Pilgrim Church

Lean In: Matthew 5:13-16 with Ryan Guerra “A town built on a hill cannot be hidden”… or can it? The idea of bringing flavor and light to the world is an enticing notion, but one that many of us largely shy away from. It seems that blending in is much more comfortable and easy than standing out for Jesus, but that’s not what he invites us into. Join us this Sunday for a special breakfast gathering...

Lean In #06 Join us as Graham McCarthy leads us into our next passage in our current series and unpacks Matthew 5:8 for us.

Christmas Eve: Lessons and Carols with Joshua Liem At the end of World War I, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was held for the first time at King’s College in Cambridge to see “the development of the loving purposes of God… through the windows and words of the Bible.” Students who had seen the horrors of trench warfare and family members who lost loved ones joined together to meditate on t...

*Due to Technical issue, recording is not complete.* Trusting Jesus is easy… when we like what he’s saying! But what about the times where he says something that doesn’t land so well with us? Unfortunately, this is a lot of his teaching for most of us. This week we get to lean into Jesus’ invitation to “rejoice and be glad” in the midst of suffering and persecution.

*due to technical issue, recording is incomplete. December 3, 2023 Lean In: Matthew 5:7 with Mariah Smith We who deserve nothing have received everything through the radical mercy and forgiveness given by Jesus Christ. Our culture today rejects forgiveness as something needed for human flourishing, yet Jesus says those who are merciful to others will be "blessed". Drawing from Matthew 18...

Unpacking Matthew 5:9, 'Blessed are the Peacemakers,' join our guest speaker, Talasi Guerra, in a profound exploration of peacemaking as a heart posture rooted in prayer and rendered in love. Delve into the Hebrew concept of shalom—an overarching sense of wholeness and completion—and uncover practical steps for personal growth. Discover how embracing a peacemaking character connects us wit...

Lean In: Matthew 5:6 with Ryan Guerra November 19, 2023 What is “righteousness” and how is it relevant to our lives? Jesus teaches that this is such a fundamental need in our lives that we should long for it as though we were incredibly hungry and thirsty for it. Join us as we lean into what it means to pursue Jesus’ righteousness through his words in Matthew 5:6.

LEAN IN This Sunday we are kicking off a new series where we will begin leaning into Jesus’ famous teachings from Matthew 5-7. This is an excellent Sunday to invite someone you know who might be interested in checking Pilgrim out. November 12, 2023 Matthew 5:3-5 Ryan Guerra “Gospel” is one of those churchy words that often gets said without a lot of certainty between what it actually means. As we...

“The Promised Land” with Joshua Liem - Psalm 37 On October 7th, the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust was committed by Hamas. Since then, thousands of Palestinian have been murdered in retaliatory attacks. What started this cycle of violence, and where have Christians been complicit in it? This Sunday, we will lean into the discomfort and tension that comes from interrogating our...

“Why am I Needed at Church?”  with Zach Yaciw — 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 This message revolves around the metaphor of the church as a body. It emphasizes that every individual within the congregation plays a crucial role, just as different body parts have distinct functions but are essential for the body's overall well-being. The sermon underscores the importance of each person's unique gift...

“Ferocious Faithfulness”  with Ryan Guerra — Ephesians 5:15-20 Acting faithfully is easy when things are going well in life. But what happens when life gets tough? The way of Jesus invites us to make the most of every opportunity by living a life marked by faithfulness and wisdom.

*note: due to technical issue, recording is not complete* “Jesus and Ambition”  with Kristen Maynard — Luke 18:1-8 In a culture that tells us to work harder, be better, be smarter, accomplish, and achieve more, how does ambition intersect with our faith? What does Jesus say about ambition? Join us as we dive into Luke 18:1-8. About Kristen: Kristen grew up in the Lower Mainland, serving at various...

“Following Jesus is Difficult”  — Luke 9:57-62 Ryan Guerra It’s easy to think of following Jesus as a simple life decision. However, Jesus makes it very clear that there’s a serious cost involved in choosing his path. Join us this week as we look at three interactions Jesus has in Luke 9 through which he expresses the challenge there is in living a life dedicated to him.

