It’s a new year, so we’re going to take a new approach to keeping this blog updated! My dream of creating a slickly automated machine that would read my brain waves while I slept and use the relevant information to add informative and humorous updates to this page has not yet come to fruition despite the many promises made across the wider webisphere.

I suppose it might have ended badly. Probably for the best that machines aren’t able to read my mind yet. I think.

Instead of creating a new post every month or every quarter or season, I’m just going to have the one post here. As new Sundays and events get planned by our capable and diligent Peace Planning Committee, I’ll just add that information here. Might make for a long scroll, but we like that sort of thing, don’t we?

(And if you prefer not to scroll and would rather just get an email, let Jeff know here: info@peacecommunity.ca.)

Praying for good things this year and grateful that we have a God who loves us so much that he gave us his Son.

So, just what is happening this year anyways? We meet most Sundays at 11am at Mount Carmel Bible College (unless otherwise indicated). Most weeks, there is Sunday School for kids in Grade 6 and under. We also usually take communion together, which is an activity that Jesus instituted right at the start of everything — a way of remembering him and his invitation to live a life with him.

• Sunday, January 5: Might as well start the year off right by doing a prayer Sunday. Erin will be leading us. Sunday School is happening for kids in grade 6 and under downstairs.
• Sunday, January 12: Brunch is the main thing this week. We will be meeting at the Gutteridges (not Mount Carmel). Send Jeff an email if you need the address.
• Sunday, January 19: It’s a Word Sunday all about structuring our lives around Jesus. Jeff will be speaking. Sunday School is happening for kids in grade 6 and under downstairs.
• Sunday, January 26: Worship with us this week. Everyone will be upstairs.
• Sunday, February 2: We’re doing a World Cafe together focused on the Spiritual Disciplines. Sounds self-explanatory, right?
• Sunday, February 9: It’s a Service Sunday. We’ll be helping our friends at Mount Carmel Bible College clean up following their youth conference and packing bags to hand out to folks in need. This is a kid-friendly activity.
• Sunday, February 16: No church today — it’s Sabbatical Sunday! Rest up, chill out, and celebrate God’s creative love for this world.
• Sunday, February 23: Kaitlyn and Joy will be talking about Faith and/at Work today.
• Sunday, March 2: Jay is going to be leading our Word Sunday, talking about the discipline of fasting.
• Sunday, March 9: It’s a Worship Sunday this week. Kids will be upstairs with the rest of us.
• Sunday, March 16: It’s our Annual General Meeting — come for an update on what’s been happening the last year and what’s on the horizon, stay for some snacks.
• Sunday, March 23: It’s Word Sunday again. This time, Nils will be speaking about the discipline of reading scripture.
• Sunday, March 30: We’re doing Testimony Sunday this week. This is a great week to learn a bit more about others in our community.
• Sunday, April 6: It’s Brunch Sunday — and we’re not meeting at Carmel! Email Jeff for location and other details.
• Sunday, April 13: This Sunday is Palm Sunday 🌴! We’ll be doing something a bit different — a sort of modified “way of the cross,” which will involve walking through several stations that illustrate the key moments in Jesus’ journey to his death.
• Sunday, April 20: It’s Easter Sunday!! 🎉 He is Risen!
• Sunday, April 27: This week we’re going to be doing a World Cafe, which is a great way to hear from each other about what God has been teaching us and also to share our stories.
• Sunday, May 4: This week, we’re having a Testimony Sunday at Mount Carmel at 11am. We’ll be getting to know a couple of folks in our community and hearing their stories.
• Sunday, May 11: This week, Ruth is going to be talking about why reading the Bible together is important and we’ll take some time to do that together. There will also be Sunday school for kids in Grades 6 and under.
• Sunday, May 18: It’s Sabbatical Sunday – and that means NO CHURCH!
• Sunday, May 25: This Sunday, we will not be meeting at Mount Carmel! Instead we are going to be doing a walk / garbage pick-up in Mill Creek Ravine, followed by a BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic) for anyone who would like to stick around. Contact Ruth for more details!
• Sunday, June 1: This Sunday, we’re meeting at Carmel at 11am to try something new: Beefs & Bouquets (🐮🐮+💐💐). This is a time of conversation on the topic of lament and rejoicing. There will be Sunday School for kids in Grade 6 and under.
• Sunday, June 8: This Sunday, Doug will be speaking on the topic of “rethinking how we pray”. There will be Sunday school downstairs for kids in Grades 5 and under. For youth in Grades 6 to 12, Erin will be doing a separate activity.
• Sunday, June 15: This Sunday, we’ll be worshipping together at Carmel at 11am. Kids will be in the service with us.
• Sunday, June 22: This Sunday, it’s the Sunday School picnic, which is happening at Sherah and Shelby’s. Hot dogs / sausages / buns / popsicles are going to be supplied, but there’s also a sign up sheet to bring other stuff! Email Jeff for more details.
• Sunday, June 29: This coming Sunday is a Sabbatical Sunday, which means there’s no church! Feel free to take a break, have folks over, read a good book, or visit another church community — as John Mark Comer says, sabbath is a time “to stop, rest, delight, and worship.” 
