Last year, as a church, we spent six months discerning our vision and values – so that we can get some clarity about where Jesus is leading us, what we’re called to do, and how we’re going to get there. And our vision is this: St. Andrew’s is growing a caring community transformed by Jesus. Faithful to the Bible. Reliant on Prayer. Sharing God’s love with Delta.

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Acts 2.42-47, and begins to unpack what it means for us to be growing a caring community. When we remember and hold fast to the common reason for our unity – and the fellowship in which we share – we will become an overflowing fountain, and a rich and abundant source of blessing, not only for the people in our midst – but for the world in which we live.

Last year, as a church, we spent six months discerning our vision and values – so that we can get some clarity about where Jesus is leading us, what we’re called to do, and how we’re going to get there. And our vision is this: St. Andrew’s is growing a caring community transformed by Jesus. Faithful to the Bible. Reliant on Prayer. Sharing God’s love with Delta.

This week, Rob Collis helps us to consider the most important part of our vision statement: Transformed by Jesus. As he preaches from 2 Corinthians 3.12-18, he helps us take stock of how Jesus begins to transform out lives, as Jesus lifts the veil from our eyes, and take us on a journey of becoming fully alive in him – through the power of his Holy Spirit – as we grow in faith and follow him in every area of our life.

This week, we’re excited to welcome back Willie Shain-Ross as he preaches from Mark 3.7-35. As he walks us through three back-to-back accounts in Mark’s gospel, he helps bring the big picture into focus: to see our call to Jesus Christ and how he is calling us to follow him as the true king.

Whatever our attitude may be towards New Year’s resolutions, there’s something about them that finds its roots in a profoundly Christian belief: No matter how you’ve lived, no matter what you’ve done – we can always start afresh. Because God’s mercies are new every morning, and Jesus is always faithful to forgive us our sins. But how can we know Jesus will forgive us? How can we trust he will give us another chance – again?

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Mark 1.9-13, and explores the significance of the very first recorded deed in Jesus’ ministry on earth: his baptism and temptation. As he unpacks what baptism means for us, he shows us how baptism serves as a guarantee of God’s faithfulness, and just how deeply Jesus delights in us.

The book of Ruth is situated in a time when God’s people kept doing what was right in their own eyes, and kept walking way from God in order to revel in the darkness of their own ways. But Ruth shows us that, even when darkness hangs so closely, God never abandons his people – and he is moving in the lives of his people so that his relentless love can shine to all the world.

This week, Rob Collis preaches from the fourth and final chapter of Ruth, as he looks at the fulfillment of their hope. As God has been moving behind the scenes in Ruth and Naomi’s lives, there’s an important part of this story that needed to happen – a part that we sometimes gloss over and forget: the only way Naomi and Ruth could be redeemed was for someone to pay the cost.

The book of Ruth is situated in a time when God’s people kept doing what was right in their own eyes, and kept walking way from God in order to revel in the darkness of their own ways. But Ruth shows us that, even when darkness hangs so closely, God never abandons his people – and he is moving in the lives of his people so that his relentless love can shine to all the world.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Ruth 3, and unpacks the promise of hope given to Ruth and Naomi. Ruth and Naomi have started seeing the ways God has been moving behind the scenes in their lives – and now they take a big step to respond to what they see God doing – as they seek to find rest in the faithful love of God.

The book of Ruth is situated in a time when God’s people kept doing what was right in their own eyes, and kept walking way from God in order to revel in the darkness of their own ways. But Ruth shows us that, even when darkness hangs so closely, God never abandons his people – and he is moving in the lives of his people so that his relentless love can shine to all the world.

This week we're excited to welcome Aberdeen Livingstone, who is an apprentice with the Artizo Institute. Aberdeen preaches from Ruth 2, and helps us see the glimmer of hope welling up in Naomi's heart. As she unpacks the three scenes in this passage, she directs us to see how God is always at work behind the scenes, and invites us to consider how we might join in.

The book of Ruth is situated in a time when God’s people kept doing what was right in their own eyes, and kept walking way from God in order to revel in the darkness of their own ways. But Ruth shows us that, even when darkness hangs so closely, God never abandons his people – and he is moving in the lives of his people so that his relentless love can shine to all the world.

As we begin our Advent series in Ruth, this week Rob Collis preaches from Ruth 1, and introduces us to a woman named Naomi. The opening chapter of Ruth plunges us the gritty depths of Naomi’s grief and despair, and the story of her bitter hope. But even when the darkness overwhelmed her, Naomi heard the whisper of God’s grace, as he came to surround her with his love.

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Judges 14-16, and unpacks the story of Samson. Samson was the final judge God raised up to deliver God’s people out of captivity and to lead them into spiritual renewal. But Samson was a reluctant deliverer, sent to deliver a people who didn’t want to be rescued. And while Samson is famous for breaking the strong cords that bound him tight – he was blind and impotent to the strings that strangled his heart.

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week we’re excited to welcome Jude Johnson, from the Artizo Institute. Jude preaches from Judges 13, which is the the prologue for the life of Samson. Samson is the final judge God raised up to deliver God’s people out of captivity and to lead them into spiritual renewal. But as angels proclaimed his birth, and as hope began to ring, Samson was an antihero who shows us how desperately we need a better king.

