Make some extra space for God to meet with you this season

Greetings church family:

In North Dakota where I grew up, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday made obvious the distinctions between how my Catholic friends and us Baptist's practiced our faith.

My best friend Darin went to school with an ash smudge on his forehead. He and his family ate fish on Fridays and gave up various pleasures for a period time (I remember his hand written promise taped to the refrigerator, "For 40 days I will not drink pop"). My Baptist and Pentecostal friends didn't do these things. We wrongly thought our Catholic friends believed they had to do those things in order to be saved. We believed we were saved by grace and didn't have to do any of that.

As I've matured as a person and as a Christ-follower, I have a better understanding of how and why the Lenten traditions emerged historically. I've engaged in fasts and I've given up certain luxuries in seasons past. My sense is that in a year when many of us feel like we've already given up so much, we may not be too excited about more sacrifice!

With all that said, the act of giving something up for Lent can serve as a reminder of Christ's sacrifice. Participate in that way if you wish, but I would hope and pray that at minimum there is a willingness on your part to make some extra space for God to meet with you in this season. We're six weeks from Easter, the day we celebrate and remember the game-changing event that changed history. It's time for hope. We hope for warmer days, less restrictions, vaccinations, and for resurrection power to give us exactly what we need.

God be with you these next 40 days.

Greg Hochhalter,
Lead Pastor

How does God speak to you? Last weekend, Pastor Brody encouraged us to listen to God and think about some of the ways God speaks to you. He also provided a few suggestions if listening to God's voice is a challenge for you.

1. Spend time with people who are good at it; learn from their experience

2. Slow-down: Eliminate distractions. Be still.

3. Soften-up: Is your heart open? Are you ready to hear what God is saying?

4. Practice: Experiment with different ways God may be speaking to you.

God's word is foundational. To discern when it is actually the voice of God, do the work to ensure that voice is aligned to the word of God in the Bible. Scripture is our baseline. Use wisdom along with common sense. If you missed it, or any one of the teaching series, it is available on-demand to watch or listen to at your convenience.

This weekend, Pastor Greg illustrates what a 'declaration of responsibility' looks and sounds like, when he talks about confession. Confession is a declaration of responsibility. Confession, especially any form of public, prayerful confession, has become rare among Christ following people. We complain to God about our marriages, about our bosses, neighbours, friends, and family - COVID and circumstances of all forms, but rarely to we pray 'prayers of responsibility.'

Weekend Service: Online via the website (spac.ca), YouTube and Facebook
Saturday 7 pm | Sunday 9 am & 11 am

Cultivating An Intentional Home

This Tuesday, February 23, starting at 7 pm, Mark and Marla Wiens will be discussing different ways to engage with your student in how to be more intentional in your home. During this evening Mark and Marla will focus on three areas: intentional time, intentional conversation, and intentional mission.

If you have you ever felt stuck as to how to cultivate intentional and meaningful relationships with your student or are not too sure where to even start? Register for Faith @Home where you'll have the opportunity to meet other student parents who are experiencing similar situations. By the end of the session, we hope you will leave feeling empowered and encouraged while finding community with other student parents.

Mark and Marla Wiens have attended Sherwood Park Alliance for many years and have three children ages 13-19. They have a passion for cultivating intentional relationships and spiritual disciplines in students and young adults and will be sharing some of their journey, and practical tips. It is their desire that discipleship and spiritual formation permeate every aspect of their home.

We will be meeting online. Once you register you'll receive the Zoom information.

Last night we had a blast hanging out with Gerry & Betty Matheson. Be sure to check out the video on our Facebook page to hear what they've been up to this past year! We also played a trivia game 'Battle of the Generations' where the Boomers annihilated the Millennials!

We have a unique way for you to be involved with next week's show through our Tik Tok Dance Challenge. Choose between the 'Something New', 'Blinding Lights' or 'Coincidance' Tik Tok Dance challenges and film yourself/your family attempting the dance. Keep it safe, keep it appropriate, and send in your video to general@spac.ca by Wednesday, Feb. 24 so it can be included in the show! Text any questions to 587-905-0067.

Welcome New Families!

TreeHouse Preschool is a fun place where three and four-year-old's get their first experience of going to school and learn that school is a great place to be! Our goal is to provide a quality, purposeful preschool program in a safe, welcoming environment that will engage children in the following ways.

Please email heather.spronk@spac.ca to set up an appointment either virtually or in-person. More information...