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At the end of June, I said goodbye to my wonderful wife as she hopped in the car to head to the airport. A few hours later, she arrived in Nova Scotia to visit with her family and the very next day I jumped into my vehicle and headed northeast to start my six-week tasking at the Cold Lake Training Centre. We left our pups in the very capable hands of our good friend who was watching over our house and for the past five and a half weeks, I have been missing Natalie, my pups, and my friends terribly. As a part of the Wellness Team here on base, we have helped many overcome the pains of separation from friends and family. Over time, the pain of separation has slowly subsided and those here have started to form strong bonds with others and, I fear, there will be many tears shed when we all depart for home at the end of the week. Once again, these feelings of loss will subside as we gather with our friends and family once again and things start to return to a bit more normal. Here is the important thing, we will never forget those whom we have shared a bit of our lives with or built relationships with. When we see them once again, there will be a time of sharing and then we go on once again. I am looking forward to being back with my wife and friends once again but until then, we relish the times we can talk and share over the phone. So, consider this, how much does our Saviour’s heart earn to be with us in person? He was with us, in person, for a brief time and the bonds He created in that time were incredible. In that time, He built relationships that not only were for a time but were for all eternity and even though I have not met Him in person, I know Him in Spirit. I know His loving touch, I have felt the wave of love roll over me and through me that day I fully got it, the day I asked Him to come into a personal relationship with me. I can still remember that day. The tears rolled down my cheeks as I came to fully understand just how much He loved me and cared for me. And even though I have never met the Man in the flesh, I know I could not walk away from Him, not even for a moment. There are times when I do not feel close to Him, but I know He is near to me, He has never left me and all I need to do is pick up the Holy phone (go to prayer) and have a great conversation with Him. I know He waits for me, for us all, and we will one day know Him, touch Him, and experience His perfect love for us. What a day that will be, When my Jesus I shall see, And I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace; When He takes me by the hand, And leads me through the Promised Land, What a day, glorious day that will be. Bill and Gloria Gaither The Main Avenue service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Unity at all Costs’ Day 1: 1 Corinthians 1:10 – “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” Day 2: Philippians 2:2 – “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” Day 3: Romans 14:19 – “So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” Day 4: Ephesians 4:11-13 – “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” Day 5: Colossians 3:13, 14 – “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Day 6: Ephesians 4:2, 3 – “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” Day 7: 2 Corinthians 13:11 – “Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Godly Love’ Day 1: Micah 7:18 – “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.” Day 2: 1 John 4:10 – “This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” Day 3: Lamentations 3:22,23 – “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Day 4: Psalm 86:15 – “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” Day 5: Zephaniah 3:17 – “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Day 6: Ephesians 3:18, 19 – “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Day 7: 1 Chronicles 16:34 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Two children playing happily in the back yard when suddenly an ear-shattering scream is heard followed closely by another and two kids come running around the corner of the house, both in tears, both trying to get the story out before the other. I am sure there are those out there who know this scenario or who live it on a daily basis. There are as many ways to deal with this as there are parents and grandparents on this planet. For some, they separate the two combatants, go calm down the one and then go to the other, calm them down and proceed with a negotiated settlement that sees them return to a state of play. When my brother and I acted out, we were sent to our rooms to think about it and not come out until we were allowed. One thing was very common in that we were told to say sorry for what we did. There were also times when our sorry was as heartfelt as saying thank you for that scratchy wool sweater at Christmas. Now before I get a bunch of emails saying they liked that scratchy sweater at Christmas let me say this – you were one of the few. So, to continue, my parents would make me say it over if they felt it was not heartfelt. There is sorry, then there is sorry (I am going to be grounded for a month if I don’t choke this out) and then there is the heartfelt “I AM SOOOOOO SORRY” that also includes ugly cry and those hiccup sobs. Let’s bring this back to church. How many times have you been hurt at church and the pain is so bad you leave and then blame the church for it? For the sake of honesty, I can admit that there are times when it happens to me, and I feel like just walking away. Happened just before I was supposed to preach, and I had to leave. I did come back in time to speak (the subject was joy) and, while the person that caused me to burst into tears was absolutely oblivious to what they had done, I was crushed. Later, a friend who had noticed what happened, and realized the effects of the treatment, made mention and they were told that is not what was meant. The apology came a few days later (I was not expecting it) and went something like this; “I am sorry you took it the wrong way but...”. Where am I going with this? Glad you asked. Forgive me my trespasses as I forgive others who trespass against me. I did change it slightly to personalize it but here is the truth. Forgive like you have been forgiven and do so with an open heart. Ask forgiveness with that gut wrenching, ugly cry, deep down hiccup sob request and on the flip side, forgive with tears of joy and full-on heart embrace that says, “it's all good”. You see, relationships can be destroyed because our own pride gets in the way of seeing past the faults of others. I am not perfect, and I can upset other people. It is the last thing I want to do but it does happen and the best thing I can do is to ask forgiveness and not find a way to deepen the chasm with the word “but”. Why not forgive as you have been forgiven? What is the outcome of all this? A deeper relationship within our community and a blessing of Peace. The Main Avenue service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

