Explore every episode of the podcast Friends Church Calgary Weekly Message

Most of us know what it feels like to be at the end of our rope. The demands of work, family, relationships, and life never seem to stop, and sometimes even a vacation doesn't feel like enough. This Sunday at Friends Church, we'll explore a surprising perspective on why simply pushing harder often isn't the answer - and discover a practical, life-giving way to find renewed energy in the middle of ordinary life.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, running on empty, or simply looking for a healthier rhythm, this message offers a fresh, engaging look at rest, purpose, and what it means to truly be refreshed.

Come prepared to laugh, think, and maybe see a familiar story in a completely new light.

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Here's a question worth sitting with: what if the thing that's slowly destroying your most important relationships isn't the big blowup, the betrayal, or the obvious stuff — but something you do so regularly you don't even notice it anymore? Something you probably did this week. Maybe this morning. Researchers who study relationships have identified a handful of specific behaviors that are so corrosive, so quietly destructive, that they can predict whether a relationship will survive — with over 90% accuracy. Not might damage. Will destroy. And the brutal part isn't that these behaviors are rare or extreme. It's that they're completely ordinary. People do them every day in their closest relationships and genuinely believe they're just being honest, or protecting themselves, or handling things the only way they know how. This Sunday is the final talk in our series and I'm going to name them. All of them. Fair warning - you're probably going to recognize yourself in at least one. Probably more than one. But knowing is the whole point.

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There's someone in your life right now who just gets under your skin. Maybe it's a family member who turns every gathering into a minefield. A colleague who makes everything harder than it needs to be. A partner who seems wired completely differently than you and you cannot figure out how to stop bumping into each other. And the really fun part? You can't just walk away. You live with them, work with them, or married into the same family as them. Here's something that might actually help: researchers who study relationships for a living say that most of the problems in your closest relationships aren't actually fixable. They're permanent. And that sounds depressing until you realize what it means - because there's a way to navigate permanent differences that most people never figure out.

This Sunday I'm going to use one of the greatest creative partnerships in history to show you exactly what happens when you get this wrong - and what it looks like when you finally get it right. If there's someone in your life who drives you a little crazy, this one's for you.

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Have you ever been in a conflict with someone you love and realized halfway through that you're not actually fighting about what you think you're fighting about? Like the argument on the surface makes no sense - but something underneath it is absolutely real and it is not going away. Here's what nobody tells you: every person in your life is running on a core set of drives that are older than language, older than personality, older than anything therapy has ever tried to fix. And when those drives don't get honored - by the people around you, or by the life you've built - things go sideways. Quietly at first. Then not so quietly.

This Sunday we're going to look at what's actually underneath the tension in your closest relationships - not the symptoms, but the source. I'm going to show you something about yourself that's going to make a lot of things suddenly make sense. And honestly, it's going to make you a lot more patient with some of the people in your life who have been driving you absolutely crazy.

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Speaker: Emily Wight

Think about the last difficult conversation you had. You were listening to the words, maybe even choosing your own words carefully, trying to say the right thing. But what if the most important part of that conversation wasn't what was being said at all? What if the person in front of you was telling you exactly how they felt - and you missed it completely? There's a researcher who spent decades studying human faces and what he found is both fascinating and a little unsettling: people are broadcasting their inner world constantly, in ways they can't fully control or hide, and most of us have no idea how to read it. Not because we're bad people. Because nobody taught us how to look. 

This Sunday we're going to learn how to actually see the people right in front of us - and why that skill might be the piece that builds beautiful connection.

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Has someone ever pulled away from you and you genuinely didn't know why? A friendship that got quiet. A family member who keeps their distance. A relationship that used to be easy and now feels like work - and you can't put your finger on what changed. Here's the uncomfortable truth: most of us are doing things right now, in the relationships that matter most to us, that are slowly costing us those very relationships. And we don't even know we're doing it.

This Sunday we're going to get specific - not just about what's going wrong, but about the exact moments where connection is either built or quietly destroyed. There's a researcher name John Gottman who figured out how to predict, with 94% accuracy, which relationships are heading toward collapse, and which ones will thrive. Turns out it comes down to something that happens dozens of times a day in every relationship you have.

Come find out what it is — and whether you're doing it.

