Sunday Program
Sunday Program - May 9, 2021
Welcome to McKernan Baptist Church! Happy Mother's Day! We are glad you have joined us online. Today Pastor Lyle will continue a short series on the Psalms entitled, “Beyond What Eyes See.” On this Mother’s Day, much attention is paid to our homes. Psalm 16 addresses the issue of the worthiness of whatever it is we look to as the foundation of our homes, whether we are single or married, whether we have children or not.
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
- Psalm 16:8
True greatness isn’t about fame, power, beauty, or wealth. It’s about a passionate love for God that demonstrates itself in an unquenchable love and concern for others.
- Tim Kimmel, Raising Kids for True Greatness
With all the distractions of life competing for your attention, have you lost your wonder of who [Jesus] is? In our Amazon Prime, short-attention-span culture, we are quick to move from next best thing to next best thing without blinking an eye. Add in the complexity, competing voices, and disruptive change swirling around us and it’s easy to be distracted away from Jesus. But when we are not centering our lives on Jesus, we are missing out of the best thing: an unparalleled life transformed by the presence and power of the Greatest Person to ever walk the earth.
- Steve Brown, Jesus Centered
Freedom is not, then simply the absence of restrictions, but rather consists of finding the right, liberating restrictions. Put another way, we must actively take tactical freedom losses in order to receive strategic freedom gains. You grow only as you lose some lower kinds of freedom to gain higher kinds…The ultimate proof…is love. No love relationship can grow unless each person sacrifices some freedom in order to serve the other, yet these restrictions, if accepted mutually, lead to the various liberations of mind and heart that only love can bring.
- Timothy Keller, Preaching, Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism
Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.
- Billy Graham
Upcoming Events or Updates
Are you new here?
Welcome! If you are joining us online today, we still want to connect with you. Please CLICK HERE so we can touch base with you.
Camp Caroline Meet and Greet
Please join us for a brief online meet & greet with Camp Caroline Executive Director Ben Trites on Sunday, May 9th @ 11:30am. Join Zoom Meeting (https://zoom.us/j/97782750113?pwd=VU5MNkNqRndDZDBDSlJFVk5NS2hrUT09). Contact Pastor Dan if you need more info.
College and Careers
C&C will be relaunching online next Sunday, May 16th @ 6:30 PM. We will be doing a night of worship, teaching, and discussion. Our theme for this study is “What the Bible says about…” Email Pastor Daunavan for the Zoom link.
Calling for Justice
Huge thank you to all those that journeyed along together these past weeks for this impacting series. If you missed the series, the videos can be located here when the editing is done, https://vimeo.com/543371821. If you want to continue to be involved, please contact Pastor Dan (dan@mckernanbaptist.ca).
Pregnancy Care Centre Baby Bottle Fundraiser
We have an opportunity to support the Pregnancy Care Centre, through their Baby Bottle Campaign. Throughout the month of May, there will be baby bottles available in the foyer for you to check out. You can take the bottle home, and, collect your coins. We will collect them at the end of May, and, take them to the PCC. There is information at the table.
Connection Cafe
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell will be speaking on "Loneliness" on May 11, 2021 - 10am. This is open to anyone. Please contact Pastor Mike (mike@mckernanbaptist.ca) or Karen (karen@mckernanbaptist.ca) for the Zoom link.
Baptism @ McKernan
We will be offering a four-session series on baptism with details and dates to be announced. If you are being prompted to explore baptism, please contact Pastor Mike (mike@mckernanbaptist.ca) to let us know of your interest in baptism and for more information as it becomes available.
Global Relief
This past year has been devastating for many of our global partnerships. Beyond the budgeted local and global financial support that McKernan is committed to, we have sent additional funds to three partnerships that we are very closely affiliated with and are serving directly with the afflicted. You are invited to contribute through the links provided.
$4000 – Chain of Love – Brazil, http://www.larcolmeia.com.br/home , http://nabconference.org/give/special-projects/
$3000 – Mbingo Hospital – Cameroon, https://cbchealthservices.org/hospitals/mbingo-baptist-hospital, http://nabconference.org/give/special-projects/
$3000 – Priscilla Project – South Asia, https://www.hungryforlife.org/communities/restricted-access/south-asia, https://www.hungryforlife.org/donate , Click donate- select international Project- on project select Asia : Beautician training – short project note type Priscilla Project
Please contact dan@mckernanbaptist.ca if you desire further clarity.