So, as you may or may not know, I am away from home at an air force base in northeastern Alberta. There are so many people on this base from so many different ethnicities and they all have such an array of religious or non-religious backgrounds. I could go down several paths with this article, but I want to focus on one thing; we are all God’s creation whether we know it or not. Earlier in the day, my cohort and I were discussing the big bang theory and the creation and, while our ideologies are very compatible, we did have our own opinions. My thought is this; while evolutionists conclude that all life came from a massive explosion of a small and finite amount of matter which produced an infinite and massive universe that continues to expand and will do so until sometime in the near or infinite future when it may or may not collapse in upon itself. I do not want to get too deep into this but will say this, according to Antoine Lavoisier in 1789, “Matter can change form through physical and chemical changes, but through any of these changes matter is conserved. The same amount of matter exists before and after the change—none is created or destroyed. This concept is called the Law of Conservation of Mass.” My questions regarding this are where did the original matter come from and what was the “spark” that set it all off. Secondly, if something that massive and that hot was the start of all life, how did the organic material survive? Let me throw this out there as a possible answer; In the beginning God created... Gen 1:1. You want the spark to the start of all that is, God created it. Intelligent design, He has a thought and a purpose and He created the universe and it was, in my opinion a very large bang, He created the heavens and the earth and all the stars in the sky, He took the time to place the earth just where it needed to be, He set up the perfect amount of water and air required, prepared the dry earth for food and animals and then God created man, in His image. He set the foundation for life, He created life and He then created man and woman. From Adam and Eve came all mankind and we are all one in the Father, the creator of us all. Not everyone believes this, not all will proclaim this but, truth be told, it makes much more sense in my mind that a chance encounter of a series of proteins that somehow survived a cataclysmic event and through some miracle, sorry, evolutionary event, became a sentient life form, survived the harshness of a very inhospitable environment, and somehow formed complex organisms that eventually became human beings. Here’s a heads up for those who follow the theory of evolution, not everyone is a believer of this. I, for one, can appreciate the differences in our understandings and beliefs and I will never force my beliefs on anyone. It is my calling to inform others as to what I believe to be truth and also to respect the ideology of others. I try to keep an open mind just as I hope others would to my ideas and beliefs. We all do not have to fully buy into the thoughts or beliefs of each other nor do we need to fight wars over our differences, we simply need to respect each other and, as in all things, keep an open mind to the opinions of others. I have learned so much from listening to others in my time here and am grateful for the added knowledge and wisdom they have shared with me. We are all family on this rock that circles the sun at an incredible speed and for that I am truly humbled and grateful. The Main Avenue service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘God Loves Through Us’ Day 1: John 13:34, 35 – “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Day 2: Jude 1:20, 21 – “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” Day 3: 1 John 4:7, 8 – “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Day 4: Hebrews 13:21 – “...may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.” Day 5: Colossians 3:23 – “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Day 6: Philippians 2:3, 4 – “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Day 7: Romans 12:9, 10 – “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. Pro 17:27-28 I know I have written about this before on a few occasions but there are times when we all, me included, need to be reminded that there are times to speak and there are times to shut our pie holes. Prime example, I was watching a show the other day and was in one of those moods where I was hypercritical of the message being delivered. It was a comedy show but for some reason I was watching it like it was real and was getting rather upset at one actor. You see, the protagonist was asked a question regarding his opinion and, if memory serves correct, the antagonist interrupted him and told him that was not right and that this is how it really should be. The protagonist was very patient regarding the interruption and when he was given the chance, he continued with his opinion. He was interrupted on numerous occasions and when it came time to provide an illustration, he could not even get through the story and the antagonist was interrupting with a “better story” than the one the protagonist was telling. I know these are actors and it was a simple skit, but I have lived through discussions like this, and I am embarrassed to admit, I was the antagonist on many occasions in my youth. When I got into ministry, my mentor who is a very patient and loving person, took me off to the side and suggested I read Proverbs 17:27-28. I read it though a couple of times but really didn’t see the significance of the verse as it pertained to me but over the years, I have come back to it numerous times and have often quoted it under my breath on numerous occasions. Abraham Lincoln was thought to have said “Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt” This, combined with the Proverb was the turning point to my life, I concluded that if you ask for my thoughts or opinions on something, tell me I am wrong and then proceed to relentlessly carry on, I will let you have your rein so you can keep on galloping ahead. Following scripture, I will simply remain silent, smile and nod and I may even let you know that I have never heard it presented like that before. You see, I am trying to be wise and understanding, and I figure if I keep my mouth shut, I can keep a ton of people guessing and I will be able to reduce some of the stress in my life by avoiding useless arguments. Does it work every time? No, it doesn’t but I am not perfect, just forgiven. The Main Avenue service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You Being Faithful?’ Day 1: Deuteronomy 23:21-23 – “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.” Day 2: 2 Timothy 1:13, 14 – “Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.” Day 3: 1 Corinthians 10:12, 13 – “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” Day 4: Hebrews 4:14-16 – “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Day 5: James 1:12 – “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Day 6: 1 Samuel 12:24 – “But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.” Day 7: 1 Corinthians 15:58 – “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You Producing Fruit?’ Day 1: Galatians 5:22-25 – “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Day 2: Ephesians 5:8-10 – “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Day 3: Colossians 3:12, 13 – “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Day 4: Galatians 6:8-10 – “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith.” Day 5: Ephesians 4:2, 3 – “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” Day 6: James 3:17 – “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” Day 7: John 15:5 – “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Farewell my friend but it is only for a time, not forever. It has been a while since I saw my friend Walter but I want to tell you a bit about him. You see, he had a big smile and an even bigger heart. I would see him at church and his joy was infectious. You could not help but smile when he was around. I cherished those times he would share his nature pictures on Facebook, such wonderful glimpses into the world just outside his back door. At the church gatherings, it was truly wonderful to chat with him and hear the love of God communicated through his words and actions. While I won’t see him again on this earth, I look forward to seeing him once again in Glory. Such a wonderful thought that one day we will be able to see those who have left before us in Heaven. I do have to say this, there are those who will say that I am a fool for believing in a fallacy, in a myth but I have to say this, I have faith in a magnificent and wonderful Saviour and in His promise. My response to those who mock is simple; am I hurting you with my faith? If not, pump the brakes, step off my belief and continue on your merry way. You see, my faith in a living and loving God is just that, mine. I don’t hurt you or force you to believe but if you do want to ask the questions and ponder, I will gladly sit and chat...just like Walter and many others like him. There is a parable about three men who were given a task of taking care of the master’s wealth and how the one servant took the time to grow the wealth over time and when the master returned, there was an increase and this was good. I want to challenge you to think about the things God has entrusted us all with; His Message. We have not been tasked to save the world but rather to share the love of God and the message of grace to all around us as we come into contact with them, We don’t need to slay the mighty giant with a stone or part the sea with a stick but rather spread the Word of God and see the fruits grow for the Master. I only hope one day there will be those who will say that I planted the seed of faith in their heart and they found salvation because they heard the Good News. For me, however, what I want more than that is to hear my Master say, “well done, oh good and faithful servant.” Those who mentored me, who took time to share the Message and help me better understand His Word, like Walter, I am certain they were met at the gates of Glory by the Saviour and heard those words from Him directly. Praise God for faithful servants! The Main Avenue service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

Once we pass June 21, our days start to get shorter and shorter. I have stood on a balcony in the far north and watched the sun dip down to the horizon and then come right back up moments later. It never did get dark that day and I was truly amazed. There is a downside to this however, in the winter, it gets super dark for a very long time. It is hard to stay super positive when you are lacking enough light to keep the Vitamin D levels up. You see Vitamin D is critical in helping the body to absorb and retain both calcium and phosphorus, both essential for building strong bones. Also, laboratory studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation. Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which suggest important roles beyond bone health, and scientists are actively investigating other possible functions…Vitamin D production in the skin is the primary natural source of vitamin D, but many people have insufficient levels because they live in places where sunlight is limited in winter, or because they have limited sun exposure due to being inside much of the time. (Harvard TH Han https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/) Vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin” and without it, we would not have the vital foundation required to do the amazing things we want to accomplish. As the world gets smaller and smaller through the instant communication network that is social media, conspiracy theories, cancel culture, public shaming and negativity seems to rule the web and many conversations, on a daily basis. No wonder depression and mental disorders are so prevalent in our culture because there is so much darkness in all aspects of our daily lives. The darkness that is out there is widespread because the world wants us all to focus on that instead of the Truth that is the Light. Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT Why is this message so scary? Jesus did not come to the world to condemn but rather to save, to bring Light into the lives of all. It is a message of love and kindness, peace and joy. This is a message of caring for others and keeping the Light front and center. Even though the world wants for itself, Jesus came to chase out the darkness and conquer death for all. So, for a time, the lovers of the darkness have their time but, in the end, the Light will destroy the darkness and He will prevail. As Harvey Dent said in the Dark Knight “The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.” Jesus will return, be ready and be vigilant. When the time is right, He will come and chase away the darkness forever. Praise the Lord! The service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘It’s a Heart Issue’ Day 1: Proverbs 4:23 – “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Day 2: Psalm 26:2 – “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.” Day 3: Jeremiah 17:9, 10 – “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Day 4: Lamentations 3:40 – “Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.” Day 5: Psalm 139:23, 24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Day 6: 1 Corinthians 11:28-30 – “That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.” Day 7: Matthew 6:21 – “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation