Expectation ('tis the season)

As I put the finishing touches on my messages for Sunday morning and evening (Christmas Eve!), a theme keeps emerging... expectation. We've talked about Advent as a season for hope and expectation, anticipating the arrival of Christ and celebrating His birth. But now that we're so close to Christmas Day, what are you expecting? 

Some of us are excited about traditions or that special dish that Great Aunt Bertha makes. Some of us are excited for it to be over and have a couple of days to unwind after a busy season. But let me remind you, just one more time before Christmas, to set your hope in Christ. Expect to see Him in a new way this season. Expect for His love to capture your heart again. Expect to stand amazed in awe and wonder at the miracle of the Incarnation. 

I invite you to join in with the best tradition that our family has. On Christmas morning, before the presents are opened, we read Luke 2:1-20 and pause to thank God for the year behind us, seek Him for the year ahead and centre our hearts on the reason for the day. My family has done this since, well, always. So, I promise that even small children will not explode from the anticipation. Really. 

As you centre your celebration on Christ, I am praying that you will be completely full of joy!

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

PS - Would you like to be baptized on December 31st? It's not too late... Click here.

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This Sunday...

Come to Worship

Church is going to be alive with excitement on Sunday! For our final message of this series, I'm going to wrap it up with a part of the Christmas story that we don't hear very often. King Herod, the Priests and the Magi all have a very different response to the coming of the King of the Jews and there are some lessons and reminders in Matthew 2 for us as well.

And coming up, here are the exciting things happening in church life:

• Christmas Eve AM - Service @ 10:00
• Christmas Eve PM - Special Services @ 4:00 and 6:00
• New Year's Eve AM - 5th Sunday Service @ 10:00 w/ Baptisms
• New Year's Eve PM - Appetizer Potluck & Board Games - 4:00-6:00pm

You can also follow along with the message on YouVersion. Here's the link.

Divine Light of the World (when all other lights go out)

"Jesus is the divine Light of the world, because he brings a new life to replace our spiritual deadness, because he shows us the truth that heals our spiritual blindness , and because he is the beauty that breaks our addictions to money, sex and power. As Wonderful Counselor he walks with us even into and through the shadow of death (Matthew 4:16), where no other companion can go. He is a Light for us when all other lights go out." - Hidden Christmas, Timothy Keller

There are two things coming up in church life that are very specific to knowing, understanding and celebrating that Jesus is the Light of the world. The first is lighting candles on Christmas Eve. This simple act is one that so many people look forward to as part of their traditions and celebrations. When we pause for a moment during our services, light candles and take stock of the power that they have to illuminate the room, it's memorable to say the least. What does it mean to know the One who shines through the darkness all around us and in our own hearts? It's life transforming! 

The second is water baptism. "He brings new life to replace our spiritual deadness." As I'm writing this there are already four people who have asked to be baptized in water during the service on New Year's Eve. Baptism declares to the world that you have seen the great Light (Isaiah 9:2) and that you have chosen to walk in Him and with Him, leaving behind the old life of darkness. I am so excited to celebrate as a church with those who are getting baptized... indoors... in a slightly unconventional way. (You'll see!)

Everywhere you go this season you will see people using light to celebrate. We light trees and houses and street lights and parks. We use light to make things beautiful and meaningful. So as we come to these significant times as a church in the next few weeks, let's let our hearts be drawn to the reason for it all, the divine Light of the world.

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

PS - Would you like to be baptized on December 31st? It's not too late... Click here.

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This Sunday...

Come to Worship: Bow Your Knees

Matthew paints a picture for us of dignitaries bowing before a child. Bowing is not exactly a normal thing to do in our culture, so it may be hard for us to understand. Imagine bowing to that 2-year-old kid that you know. Feels wrong, doesn't it? What is it about us that is fundamentally unyielding? Is this low posture a reasonable response to what we find in the manger? Join us on Sunday. Come and Worship.

- Bjorn

You can also follow along with the message on YouVersion. Here's the link.

