 5 | Prayer & Fasting - Take time each Saturday to pray and fast, asking God to move in our churches and across PEI.New here? We'd love to connect. 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. 🙏 YWAM Niagara Mission Team – Pray for Deb, Gideon, Deborah, Nathan, and Jazmyn as they serve alongside YWAM Niagara in Niagara, Ontario this week, August 2–8. 🙏 Isaac Gillis – Pray for Isaac as he prepares to return to New Zealand in November to put his YWAM training into practice. 🙏 Inter-church Worship Night – Pray for the upcoming Inter-Church Worship night, asking God to move in our churches and across PEI.Submit your own prayer request Giving Update - July 26th General: $4,167.00
Building: $100.00
YTD General: $186,204 *updated as of June 30th*
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 👇Learning to Live from A New HeartWatch 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
July 19, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
July 19
Welcome to the weekly snapshot 👋 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. Sunday, July 19th 10:00am Worship Service - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. 12:00 pm Souper Sunday - Stay after church, where every bowl helps support service projects in Niagara. Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during the service. 4:00 pm Jesus the Anointed One Church - Meets in the Kids Wing. Monday, July 20th Take time to rest, connect, and enjoy the day. Tuesday, July 21st 7:00 pm Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ at Centre 150. Wednesday, July 22nd Nothing on the calendar today. Thursday, July 23rd 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 - Are you a student seeking connection or a parent of a junior high or high school student? Our amazing youth room opens at 6:30, meeting from 7-9pm. Friday, July 24th Today is open. Enjoy the day. Saturday, July 25th 5:00pm Freedom Feast - Bring a dish if you’re able, or simply come and enjoy good food, great company, and the freedom we have in Jesus.Click here if you are curious! Upcoming Events SCC Family BBQ - Sunday, July 26th after church. Click here to sign up! Baptism Sunday - Baptism Sunday is coming up on August 9 at Cabot Beach! If you are interested in being baptized or would like more information, please complete the form below.Baptism Info HereNew here? We'd love to connect. 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. 🙏 Isaac Gillis – Pray for Isaac as he prepares to return to New Zealand in November to put his YWAM training into practice.Submit your own prayer request . Giving Update General: $3,945.00
Building: $390.00
YTD General: $186,204 *updated as of June 30th*
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 This Week's Message "Get 'em God: When God Loves Your Enemies"
Joel Wydysh | Jonah Jonah is about far more than a great fish. This Sunday, Joel will explore how God’s mercy reaches unexpected people and reveals the conditionof our own hearts. As the story unfolds, we’ll consider a question that still challenges us today: Is our heart becoming more like Jonah’s, or more like Jesus’? Watch last week’s sermon 👇Watch our Services OnlineSubscribe 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
July 12, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
July 12
Welcome to the weekly snapshot 👋 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. Sunday, July 12th 10:00am Worship Service - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during the service. Jesus the Anointed One Church - Meets at 4pm in the Kids Wing. Monday, July 13th Take time to rest, connect, and enjoy the day. Tuesday, July 14th Celebrate Recovery - A safe place to find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ. 7:00pm at Centre 150. Wednesday, July 15th Nothing on the calendar today. Thursday, July 16th Worship & Prayer - 9:30am in the Great Room. Start the day by seeking God together through prayer and worship. Elev8 Youth - Are you a student seeking connection or a parent of a junior high or high school student? Our amazing youth room opens at 6:30, meeting from 7-9pm. Friday, July 17th Today is open. Enjoy the day. Saturday, July 18th Men’s Fire: 7pm - A monthly gathering where men connect, share, and grow around the fire.Email Joel for more info Upcoming Events SCC Family BBQ - Sunday, July 26th after church. Click here to sign up! Baptism Sunday - Baptism Sunday is coming up on August 9 at Cabot Beach! If you are interested in being baptized or would like more information, please complete the form below.Baptism Info HereNew here? We'd love to connect. This Week's Message "Get 'em God: The Gospel That Destroys "Us vs. Them"
| Joel Wydysh | Romans 8:1-2 Who have we quietly placed on the other side of the line? Joel invited us into Romans, where God’s mercy tears down those divisions and forms one family through Jesus. As we receive His grace, our hearts change, making room to love, welcome, and serve one another Watch last week’s sermon 👇Watch OnlineSubscribe To Our Between the Shores Podcast 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. 🙏 Isaac Gillis – Pray for Isaac as he prepares to return to New Zealand in November to put his YWAM training into practice. Submit your own prayer requestSubmit your own prayer request . Giving 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 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 Next Week: "Get ‘em God: When God Loves Your Enemies"
See you soon ☀️
August 9, 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
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
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
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
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.
