Staying Rooted

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

We are not currently holding In-person services . Our worship services are online only [read more]

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Today's theme is centred around an image found in Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17: A tree, planted by a stream with its roots reaching for the water. The image speaks about us overcoming fear and anxiety. "It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious..." (Jer 17:8)

Sounds good, doesn't it? Is it too good to be true? And if it is possible, how can we be like that tree and get rid of fear and anxiety? And then what happens when it doesn't work?

This is what we'll be exploring today.

Go And... What?

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

In-person services are suspended. Our worship services are online only [read more]

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What should we do? In our lives, our communities, and in our congregation, we find times when we ask this question. In Isaiah 6, we read about a prophet being given something to do, and while he willing volunteered to “go for God,” the assignment was not what he expected at all. He asks, “how long?” and God answers. What do we do with this story, and what do we do with our wondering of “what should we do?” and our own “how longs?”

And the Greatest Is...

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

In-person services are suspended. Our worship services are online only [read more]

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1 Corinthians 13, sometimes thought of as the wedding chapter because of its (over)-use at weddings, is one of the most powerful things ever written about love. Yes, we know, we are supposed to love everyone. What more can we learn about this? Everything! When we dive into this text, we find it is encouraging, convicting, challenging, and full of depth.

One Body

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

In-person services are suspended. Our worship services are online only [read more]

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Today we continue with 1 Corinthians 12, in a section that speaks of every person in the community being valued. The image of the Body of Christ is introduced as a primary way of understanding the community of faith. The image insists that every part of the body is needed. We are each supposed to offer our gift for the common good, and every gift is needed. There are instructions for how to treat members that appear “weaker” followed by a plea to strive for the greater gifts and a hint of a “more excellent way.”

All Gifted

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

In-person services are suspended. Our worship services are online only [read more]

Join the Livestream at 10am on YouTube or view it later 

Program / Order of Service

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Today we focus on 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 which talks about every person having different gifts, given just as the Spirit chooses. Rather than focus on the gifts listed here, we focus on the Spirit giving us our gifts and the importance of us uncovering what they are, and offering them for the common good.

Second Sunday After Christmas

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

In-person services are suspended. Our worship services are online only [read more]

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Today’s service is a premiered service with a pre-recorded message where Matt Brough reflects on the opening chapter of John’s gospel which opens with “In the beginning was the word…”

First Sunday After Christmas

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines (to be updated later this week - Note: our capacity is now 25 persons)

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We welcome Rev. Dr. Ross Lockhart to Prairie, where he and Rev. Matt are talking together about the only story in the Bible about Jesus' childhood. His parents lose track of him in the "big city" and don't find him until three days later, and, of course, he's in the temple asking questions to the religious leaders. It should be a fun and joy-filled service - "the One About Pre-Teen Jesus."

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

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It is the 4th Sunday of Advent and we are looking at the Magnificat, often called Mary’s song of praise. The title of the message this week though might get you thinking a little differently about this very important Advent text. It’s called “That Time When Mary Sang a Protest Song.”

if you are at home, you may want to have a candle or a set of advent candles and light one along with us as we do the Advent Candle lighting.

Third Sunday of Advent

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

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It is the third Sunday of Advent, and on this Sunday of Joy we take a look at what appears to be a message that isn't particularly joyful at all - at the radical and fiery message of John the Baptizer. Is there, for us, good news in this message as the gospel writer, Luke, claims? Let's find out!

Also, if you are at home, you may want to have a candle or a set of advent candles and light one along with us as we do the Advent Candle lighting.

Sundays In November

November 7 - Lost, Then Found

Romans 12: 3-8; Psalm 103:1-13; Matthew 18:10-14

Guest Preacher: Ruth Magnuson, Executive Director of Winnipeg Inner City Missions

Order of Service / Program - Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Ruth Magnuson has spent her life, as employee or volunteer, within the realm of either service delivery (teacher, program manager, executive director) or as an educator (writer of Bible studies, resources on homelessness, poverty, HIV/AIDS) and almost always in a faith based setting. Outside of that, her first loves are her family including her husband Chris, 4 children and their spouses and 3 grandchildren.

