New Years Eve - Thankful Thoughts

I am sitting here in my office on this the eve of a new year and a new decade. I can't help but give thanks to God for his great love and goodness in my life. I am thankful for my family and the joy they bring. Yesterday I had my first 'grandpa date' at McDonalds with my first grandson Silas. What fun it was and I can't wait for the next one.

I am thankful for my wife Barb and the constant blessing and inspiration she is to me. I am grateful for our congregation here at CPC and the potential for greatness that is so evident among us. I am thankful for our staff and for everyone I get to serve with.

Looking ahead my heart is filled with new hope and expectancy as we anticipate another year filled with new and exciting opportunities to see God at work.

And most of all I am thankful that Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior is still the same yesterday today and forever. Hebrews 13.8

Happy New Year Everybody
Pastor Dave

Hallelujah Chorus

Here is another inspiring version of the Hallelujah Chorus
Merry Christmas Everyone.
Pastor Dave & Barb

Christmas With The Kids

I can't imagine a church without kids. We were so blessed by their songs last Sunday.

Thankyou to all our volunteers and parents for investing in our Next Generation. You are all winners. The future is bright.

Church Membership

What a a joy it was last night to have eleven people in our home for our lastest 'Exploring CPC Membership Class'. It was great to hear each other's stories and the genuine desire people have to be in relationship with each other. I am thankful for God's family.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2.19 'You are a member of God's very own family, and you belong in God's household with every other Christian.'

When a child is born, he or she is placed in a family where they can be cared for, nurtured, instructed and prepared, for the rest of their life. Likewise, I am thankful for all those in my church family who have patiently cared for me and invested in my life.

Church Membership is one way we can be intentional about our commitment to one another.

It's been said: 'You become a Christian by committing your life to Christ. You become a Church Member by committing your life to other Christians.'

Thankful for our CPC family.
Pastor Dave

Jesus Has A Van

I recently heard our Associate Pastor Mike Bidell in a sermon tell this heart warming story. It's a story of God's faithfulness and provision. It's also a story of how God can use a child to inspire our faith. I hope you enjoy it. I asked Mike to share it with you. Pastor Dave

Ever had vehicle problems?
Sometimes it seems that everything can go wrong at once. A few weeks ago the older of our two cars started giving me trouble. Not a week later the second car came down with something. Ironically, for a while the older car that had lost all gears but first and could only scream along at about 30km/h became "the good car" because it, at least, started. Thankfully, the truly better of our cars was able to be repaired, while we had to come to terms with the fact that the odometer on the other had probably added its last digit and was pretty much ready for car heaven.
The challenge we now faced was the fact that as reliable as our one car again was, we did not all fit in it (us 4 plus our 2 international students). This made for quite the adventure when having to cart all of us along somewhere; multiple trips, leave extra early, drop some off then pick the others up, back and forth back and forth...you get the picture.

No one ever seems to grow up dreaming of owning a mini-van, but almost every family these days seems to find themselves in one. We began to prepare ourselves for the transition to mini-van-hood. We started doing our homework, trying to determine our best options and what kind of prices might work best for us. It certain situations I can tend to take my time to make a well thought out decision. It took me more than seven months to buy a car the last time I did. Unfortunately we did not have the same luxury of time nor the extra disposable income like I had when I bought that car years ago as a single guy. We did our best not to get too stressed or anxious, but to be perfectly honest it was difficult not to allow questions and concerns in the back of our minds get stirred up especially as time passed and we had still not found the right van that met our needs and was priced in a way that worked for us.

Laura and I have committed to always believing God, always honouring him first and always putting our trust in his faithfulness, goodness and generosity as a Father. It seems it's when times are tough or tight that we come face to face with where our values, trust and commitments truly are. And it seems that in times like this God can catch our attention in the most surprising ways.

One very average day, Laura and I were out running errands with the boys in tow. Out of the blue, Linden, our two year old, blurted out: "Jesus got a van". Laura and I looked at each other somewhat perplexed, wondering where he got this notion from being that we hadn't been talking about a van nor Jesus recently. We chuckled and carried on. I couldn't shake what he said though. Having recently been at a conference that emphasized the profound ability children have to hear the voice of God, I couldn't help but wonder if Linden had possibly heard from Heaven. When I was putting him to bed that night I asked him about what he had said earlier in the day.

"Linden, you said 'Jesus got a van' today. Does he have a van?"

"YEAH. Jesus got a van"

"Does Jesus have a van for us?"

"Jesus has a van."

As simple as it was to hear it again something inside of me leapt out and grabbed hold of what he was saying. It suddenly clicked: Jesus has a van! And though I didn't know how or when or even exactly what, I knew Jesus had a van for us. We weren't sure how we'd find it or get it, or how much we'd have to pay for it. But we just knew that he had a van in mind for us, and that gave us all the peace we needed to trust. We kept doing our part, and knew God was doing his.
A week to ten days later we received an unexpected call from the Lower Mainland with the callers informing us they wanted to give their mini-van to us. We urged them to take more time to think and pray about it, but they insisted they had heard clearly from God that this was what they needed to do. We suggested we could pay them somehow, or give our vehicle in exchange or perhaps name a future child after them, but no matter how serious or humorous we tried to be they wanted to receive nothing but the joy and blessing of giving.

Jesus has a van and we now have it here in Comox with us and yes, we all fit in it.

What needs are you facing? Do you think Jesus has what you need?

Here are some great scriptures to think about:

Philippians 4.19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Acts 20.35 "remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Luke 6.38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Forever Grateful,

Pastor Mike Bidell

PS. If you would like to hear the sermon 'Jesus Has A Van' you can click on the link.

Trusting God

I find it always encouraging knowing, I can trust my future with God.

Proverbs 16:3 ,4,9 'Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for his own ends . In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps.'

You can too.

Have a wonderful day.

Pastor Dave

Serving Our Community

A few weeks ago, program directors from the Comox Valley Aquatic Center called and asked if our church would help them celebrate their 10th Birthday. Well everyone loves a birthday party and of course we said yes. We were asked if we could provide some games and activities for the afternoon patrons, mostly families.

It all happened this afternoon with some great CPC folks who came and just loved and served like Jesus, no strings attached. Jennifer Dickens and her staff wanted everyone to know just how thankful she was for our willingness to help them out.

Jesus said: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5.16

Let your light shine this week everybody.....and be encouraged; even the smallest acts of kindness done in the name of Jesus can have an eternal difference.

Who knows....maybe there will be a 20th birthday party.
Pastor Dave

Obamas Back To School Speech

Putting controversy aside, and the fact that not all agree with his politics, President Obama actually had some good things to say to students as they headed back to school this week. Here are a few of the highlights that you may want to talk about with your children. As well here is a link to the complete speech. A good read. Click Here http://bit.ly/sPzYb

For me, I thought many of these points could be applied as we seek to live out Christ's calling in our own lives and as members of his family, the Church.

* Be responsible....

* Put in the hard work....

* We need every single one of you to develop your talents.......

* Everyone has something to offer....

* If you quit school, you are quitting on yourself...

* Where you are right now doesn't determine where you end up...

* Refuse to give up...

* Set goals...

* Do your homework... Pay attention... Get involved...

* Be committed...

* You can't let your failures define you, let them teach you...

* Don't be afraid to ask questions...

* Ask for help when you need to..

* Asking for help is not a sign of weakness...

* Ask someone you trust to keep you accountable...

I really like this one: 'What will your contribution be?

'For I know the plans I have for you, plans declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.' Jeremiah 29:11

Slowing Down In School Zones

Pastor Dave

Drifting & Neglect

This week I found myself drifting, not once but actually again and again. Before long I realized I could really get into drifting. It was easy, took little effort, could even become habit forming. Now before you get too concerned about my drifting experiences, they happened the other night with some good young men from CPC. They invited me to join them at what is commonly known by locals as the Whirlpools along the Puntledge River here in the Comox Valley. After my first dive into the rushing current of the river, I realized even for a guy my age this was great fun. The strong current would like a missile, shoot you down the river, and then if you caught it right, a whirlpool affect would pull you right back up to where you started so you could do it all over again. I could really get into this. In fact the next night my wife and I kayaked the same river, going up with the tide pushing us in from the ocean and then riding with the current back to our starting point later that evening. Who wants to go against the current when you can just go with the flow?