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.
January 25, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
When Light Changes How We See Life
Some days, nothing around us changes, yet everything feels heavier. Thoughts crowd in. Focus slips. The mind stays busy, but peace feels distant. It is often in those moments that God is not absent at all. He is quietly inviting us to see what is shaping our attention. Many of us carry real problems. They are not imagined or exaggerated. They show up in our bodies, our relationships, our work, and our prayers. Over time, they can begin to take up more space than we realize, moving closer to the center of our thoughts until they start setting the tone of our inner world. This is how distortion happens. Not through one dramatic moment, but through slow accumulation. The mind fills with noise. Thoughts repeat themselves. Concerns feel urgent and demanding. Everything feels active, yet nothing feels settled. Something is broadcasting, but it is not leading us anywhere. When God brings His light into moments like these, He is not confronting us. He is clarifying what has quietly taken the lead. Light helps us notice when something that once felt familiar no longer has the authority it used to hold. What felt overwhelming begins to look smaller when seen clearly. Sometimes the shift brings a gentle laugh. Not because the problems have vanished, but because we recognize they are no longer meant to drive our lives. The weight eases. Fear loosens. Trust returns to its rightful place. Peace often arrives this way. It does not come from fixing every thought or solving every issue. It comes from noticing what has been given too much attention and choosing where our focus will rest. God becomes central again, and everything else finds its proper place around Him. Problems remain real. They still require care, wisdom, and courage. Yet they no longer define who we are. They stop being the lens through which everything else is interpreted. God’s light changes the frame, and with it, our sense of direction. This kind of seeing invites us to slow down. To become aware of what has been shaping our decisions, our identity, and our sense of worth. It reveals how easily urgency can replace trust, and how fear can quietly disguise itself as responsibility. God’s presence brings a different rhythm. One that rests. One that listens. One that leads from peace rather than pressure. His light does not erase the story we are living. It reveals it more truthfully. What might come into focus if more light were allowed in?
What thoughts would lose their grip if they were seen clearly?
What would shift if attention returned to Jesus, right where you are? This way of seeing unfolds gently. It takes time. It does not demand immediate clarity. It simply invites openness and trust. And as light continues to enter, life begins to look different. The circumstances may remain the same. Yet the heart grows steadier. The noise softens. And a quiet confidence settles in, reminding us that God is near, attentive, and already at work. Sometimes nothing changes around us. Yet everything changes in how we see.When Light Changes How We See Life
January 18, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Who Told You That?
There are stories we tell ourselves when no one else is around. A hurtful word from the past can linger, slowly becoming something we carry, something we begin to identify with. Over time, it turns into a voice that never really stops speaking. We repeat those words often enough that they start to feel true, shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us. Most of the time, we do not pause to notice those messages. We simply live with them and keep moving forward. Those stories settle in quietly. They do not arrive with warning or demand attention. They become part of the background of our inner life, woven into the way we think and move through the world. Before we realize it, they feel familiar and trustworthy. They sound reasonable. Earned. They comment on our choices, our pace, our worth. They show up when the house finally goes quiet or when the day has asked more than we had to give. Over time, they begin to feel like truth simply because they have been around for so long. Scripture takes us back to the beginning, to a garden where God walked closely with humanity. There was trust there. Ease. A shared life. Then another voice entered the story, and something shifted. Hiding replaced openness. Fear replaced peace. God’s first words were not sharp or hurried. They came as a gentle question. Where are you? And then another. Who told you that? It is a striking moment. God does not rush to correction. He does not begin with consequences. He pauses and draws attention to the source of the story Adam and Eve are suddenly living inside. A voice that had named something God never named. Nakedness. Fear. A sense of being exposed and lacking. That question still carries weight. Who told you that you were not enough?