“A Reconciling Community” with Joshua Liem   — Luke 4:5-8, 16-21 AM The Church has been called to take action and to move towards reconciliation between herself and Indigenous Peoples.  What went wrong, and how did we get here?  What holds us back?  And, most importantly, what are Jesus-followers supposed to do about it?  Join us this Sunday as we look at history, Scripture, and the United Nations...

“A Gospel-Centered Community”  — Luke 19:1-10 Ryan Guerra "People never change". Is this common statement true? While it often does play out that people don't change dramatically, the message of Jesus is in complete contradiction to this idea. In Jesus we find the hope that we can change and that our lives can be radically different because of his transformative work.

"An Empathetic Community" with Ryan Guerra - Luke 19:1-10 Pressing pause on our own interests in order to discover the interests and opinions of others is incredibly challenging. Fortunately we have a great example of how to do this through Jesus. This week we look at Jesus' interactions with a tax collector named Zacchaeus to learn how we can grow as an empathetic community.

“Loving Those We Don’t Agree With”  with Jessica Chan — Luke 18:9-14 September 10, 2023 “In my work on campus, I am often sitting across the table from someone and we just can’t agree with each other.  Sometimes the topic of discussion is closely tied to who we are, and the conversation gets emotional.  I am always asking myself, ‘how can I love those I disagree with?’”   Jessica lives with her hu...

“A Household of Holiness” with Graham McCarthy  — 1 Peter 2:4-12 September 3, 2023 What does it look like to be a Christian?  what does it mean to have a Christian identity?  Jesus has told his people to be in the world, not of the world (John 17:16), but what does that look like?  We will be looking at our identity as Christians, and looking at how we can look like Christ together, so that when s...

“Don’t Quit Yet” with Guest Speaker Rev. Dr. Raymond See Toh Jeremiah 20:7-18 10:30 AM Are you tired? Feeling burnt out? Discouraged with ministry? Don’t quit just yet. Maybe God is not done with you. Join us this Sunday as we explore Jeremiah 20:7-18. Raymond was born and raised in Singapore and went to high school in Australia where he came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. After completing mand...

"A Sheep’s Journey” with Drew Melton - Psalm 23 10:30 AM For many of us who have lived the Christian life for some time, Psalm 23 is a familiar text. I’ve often heard it especially at funeral services. But when we look closely at the twenty-third psalm, when we hear its language and follow its imagery, the psalm itself is a journey. It shows us a very human journey, a journey of life, but thr...

“What does it mean to be Jesus Centered?”   Matt. 10:1-4 John Hau John Hau is the lead pastor at Reality Church in Vancouver — a community centered on the person, life, gospel, and hope of Jesus.  John is a father of three and is married to his wife, Sarah.  John loves to be active and enjoys playing soccer and hockey in his spare time.  

“The Gardener King” with Joshua Liem John 1:1-3; 20:14-15a News of wildfires, record breaking heat waves, droughts, and famine seem all too common.  How is the church called to respond in a climate emergency?  Where is Jesus?  Join us this Sunday for a Creation-care oriented worship service!

“The Nathaniel Story” - John 1:43-51 Lawrence T. Cheung Lawrence Cheung is a certified clinical chaplain working for St. Paul's Hospital and St. John Hospice in Vancouver. He primarily works with folks with chronic pain and in palliative/hospice care. He and his family call Willingdon Church home. Prior to that they had been part of the Mennonite Brethren family for over 30 years. Outside of w...

“Pressing Towards the Goal” with Darren Lof - Philippians 3:12-4:1 Paul writes to the Philippians church, urging them to press toward the goal. What does it mean to press towards something and what is this mentioned goal? What does it all mean for us today? Darren Lof and his wife Crista (along with another couple) are leading a church plant in Steveston called Church at the Hub. They also run a c...

“Unity in the Body” with Rev. David Cho 1 Cor. 12:12-14 Conflicts happen in human relationships including church. However, we are called to pursue unity under the headship of Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit. David Cho pastors at Vancouver Zion Baptist Church and also teaches at Eric Hamber Secondary School. He has been married to his wife, Angela for 26 years and has two young adul...