While our river drifting for the most part was harmless, there's another kind of drifting that as Christians we need to be careful with. I listened to a challenging sermon online this week by Pastor Brent Cantelon. In his message Brent spoke from Hebrews 2:1-4, where the Bible warns us 'to pay more careful attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.......and how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.' Pastor Brent talked about how easy it is for us to drift, to end up somewhere we hadn't planned. How easy it is in our lives, for our walk with God to fall into neglect. How easy it is to give up and get swept along in the current of this world.

My river experience this week caused me to look at my own life experience and ask myself have I been drifting in some areas? Has there been any neglect? I had to answer yes. I realized there were some areas like prayer and my communion with God that I needed to pay closer attention to. I am glad I watched this message.

If you have 30 minutes here is the link.....you can too. http://bit.ly/3vPulh

Get the drift...?
Pastor Dave
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Note: Pastor Brent is Laura Bidell's father. Laura is married to Pastor Mike Bidell who is our associate pastor here at CPC.

Jesus & The Kids

Jesus said: 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.' Mark 10:14

We are in the midst of our Kids Day Camp here at CPC. It is so great to see all the children, leaders and volunteers singing, playing games and having such a great time. You can't help but see Jesus smile. There is something about the innocence and expectancy of a child that moves the heart of Jesus. It's this child likeness that we as adults must pursue as we grow in our relationship with God.

Recently Pastor Mike Bidell shared a great sermon that talks about the child like faith we must all have. This is a sermon everyone should take the time to listen to. Check it out.

"Do Adults Go To Heaven"

http://www.cpclife.com/index.php?nid=15956&s=gl&media_id=255655&showMedia=a

Pray for the kids...
Pastor Dave

PS. Cast your vote in our new poll. Upper right corner.

Prayer For MLA Don McRae

This past week I was asked by Tim Schindel, Chaplain at the BC Legislature to offer a prayer for our newly elected Comox Valley MLA, Don McRae. The Bible teaches us to pray for our leaders.

'I urge, then, first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. For kings and for all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness.' 1 Timothy 2:1-3.

Take Seriously Your Assignment

Over the last couple of weeks we've been challenged in various ways to take seriously what God has given to us and to be faithful to his calling upon our lives. In 1 Corinthians 7.17, the Apostle Paul speaks of God's calling upon our lives as assignments. My wife Barb shared this past Sunday morning that we don't have to look very far to realize there are broken and lonely people all around us. The important thing is to see our local mission assignment as just as important as what happens in another part of the world. To live missionaly is to take seriously what you have, where you live, including the moment you are living in now. Instead of waiting for the next missions trip or another season of my life I need to let God use me today in whatever way he wants. It starts by opening my eyes, ears and heart to the people I encounter today. Right now where I live...... Read on.....



In these inspiring videos Father Sammon did not just see the bad living conditions of the people of Garbage City, he saw the lostness of their souls. Instead of hoping someone else would do something, he asked the Holy Spirit to show him what he could do and how to best to reach the people where he lived. We must do the same. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us right here in the Comox Valley. We can start today by taking seriously what we have and where we live. Commit yourself to living missionly TODAY. Ask God to use you TODAY to share his love and grace with whoever you can...... Read on.....



Imagine if everyone took seriously where we live, where we work, the school we attend and all that God has given to us. What a difference it could make, and all for His glory.

Please take a moment and watch these videos. They will inspire you.

Sieze The Day
Pastor Dave

Spring Luncheon Photos

This past Tuesday we had approximately 60, fifty plus and senior adults for our spring luncheon. The food was great, thanks to Chad & Tanya Hooker. Elvy Gustaffson put together a great music team including Ken & Pearl Cochrane, Pat Cottingham, Karen Hauser and Sharon Wennerberg doing a few rips on their instruments.