Betrayal & Beyond Class for Women
A Betrayal & Beyond group is a place to process the pain and reality of women whose husband's struggle with sexual/pornography addiction. In this group we learn to process our pain, assess our trauma, and create a plan of restoration and healing. Starting in April on Tuesdays from 7:00-9:00, we will be starting a new group and we will journey together until the end of December. We will be meeting in a lower classroom at McKernan Baptist Church.
For more info on Betrayal & Beyond groups, visit: http://www.puredesire.org/betrayal. For more information and to register for this group, please contact the church office. The cost of the program is $30 to cover the materials.
Worship and Tech Team Members Needed
We are looking to add a few new musicians and technicians to our Sunday morning services. We are especially in need of drummers. If you have experience with an instrument, vocals, or worship leadership please email Julia at worshipministries@mckernanbaptist.ca. If you have any interest in helping with videography, lighting, or sound, please email Grant at tech@mckernanbaptist.ca.
Financial Update
Thank you for your generosity and continued support of the mission and ministry at McKernan Baptist Church. If you are not attending in-person on Sunday mornings, we still want to give you the opportunity to give as God would lead you.
Electronic Giving: (CLICK HERE TO GIVE ONLINE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS)
- E-transfers
- Online Giving via the church website
- Pre-authorized debit from your bank
Non-electronic Giving:
- You can mail your cheque to the church: McKernan Baptist Church, Attn: Finance Team, 11103 76 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 0J9
Congratulations
Congratulations to Jason and Jessica Motkoski on the birth of Olivia Motkoski on May 8, 2021.
Missionary of the Week
Ben Trites - Camp Caroline
A warm hello from all of us at Camp Caroline on this beautiful spring day! This will be a different summer ministry season at camp. Without knowing whether we will be permitted to host overnight camps or what public health measures will be in place for camps, we have decided not to offer grade camps again this year. Instead, we are inviting families to experience getaways with greater purpose this summer at Camp Caroline. As long as public health measures allow the camp will be open to families of all stages and ages wanting to getaway together. These getaways will be different than our regular family camps or retreats. Families will set their own daily schedules. We expect many families will spend their days around camp, while others will go on day adventures (exploring, hiking, swimming, rafting, etc....).
Families will be able to book either a 4-night getaway (Wednesday to Sunday) or a 2-night getaway (Friday to Sunday). During their getaway they will stay in Aspen or Hillside Lodge. Families will also have the option of purchasing meals, and we will offer limited activities. You can visit us online at campcaroline.ab.ca after May 15, for more information on booking your getaway.
Prayer Items
- Pray for those areas around the world where Covid -19 is having a devastating impact, specifically India and Brazil.
- Pray for our partner ministries in these two countries, The Priscilla Project in India, and the Chain of Love in Brazil.
- Pray for resiliency and encouragement for our teachers and students as they carry on with or adapt to online learning.
- Pray for the ministry of Camp Caroline and Ben Trites as he gives direction to Camp Caroline during these challenging times.
- Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for all leaders who are making very difficult decisions during these unpredictable days.
Sermon Outline
Pastor Lyle
“GOOD NEWS” DOESN’T JUST START IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Psalm 96
- In the Psalms, we see God’s people look beyond their earthly reality to find renewed perspective in God’s True Reality. Today we’ll see how Psalm 96 calls God’s people to declare the Good News that the True God is on the Throne of the world.
- While we typically think of “sharing the good news” as a New Testament challenge, here we see it as a privilege extended to God’s people long before the coming of Christ.
What is revealed as the Good News?
- The True God reigns above all gods. (v. 4-5)
- This world is not random and chaotic. The True God reigns.
- Rival gods are mere idols. (v. 5)
- This world is in upheaval because its people are turning from the true God to gods that are no gods at all. (Mt. 9:36)
- The True God will bring about the restoration of the world and its people. (9-10)
- This restoration has been made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 5:18-19)
What is revealed as God’s Heart?
- God wants all people to be restored to Him. (vs. 7-10)
- God offers this restoration, yet calls people to respond.
- God desires that His people become bearers of His Good News. (vs. 11-13)
- Through their transformed lives and involvement in His restoring work.
- Through their conversation. (vs. 2-3, 2 Cor. 5:20)
Discussion/Reflection Questions
- What are some barriers you experience to getting involved in God’s mission in the world?
- What do you understand as God’s mission in the world?
- When we see God’s desire that people from all nations worship Him, how should this impact how we see the people around us?
- What keeps you from seeing people through the loving eyes and heat of God? To what degree are you asking God to grow in you a heart of His compassion?
- Who specifically are you praying for…that they might be restored to relationship with Christ?