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 right in the Christmas story itself.

So what do we do with that?
Do we ignore the biblical accounts?
Filter them through our traditions?
Dismiss what doesn’t fit inside our castle walls?

I don’t think so.

Instead, it’s worth reading the stories as they’re told—and wrestling honestly with what they invite into our spiritual lives - even if the stories challenge the walls we inherited.

That’s what we’re doing this week: exploring the Christmas story, regardless of whether they fit inside some traditions' walls. Last week it was the exiled shepherds. This week, it’s the "wise men".

It’s going to be a freeing conversation—I promise!

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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—curious, uncertain, hopeful.

This Christmas, we’re turning our attention to them—the ones who never imagined they’d be included. We’ll explore their world, their courage, and what their story might be whispering to ours. This is the beautiful part of the Christmas Story, its not just a story from the past, it's our stories if we are open to hearing it!

Join us for Christmas from the Ledge—a Christmas for (and about) people who don’t fit traditional church.

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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 we honour those who have embodied this spirit in meaningful and memorable ways. Come hear the stories that lift us, challenge us, and remind us of the heart of Friends Church—cultivating a healthy spirituality that Takes Water into our world.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Donate to Friends Church

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

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 intentionally.

This week, we’re going to begin exploring how to design the kinds of spaces—big or small—that open us up, ground us, and invite us into that deeper connection.

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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 clarity and depth to our lives. This weekend, we’re exploring the unexpected gifts that wrestling with the brevity of life brings.

Gerry has been incredibly open about his journey, and his reflections have already impacted so many in our community. Hearing what he has to say will likely shift the way you look at your own life—and help you develop a more intentional practice of presence.

Invite a friend and join us this Sunday at the Spiritual Gym.

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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 spirituality?

Join us this Sunday for an open, thoughtful conversation that just might expand how you see spirituality itself.

Come curious. Come open.

For further information, please refer to the following links:

• Johns Hopkins Medicine | Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression, Study Shows: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2020/11/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-major-depression-study-shows
• Research Gate | Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/20275204_Subjective_Reports_of_the_Effects_of_MDMA_in_a_Clinical_Setting
• Ted Talk - The future of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | Rick Doblin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9XD8yRPxc8
• Andrew Huberman on why he changed his mind on the topic of psychedelics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkIXevEsupQ
• How Psilocybin Can Rewire Our Brain, Its Therapeutic Benefits & Its Risks | Huberman Lab Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIxVfln02Ss

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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 lead us astray. And yes, sometimes they do.

But deep down, we’re wired with a longing to experience pleasure—healthy, life-giving pleasure. Even Scripture affirms this truth. For every story of pleasure gone wrong, there are stories where moments of joy, beauty, or intimacy became encounters with the sacred.

So how do we cultivate a healthy spiritual relationship with pleasure—one that brings us closer to the divine rather than further away?

Let’s talk about it this Sunday.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Donate to Friends Church

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

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 peace with it, or even grow from it? How do we navigate it when everything in us says its wrong?

This Sunday wraps up our Bible: Much Assembly Required series. Throughout this journey, we’ve invited us all to rethink how we see the Bible—and that's a big change for many of us.

But with the right mental framing, hard changes can often get a little easier - both changes in how we view the Bible and in how we navigate change in our lives.

Join us as we close out this incredible series with practical insights from both our spiritual ancestors and modern research on how to navigate change well.

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