Every year at Lent, we join followers of Jesus around the world who choose to fast. What we fast from is generally different from person to person, often rooted in some kind of vice that we've identified in our life, or perhaps a prompting from the Spirit. Whatever we choose to give up, the desire is the same: to draw closer to Jesus.

[ read more about why and how to enter into a Lenten fast ]

Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, had some pointed words regarding how we fast... in particular how we let others know that we are fasting. Simply put, we are to fast in a way that doesn't draw attention to us or our suffering, but rather, draws our attention to our Father in Heaven.

In saying that, this is a blog post where some of the Redwood staff share the things they've given up (alphabetically in order of first name, with one exception). Why are we doing this?!

We're doing this because we also recognize that the life of faith that Jesus calls us to live is one of sharing, and the ways that we bear witness to the grace of God in our own lives can be an encouragment to others.

So receive this in that spirit and be encouraged, maybe even inspired, because everything shared here is the fruit of a earnest walk with the Lord; we all just want to draw closer to Jesus. May he meet us in our deprivations and strengthen us against temptations this Lenten season.

Just as we rang in the New Year, my next stop on the missional engagement front was a trip to Mishkeegogemang.

The main aim of this trip was to wrap up all the details for the Summer Camp Redwood Park Church is planning for the first week of August 2026; our first time running a camp here after an 8-year hiatus. This meant getting community leadership buy-in and support, finalizing accommodations and camp location, and meeting with the school and other community leaders to discuss how they can help promote the camp. It also offered me the opportunity to reconnect with Burning Stones Ministries - a ministry that works with Indigenous youth in northern communities - while they were also in Mish (this is the ministry that Jesse Hochstetler works with).

It was a very fruitful trip and everyone is so excited for this partnership.

So, plans have been ironed out, and now we want you to begin praying. More information about staff and volunteer needs will be coming soon from our partnership with Redwood Kids in planning this camp.

But what is a trip to Mish without bringing some needed refreshment to the Church? Our relationship with the church in Mish continues to grow. When they heard I was coming to visit, they called me and asked me to get them some water. In most places in Mish, you can’t just open the faucet and drink straight from it. The church is in one such area.

We felt it was a blessing not only to visit Mish but also to bring the gift of water. I couldn’t help but think of the story of Jesus and the woman at the well in the gospels. I wish I could say that “when you drink the water that I give you, you will not thirst again”. Unfortunately, this water will run out, but the gift of our growing friendship with this community will, we trust, continue to bring life.

May it be so.

-Samuel Sarpiya

This week we continued our series on the Sermon on the Mount by diving into the Beatitudes—Jesus' blueprint for what it means to be truly blessed in God's kingdom.

In the message, Pastor Joel shared that being "blessed" isn't about material prosperity, happiness, or worldly success. Rather, it's about being approved by God and living in sync with His kingdom values. The sermon focused especially on the first beatitude—"Blessed are the poor in spirit"—which unlocks our understanding of all the others. To be poor in spirit means approaching God with empty hands, acknowledging our spiritual poverty and absolute need for Him. This isn't a one-time confession but an ongoing spiritual discipline of repentance that positions us to receive everything God has for us.

Here are three observations to take from the message:

• Spiritual poverty is the doorway to the kingdom. We cannot earn God's favor or blessing through our achievements, education, or good works. The starting point of the Christian life—and the continual posture we must maintain—is recognizing that we bring nothing to God except our need. "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling."

• The Beatitudes build on each other progressively. After acknowledging our spiritual poverty, we mourn over our sin, demonstrate meekness in our relationships, hunger for righteousness, show mercy, pursue purity of heart, make peace, and willingly suffer persecution for Jesus' sake. Each posture and promise flows from and builds upon the one before it.

• Jesus perfectly embodies what He teaches. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the Beatitudes—meek and humble in heart, merciful, pure, a peacemaker who suffered persecution unto death. His invitation remains: "Come to me, all you who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

If you would like to do a deeper dive into the details of The Beatitudes, we encourage you to check out this excellent resource from The Bible Project:

As we continue through the Sermon on the Mount in the coming weeks, may we approach it not with self-righteousness but with hearts increasingly aware of our need for God's transforming grace.

Have you ever found yourself desperately wishing you were anywhere else but where you are? Maybe it's a job you dread, a circumstance you can't escape, or just a season of life that feels impossibly hard. We've all been there—longing for something different, something better than our current reality.

Our world today mirrors that feeling on a collective scale. We're watching grocery prices climb, housing become increasingly unaffordable, and political instability shake the foundations we once trusted. Social media algorithms feed us different realities, making it harder to know what's true. The world feels broken, unstable, uncertain. We're all longing for peace, for justice, for something—or someone—to break through the noise and make sense of it all.

This isn't a new feeling. Thousands of years ago, God's people found themselves in a similar place of desperation.

The book of Jeremiah tells the story of a people who had turned away from God, the source of light and life. They thought they were pursuing the good life, but things began to break down. Wealth accumulated for some while poverty deepened for others. Injustice and corruption grew. Without God's blessing, they had to hustle more for less, relying on unstable political alliances and worshiping man-made gods.

The prophet Jeremiah warned them: destruction was coming. The brutal empire of Babylon was rising, and they had their sights set on God's people. "Turn back to God," Jeremiah pleaded, "and He will rescue you." But the people wouldn't listen.

Babylon invaded. The temple was destroyed. The people were carried off into exile.

Only when they hit rock bottom could they finally see that the things they'd been chasing couldn't save them. Only in exile could they return to God wholeheartedly.

And it's to these exiles—fresh in their captivity, mourning everything they'd lost—that God sent a surprising message through Jeremiah.

God's letter to the exiles wasn't what they expected. He told them to build houses, plant gardens, have families. In other words: settle down. This wasn't going to be a short exile—it would last 70 years, three full generations.

But the most challenging part? God called them to "seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

Wait—God was asking them to work for, bless, and pray for Babylon? Their captors? The brutal empire that had destroyed everything they loved?

Yes. And in this unexpected call, God was inviting them to make three profound shifts in posture.

The exiles were captives, taken against their will from their ancestral land. They were second-class citizens under the thumb of a heartless empire. But God called them to live as citizens in their place of captivity—to engage with life rather than merely survive it.

This required accepting the consequences of their actions. Their exile was, in a sense, divine discipline—not cruel punishment, but the loving correction of a perfect Father who wanted to restore them. As Scripture reminds us, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Sometimes God allows us to hit rock bottom to shake us out of the things harming us and others. Perhaps it's to lift our heads so we'll finally see Him. The journey back toward healing may be long, but God doesn't ask us to walk it alone.