• Sunday, July 6: This Sunday, we are starting our summer conversation-oriented series on John Stott’s 2010 book, The Radical Disciple. I’ll be introducing the book and getting our conversation started around the topic of the first chapter, “Nonconformity.” There will be summer Sunday School for kids in Grade 6 and under. If you don’t have a copy of the book, please let me know and I can get it to you. You also don’t need to have read the book in order to participate in the conversation as I will give a summary and mostly we’ll be using it as a springboard for a broader discussion — What do we like? What don’t we like? Where else can the conversation go?
• Sunday, July 13: This Sunday, we will be meeting at the Siewerts at 11am for a picnic. Bring your own lunch; desserts and beverages will be provided! Email Jeff for details.
• Sunday, July 20: This Sunday, we’re continuing the summer conversation series about John Stott’s book The Radical Disciple, this time looking at chapter 2 on “Christlikeness.” We’ll get going at 11:15 (but feel free to come earlier for coffee, etc.). Like last time, kids will be kept busy “fellowshipping,” either by playing gaga ball outside or doing boardgames downstairs, depending on the weather.
• Sunday, July 27: This week we’re going to be looking at the third chapter from John Stott’s The Radical Disciple. The conversation this time around is focused on “Maturity”. As per usual, great if you are able to read the very short chapter ahead of time, BUT the conversation is still very haveable even if you don’t get a chance. We’ll get going at the normal start time (~11:15am) at Carmel. Kids will be doing board games or playing gaga ball or something else that could quite possibly be described as “fun.”
• Sunday, August 3: This Sunday, we’re meeting at Carmel at 11am to talk about creation care (chapter 4 in The Radical Disciple). Kids are going to be downstairs playing games or outside playing games or possibly a third option, depending on the weather and likely many other factors!
• Friday, August 8: This week, there’s no church on Sunday. Instead, we’re going to be packing lunch bags on Friday to hand out with folks from Inner City Pastoral Ministries and the Community of Emmanuel. The lunch packing itself will be happening on Friday, Aug 8 at 6:30pm at Jay and Margie Gurnett’s. After we’re done, people are welcome to come next door to hang out at the King’s. (N.B. This is a location change from what was said on Sunday).
• Sunday, August 17: This Sunday at Carmel at 11am-ish, we’ll be looking at two chapters from John Stott’s book, The Radical Disciple: this time on “simplicity” and “balance”. As with the other weeks, the conversation will not rely on folks having read the chapters ahead of time (although it also can’t hurt!). For kids in Grade 6 and under, there will be a separate activity / games.
• Sunday, August 24: This Sunday, we’re doing a picnic at the Seibs! Feel free to show up at 11am. This is a bring-your-own-lunch sort of thing, but drinks and dessert will be provided. If folks have spare chairs to bring, that would be great also.
• Saturday, August 30 to Monday, September 1: It’s our annual retreat from Saturday, Aug 30 to Monday, Sept 1. Email Jeff if you would like details!
• Sunday, September 7: This Sunday, we will be worshipping together at 11am at Carmel. Kids will be in the room with us.
• Sunday, September 14: This Sunday instead of church, we’re going to be helping with Mount Carmel’s annual Elijah Run & BBQ.
• Sunday, September 21: This Sunday at Carmel at 11am, we’re going to be talking about the Bible — where it comes from, why it can be hard to read, and how God speaks through it. All in 25 mins or less! (Actually, we’re going to be continuing this topic over to next week as well). Kids in grade 5 and under will be in Sunday School downstairs; grade 6 and up will be in the library.
• Sunday, September 28: This Sunday, we’ll be continuing our discussion about the Bible — this time, we’re going to focus on how we listen to the voice of God.
• Sunday, October 5: This week we’re meeting at Tim and Kaitlyn’s for brunch! Email Jeff (info@peacecommunity.ca) for details on location and what to bring. No one will be at Carmel, so don’t go there!
• Sunday, October 12: It’s Sabbatical Sunday so that means there’s no church! Hang with family, see a friend, sleep in, go to another church. Keep a lookout for God at work all around you and rest.
• Sunday, October 19: This Sunday at 11am at Mount Carmel, we’re going to be hearing from folks in our community about loss and grief. Katherine will be leading a panel exploring these difficult topics.
• Sunday, October 26: This Sunday, we’re excited to be joined by Dr. Neal DeRoo, who will be drawing on 15+ years of experience with Christian university students to explore who is deconstructing their faith and why, so that we might better understand the opportunities and challenges deconstruction presents to us as Christians.
• Saturday, November 1: This weekend, we are meeting on Saturday at 2pm instead of Sunday. We’ll be packing lunch bags to distribute with Inner City Pastoral Ministry on Sunday and preparing the boots that have been donated as part of the Boot Up for Winter Event that is happening on Sunday as well.
• Sunday, November 9: This Sunday, it’s a worship Sunday. We’ll be meeting as per usual(ish) at Mount Carmel at 11am. Because it’s a worship Sunday, kids will be in with us.
• Sunday, November 16: It’s a Sabbatical Sunday this week, so please feel free to Sabbath! Find those unique ways God calls you into worship and rest.
• Sunday, November 23: It’s a Word Sunday today — Doug will be talking with us about what deconstruction in community looks like. There will be Sunday school for kids in Grade 5 and down. Youth will be gathering in Grades 6 and up.

More to come…