Connectcalgary

We chose 5 fresh voices from within our congregation and gave them 5 minutes each to share a message that God had placed on their heart. It's one of our favourite Sundays of the year!

Whether you call it the Lord's Supper, Communion or Eucharist, this tiny, ancient meal has the power to satisfy you in ways other food cannot. Join us for a celebration of the meaning and beauty behind communion.

Many of us have heard the story of The Good Samaritan, and we think we know what it means. But what if we've been reading wrong all these years? What if the real meaning behind this parable is even better than we ever hoped? Join us for this week's message to learn the truth about this powerful story! (Please note: The audio on this file cleans up significantly about 30 seconds in.)

Ever compared your spiritual life to somebody else's and felt like you didn't measure up? How about your marriage, finances or health? It can be very easy to get disheartened when our situation isn't picture perfect. Lucky for us, Jesus went to great lengths to tell us that God doesn't expect perfection, only growth. Join us for a message designed to help you experience God's best in every part of your life!

You and I are caught in a cycle. This cycle of living is like a whirlpool - it sucks us in and the longer we spend in it, the harder it is to ever get out. This cycle is highlighted in the story of the prodigal son, but thankfully, so is the solution. If you have ever felt like you are nearing rock bottom, this week's message will be a powerful reminder of just how deeply you are loved.

Believe it or not, Jesus often compared church to a party. Why is God so big on throwing parties, and how do you score your invite? Pastor Dan lets you in on a little secret in this week's message!

Church is a rescue party, having a rescue party. If that sentence is a little confusing, perhaps it's because you aren't familiar with the three stories Jesus tells in Luke 15. Each of these parables reveals a God who will never quit pursuing the ones He loves. Oh, and during this week's message, we make our biggest announcement EVER!

Let's be honest men: It's hard enough to take care of ourselves at times, much less the added weight of providing and protecting our families. Too many of us find unhealthy ways to manage the stress that we carry; often times our unhealthy coping strategies actually become destructive to the ones we love the most. But perhaps the pressure you feel is a weight you were never meant to carry. Is it possible that while you try to convince yourself that you are your family's saviour that you prove how desperately you need a saviour yourself? In this year's Father's Day message, pastor Dan unpacks the life and struggles of Cain, famous in the Bible for being the world's first murderer. And while it's easy to villainize Cain, the patterns he fell into are all too common in our world today. Perhaps they even describe your life as well.

There's a pretty high likelihood that at some point in your life, you have made a decision you regret. Whether it was a moment of careless naivete, or a "damn the consequences" choice, you may now wonder if your past compromises your future. At what point does our history ruin our destiny? In today's message, pastor Dan relates the story of John Mark, a promising young man from the early church whose decisions nearly sidelined him for good. But luckily for him (and us) in Jesus, even our biggest screw ups can be salvaged!

It's been said that the only constant in life is change. New seasons, new opportunities and new challenges all force us out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. In this week's message, pastor Damian Bassett of Vantage Church, Toronto reminds us that in the middle of change we can take comfort knowing that God never changes.

Were women created to be leaders or helpers? Are they really "the weaker sex"? Are the strong women detailed in the Bible meant to be examples for us to follow, or exceptions to the rule? -- Pastor Dan dives deep this week on the story of Deborah (Judges 4-5) and addresses women's issues in light of #metoo, #churchtoo, and scripture.

Is it possible to share God's love and truth with people in your life without making your relationships strained and awkward? It is! We find a great example of how in the life of a man named Philip, whose story is told in the Book of Acts, chapter 8.

Real moms. Real struggles. Real faith. -- We all know that motherhood changes pretty much everything, but three ladies share with us how even their faith has grown since they became responsible for tiny humans. This week's message is an honest and encouraging discussion of the victories and setbacks moms like you face every day.

Some people claim God is always angry. Others say He is never angry. The truth (according to Scripture) lies somewhere in between. So what makes God upset? How can He be loving *and* be angry? Isn't the whole idea of a "wrathful God" outdated and unnecessary? Join us this week as we dive deep into this often overlooked, but critical facet of God's character.

"If God is so good and faithful, why did He allow ________ to happen?" That's a question that deserves an answer! In this week's message, pastor Dan explains why God's goodness and faithfulness are completely different than you think, and why that's great news for us all!

At this point, it's almost cliche to say that "God is Love." And yet, many people still assume that God's default emotion towards us is disappointment at best, or outright anger at worst. Where does this idea come from? How can we learn to let go of it and embrace a more Biblical picture of God? Join us for this week's message as pastor Dan breaks it down.

Everyone has a name. You may love your name, you may hate it, but no matter what, it is a part of who you are. Did you know that God also has a personal, proper name? In the same way that you might be named "Morgan," or "Jenny," God reveals to us His name in the book of Exodus. Do you know what God's name is? It's only four letters long, but it has the power to entirely change the way you see Him.

The religious motto of our city might as well be "I'm spiritual, but not religious." It's extremely common to hear someone say, "Every faith system has a little bit of truth to it." So how do we know which parts are supposedly true and which parts aren't? The short answer is: We choose the parts we like, and ignore the parts we don't. And maybe that says more about us than it does about God. In this week's message, pastor Dan challenges us to accept God for who He is; the parts we agree with and especially the parts we don't!

A crucified God? A carpenter returned from the dead? Let's be honest: Easter is a strange holiday. But in this week's talk, pastor Dan breaks down how it is precisely because the resurrection of Jesus is such a seeimingly absurd and scandalous story that it has the power to change your life!

20 minutes of sleep each week is not enough. 20 minutes of exercise is not enough. 20 minutes at the office might be enough, but not if you hope to actually accomplish anything! In the same way, 20 minutes of worship each week isn't enough to keep you spiritually healthy. This week pastor Dan gives practical advice on how you can worship God as powerfully and passionately on Monday as you do on Sunday.