The exiles mourned deeply—they'd lost everything. Psalm 137 captures their grief: "By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion."

Mourning is healthy and necessary in seasons of loss. But God called them to move beyond mourning into mission. Why? Because prolonged mourning can turn into self-pity, preventing us from taking responsibility and recovering the calling God has for us.

God's call to the exiles was the same call He'd given them before: be a light to the nations. Their change in location didn't change their calling. They were still meant to be a blessing, to bring God's peace and prosperity—His justice, mercy, and compassion—to those around them.

When we bless others, something powerful happens. We stop looking inward at our own struggles and start looking upward to God and outward to others. This very act is key to recovering our calling and finding our healing.

The exiles were genuine victims of violence and oppression. But God didn't want them to remain stuck in a victim mentality. Instead, He gave them something powerful: hope for the future.

"For I know the plans I have for you," God declared, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This wasn't about material wealth or business success. God's prosperity meant His peace, justice, love, transformation, and healing—so that all could know God and enjoy Him forever.

God promised that after 70 years, He would bring them home. But these words pointed beyond that historical moment to something even greater: the coming of Jesus.

Jesus came to walk among us, to die on the cross for our sins, and to open the door for every person to enter into reconciliation with God. But even after His resurrection and ascension, we still wait—just as those exiles waited—for Jesus to come back again and finish what He started.

The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of that future: a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, gathered before God's throne. Never again will they hunger or thirst. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

This is what we're waiting for. This is our hope.

There's a famous painting by Holman Hunt called, "Light of the World" that shows Jesus knocking on a door. If you look closely at the painting you will see that there is no doorknob on the outside.

Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. He won't force His way in—there's no doorknob on the outside. We must open the door from within.

If you find yourself in your own kind of exile today—whether captive to circumstances, to your own struggles, or to the brokenness of this world—know this: Jesus is knocking. He wants to transform you from captive to citizen, from mourner to missionary, from victim to visionary.

It's His initiative. It's His healing. We simply admit we need Him, open the door, and let Him in.

And as we wait for His return, we have a mission: to seek the peace and prosperity of wherever we find ourselves. To be bringers of hope in our workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. To live as citizens of heaven even while we're here on earth.

Because when we do, His kingdom breaks out—one transformed life at a time.

This blog post was adapted from Pastor Milissa Ewing's Dec. 7, 2025 sermon. Check out the whole sermon here.

Redwood Park Church is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinabek Nation and the traditional territory of the Ojibwe of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850.  It is on these lands that we live, work, and worship.

This is one of the reasons why our vision at Redwood is to see Northwestern Ontario be one of the best places to live in Canada for all people. To this end, our mission is this:

During the week leading up to Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we have the opportunity to participate in this mission through participating in various events and learning opportunities throughout our city and country.  Below you'll find a list of some events and resources we've compiled for you.  Click on any of the links to learn more.

And our staff team will be at the Honouring Our Children Run - we hope to see you there!

If you wear an orange shirt on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, be sure that the proceeds from your purchase supports Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation initiatives, Indigenous business, an/or organizations. Here are a few places to look for Orange Shirts in Thunder Bay:

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of his or her Residential school experience.
For more information on the program, please refer to the IRSSS website.

This isn't just about a donation; it's a story of interconnectedness, unexpected opportunities, and the beautiful way a community can rally together. It all started with a simple prayer.

During a Ladies’ Interact Bible Study, a concern was raised: our food bank was lacking protein. This struck one attendee whose family farmed livestock as an opportunity and an invitation. Inspired to help, they offered to donate a cow and even explored the possibility of the church purchasing one to raise for future Food Bank use. While the church decided against livestock management, our exploration together led us to the local chapter of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank invited our Pastor of Missional Engagement, Samuel Sarpiya, to a breakfast gathering of local farmers to share more about who we are as a church and the vision God has given us. What Samuel didn’t know was that a UCB Radio interview highlighting our church's Food Bank and the donated meat had already captured their attention; they were eager to learn more about our vision.

One of the things that they were particularly excited by was hearing about our partnership with Northwind and the upcoming Cooking for Life program we are hosting that is all about empowering folks with essential cooking skills with a focus on health and community.

This holistic approach to Food Bank ministry struck a chord with their desire to make a tangible difference. Their response was to make us a regular recipient of their wonderful, locally-raised beef.

Now, every few months, they will be supplying us with local beef to share with our Food Bank clients who, through the Cooking For Life program with Northwind, can learn how to prepare and cook delicious and nutritious meals with the food they receive from us.

This incredible journey – from a prayer request to a generous partnership – highlights the amazing web of interconnectedness that is the result of open-handedly and faithfully following where the Lord leads, even when we can’t see what’s around the corner and how it all fits together. This is why we believe so much in this invitation to explore; because the tapestry that God is weaving through all of us will always be more beautiful than what we can make by ourselves.

With Milissa and Jay now officially on their 14-week sabbatical, we thought it would be worth reminding us all about what a "sabbatical" is and what we can do over the next 14 weeks to join Milissa and Jay in this time of intentional rest and preparation.

In Scripture God gives many commands for his people regarding rest. As with all of the commands of God, the commands regarding rest are both for his people's thriving, and their faithful reflection of who God is - a God who created and then rested. Jesus’ life, too, reflects a pattern of work and retreat.

The Hebrew word that Scripture uses for this is shabbat which means “to rest” in the sense that you would rest from your labour. It’s where we get the word sabbath. Perhaps you’ve heard of this.

It’s because of this - God’s commands and Jesus’ example - that Christians have regularly pursued practices of intentional rest including weekly sabbaths, retreats, etc. These patterns of regular rest and renewal are crucial for follows of Jesus, and especially crucial for those in ministry; those who’s work is to be living parables of Jesus.

There is another word that Scripture uses to gesture towards these patterns and rhythms of God-honouring rest - semitta - which means “fallow” and describes letting land rest by leaving it untouched for a year. By allowing land the opportunity to rest, the land iself was more nutrient-rich for the following year’s harvests.

It is this combination of shabbat and semitta where we get the idea of “sabbatical”.

Mike Breen, in his book, "Building a Discipling Culture", shares this description of the first-century process of growing grapes:

"At the time of Jesus' incarnation, a vine would be cultivated, planted, and left to grow for three years before being allowed to bear fruit. Every time it tried to bring forth a bunch of grapes, it would be cut back. After the third year, the grapes would be allowed to grow on their own. By then the branches were strong enough to support the weight of the grapes without breaking."

