Hey Church, I’m deep in the middle of getting this weekend’s message together. Zechariah and his eight dreams are proving to be some heavy lifting! If you have read ahead (or are planning on doing so), don’t get discouraged or too confused. I’m hoping to be able to unpack a bit of the ambiguity here, but mainly, I plan to point us toward the end of the book, as Zechariah provides for us some of the best pictures we have in the Old Testament, looking towards the Easter narrative. I continue to be amazed (and hope you are too) at how God orchestrated his story through these human authors who wrote hundreds of years ahead of the most significant events for the church. This is our last weekend of this series, and it is the perfect point ahead to next weekend(Easter Weekend). I hope you are already planning to join us; we have three unique services over three days and four services to take in the full story of Easter. And while I know it is a big ask to invite you to take in all three services (Friday, Saturday, and one of the Sunday expressions) in person, I’d love for you to catch the ones you are not here for online. Good Friday is only good, in light of Easter Sunday, Holy Saturday perfectly answers the question, “what do we do in the waiting” each of these expressions re-tells the story and reminds us of our story in ways that are unique and each important. Our teams are ready to host you next week, and I’d encourage you to think about who you are bringing along to hear these stories of hope and promise. See you soon! Brody Jespersen | Senior Associate PastorEaster at Sherwood Park Alliance Church On Easter weekend, we will journey through three unique gatherings to end the Holy Week. We will recognize the most significant event in religious history, the driving force for the birth of Christ’s church. Each day will offer a different experience as we journey together from the sorrow and remembrance of Good Friday (Communion will be served), the waiting in Holy Saturday and the celebration of Easter Sunday! We would love for you to join us online or in person for one or all days! For more information and service times, please see here. Easter Serving Opportunity Our team here at church is busy preparing for this special Easter Weekend, and we would like to invite you to join us! There are various ways you can help and be a part of the Easter services! Please see spac.ca/easterserve for more information or contact our Hospitality team at [email protected]. Congregational Update Over the last three weeks, Pastor Greg has sat down with members of our Executive Lead Team (Pastor Brody, Pastor Jeremy & Pastor Dwayne) to have a conversation about what’s going on in and around our church. Your leaders are evaluating, discerning, thinking, and planning for next fall and beyond, and thought it would be a good time to discuss some things about the current reality and how our world and church have changed. To watch these conversations, please see here to stay in the know.Baptism - Is It Time? If you’ve been considering baptism as your next step in faith, or you want to know what baptism is or why baptism is an essential next step in a believer's life – then we want to invite you out to one of our Baptism Prep Classes. Here, we’ll help walk you through understanding what baptism means, why this next step is an essential part of your faith journey, and the significant value it has behind your story with Jesus. Baptism Prep Classes will be offered after each service on April 1 and 2. If you'd like to do an online version, it will be held Sunday, April 2, at 1 pm. When you register, you'll receive a Zoom link. Our next baptism services are scheduled for Easter weekend.Mentally Strong - How to Avoid Career Burnout There is a high prevalence of Mental Health problems being reported by caring professionals, such as symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychological trauma, insomnia or poor sleep quality, workplace burnout and fatigue, and distress. Join Dr. Shawn Reynolds and Sheree Rankin on April 13 at 7 pm to hear stories and receive practical tools to implement that will help build resilience and provide hope and strength for your journey. Registration is requested.Clothing Exchange Bring what you've outgrown and take what you need! Items can be dropped off from 4 pm on April 21 to 11 am on April 22. -All clothing must be washed and cleaned. -Items accepting: Men, women and children's clothing, footwear, belts, purses, small household items, small children's toys, and books -Items not accepted: Car seats, sports equipment, helmets, furniture, damaged goods You do not need to donate to attend, and everything is free. Are you interested in volunteering? Sign up today!Groups Open House Groups matter because they invite you into a place of deep community where you are known, loved and encouraged to grow in your walk with Jesus. We know community begins when we move from sitting in rows to doing life in circles together. On April 22 & 23, immediately after the service, we want to invite you to our Groups Open House hosted in the atrium, where we want to help you journey into deep community. Groups Groups are a gathering of people from all walks of life where you are invited into a place of deep community, where you can be known, loved, and encouraged to grow in your walk with Jesus. For more information on how you can get connected, please contact [email protected].