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There's probably someone in your life right now who's a little more distant than you'd like. A relationship that's a little harder than it needs to be. And if you're honest, somewhere in the back of your mind, you already know why. Something happened - something you did, or maybe something you've been doing for years without realizing it - and now you're paying for it. We all have patterns in our relationships that are quietly costing us way more than we realize. Not in dramatic blow-up ways, but in the slow accumulation of distance, resentment, and walls we didn't mean to build. This Sunday we're starting a new series about what it actually looks like to stop creating those costs - and start building the kind of relationships you actually want. I'm going to start by telling you about a mistake I made that followed me for a decade.

Come ready to be honest with yourself. See you at the Spiritual Gym

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Most of us have a list of reasons why our lives are harder than they should be. Things we didn't choose. Ways we're different. Losses we didn't deserve. And somewhere along the way, we quietly made peace with using that list as a reason to stop pushing.

This week at the Spiritual Gym, we're sitting with a question from a man who earned the right to ask it - a Rabbi who lost his teenage son and still chose to show up for his life. He reframes something most of us treat as a wound into something we might not expect. And it's not a platitude. It's not toxic positivity. It's harder than that - and more honest.

If life has handed you something unfair, something that makes the ordinary harder than it should be - this one's for you.

Join us Sunday at Friends Church.

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Speaker: Vince Klassen

What do we do when we're confronted with something unforgivable?

Not the small stuff. The real thing. The kind of act that makes us wonder if some people are just… evil.

Our answer matters. Not in some abstract philosophical way - but in something that cuts right to the heart of this series: what it actually looks like to Live Life Abundantly.

Because underneath that answer is a bigger one. What are we, as humans? Is there something in all of us that we keep disconnecting from - and what does it cost our lives when we do?

Here's what we keep finding: the way we see other people - especially the ones who've hurt us, failed us, or horrified us - shapes the life we're able to live. More than most of us want to admit.

What would change if we looked at the people we've written off - or the person we see in the mirror - and found something unexpected there?

Come find out. Friends Church, this Sunday.

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Johnny Cash made Hurt famous—but it was written by Trent Reznor, a 30-year-old caught between two versions of himself: the person on stage and the kid alone in his room. And in that tension, he asks a question most of us quietly carry: What have I become… and how did I get here?

This week, we’re using that question to rethink something many of us were taught to fear—sin. What if it’s not about punishment or getting it right, but a signal that something in your life is pulling you away from who you actually want to be?

If you’ve ever felt that gap - between your life and your values, between who you are and who you’re trying to be - this one matters.

Join us at the Spiritual Gym this week. Let’s figure out what it looks like to actually live abundantly… not just trying not to screw it up.

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Ever catch yourself thinking, “I just need to get through this week… then life will feel better”? Or “once that thing changes, then I’ll finally feel okay”? This week, we’re going straight at that feeling - the quiet sense that something’s off, something’s missing, something about your life (or you) just isn’t quite enough. And instead of trying to fix it or outrun it, we’re going to unpack it.

Because what if that feeling isn’t a problem to solve… but a signal worth understanding? What if - even more provocatively - it’s what some scholars have suggested is "sin"? Not something to fear or run from, but an indicator that we’ve drifted from an abundant life.

In this talk, I’ll give you a surprisingly practical way to navigate those moments - so you’re not stuck waiting for life to change before you can actually live it. If you’ve been feeling that low-grade “not quite right,” this one’s for you.

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I had a bit of a moment a few weeks ago. I went through the Bible and looked up every single time the word “sin” shows up… and what I found honestly surprised me.

Not in a good or bad way – just… not what I was taught.

I didn’t find the clean, clear list of do’s and don’ts I grew up with. I didn’t find Jesus obsessing over defining sin or making sure people avoided it at all costs. What I did find—especially in the tradition I was handed – was a whole lot of fear. Fear of messing up. Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of hell.

And I can’t help but wonder… is fear really the point?

Because when Jesus talks about why he came, he says it’s about life – full, abundant life. And that doesn’t sound like fear to me.

So this week, we’re going to wade into some deep water. Not to tear anything down—but to see what might be underneath all that fear. To ask what our spiritual lives could actually look like if fear wasn’t running the show.

If you’ve ever felt that tension… or quietly wondered if there’s more to this than just getting it right… this one might be for you.

Join us at the Spiritual Gym this week. Let’s explore what it could look like to actually live—abundantly.

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We just watched something incredible happen. 21 people from our community showed up in Mexico and, together with local families and donated resources by you, built a home that didn’t exist before. This Sunday, we’re going to celebrate that story - but not just to look back. We’re creating space for you to step into something that can shift your life right now. Because “Taking Water” isn’t just about going somewhere far away - it’s about breaking out of the patterns that keep you stuck, isolated, or playing it safe. It’s about discovering what happens when you actually live generous, connected, purpose-filled in your everyday life. 