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Judges 9. So far in Judges, God’s people have always needed saving from an outside force – some foreign power. But for the first time, in chapter 9 the threat they need saving from isn’t someone “out there” – it’s from one of their own. As Rob helps us explore Abimelech’s grim tale, he looks at two things: Abimelech’s conspiracy, and Abimelech’s fire, and then takes a step back to consider what we can learn from Abimelech’s story.

In Jesus’ day, people were eager for God to show up and do something. So they kept asking Jesus about the Kingdom of God. And Jesus keeps answering them – but often he didn’t answer the question they actually asked. If we sit with what he says, it seems Jesus answers the questions they would be asking, if only they knew what he knew.

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Luke 17.20-37, where Jesus is engaged in a confusing conversation. He tries to cut through some of the noise and confusion so that we can actually hear what Jesus is saying about the Kingdom of God, and explores three questions: What is the Kingdom of God? How do we know when it’s coming? and When is it coming?

This week marks St. Andrew's 15 Year Anniversary! 15 years ago, six families set out to start a new church in South Delta. Over the years, the Lord has sustained this church, and has done wonderful things in our midst. To mark this special day, we are delighted to be joined by Bishop Mike Stewart, who preaches from Luke 5.27-39.

Jesus never said there was anything wrong with the old wine – in fact, he said it’s the best! But in those days, wine was stored in bags. And once you finished a bag of wine, you didn’t refill it. If you did – it would break! You always wanted to appreciate the old wine, but always needed to be making space to prepare for the new. In this sermon, Bishop Mike invites us to not just celebrate the last 15 years, but to look forward to what God has yet to do!

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Judges 8 as we finish looking at the life of Gideon, and how he fell. Gideon was the chosen one, who was called by God to step up to the spotlight: to rescue God’s people from oppression, and to lead them into a spiritual renewal. But for all his courage and potential – in the end, it all came crashing down – as he lost sight of the God who called him, and got trapped in a snare of his own making.

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week, Rob Collis preaches from Judges 6.11-35 and introduces us to the story of Gideon. Gideon was called by God, completely out of the blue, to step up to the spotlight in order to rescue God’s people from oppression, and to lead them into a spiritual renewal. But Gideon could not have felt more unprepared or unqualified – even if he tried. But Gideon’s story shows us that God does not call the qualified; he qualifies those he calls.

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week, Rob Collis looks at the story of Ehud in Judges 3.12-30. Ehud’s story is one of those tales you would tell around the fire – after you’ve all had a good meal, and the day’s drawing to an end – and you’re rehashing old memories from the past. Ehud was the unlikely hero God raised up in the face of an unexpected threat. Ehud rescued God’s people in a way that no one saw coming. And it became the kind of tale that would have everyone clutching their stomachs in laughter.

1 Corinthians 13 may be one of the most popular passages in the Bible. It’s poetic exploration of love has captured the hearts and minds of people all throughout history, and has become a common reading at weddings. But because it’s so familiar to us, we may have lost sight of what it really means. This passage is not meant to be about the sentimentality of love, but about growing up in our faith.

This week, we are excited to welcome Willie Shain-Ross, who helps us to hear past the familiarity of this passage, so that we can hear it the way its first listeners heard it 2000 years ago: not as a piece of beautiful poetry, but as a stinging rebuke, inviting us into following Jesus according to a more excellent way. As Willie unpacks Paul’s exploration of God’s love, he shows us the harsh reality of love, the humbling experience of love, and the heavenly aim of love.

The book of Exodus tells the story of how God rescued his people from slavery in Egypt, and sought to lead them into the Promised Land. After only three days of freedom, as they journeyed to their new home, they began to grumble and complain – and started to doubt whether God was really with them.

This week Rob Collis preaches from Exodus 15.22-27 & Exodus 17.1-7. As he unpacks these two accounts, their similarities reveal something deeper at work than simply their need for water: God’s people have stopped trusting him. Which raises the question: How does God respond to us when we stop trusting in his goodness?

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week Rob Collis looks at the story of Othniel, as he preaches from Judges 3.1-11. Othniel is someone we don’t talk about very much in the church – and the Bible doesn’t really tell us very much about him. But the book of Judges presents him as the ideal judge, against whom all the others will be compared – as God raised him up to rescue his people, and lead them from forgetting who God is to coming alive in him.

This week as Rob Collis preaches from Judges 2, he explores three of the running themes which run throughout the book of Judges: covenant, idolatry, and deliverance – and he shows us that Judges is the story about the mystery of God working in broken places.

The book of Judges tells the gritty story of humanity’s tendency to trust in ourselves instead of God, and to do what is right in our own eyes. But as God’s people descend into a downward spiral, God’s love for them goes deeper still. God raised up a series of leaders called judges to rescue his people, and bring them back to him. Because no matter how far we fall, or how dark things get, God’s relentless love and scandalous grace will always have the final say!

This week as Rob Collis preaches from Judges 2, he explores three of the running themes which run throughout the book of Judges: covenant, idolatry, and deliverance – and he shows us that Judges is the story about the mystery of God working in broken places.