St.Andrew's Presbyterian Church Fenelon Falls

Dear Friends,

I want to begin with a Mountain-Moving Faith Presentation. This Sunday, Michael Nicholson, Director of the Accessibility Services [AS] at the University of Toronto, will talk about “student mental health, and some of the work” he and his colleagues do, “how the pandemic has created new or greater challenges,” what they are seeing and so on. I am sure that the AS has provided excellent support and services for students with various mental and physical concerns to achieve academic success, especially in the last two unprecedented years. Thank you in advance, Michael, for your talk and the AS’s vital work under your leadership for young people on campus!

In addition, on Transfiguration Sunday, we will be continuously transformed to become more and more like Christ by learning the fruit of the Spirit, in particular, “Self-Control.” As usual, the service will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 27, 2022, and the Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m. The announcement slides will be played before the service. A-Zoom fellowship will take place for those who want to join after the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

Finally, I am so excited to introduce the coming Bible Study through Zoom (starting on Wed. March 9, 2022). This divine workout program will help us have spiritual growth and development through the Lenten Season. Please feel free to attend whenever possible. An electronic copy of each session note will be shared with participants (no cost). Zoom Meeting ID and Passcode for this study are the same as Sunday services.

Spring Bible Study “Everything is Possible with God by Rick Warren” via Zoom
Date & Time: Six Wednesday Mornings 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (March 9 – April 13, 2022)

[How’s your faith? Is it strong or weak? Is it steady or stretched? That’s an important question because Jesus said, “Everything is possible for the person who has faith” (Mark 9:23 TEV). Jesus also said, “According to your faith, will it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 NIV). In other words, you get to choose how much God blesses your life. So there’s a lot riding on your faith. Would you like your faith to be stronger?

Well, that’s what this six-session video study is all about. You see, faith is like a muscle. It needs to be exercised and developed. And God uses a predictable pattern and process to build your faith. It’s what Pastor Rick Warren calls the Six Phases of Faith. Once you understand these six phases, you can cooperate with God in the process of strengthening your faith and building your character. Our God is a God of miracles. He has a plan and a purpose for your life, and he always keeps his promises.] (Excerpt from Rick Warren’s Study Kit)

March 9: Session One – How God Builds Your Faith
March 16: Session Two – God’s Dream for Your Life
March 23: Session Three – How to Make Wise Decisions
March 30: Session Four – Delayed by Design
April 6: Session Five – How to Deal with Difficulty
April 13: Session Six – From Dead End to Deliverance.

Upcoming Sunday Services
March 6: First Sunday of Lent – Communion & Reader Exchange
March 13 to April 17: God’s Dream for Your Life Sermon Series

“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28).

Blessings,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

I want to begin with the series of the following questions: “How much have I produced the fruit of the spirit? If I asked myself, how could I evaluate myself to bear these divine characteristics in my faith journey? Am I meek? What would the people around me, particularly my loved ones, say?”

This Sunday, we will continue to explore the eighth spiritual fruit called “Gentleness” and learn how to become humble servants of God. As usual, the service will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 20th, 2022, and the Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m. The announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

Upcoming Sunday Service Info:
February 27 (Tentative): Presentation on “Moving Mountain Faith” with Michael Nicholson
March 6: First Sunday of Lent & Communion

“The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: ‘…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:29-31).

Blessings,

Caleb

 

Dear Friends,

I want to begin with the “Moving Mountain Faith” presentation Sherry Henderson will make in our Zoom service this Sunday. As I mentioned before, whether we have accomplished something significant or small, all of the attempts we have made are “extraordinary” before the Lord. Whether dramatic or straightforward, any stories would also be an excellent testimony to the Lord if they contain God as the leading actor and His power as the primary source. I am sure we will all be delighted to listen to God’s Story of what He has done for Sherry and/or through her.

With this introduction of the Faith presentation, I want to invite you to the Feb. 13th Zoom service. We will continue to explore the seventh spiritual fruit called “Faithfulness” and learn how to become trustworthy servants of God. As usual, the service will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, and the Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m. The announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

Update on Prayer Shawl Ministry: Last week, four dedicated shawls were delivered to the following recipients. Please pray for Bill Hoyle to continuously receive God’s healing power and Catherine Graham, Faye Nicholson, and Wilma Wray to have Christ’s ongoing comfort. Below is the link to the Prayer Shawls Dedication video Dan did on behalf of our church last Sunday. Those who missed joining that prayer gathering may want to participate in the blessing upon the prayer shawls while watching the video. Our appreciation goes to Donna Schley for this vital ministry’s coordination and continuous efforts. Also, our thanks go to the knitters for the loving hearts, uncountable time and countless stitches they put upon the shawls.