Ken Gaglardi was our speaker. He spoke on the value and benefits of being an "Encourager". If you would like to post an 'encouragement note' or comment on the photos below, feel free to do so. (Post Comments Below)

Enjoy.
Pastor Dave

Aim For Unity

Started Tuesday Feb. 17th... It's been awhile since I wrote a post so I thought I would just give you a heads up. To get you thinking, from Paul's letter to the New Testament Corinthian Church, I have been reminded once again how we need to pay attention to matters of church unity. Check it out. 1 Corinthians 1:10 - 17

Continued Monday Feb. 23rd...
Well here we go....... I really do believe that 'unity matters,' .......really doooo matter.

The Apostle Paul was very concerned in his appeal to the Corinthian church when he called the church in 1 Corinthians 1:10 to be 'perfectly united' in mind and thought. This was a church that had increasingly become crippled by factions and splinter groups formed around certain personalities and favourite preachers. Reports of quarreling, jealousies and disunity had been robbing the Corinthian church of it's potential for greatness.

Paul is reminding the church to pay attention to matters of unity. He is calling them to stay focused on Jesus, the Cross and what matters most. Not to become distracted by debating and arguments that really in the big picture of Christ's church mean little.

The appeal was for restorative action to be taken. To be 'perfectly united' together comes from a medical term that includes in it's meaning the setting or knitting together of a bone that has been broken. It also includes the idea of joints that have been dislocated being put back in place.

Sometimes there is brokenness in the family of God. Sometimes there are dislocations that need to be reset. Sometimes there are relationships that for whatever the reason need to be mended and renewed. It's in these times that we need to work together at unity, not giving up on our relationships. Everyone doing their part and allowing God to bring healing where there has been hurt.

It interesting that as Paul concludes his second letter to the Corinthian church, once again he appeals for unity. 2 Corinthians 13:11-14 Paul is very much aware that God's commanded blessing (Psalm 133) is with those who walk together in unity. This time in his closing thoughts Paul uses the words; 'Aim for perfection.' ......The same Greek tense is used here as in the earlier passage found in 1 Corinthians 1 where Paul calls for the mending and knitting together of the church.

Aim for perfection......implies that we may not always walk in perfect unity or agreement but at least we are aiming for it. We have a valuable target always worth shooting for. Sometimes we fail in matters of unity. We may not always agree on every decision in the life of the church but we choose to continue to walk together in the Spirit of Christ's love and peace.

Why? Because unity really does matter.

"Finally, brother, goodby. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send their greetings. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2 Corinthian 13:11-14

Still Aiming!!!!

Grace & Peace

Pastor Dave

On a lighter note......vote in our poll up in the right hand corner. What is your favourite coffee shop? Now there's a unity matter. It only takes a second to vote.

Boxes of Love Update

Here is a quick update on what was gathered during our God's Glove Initiative. Once again CPC was very generous. Rose McManus and members of her Life Group came in this week and sorted and packed 11 large boxes of goods and clothing intended for the homeless here in the Comox Valley. Much of what came in is brand new.



As some of you know....The Bridge Ministry has found a new temporary place where they can minister to those in need. We will be passing along what has been received to John Enns and those serving in this ministry.


A Few Numbers

Socks 97 pr
Sweaters / Tops 28
Sweatshirts 15
Jackets 7


Hats 40
Scarves 7
Gloves 22
Summer Shoes 1 pr
Winter Shoes 1 pr



Rubber Boots 2 pr
Winter Boots 2 pr
Tarps 3
Candles 32
Pillow Cases 6
Sheet Sets 2

Bedspread 1 Pillows 2 Toothbrushes 9
Toothpaste 8 Canned Food 17
Toiletry Kits 5 Coffee 1 Manicure Set 1
Pens 2 pkgs Note Pads 2 First Aid Kits 2
Waterproof Matches 8 boxes Boxed Matches 2 Large
Hand Sanitizer 2 Lighters 15 Combs 2 pkgs
Deodorant 2 Emergency Blankets 4 Flashlights 8
Batteries 1 pkg Facecloths 12 Hand Towels 4
Ponchos 2 Rain Pants 1 pr

Let us continue to look for ways for God to use us in serving our community. Thank you for letting your light shine.

Happy New Year
Pastor Dave