This Sunday all remaining restrictions come off.

That means *no masking required,* *no more physical distancing and and
capacity limits are removed. *Of course, if anyone chooses to continue
wearing a mask, they are welcome to do so, however no one will be required
to – that has been lifted.

We invite you all to join us. Pastor Mike will be leading worship and I
will be speaking on Philippians 3:12-14.

In addition, for those who would like to join us, coffee and a cookie will
be provided outside in the parking lot starting at 9:30. Feel free to come
by early and grab a java with us.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me or Pastor Mike.

God bless,

Pastor Dave

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Hey everyone!

I hope you enjoyed your Canada Day, whatever you decided to do. We spent a
good chunk of the day at the pool, which felt very, very nice yesterday
afternoon. The next couple of days are going to be just as hot, so do what
you need to do to stay safe and cool.

This Sunday we are going to be doing something a bit different. It may very
well be the last service we have under these stringent covid restrictions.
We are hopefully putting the worst of covid behind us for good. Starting
July 11th capacity limits and physical distancing will be removed and
masking will no longer be required. So this Sunday, July 4th, will be our
last service with these restrictions.

So what does a person do when there is one more Sunday with restrictions?
As Pastor Mike and I talked this week, we felt like we needed to “mark” the
occasion and do something a little different. So, we are going to have some
open mic time during the service and we’d like to get you to share a few of
your thoughts. It will be a time of grieving what we have lost over the
last 16 months, a time of encouragement as we reflect on what God has
taught us through this time and a time to hope for what will happen in the
days ahead! I’d like you to come prepared to share on one or all of these
questions.

– What has the last 16 months of covid taken from you? What have you
missed? What has been lost?
– How have you grown in your faith over the last 16 months? What has God
been saying to you? How have you been strengthened by this hardship?
– What do you hope the future will bring for us as a church? Where do
you think God will lead us in the future?

Please do your best to think about these questions and come prepared to
share.

On June 26th, my family and I attended a vigil being held at Cowessess. It
was a sobering and powerful event. I felt very privileged to be able to
listen. One of the speakers, a councilor from Cowessess, shared his
experience at residential schools. He said something at the end of his talk
that has really stuck with me. He said, “It is possible to hurt and to hope
at the same time.”

He was of course talking about the aftermath of residential schools, but
his words can be applied to what we have gone through as well. Covid has
hurt us and frustrated us and divided us. It has stolen things. Ruined
things and changed some things forever. However, we have a God who is
sovereign and who cares about His Church and the Kingdom far more than we
do and who was not surprised by it all. There is absolutely Hope! There is
always Hope!

Please come and grieve with us but also come and hope with us. Hope is
actually something that we must do actively! It is not something that just
happens to us. Look at 1 Timothy 4:10:

*”That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the
living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who
believe.”*

Hope must be “put” in God. We need to do hope. Let’s do it together!

God bless,

Pastor Dave

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I had several thoughts about what I wanted to write about today, but I
can’t help but think about the news from Cowessess and the discovery of the
many indigenous children buried in unmarked graves at the former
residential school. It is tragic news that defies (at least for me) to know
what to say.

I feel sadness, remorse, anger, disbelief and confusion and more and my
mind comes up blank. I tried last night to put myself in the survivors and
parents shoes and I just can’t. Not because it’s too painful, but I just
don’t have a frame of reference… zero. I’ve been hurt and betrayed before
and have lost friends and loved ones, but this is different.

I have no idea how or if the church should respond. I have no idea how or
if I should respond as an individual. What could the church or what could I
possibly do? What would be appropriate? I don’t know!!!

The only straw I have to grasp is to listen. James 1:19 says, “Know this,
my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow
to anger;”

For now, our job is to listen. Not to judge, dismiss, try to fix, get
enraged, “have the answers,” go on a crusade etc… etc…

Just listen.

If you are reading this and have been directly or indirectly affected by
these tragedies I promise to be a listening ear. Call me. Seriously.
306-589-9020.

God bless my dear family!

