Friday, February 15, 2013

Reasons

Two weekends ago we were absolutely blessed to be able to travel to Calgary for a few days. We attended one of the morning services at Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel and were greatly encouraged and ministered to. Our girls also enjoyed being in the flow of established church life and were full of energy and smiles despite a very early morning and long 3-hour drive.

We enjoyed much fellowship and were loved on by many of our brothers and sisters. Dejan shared a bit about us with the church elders and an exhortation at the evening service. The whole day we felt spiritually lifted up, as we received love and prayer from the saints.

In thinking about it since, there is nothing but joyful memories. It's the way the Bible declares our time gathering together as the body of Christ should be: edifying, building one another up, exhorting one another, praying for one another, the saints ministering from the equipping they receive through the teaching of the Word of God. Paul often noted in his letters that he remembered the churches with joy and thanksgiving. We join him.

We also see very clearly why we are in Edmonton from a fresh perspective. That this blessing can be available here. Who wants to drive 3 hours every Sunday to go to the nearest Calvary? Practically no one. So here we are. A handful of people meeting weekly for worship, prayer and Bible study.

Our aim is to reach the unsaved in Edmonton and the capitol region with the good news of Jesus, but it is also simultaneously to minister to the saints who desire to make Calvary Chapel their church home. By the grace of God, we will see Jesus building His church here and that others will be built up and encouraged by the gathering together of the saints of God, each one using their gifts to bless the rest. That is our prayer, and the reasons are clearer than ever before.

In His service,
Dejan and Julie <><