Interested in Supporting Local Missions in NE Calgary?

Pastor Calvin serves on the Prairie District Board as the Church Plant Catalyst, focusing on planting churches across Alberta and Saskatchewan, and is excited to share a new opportunity to support local missions!

A dedicated group from the Prairie District has been meeting for 18 months at their Monterey Park church in Calgary, praying for a new work in the city’s NE communities. The district believes God has called Pastor Amir Younas and his family to lead this church plant.

About Pastor Amir
I am Pastor Amir Younas and I grew up in Pakistan. During high school, I came to know the Lord Jesus through the ministry of my evangelist American friend who was serving in Pakistan. I am married to Nadia and God has blessed us with four children.

Prior to moving to Canada to study at Prairie College, I worked in Dubai. In my free time I had the privilege to minister among the labour camps of United Arab Emirates, in Pakistan, and several other countries over the last 10 years. I hold a diploma in Evangelism and Discipleship and a Bachelor of Arts/ Pastoral degree from Prairie College. In May 2024 I received an MA degree in Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia).

I love Jesus Christ and I'm passionate to tell others about Him and my faith. I have a high view of God's holy Word and I strongly believe that through the gift of teaching and preaching alongside faithful men I desire to help believers grow in their faith and knowledge about God and the Holy Scriptures. Through my past life experiences, I can help in the growth of the church. I'm bilingual and love to talk about my faith with others in the languages I speak.

With a submitting spirit we plan to lead a biblically healthy church in northeast Calgary by shepherding and guiding the congregation in many aspects of the ministry of the church. Our desire is to see believers become "salt & light" to the world around them, wherever Christ has called them to be. Our past experience discipling believers in Pakistan and the Middle East has equipped us to understand challenges that believers from that part of the world face, and God has increased our passion to equip believers with solid biblical understanding.

We would love the involvement of sccefc to pray and support this new “mission” endeavor! Here’s how:

Get involved
Share this church plant opportunity with your church's mission board and leaders, and consider how your church can partner with Amir and this project. Pray for Amir, his family, the neighbourhood, and the church plant. Commit to financially supporting this church plant by giving to the Prairie District Church Expansion Fund. Our goal is to raise $38,000 from our district churches and members.

Give
E-Transfer to [email protected] (preferred) designate "Church Expansion Fund: Monterey Park church plant project" in the notes section. Cheque payable to EFCC-Prairie District (designated "Church Expansion Fund: Monterey Park church plant project") Mail to: Prairie District Financial Secretary (Rachel) Box 807, Nobleford AB T0L 1S0

Learn more
Prairie District Church Planting Catalyst Calvin Sun [email protected]
Church Planting Missionary Amir Younas [email protected]

Message from Calvin: The Spiritual Practice of Devotions

Dear church family, happy new year!

It’s perfect time to reflect on our spiritual practices and renew our commitment to growing closer to Jesus.

A small but impactful change is adjusting our devotional life. Daily devotions is time spent with our Lord and listening to and absorbing His Word. It sustains us each day, making it essential for followers of Jesus.

The practice of devotion involves dedicating time to read scriptures, reflect on the day ahead, and engage in prayer and communion with God. It can be enriched by devotional books, offering daily reflections on scripture that encourage spiritual growth.

If you are a new believer or someone who is learning this spiritual practice, I invite you to take small bites:

• Read a small passage or a few verses each day.

• Reflect on the passage and in your prayer ask God to teach and reveal His grace and mercy to you.

• You can also pick a devotional book to get you started in your practice. The Our Daily Bread booklet is a fantastic start and it's free at the welcome desk at church!

If you are a long-time Christian, consider adding to your practice:

• Start the day with a scripture passage (e.g., a Reading plan), and prayer.

• During your afternoon break, pick one of the devotional books below to supplement your reflections.

• You can also go with a devotional like Paul D. Tripp's New Morning Mercies which includes a reflection section and a meaty scriptural passage to pray and meditate on at the end of each reading.

• Before bed, reflect on the day's events and how God spoke to you through your devotional readings. Morning devotions help you stay attuned to His guidance throughout the day. End with a prayer of thanks and seek His rest for the night.

Devotional practice is essential for every disciple, helping us grow closer to Jesus daily. That's why it's important to have a routine I can fully commit to.

Here are a few recommended devotional books for you to try out this year. Each of these resources is different in style and tone, and I recommend you see their sample content to get a sense of their purposes and goals:

• Our Daily Bread (Free and at the Welcome Desk)

• New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

• Catching Whimsy by Bob Goff

• My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

You can also see some of the reviews of these books here: https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/8-devotionals-to-try-in-2025-that-have-depth/

I would love to hear about your devotional journey this year and to encourage you through the growth and challenges you might encounter. Do send me your reflections and learnings! Contact me at [email protected]

Happy New Year, and may your year be filled with new mercies every morning.

Blessings,

Calvin Sun

Merry Christmas from Pastor Calvin

Dear English congregation family,

It is December, and what a year it has been. Christmas is right around the corner, and beyond that is 2025! Year-end is the time when many of us take stock of our year; it is an opportune time when we can look back and also look forward with a reset.

And so, I want to offer these 3 personal questions to reflect on; Questions that I hope will help us let go and let hope take hold in our hearts. Here are the questions:

What went well this year? What can I RECALL and REJOICE in? What did the Lord do?

What didn’t go so well this year? What do I need to REPENT of or RELEASE?

What am I working toward? What is the Lord inviting me to RECEIVE and RUN in

*Questions created by Jason Kovacs, Gospel Care Collective.

If you would like to talk through some of these questions and your journey this year, I would love to grab a coffee with you and hear about your year. You can connect with me at [email protected] or catch me on a Sunday!

And so I pray you and your family truly have a Merry Christmas this year. May the love, hope, joy, and peace of Jesus Christ overflow in abundance into your heart, mind, and soul.

Blessings,

Calvin Sun

What is Baptism?

Baptism not only signifies resurrection to a new life in Christ, but it is also a public commitment to walk in Christ’s way. Baptism means we now belong to Christ. Have you been considering baptism but not sure what it means?

What is Baptism?
Baptism is closely linked with belief in the New Testament, and therefore happens at the beginning of someone’s journey as a disciple of Jesus (Acts 2:38-41), and is therefore considered a symbol of initiation into a life of following Jesus with other followers of Jesus. We are united with Christ and enjoy all the benefits that come therein (Romans 6:1-11).

Who Should Be Baptized?
Those who have accepted Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord. Those seeking membership with SCCEFC are required to be baptized as a believer.

Why Should I Be Baptized?
Believe and baptize are very closely linked. (Acts 2:40-41; 8:36-40; 10:48; 16:15; 16:33).  Jesus showed by example that we are to be baptized by being baptized himself (Matthew 3:13-17). Baptism is understood to fulfill, in part, the command of Jesus to confess him before humanity (Matthew 10:32).

If you are ready to be baptized or are interested in learning more about what it means, message: [email protected].