What he is describing here is a pattern of growing and pruning, productivity and rest, and it is crucial if we want to be strong enough to support the weight of fruitfulness without breaking.

As Milissa shared this past Sunday,

"We've never seen the Holy Spirit work in as profound a way as we have since we've come here. We've never led more people to accept Jesus for the first time... we've never seen these amazing, miraculous things happen like we have since we've come. God is on the move. Something is beginning...".

Something is beginning. We've been feeling it for a while, and many of you in our church family have been feeling this too. This, right now, is a season of preparation and exploration so that we can be ready for what is coming. We don't fully know the specifics of what that will look like, but we want to be ready when it comes.

Milissa and Jay are entering a sabbatical rest so that they can be ready; so that their fields can be nutrient-rich, and their branches strong enough to support the weight of fruitfulness, because we believe that a harvest is coming. What about us? What about you? What does preparation look like for us over the next several months?

Milissa gave us three encouragments for our own preparation during this sabbatical season. Pray, Lean in, and Give.

Pray.

Prayer is more than just asking. It is also listening, and resting, and presence. During this season, let's bring our burdens, our heartaches, our passions and desires to him; let's ask God to open doors and show us where he wants us to "therefore, go". And let's also take time - intentional time - to just sit with him, quietly, listening for his still small voice and resting in his presence. Prayer need not be another thing to do, another box to check, but rather a powerful place of sabbath rest itself.

Among other things, to sit in silence and stillness with God - to have moments where we resist the impulse to do or accomplish - is a profound act of surrender (we recognize that it is not in our own strength or effort that we work, but by the Spirit who knows what we need before a word is on our lips, and who intercedes on our behalf), and a powerful protest against the idol of productivity (that can lead to us, with the best of intentions, to rushing ahead of God in our own wisdom and will).

Taking time over the next few months to learn how to more deeply abide in Christ will ensure that we as a community are strong enough to hold and carry the harvest that is coming (John 15:5).

Lean in.

As we pray and listen to what God is calling us to, it can be tempting to do so in isolation - like it's just a question between me and God. Discernment is not just an individual activity, but is perfected in community, with each other. Over the next several months we will be talking a lot about missional engagement from lots of different angles in our Sunday gatherings -  what we see God doing and where he may be inviting us - and it is crucial that we have these conversations together.

Whatever the shape of your next several months, wherever they lead you, let's not neglect to meet together (Heb. 10:25). Continue to join us in-person or online so that we are all listening and participating together. And let's not just listen, let's talk and engage with each other. Gather up with friends and share how God is moving, where you see him opening doors, and how he is working in your own life. 

And if you'd like to share your story with us - the work that God is doing in your own life - check out this form that we've made to help prompt you in your own awareness and reflection. The big story that God is writing here in Thunder Bay and at Redwood is a story made up of each of our individual stories - let's share with each other.

Give.

We know that God is moving - and that when we are on the Holy Spirit’s timing, doors could open at any time, and we want to be able to nimbly step through as we explore our part in this Great Commission in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario, and beyond. We also know that this costs money.

At the time of this writing, our Missional Engagement Pastor, Samuel Sarpiya, is once again, up at Mishkeegogamang First Nation, continuing an exploration of what God may be inviting us to there. Indigenous Reconciliation is not about us setting the agenda and making our plans happen, but it's about rebuilding trust as we respond to their invitations. Being able to respond means not being limited by funds.

This past Sunday, we officially launched our Redwood Exploration Campaign to raise $100,000 of above-and-beyond giving that will allow us to continue to explore and respond to invitations to engage with our city, region, and beyond. We launched this campaign already half-way to our goal, and since then even more of you have responded and given above-and-beyond. Thank you for your generosity and participation!

• Learn more and support our Exploration Campaign here.

May God continue to prepare us for his amazing works and wonders as we enter this season of rest and exploration together.

If you were asked "Who are you?", what would you say? What are the defining features who make you…you?
 
Would you talk about where you were born,
or what you do for a job,
or that you’re a student,
or retired?
 
Would you talk about your hobbies and interests,
or where you were educated?
 
Would you talk about who you’re connected to;
who your parents are,
your children,
that you’re friends of a particular person,
or connected to someone influential in the city?

Since January we as a community have been in a sermon series called, "The Beginning of the Good News" exploring the Gospel of Mark.  But now we come to the turning point to the second part of the series, "The Good News?", as we reach the high point of the entire Gospel before it begins its precipitous decent to the cross.

Jesus’ popularity has been growing, his power has been on display in multiple ways… but with Jesus’ simple question, and his disciple, Peter’s response, Jesus begins laying down his power for the sake of the world.

In the verses just before this pivot text, Jesus has healed a blind man, and provided food for 4,000 men (the second time he has provided vast amounts of food from a few loaves of bread), and now he heads 40kms north from Bethsaida to the area around Caesarea Philippi. This area was dominated by strong Roman associations, and it may be theologically significant that Jesus’ revelation we are about to read was first recognized in a region devoted to the belief that Caesar was Lord – the political leader - and no one else.

The Word of the Lord from Mark chapter 8…


Jesus is asking his closest friends some profound questions here. The first, “Who do people say I am?” As he asks the disciples this question, they immediately respond: “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

He of course is none of these…

Jesus doesn’t respond, but asks a second and more direct question to his friends… “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

As he asks the pointed question to his friends. Peter, one of his closest, responds in the silence and makes a statement that would have sucked the air from the room.

“You are the Messiah.”

Prophets have come and gone throughout the entire Bible. Often, they are killed for speaking God’s words to the people. But there is only ONE MESSIAH.

‘The Messiah’ in Hebrew and Aramaic, and ‘the Christ’ in the Greek mean, “the anointed one!” This is the one they have been waiting for…the one who will save the people! Peter's proclamation marks a turning point in the Gospel narrative. It's the first time since the opening verse of Mark that Jesus is explicitly identified as the Messiah. But with this recognition comes a sobering reality that Jesus immediately begins to explain.

The passage goes on to say, 
This is the first time that Jesus speaks this plainly about His crucifixion, death and resurrection. And Peter, the person who a moment ago rightly stated that Jesus is the Messiah, will essentially say, “NO”, and try to stand in his way.
 
The sobering and yet liberating news for each one of us in this Lenten season is, as pastor, Donald English says, “Not only must Jesus go this way of death; So too must anyone who would be a disciple of his.”