The Magnificat (a moment of pause in the rush)

There is a beautiful passage of scripture that is embedded in the Christmas story that is traditionally referred to as the Magnificat. Magnificat anima mea Dominum is Latin for the first phrase Mary's song that we find in Luke 1:46-55 - "My soul magnifies the Lord." I always find it so beautiful because even though Mary was young and had been asked to do something very difficult, she was overwhelmed by the goodness of God and trusted Him so completely. The Magnificat always reminds me that even if the world around us doesn't see how God is moving, those who are open and listening will not only recognize Him, they will be amazed at how He unfolds His plan.

As we continue to journey toward December 25th with the anticipation and expectation of Christmas in our hearts, I want to invite you to take some time to meditate on Mary's song of worship. Consider all of the longing and waiting of the Jewish people as they looked for their promised Messiah and ask yourself how much your heart longs to see the Lord, today and when He returns. Listen for how He fulfills His promises and be reminded that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

Looking forward to coming to worship with you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

LUKE 1:46-55 (from The Message paraphrase)

Mary said,
"I'm bursting with God-news; I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened -
I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now."

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This Sunday...

Come to Worship: Pour Out Your Heart

Erin is continuing our series by reminding us that worship is expression of our hearts. God is our safe place in every season and every circumstances. We're going to take some time to remember His faithfulness in the past and that He can be trusted with our future.

You can also follow along with the message on YouVersion. Here's the link.

A Practical Way to Say "Merry Christmas" (this one is about underwear and socks!)

In December, we want to get really practical. I mean really practical. We want to share the hope, joy, love and peace of Christmas with our community in a way that meets an honest need in our city. Erin had a conversation with Ray of Hope several weeks ago to find out how our church could bless those that they help each day. I'm excited about responding to this need! I can't wait for the Ray of Hope Christmas tree in our lobby to be overflowing! I'll let Erin tell you about it. I'm going to add a few things to my shopping list. :)

- Pastor Tracy

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Sometimes sharing our faith and reaching our communities comes in the form of meeting the needs of others. 

The always-practical book of James reminds us that we are to be not only people of words but people of action. James 2:14-17 says, 

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, 'Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well' - but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."

This month we are going to be people of action by collecting new men's socks and underwear for Ray of Hope. It is such a simple thing but it carries a huge impact.

When I contacted Ray of Hope to see if there was a need we could meet the answer was immediate - men's underwear. But there was hesitation in the woman's voice and she said, "I know some people might not be comfortable collecting men's underwear." My immediate response was that Freedom Church is full of practical people that are happy to meet the needs of others in practical ways!

Our Christmas tree in the lobby has been decorated with socks and underwear. We invite you to bring in a donation of these items any time during the month of December and put underneath the tree! Let's follow the instructions in the book of James and put our faith into action by meeting practical needs!

Erin Jamieson
Community Ministries Director

PS - Ray of Hope has requested socks and underwear for MEN ONLY. 

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FLYER ALERT
Here are some places you can find men's socks and underwear on sale this week:

Giant Tiger ($10/3-Pack of Boxer Briefs)
Walmart (always a great prices on these items)

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This Sunday...

Come to Worship: Bring Your Gifts

This week we're going back to Matthew's gospel account of the Incarnation to find other ways that worship is central to the Christmas story. Of course, when we think of the nativity and gifts our minds immediately think of the Wisemen with their gold, frankincense and myrrh. How about us? Even as you cross items off of your Christmas list, we're going back 2000 years to talk about how worship instructs our giving. I'm looking forward to Sunday!

- Pastor Tracy

You can also follow along with the message on YouVersion. Here's the link.

An Invitation for Invitation (our celebration of Advent begins!)

- Erin Jamieson, Community Ministries Director

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This Sunday...

Come to Worship: Lift Your Hands

Sunday marks the beginning of our celebration of Advent, a season of expectation and anticipation. We're going to take the time to look back at the first Christmas and talk about how the miracle of the Incarnation brought a common response: worship. From ordinary people to the heavenly host, worship is what happens when the mystery and beauty of Christmas are revealed. 

We're going to look at our own worship response to the coming of Jesus as we celebrate Advent together. I'm looking forward to every Sunday of this series! 

Pastor Tracy

You can also follow along with the message on YouVersion. Here's the link.