Pastor Dave

*Pastor Mike’s Garage-June 17/2021*

Earlier this week I went, along with my family, to Wolseley to stand
with several hundred other people to honour the ultimate sacrifice paid by
a member of our Police service as the body of constable Patton was brought
back to the funeral home to prepare for burial. My wife had worked with him
several times in her role as Coroner for this area. While I had never met
him personally, I still found it a pretty emotional experience as many
police vehicles and other service vehicles drove by slowly lights flashing
in silence, and to see the hearse drive by. As I looked around, I saw tears
in many eyes, in men, women, children, and also in the eyes of the many
constables as they drove by, remembering their comrade and feeling the
support of the many who came out to honour him and them. I don’t mind
telling you our eyes were not dry either!

As we were standing waiting for the entourage to arrive, I thought of
the reality that constable Patton would probably be totally shocked at the
amount of nation-wide attention he was receiving. My thoughts went to fact
that early Saturday morning, as he was responding to the call, he would not
have had any idea what the day’s events would unfold. I wondered what
preoccupied his thoughts earlier that day. In my wife’s role as coroner,
she deals with many scenarios similar to this. While obviously the
particulars are different, the outcome has parallels. Whether it be a
serious health event, accident, or a senseless act of violence, it usually
involves someone getting up having no clue this day would be their last. I
often wonder what occupied their thoughts leading up to the event that
culminates in their passing. What were they excited about, what were they
worried about, what were they looking forward too, what were they stressed
about? If I was to have any idea that today was my last, how important
would many of the things that occupy my thoughts seem? What’s on your mind
today? What’s totally stressing you out or weighing you down? What are you
looking forward too or longing to achieve or acquire? If this was your last
day on this earth, how important would any of those things be?

While I don’t think totally preoccupying our thoughts with our
eventual demise would necessarily be a healthy thing, I do think it wise to
ask ourselves these questions from time to time. Pastor Dave gave me a book
awhile back to read called “Living Life Backwards” by David Gibson. It’s a
study on the book of Ecclesiastes and I wholeheartedly recommend it. It
basically focuses on the fact that because our life is brief what should we
focus on and prioritize our lives after. To quote the introduction to the
book, “Keeping the end in mind shapes how we live our lives in the here and
now. Living life backwards means taking the one thing in our future that is
certain-death-and letting that inform our journey before we get there.”
This is a message and principle applicable for every age group and
demographic!

I will close this PG by quoting a few verses from the bible along
these lines. “You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many
months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” Job 14:5 “You
saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are
your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” Psalm 139:16,17
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”
Psalm 90 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me
that my days are numbered-how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no
longer that the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to
you, at best, each of us but a breath. We are merely moving shadows, and
all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who
will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in
you.” Psalm 39:4-7

Pastor Mike

National Indigenous Peoples Day is this coming Monday on June 21, 2021. You
can read a bit more about it on this website:

www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013248/1534872397533

In light of some of the tragedies that have happened in the past (some of
them that we are just learning about now), I think it would be a fitting
day to be called to prayer as a body for our first nations brothers and
sisters and the indigenous people across Canada.

Many of them have faced and are facing very difficult situations, some of
which has been caused by or made more difficult by the church in Canada. We
are not to blame for everything, but I think we have made mistakes in the
past and there is merit and value to acknowledging it, repenting of it and
moving forward. Read Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9.

Regardless, they are a people that need our prayers. A few years ago I was
meeting with a gentleman named Ron Kaye who lived on Sakimay. He was a
strong Christian man who was saved and discipled years ago under Ron
Hooper’s ministry. I asked him once what he thought his people needed most
and how the local church could help. He quickly answered and said, “Give us
Jesus and pray that we would turn to him. There is nothing else we need!”

So let’s honor that and prayer together on June 21st that in the midst of
all the struggles and tragedies that they would find Jesus. That they would
find comfort and that they would find peace and hope. Let’s also repent for
our part and ask God that they be released from the generational damage
that has been done.

Look forward to a Pastor’s Garage from Mike later this week.

God bless,

Pastor Dave