Friends Church Calgary Weekly Message

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 k...

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 t...

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...

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—...

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 w...

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 intent...

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 clarit...

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 sp...

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...

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 p...

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 ques...

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...

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 thes...

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...

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: Mu...

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 lik...

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 a...

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 aga...

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

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

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

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

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

Speakers: David Hill Here are moments when life leaves us feeling empty. We chased education, expecting a better career, only to end up disillusioned. We married believing it would bring... Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast

Speakers: Jeff Jarvis Last week, World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler surprised many when he confessed that, even after 17 PGA wins and $90 million in prize money, his success... Donate to Friends Church To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit https://friendschurch.ca/podcast