Christmas Eve Reflection

In this short Christmas Eve reflection, Pastor John reflects on snow, uncontrollability and Simeon’s proclamation of praise from Luke 2:25-32. Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Advent Week 4 - Prince of Peace // Luke 2:8-14

In our fourth week of Advent, we explore two of the descriptors of Jesus spoken by the angel in the Christmas narrative: that Jesus is Saviour and that Jesus brings peace. As we place the word Saviour within the Biblical story of Shalom, we see how dangerous the angel’s proclamation was to it’s early listeners and are invited to join the Prince of Peace as a peacemaker. Originally preached December 18, 2022.

Advent Week 3 - Zechariah Our Teacher // Luke 1:67-79

We continue in our Christmas preparation by looking at the prophetic words of Zechariah from Luke. We learn about Zechariah’s prophetic perspective which reminds us that God is arriving, Jesus is redeeming and the Spirit is guiding. Originally preached December 11, 2022.

Advent Week 2 - The Possibility of Joy in the Darkness // Luke 1:46-55

Understandably, for both modern and ancient hearers, the virgin birth is an impossibility that keeps some of us from digging into God’s story. Interestingly, Luke highlights the impossibility as a feature and not a bug, an invitation to bring our questions and skepticism to the story of God. The impossibility also sets up Mary’s song, the Magnificat, where we learn about the possibility of joy in the darkness. Originally preached December 4, 2022.

Advent Week 1 - Naming the Darkness // Luke 1:5-7

As we begin our Advent series this year, we explore the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, faithful servants of God experiencing the darkness of the world, who teach us how to wait and live in tension of darkness and hope. We who live after the incarnation but before the resurrection, are also invited to take up the call of prophetic lament while living in the hope of the second Advent of Jesus. Originally preached November 27, 2022.

Christ the King Sunday // Col 1:15-20

We were honoured to have Rev. Shel Boese from Pilgrim Church teach us on Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of the Church calendar. Shel teaches from Colossians 1:15-20, an early Christ poem, which emphasizes Christ as true King, the center of all creation and the very image of God. Originally preached November 20, 2022.

Galatians: Centered on Jesus - Series Wrap

In this, our final teaching in an eighteen week series, we recap some of the most important ideas in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. We see that Paul invites the Galatian church and us from being bounded or fuzzy to becoming centered on Jesus. Originally preached Nov 13, 2022.

What do we boast in: the balloon dog or the cross? // Galatians 6:12-15

This week, we look at the final paragraphs of Galatians where Paul contrasts two kinds of boasting: in the flesh or in the cross. Through exploring and contrasting the artwork of Jeff Koons and Matthias Grünewald we learn about God’s vision for overcoming darkness through sacrificial love and the invitation to join Jesus in the pattern of dying and rising. This is the 17th sermon in our series on Galatians and was originally preached Nov 6, 2022.

The Spirit and The Good Life // Galatians 6:7-10

In our sixteenth week of our Centered on Jesus series, we look at Galatians 6:7-10. Mitch Claassen teaches through the passage and we learn how our obedience to the Spirit is revealed by our attentiveness to the good. Originally preached October 30, 2022.

The Spirit and The New Family

This week we were blessed to have Ryan Guerra join us to teach from Galatians 6:1-5. Starting with the problem with team building Ryan shares Paul’s encouragements to share burdens and bear burdens in the power of the Holy Spirit. We apologize for the poor audio quality. Originally preached October 23, 2022.

The Spirit and the Battle // Galatians 5:16-24

We continue with our thirteenth week in Galatians exploring the works of the flesh vs. the fruit of the Spirit. In this teaching we'll learn why this teaching is so central to what it means to be a Jesus centered community. Preached Oct 9, 2022.

The Spirit and Freedom // Galatians 5:1-6, 13

What does it mean to be free? This week, Paul shares how both bounded and fuzzy churches lead us to be stuck rather than free. Jesus, on the other hand, frees us and redefines freedom, which can be practiced through His Spirit in hope and serving one another. This is the third sermon in the second part of our series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians and was originally preached October 2, 2022. We apologize for the poor audio quality.

The Spirit and Our Identity in the Family of God // Galatians 4:4-7

This week, we resumed our study in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. As we transition from big ideas (grace, Jesus-centered, community hermeneutic) to practical ethics, we learn the Spirit of God draws us into the family of God through adoption, as children and as heirs. Preached Sept 25, 2022.

An Evening with Frances Carlick - Part 2 - Q&R

In part 2 of the audio from our evening with residential school survivor and Jesus follower, Frances Carlick. Frances and her pastors from Vancouver Eastside Vineyard Church, Gordie and Kathleen Lagore, respond to audience questions. Recorded September 18, 2022.

An Evening With Frances Carlick - Part 1

Residential school survivor and follower of Jesus, Frances Carlick, shares her story of abuse, hope, faith and reconciliation at an event hosted at the Chapel on September 18, 2022.

A Jesus Centered Community // Matthew 10:2-4

What kind of community did Jesus build? What kind of community are we building in this church? This week we are reminded of one of the big ideas from the first half of the Galatians series: a Jesus-Centered community. Building on the work of Paul Hiebert, we look at Jesus’ choosing of the disciples as an example of building community that isn’t bounded or fuzzy, but centered on Him. Originally preached September 18, 2022.

Our Family DNA

In this teaching, John Hau talks about the DNA of our church family from Acts 19. We learn how God invites us to be a family that loves the city, is centered on Jesus, and transformed by God’s Spirit. Preached September 11, 2022.

Taking Part in the Community of God

In this final teaching of our summer series on the Rule of Life, Mitch Claassen reminds of us the importance of being part of the family of God to grow into the people of God. By giving us a vision for the church in the story of God, showing us God’s initiative for the start of the church, and addressing misunderstandings, Mitch invites into this sacred life together. Originally preached September 4, 2022.

Generous Living

This week, Brad Sumner, pastor of Jericho Ridge Church, teaches on living generously from Proverbs 11:25. Brad reminds us of the radical, merciful, consistent, and indiscriminate love of God which invites us to become generous followers of Jesus. This teaching is the seventh in our Summer Rule of Life series and was preached Aug 28, 2022.

Spiritual Direction

In this teaching, Gordie Lagore, pastor of Vancouver Eastside Vineyard Church, shares about the practice of spiritual direction. Sharing from his own story and several Biblical passages, Gordie explains that we need others to help us discern and be attentive to God's working in our life and sharing the good news with our neighbours. This teaching is the sixth in our Summer Rule of Life series and was preached Aug 21, 2022.