Special Announcement!!

Our Board of DIrectors met this week and have agreed open for in person service on Father's Day June 21. We will continue to broadcast and there will be some guidelines for attending and we will let everyone know what these are in the coming weeks.

Our primary concern is for the health and safety of our family and friends and we look forward to the day we can gather together once again but until then, please stay safe and may

God bless you all richly.

The Board Members of Main Avenue Fellowship and Pastor Todd

For more information, please contact us at mainavefellowship@gmail.com

Call Of The Wise

There are times when focus is a wonderful thing. Picture this, I’m sitting in front of the television last year watching hockey. The sound is not overly loud but the action is intense. The score is tied and coming onto the ice is the top scoring line in the NHL. One of the best face-off artists slides into the circle to the left of the goalie and the linesman readies himself to drop the puck. It’s a false start on the defense and the opponent is waived out of the circle. The puck is dropped, our guy wins the puck back to the point and it is quickly relayed to the top of the opposite circle. The right-winger is set for the one timer and quick as a flash the puck rips towards the top corner on the stick side and finds the twine at the back of the net. The celebration on the ice erupts, the commentators go nuts and I settle in to watch the replays from all sorts of angles. It was textbook. Clean off the faceoff, crisp pass across and laser precision into a gap just big enough for the puck to fit.

Off to the side I hear, “so what do you think?”

“Are you kidding me, it was a fabulous goal and this could be the game because there is next to no time to mount a comeback.”

“I’m not talking about the game; I want to know what you think about idea for the BBQ tomorrow night.”

Did I miss something? How did we go from the hockey game to roasted veggies in a garlic sauce as a side for the hamburgers? Think, man! I need to concentrate.

“So I was thinking, for the BBQ tomorrow we could either…with forty seconds left in the game Smith takes a costly penalty that could cost them the game”

I now see where the conversation shifted. Truth be told, the conversation did not shift but the focus definitely did. Is this not a common occurrence in our daily lives? So often we will start the day off with a plan for the day and by coffee time the plan has shifted and what was once important is now on a back burner. There are days when we get ready to roll and think, “I am going to get up ten minutes early and read my devotional so I am not so rushed.” The alarm goes off, at the usual time, and now we are ten minutes behind and focus shifts from spending time in the Word to rushing around looking for the other clean sock.  Focus shifted and time in prayer and reflection is lost in the chaos.

“…when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  Matt 6:6

Take time to be with the Creator of life, our Father in Heaven. It does take a conscious effort on our part to prioritize a meeting with our Saviour. If we take that private time to focus with purpose and intensity, our God will reward but we need to be attentive for His response and shake off the distractions around us. Holy Spirit is with us and amongst us and He is completely focused on us all as should we be to Him.

This Sunday, we celebrate the Pentecost. For the month of June we will celebrate and explore the gifts of Holy Spirit. We invite you to join us online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Click on either link below to join us live:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31
YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday, online.
Blessings
Pastor Todd
www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘Physically Tired?’

Day 1: Jeremiah 31:25 – “For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”

Day 2: Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.”

Day 3: Psalm 18:31, 32 – “For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.”

Day 4: Mark 6:31 – “Then Jesus said, 'Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.' He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”

Day 5: Exodus 33:14 – “The Lord replied, 'I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest – everything will be fine for you.'”

Day 6: Matthew 11:28 – “Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'”

Day 7: Psalm 73:26 – “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. ”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Gathering Update

On 21 May, we attended a conference call with our Premier, Jason Kenney, our Chief Medical Officer, Dr Hinshaw and members of the faith community in Alberta. There were discussions regarding safety in next steps and what faith gathering will look like in the near future and beyond. There was talk about numbers that could attend, whether to advise attendees to wear masks for protection and numbers allowed to attend at one time. It was very enlightening and some great information was shared. Some of the issues are going back to the government advisory committee for review or revision.

We, at Main Avenue Fellowship, continue to monitor the restrictions and advisements from our provincial government concerning public meeting within our building. On 25 May, our board will meet to discuss options and possible dates for blended services with restricted attendance in order to ensure social distancing. As the options open up, we will keep everyone informed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 403-638-4055 or by email at mainavefellowship@gmail.com .

Thank you all for your patience.

Blessings to you all.


Pastor Todd

What Does Membership Look Like

I was challenged a while back as to what advantage there is to being a member of the church. Immediately the thought of “Amex, membership has it’s privileges”. This ad was from years ago and I am not even sure if it still exists but thoughts came flooding back to the days of the credit card for the elite. The platinum card was reserved for those who were set apart. You could buy a house or fancy car on the card. That was privilege. There was a price to pay for this luxury but that was overshadowed by the dreams of what you could do with this sacred membership. I, of course, never measured up because I could not afford the price of membership.

So let’s get back to church membership. It used to be that people sought out membership with a local church because it really meant something. The churches were full and Sunday mornings were devoted to the gathering of the faithful. Members took their responsibilities very seriously and claimed the fellowship as their own. Prospective members attended classes so they could understand the history and polity of the denomination, learned of opportunities to serve the faith family and were informed of their responsibility to the church. Membership also granted the individual a vote on matters concerning the gathering and truly participate in guiding the church’s mission in the community. Membership also meant that we were accountable to each other so as not to lose our way in this crazy world. Some still seek membership but I fear this is not always the case these days. In one case, the person seeking membership said they did not want to be tied down to any one church as they felt it would limit their ministry opportunities. I was very new to ministry at the time and I had no answer but today I would like to respond; sort of.

Membership has it’s privilege. It is not membership in a particular church. There is not a special reserved section for any denomination in Heaven. I will not go to Heaven to have Jesus say to me “your denomination has saved you” but rather He will say, “I know you, your faith has set you free, welcome to your new forever home”. Membership in His way is a glorious membership and it comes with all sorts of privileges. You will live anew with not a care or worry. There will be no more pain or suffering, we will sing praises and live in perfection for all eternity. There is nothing in this world that can describe the perfection we will be a part of but it will be open for us all. There is a cost for this membership though but here is the awesome news, Jesus paid the price when He went to the cross and took our sins upon Him. It is for us to proclaim in our hearts, ask Jesus for forgiveness and trust that we are forgiven for He sits in Glory interceding for us. Our membership has been paid in full.

What is the perfect church? The perfect church is the one that claims the Gospel Truth, preaches the Truth and endeavors to live the Truth. Claim membership in the Kingdom, declare Jesus as Saviour and seek out a gathering to be a part of so you can share in the joy of worshiping together. Claim membership as a follower of Christ, this is primary, then seek membership in a faith gathering and add your voice to the choir of the body.

We invite you to join us online at 10:30 AM (Mountain Time). Click on one of the following links:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday, online.

Blessings
Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘God is in the Waiting’

Day 1: Lamentations 3:25, 26 – “The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. ”

Day 2: Psalm 5:3 – “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. ”

Day 3: Psalm 130:5 – “I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. ”

Day 4: Isaiah 30:18 – “So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. ”

Day 5: Psalm 27:13, 14 – “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

Day 6: Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Day 7: Micah 7:7 – “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. ”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Watch Out

Years ago, I was taught when I point my finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at me. We tend to forget this. Truth be told, there is, in my opinion, less accountability being practiced in our world today. Now, before everyone decides to get all up in arms and start to send hate emails my way, consider this; I am not perfect and am continually working on ways to avoid pointing fingers. This message is one of reflection and self-evaluation and if you want to go on the journey with me let’s continue on.

Watch the news today and you will find all sorts of blame casting going on. Words like “if you would have” or “you should have” are all statements that beg for a defensive response from the accused. Fingers pointed, accusations made and the battle is on. There have been numerous occasions in the past where the finger has been pointed in my direction and it has taken everything I have to keep quite, listen and respond in a measured and neutral manner. Now this is not to say I am successful every time but I do try. Aggressive words lead to the other person digging in their heals and, once the shields come up, little listening is done and damage ensues. The tipping point for me was a wonderful passage from the Gospel of John in chapter 8 verses 5-9.

“Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

They pointed their fingers at her to condemn not realizing that their own past was not as clean as the driven snow. There is not a single person alive on this planet who is without sin, none are greater than the next in the eyes of God. There was a picture book long ago that told this story and I remember seeing the accusers pointing their fingers at the woman and in the end, there was a picture of Christ, arms open wide, hands open and beckoning the woman to draw near. There is a message in the posture. Consider all avenues, be wise and seek peaceful resolution rather than force a hostile encounter. We are all in this together so why not seek solutions together.

We invite you to join us online at 10:30 AM (Mountain Time) where Rev Glenn Reeder will bring us a message from Scripture. Click on the following link:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday, online.

Blessings
Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘God's Handiwork’

Day 1: Job 12:7-10 – “Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you. For they all know that my disaster has come from the hand of the Lord. For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.”

Day 2: Psalm 8:3 – “... I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place...”

Day 3: Psalm 104:24, 25 – “O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. ”

Day 4: Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Day 5: Isaiah 42:5 – “God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth.”

Day 6: Psalm 139:13, 14 – “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. ”

Day 7: Romans 1:20 – “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

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Let The Truth Shine Through

Over the years, I have been taught that the best way to improve oneself is to take and honest and realistic look at yourself. Peal back the layers of self-perception and thoughtfully examine yourself to your very core. Socrates stated “the unexamined life is not worth living”. If we continue to blindly walk through life following the footsteps of the person ahead of us, we should assume at some point we will succumb to the same fate as the one we follow. So, let me carry on a bit more on that vein. If we put on blinders to maintain that focus, shutting out all the outside influences to remain on that path and convince ourselves that path is the only way so much so that we put on masks to hide behind, then do we, over time, loose sight of the beauty around us. Do we loose sight of who we truly are? I made a remark the other day and it is not the first time I have made it and it will not be the last time either. I cannot take credit for the philosophy but I do appreciate the truth of it.

If you truly want to know the reason for a situation or an issue, remove self from the equation and take an honest look from the outside. Get a feel for what others see and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Over twenty years ago, I took the time to examine my life in a new light. What I saw at the time was a life without direction and without purpose. There was a sense of pride in being able to adapt and change depending on the situation, shifting from mask to mask to suit the purpose, but it was living a lie. It took years to shift from that mindset but one day it finally clicked in. Live life with a sense of purpose, be prepared to be transparent and walk with eyes wide open. Yes, there will be those who will mock and be upset by this but who are we here to please? This is part two of the life equation.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:3-8

One day, years ago, I took myself out of the equation, asked Holy Spirit to take the reigns and show me a new path, a path that would truly reflect the calling He had on my life. The blinders came off, the Light shone in and from that day forward there was an awakening and a new purpose that was not of me but rather focused on the Kingdom. We are here to live the love of Christ above all else. In times of chaos and confusion, Christ is our foundation, our salvation. We all can be a catalyst to change for a better life.

We invite you to join us online at 10:30 AM (Mountain Time) on Facebook. Please note the new page address for the Facebook Live service and for YouTube Live. Click on the following link:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday, online.

Blessings
Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘God of Plenty’

Day 1: John 10:10 – “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Day 2: Psalm 16:11 – “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”

Day 3: Psalm 31:19 – “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.”

Day 4: Ephesians 3:20, 21 – “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”

Day 5: 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Day 6: Romans 8:32 – “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”

Day 7: Malachi 3:10 – “’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation