Friends Church Calgary Weekly Message: Recent Episodes
Friends Church
This is a recording of the weekly Sunday Message presented by Friends Church, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
You did the work. The routine, the discipline, the daily showing up. It got you somewhere real. And then, without warning, it stopped working. The thing that used to bring you to life goes flat. You try harder. Nothing moves.
This isn't just a spiritual problem. It's the same wall you hit in the gym when the weight stops moving, at work when the promotion stops feeling like progress, in a relationship when the routine starts feeling like drudgery. This talk unpacks why the strategy that used to work stops working, and why the way out isn't just trying harder or thinking more.
Come find a way out of the rut you are in this Sunday at the Spiritual Gym
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Are you waiting for life to begin?
Most of us tell ourselves that someday we'll have more time. Someday life will slow down. Someday we'll finally pursue what matters most. But what if "someday" never arrives? This Sunday at Friends Church, we'll explore a surprising perspective on time, purpose, and the choices that quietly shape our lives every single day.
Through stories, unexpected insights and practical wisdom, we'll discover why one simple question may be more important than finding more hours in the day. We'd love to have you join us - you may never think about your time the same way again.
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Have you ever had a financial advisor tell you to save less? Spend more today? Yeah, me neither. We only ever hear one message: save more, sacrifice now, future you is counting on it. But here's the question nobody's asking: what if that same logic is running your spiritual life too? What if you've been taught, without ever saying it out loud, that today you is the villain in future you's story? There's a guy from the 5th century who took that idea all the way. Lived on top of a pillar. Fifty feet in the air. No shade, no rest, nothing between him and the sky, because he believed killing off today him was the price for future him. This week, we're asking whether your faith has quietly built the same pillar for you.
Come find out at the spiritual gym.
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There's a phrase you've probably said out loud more than once: "that's just not me." Someone hands you an opportunity, an outfit, a role, a way of doing things, and something in you just knows. But have you ever wondered if there's something almost spiritual happening when you say that?
Here's the thing about church you might not expect: a lot of us walked away from religion, or are still limping through it, because it felt like one long project to fix what's wrong with us. Stop sinning. Manage the bad parts. Become someone else. But what if that's not actually the whole story? What if the parts of you that come easy, the things you're just naturally good at, aren't a distraction from your spirituality, but the actual point of it?
This Sunday I want to tell you a story about a kid who was handed armor that wasn't built for him, and what happened when he had the guts to take it off. Come find out what he used instead, and what it might mean for the thing you're carrying that was never built for you either.
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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.
Donate to Friends Church
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast
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.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
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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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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 Socks for People Experiencing Homelessness
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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 Socks for People Experiencing Homelessness
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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 Socks for People Experiencing Homelessness
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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 Socks for People Experiencing Homelessness
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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 surprisingly out of reach, even when lives look successful on the outside. You can have all the pieces in place, yet still find yourself wondering, “Is this really all there is?”
This Sunday, we’re exploring what well-known spiritual mystic Richard Rohr, refers to as the “Second-half-of-life”. A metaphor for a frame of mind that awakens to deeper reasons for living.
Maybe greater meaning won’t come from something “out there”, but rather something already hidden within the life you’re living…
Invite a friend and join us for a contemplative morning that will get you thinking deeply about your life.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
Life can get noisy. Fast. Confusing. Every day, decisions with serious consequences get made, with some returning later to haunt us.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a “decision coach” to guide us in those moments?
Over 1000’s of years, people have committed to memory many of the wise teachings and sayings of Jesus as a compass for these kinds of moments.
This Sunday, we’re diving into the wisdom of Jesus, not as religious dogma, but as practical, soul-centering truth. His words still speak to real life: relationships, conflict, purpose, and how to stay grounded in a chaotic world.
If you’re curious about how ancient wisdom can still shape a meaningful life today, come join the conversation. No pressure. Just honesty, insight, and a little peace.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen
What does Jesus have to do with politics? More than we often admit. In a world where political talk tears us apart, we’re diving in—feet first—to ask: what might the human Jesus say about the way we engage power, justice, and community today? This Sunday, we’re peeling back the layers of religion and rhetoric to explore the deeply political implications of Jesus’ message—not through partisan soundbites, but through the radical We of a spiritually grounded life. Whether you’re burnt out, fired up, or somewhere in between, this conversation might just reframe everything.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen
Life moves fast—and not always for the wrong reasons. Kids’ sports ramp up. A work project lands unexpectedly. School deadlines pile on. Before we know it, we’re running on empty.
If we’re honest, we can’t keep up this pace. But what if the way out isn’t just better time management—what if it’s a better lens?
This week, we explore the humanity of Jesus through the Historical Jesus lens. We often read his teachings as urging constant self-sacrifice, always giving more. One gospel even uses the word “immediately” over and over—making it sound like Jesus lived at a breakneck speed.
But what if we’ve misunderstood? What if some of the teachings we thought were sacred… were actually the ones pushing us toward burnout?
Join us this week as we slow down, take a fresh look at Jesus, and discover a saner rhythm for life.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
Despite having lived over 2000 years ago, this man named Jesus continues to be one of the most inspirational and influential humans to have walked the earth.
Far from being concerned with the religious rules, he demonstrated a unique and holistic approach to human spirituality — rejuvenating people’s bodies, regulating minds, and restoring emotional wholeness. Even his personal life modelled a compassionate self-care that stood out in stark contrast to many popular religious practices of his day. Perhaps this is why he remains so strikingly relevant today.
Join us this Sunday for part one of a thought-provoking series exploring the life of Jesus through a fresh and deeply human lens. One that will ask each of us some provocative questions about what living the way of Jesus might look like today in 2025.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen
Tariffs. Inflation. Recession. Soaring prices—eggs, gas, housing, groceries.
The financial hits just keep coming. It feels heavier than years past. Are we prepared for where this is all headed? Or are we anxious, overwhelmed, and losing sleep?
Studies show that over half of us name money as our biggest source of stress. Most of us carry financial anxiety daily.
So how do we navigate a world that feels economically chaotic?
We believe the answer goes beyond budgets and spreadsheets. It’s about us—our inner world, our thoughts, our fears, and the Parts of us that are reacting to all of this.
Our tradition has deep roots in conversations about money—some helpful, some harmful. It’s time to reclaim those discussions in a way that brings clarity, peace, and even a good night’s sleep.
Join us this week as we unpack the stress, reframe the story, and take a healthier look at money. Bring a friend. It’s going to be a good one.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
Why is it that some people always seem to fixate on what may be wrong, even when life may be going well? When was the last time you observed someone’s negativity suck the joy and hope out of the room they walked into?
This Sunday, we’re going to explore how one inner part can quietly take over our thoughts, our decisions, and our relationships and leave us jaded and sour.
If you or someone you know is tired of living under the weight of negativity, you won’t want to miss this “Gym Session”!
Join us and learn how to move from fear to freedom — not by silencing that inner part, but by learning to lead it.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen
Do we see the world as it truly is—or through a lens that distorts it? And if our perception is shaped, how does that alter the way we see ourselves and move through life?
As we learn to recognize the voices of our Protector Parts, have you considered how they shape what we see—and what gets filtered out?
This week at the Spiritual Gym, we’ll take another step toward Unblending: identifying the Parts that drive us by tuning into how they ‘speak.’ Join us in becoming healthier, more whole versions of ourselves—for our sake and the world’s.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
Have your feelings ever led you astray?
Every day we can find ourselves in situations that stir up strong emotions within us that cause us to react: Screaming, panicking, accusing, avoiding, denying. Only later to realize that our reaction was actually misguided.
It’s been said that we often suffer not because of what’s true, but because of what feels true. Emotions are powerful guides, but they don’t always reflect reality. Which can be confusing and problematic.
This Sunday at the Spiritual Gym, we’ll explore how certain inner voices, though meant to protect us, can sometimes make life harder when we trust them too much. Together, we’ll learn to spot these moments and respond with clarity, truth, and compassion.
Bring a friend and join the conversation – you might just see yourself in a new light.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen
Why do we so often see complex, nuanced issues as simple?
Black or White
Yes or No
Us versus Them
I notice it in myself—especially when I’m tired or facing something hard.
Lately, through practicing Internal Family Systems, I’m beginning to wonder: What if these quick, either/or reactions are actually parts of us trying to protect us—parts that are scared?
This Sunday, we’re diving into how to recognize those inner voices—not as flaws, but as invitations to listen more deeply. Rooted in ancient biblical wisdom, we’ll explore how faith and self-awareness can help us meet challenges with calm, clarity, and courage.
This isn’t about getting stuck in endless complexity. It’s about building a strong, fearless inner life—one that can face complexity head-on and find real strength there.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
In a time of political division, financial uncertainty, and nonstop headlines, it’s easy to swing between extremes—panicking that everything is falling apart, or minimizing it all just to cope. But what if these responses are actually parts of us trying to protect something sacred inside?
This Sunday, we’re exploring how to recognize these inner voices—not as weaknesses, but as invitations to listen more deeply. Drawing on timeless biblical wisdom, we’ll reflect on how faith and grounded self-awareness can help us meet life’s challenges with calm, clarity, and compassion. This isn’t about denying reality or blindly trusting—it’s about cultivating the kind of peace that allows us to respond wisely, even when the world feels like it’s in chaos.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis
Celebrate the powerful new life that emerges when we open ourselves to the divine wisdom speaking within. What is it saying to you—and are you ready to respond in a way that brings real change?
Bring a friend and join us for an inspiring morning with uplifting music and a dynamic message from Vince and Jeff, who’ll be team-teaching. You won’t want to miss it!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis & Mexico Team
A few weeks ago, a dedicated team from Friends Church—students, parents, and adults—embarked on a life-changing journey to Tijuana, Mexico. Together, they partnered with a resilient family wrestling with poverty to build something truly transformative: a home.
For nearly 20 years, this annual project has been about more than just construction—it’s about hope, connection, the power of community...simply "Taking Water". This Sunday, we invite you to join us as we tell the story of this year’s trip through team members who went and explain why it continues to impact not just the families in Mexico but also those of us here at Friends Church.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Kyla Anderson
Have you ever noticed that some of the most religious people can also be the most judgmental, unkind, or even cruel? Scroll through the comments on any progressive thinker’s post, and you’ll often find the harshest words coming from those who claim to follow a faith of love and compassion.
What’s going on? Why do people who preach love sometimes act with so little of it?
This week, we’re diving into a powerful Protector Part that thrives in religious communities—one that speaks the language of faith but operates from fear and control. It’s not exclusive to Christianity, but it’s deeply embedded in spiritual traditions. By recognizing this part, we can stop it from Hijacking us, and the world around us.
Join us as we uncover this hidden Protector Part and move toward a truly loving spirituality.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
Speakers: Vince Klassen
What if our spiritual practices and ideals are stopping us from doing the work to really heal? Richard Schwartz, the founder of Internal Family Systems, which we have been using throughout this series said this troubling line;
I find the use of spiritual practices to transcend one's exiles [Parts] to be rampant in communities I treat.
He calls this Spiritual Bypassing. How do we know if we are using our spirituality to Bypass the work we need to do to find health, to heal our Exiled Parts so we can be healthy people who can Take Water to our worlds (a term we use to describe making the world around us better)?
This week we are going to explore the balance between our spirituality and the work we need to do to heal our Parts. How do they might complement each other? And how can we use one to avoid dealing with the other.
Join us this week for a Spiritual Workout, bring a friend and book a coffee after to discuss. This one is going to get you thinking.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
Speakers: Vince Klassen
As we begin to explore the Parts within us—Exiles carrying past pain and Protectors keeping that pain at bay—we start to see patterns. We notice recurring reactions, emotional avoidance, or moments when we’re completely Hijacked.
On our journey toward spiritual health and the mission of Taking Water to the world, we realize some Parts are holding us back. How do we heal the wounds that drive our reactions? How do we find the wholeness we need to leave a legacy of generosity rather than self-focus?
This week, Internal Family Systems will guide us through that healing. Bring a friend and plan a coffee afterward to process what resonates with you.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
A non-exhaustive list of Exiled Parts
Abandoned Part
Shamed Part
Fearful Part
Lonely Part
Grief-Stricken Part
Helpless/Hopeless Part
Insecure Part
Unwanted Part
Ashamed Part
Neglected Part
Traumatized Part
Victimized Part
Invisible Part
Guilty Part
Confused Part
Vulnerable Part
Rejected Part
Overwhelmed Part
Abused Part
Despairing Part
Disillusioned Part
Dependent Part
Jealous Part
Embarrassed Part
Unloved Part
A non-exhaustive list of Protector Parts
Inner Critic
Perfectionist
People-Pleaser
Taskmaster
Controller
Caretaker
Pessimist
Hypervigilant Part
Avoidant Part
Judging Part
Planner
Advisor
Spiritualizer
Monitor
Reassurer
Stoic Part
Image Manager
Fixer
Approval-Seeker
Competitor
Rule Enforcer
Self-Sacrificing Part
Addictive Part
Procrastinator
Self-Harming Part
Explosive Part
Overeater/Binger
Compulsive Shopper
Sexual Part
Numbing Part
Escapist Part
Adrenaline Seeker
Isolationist
Blamer
Gambler
Drinker
Social Butterfly
Over-Spender
Workaholic
Excessive Gamer
Over-Indulger
Impulsive Part
Attributes of True Self
Compassion
Curiosity
Clarity
Calm
Confidence
Courage
Creativity
Connectedness
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Dayna Mullen
There are moments in life when our Eyes are truly Opened—when we see what we’ve been missing and gain a fresh, healthier perspective. Our spiritual ancestors recognized these moments as profoundly transformational and foundational to healthy responses to the stressors of life.
This week, we’ll explore this awakening—how it heals our inner Parts through Internal Family Systems. Join us as we take the next step toward greater health and wholeness by having our Eyes Opened.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
http://friendschurch.ca/mexico
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
Have you ever been surprised by your own reaction to something—fine one moment, then suddenly overwhelmed? Most of us struggle to explain what’s happening inside when we feel triggered or hijacked.
Paul put it well: “I decide one way, but then I act another… Something has gone wrong deep within me.” (Romans 7:15, 20)
This struggle is nothing new, but thanks to modern psychology, we’re gaining insight into how our minds and our psyches work—helping us understand and regain control.
In Week 2 of our Hijack series, we’ll start identifying the inner voices that shape our behavior, often without us realizing it.
Invite a friend and join us this Sunday in the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
One Sunday, a while back, I shared the story of Nicholas Winton, the man responsible for saving the lives of 669 children from the horrors of the holocaust. I was scrolling on social media one day and came across a clip of Nicholas, who, many years later, was thanked by a large group of now adults whom he had saved. I still remember watching the clip of this moment and being so emotionally moved and inspired. At the time, I had no idea what a deeply spiritual moment, simply observing gratitude being expressed, could create.
Though gratitude is a familiar concept, I don’t know how many realize all the benefits behind this spiritual practice. Sadly, it can be complicated for some who have grown up in religious traditions where it was mostly focused on a particular conception of God. This Sunday I want to untangle it from some of that and share some keys to developing a transformative practice of gratitude.
Invite a friend and join us this Sunday in the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
One Sunday, a while back, I shared the story of Nicholas Winton, the man responsible for saving the lives of 669 children from the horrors of the holocaust. I was scrolling on social media one day and came across a clip of Nicholas, who, many years later, was thanked by a large group of now adults whom he had saved. I still remember watching the clip of this moment and being so emotionally moved and inspired. At the time, I had no idea what a deeply spiritual moment, simply observing gratitude being expressed, could create.
Though gratitude is a familiar concept, I don't know how many realize all the benefits behind this spiritual practice. Sadly, it can be complicated for some who have grown up in religious traditions where it was mostly focused on a particular conception of God. This Sunday I want to untangle it from some of that and share some keys to developing a transformative practice of gratitude.
Invite a friend and join us this Sunday in the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Gerry Smiley
It’s easy to talk about prayer and conceptions of God from a place of health, but what about when you're on the edge of death? When illness is relentless and suffering reshapes everything?
This week, we’re stepping beyond the abstract to talk with Gerry, a longtime member of our community who survived a double lung transplant—one of the most invasive surgeries possible. Now, he lives with a new battle: a suppressed immune system, constant cancer risks, rejection threats, and an ever-present hospital stays looming.
How does someone like Gerry wrestle with prayer? How has his conception of God evolved through it all?
Join us for an insightful, honest, and—knowing Gerry—hilarious conversation about faith where it matters most. See you at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
As we expand our understanding of the word prayer, we begin to see it not just as a quiet wish or whispered plea to a superbeing up in the sky, but also as the expression of our deepest hopes, and with that realization comes a profoundly spiritual question: if we truly long for something, must we also take part in bringing it to life?
Last week, Jeff helped us see how self-realization and working through our struggles can become a type of prayer—personal growth and healing can be spiritual acts. In this way, self-help isn’t separate from prayer; it can be a type of prayer.
This week, we’re taking that idea even further—out of our minds and into our lives. Into our homes. Into the way we spend our time, our energy, our resources.
Because maybe prayer isn’t just something we think—maybe it’s something we do. Maybe it’s in our hands and feet, in the way we move through the world. Maybe prayer is how we live.
Links: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/01/29/australia/australia-sect-elizabeth-struhs-guilty-intl-hnk.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate.
Speaker: Vince Klassen
As we expand our understanding of the word prayer, we begin to see it not just as a quiet wish or whispered plea to a superbeing up in the sky, but also as the expression of our deepest hopes, and with that realization comes a profoundly spiritual question: if we truly long for something, must we also take part in bringing it to life?
Last week, Jeff helped us see how self-realization and working through our struggles can become a type of prayer—personal growth and healing can be spiritual acts. In this way, self-help isn’t separate from prayer; it can be a type of prayer.
This week, we’re taking that idea even further—out of our minds and into our lives. Into our homes. Into the way we spend our time, our energy, our resources.
Because maybe prayer isn’t just something we think—maybe it’s something we do. Maybe it’s in our hands and feet, in the way we move through the world. Maybe prayer is how we live.
Links: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/01/29/australia/australia-sect-elizabeth-struhs-guilty-intl-hnk.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate.
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis
Prayer is often seen as simply making requests to a higher power in the hope that they’ll intervene on our behalf. Last week, we challenged this view and uncovered some of its complexities.
But what if prayer is so much more? What if it’s a transformative practice that changes us—empowering us to become the answers to those very prayers? This week, we’ll dive deeper, expanding our understanding of prayer and exploring how it connects to the profound stillness of contemplative space.
Bring a friend and join us this Sunday for part two of Talking to the Sky. Let’s journey together into a deeper conversation.
Links: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7034220/
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen
This week, we embark on a profound exploration of prayer—a practice that, for many, intertwines deeply with their understanding of God, the existence of suffering, the pursuit of healing, and countless other spiritual ideas. These are ideas that, when truly grasped, become pivotal in shaping how we engage with and navigate our spiritual journeys in everyday life.
Our journey begins by unpacking the very definition of prayer, opening the door to a larger and more meaningful conversation about its role in our lives.
This week’s discussion is designed to go beyond the surface, diving deeply into our personal experiences of the world. Together, we’ll begin mapping pathways to navigate these experiences—especially for those of us who Don’t Fit Church. This is an invitation to reimagine prayer in a way that resonates, connects, and empowers.
See you at the Spiritual Gym
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis & Bryce
Ever had a question for one of our pastors but didn’t know how to ask it? Or maybe you were too scared because, let’s face it, claiming it’s “for a friend” never fools anyone. We’ve all been there.
Hi, I’m Bryce—comedy stage name: Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold—and I’m hijacking the mic (and the pastors) for two Sundays this January. That’s right, I’m grilling them with YOUR toughest, weirdest, and most awkward questions. No softballs. No pat answers. I’m going to dig deep, make them sweat, and maybe even squirm a little—all to get you the honest answers you’ve been searching for.
Got a burning question? Submit it anonymously at Pastors on the Hotseat Anonymous Questions Form (CLICK HERE). Don’t worry, the pastors won’t know it came from you. Think of me as the person who will make sure your questions get into the spotlight.
Nothing’s off-limits. Theology? Life? Spirituality?—send it my way. Let’s see how our fearless pastors handle the Hotseat.
Trust me, you don’t want to miss this. It’s going to be equal parts hilarious, deep, and maybe just a little uncomfortable (for them).
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Bryce
Ever had a question for one of our pastors but didn’t know how to ask it? Or maybe you were too scared because, let’s face it, claiming it’s “for a friend” never fools anyone. We’ve all been there.
Hi, I’m Bryce—comedy stage name: Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold—and I’m hijacking the mic (and the pastors) for two Sundays this January. That’s right, I’m grilling them with YOUR toughest, weirdest, and most awkward questions. No softballs. No pat answers. I’m going to dig deep, make them sweat, and maybe even squirm a little—all to get you the honest answers you’ve been searching for.
Got a burning question? Submit it anonymously at Pastors on the Hotseat Anonymous Questions Form (CLICK HERE). Don’t worry, the pastors won’t know it came from you. Think of me as the person who will make sure your questions get into the spotlight.
Nothing’s off-limits. Theology? Life? Spirituality?—send it my way. Let’s see how our fearless pastors handle the Hotseat.
Trust me, you don’t want to miss this. It’s going to be equal parts hilarious, deep, and maybe just a little uncomfortable (for them). See you there!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
If you’re growing, you’re changing. It’s true. Especially with the spiritual journey. Certain priorities, beliefs, perspectives, attitudes, that once served us well can begin to feel constraining – like they no longer fit who we’re becoming. Which is exciting because it shows progress – like stepping on the scale and watching our weight drop.
However, these changes can create new challenges. It can be difficult for those in our lives, especially those who aren’t shifting with us. It can also bring difficult decisions for ourselves that we hadn’t anticipated.
We’re going to explore some of the realities of growth and change this weekend.
Invite a friend and join us in the gym this Sunday.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
“On this final Sunday before Christmas, let’s explore how to cultivate our healthiest spiritual selves – so we can embrace the season with love, joy, and unshakable peace, no matter what comes our way.”
This is the last talk in the Spiritual Ninja Training series, don’t miss it.
Richard C. Schwartz – No Bad Parts
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
The ability to learn information and recall it on demand is a coveted skill, rewarded in almost every academic and vocational setting. It can make school a breeze and impress almost anyone. But in the spiritual world, it’s not so much about what you know.
In spirituality, one’s ability to learn knowledge is only made valuable when combined with another critical skill set. In fact, without this other skill set, experiencing ninja-level spirituality becomes almost impossible.
This Sunday, we’re going to explore “Integration”. It is, arguably, one of the most useful and needed practices for the spiritual journey.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Sure, Sensei James says, ‘Don’t be angry—it’ll make your Christmas better.’ Thanks for that groundbreaking insight (note the sarcasm)! We all know anger doesn’t help—but the real question is, how do we stop being angry? Angry at others? Angry at ourselves?
That’s the heart of the matter, isn’t it?
Join us at the gym as we dig into fresh perspectives and timeless wisdom on managing anger—because understanding how to not get angry just might transform your holidays and your life.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Book referenced in this message:Schwartz, Richard. No bad parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model. Sounds True, 2021. [Amazon]
Speaker: Trevor Dreher
We’re in the middle of our ‘Spiritual Ninja’ series, where we’re sharing the skillsets of ‘Spiritual Ninjas’ so that we can all be better in our own everyday life.
As we really enter into the Christmas season (this Sunday is December 1st already!), how can we be our best selves this holiday season? The Christmas season is typically very busy (frantic, downright crazy) for many people. That may make it hard to be at our best, ironically, just when we’re interacting with so many people we care about. And this week is kinda funny because we’re going to be talking a lot about the importance of ‘I’. As the Mike Tyson quote alludes, the person that may get forgotten about this holiday season is you – ‘I’. What can we do to ensure everyone has a better holiday season, you included?
Join us this week as we help get your – ‘I’ – tuned up and ready for the holidays.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
We live in a world that often feels like it’s spiraling into chaos. Wars rage on every level—between nations, within our families, and even inside ourselves. These battles cost us dearly, leaving wounds that ripple out to everyone around us.
But what if there’s another way? What if there’s a spiritual practice—a posture, a set of skills—that could serve as The Antidote to War? A way to break free from the cycle of hurt feelings, endless stewing, and the years lost to unresolved conflict and grudges?
This week at the Spiritual Gym, Sensei James is showing us how to become Spiritual Ninjas. These are people who let their spirituality shape their every move, navigating life with grace, clarity, and a remarkable ability to avoid war altogether.
If you’re feeling the weight of conflict in your life—or you know someone who is—this is your chance to learn tools that can transform how you approach every relationship, including the one with yourself. Come as you are, and invite a friend. Peace begins with us.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
You don’t have to look hard to find stories of relational turmoil, addiction, financial ruin and emotional pain that resulted from pleasure-seeking gone awry. Which is likely why we’re warned in many spiritual traditions of the dangers of chasing one’s desires too blindly. Buddhism sees desire as a primary source of suffering. Within the Judeo/Christian tradition, four of the seven deadly sins (envy, gluttony, greed, and lust) are centred around one’s desires. It’s hard to deny that these things that can bring so much pleasure in life, can have a dark side.
This week in the gym, we’re thinking deeply about our relationship with our desires and ways to avoid the pitfalls that are so common.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
At the core of all meaningful relationships lies conversation—a dynamic exchange between two or more people, where we delve into the richness of our differences and similarities. It’s about understanding motivations, confronting fears, and ultimately creating a shared space where everyone thrives—a true “We” that is good for everyone involved.
Yet, how often do we find conversations falling short? Too frequently, they become one-sided, weaponized, or driven by individual agendas, leaving many feeling unheard and disconnected. So how can we cultivate the art of conversation in a way that uplifts everyone involved, enhancing our lives and deepening our connections? That uses our understanding to uplift our lives and the lives around us.
Join us this week as we explore the essential skills that transform conversations into bridges of understanding, allowing us to be the neighbors everyone wishes for. Together, let’s unlock the power of dialogue that fosters genuine connection and enriches our shared experience. Lets learn to be a force of Love in the world.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
In our final week exploring How to Know a Person by David Brooks, we’ll dive into how truly seeing someone—deeply and with compassion—can become a profound spiritual practice.
How can we use this art of connection to engage in the sacred work of “Taking Water”—healing and transforming the world around us?
Brooks, one of our modern prophets, aligns with one of our spiritual traditions that reminds us the key to making a difference outside of us starts within. When we commit to becoming the healthiest versions of ourselves, we unlock our potential to bring lasting peace and change to the world around us.
Join us this week as we explore the power of seeing and being seen, and how this simple act can ripple out to create a better world. Bring a friend and grab coffee after to share your reflections on this transformative message.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
It’s surprising how much you can get to know someone by just hanging out with them. Not asking probing, soul-level questions, but just playing or doing mundane stuff together. Author David Brooks calls this casual style of interaction, “Accompaniment”.
When you combine this kind of interaction with a few key behaviors it can be a potent way to get to know someone and make them feel seen.
This Sunday, we’ll explore the special ingredients of accompaniment that skillful illuminators use all the time to understand and know others. Why don’t you invite a friend or your kids for an inspiring gym session that will be sure to provoke some thought and great conversations?
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
We all likely know someone who has a knack for making people feel seen and valuable. I shared last week about a youth leader named Brian who could do it so effectively. Author David Brooks calls these kinds of people “Illuminators”. They have a way of noticing things in our lives that we want noticed. Whether to celebrate, to laugh, even to mourn with us. It’s a wonderful gift that can be given. Some do it so instinctively that they hardly have to think about it, while for many of us, it isn’t easy. The good news is that all of us can learn to be greater illuminators. This week I’m going to share some of their key competencies.
Invite a friend and join us this Sunday in the gym as we explore a potent way to take relational water to our world.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
There’s a profound idea, a metaphor, that has captivated us: the notion that within each of us, there exists a spark of the divine. Can you imagine how different our interactions would feel if we could see something sacred reflected in the faces of those we encountered every day?
Sadly, that isn’t a common occurrence. Though we live in one of the most connected ages in human history, never before have so many felt so unseen and unheard and misunderstood – invisible to those around them.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll embark on a journey to master the art of deep seeing and knowing those around us. This is more than just an intention—it’s a skill to be cultivated. Together, we will learn how to perceive each other more profoundly and perhaps even spot the divine in our neighbor’s eyes.
We’ll see you in the gym this Sunday.