Who told you that you should be further along by now?
Who told you that your weakness disqualifies you? Some voices speak loudly. Others hum steadily in the background, shaping how we see ourselves without ever raising their volume. Shame has a way of repeating itself until it feels factual. Fear learns our patterns and meets us right on time. Achievement keeps score and rarely lets us rest. God does not confirm those voices. He questions them. There is something tender in the way God responds in the garden. Adam and Eve try to cover themselves, and God steps in to cover them himself. Care comes before direction. Presence comes before repair. God meets them in vulnerability and prepares them for what comes next. That posture has not changed. Jesus later speaks about a shepherd whose sheep recognize his voice. Recognition grows through relationship. It comes from walking together, from learning the sound of love and truth over time. The sheep do not analyze the voice. They know it. Many of us want clarity, yet we live surrounded by noise. The invitation is not to strive harder but to slow down enough to notice what we are already listening to. To become curious about the stories shaping our inner life. To bring those stories into the light of God’s presence. Sometimes listening to Jesus feels like relief. Sometimes it feels like being named rightly again. Sometimes it is simply the quiet assurance that you are seen and known. God still asks gentle questions. Not to shame us, but to bring us home. Where are you right now?
What voice has been explaining you to you?
Does that voice sound like Jesus? There is space to pause here. Space to listen. Space to let the voice that calls you by name rise above the rest. And when other voices speak, you can ask the same question God once asked in the garden. Who told you that? Then wait. He is still speaking.Who Told You That?
January 11, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Following Jesus When He Sends Us
Following Jesus When He Sends Us There are moments in the life of a community that slow everything down. They ask us to pay attention. To feel the weight and the grace of what God has been shaping over time. Sending someone we love into what God is calling them toward carries that kind of gravity. It holds joy and tenderness together, reminding us that following Jesus unfolds across years, not headlines. When someone steps into a new calling, it can look sudden from the outside. Up close, it is anything but. It is the quiet accumulation of faithfulness. The prayers that were whispered long before clarity arrived. The ordinary obedience that shaped a heart little by little. Sending simply reveals what God has already been doing. That kind of moment lingers with a community. It does not rush past. It settles in slowly, carrying gratitude and ache at the same time. Pride and love. Hope and release. All of it belongs. When we witness someone being sent, we are really witnessing a story of formation. God shapes people patiently. He works through shared life, steady rhythms, and relationships that hold us when we stumble and cheer when we grow. Community becomes the soil where trust deepens and obedience takes root. Over time, something strong and gentle begins to take shape. Faith grows best in that kind of presence. People who notice what is unfolding. People who pray, encourage, and walk alongside. People who help name gifts and callings before they are fully visible. God uses that shared attentiveness to prepare hearts for what comes next. When the moment arrives to release what God has formed, joy rises naturally. So does grief. Love always carries the weight of letting go. Sending stretches us because it reminds us how deeply we are connected. Jesus never sends people alone. He sends them with blessing, with prayer, with a community that continues to carry them even from a distance. Sending is participation in God’s work, shared and sustained together. It is a collective yes to what God is already doing in the world. Scripture echoes this pattern again and again. Callings unfold over time. Trust is shaped through waiting. Obedience grows slowly, often hidden long before it is named. God weaves His purposes through years of faithfulness, not urgency. This is true for those who go. It is also true for those who remain. Moments of sending gently turn our attention inward. They invite us to notice our own formation. To reflect on where God has been quietly at work. To consider the small obediences that may be shaping something we cannot yet see. What invitation has God been placing before you, patiently and persistently?