If you’ve been feeling a little dry, a little disconnected, or just ready for something more - this is for you. Come celebrate, but also come expectant. Come ready to be inspired to step into the next phase of life

Join us at the spiritual gym to be inspired and to find purpose.

P.S. We are bringing a little taste of mexico to you all.  So save some room for a little Churro inspired snack after the service.

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Speaker: Vince Klassen

Happy Easter!

It's the biggest celebration in the Christian calendar — and this year, we're centering it on the teaching Jesus said mattered most: Love your neighbour.

Simple idea. Surprisingly hard to live out.
Especially when your neighbour grew up somewhere completely different. Lived a life you can't imagine. Works every day just to feel like they belong.

This Sunday, we're sitting down with a couple from our own community - immigrants from South America - to hear their story. Not to debate politics. Not to take sides. Just to know them. Because you can't love who you don't know.

Right now, the word "immigrant" carries a lot of weight. We think that's exactly why it's worth showing up this week.

Come learn how to love more skillfully. Come learn from the words of Jesus.

See you at the Spiritual Gym. 💛

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What happens inside of you when you fail someone you actually care about? Not the small stuff—the real moments, where you try… and it still isn’t enough. Something shifts. Stories form fast—defensive, protective, extreme—and in the moment they feel true. But those same stories quietly pull us away from the very people we’re trying to love well.

In this week’s Undercurrents talk, we’re going to look beneath the surface of those moments. Because if we can’t see how our unconscious Parts respond to failure, we’ll keep repeating the same patterns—hurting our relationships and missing what actually matters. Like Paul said, there are forces inside of us pulling us to do the very things we don’t want to do.

Join us at the Spiritual Gym this week.

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After last week’s talk, I had a bunch of fascinating emails - people starting to see where their unconscious Parts have been quietly trying to get everyone around them to see the world the way they do. And with that came the realization of just how much relational damage happens when others don’t line up… or we pressure them to. I’ve done it myself - trying to get others in my life to see the world through optimism, not realizing that my preference for optimism is just my unconscious Parts desire to not feel powerless. That awareness has been a bit staggering.

This week, in our Undercurrents series, we’re going to keep going - but using a different question: Do we need other people? Or go it alone? As we wrestle with that question, you may start to see why you show up the way you do - in relationships, in community, with your friends and family, even in how you’ve engaged with church. It’s the kind of insight that can shift how you understand your own behavior in a really meaningful way.

It’s going to be a fascinating one. Come out to the Spiritual Gym and let’s build a little more awareness—so we’re not getting pulled under by these Undercurrents caused by being unconscious of our Parts when we least expect it.

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Speaker: Vince Klassen

Have you ever noticed how two people can look at the exact same world and come to completely different conclusions about it?

One sees everything falling apart.
Another sees slow progress.

And both are absolutely convinced they’re the ones seeing reality clearly.

In this talk we’re going to explore how the stories we believe about the world quietly shape our emotions, our relationships, and the way we show up every day.

Because when we don’t understand why certain stories pull us in – and why others make us angry or defensive – those hidden forces can start steering our lives without us even noticing. They can leave us anxious, cynical, disconnected from the people we love, and fighting battles that never seem to end.

Join us as we look at the stories of our spiritual ancestors and use them as a mirror—revealing the unconscious Parts inside us that quietly pull the strings and sometimes drive our lives into trainwrecks.

When we begin to see what’s happening beneath the surface, something shifts. We gain the ability to respond instead of react, to understand each other better, and to stop letting those unseen Undercurrents quietly wreck the things that matter most.

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What if the most dangerous moments in your life aren’t the loud ones, but the quiet ones? The ones where a voice inside you starts making a very convincing case. A case to quit. To blow it up. To take the shortcut. To say the thing you swore you’d never say. To do the thing you promised you’d never do.

In this talk, we’re going to explore why intelligent, thoughtful, good people still find themselves steering toward walls they never intended to hit. We’ll look at the hidden forces that shape our reactions, the stories our brains tell us in real time, and why we so often feel hijacked by something that doesn’t quite feel like “us.” If you’ve ever surprised yourself - in anger, in fear, in giving up - this conversation will give you language for what’s happening and a way to begin catching it before it catches you.

This isn’t about shame. It’s about awareness. And once you see it, you won’t be able to unsee it — in your marriage, your parenting, your goals, your work, or even the cultural stories swirling around you. If you want to understand the forces quietly shaping your decisions - and learn how to stop crashing into the same wall - this one matters.