Image and design by @shannonhutchisonphoto @beyondourimage
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Throughout history, faith communities have constructed boundaries—both tangible and intangible—that define who belongs and who does not. These barriers, whether they are the physical walls of a church or the unspoken criteria for acceptance, often determine who feels welcomed and who feels excluded.
For over two decades, Friends Church has witnessed how these walls have been used to marginalize and push people away, leaving many either cast out or unable to enter in the first place.
But why do we create these walls? What drives our fixation on distinguishing between insiders and outsiders? Is there a more inclusive path we could take?
We believe there is.
Join us as we embark on a transformative journey, exploring how a year in the "spiritual gym" can reshape your life and foster a community that embraces rather than excludes.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Throughout history, faith communities have constructed boundaries—both tangible and intangible—that define who belongs and who does not. These barriers, whether they are the physical walls of a church or the unspoken criteria for acceptance, often determine who feels welcomed and who feels excluded.
For over two decades, Friends Church has witnessed how these walls have been used to marginalize and push people away, leaving many either cast out or unable to enter in the first place.
But why do we create these walls? What drives our fixation on distinguishing between insiders and outsiders? Is there a more inclusive path we could take?
We believe there is.
Join us as we embark on a transformative journey, exploring how a year in the "spiritual gym" can reshape your life and foster a community that embraces rather than excludes.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff JarvisIf 100 random people were asked what the world needs most right now, very few would likely say traditional religion is the answer. Sadly, this expression of spirituality has become the antithesis of hope for our world.So why are you interested in or are a part of Friends Church? What is it that Friends Church promotes that feels different?
This Sunday we begin a new series highlighting some problems with traditional religion and some ways Friends Church has been designed to combat those problems. Chances are, if you’ve been attending, you’ve observed something different.
We're going to spend a few weeks unpacking our approach - explaining why we believe one year spent in this Spiritual Gym could bring hope to your world in a very significant way.
Invite a friend and join us this Sunday.To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince KlassenThis summer, we’ve immersed ourselves in the art of peacemaking, learning how to shift from divisive “I against them” dynamics to more healthy “We” and “Win-Win” interactions. We see this as a higher level of spirituality inspiring us to healthier way of relating. But now, you might be wondering:Can these new skills truly transform my relationships? Is it possible to get my needs met and meet the needs of those around me at the same time?It’s natural to question whether such change is possible, especially when our current reality doesn’t reflect this newfound vision. How can we hope that things can get better when we haven’t yet seen it for ourselves?The final step in peacemaking is having hope that we can indeed transform the way we relate to others—and that our actions can inspire a shift in their responses to us. Hope that we have the power to rise above the conflict of “I against Them” and build connections grounded in mutual respect and understanding.This week, join us as we dive into inspiring stories of people who have turned their relationships around, who have transformed their lives and their interactions through these very principles. It’s going to be an exciting journey of discovery and growth!See you at the Spiritual Gym for your weekly workout—where we’ll flex those peacemaking muscles and elevate our connections to new heights!To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: JEff Jarvis
We likely all have someone with whom we need to have a long-overdue conversation. Things were likely done and said at some point that bruised the relationship and now there’s distance, awkwardness, maybe hurt. Sure, it’s necessary sometimes to set up boundaries, limit exposure, or even walk away from the relationship. Often though, what’s needed is for two people to come together and talk it out.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
A few weeks ago, I shared the powerful story of a woman who bravely escaped an abusive relationship after enduring years of pain. Her journey was marked by incredible strength and resilience, ultimately leading her to leave a situation that no longer served her well-being. The focus of her story wasn’t about vilifying her abuser; rather, it was about recognizing the complexities of human nature and understanding that seeing the good in everyone is an essential part of the Peacemaker skillset.
However, an intriguing question arose from her narrative: Can you truly practice peacemaking through justice? Can holding someone accountable be a way of creating peace? Especially when those boundaries seem to contradict the very essence of peace? The woman made it clear that she no longer maintains contact with her abuser because it’s necessary for her own health. This raises a significant question for us: How do we balance justice with the desire to maintain peace?
In the context of peacemaking, how do we navigate the delicate balance between mercy and justice? Is it possible that boundaries, while essential, might sometimes appear to dissolve the peace we strive for? And in the broader sense, when do we hold firm to our boundaries, and when do we offer another chance for reconciliation?
Join us this week as we delve into the nuanced skills of peacemaking. We will explore how boundaries and mercy can coexist within the peacemaker’s toolkit, and how these elements contribute to the creation of a truly harmonious world. Together, we’ll uncover the beauty of peacemaking and its profound impact on our relationships and communities.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Over the Summer I’ve witnessed and participated in a number of what I’ll call “spicy” conversations. People with strong opinions weighing in on tricky topics like the US political race, or the female olympic boxer with an XY chromosome – even Calgary’s local water restrictions. What’s sad to me is not that the conversations happened but how some of them ended…
In a bid for more peace, it’s been said we should avoid volatile topics like religion, politics, etc, and just stick to the weather and health (not that those are safe these days But what kind of world would we have if we could no longer talk openly and honestly about the things that matter deeply to us?
This Sunday, we’re going to explore why spicy conversations are vital AND how to do them better.
Invite a friend and we’ll see you this Sunday in the “Gym”.
Ted Talk
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Have you noticed that peace seems increasingly elusive in our world today? The number of concurrent conflicts is staggering—more than I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. It feels like disconnection is growing, and people are quicker to anger and confrontation than at any other time I can recall. Families seem to be experiencing unprecedented levels of distress and separation. It’s as if the very essence of peace is slipping away from us.
Don’t you wish for a world where peace is more prevalent?
Jesus said, “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” and I wholeheartedly agree. I aspire to be counted among those who cultivate peace rather than perpetuate conflict.
Don’t you share that desire?
Think about your own relationships, wouldn’t you prefer to reduce unhealthy conflict and foster a healthy, constructive dialogue that strengthens rather than strains your connections?
This series is dedicated to exploring how we can embody the role of peacemakers. This week, we will delve into one more crucial skill that Jesus seems to champion—one that has the power to transform discord into harmony.
Let’s explore together how we can create lasting peace, both within ourselves and in the world around us.
See you at the Spiritual Gym
Meek Research
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
I recently attended a dinner party that was an absolute delight—great company, incredible food, the works. Yet, amidst the laughter and engaging conversation, something struck me profoundly.
It was during a discussion that veered unexpectedly into deeper waters, where one person began recounting a chapter of their life fraught with unimaginable pain. What baffled me wasn’t just the story itself, but the way they told it—with a calmness and tranquility that seemed almost otherworldly.
Here was someone who had endured hardship beyond measure, yet instead of bitterness or anger, they exuded a serene acceptance that left me unsettled. Their peace, juxtaposed against my own inner turmoil for them, sparked a profound realization: while I was grappling with their suffering, they had found a way to make peace with it.
I wanted to know how they were at peace with this? Why was I so upset on their behalf while they had found solace? It made me wonder what do they know about creating peace that we don’t?
As we delve into our next discussion on becoming Peacemakers, I invite you to join me in exploring this narrative. Let’s uncover not only how to cultivate personal peace but also how we can harness it to foster peace in our communities and beyond.
Join us this week for Part 2 of Blessed are the Peacemakers. See you Sunday at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Throughout history, individuals have been catalysts for peace, shaping the course of nations and communities alike. But this call to peacemaking isn’t confined to the grand stage of geopolitics; it resonates deeply within our personal lives and everyday interactions.
Where are we creating unnecessary wars in our daily encounters?
How do we cultivate peace instead of conflict in our relationships?
This summer, we invite you to join our mini-series exploring Jesus’ profound adage, “Blessed are the Peacemakers.” Together, we’ll discover practical ways to infuse peace and harmony into the world around us, aligning our spiritual practices with the mission of Taking Water to our Worlds. Through this journey, we’ll learn that true peacemaking starts within us, radiating outwards to touch every life we encounter.
See you Sunday at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Did you know that the Stoics considered courage to be one of the most important virtues you can develop? To have the ability to do something that frightens you. What situations do you quietly avoid because of fear? The other day I saw a guy being a jerk to a store clerk. I wanted to say something but I didn’t. I was afraid. For some people, it’s a fear of public speaking. Some are too scared to be vulnerable – while others are afraid to voice their opinion. Where do you struggle with courage?
Join me this Sunday as I explore this virtue through the lens of the Stoics, and how, if used properly, can lead to beautiful outcomes in our world.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
As a kid I loved “sour soothers”. That sour, gummy candy that made you pucker when you put one in your mouth. I loved those things! One time I bought a bunch of them and ate them all within probably an hour. What I didn’t realize until it was too late was the citric acid was burning my tongue. By the time they were all gone, my tongue was raw and painful! Lol!
Sometimes too much of a good thing can spoil it – can’t it?
The Stoics thought a lot about the dangers of excess and the ways it can spoil our lives. This Sunday I want to explore the Stoic philosophy of Temperance and the sage wisdom it’s been offering people for 1000’s of years.
I would encourage you to invite a friend and join us in the “Gym”.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
We all have profound, maybe even transcendent, experiences—whether it’s the birth of a child, a moment of awe in nature, or a powerful physical sensation. Yet, when we try to share these moments, we often face blank stares and polite nods. It’s frustrating and disconnecting when others don’t feel the same intensity we did in that moment.
So, what is it about “being there” that makes an experience so impactful? Why does the magic fade when we try to recount it to others?
Yoga has explored the essence of “being there” for centuries, offering insights that help us understand why our profound experiences don’t always translate when shared. These teachings can also help us create more profound, transcendent moments in our own lives, no matter our spiritual path.
Join us this week to explore how the wisdom of yoga can help us cultivate these extraordinary experiences!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Isn’t it crazy how, when life takes an unexpected turn and the outcome is not what we wanted, we can experience all kinds of emotional and mental turmoil: fear, anger, frustration, the list goes on? When was the last time you had a bit of meltdown after life conspired against your expectations?
Throughout the ages, Buddhist mystics have said that most of our suffering comes from our attachment to particular outcomes in life. To prevent this suffering, they developed a spiritual practice that I want to explore this weekend. Trust me, we all could benefit from it. I’ll see you Sunday in the “Gym”.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Trevor Dreher
We live in a world brimming with endless choices. Everyday, we face a relentless barrage of decisions, big and small: What should I eat? Should I go to the gym? How much should I be saving? The sheer volume of choices can be overwhelming and exhausting.
Many of us at Friends Church know this feeling all too well but the idea of learning from fundamentalism might seem surprising, even off-putting. What could we possibly gain from such a rigid framework? But if we set aside the religious aspects, we can see that people in fundamentalist communities often experience a profound sense of peace and contentment. What if we could harness that peace without embracing the religious dogma?
This Sunday, we will explore how adopting certain principles from fundamentalism—such as simplicity and intentional limitations—can help us find tranquility in our modern, choice-saturated lives. Join us as we discuss how to reclaim a sense of peace and calm by embracing the power of simplicity.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
In our workshop collective, I teach a class designed to help people master the tablesaw, a formidable tool with a 10-inch blade spinning faster than the speed of sound. This “spinning blade of death” can understandably be intimidating, especially for beginners. However, the key to safely using a tablesaw lies in focusing on something other than this terrifying centerpiece—an understandably difficult task for novices!
This challenge mirrors a common struggle in the Christian tradition: the fear of Hell. Many people live with the constant worry of whether their actions might lead to eternal damnation. But what if we approached this fear from a different perspective?
Atheism presents an intriguing counterpoint by asking, “How would you live if there was no Hell to fear?” This question isn’t meant to dismantle anyone’s belief structure but rather to provoke thought: “If fear wasn’t a factor, how would your decisions and behaviors change?”
Imagine navigating life with this mindset. It has the power to transform your motivations and open up new possibilities. Join us as we delve into this profound question, exploring how removing fear can redefine your approach to both woodworking and life
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
It’s human nature, isn’t it, to try to explain why certain things happen in our lives? To hope that in the end, life is fair? We want to believe that good will be rewarded and evil will be punished. It seems every religious system has its way of explaining how this happens. In the Christian tradition heaven and hell have served as the ultimate system for rewards and punishment. Which works for some but has proven problematic for a growing number.
In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a belief called Karma has helped explain why life tends to follow certain patterns and how it ensures fairness. And, to some degree, it’s been adopted in Western culture, providing a source of mental comfort and motivation for many on their spiritual journey.
This week, in the first installment of our series called “Growing Our Spiritual Journey”, we will explore this belief and contemplate ways it might improve your spiritual journey to enrich your world. Invite a friend and we’ll see you Sunday.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
We’ve been exploring how to “Love our Neighbour”. While it was easy for Jesus to say, it’s a bit trickier to put into practice. To truly love people skilfully, we must overcome our own relational challenges. This means learning to regulate ourselves and stay within our Window of Tolerance so we can understand our own and others’ attachment wounds and how to love that person effectively.
But why do this?
Why would we do this work?
We believe this is a profoundly spiritual question! This is where our spirituality intersects with our everyday lives, and it’s at the heart of what Friends Church is trying to inspire in all of us.
Join us this week as we tie the whole Relation$hit series together with its connection to our Spiritual lives and cast a vision for a new way to live your life.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Vince Klassen
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve discussed two forms of insecure attachment: Avoidant and Anxious. Two common relational patterns that, when unaware, can create some Relation$hit.
This Sunday though, we’re going to study a third style of attachment that has a much more positive effect on relationships: Secure Attachment. This style of relating can make even the most insecure people feel safe and loved and connected. Together, Vince and Jeff are going to explore the specific behaviors and approaches that “Securely attached” people employ to enrich their relationships.
Invite a friend and come out to learn new skills that could be game-changing for your relationships.
Recommended books to read on Attachment Styles:
- Attached by Rachel Heller and Amir Levine
- Wired on Love by Stan Tatkin
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Join us this Sunday for week three of our Relation$hit series. We’re exploring the inner world of those who Anxiously attach to others. These are the ones who have highly sensitive threat centres. For anxious attachers, one particular look, text, delayed response, or piece of negative feedback can set off internal alarms – fearing that someone is upset or worse. The result is often an emotional meltdown of sorts: excessive texting, calling, clinging, catastrophizing…or as Vince put it in week one, “flipping their lid”.
Whether this can look a lot like you or someone you’re trying to love, the good news is that there are effective ways to avoid this Relation$hit, to soothe this anxiety, and experience much healthier, secure relationships. We’re going to talk about how to do this!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Jesus once said, “Love your neighbor.” It’s a simple yet profound teaching, but it’s not always easy to put into practice. Loving others—no matter who they are—requires both skill and the capacity to do that skill – the willingness, the motivation and the energy.
This week, we’re going to focus on building our capacity for love. We’ll work on the skills that enable us to love better and explore ways to develop these skills over the coming weeks. This week the goal is to be able to use those skills when we need them.
Join us this week as we embark on this journey. Invite a friend who would also like to learn about love, and let’s grow together in our ability to love others.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Throughout history, religious beliefs have been a double-edged sword, offering solace and guidance while also igniting conflicts and division. They’ve inspired acts of compassion, charity, and unity, yet have also fueled wars, persecution, and discrimination.
In this final week of our current series, “What Ends Wars”, we’re going to explore two ways of approaching one’s faith/beliefs. The difference seems so subtle but the outcomes are often radically different.
Invite a friend or two and join us this Sunday in the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
In recent weeks, we’ve delved into various scenarios shedding light on the What Ends Wars. From realizing that peace seldom emerges solely from victory to grappling with the internal battles we face.
This week, we’re steering toward a slightly unconventional path. We’re set to scrutinize a deeply ingrained belief prevalent in our culture today, one that likely ignited more conflicts than we can fathom – be it in personal relationships, among colleagues and neighbours, or even on the grand stage of national wars.
Join us as we explore a specific facet of humility that appears to be notably scarce in our society, potentially serving as a catalyst for countless unnecessary conflicts.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Watching the innocent casualties of war is hard. People being forced to flee with very few belongings, often grieving the loss of loved ones. The suffering is hard to imagine. It’s always comforting to see countries and organizations willing to help step in and offer support in times of crisis. There’s something that feels so right about those initiatives. The same applies to our everyday lives. We can see people who are struggling and then notice someone who stops and helps in a practical and caring way. It’s heart-warming, isn’t it, to see humans caring for others in need? Have you ever struggled to figure out whether you should be the one who responds and helps in some way?
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Vince Klassen
If you think about the foes you’ll wage war against in your lifetime, none of them will likely be as powerful and potentially as immobilizing as the voice(s) within you. You’re likely well acquainted with this voice. Sometimes we refer to it as our “Dark Passenger”. It can remind you of the ways you’ve screwed up, of your shortcomings, it can make you second-guess your next steps and keep you locked in a holding pattern.
This is likely why our spiritual ancestors engaged in an annual ritual to set them free of their past and, specifically, the voice of their “dark passenger”.
We invite you to join us this Sunday for some beautiful music and the opportunity to engage in this ritual and to be reminded once again of the freedom that is within reach.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
After our discussion last week about how victory doesn’t necessarily lead to peace, we’ve been feeling somewhat disheartened.
So, how do we actually foster peace?
Our current cultural mindset heavily emphasizes victory – whether it’s a particular group, ideology, or even ourselves prevailing – as the path to peace. So, it’s clear that culture isn’t providing a satisfactory answer to that question.
This week, we’re delving into the wisdom of one of our spiritual ancestors who offered an alternative to the failure of victory in bringing about peace. It’s an insight applicable to every aspect of our lives, from global politics to our closest relationships.
So, layer up, put on your snow boots, and make your way to the Spiritual Gym. Let’s explore this idea together.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Cathy and I have been married for over 33 years. You would think by now that we would never argue. Lol.
There seems to be this subconscious moment, in the midst of our arguments, when I begin to imagine what it will feel like when I “win” the argument. When I hit that sweet spot and prove my point. Do you do this?
I think to myself, “Maybe, Cathy will admit that she was wrong and I was right all along – perhaps she’ll thank me for pointing out what she did and ask me to forgive her”.
This kind of hopeful thinking seems almost instinctual it’s so common. Not only is history loaded with examples of it, if you look at many of the conflicts taking place in our world right now, you can see it. People engaging in wars believing that if they can just get the win – peace lies on the other side. But does it work?
This Sunday we begin a new series that will explore the complexity of human conflict and what it takes to truly bring peace. From global wars to the conflict within our homes and everything in between.
Invite a friend and join us for a compelling 6-week conversation beginning this Sunday that is designed to bring peace.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Trevor Dreher
Recently, I heard a tale of an affluent elderly couple with a longstanding desire to witness the vibrant colors of autumn out east. Despite having the financial means to indulge in this dream without any repercussions, they consistently postponed the trip over the years, citing its potential cost. In truth, they could have undertaken the journey in first-class style without a dent in their finances. The desire for this experience was ingrained in their values, yet they never actualized it.
Why do we often neglect the activities we genuinely enjoy?
What compels us to deny ourselves pleasure?
Last week, we delved into ethical considerations surrounding the pursuit of pleasure. This week, we aim to unravel the internal dialogues that hinder us from engaging in the very activities that bring us joy—the hobbies we cherish but perpetually put on hold, the activities that once brought smiles to our faces but have long been neglected.
If you discover yourself grappling with the ability to embrace pleasure, if you constantly seek external validation to pursue what you love, or if you find yourself habitually declining opportunities that truly resonate with you, this message is tailored for you.
Join us this week as we embark on the final exploration of pleasure—the impact of our personal history on the pleasures we permit ourselves.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
We’ve spent the last two weeks explaining where much of the toxic messaging around pleasure has come from – at least within the Christian tradition. Hint: we don’t think it comes from the bible. We’ve also made the case that pleasure needs to be accessed and celebrated in our lives.
However, this raises questions, and likely it should… Mostly because, like anything, the pleasures we pursue almost always have price tags (either literally or metaphorically).
How much pleasure is enough at any given time? And at what cost? What if your spouse/partner/parent/child/bank account doesn’t support your idea of pleasure? What limitations, if any, should we impose on the pleasures we desire? And why?
This Sunday, we’re going to explore ways we can build a healthy pleasure ethic that hopefully avoids the shame and repression of past messaging on one side while avoiding destructive addictive and hedonistic behaviours on the other. This should be fun!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Pleasure can be a complex subject, especially when delving into the realm of physical pleasure, which may make some uncomfortable to discuss. Questions often arise, such as, when we talk about physical pleasure, are we exclusively referring to sex? The answer is yes, but it encompasses much more than just that, although sex is indeed a component.
Considering the pursuit of Vitality and pleasure in our lives, where does the priority of physical pleasure fall on your list? Complicating matters is the prevalent notion in the Christian Tradition suggesting that things that bring pleasure are often deemed bad, or at least fall outside a very narrow definition of acceptable enjoyment.
But we are not of the Meadow, we are people on the Ledge so what do we do with sex, and the much larger idea of physical pleasure, in our unique Spiritual Journeys?
This week, we embark on an exploration of physical pleasure, aiming to discern its place in our individual journeys. We’ll identify the aspects that act as “Springs on our Trampolines,” drawing from the Bounce message – pinpointing which elements of physical pleasure energize us and which ones we can afford to discard.
Prepare for a morning of heightened sensory exploration. Bring an open mind as we delve into understanding how physical pleasure might contribute to the creation of Vitality in our lives.
See you at the Spiritual Gym!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
“Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives” ~ William Wallace
Over the years I’ve had a conflicted relationship with pleasure. Don’t get me wrong, I love to experience it as much as the next person. Sometimes though, I’ve struggled to prioritize it. Too much to do, and perhaps a little guilt about spending the time or money on “frivolous” things when it could be used more practically. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if, spiritually, it was the right thing to pursue. Not surprisingly, life has often grown dull…lifeless.
How would you describe your relationship with pleasure and vitality? Would you say you have enough of it in your life?
Many I’ve spoken with are in the same boat. No one has said that they prioritize their personal vitality and pleasure enough. Which is kind of tragic, isn’t it?
We think it may be time for many of us to reexamine the thinking and practices that are limiting our vitality. To be reminded that all of us are going to die, but not all of us are truly going to live?
Invite a friend and join us in the “Gym” this Sunday.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
“When we talk about God we actually talk about ourselves only with a megaphone.” Karl Barth
Over the last month, we’ve been exploring different conceptions of God that have been held throughout the ages. Whether that was God as superbeing or God acting through people as “Agents”, or, perhaps God/Divine as hyperbeing. We hoped that, in the process, each of us would identify the conception that resonates the most.
This Sunday, in the last week of the series, I’m asking a probing question: “What does your particular conception of God say about you? What is it that it gives you? Believe me, it’s giving you something. You might be surprised how much you can learn about yourself by simply exploring your preferred understanding of the Divine.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
As we have walked through different conceptions we can hold of God over the last few weeks, you start to realize that things can look a little different than in traditional churches. Some really important questions start to bubble up:
- How do we pick our conception(s) of God?
- What if we pick the wrong conception?
When you come from the Meadow (if you are not familiar with this term, listen to last week’s talk) you often hold onto your conception of God because that’s what you grew up with, or what your community all holds. That conception is thought of a truth, not a conception.But on the Ledge (again, see last week’s message) we hold these conceptions in an open hand, understanding that there is more than one conception of God. But that means we each have to choose a conception(s) of God. And so we need a criteria for picking our conception in any given moment, we call it:
Bounce (yes, like bouncing on a trampoline)
It’s a metaphor from another pastor that talks about the purpose of the spiritual journey on the Ledge and how we choose our conception of God(s). It’s mind-blowing, and beautiful, and challenging all at the same time.
Join us this week as we start to explore what conception(s) of God are right for your Unique Spiritual Journey.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
I had a moment, giving someone a tour of the temple that was fascinating. They walked into the sanctuary with me and I pointed out all the beautiful works of art on the ceiling and the person’s jaw was almost on the floor. They were struck by the beauty of the space and in reverence they said
“Holy sh$t this place is beautiful”
Then they realized what they said, their eyes went wide, their hand slapped over their mouth, trying to stop anything else from coming out. Then they said something to me that I found fascinating
“You don’t think God heard that do you?”
They were serious. What a fascinating statement that says a lot about how they conceive of God.
God is something that can leave the building – is that how you have conceived of God? God left the building? God didn’t see that? God isn’t here right now? And where did we get this conception of God? and more importantly:
How this conception of God might be creating feelings of disconnection and abandonment
This conception of God might be reinforcing a core message of shame that doesn’t need to be there
and more importantly, what other options do we have?
Join us as we explore another conception of God, that goes to places we use the words divine and spirituality to describe.
See you at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
A couple of Sundays ago I shared some stories of my disappointment and disillusionment with God when important prayers went unanswered. My Superbeing conception of God led me to believe that He/She/It was capable of coming through – but for some reason didn’t.
How is one supposed to reconcile these heart-breaking moments?
For 1000’s of years, humans have been finding ways to make sense of them. This week I’m going to share a very popular explanation for many who conceive of God as a Superbeing.
Whether you hold this particular conception of God or not, you likely know someone who does. The stuff we’ll explore this Sunday will help you look at the world through their lens and give you another way of dealing with the disappointments and certain evils within it.
Invite a friend or two and join us in the gym this Sunday for pt. 2 of our new series called “Are you there God? It’s me….
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
“Sir/Maam, there’s been an accident…”. It’s a phone call no one wants to get. In moments like this panic can set in. A desperation that can have us crying out for help, especially in the form of prayer. Asking/pleading for God, the universe, whatever may be out there – to intervene somehow on behalf of a loved one.
Have you ever prayed a prayer like this? Even if you weren’t sure what you believed or what difference you thought it would make?
Though prayers like these often come out of desperation – they can offer hope that something out there might be able to intervene. Sadly, they can also confuse, disappoint, and even hurt when they go unanswered.
This week we begin a 3 part series to talk about our human understandings and beliefs about God, where they came from, and how they can influence our reactions to life as it unfolds around us. Whether you’re a theist, an atheist, or an agnostic, we assure you there will be lots of food for thought that could be helpful for the journey ahead. Invite a friend and join us this Sunday.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
This Sunday is the last day of 2023. It’s been a year for sure. And now, we have the opportunity to start thinking about next year. What is next year going to look like? How are we going to navigate all that next year brings to us? But the question goes deeper for all of us on a spiritual journey.
What is our intentions this year?
What needs to be supported?
What needs to change?
How are we going to Take Water?
How are we going to take care of ourselves?
Join us for the last Sunday of the year and lets set some intentions for 2024.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Last Sunday we explored our triggers. Those instinctual negative reactions we can have to the insensitive or irritating things being said or done around us. Looking back on your life, how many special occasions have been dampened if not ruined by people’s irritating behaviour? Do you ever wonder how much happier you would be if certain people could be uninvited?
Before you shorten your guest list, though, the gospel writer of Matthew seems to have an underlying message within his recount of the Christmas story that could speak to this universal challenge. Invite a friend or family member and join us this weekend for the final part of the “Our Christmas Stories” series.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
“The hardest thing you’ll ever do is admit that you’re [part of the problem]”
I was reading an article recently that had my paraphrased quote as the byline. “That’s a bit harsh” I thought! And yet as I sat with this, I started to look at the difficult parts of my holiday season where, if I’m really honest, I was part of the problem. I played a role in what went down. Sometimes it was obviously me being the problem. Sometimes my role was responding poorly when someone else was the the problem, my response just making everything worse. Sometimes I got angry back, or withdrew, or got quiet, or got nasty. But I did make things worse.
The problem was, I didn’t know what was causing my bad behavior. I didn’t know the trigger.
Do you?
We often walk into situations without a conscious awareness of things that are going to make us snap, or suck all our energy out, or any number of responses. We try to control our responses but what if we looked underneath and started to see what caused them. Deal with the root cause?
What would it look like going into the Holidays with an awareness of what might set us off? Be able to manage the triggers instead of having to apologize for our bad responses? Be it blowing up and having to apologize, or pretending we can’t make an event, or drinking more than we should to get through? What if we could do better?
That’s our goal this week.
And surprisingly, I think the author Luke from the Bible had this in mind when he wrote his story of Jesus’s birth and early life.
See you at the Spiritual Gym. Invite a friend who might need some help in this area. Or send it to them after you hear the talk if it resonates with you.
One of my favorite Enneagram resources [and link to it: https://www.instagram.com/alignedsoulco]To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
CHANGE OF PLANS – We were going to start the Christmas Series this week, but we had another opportunity to engage in Disagreeing Beautifully that we couldn’t pass up on.
The Rabbi for the community whose space we share, Rabbi Glickman, went to Israel only a few weeks after the Hamas attack. He spent time in the areas that Hamas attacked, saw survivors, and talked with people whose loved ones Hamas is still holding hostage.
This is only one part of the war, but it will explore the impact of the Hamas attack on the people of Israel, and what it is to be a Jew in Calgary right now.
We don’t need to agree with everything from this conversation, but like we have done throughout this series, we will approach the conversation with empathy and curiosity and practice the skills of a great conversation, regardless of if we agree or not.
[Picture is of Rabbi Glickman on the boarder between Israel and Gaza. The smoke in the background is from Gaza City]To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
*Content Warning*
The content below could be disturbing to those who are sensitive to the subject matter. Please use caution in reading further.
This week on Disagreeing Beautifully we’re discussing what has been a controversial subject worldwide. We’re talking about MAID: A program that provides people with medical assistance in dying. Should a suffering person have the right to choose to die sooner than they naturally would? We’ll interview someone whose father chose to be euthanized and learn how it worked and affected the family. We’ll also explore reasons why this program has created controversy – highlighting some arguments being made on both sides.
We don’t need you to agree with everything that is said – agreement isn’t our goal. Nor are we advocating one particular viewpoint. Our goal is to understand and empathize at a deeper level with those whom we disagree. Because, ultimately, we believe our ability to engage in respectful dialogue is needed now, more than ever, to heal our world.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Nina Lewis-Larsson
This week we’re interviewing a doctor who was heavily invested in helping people navigate the pandemic and vaccinations, by focusing on balancing both risks and benefits for each individual.
She will share real-life stories of her clients and her own personal observations on several contentious areas within the COVID-19 world. This will be a broad and informative conversation, aimed at unpacking some of the complexity of one of the greatest health crises of our time.
You don’t need to agree with anything that is said this week. Let me repeat – agreement isn’t our goal. We’re going to listen to the experiences and perspectives of others using curiosity, open-mindedness, and empathy. In the process, our hope is that we’ll widen our individual perspectives and find ways to better understand and love those with whom we’ve struggled to see eye to eye as a result of all that has transpired.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
This week on Disagreeing Beautifully, we are going to have a discussion with a Local Drag Performer to start to learn more about Drag, people who perform Drag, and social impacts of Drag. It’s going to be a broad and informative conversation. You don’t need to agree with anything that is said this week. In fact, agreement isn’t the goal here. But we are going to explore this topic through the I-Thou approach we discussed two weeks ago using all the empathy, curiosity, openness to difference we can muster (If you missed that message you can find it HERE), This is going to be a great discussion, a great time of learning, and hopefully, a great time of Disagreeing Beautifully for all of us. Invite someone who might need to hear this one to join you this week.
See you at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
This week on Disagreeing Beautifully, we are going to have a discussion with a parent of a child who came out as trans when they were in Grade 2. That’s pretty young! We are going to explore how this parent navigated that at that age and all that that entails, including transitioning at a very young age, puberty blockers, hormone therapy and everything else connected to a transition that happens before a child hits puberty.
You don’t need to agree with anything that is said this week. In fact, agreement isn’t the goal here. But we are going to explore this topic through the I-Thou approach we discussed last week using all the empathy, curiosity, openness to difference we can muster (Last Weeks Message – HERE),
This is going to be a great discussion, a great time of learning, and hopefully, a great time of Disagreeing Beautifully for all of us.
Invite someone who might need to hear this one to join you this week.
See you at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Chances are, we’ve all encountered those conversations when two opposing views collide and the discussion goes South. It seems there’s a lot of it these days… over social media, around the water cooler at work, even across the dinner table.
The polarizing topic can be anything – politics, religion, a social issue…heck even Taylor Swift attending her boyfriend’s football game has got people worked up!
What’s tragic are the results of many of these heated conversations. Many relationships leave wounded, with less trust, more anger, and more judgment. And if you zoom out, you’ll likely notice how they’re leaving communities more segregated and families more estranged.
Is it even possible to have deep, thought-provoking conversations around issues that matter with people who see things differently than you/me? Is it possible to listen as someone says something you don’t agree with – without getting triggered and reacting negatively? Do we have to retreat to our echo chambers in order to remain calm? What kind of world are we becoming?
This Sunday we begin a new series called Disagreeing Beautifully, designed to keep the conversation going and to build our capacity for differences of opinion. Because, like Jesus said, “What’s the big deal if you can only love those who agree with you? Anyone can do that.”
Invite a friend and join us Sunday in the “Gym”.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis
We are going to take a week and tell you some stories of people who have Taken Water in some impactful, beautiful and sometimes strange ways. It will be a time to celebrate what our community is all about and even get a little inspired to Take Water in our own worlds in ways that are unique to us.So join us for our first-ever Friends Church Water Awards. You will leave the building smiling and probably a little more excited.See you at the Gym.To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
There is a story about Jesus being asked, “What should we pray about?” and he responded, “Pray that earth would look like heaven”.
What does that mean for earth to look like heaven? And what is our role in that mission? Is that a purpose we want to connect our lives to?
After looking at all the ways we do things around Friends Church, what we call our values, this week we are looking at WHAT we are trying to do. This idea of Creating Heaven on Earth.
This is at the heart of Friends Church. For the newer people to our community, this will tie it all together and show you why we talk about Spirituality the way we do.
For those who have made Friends Church your home, this is going to be a celebration and a connection to our spiritual ancestors back way before Jesus. It’s going to explore the purpose we have tied our lives to.
Invite someone who you think might need to hear this. See you at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis
Have you ever thought much about the endgame of your spirituality? What is it you’re hoping to achieve by making spirituality a priority in your life?Though Friends Church doesn’t tell people what to believe theologically, there is a belief that has shaped so much of what we do and how we do it at Friends. It is the belief that the endgame of all of our spiritual pursuits should lead to a more loving, a more kind, and caring world. With this spiritual endgame, how we engage in our daily life and behave around others becomes of critical, spiritual importance.
This Sunday, we’re unpacking two more Friends Church values that we think are vital to this endgame. Want to know what they are? Invite a friend and join us this Sunday for a good spiritual sweat at the “Gym” – either in-person or YouTube Livestream online.
We’ll explain it all.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis
Church for People Who Don’t Fit Church. Nice slogan. How does a church actually do that? Help people who don’t fit church suddenly, magically, fit church? Well, in this series we are calling “Watering our Worlds” we want to pull back the curtain and show you the vision and values that tries to help people who don’t fit church fit.
Last week we explored our Value around Unique Spiritual Journey. Super important shift from the mainstream.
This week we are going to explore Being Honest About What Can Be Proven and Being Guided by Something More
Not only will this show you why we do what we do, we also think these are deeply spiritual practices that are worth exploring for your Unique Spiritual Journey.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
For years we’ve said that Friends Church is a community for people who don’t feel they fit in traditional churches – but what does that actually mean? What causes a person to feel out of place in some religious environments anyway…to feel like an outsider? Some will point to things like the style of music, perhaps the formal dress code, or the formal feel of traditional church buildings. Sure, all of these can contribute, but we think there are reasons that run much deeper.
This Sunday we begin a new series called “Watering our Worlds”. It’s a series designed to pull back the curtains of the inner workings of Friends Church and to illuminate the vision and values that so deeply influence and shape everything we do. If you’ve ever wondered why Friends Church seems so different from other expressions of religion you’ve experienced, this series should help explain. More importantly, if you’ve ever struggled to fit traditional church but craved meaningful spirituality, this weekend’s message will likely shed some light on why and how Friends Church hopefully can help.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
We get asked why we insist so often on wrestling with stories and passages from the bible. Some argue that a collection of writings, thousands of years old, has to be outdated and irrelevant to modern life. Many will point to disturbing stories depicting violence, misogyny, or slavery – or even its contradictions with modern science as reasons to dismiss it. We fully acknowledge these issues.
Yet, despite these and other issues, we still believe the bible stands as one of the greatest tools for spiritual reflection and learning we’ve encountered.
This Sunday as we close out our “Stories that Changed Our Worlds” series and begin a new series called “Watering Our Worlds” – I’m going to retell one of the bible’s most problematic stories and demonstrate how, even in 2023, it can still provoke deep reflection, and ask hard questions, ultimately leading to what we call around here, “Taking water our world”.
Invite a friend or family member and join us this Sunday at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen Our earliest ancestors were scared little creatures. And rightly so, everything around them seemed to be trying to kill them. The animals, the weather. It was all...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s not lost on me that Christianity, as a religion, hasn’t had the greatest reputation nor track record with those who sit outside its walls. I’ll be...
Speaker: Vince Klassen The Maui Fires of the last week have been devastating! Over one hundred dead, many more still unaccounted for, and the property destruction is almost beyond imagination....
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I recently re-watched “The Truman Show”. A movie about a guy named Truman (Jim Carrey) who, from birth, was the main character of a reality show and...
Speaker: Vince Klassen What’s the purpose of our lives? Why are we here? How do we find meaning for our lives? Knowing where to focus our lives to find meaning...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & David Hill Last week, we talked about the vitality of evolving spirituality but it should be noted that spiritual change rarely comes without a cost. Often...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Jeff, you’ve changed!” This is what a person wrote to me in an email a number of years back. She was concerned — specifically that I changed...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I once helped a lady with a flat tire on the side of the road. She’d been there for 2.5 hours. No one had stopped for her,...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was with a friend recently and they asked me, in the context of this series on stories, what’s up with the story of Samson in the...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher What’s your stories? (deliberately terrible English) Do you think about moments in your life that you were happy, sad, angry, calm? What’s the story surrounding those moments?...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis The other day I was out in the backyard after mowing the lawn and Cathy came out and asked me why some patches of lawn that I...
Speaker: Vince Klassen There is this famous interchange between two characters on the animated series The Simpsons that points to a piece of Wisdom from our tradition. It goes like...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis In 2020, after watching the documentary, The Social Dilemma, I devoted a Sunday morning to exploring the relationships we have with our electronic devices. I knew at...
Speaker: Vince Klassen
As we start to move our thinking into the summer season, with the weather warming up and summer plans on the horizon, we want to explore a few topics that our spiritual ancestors called Wisdom — ways of living well. This week we are going to explore how we deal with the people around us.
Because do it well, life seems lovely
Do it poorly, unwisely, and it seems like hell on earth
If you are feeling at all isolated, lonely, like you don’t belong, like the world is out to suck you dry, this is for you. Our spiritual ancestors have some Wisdom to teach us as we head into the summer season.
Join us this week. Invite a friend who might need this too. See you at the Spiritual Gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
So, we’ve spent enough time discussing ways we avoid our emotional wounds and resentments. This week we’re exploring the actual process of facing them. This critical step can reduce the triggering effects they have on us and can help us heal. After all, isn’t that what we want? To move on from our past wounds?
Invite a friend and join us Sunday as we conclude our “Resentments” series with a fantastic interview with Christine Waldner, a woman who specializes in helping people face their resentments. It’s going to be good!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
I was out with a family member recently, someone I hadn’t seen in a while but I know them well. As I was driving up to their place, I could feel myself shrinking a little bit inside.
“Remember not to bring up that topic. Remember not to use those words. They are going to stay stuff that is going to bother you, just ignore it. They are just different from you.” and on and on it went.
Do you have those people in your life that you just can’t be yourself with? You have to act differently? Dress differently? Put up with different things?
This can often be a coping mechanism. And sometimes it’s needed just to get through. But it’s also a way for us to avoid the resentment these people have caused in us. So what do you do? Let it all slide? Forgive all the bad behavior?
Jesus says to forgive like 77 times (or it could be 70*7, we are unsure of the actual translation) so isn’t that the answer? Forgive? Let them do that again? Treat you that way again? Put up with it?
Strangely, there seems to be another path in our spiritual tradition. One that says forgiveness might not be the right answer… now.
Join us as we explore another way we avoid learning from our Resentments. It will be another workout!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Over the last few weeks we’ve been talking about ways that we avoid dealing with our resentments. We can resort to blaming, we can shame ourselves, we can even try to punish those who are in a better place than us.
Sometimes, though, when situations out of our control wreak havoc in our lives, we can engage in something known as “Ruminating”. When you start wondering if something out there may be conspiring against you? Was it bad luck? Was it God who caused it or allowed it to happen? Did you do something that upset something or someone and that’s why it happened? Initially the inquiry can start out as an attempt to alleviate the pain, but it often ends up just amplifying our suffering, causing resentment to deepen.
This Sunday, we’re going to explore this age-old tendency along with a healthy alternative. We hope you’ll join us.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince KlassenWe have defined Resentment as what is left of the hurts of our past that weren't dealt with. And Resentments, often without our awareness, tend to take over our lives and cause us to act crazy. Destroying the things we love and value. Trainwrecks!
Last week we looked at how Blame keeps us from learning about, and learning from, these Resentments. We focus on others instead of owning our part and asking, what is the Resentments inside of me that's causing that to happen.
This week, we are going to look at the other end of the reaction to Resentments - Shame. The force inside of us that says there is something wrong with us - we are the problem to pretty much every situation.
We are going to explore why shame is often stuck inside of us. Why its so hard to see. What it does to us. And how to be free of it.
If you are ready to get off the Resentment trainwreck, this is the series for you. If you missed last week, check it out here to get caught up.
See you at the Spiritual Gym
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince KlassenWe have defined Resentment as what is left of the hurts of our past that weren't dealt with. And Resentments, often without our awareness, tend to take over our lives and cause us to act crazy. Destroying the things we love and value. Trainwrecks!
Last week we looked at how Blame keeps us from learning about, and learning from, these Resentments. We focus on others instead of owning our part and asking, what is the Resentments inside of me that's causing that to happen.
This week, we are going to look at the other end of the reaction to Resentments - Shame. The force inside of us that says there is something wrong with us - we are the problem to pretty much every situation.
We are going to explore why shame is often stuck inside of us. Why its so hard to see. What it does to us. And how to be free of it.
If you are ready to get off the Resentment trainwreck, this is the series for you. If you missed last week, check it out here to get caught up.
See you at the Spiritual Gym
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
I sometimes watch with weird fascination when some deep part of myself, the wounded part, the hurt part, the angry part, takes over my life. It's like a possessed person grabs the wheel of the car that is my life and tries to drive it off a cliff. And the smallest think can trigger it. Oh man, talk about a car wreck!
We are starting a new series and asking ourselves, do we need these car wrecks? Does our past really need to take over our lives and cause us to behave poorly? Cause us to react without patience? Without compassion?
This week, we are going to explore one way we try to keep that car wreck from happening. It doesn't work. But we try this same tactic over and over again. Thinking, maybe this time it will work.
If you are ready to get off the car wreck circuit this is the series for you. And this week is a great place to start.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince KlassenAlmost every year I go to my doctor with the same complaint: "Dr. I'm tired." Her answer isn't that helpful ("You are getting old") but what I'm realizing is my feelings of tiredness aren't really a medical problem,
It's a Spiritual problem.
Our spiritual ancestors seemed to know this and put the answer into some of their founding stories. Stories about chaos and order, stories about creation, stories about the best ways to live our lives.
So we are going to examine these stories (along with another spiritual classic, Footloose) to see if the way we are living our lives is the problem. But more than that, we are going to look at how to put our lives back on track. To live lives of meaning, but also of health. Spiritual lives.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff JarvisWhat will bring fulfillment to your life?
I find people will often mention a relationship(s) they’re pursuing (a spouse, kids, or a friendship) - sometimes it’s a hobby or travel. Some will talk about their dreams of fitness and health or career and financial success.
The list of things we can bet on for fulfillment is endless.
The big question, though. is: how well will these things truly deliver on our expectations? We can want these good things in our lives, but what happens if we can’t get or achieve them? How often do we experience something - only to walk away a bit disappointed and already thinking about the next thing that we hope will deliver?
Finding fulfillment can be tricky...more than most realize.
In fact, the spiritual journey will challenge us all to wrestle with the complex relationships we have with the “things” in our lives and the expectations we place on them.
This is the topic this Sunday. We hope you'll join us in the gym either in person or on our YouTube live stream at 10:30am.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
When I was a teenager, I became an atheist. Strange for a pastor to say I know, but I had experienced such a profound break between what I believed about God and what I was experiencing in my life that I just couldn't deal with the tension, so I quit. I quit God. I quit my religion. I quit it all
Where in your life has your view of God and your life come into conflict?
- Was it in seeing current events that don't square with a loving God?
- Living a life that someone told you makes God angry?
- In valuing things that your tradition told you would upset God?
- Loving a person that they said God didn't want you to love?
- Or maybe this isn't your story but its a story of someone you love and you watched them throw away everything they once believed.
What do you do when the God you are looking for seems to have left the building? What do you do when your view of God and your life don't match up well?
This talk will be an exploration of spiritual freedom that can help each and every person find the divine again, no matter what broke for them. It helped me find God again where I wasn't even looking. And it gave me a lens to see the world through divine eyes.
Speaker: Trevor Dreher
Have you ever spent time dreaming about, "What would happen to my life if I won the lottery?"
- Would I buy a different house?
- Go on a vacation?
- Pay off my debts?
- Follow my dreams?
- Build a different life for my family?
Or would it just make your life easier? Don't have to worry about money. Don't have to stress about bills, or work. Wouldn't winning the lottery just make life easy! And who doesn't want an easy life? Everyone, right?
Maybe! Maybe, but will that solve all of our problems? What problems are you dealing with that money won't solve?
- Health issues?
- Relationship challenges?
- Family complexities?
- Environmental issues?
- Painful past experiences?
Could it be that there is value in these things that money doesn't solve? A spiritual skillset?
Join us this Sunday to find out the benefits of embracing hard. Come find out why accepting the hard may be better than the dream of easy.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Genocide in the Bible - WTF do we do with stories like these?
There is a story in the bible, it's a brutal story. It's about one group genociding another group. For years I’ve had it marked with a WTF in the margin. What in the world do we do with stories like these? Especially when they are in the Bible!?!?
This week, I'm going to propose an answer. Or at least, I'm going to propose a way of looking at one particular story that I think redeems it in some small way. Not because genocide is redeemable, but because the core motivation underneath this story is, I think, something we might be doing regularly in our lives.
And that is worth wrestling with.
Join us this week as we explore a very difficult story from the Bible, along with the Northman movie, the musicals Les Miserable and Oliver and the regular practice of Catfishing.
It's a wild ride that will take us, hopefully, deep inside of our motivations and help us see a framework to live more spiritual healthy lives.
Invite a friend and plan to grab lunch after, this one might spark some amazing conversations.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Setbacks in life are hard.
One minute everything is going so well and then something happens...resulting in all kinds of unexpected and often unwanted changes.
A relational breakup or divorce, a financial loss, a different role or level of responsibility at work, a career change or layoff, a move, a loss of health or fitness, you name it!
In a very short time, we can be left feeling so discouraged by what seems like a huge setback and the new challenges that now lie ahead.
What does it take to bounce back from these unpredictable life events? To start again in areas where it feels like some progress was wiped out?
This is our topic for this Sunday's gym session.
If you feel knocked down in some part of your life or like you’re struggling to regain momentum after a setback in your journey, you need to know there’s hope.
Make plans to join us either in person or online and perhaps invite a friend.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
One of our family’s dogs had a fear of sidewalk sewer drains. She would freeze up any time we walked by one of them. It was so frustrating taking her for a walk. We just couldn’t convince her that there was nothing to be afraid of.
Sometimes interacting with people with different anxieties, fears, and insecurities can be frustrating, can’t it? Their fearful reactions in certain situations can seem illogical, even hurtful at times — especially when we don’t share the same fears. And yet, it’s hard to deny that what they’re experiencing in their minds and bodies is very real and often debilitating.
How do you help someone who feels fearful or insecure in some way? Can you? Should you? It’s complicated, isn’t it?
Join us in the spiritual gym as we explore what loving a fearful neighbour (and/or a loved one) might look like through a stage 4 lens of spirituality — because who said life and love is easy?
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone in our lives would just accept us as we grow and morph into the healthy humans our spirituality is calling us to be? Ya, that would be nice! Doesn’t always happen, but it would be nice!
But our spiritual ancestors have a story that applies to these moments:
- When our newfound boundaries frustrate our families.
- When our new ways of presenting ourselves get weird comments about why we are changing.
- When our requests for what we truly want and never verbalized are met with defensiveness and even rejection.
What do we do? Our spiritual ancestors say we Tussle. We find a way to fit into the group again being truly ourselves. Not an easy thing. But would you believe, our spiritual ancestors have linked this skill to heaven, and lacking this skill to sin?
Should be a great Stage 4 conversation that will be tied to the story of the nation of Israel coming into the Promised Land, with the thinking of a modern existential theologian named Paul Tillich, with the painful task of picking a movie to watch with my wife that we will both enjoy, to Stage 4 spirituality.
Come on out, it’s going to be a fun and insightful ride!
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
As we finish off the Fearmongering Series, we ask a final question. If we assume that there is a literal eternal hell and a literal eternal heaven, how do we know which one we are going to when we die? What’s the criteria? How do I stay out of hell?? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather avoid the bad one and get the good one if at all possible!!
Like the rest of the series, there are no black and white answers. But there is a way of doing spirituality that honors all that we have learned. To grow and live out full spiritual lives without resorting to believing in ways that no longer work for us. That’s the path this whole series has been built to show you.
The pathway is tricky sometimes but if you learn to navigate it, the spiritual world opens up to each of us in a way that it couldn’t before. We want to invite you to join us this Sunday and take the final step on the journey.
Whether it was the hope for a future reunion with loved ones or the possibility of reward for having lived a more responsible and caring way on earth, or maybe it’s the possibility of having a better life than one was given here on earth. Regardless of the reasons, this belief in heaven is something many have held close.
This Sunday, I want to explore what this hope for heaven may tell us about ourselves. What is it that one’s belief in heaven gives them? Having a better understanding of this, I believe, can help you and me live more mindfully today. We hope you’ll invite a friend and join us.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Though it seems there has always been a level of skepticism and perhaps even disdain toward the notion of hell or that of a literal devil, sentiment toward the possibility of heaven has seemed a little different.
Whether it was the hope for a future reunion with loved ones or the possibility of reward for having lived a more responsible and caring way on earth, or maybe it’s the possibility of having a better life than one was given here on earth. Regardless of the reasons, this belief in heaven is something many have held close.
This Sunday, I want to explore what this hope for heaven may tell us about ourselves. What is it that one’s belief in heaven gives them? Having a better understanding of this, I believe, can help you and me live more mindfully today. We hope you’ll invite a friend and join us.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
We’ve talked about the evolution of the afterlife in the thinking of our spiritual ancestors and we’ve talked about the evolution of Hell. But where does the Devil fit into all of this? Where do the evil characters in this story come from?
For thousands of years our spiritual ancestors asked the question, where does evil come from? Why do bad things happen to good people? At first the answer would have shocked you, it did me. But then they made a profound shift.They added some characters to the story and we started to see the beginnings of a character that would become the Devil, Satan, Lucifer.
And that’s when our spiritual ancestors made a shift that has profound usefulness in our lives today.
Come on out with an open mind to hear the evolution of thought that resulted in one of the most recognized (and editorialized) characters in Christian history.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Statistics tell us that over 50% of the Western world has some kind of belief in hell. Hell has been imagined in a number of ways over the ages, but most recently as some kind of spiritual wasteland, located somewhere in the underworld or bowels of the earth, where people who acted badly or who refused to hold proper beliefs are sent for eternal torment and punishment.
Question: Where did this particular conception of hell come from? Many have assumed that it came from the bible. But did it? You might be surprised!
This Sunday, I want to explore when and where some of the most popular conceptions of hell came from and what exactly the bible has to say about it. And, perhaps surprising to some, I would like to share ways in which holding various conceptions of hell can actually be helpful.
You may not have wanted to believe in hell before, but you may after this ;). Invite a friend and join us this Sunday in the spiritual gym.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
For many, the idea of an afterlife is a foregone conclusion. All their teaching and their upbringing says “there is some place you go after you die.” But that is a later invention. Many of our spiritual ancestors, especially the earliest ones, had a completely different view on what happens after you die. Even Jesus seemed to have a different view of what happens after we die than many in the Christian tradition today.
This week we are going to learn about the history on the concepts of afterlife (and there is more than one). But more than that, we are going to look at how different afterlife concepts solve real world problems for us, right now, today. That’s the exciting part!
So we invite you to join us this week, as we explore the breadth of afterlife concepts and be freed from thinking there is only a single concept in the Christian tradition. See how this new understanding can actually help you grow in your spiritual journey and not lose your faith.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Vince Klassen
I was at a pub with some friends recently. The server came around and asked what we wanted for supper. I ordered a burger and then she asked me the perennial question:
Would you like fries or salad with that?
We all know that question. It’s said “fries or salad”, but it could be anything:
- Do you want to have that drink or stay sober?
- Do you want to buy that item or be able to pay off your credit card?
- Do you want to blow up at that person or have a nice evening?
It’s a willpower challenge. But when the server asked me, “would you like fries or salad with that?” what popped into my head was:
“I had a salad for lunch.”
I was good. I did what I was supposed to do. And so what do you think I ordered with my burger for supper? You all know the answer.
But why? Why did that little piece of information – “I had a salad for lunch” – change everything?
What this shows us, is there is something evolution has put into our brains that can do fantastic damage to our progress towards a meaningful life, but we are not always conscious of it. Our spiritual ancestors saw this. They warned us; however, I think we missed the message. This week we are going to remember.
Join us this last Sunday in our Stick-to-it Christmas series where we focus on navigating the stressful holiday season with our Meaningful Life intact. If you know someone who could use this teaching, please forward this to them.
No services Sunday, Dec. 25th or Jan. 1st.
Services will resume Sunday, Jan. 8th
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
“Come on Jarvis! What were you thinking? You know better than this! Get it together!”
This is the pep talk I gave myself one morning after sleeping in. It had been a long week but I had so much to do. So I got mad, talking to myself like a mildly abusive parent would to their kid. My intention wasn’t evil. I was simply trying to motivate myself to get back on track after slipping up. Have you tried this before?
For anyone who has ever attempted to do something difficult, requiring high levels of willpower, there are often stories of failure. Maybe you gave in or gave up — stopping short of what you had promised yourself you would do. And then you were left, like me, having to deal with your failure. What do you do or say to yourself in those moments that will help motivate you?
Research suggests that our response in these moments immediately after failure is critical. It will determine whether we stay down or ever get back on track. Interestingly, the most effective responses aren’t the most intuitive.
This Christmas, we’re hoping that you’ll try doing some good things…that are difficult. Chances are you’re going to fail at some of them. The question is, will you know the most effective response when you fall short?
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast.
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Reading through one of the best sellers on willpower, I ran into this quote:
“Influential behavioral economist George Ainslie has argued that this [...] is behind most failures of self-control, from alcoholism and addiction to weight gain and debt. Most people, deep down, want to resist temptation. We want to make the choice that will lead to long-term happiness. Not the drink, but sobriety. Not the deep-fried doughnut, but the tight derrière. Not the fancy new toy, but financial security."
Okay, that got my attention. What is that thing that's behind most failures? And can we figure out a way to use that knowledge to find the life we want to live? The meaningful life that isn't hijacked?
I don't know about you but I want to get through this Christmas feeling good. Feeling like I lived the life I want to live. I don't want to be exhausted, or staring down at the scale in disgust. I don't want to have to deal with all kinds of relational fallout. I want to Stick-To my values this year. I want to live my Meaningful Life. And if this can help, I'm in.
Join us this week as we continue our exploration of living a Stick-To-It Christmas where we use the wisdom of our spiritual ancestors and cutting edge research to chart our spiritual path through this holiday season.
It’s the first Sunday of December. If hitting the Spiritual Gym is one of those things that's important for your Meaningful Life, come on out and join us.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast.
There are times when what we feel like doing isn't the same as what we should be doing. It happens in our health and in how we spend our money or time around the holidays.
So how do we make sure we stay unmovable on what we should be doing instead of falling prey to what we feel like doing? How do we make good decisions? This can be both spiritual or physical as our values often encompass both. How do we make sure we do the things we need to do to live a meaningful life, when we have distractions all around us?
Our spiritual ancestors have some thoughts on this, so does modern psychology. We will need both to Stick to our values this holiday season.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.” Christmas is one of those times in the year when due to all the festivities...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I have some people in my life that I really value. I'm sure you do too. For me, the love and respect that I receive from...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Wouldn't it be nice if we could just have that spiritual practice of living a Meaningful Life...without doing anything?!? Ya, it would be nice if life...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Do you remember the last time you got into a bit of a funk? When life just felt emotionally or mentally challenging? Maybe some part of...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis What does it feel like when you’re spiritually “in the groove”? Some say their levels of self-awareness are strong indicators. When they’re able to spot poor...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I’ll be the first to admit that I love to start things, but I’m not great at seeing projects or aspirations or dreams all the way...
Speaker: Vince Klassen This is the final week of our exploration of how to find a meaningful life. We have explored the pathway of our wiring to find things...
Speaker: Vince Klassen When we talk about a meaningful life, it sounds great. Who doesn't want to live a meaningful life? But do we know what things in our...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We were in downtown Kelowna on one of the last full days of our vacation this summer, enjoying breakfast with some good friends - when my cell...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As September starts, kids go back to school and we wind down some summer holidays. It’s a perfect time to reset ourselves and take some time and...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we come to the end of our Comeback series, we are starting to realize that coming back isn’t as easy as we might have thought. What...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Experiencing a sense of belonging and connection with others is proving to be very challenging these days, despite how much many are craving it. Science tells us...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s inspiring isn’t it, to hear stories of people who have so unselfishly given back to society in remarkable ways? People who have quietly volunteered their personal...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Our spiritual ancestors have this word that they use to describe the process of people coming back home — Aliyah. After generations of people being forced away from...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher The last two years have likely beat us up and caused us to question…lots. It’s interesting in talking with people how many are still feeling tired. Have you...
Speaker: Vince Klassen In the Bible, there are six sections that speak about homosexuality — they are referred to as the “Clobber Passages”. And that’s how they are often used,...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I went to a grad from someone from our community recently named Shaun Pulsifer. He graduated from the Los Angeles Film School. And as part of his...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Recently we learned that there was a church that voted to exclude people from their membership because of their sexual orientation. We didn’t agree with them, but...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis For years research has been waving red flags about the growing level of loneliness in our culture. Did you know that the number of people who have...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I was talking to someone this week about her experience at the Garth Brooks concert(s) that just took place in Edmonton last weekend. As she described it,...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Throughout our lives we hear stories, or maybe if we are really lucky we get to be part of these stories of people doing incredible things for...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Throughout my life, I’ve witnessed some weird phenomena. Experiences that I still can’t explain. Miracles, coincidences, strange happenings…just stuff that made my head spin — no, not...
Speaker: Vince Klassen If we learned anything from Homer Simpson’s religious neighbor Ned Flanders is — if you enjoy it, it’s probably bad. Be that beer, donuts, sex, you name it. If...
Speaker: Vince Klassen NOTE: We are switching things up a little bit this week. Talk first, then a little mini concert. Going to be a blast! Come on out and...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I was five years old and sleeping in my bed one night when our neighbour, “Mr. Malarchuk” called my Mom to ask if I would like to...
Speakers: Vince Klassen I’ve been reflecting on life recently and I’m starting to see a pattern in me and many around me. Putting in much effort without seeing results can...
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis Few would argue that one of the greatest indicators of a vibrant spirituality is a deep love for others. A way of life that demonstrates concern for...
Speakers: Vince Klassen We can all probably agree that there is a wide range of personalities. We each have our own unique personality that makes us different from anyone else —...
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis Experiencing healthy sexuality is a challenge that every human will wrestle with. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, single or married, gay, straight, asexual, or...
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis Join us this Sunday as we explore what is arguably the largest religious weekend on the Christian calendar. We’re going to unpack Easter through...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We’ve been talking about all the hacks we can do to motivate ourselves to make the changes in our lives that we know we need to make. Sometimes it’s...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the last couple years, my garage has evolved into a bit of a disaster. Tools, building supplies, bottles, old furniture, camping equipment, stuff from family we’ve...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the last couple years, my garage has evolved into a bit of a disaster. Tools, building supplies, bottles, old furniture, camping equipment, stuff from family we’ve...
Speaker: Vince Klassen The title of a famous song from the Disney movie Mary Poppins isn’t just a catchy title, it also shows us some wisdom around what can motivate...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis At the heart of our Spiritual Journey Model is this idea that we are all together. It’s not focused on I against Them, it’s focused on We....
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s likely happened to all of us… We get focused on getting something done, perhaps we make plans or get our hopes set on things turning out...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So one day, Jesus describes his followers as the “Salt of the Earth” and the “Light of the World”. What a beautiful description of the effect someone’s...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We have been working towards this message for the whole series so far. How do we connect with something More? Something bigger? Something beyond the physical parts...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we start to explore the different ways we can find Transcendence in our lives – things beyond the purely physical – there are things we need...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we explore this idea of adding Transcendence into our lives, there are some foundational skills we need in place to build upon. One of those skills...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So depending on who you talk to in the world of Spirituality, you can come away with differing ideas as to what it’s really all about. For...
Speaker: Vince Klassen This Sunday is a public service announcement. Or maybe a Friends Church Service Announcement. Things you need to know if you are part of the Spiritual Gym....
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I don’t know how many times I’ve done it. After looking for 10 minutes for something, I yell out to Cathy to help me find it. What’s really...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we each explore our unique spiritual journeys, one of the things we probably all want to know is: How do we increase our connection to More –...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis A lot of reflecting happens at this time of year. Over the next few days social media will be filled with people’s highlight reels from the past...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We probably all have beliefs that don’t really work anymore. Beliefs about us: I’m not enough, I’m too _____, etc. Beliefs about others: they want to hurt...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So what do you do when you can’t seem to escape a painful event from your past? For some, a haunting memory still causes anxiety, or feelings...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was walking down the sidewalk a few days ago, yelling at my phone. Literally yelling out loud at my phone. I was trying to pay for...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis After last Sunday’s message, I’ve been thinking a lot about the kinds of situations that trigger overreactions on my part. Though there are a number that come...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We are just entering the holiday season. A time of festivities and gatherings (safely of course). And, often, family. And there is nothing that can make us...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We are living in a more and more complex world. Much of what is going on around us is frankly, beyond our understanding. I know how to...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So I’m not a huge “Survivor” fan but I will admit I watched my fair share in the early days. There was something fascinating about the concept of...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Many of us who grew up in religious circles were forbidden to swear. Thankfully, there were substitute words you were allowed to use. Rather than saying “shit”...
Speaker: Vince Klassen There is nothing quite so frustrating than showing up with some big news, only to be upstaged by someone close to us: “Guess what? I was accepted...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis In a day and age when Sundays are no longer closed for business and weekends can feel as busy as most weekdays, the 4th Commandment to “remember...
Speaker: Vince Klassen This week we are starting the 10 Commandments series. 10 rules for life. 10 foundational pillars of the Christian tradition. Or are they? More and more we...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Our spiritual ancestors spoke often of experiencing divine moments. Moments when unexplainable things would happen causing the hair on the back of one’s neck to stand up...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It can be a really healthy thing to take a step back sometimes to get clarity around what it is we’re doing and why we’re doing it....
Speaker: Vince Klassen Where do we all fit in our spiritual journeys? Some traditions tell us that we are bad. Everything we want is bad. Some go so far as...
Speaker: Vince Klassen If you are feeling a little stuck in your spiritual journey. if you feel like there is work to be done but you are not sure what...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis The spiritual journey can be frustrating, can’t it? Many of us set out at some point with high hopes of becoming “more spiritual” people (whatever that meant...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher Paul, one of our spiritual ancestors once said, “Why do I do what I do? Because I keep not doing the things I should do, and I...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Looking back after some of the more brutal times in my life, I feel like I can see “Red Flags”, moments that were warning me of the disaster...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Every Sunday, my phone sends me a note telling me how much time I spent on it in the past week and the breakdown of which apps...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As the world starts to come out of the pandemic (fingers crossed!), I find myself reflecting on all that happened during the pandemic, and the word that...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Besides the obvious benefit of leaving a positive mark on someone’s life, current research tells us that living generously leads to happier, healthier, more fulfilled lives with...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Change is hard, isn’t it? I still remember the day when my business partner came in and announced that he was going to resign to pursue a...
Speaker: Vince Klassen and Alessandra Enns What does it feel like to belong? Or maybe the more common feeling is rejection – the feeling like we don’t belong? The famous...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher The journey towards adulthood seems to come with many expectations surrounding how and where we spend our money. For example, the purchase of an engagement ring should...
Speaker: Vince Klassen It’s finally here, whether we are ready for it or not, the lifting of the pandemic restrictions. For some, it couldn’t come soon enough, for others, it...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis How many moments do you get in a day or a week or perhaps for some, even a month, when you feel light, peaceful, and stress-free? When...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we end our teaching season (we start in July and end in June every year) we wanted to explore the idea of our Spiritual Endgame. We...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis The end game/goal of my spiritual journey is_______________________. How would you answer this question? In the circles I grew up in, the number one answer probably would...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we take a few weeks to go deeper into topics or stories that we covered this year, I want to take you deeper into the story...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I believe one of the great human experiences is to have people in our lives who we can experience meaningful connection with. To have someone we can...
Speaker: Vince Klassen People often ask us, “What’s the end game of this spirituality thing?” Where are we trying to get? We get it, in an age when there is so...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis If there is one thing that we can be pretty much assured of in life, it’s that we’re going to get hurt. Many of us already have been. Broken...
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we explore what it looks like to Become a person of deep spirituality, we start to ask the question: Where are we on our journey? Are you...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I love good deals! The thrill of spotting something valuable that the seller underestimated or being able to negotiate a “winning” price – these kinds of experiences...
Speaker: Vince Klassen In the famous video for the 1990 smash hit Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O’Connor expresses the sadness of a breakup. But she does more than that…...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So first a personal confession… throughout our marriage, I have often been annoyed by Cathy’s sense of caution. From the need to always lock doors, or to drive...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Ah emotions. Sometimes transcendent but when someone we love is feeling an emotion that isn’t our favorite, they can be brutal (think parent with a kid in the supermarket...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Dealing with other people’s emotions can be tricky, can’t it? When someone around you starts crying or really freaking out about something or gets really down, knowing what...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Vince Klassen It’s a common experience: to set out to do something that we believe is the right or wise thing to do but then, for...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Our third view of Sin in this series is going to take us in the direction of how we deal with the monsters in our lives, you...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis If truth be told, a review of most of our social media accounts would reveal a very carefully curated selection of photos and images of our lives....
Speaker: Vince Klassen Adam and Eve are synonymous with that apple. The fruit that they eat that starts the whole thing going down the toilet. The first sin it’s often called....
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that.” Matthew 5:47 (The Bible) In a perfect world, we would...
Speaker: Speaker: Vince Klassen We asked last week, why don’t we respond to connection attempts from the people we actually want to connect to? Are we possessed? Why do we...
Speaker: Speaker: Vince Klassen We started this series with an idea – that we bid for connection with the people around us. We share a little piece of our lives,...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I don’t know how many times it’s happened to me over the years. Someone asks me for something or says something to start a conversation but I...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Let me start with a question: In what part of your life do you find the decisions just drain you? And when I say drain you what...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I’ve never run across someone who didn’t want to live true to themselves. We all want to live authentic lives. The sad news, though, is everyday, whether...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis To say it mildly, it’s been difficult to connect with others in meaningful ways over the past year. Many are feeling disconnected and lonely – missing the...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Physical Self Care can be a paradox – do too much and you burn out, do too little and you get unhealthy. So how do you thread...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “How are you doing?” can be a confusing question to answer when one’s emotional battery is running low. Everything on the surface can seem somewhat fine, but...
Speaker: Vince Klassen The audio quality of this podcast is unfortunately poor due to unexpected technical issues. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Happy New Years...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I was 14 and the new kid on the block having just moved out to a small town in Central Alberta. I wanted nothing more than to...
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis, Vince Klassen, Carmen Kokot This year has been crazy, and it's not over yet. In a year when everything seems up in the air, when we are...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I've heard myself say over and over again during this pandemic, “I can't wait for things to get back to normal again.” But really, what does “normal”...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We've been exploring hardships faced by the people of Israel back at the time of the original Christmas story. Suffering that, in fact, makes much of our...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We just went into our second round of lockdowns. And we are all looking towards Christmas to see what our lives will look like. Will we be...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Likely, this past week, you found yourself waiting nervously for the latest Gov’t announcements regarding Covid. Perhaps wondering how the next wave of restrictions would impact your...
Speaker: Vince Klassen The comedians have been poking fun at everyone lately for what each of the groups have. Dave Chapelle made fun of both the white and black communities...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I have a confession…l really love my smartphone. Whether it’s needed directions, a weather forecast, a reminder to drink more water and breathe deeply, even an update...
Speaker: Vince Klassen The comedians in our midst have been calling something out recently Cancel Culture has gone too far. We hear stories where Cancel Culture has done some good, taken down...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “As a human being, you have no choice about the fact that you need a philosophy. Your only choice is whether you define your philosophy by a...
Speaker: Vince Klassen In a world that seems trapped in the us against them mentality, what is the healthy response to those who think/believe/values differently than us? Invite a friend...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis There are reasons why you turned to or remain a part of or have gone back to church/religion/spirituality. Let’s talk about it Sunday in the gym. Invite...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It's been said that “our greatest need and most difficult achievement is to find meaning in our lives.” On Sunday we're exploring the beautiful connection that can occur...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Black and white thinking seems to be encouraged these days, especially in the social media world, but is there more behind that simple reduction that needs to...
Speaker: Vince Klassen Chaos is all around, the question is, what's the best way to deal with it? https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/destined-to-cheat-new-research-finds-free-will-can-keep-us-honest.html To donate to this podcast and support the making of more...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis More and more I’m encountering people who have issues with what they've heard or believed about God – and it’s causing problems. For many, the problems are...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was talking with a friend about this message. I told them what the idea was and they started to tell me a story about how they...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis This Sunday I want to talk about the human search to belong. It might look a bit different for each of us, but we all have a...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher Want to be in better physical shape? If you’re leaning towards yes, chances are excellent that you know how you would get into better shape. Start exercising,...
Speaker: Vince Klassen We were out the other day and I realized, I was at my limit. Too much has been going on in life these days: COVID, relationship stuff,...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Many jokes are told of the poor souls who sign up for a gym membership or buy a treadmill but never get more than a month in...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I read something on social media the other day. And like many of us, I didn't like what I read. I really didn't like what I read! ...
