Hi Church Family,

I’m sitting in the library working on the message for this weekend and I’m really looking forward to sharing it with you! Today as I write this, it is Ash Wednesday, the day millions of Christians around the world mark the beginning of the journey towards Easter. For many this is a time to be extra intentional about faith and about preparing to mark and celebrate this most important date on the Christian calendar. 

You might be saying…Easter?…there’s so much going on in our world and in my own life right now and I’m barely keeping my head up….I don’t have time to think about Easter! I completely understand. There’s a ton of chaos and uncertainty but we have a God who specializes in calming storms and ordering chaos. 

Over the next 6 weekends as we walk through the gospel of Mark together our dream, our hope, our prayer is that you experience, in a fresh new way, the One who wants to be with us in the storm. The one who says...Peace—Be still… and the One who promises to guide us through the storm to the other side. 

I really hope you can engage this weekend either in-person or online. We need each other more than ever.

Kindly, Rita Penner 

PS: We continue to follow provincial health regulations so this weekend masks are optional. Please do whatever you feel most comfortable with. You are so welcome with or without a mask.

There is no manual for raising kids, but God has given us something far better—the Holy Spirit and community. Child Dedication is a way to acknowledge our dependence on the Holy Spirit as we do our best to be an example, and lead our children in a relationship with Jesus.

Register at spac.ca/childdedication before March 6th to have your child dedicated during one of our March 26th or 27th services.

"The public weekend gathering is no longer the front door - the digital presence and online experience of church is overwhelmingly our first point of connection with the spiritually curious, and an essential method for initiating and fostering discipling relationships within our congregation. Streaming online is more than a broadcast - it's a platform with which to nuture meaningful connections with online viewers.

The hybrid church is the new normal.

To help support this new normal, we are launching an Online Ministry Enhancement campaign. For more information please see spac.ca/online!

We are called to make disciples of Jesus... to love God and to love others and membership is a commitment to help create, lead and resource our ministry environments. If you believe in what God is doing at Sherwood Park Alliance Church, take your next step — be a part of the team. If you would like to learn more about what it means to be a member of Sherwood Park Alliance, register for the upcoming Membership Class on March 15, 2022. 

Board of Elders Update

Recently the Sherwood Park Alliance Board of Elders elected the following individuals to serve as officers: Trent Forsberg, Board Chair; Grace Albers, Vice Chair; Randy Liedtke, Secretary; Manny Schmidt, Treasurer. In addition, Jonathan Stephenson anad Kyla Loewen were named Representative to the SCA Society Board with Rudy Froese and Al Schuld appointed to serve as members of the Nominating Committee. Please pray for these leaders as they seek to wisely guide our congregation this year! If you wish to communicate with the Board for any reason, you may reach them at the following email address: elders@spac.ca.

Ukraine Refugee Ministry

As of February 28, over 300,000 Ukrainians have fled across the Polish border. In response to this urgent situation the Christian & Missionary Alliance in Canada has connected with The Church of Christ in Poland. As refugees from Ukraine flood into Poland, church buildings, church camps and private homes are being used to welcome them. Currently the Polish people are giving all they can to help. However there is a need for additional funding to supply food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. For more information on how you can help, please see the Global Emergency Response.