See you at the Spiritual Gym (and invite someone in your life that you think could find value in this).

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What if one of Jesus’ most famous stories isn’t about waiting for a miracle - but about becoming one? This week we’re stepping into the middle of the feeding of the 5,000 and listening carefully to the moment we usually rush past: when Jesus looks at his students and says, “You feed them.” Not someday. Not supernaturally. You. Together. This talk explores why we so often hope someone else - a conception of God, systems, miracles - will fix what’s broken, and what changes when we see ourselves as the Good News instead. It’s about Taking Water, caring for the people right in front of us, and rediscovering a spirituality that doesn’t opt out of the world - but leans into it.

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Speaker: Vince Klassen

What happens when the faith that once fit… doesn’t anymore?

Many of us were taught that religion is one-size-fits-all. Believe the same things. Follow the same rules. Stay in line.
But what happens when you start to notice things are a little off? When questions won’t go away and answers don't work anymore? When the experience that brings peace to others no longer works for you?

This talk tells a story many quietly carry: we call it The Meadow and the Ledge - a journey of doubt, deconstruction, anger, grief, and courage. It explores why leaving certainty doesn’t mean failure, why different people need different things, and why the Bible itself resists simple, universal answers.

We’ll revisit Friends Church’s manifesto—Taking Water, story over certainty, and honoring unique spiritual journeys—and name the inner voices that try to shame us back into places we no longer fit.

Whether you still love the Meadow, are standing at the edge, hanging on the Cliff, or threw it all away long ago, or are having a party on the Ledge this talk offers language, compassion, and permission to be where you are.

You’re not broken.
Your journey isn’t wrong.
And you don’t have to do it alone.

Come on out to Church on the Ledge

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Speakers: Vince Klassen

Many of us grew up in a Christian tradition that left a mark (even if we didn’t grow up in it, the influence of the Christian tradition has snuck into us from the people around us).

Sometimes it was subtle. Sometimes it was loud.
Shame around sex. Guilt about desire. Fear about who we are, how we love, or whether we even belong in a church at all.  Sadly, this list could go on forever.

And that is still in us: the leftover voices, rules, and fears that still follow us, long after we’ve left those traditions behind.

This isn’t about defending Christianity—or tearing it down.
It’s about telling the truth: that religion is powerful. Powerful enough to wound. Powerful enough to heal. Powerful enough to keep us stuck in shame—or move us toward lives of health, connection, and purpose.

If you’ve ever felt hurt by church, unsure about faith, or curious whether religion can still be a force for good—this talk is for you.

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Speakers: Vince Klassen

Taking Water its in this thing called (transcendent) We

Recently I had an experience that’s stayed with me. I was running with a group near the Talisman Centre by the river. It was –10°C when we noticed a man standing under the bridge. At first, no big deal—until I saw he was wearing only a t-shirt. Then I noticed he had just one shoe.

I felt the pull to keep running. To assume there was a reason he was there. That someone else would help. I’ve been in moments like that before—and I didn’t stop.

Friends Church exists to inspire a healthy spirituality that Takes Water to the world around us. All around us. Even to that man under the bridge. It asks us to take those moments seriously—to stop and help if we can, and if we can’t, to reflect on why.

Are we too busy? Is our life in chaos? Do we lack the support to support others? Is a Part of us giving a perfectly reasonable excuse to keep going?

This week, as we begin exploring Our Manifesto, we look Taking Water in the eye—why we offer it sometimes, why we don’t at others, and what it means when we feel like we’re the ones who need Water.

Join us—not for shame or guilt, but for a deep and honest exploration of Taking Water, and how it shapes both us and the world around us.

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Two Sundays - the end of an era, and the beginning of the next.

This Sunday, Vince’s on the Hotseat. Ask him those questions you’ve always wanted to ask - but maybe never had the chance or nerve to.

Bryce (aka Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold) is back in the host chair, putting your questions front and center.  He’ll be hitting him with real questions submitted by you—no topic off-limits, no question too bold.

We’re talking theology, life, relationships, doubts, weird Bible passages, church culture—whatever’s been on your mind.

Let’s make them sweat—for all the right reasons. 
Don’t miss PASTOR ON THE HOTSEAT

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Speakers: Bryce Lokken & Jeff Jarvis

Two Sundays - the end of an era, and the beginning of the next.

This Sunday is Jeff's Last Sunday at Friends Church so you can ask him whatever you've always wanted to know about him.