 

November 14 - Press On

Hebrews 10:19-25

Guest Preacher: Kevin Pauls

Order of Service / Program - Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Kevin Pauls is the Community Youth Minister at Kildonan Community Church in a partnership with Youth For Christ. He leads a ministry called the GOAT, designed to engage with unchurched youth in the West Kildonan/Riverbend community. Kevin is married to Lee and they have three children.

 

November 21 - Tent Life

God has come to dwell with us and through us

Psalm 15; 2 Samuel 7:1-14a; John 1: 14-18

Guest Preacher: Barry Maurer

Order of Service / Program - Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Barry Maurer is a husband and father of 3 currently working on his masters degree at Providence seminary.

 

November 28 - First Sunday of Advent

Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36

Guest Preacher: Rob Dean

Order of Service / Program - Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Robert Dean is a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. He serves as Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics at Providence Theological Seminary. Rob is married to Melissa and they have two children.

 

Sustaining the Spiritual Life

Theme and Practice: Integration and Praying the Examen

This Sunday we wrap up our series which focused on a number of core practices, including Sabbath, Centring Prayer, Forgiveness, Remembering with Grace, and praying in your neighbourhood. Today talk about sustaining the spiritual life and consider the strange story where Jesus healed someone and it didn't seem to quite work at first. What might that mean for how we engage with our own spirituality?

Another prayer practice is given today, that of the Examen. To learn more, including a model for this way of praying, visit this webpage.

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

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Program / Order of Service

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Missional Spirituality

Theme and Practice: Paying Attention to Location and Relationships Part 2

This Sunday we look at Acts 16:11-14. At first glance, this text seems fairly innocuous, but there are lots of surprises. Paul and his fellow travellers have been bringing the message about Jesus to different regions, and they had been stalled, when Paul had a dream of a man from Macedonia asking for help. On the basis of the dream, they make their way to the Macedonian city of Philippi and meet not a man, but a woman named Lydia. Lydia is not really needy at all (she’s a business woman), nor is she from Macedonia. But God “opens her heart,” her and her household get baptized, and she insists that Paul and his company stay at her house. She essentially helps start the very first church in Europe. When it comes to seeing what the Holy Spirit is up to in our neighbourhoods, we need to have our eyes wide open and be ready for unexpected people to be key people in God’s story.

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

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Program / Order of Service

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In and For the Neighbourhood

Theme and Practice: Paying Attention to Location and Relationships Part 1

This Sunday we shift our focus from the inward to the outward. Up until this point, this series has looked at things like Rest, Sabbath, Centring Prayer, our Relationship with God, remembering with grace, and forgiveness. In many ways these are introspective practices, even though they have deep implications for our relationships. But today, and next week, we take a more purposeful look at what it means to pay attention to God’s activity in the places we find ourselves and in the relationships we have. The practice of “noticing God” outside of yourself is at least as important as paying attention the Holy Spirit at work inside you.

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Join Live on YouTube or view it later 

Program / Order of Service

Read the program to follow along

Children’s Ministry Videos

You can access Children’s Ministry Videos here on the Prairie YouTube Channel.

Prayer Requests

If you have prayer requests to be included in our prayers of intercession, please email Matt at matt@prairiechurch.ca

Remembering And Letting Go

Theme and Practice: Thanksgiving and Forgiveness Part 2

This Sunday is Thanksgiving and we will focus on remembering and letting go. The text for this Sunday speaks about not judging, not condemning, but forgiving and giving. We will talk about the difficulties we have in actually forgiving others and ourselves, and we will also engage in a special thanksgiving prayer.

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Join Live on YouTube or view it later 

Program / Order of Service

Read the program to follow along

Children’s Ministry Videos

You can access Children’s Ministry Videos here on the Prairie YouTube Channel.

