The shepherds were the last people anyone expected to be part of the story—they were living on the margins, working the night shift while everyone else slept, never invited to the events around them. Outsiders And yet… they’re the first ones invited. In the middle of the darkness, they’re the ones who hear the news. The ones who run toward something they can’t fully explain. The ones who show up—curious, uncertain, hopeful. This Christmas, we’re turning our attention to them—the ones...
Every year, we gather the remarkable stories emerging from our community—stories of people “Taking Water,” showing up with compassion, generosity, and a willingness to invest themselves in the lives of others without expectation. These stories highlight everyday individuals living out quiet courage, humble service, and extraordinary impact. Join us again this year for a morning of inspiration as we honour those who have embodied this spirit in meaningful and memorable ways. Come hear the sto...
Walk into any cathedral in the world and chances are you’ll feel something. For me, it’s often a sense of Something More. After a conversation with an architect in our community, I’m realizing just how much our spaces shape us—how they influence our sense of spirituality, our connection to Something More, the Divine, "God.” But many of us move through our lives without using our spaces intentionally. This week, we’re going to begin exploring how to design the kinds of spaces—big or s...
This Sunday, I’m having an honest conversation with someone who’s facing a reality most of us try not to think about: our time on this earth is limited. Every week, someone somewhere says goodbye to someone they love—and it’s never easy. Even thinking about our own mortality can feel scary. But throughout history, spiritual traditions have suggested that facing this truth can actually bring clarity and depth to our lives. This weekend, we’re exploring the unexpected gifts that wrestling with...
Across cultures and centuries, people have turned to certain natural substances in search of something beyond themselves — healing, meaning, perhaps even an encounter with the divine. Now, modern science is circling back to explore what ancient wisdom seemed to already know and it's wild!! What might the latest research be revealing about potential roles psychedelics can play in one's spirituality? Join us this Sunday for an open, thoughtful conversation that just might expand how you see ...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis How often do you let yourself truly enjoy life’s pleasures? Do you ever feel guilty for spending time or money simply to delight in something good? I’ll admit—sometimes I do. Throughout history, the topic of pleasure has been a bit awkward within traditional Christianity. Many of us were warned about “the desires of the flesh” and told that things which excite the senses could lead us astray. And yes, sometimes they do. But deep down, we’re wired with a longing to exper...
Speaker: Vince Klassen There’s one thing in life that ranks right up there with death and taxes - change. This past week we shared that Friends Church will be changing too, with Jeff stepping away to pursue a new career managing a golf resort (fun fact: his formal training is actually in Turf Management!). So what do we do with change—especially when it’s not the change we wanted? How do we make peace with it, or even grow from it? How do we navigate it when everything in us says its wrong...
This week we announced the resignation of one of our Lead Pastors - Jeff Jarvis. We spent some time learning what is next for Jeff and his family and where Friends Church 2.0 came from. Finally, we looked at the core of Friends Church found in each of us that calls it home. Please see below the letter from our Board Chairperson and Jeff's letter of Resignation. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Here's to the next chapter of the Friends Churc...
Through this series, we’re taking an honest look at the Bible. So far, we’ve set aside our assumptions and begun seeing it as a Wisdom text rather than an owner’s manual—one that honors its Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse origins. This week, we’ll focus on the Bible’s Diversity and explore a key question: what does it really mean for the Bible to be “inspired by God”? Does the Bible claim that for itself? And if not, how might that change how we see and value it in our lives? Join us this wee...
Many of us grew up in faith traditions that took the Bible’s rules very seriously. For some, breaking one meant rejection or judgment — sometimes even exile from family or community. Some biblical laws still seem to make deep sense today. Others… not so much. So how do we tell the difference in 2025? Can we really choose which spiritual laws still apply? Join us this Sunday as we wrestle with these honest questions and explore what wise, compassionate faith looks like in our world today. B...
Many pick up the Bible expecting a rulebook or instruction manual for life—only to be puzzled by its ancient language, strange stories, and even some contradictions. This week at Friends, we’re exploring why this “Instruction Manual” expectation of the Bible can create problems. Instead, we want to show you a way of using it that actually works: not by giving us ready-made answers, but by training us to read the moments we’re in to discern real wisdom for today. Donate to Friends Church To d...
The Bible has been called many things: The Word of God.Inspired scripture.A holy book.An owner’s manual for life.A roadmap.A moral compass.A revelation of Jesus Christ.God’s self-disclosure.But these are all ideas—metaphors. So what is the Bible, physically?Where did it come from?What is it made of?How did it become the book we hold today?This week we launch a new series: The Bible: Much Assembly Required. We’ll start by unpacking what the Bible actually is, so we can begin building (or rebui...
At Friends Church, our mission is simple: to inspire us to Take Water to our world. One way we can Take Water is to Love our Neighbours in ways that truly make life better for them and us. That’s easy when people look, think, and live like us. But most of the world doesn’t. And if we’re going to love our neighbours well, we need to know them—what they need, what they value, and what love looks like to them. This Sunday we are going to meet a member of our community that is Trans and identifie...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the years, I’ve heard countless explanations of spirituality—and honestly, I’ve become a bit skeptical when the word is thrown around too loosely. When it can mean anything, it starts to feel like it means nothing. At Friends Church, we believe spirituality should be more than a vague idea. We’re passionate about what we call healthy spirituality—a way of living that actually refreshes your soul and brings life to the world around you, like water soaking into ...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Does it feel like our world is more divided than ever? Every conversation, every headline, every debate seems charged—like it’s no longer just about differences, but about winning or losing. One group against another. Us versus them. A World Divided It leaves us wondering: is this just the way things are now? Or is there a way back to feeling like we’re in this together again? At Friends Church, we don’t believe division is disappearing anytime soon. But we do be...
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis and Mike Hanson At Friends Church, our mission is simple: to inspire you to Take Water to your World. “Taking Water” can look different in each of our lives. Sometimes...Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis What happens when you spend large amounts of time and effort chasing the approval of others but somehow lose parts of yourself in the process? This weekend,...Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speakers: Vince Klassen I read a quote recently: “Mother: One person who does the work of twenty—for free.” For many, this couldn’t be more true. From carrying us for nine...Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speakers: Vince Klassen We’ve all had them—relationships that just aren’t great. Maybe one part works, but the rest feels heavy, even toxic. So when is it okay to let go?...Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” — Viktor Frankl A deeper sense of meaning and purpose can feel...Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast
Marcia Carr
Today's testimonies brought me to tears. ❤️