Do you have the concerns of God in your mind right now, or like Peter, merely human concerns? Are you willing to walk with Jesus toward the cross in your life? Am I?

Jesus wants you to have freedom! This seemingly gloomy news of the cross of Jesus, is the only way to true fulfillment and freedom!

You are a child of God,
lovingly made,
purchased with blood,
and set free to live for God’s glory,
and the world’s good.

May Jesus have his way in and through you this Lenten season.

For centuries Christians have observed the season of Lent; it is one of the earliest seasons observed by the Church. Lent is the 40-day period that begins with Ash Wednesday and serves as a way for us to make spiritual pilgrimage towards and through Good Friday so that, when we finally reach Easter Sunday, our celebration can be rich and heartfelt, and full of joy!  We have heard from many of you over the last few years how meaningful this season is and has been.

As we come to another Lenten season, along with all of the things we have listed on our Lent Page, we wanted to share a couple of additional ideas and tips to help you fully enter into what the Lord may have for you over the next 40+ days.

One common Lenten practice is “giving up” something. Perhaps you’ve heard people talk about “giving up” sugar, coffee, or social media, or something like that. The reasons and goals for giving up something for Lent can be multi-layered, but ultimately it is to help foster a growing awareness that our every desire, in one way or another, is a desire for God. Therefore, we give something up, not just to suffer with Christ or to be more disciplined, but so that, as we experience desire for the thing given up, we actively turn to prayer and point our desires towards Him.

And this is where the “taking something on” comes in. In the absence of the thing-given-up, we bring in a new, holy habit to help us intentionally turn more fully to Jesus.

So when we experience the impulse to grab our phones in a moment of boredom, or when we are craving that chocolate bar, we stop and take the desire as a reminder to seek Him and his kingdom first. Perhaps we turn, instead, to reading scripture or simply praying something like,


These kinds of sacrifices and this kind of journey can be transformative.  

Two quick notes:

Beginning a Bible Reading Plan can be a great thing to do during the season of Lent - especially if you are looking to take on a new holy habit.  

Currently, on our Redwood App we are reading through a Bible-in-a-Year plan.  Even though we started this on January 1st, feel no pressure to catch up; you can feel free to just jump in beginning with the March 5th reading and carry on from there.

Alternatively, the YouVersion Bible app is full of different reading plans that you can begin at anytime. We recommend the “Lent for Everyone” reading plan by NT Wright that is available for free in the app.

One last encouragement: Reading the Bible by yourself is great. Reading the Bible with one or two other people is even better! Consider doing a reading plan with your family, or finding a friend or two to join in with you and talk about what you are reading together.

In his book, Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth, Walter Brueggemann offers this prayer for the Lenten season. May the Lord meet us in any and all the ways we enter into these days.

Loss is indeed our gain

The pushing and shoving of the world is endless.So we pray for your church in these Lenten days,So be that way of truth among usThat we shall see that loss is indeed our gain.
We give you thanks for that mystery from which we live.
Amen.

- Redwood Park church’s vision is that “Northwestern Ontario is one of the best places to live in Canada for all people.”

What would living in this vision look like for us? This is the question that I bring to this exploratory trip to Sioux Lookout and Fort Severn. The trip is intended to start a discernment process of how God would want us to engage, primarily regarding reconciliation with our First Nation brothers and sisters.

- First stop is Sioux Lookout. I met with Jesse Hochstetler (former Redwood Pastor who now runs The Hub Collective - a coffee based ministry in Sioux Lookout) and we quickly identified a common theme: working together as we seek to serve the Mishkeegogamang First Nation.

- I am planning a trip for Spring-Summer 2025 to begin exploring restarting our summer camp for 2026. I have heard that Redwood ran five or so summer VBS camps in years past. This is also something that I have been talking to Chief Merle Loon about over the last few months. Perhaps I'll bring Mark & Graeme with me...

But we must continue in prayer with openness to His leading as we re-engage in ways honouring to Him. Only in this collaborative spirit will He fulfill this vision given to us to make Northwestern Ontario a pocket of heaven.

- Travelled today to Fort Severn, and met with elders, band leadership, and pastors who are passionate about their communities and willing to do everything possible to make their reserve a success story, like bringing in an fibre internet connection to each household (which they are currently in the process of making happen). We can all agree that internet connectivity has become a lifeline for many reasons. I can only imagine the difference that could make to some of these more remote communities.

- Franz and I brought the schoolchildren gifts like winter jackets and mitts.

- Today I met a woman named Betty, and wow, is she a prayer warrior! As a general rule, I only took pictures of the locations, not people... but Betty wanted me to take her picture because, despite just meeting me, I am immediately her "son".

- It's time to come home. A 3.5-hour flight and a 4-hour drive from Sioux Lookout back back Thunder Bay awaits, but I'm grateful for this time. I learned so much about reconciliation with the earth, based on stories of stewardship of the available resources, such as the available fisheries in the Hudson Bay and the Land animals, and how to take only what you can use and not hoard for oneself. I was reminded of the story of manna that the Lord provided for the Israelites - just enough for a day. We have so much to learn from them.

- If there is one picture that I have forming in my mind from this trip, it's that of our communities coming together. I'm not entirely sure what that looks like yet, but I think that's the point - reconciliation is not about us setting the agenda and making our plans happen, but it's about rebuilding trust as we respond to their invitations, and I have been so humbled by the openness of this community.

Lord, continue to lead us as we fix our eyes on you.

Throughout the season of Advent, we were reminded of the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love that find their fullness and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And his incarnation really is an astounding thing - that the Son of God would eternally take on a physical body to cross the gap between Creator and creation, to invite and draw us into the eternal dance of God's trinitarian love. It's a wonderful mystery that inspired our Advent sermon series, Wonder.

Through the series we were invited to see the familiar - us, creation, the miraculous/mundane, child-like faith - with new eyes. And this wasn't just the content of the messages. We got to experience it on Sunday's through the beauty of the Northern Lights art installation on the stage, and the experience of being led in worship by our Redwood Kids. We experienced it throughout the week through all of the year-end ministry parties and wrap-ups, the Steve Bell concert, and the dinners many of you hosted in your homes. We sought to make it more tangible through formalizing our partnership with Northwind Family Ministries. And finally, we gathered together on Christmas Eve to proclaim that "He is born" and to be reminded of the light that grows as we come together in worship and spreads as we move out into our city.

What a December!