Prayer Requests

If you have prayer requests to be included in our prayers of intercession, please email Matt at matt@prairiechurch.ca

Remembering With Grace

Theme and Practice: Thanksgiving and Forgiveness Part 1

This Sunday is world communion Sunday and we will focus on remembering with grace. What was it like for the first followers of Jesus to remember him and how might we remember our own past with grace?

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Join Live on YouTube or view it later 

Program / Order of Service

Read the program to follow along

Children’s Ministry Videos

You can access Children’s Ministry Videos here on the Prairie YouTube Channel.

Prayer Requests

If you have prayer requests to be included in our prayers of intercession, please email Matt at matt@prairiechurch.ca

By Yourself, But Not Alone

Theme and Practice: Centring Prayer/Being With God Part 2

See Part 1 (With God, Without Agenda) for Podcasts, Books, Resources, and a How-To Guide to Centring Prayer

Continuing with our theme of Being With God, this Sunday we look at times when Jesus went off by himself to pray and how this is a model for our own prayer life that includes solitude.

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

Join Live on YouTube or view it later 

Program / Order of Service

Read the program to follow along

Children’s Ministry Videos

You can access Children’s Ministry Videos here on the Prairie YouTube Channel.

Prayer Requests

If you have prayer requests to be included in our prayers of intercession, please email Matt at matt@prairiechurch.ca

With God, Without Agenda

Theme and Practice: Quieting Yourself and Centring Prayer Part 1

See Below for Podcasts, Books, and Resources on Centring Prayer and Being With God

We begin a theme of quieting yourself and look at a classic text about loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. How can you lean into loving God? What does that actually look like, and why is us loving God so important.

Sunday Worship Service at 10:00am

Planning to Attend In-Person? Read the Guidelines

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Program / Order of Service

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Centring Prayer / Being With God Resources

Podcasts

Books

A Guide to Centring Prayer

Centering prayer is a form of contemplative prayer where the pray-er seeks to quiet scattered thoughts and desires in the still center of Christ’s presence. ~ Adele Alhberg Calhoun

Centering prayer is a practice that opens us to the gift of contemplative prayer. During Contemplative prayer we sit with God. We open our mind, heart and body to God who is beyond thoughts, words and emotions.

Contemplative prayer is like when we sit with a lover or a friend. No words need to be said. Centering prayer does not replace other forms of prayer. It complements them. It is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster our relationship with God.

Centring Prayer Exercises:

THE FOUR BASIC GUIDELINES OF CENTERING PRAYER (from Rich Lewis)

  1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.

  2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.

  3. When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so- gently to the sacred word.

  4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

A SHORT METHOD (from Adele Alhberg Calhoun)

  1. Settle into a comfortable position and intentionally place yourself in the presence of God.

  2. Choose a simple word, phrase or verse from Scripture that expresses your desire for God. Let this word guard your attention.

  3. Take time to become quiet. Let noisy thoughts go. Gently return your attention to the centre of God’s presence and love by repeating your word. When your thoughts wander, don’t go after them, let the word draw your attention back to Jesus. Be with Jesus.

  4. Rest in the centre of God’s love. Trust that the Holy Spirit who abides in the depths of your spirit to connect you with God.

  5. Take several minutes to come out of prayer. Don’t hurry. Breathe in the presence of Christ. Offer yourself to God for the tasks awaiting you.

Even More on Contemplative Practices…

Contemplative Outreach Website

Centring Prayer App from Contemplative Outreach


Children’s Ministry Videos

You can access Children’s Ministry Videos here on the Prairie YouTube Channel.

Prayer Requests

If you have prayer requests to be included in our prayers of intercession, please email Matt at matt@prairiechurch.ca


Our congregation is located in Winnipeg, which is on Treaty One Land, first entrusted by Creator God to the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline, Nehethowuk nations, the homeland of the Red River Métis.