Ash Wednesday Message

March 5th 2025: Today marks the start of our preparation for Good Friday and Easter. The word, preparation, brings a lot of different imagery. Preparation is a time of anticipation, and one of the images is athletes in sports. When athletes get ready for a game, the hours leading up to the start are usually filled with rituals and activities that pump them up.

It is a time of powering up: Mentally building up their confidence and self-esteem, and imagining how they will overcome their opponents.

They would be priming their body with workouts. They might have their headphone on with their pregame music cranked up– rhythms to get their hearts going.

Their preparation is focused on getting their mind and body up to speed, powering up and into victory!

But the preparation we are talking about today—Ash Wednesday and Lent—is quite the opposite. Because to prepare for Good Friday and Easter, the focus is not on powering up ourselves, but rather, it is about powering down.

The focus is not "We can do it!" but "We can't do it." It's not about having the mindset of "I am invincible!" but "I am limited, frail, unreliable, decaying… dying."

In Psalm 103:14-16, David writes,

For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

The life of mortals is like grass,

they flourish like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

David is keenly aware that he, along with the rest of the human race, we are but dust.

Doesn't matter if you are a king, a newborn baby, an athlete, a new parent, a retiree or someone with a good job or no job. When everything is stripped away, we are all just a brief existence in this world.

And yet, many of us don't live in such a reality.

We prefer to distract ourselves into oblivion.

Every day, we preoccupy ourselves with things and activities that make us feel we can live forever. Whether it is with the next thing we are scheming to buy, the next trip to plan for, or the next social media post to doom scroll to, we believe there is a next day for us.

But it's not just things; we are people who like to break the speed limit of life. What I mean by that is that we like to push our speed and rhythm of life to the limit as though our cruise control can be on forever!

That is until we get that phone call from the doctor about our last blood work. Or the unexpected call to our boss's office on a Monday morning. Or a car that didn't see us braking at an intersection. And then, suddenly, reality stops us in our tracks.

Friends, we are people, especially Christians, who need constant reminders that we are fading with every second, and Ash Wednesday and Lent are this period of time when we need to stop and ask what is truly important in our lives.

There are two things that can help us in making the most of the next 40 days.

First, Slowing Down to See Clearly.

The drive to Banff from Calgary is one of the most beautiful experiences for Albertans. Driving through the Rockies, even as a driver, we can't help but turn our heads and stare for as long as we can before we have to turn our eyes back to the road.

But as we are driving through at 110 km/hr, the truth is, those majestic views just pass by way too fast. If only we could slow down and stop whenever we wanted.

Lent is a time when we practice slowing down so we can see clearly and take stock of our lives.

It is a time when we look in the mirror and ask ourselves:

Do I see my fragility, brokenness, and sin?

Oftentimes, we use our busyness to distract us from dealing with our brokenness and sins. And so we live at a pace that doesn't allow for time to deal with the ugliness of our sins and failures.

But the Prophet Isaiah reminds us, (Isaiah 64:6)

For all of us have become like one who is unclean,

And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

And all of us wither like a leaf,

And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

We desperately need time and space to meditate and remember our own sinfulness and brokenness, and the period of Lent can help us to slow down and ask ourselves to reflect on our hearts, minds, motives, and what we truly love and trust.

We need to slow down so we can see ourselves more clearly. And maybe that's what you need to do this season. For you to not just give up some things but give up your time, your packed schedule, and your busyness so God can bring you closer to the cross.

Second, Giving up to Receive Abundantly

One of the practices of Lent is giving up something; things, or activities that we rely on. Things we consider essentials to our daily lives.

We do this because, at the end of it all, nothing lasts, everything turns to dust, and nothing can sustain us forever except one thing.

The Prophet Isaiah tells us,

"All people are like grass,

and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

because the breath of the Lord blows on them.

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God endures forever."

What is the thing that is sustaining your life today? What do you think you can't live without today?

Is it your bank account, relationships, social media, your work, or a video game that helps you escape your work?

Do you truly believe that God's word is all you need? Could you put yourselves to the test?

Friends, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, where we step into the wilderness to intentionally break away from the things we lean on. Things and activities that we think we need to get us through our messy lives. But instead of those things and activities, what we really need is to commit ourselves with this prayer, "Lord Jesus, you are the LORD of my life and Father, your word is the only sustenance I need in my short, fragile existence. "

As we begin our journey to Good Friday and Easter, my prayer is that all of us will be able to see clearly and receive abundantly this Lent season. And as we slow down and offer up all those things and activities we see as essentials to our lives, we may experience the richness of God's presence and the renewal of our hearts, minds, and souls.

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Calvin Sun

English Pastor

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 lower Alberta and Saskatchewan, and is excited to share a new opportunity to support a local Urdu and Punjabi speaking church plant in Calgary!

A dedicated group from the Prairie District has been meeting for 18 months at their Monterey Park church in Calgary since 2023, praying for a new work in the city’s NE communities. The district has called Pastor Amir Younas and his family to lead this Urdu and Punjabi speaking church plant for immigrants and they started their work in Nov. 2024.

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 local mission endeavor! Here’s how:

Get involved
Share this church plant opportunity with your church and leaders, and consider how your church can partner with Amir and this project. You can invite them to your prayer meetings, Sunday speaking, and fellowship sharing.

You can also 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.

Consider giving personally or as a fellowship/life group project!

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.

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