And now a new year is upon us, filled with new opportunities and new invitations to follow Jesus where he leads -  a Food Bank Grand Re-Opening Dedication, Authentic Community Triads, Man of God Breakfasts, Isaiah: a Ladies' Interact study, Alpha, Celebrate Recovery, Youth, Young Adults, and more... and that's just January!

As we move from Christmas into the season of Epiphany - a season about seeing - may we keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to wonder as we follow him. And may we be ready for what he is going to do in and through us.

Biblical scholar, Walter Brueggeman has a beautiful Epiphany prayer called There is a time to be born, and it is now. Let's join in praying this excerpt together:

"We dare pray that you will do for us and among us and through us
what is needful for newness.
Give us the power to be receptive,
to take the newness you give,
to move from womb warmth to real life.
We make this prayer not only for ourselves, but
for our schools at the brink of birth,
for the church at the edge of life,
for our city waiting for newness,
for your whole creation, with which we yearn in eager longing.
There is a time to be born, and it is now.
We sense the pangs and groans of your newness.
Come here now in the name of Jesus. Amen."

Thank you so much for reading!
Peace of Christ.

- - - - -
(Prayer from Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth by Walter Brueggemann)

Dear Redwood Park Family,

This past fall, we’ve been moving further into our Redwood vision and mission. From preaching a whole sermon series on it, to hiring new staff, to moving our Food Bank into our building, to establishing a formal partnership with Northwind Family Ministries, it’s all flowing out of our vision and mission.

God’s vision for us is big:

that Northwestern Ontario
becomes one of the best places to live in Canada
for all people.

We participate in this vision as we live out our mission statement:

We are a Jesus-centered, Spirit-led community of reconciliation
joining God in His mission to see all people
reconciled to God, to the earth, to each other, and to themselves.

As we look to 2025, we anticipate the work God will continue to do in and through us. Here are some things we are excited about:

NextGen Ministries: 
From Redwood Kids, to Jr. and Sr. High, to Young Adults, we are seeing Jesus move in this generation which will impact Redwood and our city in the years to come.

Spiritual Formation:
In addition to the Small Groups, Men’s and Women’s ministries, and the Alpha Course, we are adding to the ways you can grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus through our new Authentic Community Triads.

Missional Engagement: 
We continue to see God opening doors for missional engagement in our city, region, and world. Here’s a snapshot of what’s in the works:

Your generosity has enabled us to lean into our vision and mission in 2024 and will propel us forward into 2025. This is a big year - we really sense that we are on the cusp of significant movement in the Kingdom. So, this will require big generosity! Would you prayerfully consider if God is calling you to invest in His vision in the following ways?

• If you’ve never given before, today is a good day to start!
• If you’ve given before, but aren’t yet a regular contributor, sign up for regular monthly or bimonthly giving. It helps us so much in our planning.
• If you are already a regular contributor, prayerfully consider increasing your monthly amount or giving an above and beyond contribution. If ever there was a time for this, it’s now!

Click here to donate and learn more about why we believe giving is a key practice for followers of Jesus: https://redwoodpark.ca/give

I shared some of this last Sunday, and many of you have already responded with an outpouring of generosity. Thank you! Your giving is making a real and lasting impact in people’s lives. 

With gratitude to be in this with you,

Milissa Ewing, Lead Pastor
on behalf of the Redwood Park Staff Team and Elders Board.

It's wild that October is already behind us, what a blur! Along with our ongoing ministries - Youth, YA, RPM Hikes, Ladies Interact, Small Groups, Newcomer's Lunches, Alpha, etc. - this month saw the Marriage Course begin, and 8 couples - some newly married and some married for decades - set aside the time to focus on their relationship; to grow in understanding of each other, and eat delicious pastries.

Many of us also had the blessing to spend sometime learning about Imaginative Prayer with Dr. Dan Heavenor at our most recent Contemplative Prayer night. So often we think of prayer as simply coming to God with our lists of wants and needs - and that is good and necessary - yet God loves us and also wants to spend time with us as friends. Contemplative prayer invites us to sit with him and listen to him. Imaginative Prayer, in particular, helps us to encounter the living Jesus from the pages of the Bible in meaningful and tangible ways; to move beyond information into relationship. We are so grateful to Dr. Dan Heavenor for leading us in this experience.

And speaking of the Bible coming alive, a special shout out to our Kids and Youth Ministry is needed.

Over the last couple of months, our Kids and Jr. High Pastor, Mark, has been handing out Bibles like candy on All Hallows' Eve! As of the time of this writing, 45 Adventure Bibles have been given to kids which is wonderful. And the Jr. Highs... along with the 22 Bibles given to them, they have also been given "Bible Holsters" - little pouches that they wear like a belt that they carry their Bibles in for easy and immediate access. This rules! And the fruit is tangible, with parents telling us stories of seeing their kids carrying their Bibles around and saying "I'm gonna spend some time with the Lord!" because they are feeling a sense of connection to and ownership of the Bible that is in their hands (and on their waists).

Personally, as a parent, I (Shawn) have felt a special delight at helping my Jr. Higher gird themselves with the "Sword of the Spirit" (Eph. 6:17) before heading out to youth. It's so great.

Thank you to Mark's mom who made many of them by hand, and a shout out to those in the Ladies' Interact group who are taking up the crafting mantle. This is such a fun, hilarious, and low-key subversive way to raise a generation to love God's Word.

Each week we as a staff gather in various configurations and spend time sharing some of the stories we are constantly hearing about the things God is doing in our midst. And friends, God is doing so much... many things are happening in hidden places (often the way that God does his best work) that we can't yet share, but there are also many things happening in full view that we are humbled to bear witness to. Rather than just keeping all of these stories to ourselves we thought that Thanksgiving weekend would be a fitting time to share some of them with you. So, on Sunday, October 13, we had the joy of hearing a trio of stories stemming from the question, "What has God done in your life this past year?"

Larry shared about how the Lord, through the RPM ministry, has been inviting him to move beyond just "checking the boxes" to really knowing and being known by God. Watch Larry's story here.

Torika shared about the beautifully profound and challenging experience of moving deeper into reconciliation with herself and her identity as she spent time in one of her ancestral lands, Fiji. Watch Torika's story here.

In the middle of these two stories we heard about Ray & Eleanor Dunn - two people that over the last year and beyond have exemplified our Redwood value of Hospitality so beautifully. I'm so grateful to them for allowing me to haul all our video equipment over to their house and to spend that time hearing about how and why they tangibly express the love of Christ the way they do... and for the taste of hospitality that I got to receive through sharing a meal with them and their friends. Watch Ray & Eleanor's story here.

