Come as you are.

It’s a natural  part of aging that we lose between 3-8% of muscle mass beginning around age 40.  This process of losing muscle and strength is called sarcopenia. By the time we are 80 years old, and without intervention, we can lose between 30-50% of our muscle mass. However the good news is that there are things we can do to maintain and even build muscle as we age!  Lifting weights, daily walks and increasing our protein intake are among the strategies we can use to continue to be strong and resilient as we age. Without these interventions, we are more likely to fall, be at risk for diabetes, experience bone less and reduced immunity.

Do you know that the same is true of our spiritual muscles? Without practicing some discipline in our faith practices, we make ourselves more vulnerable to trials and temptations. If we are not steeped in God’s word and fortified by prayer, worship and service we are more likely to fall for the lies and deceptions of this world and its secular gods.

Join us this Sunday as we consider our spiritual workouts as we read the words of the Apostle Paul to his young apprentice Timothy.

To prepare, please read:  1 Timothy 4:1-16 and James 1:2-18.

And please don’t forget to put your clocks back one hour before bed on November 1st! 

This Sunday we will conclude our sermon series called: “How to Achieve Financial Freedom.”

So I’m wondering…what financial advice have you given your children, grandchildren, friends?  The Apostle Paul gives some advice to his younger apprentice Timothy in the Books of 1 and 2 Timothy.  Among his instructions is this:  “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”  Hmmm..what did he mean?  And how might this relate to the question we’ve been asking ourselves throughout this series which is this:  “Am I the master of my money, or does my money master me?”

To prepare, please read: Proverbs 11:24-28, Psalm 112 and 1 Timothy 6:6-19

This Sunday we will continue our sermon series called :  “How to Achieve Financial Freedom.”

We all believe that being generous is important,.  We may give to our local hospital to buy a piece of life-saving equipment, we may buy some girl guide cookies at their stand outside the grocery store, we may  designate monies in our will to be dispensed to charities when we die.  But how do we decide how much to give?  And how does God evaluate our giving?  These are good questions that we will explore as we strive to master our money rather than have our money master us — which is true financial freedom!

To prepare, please read:  2 Corinthians 8:1-5 & 9:6-15 and Mark 12:38-44

This Sunday our own Eric Prugh will lead this Thanksgiving service. We hope his message will enrich you.

To prepare, please read: Psalm 98: 1-4; Isaiah 12:1-6; Philippians 4:4-9; and Luke 17:11-19

This Sunday we will continue our sermon series: How to Achieve Financial Freedom and consider what Jesus says about where we should invest our treasure for the best return on investment.

Perhaps you feel you lack the education, the investment savvy, or even a big enough “nest egg” to begin investing. Yet what if I told you that no special credentials or knowledge is needed to become financially secure. Its true — we just need to master one key thing. Join us on Sunday to find out what that is, and what Jesus had to say about it.

This Sunday, I will begin a new sermon series called “How to Achieve Financial Freedom.” What does financial freedom mean for you? Having no debt? Being able to retire without financial worry? Fulfilling some dreams?

There are likely as many definitions of financial freedom as there are people! In this series we will explore what God has to say about money and how we are to use it. Whenever we begin a new sermon series it is a great time to invite your friends and family to join us for worship — after all, everybody has a relationship with money. So I encourage you to bring someone to hear these messages. I guarantee it will get you to thinking about money in a whole new way.

Each Sunday in this series we’ll have a “fill-in-the-blank” sermon series outline. This will help you to remember and apply the teaching long past Sunday morning. So be sure to bring a pen or pencil with you, and perhaps a hard surface to write on.

To prepare please read Deuteronomy 8:1-18 and Psalm 111.

This Sunday Gordon Forbes will preach and lead worship at St. Paul’s.  Please be sure to be here Sunday as he has picked an excellent topic on which to preach.  His message is entitled:  “Life is what happens…(when you’re making other plans.)

To prepare, please read: Exodus 3:1-14, Matthew 4:18-22 and Acts 9:1-6

This Sunday we will conclude our “Heroes of the Faith” sermon series by studying the story of Queen Esther. As I mentioned above, we often feel powerless in the midst of life’s events. That was certainly the experience of Esther. She was born a Jew in the nation of Persia. As such, she lived as a “tolerated minority” in a wider culture. Add to that, she was an orphan who was raised by her cousin Mordecai, and then finally, she was woman, living in a patriarchal society. She did not enjoy so many of the rights and freedoms that women have today.

So when she is “rounded up” with countless other young woman to go and live in the palace of King Xerxes, she has no choice but to go along. However God showed her favour and she finds herself chosen to be the new Queen. However shortly after she learns of a plot to kill all the Jews living in Persia. Her cousin Mordecai urges her to speak to the King and plead for mercy on behalf of the people. But court rules dictate that she must be summoned to appear before the King — she risks death by initiating contact. What will she do? Is she as powerless as she thinks she is?

Join us this Sunday to find out…and the lessons in the story for us today!

To prepare, please read: Esther 3 and 4. Don’t forget — there will be a quiz!

This Sunday we continue with Part Three of our sermon series called “Heroes of the Faith.” we will be focusing on Lydia.

To prepare, please read: Acts 16:11-40.