Sacred Practices: Sabbath Resistance

Happy Friday Church Family,

I hope you can be with us online or in-person Saturday or Sunday as we wrap up our initial Sacred Practice emphasis – this one on the Sabbath. I’ve had considerable feedback from the last couple of weekends, much of it good!

And I’ve had some questions. Questions like: “Does Sabbath have to be a full day? Or can it just be an afternoon or evening? Can I shop, mow the lawn or work in the garden, or eat in a restaurant on the Sabbath?” And from more than one of you, this biggie: “Is it okay to watch football on the Sabbath?”

This weekend I’ll tie up some loose ends and try to provide some biblical and practical wisdom for questions like these. And I’ll walk you through one more challenging text from the Old Testament which urges us incorporate rest and delight into the rhythm of our lives. If you haven’t checked out the series resources we’ve curated for individuals, groups, and families – click and explore. You’ll be glad you did.

Take care and be well,

Greg Hochhalter | Lead Pastor

Did you know...

...that we have a prayer room?  It is located by the back east entrance beside the fireside room.  This room is open for you to use after weekend services or throughout the week.

You will find a nice, quiet space to pray with some resources there.

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 House

In 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.

Pizza with the Pastor

If you are new or feel new, join us to learn more about our church. Discover how to get connected and enjoy the opportunity to meet others.

Pizza with the Pastor is a regular event we hold as a way for you to meet others who are new(er), as well as some of the pastoral team. 

The next Pizza with the Pastor will be held on September 24 at 11:15 am, and we would love for you to join us!  For more info and to register, please see here.

For many of us, grief is a deeply painful, lonely, and isolating experience. When someone we care about dies or we go through any other 43 forms of loss, we often feel unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with our emotions and the journey ahead.

Sadly, we haven't been taught the information on how to navigate our grief in a healthy and meaningful way. Instead, we are told, "keep busy," "be strong," and "wait for time to pass”. Many intellectual messages we hear are not emotionally helpful and further isolate us from our fear and pain.

Join us on September 26 to learn from Guest Presenter Ashley Mielke, psychologist and founder of the Grief and Trauma Healing Center, as she helps us better understand grief and how we can best support others after any loss.

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 goods

If 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!