Our stories can be such an encouragement to one another. Perhaps you have a story you want to share, or maybe you just want some guidance to see with greater clarity what God is doing in your life. Use the form below to process and give shape to the story that God is currently writing in and with your life.

We are so delighted to finally have the Food Bank home in our building. Our volunteers (with a little help from our staff) did incredible work moving into the space, organizing and setting everything up and preparing to welcome clients into our church to offer some help and kindness.

With the first month of operating in this space behind us, we can say with certainty that this has been an immense blessing to everyone. The energy around this place on a Food Bank Thursday is palpable as the team so skillfully does their thing - it's beautiful to see. And so far the team has loved being in this space. They love being on one floor (as opposed to having to move up and down stairs), and the light from the windows in our foyer, the ladies' washroom, and on the whole feeling more connected to and a part of Redwood.

It was a lot of work to make the move but it has been absolutely worth it - and your giving has made this possible! Your giving allowed us to make the necessary renovations, and your giving allows us to purchase the food, the new rolling carts to make caring for our clients easier, and all that is needed to make our Food Bank ministry successful.

Of course, we long for the day when food banks aren't needed anymore; when people aren't experiencing food scarcity and everyone has enough. But until then, we are grateful to have such an amazing team of committed volunteers, and an amazing church community that supports this work.

At the Contemplative Prayer Night, Dan shared a prayer/poem with everyone that, in light of the ways that the Word of God is coming alive in our midst, seems like a lovely invitation and summation for this newsletter.

Follow Jesus Around the Scriptures
by Doreen Kostyniuk

Follow Jesus around the Scriptures – be an observer
Watch how he looks
Watch how he touches
Watch how he is present to people
Watch how he prays and takes time out

Let him look at you
Let him touch you
Let him hold you
Let him heal you
Let him be present to you

Then become the look
Become the touch
Become the presence.

Thank you for reading. Peace of Christ.

It's been a wonderful and full September at the church. Many of our ongoing ministries - Youth, Young Adults, Alpha, Celebrate Recovery, Ladies' Interact, RPM Hikes - are in full swing, creating spaces for people to step towards Jesus and deeper into the life of the community. For many people these ministries and spaces are their first connection point with the church. This has been especially true with our Young Adult group; young people who have never been to Redwood before but simply heard that we had a group and courageously showed up.

This has also been true of our Sunday services. This fall we began offering new gifts to first-time visitors and over the last month we have given away over 40 of these. Over 40 people coming into our community for the first time!

If this is you, thank you for joining us; we are so glad you are here!

In Romans 12, Paul includes the exhortation to "extend hospitality to strangers" (Rom. 12:13) as one of the marks of true Christian identity and community. We long to be a place where people feel warmly welcomed and are able to easily find their way into the vibrancy of life in Christ expressed and experienced in community. Would you like to know of three ways you can help us continue to become that kind of community?

1. When you are with us on a Sunday, find one (1) person you don't know and say "hi" to them before or after the service. "Hello" is one of the most barrier-breaking words in any language.
2. Consider joining our Hospitality Team and be on the frontlines of welcoming people into our community. It's a small thing that makes such an enormous impact (it's also a great way to get to know people. Seriously, after a couple months of greeting people you'll likely know most of the people in the church!) Fill out a volunteer form to join our Hospitality Team.
3. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, if you are having a Thanksgiving meal, consider inviting someone(s) to your table. Nothing grows friendship like sharing a meal together.

Like we said, it's been a wonderful and full September, but ministry kick-offs are not all that's been happening...

On Sept. 15 we celebrated with Brianne, Sue, and Paula as they followed Jesus into the waters of baptism. It was a positively electric morning with the palpable presence of God in our midst as we heard their stories of new identity, peace in the midst of pain, and the difference that Jesus makes. If you missed the morning or just want to re-experience it, you can watch their stories and baptisms here. Thank you so much, Brianne, Sue, and Paula for bravely sharing your stories and taking this beautiful next step with Jesus.

We are so committed to being a church of reconciliation that we created a pastoral role - Pastor of Missional Engagement - to help us build bridges and move across them with Christ's love and shalom for our city, our region and the world. And this past Sunday we were delighted to officially introduce you to the one that we have spent four years praying for: Samuel Sarpiya, and his wife Gretchen.

We long to be people excited and empowered to live on mission every single day in our work places, our schools, our families, wherever God has uniquely positioned us. The way that the Lord aligned and arranged the pieces to bring Samuel - with his unique skills, experience, and passions - to us at this time to move us in these ways is nothing short of thrilling!

As we continue to step out in faith into these things, we need to remember that our mission moves at the speed of your generosity. Thank you for your giving. To learn more about supporting our community, our vision and mission, and investing in God's kingdom visit redwoodpark.ca/give.

And be sure to give Samuel a warm and hearty welcome when you see him on Sunday.

Monday, Sept. 30 was the National Day of Truth & Reconciliation. Milissa spoke powerfully about this in her sermon this past Sunday - check it out here. As mentioned our staff participated in the Run and Walk, and Jay, Samuel, and a handful of dedicated volunteers handed out refreshing and rejuvenating cups of water at our sponsored water station.

The occasion, the truth of the day - of children lost because of the cruelty and injustice of the residential school system, and the honouring of the survivors - is devastating and sobering, and we as a community desire to approach it with the posture of humility and respect that it deserves. With that in mind, what stood out to many of us at the event was the exuberant and contagious joy that was woven throughout the solemness. It was seriously such a fun day that served as a celebration and statement of the beauty and generosity of Indigenous culture.

We all were humbled and honoured to have been invited into that space and grateful to the Mazinaajim Children's Foundation, Brent "Mooselegs" Edwards, and the many, many folks who worked so hard to make the event happen. It is so beautiful to see what the Honouring Our Children Run has become over the last 4 years and we hope you'll join us all again next year.

... also, congrats to our Kids & Jr. High Pastor, Mark Schutte, who finished 3rd in the Men's 15km run!

Last Thursday, our Redwood Food Bank celebrated their last Thursday distributing food at the old location. Food scarcity continues to be a very real and present reality for so many people in Thunder Bay, and moving the food bank onsite to our building is going to help us provide even greater care to folks in need.

We will be moving over the last of the stuff this week in time to have our first distribution on Oct. 10. After the food bank has a few weeks of running in the new location under their belts we will be having an official grand opening celebration, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, consider showing your enthusiasm for this new era of the food bank by bringing a donation on Sunday and leaving it in the box inside our North Entrance.

