Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond…

As I write, it's a few minutes after 4 AM on Friday morning, but insomnia isn't my issue. I'm in Germany at the moment, where it's just after noon. We're traveling by bus from Wittenberg to Erfurt, both cities being hot spots in the early days of the Protestant Reformation.

Corrine and I are with six other pastor couples from Alberta, plus two Ambrose University/College professors, and we're nearing the halfway point of a church history tour in Central Europe. The last two nights we stayed in central Wittenberg, just a few meters from the front door of All Saints Church (Castle Church) where Martin Luther posted his famous '95 Theses' on October 31, 1517.

Wittenberg is still a fairly small town - about 45,000 people. In Luther's day, it was a small walled city, far from the power brokers in Rome. But when Luther challenged abuses in the church and the authority of the papacy, it set a motion firestorm of change that would profoundly shape the impact of Christianity for generations. We trace some of our heritage back to Luther and his contemporaries who removed walls between clergy and laity and gave Bibles to individual believers in native languages.

But Luther's greatest impact may be his dogged insistence that the Scriptures teach salvation by faith alone (Romans 3:20-31). This weekend at church we're having a party to celebrate this very idea. We're going to celebrate the goodness and grace of God, and we're going to cheer on a few friends who are declaring salvation by faith through their baptisms.

I'm disappointed to not be there, but we'll be watching online from somewhere in Germany. If you're in town, don't miss this celebration. Weekends like this remind us all why we do this thing called 'church.'

Happy Friday everyone!
Greg

Pilgrimages

A few weeks ago, my husband René and I walked the Cinque Terre coastal trail in Italy. We visited ancient churches along the way and even joined in prayer with a handful of faithful congregants. The churches felt like touchstones on our journey, a visual reminder to take time to pray with gratitude and awe. 

Just thinking about how many millions before us have made the same pilgrimage is inspiring still and for the vision to construct something that would last past their lifetime. Living in Alberta, where our history is new, it is challenging sometimes to think that we can have that kind of lasting impact on our community. But we do, through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Next time you walk, whether it’s around Broadmoor Lake, on the Blackfoot Trails, or somewhere in our beautiful river valley, just reflect about the heritage of grace and love that the same God of the ancients continues to pour out! 

In Christ,
Anne Arseneau

The Joy of Generosity

At one point in the message this past weekend, I was reminded of when I was a young mom with four little children. I was concerned about the influence of our consumer culture on our kids. I remember chatting with my dad about this and he said, “Don’t focus on teaching them not to be materialistic; focus on teaching them the joy of generosity.”

I have thought of that and needed to be reminded of it in my own life many times since then. God has been reminding me recently that falling in love with His story for my life is infinitely more effective as a follower of Jesus than having my main focus on what needs to be fixed.
One of my favourite texts regarding this principle of replacement is, “…Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). I still struggle lots, but I am much more effective when my energy is spent struggling to be in tune with God and His heart. This old chorus says it so well, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Joy!
Rita

PS ~ Hey church, as of this writing, we're working on a few situations where we're able to take our loose change from last weekend and answer prayers for some people. We'll tell you more about it on the weekend, but I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks once again for your generosity. ~ Greg

Does It Really Matter?

I was moved to tears this week. A letter arrived in the mail from a jail not too far from our city.

This young man came to our home often as a little boy. He lived in the orphanage that I visited. As years went on, he got in trouble. When he became desperate for help, he remembered us and asked for help at the drug rehab center. We were glad he came; however, it was not easy for him. After a couple of weeks he left. He did not last long on the street and asked to come back to the center. We gave him a second chance, but again he did not last and shortly after that was arrested.

We did not hear from him for a long time and wondered if our care and concern for him had mattered. The letter that we just received proves that it had. I never thought that our interactions would have lasting fruit in his life. But the love, kind words, and acceptance were meaningful to him, and he had not forgotten.

Now, he is not the same man. God touched his life! He prays and talks to others about hope in Christ, and he believes that God has a plan for his life. Even though he is in jail, he is serving his six-year sentence with a changed heart. The four-page letter that he wrote from jail is a testimony to the fact that nothing done in the name of Christ is EVER in vain!

Sometimes we wonder if our words and actions matter. They do! Some drug addicts finish the program and are doing well. Some do not, but they have been exposed to something they will never forget – the love of Christ and love of His people. 

God bless you,
Vera & Danny, Global Partners - Serbia