It's September 1st!Hi friends, welcome to a month of new beginnings - a new school year, a new ministry year, the start of fall and the opening of training camp for the Oilers (Let's Go Oilers...might this be the year?!). There’s so much to anticipate and so much possibility in all that's represented by today's date. If you're already informed, pardon the repetition, but just in case you're unaware, tomorrow's new beginning is Church at 6, our new Saturday gathering start time with full Kids Ministry programming. If you're a Saturday regular, we hope you’ll embrace the earlier start with expanded post-service time to linger and connect. And for those with little ones, we hope this better serves the rhythms of your family. Stay tuned for a few extras in and around the Saturday night environment as the fall unfolds. This weekend’s teaching will include a last look back at the past year of ministry and a reminder of the ‘3 P’s’ we articulated in June. More importantly, I want to preview what you can look forward to in the coming months. I’m optimistic heading into the fall and looking forward to inviting your participation in what’s on tap. Hope to see you in person or online.Greg Hochhalter | Lead Pastor Our Saturday Night Service time is changing! Our Sunday 10 am service continues to grow. To help make room, we will be moving our service time on Saturdays to 6 pm and ask you to consider attending:Saturday, Church at 6. Why? This will open up room for our growing Sunday attendance and help to accommodate families with young children who may need an earlier bedtime on Saturday. An earlier time will also provide an opportunity for connecting more after the service.When? Starting September 2, 2023Will there be kids programming? Yes! We are welcoming back Nursery, available for children ages 0-2, and complete Kids Ministry programming for children ages 3 to Grade 6 on Saturday nights. If you are considering making this switch, we ask you to register and commit to attending Church at 6 for the fall. This will help us build a robust Saturday night church community and to help with the planning for Kids Ministry. Any questions about Church at 6? Please email us at connect@spac.ca.Join the Saturday night serving teams here. Calling all Seniors! Welcome back from our summer break. Come and enjoy refreshments and conversation, and be inspired by the ways that you can be involved in church.Registration is requested.Oftentimes, grief is so overwhelming we wonder if we'll ever find a way out. Know you don't need to grieve the loss of a loved one alone. Find support, comfort, and community with others who have experienced bereavement and discover how God can give you peace and hope through your grieving. GriefShare is a 13-week program designed to help you face these challenges and move toward rebuilding your life. Each session is “self-contained,” but we will be closing registration after 4 sessions.Cost for the workbook is $35.00. There are many different types of support groups starting up this fall. To learn more, please see spac.ca/groupfinder.Groups Open HouseIn September, we will hear a lot about Group life at Sherwood Park Alliance Church and invite you to consider joining in. There are various types of groups to choose from: Life Groups, Medium Size Groups and Support Groups. On the September 23/24 weekend, we will host a Groups Open House to learn more about how you can find a group to belong to.An easy introduction to group life is by joining our Connections—a 6-week journey with others in a medium-sized setting. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a meal, meet others, talk about faith through our sermon series, and pray for each other. Connections is a quick and simple way to find community!For more information on how you can get connected, please get in touch with groups@spac.ca.Our semi-annual Clothing Exchange is just around the corner! This a large event that serves our community in a meaningful way. You do not need to donate to attend, and everything is free.If you have items to donate, they can be dropped off starting at 4 pm on September 29 through to 11 am on September 30.All clothing must be washed and clean. 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 goodsIf you are able to help out at this event, please register. Thank you! In The Know at SPAC! Another place to stay In The Know and connected is to follow our social media accounts! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Feel free to give us a follow, a subscribe, a like, and a share!