Bryce (aka Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold) is back in the host chair, putting your questions front and center.  He’ll be hitting him with real questions submitted by you—no topic off-limits, no question too bold.

We’re talking theology, life, relationships, doubts, weird Bible passages, church culture—whatever’s been on your mind.

Let’s make them sweat—for all the right reasons.
Don’t miss PASTOR ON THE HOTSEAT

Bring a friend and join us in the Gym this Sunday.

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Speaker:  Jeff Jarvis

Deep down, most of us already know at least one change we long to make. Yet as Vince has been unpacking, it’s often not a lack of desire or effort that holds us back—but unseen forces within us that cause us to hesitate, resist, or quietly pull away.

If you’ve ever felt caught between what’s stirring in your deepest self and the inner voices that question, warn, or overwhelm you, you’re not alone. This week, we’ll explore how to recognize and respond to those subtle forces that surface when real change begins. We’ll consider what actually helps us move forward when willpower isn’t enough — when discernment calls for something deeper than simply trying harder.

This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s an invitation to listen more closely, to gently notice what’s happening beneath the surface, and to take steps that usher in the next chapter of your spiritual evolution.

Invite a friend and join us this Sunday!

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Changing is hard—really hard. But it isn’t impossible.

Last week we explored why New Year’s resolutions (and most attempts at change) fail: our internal systems are designed to keep us exactly where we are. For many of us, that realization was eye-opening.

So the next question is obvious: what should we actually change?

Which goals lead to real health—and which are driven by the Parts of us that keep us stuck?

• Going to the gym six days a week sounds healthy… but is it? Or is it fueled by shame or the need to look different?
• Cutting out certain foods forever—sustainable change, or a setup for quitting?

It doesn’t take long to realize this: the goals we choose matter. A lot.

So how do you choose goals that lead to genuine health? How do you know they’re coming from healthy Parts of you, not the ones working against you?

This week, we’re sharing a new framework—developed by one of our own—who literally helps people choose the right goals for a living.

Join us. By the end of this conversation, you’ll feel more confident—and far healthier—about the changes you want to make.

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Big holidays spark motivation. New Year’s especially.

And yet… most resolutions fade fast. We joke about it because we’ve lived it.

But why do they fail?
And more importantly—how do we finally make them work?

This week we’re talking about what really derails resolutions (hint: it’s not willpower) and how to harness this season’s momentum toward real, healthy change.

Join us as we begin a roadmap to Evolve into the people we want to be.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Over the years, Christian traditions have built different walls around their castles of faith—each convinced they’ve got it right, and everyone else has it wrong. It’s strange, really, that so many walls exist around the same story.

But when we read the Bible closely, we discover things happening outside those walls—stories and actions many traditions would call unacceptable. There’s one sitting right in the Christmas story itself.

So what do we do with that?
Do we ignore the biblical accounts?
Filter them through our traditions?
Dismiss what doesn’t fit inside our castle walls?

I don’t think so.

Instead, it’s worth reading the stories as they’re told—and wrestling honestly with what they invite into our spiritual lives - even if the stories challenge the walls we inherited.

That’s what we’re doing this week: exploring the Christmas story, regardless of whether they fit inside some traditions' walls. Last week it was the exiled shepherds. This week, it’s the "wise men".

It’s going to be a freeing conversation—I promise!

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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 who never imagined they’d be included. We’ll explore their world, their courage, and what their story might be whispering to ours. This is the beautiful part of the Christmas Story, its not just a story from the past, it's our stories if we are open to hearing it!

Join us for Christmas from the Ledge—a Christmas for (and about) people who don’t fit traditional church.

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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 stories that lift us, challenge us, and remind us of the heart of Friends Church—cultivating a healthy spirituality that Takes Water into our world.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

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 small—that open us up, ground us, and invite us into that deeper connection.

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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 the brevity of life brings.

Gerry has been incredibly open about his journey, and his reflections have already impacted so many in our community. Hearing what he has to say will likely shift the way you look at your own life—and help you develop a more intentional practice of presence.

Invite a friend and join us this Sunday at the Spiritual Gym.

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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 spirituality itself.

Come curious. Come open.