Prayer Shawls Blessing & Dedication on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022

Upcoming Sunday Service Info:
February 13: & Knox Annual Meeting (right after the service)
February 27 (Tentative): Presentation on “Moving Mountain Faith” with Michael Nicholson
March 6: First Sunday of Lent & Communion

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:20, 23).

Blessings,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

Before I present this Sunday’s info, I want to have your attention upon fraud phone calls and emails. A couple of weeks ago, some people asked me whether I would have requested them, via email, to do something for me in a momentary manner. Remember – that kind of email is always a SCAM! Please never reply to it and delete it. Mark Mitchell, Chief of the Kawartha Lakes Police Department, has kindly shared some of his thoughts on fraud prevention. I found that it is very beneficial, so I put it below in the P.S. 1 section. You will be surprised to see how many types of scams are out there. Mark, thanks for your expertise!

I want to invite you to the Feb. 5th Zoom worship service with a somewhat unusual introduction. We will continue to look at the fifth and sixth spiritual fruits called “Kindness and Goodness” and learn how we can have these divine attributes and show these sacred influences on the people around us. We will have a special presentation with Dan Schley on St. Andrew’s Prayer Shawl Ministry (Coordinator: Donna Schley) during the service. We will also pray together about God’s supernatural blessings upon the prepared shawls and some of our friends who will receive shawls in the coming days.

As usual, the service will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. The Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m., and the announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

FYI: I place the link below to the World Day of Prayer Service in 2022 that Lynne Hill from Bolsover has recently shared with us. “This years’ service was written by England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is presented by women all across Canada.” Thanks, Lynne, for this info!

How to Participate

Upcoming Sunday Service Info:
February 6: St. Andrew’s Annual meeting (right after the service)
February 13: Presentation on “Moving Mountain Faith” with Sherry Henderson
& Knox Annual Meeting (right after the service)
February 27 (Tentative): Presentation on “Moving Mountain Faith” with Michael Nicholson
March 6: Communion

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40).

Blessings,

Caleb

P.S.1 – Fraud Prevention (Modified Version)

Here are a few additional resources on fraud prevention:

https://www.creditcanada.com/blog/dont-let-these-6-scams-fool-you?utm_source=adwords&utm_term=&utm_campaign=DSA&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_src=g&hsa_ver=3&hsa_tgt=dsa-19959388920&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ad=352985752715&hsa_acc=8770489077&hsa_cam=1988900602&hsa_mt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_grp=66469075090&gclid=Cj0KCQiAosmPBhCPARIsAHOen-PnZj0olPB2cKj-xnBX8vXM5w2ZwIv7l1R1FErpb3yDqLBlh7iYkDQaAvNIEALw_wcB

https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/protect-protegez-eng.htm

The websites above cover some of the more common scams and tactics used. Some quick reference points:

• Never give out personal information to someone who calls you
• Never open attachments or click on links unless you are 100% certain of the source.
• If you feel pressured to act quickly, are threatened with arrest or other consequences, or are discouraged from contacting anyone else, then it’s a scam.
• Avoid any financial transactions until you verify the source. Be especially cautious of requests to pay via gift cards, bitcoin or other difficult to track methods.

Don’t feel guilty, they can be quite clever and are very persuasive.

Dear Friends,

I want to begin with the following note the St. Andrew’s Elders have recently prepared: “The church sanctuary is closed to in-person services at this time. The Session of St. Andrew’s is closely monitoring the latest health guidance to gauge when and how to re-open for in-person attendance. As always, the health and safety of our parishioners is our primary concern. As the COVID-19 environment remains uncertain, we are unable to predict when it will be safe to resume in-person worship services. We will provide further updates as soon as they become available.”

This Sunday, we will continue to explore the fourth sacred fruit called “patience” in our service. As usual, the worship will begin at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday, January 30, 2022, via Zoom. The Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m., and the announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached. A Zoom fellowship will take place for those who want to join after the service.