We are grateful to New Hope Church for providing us a place to serve from all these years, and are so excited to welcome the Food Bank home to our church building!

There was a lot of stuff in this Monthly Viewpoint, thank you so much for making it all the way down here. We hope that all of these updates and stories have cheered your heart as to the many ways that God is beautifully at work in our midst.

As we have been focussing on our Vision & Mission as a church at the start of this new ministry year, here is a prayer for all of the work that lies before us as we seek to be a community of reconciliation.

Our lives are so small, O Lord,
Our vision so limited,
Our courage so frail,
Our hours so fleeting.
Therefore give us grace and guidance for the journey ahead.

We gather together to worship you,
and as we scatter, we believe
that we are called together into a work
we cannot yet know the fullness of.
Still, we trust the voice of
the One who has called us.

And so we offer to you, O God, these things:
Our dreams, our plans, our vision.
Shape them as You will.
Our moments and our gifts.
May the be invested toward bright, eternal ends.

O Spirit of God,
now shape our hearts.
O Spirit of God,
now guide our hands.
O Spirit of God,
now build your kingdom among us.
Amen.
(excerpt of "a Liturgy for the Labors of Community" by Douglas McKelvey)

Thank you for reading! Peace of Christ.

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: Psalm 19:1-6, 14 NLT
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
    It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
The sun rises at one end of the heavens
    and follows its course to the other end.
    Nothing can hide from its heat.

May the words of my mouth
    and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Jay Ewing (Pastor of Spiritual Formation)

• Our mission moves at the speed of your generosity. Thank you for your giving. To learn more about supporting our community, our vision and mission, and investing in God's kingdom visit redwoodpark.ca/give

Prayer for the Body of Christ
Song of Confession

Songs of Response
Benediction
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:5-6)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: Psalm 24 NLT
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas
Who may climb the mountain of the LORD?Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,They will receive the LORD’s blessingSuch people may seek you
Open up, ancient gates!Who is the King of glory?Open up, ancient gates!Who is the King of glory?
Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Graeme Gibson (Sr. High & Young Adults Pastor)
Prayer for the Body of Christ
Song of Confession

Songs of Response
Benediction
"Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." (2 Cor. 13:11)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

Redwood Park Church is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinabek Nation and the traditional territory of the Ojibwe of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850.  It is on these lands that we live, work, and worship.

This is one of the reasons why our vision at Redwood is to see Northwestern Ontario be one of the best places to live in Canada for all people. To this end, our mission is this:

During the week leading up to Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we have the opportunity to participate in this mission through participating in various events and learning opportunities throughout our city and country.  Below you'll find a list of some events and resources we've compiled for you.  Click on any of the links to learn more.

And our staff team will be at the Honouring Our Children Run - we hope to see you there!

If you wear an orange shirt on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, be sure that the proceeds from your purchase supports Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation initiatives, Indigenous business, an/or organizations. Here are a few places to look for Orange Shirts in Thunder Bay:

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of his or her Residential school experience.
For more information on the program, please refer to the FNHA website.

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: Psalm 135:1-3, 13-14
Praise the name of the LORD!you who serve in the house of the LORD, Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
Your name, O LORD, endures forever;For the LORD will give justice to his people
Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Jay Ewing (Pastor of Spiritual Formation)
Prayer for the Body of Christ

Song of Confession

Songs of Response
Benediction
"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5b-6)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: A Liturgy for a Purposeful Gathering
And so are we gathered here,
uniquely in all of history, we particular
people in this singular time and place.
Accomplish your puposes among us, O God.
Tune our hearts to the voice of your Spirit.

Wake us to be present to you and to one
another in these shared hours we are given.
For it is in you, O Lord, who have
so gathered us from our various places,
and you alone who know our hearts
and our needs.

Among us are some who arrive anxious, some
who are lonely, some who suffer pain or sorrow.
May we in our joys find grace to enter thesorrows of others.

Among us are some who arrive rejoicing,
hearts made light by good news, good health,
glad anticipation.
May we in our sorrows find grace to embrace
the joys of others.

Breathe upon our gathering,
O Spirit of God.
Grant each of us a place to humbly receive and
to faithfully serve, that we might know in this
brief gathering a foretaste of that greater
communion yet to come.

O Father, enlarge our hearts.
O Spirit, expand our vision.
O Christ, establish your kingdom among us.
Be at work even now, O Lord.
May your will, in us, in these hours,
be accomplished.
Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Jay Ewing (Pastor of Spiritual Formation)
Prayer for the Body of Christ

Song of Confession

Sermon - Milissa Ewing
Communion - "The gifts of God for the people of God..."
Songs of Response
Benediction
"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen." (Romans 11:36)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

It's that time of the year again - Fall Kickoff! Our team of board, staff, and volunteers have been bustling around over the past few weeks getting ready to start our ministry year again. We are looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday and welcoming many of you back after a summer out of town or at camp. We are also excited about the new people who are looking for a church, and who have already started showing up on Sundays. Let's be sure to welcome everyone into our Jesus-centred, Spirit-led community of reconciliation!

And psst.... We've got an exciting announcement on Sunday to deliver.

Here's a little hint: our vision and mission here at Redwood is about to accelerate! God is doing some amazing things in our midst and we can't wait to share it with you.

Some exciting renovations began this week to make room for the Redwood Food Bank, a new Youth space, and offices for new staff members...

There are so many great and exciting things beginning this month to be able to go into depth here, and since you are reading this on either the website or the RPCapp, you already are in the place where the information is!  So click over to the Viewpoint and check out what's kicking-off.  

And, as always, our goal and desire is not that we would just be busy people, but rather that these links and descriptions would help point you to your next step with Jesus and into the life of our community.  Our team is praying for you as you discern whatever that may be.

Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that explore life, faith, and meaning.  It is open to anyone who wants to explore the big questions in an open and informal environment, and it has proven to be an incredibly meaningful step for many on the road to Jesus.  (In fact, next week we will be hearing the stories of three people who will be following Jesus into baptism and, for 2 of the 3, Alpha was a significant space of encountering the love of Christ).  If you ever wonder if there is more to life than this, or if you long to connect to something bigger, we invite you to come and explore your questions through Alpha.

And if you have been following Jesus for a while...

After being asked by his disciples to teach them how to pray, Jesus, in Luke 11:2, says "When you pray, say..." and proceeds to teach them the prayer that has become known as "The Lord's Prayer" or the "Our Father..."

As you pray for Thunder Bay to be transformed into a pocket of heaven on earth, we invite you to PRAY for this years Alpha... and not just in general, but specifically for three people you would like to come to know Jesus.  And then set an alarm for 11:02am as a reminder to pray daily for those people, and be open and expectant to see how God might use you.

