Behold - A Christmas Message

As we gathered for a Christmas Eve service, we focused on the word “behold” which occurs several times in Luke’s Gospel. Merry Christmas! Recorded December 24, 2023.

Judgement or Mercy? // Genesis 3

This week, we end our fall series in Genesis 2 and 3 with a focus on the character of Yahweh Elohim. How will Yahweh Elohim respond to human failure - with justice or mercy? Recorded December 19, 2023.

The Consequences - Part 2 // Genesis 3:16

This week, we continue on in our study of Genesis 2 + 3 as we take a final look at the consequences from God’s poem in Genesis 3. By hopping around Genesis 3 and its surrounding narratives, we learn how power struggles between humans, specifically between men and women will sadly become the new normal in a world of sin. Recorded December 10, 2023.

Things Fall Apart // Genesis 3:8-13

As Advent begins, we continue on in our study of Genesis 2+3 by looking at the conversation between God and the humans who failed the test. As we watch things fall apart between humans and God, humans and each other, and humans and the created world, we learn to wait in the darkness and hope for a King who will come and bring light. Recorded December 3, 2023.

The Consequences - Part 1 // Genesis 3:16-19

This week, we continue in our study of Genesis 2 and 3 by focusing on the consequences for the man and woman in God’s poem. We see how God intensifies the natural consequence of following the snake, how that spills out onto the woman, the man and all of us today. Recorded November 26, 2023.

The Test // Genesis 3:1-7

This week, we reach the pinnacle of the theme of testing where the humans are faced with the snake at the tree in Genesis 3. As we walk through verses 1-7 together, we learn the nature of testing, how to read the Bible, and the importance of placing our desires in Yahweh Elohim. Recorded November 12, 2023.

The Snake // Genesis 3:1

We continue in our series in Genesis 2+3 looking at the theme of the test. This week, we deep dive into the character of the snake, a powerful creature who chooses to become a chaos monster, and receive the challenge to see our world as a spiritual place. Recorded November 5, 2023.

The Tree of Testing // Genesis 2:8-17

As we continue in our series on Genesis 2-3, we now move from the description of the humans to the exploring the theme of testing. In this teaching, we look at two ways the tree was a test for the original hearers of this story and how it may apply in fresh ways for us listening today. Recorded October 29, 2023.

What it Means to be Human Part 3 // Genesis 2:18-25

We continue our study of Genesis 2 and 3 and our exploration of what it means to be human. In this teaching, we explore the identity of humans as partners with God and one another, and what this means in a city known for it's loneliness. Recorded October 22, 2023.

What it Means to Be Human - Part 2 // Genesis 2:4-19

In this teaching, we build on the idea from Genesis 2:7 that we are dust and divine breath. This week, we focus on our commonality with creation in our shared dust heritage and what it means that God calls us to serve and keep this world. Originally recorded October 15, 2023.

What it Means to be Human Part 1 // Genesis 2:7

This week, we continue our study of Genesis 2-3 by looking at verse 7, which describes the human as dirt and divine breath. While, on one hand, this is an amazingly simple definition, it has huge implications for our identities, our bodies and our contingencies. Re-recorded October 8, 2023.

What Is This? // Genesis 2:4-8

When exploring the first few chapters of Genesis, we’re confronted with many questions as modern readers. This week, we look at what the authors may have been trying to communicate through this ancient literature and how it invites us into the rest of the story of God. This is the second sermon in this series, originally recorded September 24, 2023. Unfortunately, the first sermon was not recorded.

Hospitality - Rule of Life Summer 2023 // Luke 19:1-10

This week we conclude our summer series on the Rule of Life by learning about hospitality. From the story of Zacchaeus, Gareth Jones teaches us about the definitions of hospitality, the stranger and our home to learn to welcome from the story of Jesus. Originally recorded September 3, 2023.

Creating a Rule of Life - Rule of Life Summer 2023 // Ephesians 4:1-24

Throughout the summer we've been hearing about various spiritual practices, but how do we put it all together? This week, we learn what the vision is for our lives and community, we spend some time discerning what our current rule of life is and how we might join God with our effort and energy through stopping and starting spiritual practices. Recorded August 20, 2023.

The Critical Journey Stages of Faith - Rule of Life Summer 2023

Do you feel stuck or have you experienced a loss of faith? Do you need another way of looking at the journey of life and God? This week, Rev. Shel Boese helps us explore the stages of faith on the spiritual journey as adapted from J. Hagberg and R. Guelich's Critical Journey. 1 Sam 17:32,45-47 , Luke 18:14-17, Prov. 1:7.

Originally recorded August 13, 2023.

Prayer - Rule of Life Summer 2023 // John 17:1-18

We continue to learn about spiritual practices that make up our Rule of Life by looking at Jesus’ longest prayer in John 17:1-18. Through a mix of teaching and reflection, Karli Baldwin invites us to note the blessings and battles of Jesus. The video shown at 19:01, which we weren't able to capture the audio from, can be seen here.

Originally recorded August 8, 2023.

Reconciliation - Rule of Life Summer 2023 // 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

This week, we were invited to consider the spiritual practice of reconciliation through guest speakers, Gordie Lagore and Frances Carlick. Gordie shared how the church community of Vancouver Eastside Vineyard Church learned to partner with God in reconciliation with communities of Lower Post, BC. Recorded July 31, 2023 - we apologize for the poor sound quality.

Teach Us To Pray - Rule of Life Summer 2023 // Luke 11:1-4

This week we begin our annual summer Rule of Life series as we teach and explore practices that help us become people that look like Jesus. Teaching from The Lord’s Prayer in the gospel of Luke, Pastor Mitch Claassen encourages us to see how a life of prayer modelled by Jesus satisfies our deepest longings and allows us to be refreshed in our identities and the vision of what God is doing in the world. Originally recorded July 16, 2023.

Extension of the Table for Mission - Part 2 // Luke 10:1-9

In the final teaching in our series on extending the table, we return to Luke 10 to learn how Jesus sends his disciples. In this message, we learn about the character that we are to have as guests and how God invites us to communicate about his kingdom in both action and word. Recorded July 9, 2023.

Extension of the Table for Mission // Luke 10:1-9

This week, we focus on the third and final table - the half circle of mission in the world - as we continue on in our series on the extension of God’s presence through the table. In this teaching, we begin to look at Jesus’ invitation to mission in Luke 10 by focusing on the calling and context of mission. This is the first in a two part teaching and was recorded July 2, 2023.