Upcoming Sunday Service Info:
February 6: Presentation on the St. Andrew’s Prayer Shawl Ministry and Blessing upon the prepared shawls
& St. Andrew’s Annual meeting (right after the service)
February 13: Presentation on “Moving Mountain Faith” with Sherry Henderson
& Knox Annual Meeting (right after the service)
February 27 (Tentative): Presentation on “Moving Mountain Faith” with Michael Nicholson

If any of you have prayer requests, please let a church elder or me know. We, as a church, want to pray for you and your loved ones together. Also, please let us know if you know anyone who wants to join our Zoom services and be added to our church emailing list. We want to share God’s love and grace with everyone in our community and even beyond.

“Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Matthew 18:33).

Blessings,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

I want to begin by reiterating the special presentation called the “Moving Mountain Faith” in our worship services. So far, Sherry Henderson and Michael Nicholson have graciously accepted our invitation and are willing to share their God-given stories with us on the coming Sundays. I am sure that God will touch the heart of each listener and help us continuously “expect great things from God and attempt great things for God” in our adventurous faith journey this year.

This Sunday, we will explore the third sacred fruit called “peace” in our service. As usual, the worship will begin at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday, January 23, 2022, via Zoom. The Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m., and the announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Blessings,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

When I was a freshman at university, I was invited to a bible study by two smiling students. Even though I was not interested in the Holy Scripture at the time, I was curious about why they seemed to be so joyful. While coming back home after the bible study, I found myself humming the songs I had learned at the church. Since having an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, I have been blessed with God’s divine joy. This sacred happiness has helped me stand firm before the Lord during challenging situations.

I want to invite you to explore the second spiritual fruit called “joy” in our service with this introduction. As usual, the worship will begin at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday, January 16, 2022, via Zoom. The Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m., and the announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

Blessings,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, I am delighted to launch the first sermon series this New Year, titled “The Fruit of the Spirit”. One famous scripture taken from Galatians 5:19-23 shows the two different categories of harvests: “the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit.” Many outcomes under each division are described to evaluate what kind of fruit we as Christ-followers may produce in our spiritual journey. One result is being led to the Kingdom of God when we are called to be with the Lord one day. The other evidence can lead us to dwell in the opposite place on the Last Day. Examining what kind of spiritual crop we may bear is crucial for us to do regularly. I pray that God may help each of us be better divine trees and bring on much-sacred influence in our family and community in the coming days.

With this introduction, I want to invite you to the first Sunday after Epiphany – “a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ” – January 9, 2022. During this continued Zoom service, we will explore the first fruit of the spirit called “love” compared to the hatred mind. Since this love subject is so broad and infamous, I want to focus on some practical matters of why the loving sense is crucial in our relationships with others and how the loving heart can be created within us.

As usual, the worship will begin at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday, January 9, 2022, via Zoom. The Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m., and the announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Blessings,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

We wish you and your family a very joyful and all-around healthy New Year on behalf of the Joint Leadership Team!

I want to begin with a quick update on our Sunday worship gathering place. The St. Andrew’s Session has recently decided that our services will continue via Zoom only in January of 2022. At the end of this month, the Session will revisit this topic and inform us whether in-person services in the church sanctuary would resume on top of our Zoom gatherings on Sundays.

One of the main 2022 ministerial objects I have chosen for our church’s God-given mission is to have the moving mountain faith. What I mean by that is to experience our Mighty God’s power in our faith journey while challenging ourselves to do something great for God. Whether we accomplish something significant or small, all of the attempts we will make are “extraordinary” before the Lord. Concerning this faith ministry, a “Moving Mountain Faith” presentation will be made in a Sunday worship service once a month. Please let a church elder and/or me know if any of you would be interested in sharing your faith journey and/or you know someone who would like to contribute their testimony in our upcoming services. Guest speakers can present in person at the church or join us virtually. Once again, whether dramatic or straightforward, any stories will be an excellent witness to the Lord if they contain God as the leading actor and His power as the primary source. God will be pleased to hear those stories!

I want to invite you to the second Sunday service after Christmas Day with this introduction. During this celebration, we will explore God’s phone number – Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” and learn about some meanings of the moving mountain faith.

As usual, the worship will begin at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday, January 2, 2022, via Zoom. The Zoom link will open at 9:45 a.m., and the announcement slides will be played before the service. A copy of the service info, including the sermon, is attached.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them” (Mark 11:22-23).

Blessings,

Caleb