Where have you noticed His presence forming you through others?
What step of trust might be waiting, even now? Following Jesus often looks simple and steady. Rooted lives. Open hands. Attentive hearts. A willingness to walk with God over time. And when the moment comes to release what He has been forming, we do so with confidence and peace. God goes ahead. God stays near. God remains faithful to complete His work in all of us. Sometimes the invitation is to go.
Sometimes it is to bless.
Always, it is to follow. And Jesus continues to walk with us, every step of the way. Watch the message here!👇Following Jesus When He Sends Us
January 4, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
This is Love
This is Love The room was full. The table was set. Everything appeared to be in order. Guests were seated, conversation was polite, and the evening unfolded just as it should. It looked like hospitality done well. Then a woman entered the room. She did not arrive with an invitation or an explanation. She came carrying a small jar of perfume and a story everyone already knew. Without speaking, she knelt at Jesus’ feet. Tears fell. Oil was poured out. The room grew quiet as devotion disrupted what had been carefully arranged. Moments like this linger because they reveal something deeper than the scene itself. They stay with us, quietly reshaping how we understand love, mercy, and the way God draws near. Some truths take time to settle into us. They circle quietly through our days, often born in moments we did not plan for. A conversation that stays with us. A memory that rises without warning. A sense that God has been near all along, even when we were busy or unsure. Love is one of those truths. We talk about love often. We search for it, measure it, hope it holds. Yet when life stretches us or disappoints us, love can feel harder to name. Our experiences shape how we see God. Over time, we begin to carry an image of Him formed by joy, loss, answered prayers, and long silences. All of it becomes a lens. Scripture offers a steady invitation here. When questions rise about who God is and how He loves, the answer keeps returning to the same place. The cross. This is where love is made visible. This is where it takes shape in a way we can trust. Jesus speaks plainly about it. Love is revealed through self giving, through presence, through a life laid down freely. It is not abstract or distant. It is embodied. Seen. Offered. This kind of love reshapes how we respond. Jesus names it clearly when He says that loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength sits at the center of everything. Love flows outward too, touching how we see and treat the people around us. These words are familiar, yet they continue to invite us into attentiveness. Into alignment. Into a life that grows from worship rather than effort. Love begins with seeing God rightly. Before we act, before we speak, before we serve, there is an invitation to notice who He is. To listen. To allow love to take root beneath the surface. When love flows from that place, it carries a quiet strength. It shapes desire, thought, and movement without force. The stories of Jesus show us this again and again. Martha opens her home with care and energy. Mary chooses to sit close, attentive and still. Both gestures matter. Yet Jesus gently affirms presence. Attention. A willingness to pause and receive. Love grows where space is made for it. At that table, two responses sit side by side. One keeps control. The other releases it. One manages the moment. The other pours everything out. Jesus receives the offering shaped by trust and surrender. Love always responds to revelation. When we sense how deeply God has drawn near, something shifts within us. Control loosens. Performance quiets. Love becomes less about managing the moment and more about surrendering to presence. This is love. A life oriented toward Jesus. Attention given freely. Trust growing slowly. Hearts softened by grace. Where might God be inviting you to linger a little longer?
What might shift if love was received before it was expressed?
Where do you notice Jesus already present, waiting to be welcomed without agenda? Love does not rush. It does not demand perfection. It invites us to come as we are and remain open. In that space, something gentle and steady forms. A love shaped by the cross. A love that continues to meet us right where we are. Watch the message here!👇This is Love
December 31, 2025 • 1 Minute Read
Blog Archive
Here is your one stop location for all our posts from years past!2025 Blog Posts2024 Blog Posts2023 Blog posts
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, September 4
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
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, August 15 at 7:00 pm.
Location: Dock area - Sunrise Drive - Granville on the Water subdivision.
Bring a lawn chair and join us around the fire.
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!
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.
150 Industrial Cres., Summerside, PE
902-436-8300
Email: sccoffice@sccpei.com
Copyright Summerside Community Church 2026