Speaker: Trevor Dreher The sun is high in the sky – it’s bright – it’s summer. Ah summer, a perfect time to talk about our shadows. Those parts of our...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I've always been somewhat entertained if not, intrigued by famous mind-readers. People who seem to have this uncanny ability to tell us what people are thinking. I...
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was at a dinner party a while ago. Had a lovely time. But ended up in a bit of a heated conversation with a woman there,...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I was newly married and taking my turn doing our laundry in a coin-operated laundromat while I worked nearby. When I arrived to pull all the clothes...
Speaker: Vince Klassen My dad was attacked by a dog early in his life. He was a small kid and the dog was huge (or at least that’s how he...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis If you've ever helped someone who was in desperate need of some kind, chances are, you experienced the incredible feelings that can follow. The thrill of knowing...
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Lately, it seems, we've had to wrestle with a lot of difficult stuff. Stuff happening perhaps on the home front, at work, the weather, our political landscape,...
Speaker: Vince Klassen
This Sunday… Joy – this deep sense of wellbeing that comes from deep inside of ourselves – seems like a pretty amazing thing! Not dependent on oil prices, or Covid or schools opening back up or people around us. Just something inside of us that springs up regardless of what the world around us is doing and feels amazing. Joy, pure unspeakable Joy as some lyrics put it. That sound pretty good IMHO.
But his Holiness the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu warn us, there are things we can do that will kill that kind of joy. Things that undermine it and make it impossible to access.
So this week we are going to explore the questions: What Kills Joy?
In an effort to find the Joy that they say we can all have. Who wants more joy?! Join us this week as we explore this foundational question.
http://www.aclrc.com/racism-and-power
https://www.aspenideas.org/sessions/how-to-be-an-antiracist
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/examples-racial-discrimination-fact-sheet
https://europepmc.org/article/pmc/pmc5844784
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post What Kills Joy? appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Vince Klassen
There's a video of Aleksander Gamme having an insane moment of happiness. He's a polar explorer who, after 84 days of being alone at the South Pole, dragging a sled from the coast to the South Pole and back, finds a bag of Cheez Doodles, Cheez Doodles, after eating nothing but freeze dried food and butter for 84 days, he finds something with actual taste – and he loses his mind with happiness. He's screaming like a crazy person because he's so happy.
And while we probably don't get it because we are not polar explorers, we have all had times when something amazing happened around us and our happiness soared: promotion, graduation, wedding, holiday. You name it! It sparked happiness. I love those moments. I'm calling them Cheez Doodle moments.
But what happens when those moments don't come? What happens when you don't get the promotion, or you don't have enough credits to graduate, you get a divorce, a pandemic locks you in your house for months. What happens then?
His holiness the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu felt that understanding happiness was important enough that they spent the last time they were able to be together to explore that topic and share their years of wisdom with us. Because, regardless if you don't find the Cheez Doodle moments, they say you can still find Joy. And they do have joy even though life has been super tough for them. And that insight can be revolutionary for many of us. This week we are going to explore the first step of their Path to Joy, learning why we might be looking for happiness in the wrong place.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
Resources:
Cheese Doodle happiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC8gJ0_9o4M
The post Joy appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Have you ever known someone who was “spiritually fragile”? By that I mean someone who held a narrow/opinionated view of the way the world should be. Someone who was quick to label people and behaviors and lifestyles in very black and white ways? Without even blinking they could assign a “good” or “bad” or “sinful” or “wrong” label. Often just shaking their head in disgust.
I know this term well, because it's how I spent a good chunk of my early years…spiritually fragile. It's quite common in Stage 2 spirituality. You work hard to avoid that which is bad or evil – that can corrupt you. The effects of this fragility though, can be very isolating from the real world. People around you end up having to edit carefully everything they share with you about their lives. Trying so hard to keep unacceptable parts hidden for fear of offense or judgement. Have you ever experienced someone like this? Being on the other side now, I realize how unloved you can feel by someone like this, knowing that if he/she knew my truth they would likely either unfriend me or feel the need to fix me. They definitely couldn't accept me as I am.
Have you ever known someone who was the opposite of spiritually fragile? Someone who you felt you could trust with anything? Who was very slow to judge and label? Who never seemed to get rattled by people’s mistakes and shortcomings…always responding with grace and understanding?
This scratches at another key distinctive of Stage 4 spirituality. Join us Sunday as we close up our Adulting (Spiritually) series with a message focusing on one of the most beautiful qualities of Stage 4 – a deeper and wider love.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Deeper and Wider appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Vince Klassen
The title comes from a famous movie line that speaks to the final stage of spiritual development – stage 4. It comes from the movie the Matrix through a dialogue between “spoon boy” and Neo on how to bend a spoon with one's mind (go ahead, try it:)
Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Spoon boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Spoon boy: Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.
In the final stage of spiritual development we start to see, not that we can bend spoons with our minds (for that is impossible) but that we can conceive of something beyond the physical.
mountaintop moments of transcendence
experiences that can't be explained by science
a feeling like we are all connected beyond the physical
a sense of ourselves and our egos falling away into a unified consciousness
the divine in and around us
We start to have the ability to “see” More. And this More is what we want to explore this week as we look at the final stage. The More that unites us, that often gives our lives meaning and purpose. The More that isn't locked down like stage 2 guardrails, but is open to a larger experience of life, that connects us all. Whatever you think the More is, it's more than that (grin).
Welcome to stage 4.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
Links:
The post Stage 4 There is no spoon appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Do you remember a moment in your life when something happened that shook or shattered a belief you held in something or someone? Maybe someone got away with breaking a rule you believed should never be broken or proved something you were taught to be wrong. Perhaps someone or something wasn’t who/what you thought they were. These are common experiences that can leave anyone feeling confused, angry, and especially disillusioned. They also often mark the beginning of one’s journey into the Skeptical Stage 3 – the land beyond the supposedly trustworthy rules and beliefs (guardrails) of Stage 2.
Just like the stages before it, stage 3 can play a very important role in shaping and renovating our spiritual beliefs. But it is also not without it’s ditches. Invite some friends and join us virtually in the gym on Sunday for the 2nd part of our Adulting (Spiritually) series.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Stage 3 What Lies Beyond the Guardrail appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Vince Klassen
I'm not sure if the Simpsons are the best resource for religious commentary but if Ned Flanders is any prophet of traditional religion – he's not painting a very interesting picture of spirituality
Ned is all about feeling bad about the things he wants, trying to deny anything fun in his life, avoiding things that he enjoys – what has traditionally been termed, the Desires of the Flesh.
For many of us, this is what traditional religion is all about – and this is seen as the highest goal of our spirituality journey – a life of denial and repression.
But what if that's too simplistic a reading of spirituality and religion's role in it?
What if that view is ultimately killing our spiritual development, and killing us?
Is there a way of seeing our spiritual development that isn't all about denial and feeling bad about what we want?
Is there a way to see a good life while avoiding the pitfalls of traditional religion?
That's what we are going to explore this week at the spiritual Gym. How to find a good life without falling into the pitfalls.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post The Good Life Between Two Ditches appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is one of my favorite holiday movies. About a high strung marketing executive (Steve Martin) who’s desperately trying to get home to be with his family for Thanksgiving after a long business trip. But after his flights get canceled, every alternative strategy he turns to, to get home goes South. His misery becomes so palpable it’s comical.
I've wondered why I love this movie so much. Perhaps it's because I've felt that misery when something out of my control forced change on me; when life as I thought it should be, got derailed. I bet you have too. Change is hard at the best of times.
There are some though, who have learned to defy the emotional impact of disruption; who embody calm and look for opportunity in the midst of forced change.
This Sunday, in the final chapter of our Apocalypse series, we're going to talk about a mindset that will prove incredibly valuable as you prepare to face your new normals beyond COVID-19. Hope you'll join us.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
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Speaker: Vince Klassen
I came home the other day a little pissy. That's the right word, pissy. Everything was getting on my nerves. Little things were driving me nuts! Petty things. And I could just feel the dark cloud that was hovering over me start to spread into our house like a virus (couldn't resist the image:)
Anyone else had that experience? Where our bad moods spread to the people around us, bringing them all down to our level? I don't know if we have just hit a critical amount of time in isolation, or what it is, but where are we feeling the weight of everything we have been going through? Where is it starting to wear us down?
And so the question we have been asking throughout this series is, what skills do we need to learn in order to navigate this season well, with the least amount of carnage?
So this week, we are going to explore two core skills of dealing with a crisis. One skill is easy and can be applied immediately and one goes a little deeper and asks a little more of you. But both are proven ways of dealing with a crisis and coming out the other end healthy and happy(ish?:)
Join us this week online Sunday at 10:30am for another workout at the Spiritual Gym
Reference Materials:
31 Benefits of Gratitude: The Ultimate Science-Backed Guide
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Songs of Hope AND… appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
There have been many times when I have reflected back on my life growing up and wondered how I even survived both as a kid and teenager without a cell phones and the internet and today's video games. Those long boring car and bus rides or wait times in the Dr’s office. All those boring moments that we didn’t have the luxury of DVD’s and iPads and Gameboys to pass the time. What did we even do on those nights when hockey wasn’t on and there was no Netflix?
These days, with the quarantine in effect, we can find ourselves turning to every digital tool and trick in the box to stave off the boredom..to fill those dreaded “dead spaces”.
What I’m learning though, is that these dead spaces can serve other very potent and powerful purposes. In fact, one purpose that can lead to incredible peace and calm, quality sleep and emotional stability. Things that many of us have likely experienced and benefited from at one time, but have since grown accustomed to living without. In the middle of what feels like an apocalyptic season, we have an opportunity to turn these dead spaces into sacred space and experience the life-changing benefits.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Dead Space appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis
If you have someone in your life who goes to church, and you don’t, there are probably 2 Sundays that you are going to get invited – Xmas and Easter Sunday. Why is Easter Sunday such a big deal? And maybe more importantly, why has it been celebrated every year for the last 2000 years? This week we’re not just telling the Easter story, but we’re talking about how Easter and other consistent spiritual events impact us. How they can:
– help us grow to the people we want to become
– inspire profound moments in our lives
– and help us stick to the commitments we have made.
Can you believe that a list of benefits like this could come from something as small as an Easter Service!!
The post Easter Sunday appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Vince Klassen There is this ancient system of women with multiple children helping women going through giving birth the first time – we call them midwives. They have been helping new moms for as long as we have written records.
There is something profound about being able to learn from someone who knows what you are going through!
Right now, the world seems pretty chaotic. Most of us have never had to deal with a pandemic before, physical distancing, not being able to leave our homes, restrictions that we've never dealt with before. It's all new. In a sense, it's Chaos.
So wouldn't it be nice to have a midwife for Chaos?
Someone who knows what we are going through. Someone who has wrestled through what we are dealing with right now. Someone who knows how to work through the chaos we are trying to understand.
That’s what this series is about, learning from those who have been through chaos before us – and survived. This week I’m calling one of them the Midwife for Chaos. Someone who can walk us through, who can hold our hands, who can tell us that what we are feeling is normal.
Join our live stream of this message Sunday at 10:30. You can find our stream at www.friendschurch.ca and click on the Live Stream button.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Midwife for Chaos appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
Have you ever had someone in your life who was so attuned to you that they knew exactly what to say or do when you were upset, afraid or excited? In one conversation they could take you from being so angry to calming your nerves, or lifting your spirits or getting you laughing. It’s like they had become an expert on regulating your energy and moods. If you've experienced this, you know what a gift this kind of relationship can be.
This week, our final week of the “Trouble with Love” series, we’re turning our attention away from us as individuals, to the critical role we can play in soothing and pleasing our partner or those we are closest to. There are few things more beautiful than couples who know how to do the right things for each other…and do them.
Invite some friends to check out the live stream of our VIRTUAL Spiritual Gym – this Sunday at 10:30am.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
Resources:
Cheat Sheet: http://media.friendschurch.ca/mp3/CheatSheet.docx
Recommended Resources from the “Trouble With Love” series:
Wired For Love by Dr. Stan Tatkin
Your Brain on Love (audiobook) by Dr. Stan Tatkin
https://www.audible.ca/pd/Your-Brain-on-Love-Audiobook/B0719C1PQQ
Love Sense by Dr. Sue Johnson
The post The Art of Pleasing and Soothing appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Vince Klassen
Someone said something hilarious this week, “with everyone stuck in their houses, how is it that the toilet paper shelves are empty but the liquor shelves are full?!” and though it's meant to be tongue in cheek, there is something deeper there that is true isn't it? We are not used to being around these people this much. So nerves are getting frayed. Tempers are short. Relationships are strained. Even with people we love.
And then something happens and someone, often us, explode. We just can't take it anymore.
Why does this happen?
and more importantly,
How do we stop it?
It's killing our relationships at a time when we can't get any distance from people to work it out.
Building on the work of Islands and Waves that Jeff talked about last week, we are going to show you how those parts of our attachment system can hijack us if we don't realize what is going on, and they can kill our relationships when we need them the most.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Gas and Matches appeared first on Friends Church.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis
There was a season early in our marriage when I became insecure in my relationship with Cathy. It had me in a world of hurt. I couldn’t focus on anything. There were moments when the insecurity would build and I would lash out at her in anger and then other moments when I would almost smother her with attention or affection – then I would withdraw and give her the silent treatment. I had no idea at the time that these were all desperate attempts to try to get a response from her that would somehow calm my fears…my insecurity. But I was only making things worse!
Feeling insecure in a relationship has to be among the worst feelings when it comes to love. Wondering if a person you love actually loves you back. Wondering if or when they are going to tell you something you don’t want to hear – almost expecting them to turn away or worse…to leave.
Experts seem to agree that one of the most misunderstood and underestimated enemies of close relationships is insecurity. Insecurity that forms from the time we’re young in our interactions with our parents and primary caregivers – and builds with every betrayal and relational setback that we encounter throughout our lives.
It might shock you – just how much of a role insecurity may be playing in your close relationships right now. What might also shock you is how different your relationship(s) would look if you could make it go away. That’s what this series “The Trouble with Love” is all about. Invite some friends and join us this Sunday for Part 1 at the “Spiritual Gym”.
To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
The post Insecurity is Ugly! appeared first on Friends Church.