"Our Father in heaven,

I pray for my friends, my
community, and for Alpha.
Lord, let your Kingdom come and
Your will be done.  Holy Spirit,
come fill me today, that I might
share the love and Good News
of Jesus to those around me.

Amen."

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: Psalm 91:1-4, 14-16 NLT
Those who live in the shelte rof the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armour and protection.

The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will recue and honour them.
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation."

Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Graeme Gibson (Sr. High and Young Adult Pastor)
"I may be new here, but Jesus isn't - he knows them and is inviting them to him - so please join me in praying that our Youth and Young Adults encounter him this year."

Prayer for the Body of Christ
Bethlehem Christian Reformed Church & Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Holy Cross

Song of Confession

Sermon - Joel Penney
Songs of Response

Benediction
"For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favour and honour;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you." (Psalm 84:11-12)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: Psalm 108:1-5 NLT
My heart is confident in you, O God;
    no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
Wake up, lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
    May your glory shine over all the earth.

Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Jay Ewing (Spiritual Formation Pastor)
Song of Confession

Sermon - Milissa Ewing
Songs of Response

Benediction
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Eph. 3:20-21)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

Here's a recap of Sunday's liturgy with scriptures, songs and other notable elements:

Call to Worship: Psalm 111:1-4 NLT
Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart
as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
Songs of Praise
Pass the Peace: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
(Send this blessing to the first person that pops into your head)

Community Life - Jay Ewing (Spiritual Formation Pastor)
Song of Confession

Sermon - Milissa Ewing
Communion (the gifts of God for the people of God)

Prayer/Song of Response
Benediction
"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

How can we pray with you?  Fill out our Prayer Request Form

Want to listen to the songs we sang this past Sunday?  Check out our playlists:

In her message on Patience, Kindness, and Goodness, Milissa talked about how we are invited to practice in partnership with the Holy Spirit. As we practice patience, kindness, and goodness in partnership with the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will grow in our lives, and we will grow to look more like Christ.

Every day, each of us will face countless opportunities to demonstrate patience, kindness, and goodness. In these moments, we have the choice to either respond with patience or impatience, kindness or unkindness, or goodness or not goodness.

In light of this truth, we have a prayer practice that we want to invite you to try out. It is an adaptation of an ancient prayer practice called the Examen. Through the Examen, we are invited to prayerfully reflect on our day, inviting the Spirit to bring things to our minds. In the steps below, you can follow this prayer practice, focusing specifically on patience, kindness, and goodness (though, of course, you can focus on any of the fruits of the Spirit you want to grow in).

Quiet.  Find a quiet space, turn off your phone, and take a few deep breaths, allowing yourself to be present.

Invite.  Invite the Holy Spirit to speak, and ask for the ears to hear.

Reflect.  Begin to reflect on your day from beginning to end. Ask God to bring to mind the moments he wants you to focus on.
Repent.  For any of the moments in your day when you did not choose to be patient, kind, or good, confess and ask for God’s forgiveness. Know that when we confess and repent our sin to the Lord, God is faithful to forgive.

Gratitude.  Take a moment to thank God for his abundant grace and forgiveness, even in our weakness.

Ask.  As you head into the rest of your week, ask the Holy Spirit to give you greater patience, kindness, and goodness to share with those around you.

"May God fill you with the knowledge of his will thorugh all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may life a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience... "
- Colossians 1:9-11

God has given us a mission to be a Jesus-centered, Spirit-led community of reconciliation; to join him in his work of reconciling all people to God, themselves, each other and the earth.  And our hope is that we would all participate, together, in this good work that God is doing in our church and in our city.  It takes all of us to be the Church.

Our mission moves forward at the speed of our generosity. Your giving helps us do the things that God has called us to do.  This includes everything that happens in our community; from our Sunday services and Kids Church to ministries like Youth, YA, Alpha, the Redemptive Healing Team (RHT), and more.  Along with these ministries that seek to draw us deeper in our relationship with Christ, we also seek to go wider on mission and service to the world outside the walls of the church.  To this end, your giving supports the Redwood Park Food Bank, the Global Advance Fund, and New Ventures like Northwind Family Ministries.

Thank you for your continued generosity and investment in God's work here in Thunder Bay and beyond.

This past year, as you likely have heard, Redwood became incorporated.  This change has many implications for us as a community - one of which is the shift in our financial year.  Previously our financial year followed the calendar year - from January to December.  With incorporation, we have aligned our finances with our ministry year - from July to June - in order to more effectively plan and fund ministry in accordance with our vision and mission.

This means that our new financial year begins in just a few weeks.

In conjunction with our move to incorporation and the shift in our financial year, we have simplified our budget process by moving to a unified budget.  A unified budget simply means that all funds and expenses are included in the same overall budget.  This is something that our Board of Elders has been discussing for several years.  

There are many advantages to this change.  One of them is that the move to incorporation requires us to have annual formal audits, which will further increase financial accountability, and the unified budget will help us ensure clean audits each year.

What this means practically is that both Missions and the Food Bank will now be part of the overall general budget.  This is good news as it allows us to make more informed and cohesive ministry plans to ensure that our spending aligns with our values and missions.  In fact, because of this change, we have increased our missions budget for next year, and are in the process of recruiting a Missional Engagement Pastor who will lead the charge in this crucial area.  This, along with our plan to move the Food Bank into our current facility, will all be made possible by your giving to our General Fund.

As we shared this past Sunday, we are currently $30,812 behind in our projected giving. We'd love to close that gap by June 30.

As we are currently interviewing a Missional Engagement Pastor candidate, and a Youth & Young Adults Pastor candidate, we want to start this next year strong! We know God is doing a good work here that requires good pastors to join our team. This is where you come in!

If you have not yet done so, we invite you to begin your generosity journey with Redwood. Click here for more info.

If you have given a gift in the past, thank you! We invite you to consider becoming a regular contributor to God's good work. Click here to sign up for regular giving.

If you are already a regular giver, thank you! Would you consider increasing your monthly amount to contribute to these new crucial pastor positions? Or consider an above-and-beyond donation to help us close our year-end gap so we can start this next year strong?

Once again, we are grateful for a community that is growing into who God has called us to be for the sake of our city becoming one of the best places to live for all people, in Jesus' name.

If you have any questions or are wondering how to change any pre-authorized giving to Missions or the Food Bank, please contact joel@redwoodpark.ca.