For further information, please refer to the following links:

• Johns Hopkins Medicine | Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression, Study Shows: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2020/11/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-major-depression-study-shows
• Research Gate | Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/20275204_Subjective_Reports_of_the_Effects_of_MDMA_in_a_Clinical_Setting
• Ted Talk - The future of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | Rick Doblin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9XD8yRPxc8
• Andrew Huberman on why he changed his mind on the topic of psychedelics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkIXevEsupQ
• How Psilocybin Can Rewire Our Brain, Its Therapeutic Benefits & Its Risks | Huberman Lab Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIxVfln02Ss

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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 experience pleasure—healthy, life-giving pleasure. Even Scripture affirms this truth. For every story of pleasure gone wrong, there are stories where moments of joy, beauty, or intimacy became encounters with the sacred.

So how do we cultivate a healthy spiritual relationship with pleasure—one that brings us closer to the divine rather than further away?

Let’s talk about it this Sunday.

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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 Sunday wraps up our Bible: Much Assembly Required series. Throughout this journey, we’ve invited us all to rethink how we see the Bible—and that's a big change for many of us.

But with the right mental framing, hard changes can often get a little easier - both changes in how we view the Bible and in how we navigate change in our lives.

Join us as we close out this incredible series with practical insights from both our spiritual ancestors and modern research on how to navigate change well.

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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 Church story

-Vince

vince@friendschurch.ca

or

chair@friendschurch.ca

Friends Church Community
It is with mixed emotions that we, the Board, have accepted Jeff's resignation.  You can see his note below.  As one of the founding pastors of Friends Church we are all deeply indebted to the Water he has Taken to us all as he’s inspired our unique spiritual journeys.
Jeff and Vince will announce his resignation this Sunday so be sure to attend to hear about his new opportunity and how he plans to integrate that with his own unique spirituality.  Vince and our team will work with him over the next few months to transition him well.  His final day will be January 25th, and we will have a community lunch after the service so we can all say our goodbyes.
Know that Vince and the Board are committed to the health and sustainability of Friends Church going forward.  Like you, we don't fit church, and we believe in our core that the world needs a Friends Church - we need a Friends Church - going forward.  Things won’t change much other than we won’t have Jeff around, but we will still do everything we can to inspire you all to a healthy spirituality that Takes Water to the world!  That’s our commitment to you!
Thanks all.  Please reach out to Vince or myself with any questions or concerns.
Brad Brewster
Board Chairperson, Friends Church
___________________________________________________________________________

To the Board Members of Friends Church,
With mixed emotions, I’m tendering my resignation as Co-Lead Pastor of Friends Church.
It’s hard to believe it’s been over 28 years since Cathy and I, along with a few close friends, launched this community. Over those years, we’ve witnessed countless stories of spiritual growth and life transformation. We’re so proud to have been part of it all, which makes this decision bittersweet.
I’ve recently accepted a position as General Manager of a golf course and RV resort in Sundre — an opportunity that will allow Cathy and I to work and play together in this next season of life.  Though we’re sad to say goodbye to Friends Church, this is an opportunity that we’re very excited about.
After thoughtful discussion with Vince, I’m planning for my final Sunday to be January 25th, allowing time for a smooth transition and the chance to say goodbye to so many dear friends and volunteers.
Though I won’t be around in person, I’ll continue to tune in online and carry the spirit of Taking Water wherever I go.  I’ll also support Friends Church in any way I can…because the world needs a Friends Church!
Thank you for the incredible privilege of serving alongside you all. It’s been one of the greatest honours and joys of my life.
With gratitude and love,
Jeff

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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 week as we continue reconstructing our understandings of the Bible.

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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.

Bring a friend — you won’t want to miss this one.

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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.

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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 rebuilding) a vision of it that has the power to change lives.

Join us as we set the stage for a fresh, exciting conversation about the Bible.

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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 identifies as Non-binary meaning they might identify as one of the 2 main genders - male or female - but most often don’t identify with either.

We want to get to known their unique experience so we can learn to love them, and many like them, more skillfully.

Join us this week for a mind opening perspective on the world from someone who transitioned while staying married. Its a love story on so many levels.

Bring a friend and join us in the Gym this Sunday.

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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 dry ground. It’s not just about feeling better; it’s connected to something bigger, deeper, and more meaningful in our world.

This Sunday, I want to unpack where this idea of healthy spirituality comes from—and how you can start cultivating it in your own life.

Bring a friend and join us in the Gym this Sunday.

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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 believe there’s a better way to live in the midst of it—one that requires spiritual presence, wisdom, and skill.

This week we’re launching a 2-part series: A Life With Purpose. Together, we’ll explore how to navigate the fractures around us without losing our center—and even become a healing presence in the process.

Don’t miss this opportunity to start the fall season with clarity, courage, and hope.

See you at the Spiritual Gym!

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To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Donate to Friends Church

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast