Friends church is a community of people who are on a spiritual journey together. We believe that each person is on their own spiritual journey and we strive to partner with people to help them no matter where they are in life. We are a Christian church who gathers weekly to explore the significance of the God and the Bible on our spiritual journeys and on our lives.
The Art of Accompaniment
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s surprising how much you can get to know someone by just hanging out with them. Not asking probing, soul-level questions, but just playing or doing mundane...
10/13/2024 • 42 minutes, 39 seconds
A Spark of the Divine
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We all likely know someone who has a knack for making people feel seen and valuable. I shared last week about a youth leader named Brian who could...
10/6/2024 • 38 minutes, 34 seconds
Invisible
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis There’s a profound idea, a metaphor, that has captivated us: the notion that within each of us, there exists a spark of the divine. Can you imagine...
9/29/2024 • 43 minutes, 53 seconds
Taking Water to a Thirsty World
Speaker: Vince Klassen We've embarked on a transformative journey, asking ourselves: What isn't working in traditional religion for us? Many of us have felt the weight of an I-centric approach...
9/22/2024 • 44 minutes, 52 seconds
We Don’t Build Walls to Keep People Out
Speaker: Vince KlassenThroughout history, faith communities have constructed boundaries—both tangible and intangible—that define who belongs and who does not. These barriers, whether they are the physical walls of a church...
9/15/2024 • 39 minutes, 12 seconds
Turned Off
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis If 100 random people were asked what the world needs most right now, very few would likely say traditional religion is the answer. Sadly, this expression of...
9/8/2024 • 38 minutes, 56 seconds
Hope
Speaker: Vince KlassenThis summer, we’ve immersed ourselves in the art of peacemaking, learning how to shift from divisive “I against them” dynamics to more healthy “We” and “Win-Win” interactions. We...
9/1/2024 • 34 minutes, 51 seconds
Peace Talks
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We likely all have someone with whom we need to have a long-overdue conversation. Things were likely done and said at some point that bruised the relationship and...
8/25/2024 • 40 minutes, 4 seconds
Peacemakers Part 5
Speaker: Vince Klassen A few weeks ago, I shared the powerful story of a woman who bravely escaped an abusive relationship after enduring years of pain. Her journey was marked...
8/22/2024 • 32 minutes, 4 seconds
Peacemakers Part 4
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the Summer I’ve witnessed and participated in a number of what I’ll call “spicy” conversations. People with strong opinions weighing in on tricky topics like the US political...
8/11/2024 • 23 minutes, 5 seconds
Peacemakers Part 3
Speaker: Vince Klassen Have you noticed that peace seems increasingly elusive in our world today? The number of concurrent conflicts is staggering—more than I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. It...
8/4/2024 • 31 minutes, 39 seconds
How is she at Peace?
Speaker: Vince Klassen I recently attended a dinner party that was an absolute delight—great company, incredible food, the works. Yet, amidst the laughter and engaging conversation, something struck me profoundly....
7/28/2024 • 26 minutes, 13 seconds
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Speaker: Vince Klassen Throughout history, individuals have been catalysts for peace, shaping the course of nations and communities alike. But this call to peacemaking isn’t confined to the grand stage...
7/21/2024 • 30 minutes, 18 seconds
Courage – Stoicism pt. 2
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Did you know that the Stoics considered courage to be one of the most important virtues you can develop? To have the ability to do something that...
7/14/2024 • 37 minutes, 23 seconds
Sour Soothers and the Golden Mean
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis As a kid I loved “sour soothers”. That sour, gummy candy that made you pucker when you put one in your mouth. I loved those things! One time I...
7/7/2024 • 43 minutes, 9 seconds
“Being There” – Learning From Yoga
Speaker: Vince Klassen We all have profound, maybe even transcendent, experiences—whether it’s the birth of a child, a moment of awe in nature, or a powerful physical sensation. Yet, when...
6/30/2024 • 29 minutes, 38 seconds
Clinging
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Isn’t it crazy how, when life takes an unexpected turn and the outcome is not what we wanted, we can experience all kinds of emotional and mental...
6/23/2024 • 0
Finding Calm in an Overwhelming World Lessons from Fundamentalism
Speaker: Trevor Dreher We live in a world brimming with endless choices. Everyday, we face a relentless barrage of decisions, big and small: What should I eat? Should I go...
6/16/2024 • 0
Avoiding the Spinning Blade of Death
Speaker: Vince Klassen In our workshop collective, I teach a class designed to help people master the tablesaw, a formidable tool with a 10-inch blade spinning faster than the speed of sound....
6/9/2024 • 0
Cause and Effect Exploring the principle of Karma
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s human nature, isn’t it, to try to explain why certain things happen in our lives? To hope that in the end, life is fair? We want...
6/8/2024 • 0
The Spiritual Purpose of Overcoming our Relation$hit
Speaker: Vince Klassen We’ve been exploring how to “Love our Neighbour”. While it was easy for Jesus to say, it’s a bit trickier to put into practice. To truly love...
5/26/2024 • 38 minutes, 6 seconds
Secrets of Secure People
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Vince Klassen Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve discussed two forms of insecure attachment: Avoidant and Anxious. Two common relational patterns that, when unaware, can create...
5/19/2024 • 53 minutes, 8 seconds
Anxious Attachers
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Join us this Sunday for week three of our Relation$hit series. We’re exploring the inner world of those who Anxiously attach to others. These are the ones who have highly...
5/12/2024 • 55 minutes
Loving Those Who Walk Alone
Speaker: Vince Klassen This week on our “Relation$hit” series, we’re delving into how to love others in a way that truly connects. Our focus this week might seem counterintuitive: we’re...
5/5/2024 • 35 minutes, 54 seconds
Increasing our Capacity
Speaker: Vince Klassen Jesus once said, “Love your neighbor.” It’s a simple yet profound teaching, but it’s not always easy to put into practice. Loving others—no matter who they are—requires...
4/28/2024 • 31 minutes, 13 seconds
Toxic Faith
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Throughout history, religious beliefs have been a double-edged sword, offering solace and guidance while also igniting conflicts and division. They’ve inspired acts of compassion, charity, and unity,...
4/21/2024 • 38 minutes, 6 seconds
Would Humility Create Peace?
Speaker: Vince Klassen In recent weeks, we’ve delved into various scenarios shedding light on the What Ends Wars. From realizing that peace seldom emerges solely from victory to grappling with...
4/14/2024 • 27 minutes, 4 seconds
Spiritual Responsibilities
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Watching the innocent casualties of war is hard. People being forced to flee with very few belongings, often grieving the loss of loved ones. The suffering is...
4/7/2024 • 40 minutes, 47 seconds
An Invitation to Freedom (Easter)
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Vince Klassen If you think about the foes you’ll wage war against in your lifetime, none of them will likely be as powerful and potentially as...
3/31/2024 • 35 minutes, 22 seconds
Raise All Boats
Speaker: Vince Klassen After our discussion last week about how victory doesn’t necessarily lead to peace, we’ve been feeling somewhat disheartened. So, how do we actually foster peace? Our current...
3/24/2024 • 47 minutes, 17 seconds
Watch Out for the Zealots!
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Cathy and I have been married for over 33 years. You would think by now that we would never argue. Lol. There seems to be this subconscious...
3/17/2024 • 37 minutes, 9 seconds
Pleasure Denied
Speaker: Trevor Dreher Recently, I heard a tale of an affluent elderly couple with a longstanding desire to witness the vibrant colors of autumn out east. Despite having the financial means...
3/10/2024 • 30 minutes, 59 seconds
Developing a Pleasure Ethic
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We’ve spent the last two weeks explaining where much of the toxic messaging around pleasure has come from – at least within the Christian tradition. Hint: we...
3/7/2024 • 42 minutes, 42 seconds
Developing a Pleasure Ethic
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We’ve spent the last two weeks explaining where much of the toxic messaging around pleasure has come from – at least within the Christian tradition. Hint: we...
3/3/2024 • 42 minutes, 42 seconds
Vitality through Physical Pleasure
Speaker: Vince Klassen Pleasure can be a complex subject, especially when delving into the realm of physical pleasure, which may make some uncomfortable to discuss. Questions often arise, such as,...
2/25/2024 • 37 minutes, 55 seconds
In Pursuit of Vitality
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives” ~ William Wallace Over the years I’ve had a conflicted relationship with pleasure. Don’t get me wrong, I love to experience...
2/19/2024 • 40 minutes, 5 seconds
What does my conception of God, say about me?
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “When we talk about God we actually talk about ourselves only with a megaphone.” Karl Barth Over the last month, we’ve been exploring different conceptions of God...
2/11/2024 • 39 minutes, 5 seconds
Bounce
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we have walked through different conceptions we can hold of God over the last few weeks, you start to realize that things can look a little...
2/4/2024 • 34 minutes, 2 seconds
God Has Left The Building
Speaker: Vince Klassen I had a moment, giving someone a tour of the temple that was fascinating. They walked into the sanctuary with me and I pointed out all the...
1/28/2024 • 38 minutes, 6 seconds
“That Can’t Be You, God”
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis A couple of Sundays ago I shared some stories of my disappointment and disillusionment with God when important prayers went unanswered. My Superbeing conception of God led...
1/21/2024 • 38 minutes, 9 seconds
“Dear God, are you there? It’s Me…”
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Sir/Maam, there’s been an accident…”. It’s a phone call no one wants to get. In moments like this panic can set in. A desperation that can have us crying...
1/7/2024 • 38 minutes, 20 seconds
New Years Eve
Speaker: Vince Klassen This Sunday is the last day of 2023. It’s been a year for sure. And now, we have the opportunity to start thinking about next year. What...
12/31/2023 • 29 minutes, 44 seconds
We Three Kings
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Last Sunday we explored our triggers. Those instinctual negative reactions we can have to the insensitive or irritating things being said or done around us. Looking back...
12/17/2023 • 38 minutes, 26 seconds
How to Fix your Holidays
Speaker: Vince Klassen “The hardest thing you’ll ever do is admit that you’re [part of the problem]” I was reading an article recently that had my paraphrased quote as the byline....
12/10/2023 • 39 minutes, 6 seconds
Disagreeing Beautifully A conversation with a Rabbi just back from Israel
Speaker: Vince Klassen CHANGE OF PLANS – We were going to start the Christmas Series this week, but we had another opportunity to engage in Disagreeing Beautifully that we couldn’t...
12/3/2023 • 43 minutes, 34 seconds
MAID & End of Life Care
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis **Content Warning** The content below could be disturbing to those who are sensitive to the subject matter. Please use caution in reading further. This week on Disagreeing...
11/26/2023 • 41 minutes, 58 seconds
COVID-19 and Vaccination – An interview with a Naturopathic Doctor
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Nina Lewis-Larsson This week we’re interviewing a doctor who was heavily invested in helping people navigate the pandemic and vaccinations, by focusing on balancing both risks...
11/19/2023 • 49 minutes, 51 seconds
Disagreeing Beautifully – An Interview with Local Drag Performer – DevaDave
Speaker: Vince Klassen This week on Disagreeing Beautifully, we are going to have a discussion with a Local Drag Performer to start to learn more about Drag, people who perform...
11/12/2023 • 45 minutes, 34 seconds
An Interview with a Parent of a Child who came out as Trans before Puberty
Speaker: Vince Klassen This week on Disagreeing Beautifully, we are going to have a discussion with a parent of a child who came out as trans when they were in...
11/5/2023 • 54 minutes, 32 seconds
Disagreeing Beautifully
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Chances are, we’ve all encountered those conversations when two opposing views collide and the discussion goes South. It seems there’s a lot of it these days… over...
10/29/2023 • 50 minutes, 10 seconds
2023 Water Awards
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis We are going to take a week and tell you some stories of people who have Taken Water in some impactful, beautiful and sometimes...
10/22/2023 • 34 minutes, 7 seconds
Creating Heaven on Earth
Speaker: Vince Klassen There is a story about Jesus being asked, “What should we pray about?” and he responded, “Pray that earth would look like heaven”. What does that mean...
10/15/2023 • 27 minutes, 27 seconds
Actions that Matter
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis Have you ever thought much about the endgame of your spirituality? What is it you’re hoping to achieve by making spirituality a priority in...
10/8/2023 • 35 minutes, 13 seconds
Being Honest and Something More
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis Church for People Who Don’t Fit Church. Nice slogan. How does a church actually do that? Help people who don’t fit church suddenly, magically,...
10/1/2023 • 41 minutes, 15 seconds
Finding A Spirituality That Fits
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis For years we’ve said that Friends Church is a community for people who don’t feel they fit in traditional churches – but what does that actually mean? ...
9/24/2023 • 47 minutes, 9 seconds
A huge fish story
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We get asked why we insist so often on wrestling with stories and passages from the bible. Some argue that a collection of writings, thousands of years...
9/10/2023 • 36 minutes, 32 seconds
I’m not a Big Mac
Speaker: Vince Klassen Our earliest ancestors were scared little creatures. And rightly so, everything around them seemed to be trying to kill them. The animals, the weather. It was all...
9/3/2023 • 28 minutes, 6 seconds
What is it about Jesus?
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s not lost on me that Christianity, as a religion, hasn’t had the greatest reputation nor track record with those who sit outside its walls. I’ll be...
8/27/2023 • 48 minutes, 34 seconds
Maui Fires – What do we do with the Chaos of the World?
Speaker: Vince Klassen The Maui Fires of the last week have been devastating! Over one hundred dead, many more still unaccounted for, and the property destruction is almost beyond imagination....
8/20/2023 • 34 minutes, 10 seconds
Leaving Seahaven
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I recently re-watched “The Truman Show”. A movie about a guy named Truman (Jim Carrey) who, from birth, was the main character of a reality show and...
8/13/2023 • 47 minutes, 30 seconds
Purpose from our Suffering
Speaker: Vince Klassen What’s the purpose of our lives? Why are we here? How do we find meaning for our lives? Knowing where to focus our lives to find meaning...
8/6/2023 • 36 minutes, 11 seconds
Updates Are Available (Pt. 2)
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & David Hill Last week, we talked about the vitality of evolving spirituality but it should be noted that spiritual change rarely comes without a cost. Often...
7/30/2023 • 49 minutes, 12 seconds
Updates Needed
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Jeff, you’ve changed!” This is what a person wrote to me in an email a number of years back. She was concerned — specifically that I changed...
7/23/2023 • 41 minutes, 5 seconds
What’s Our Purpose – Samson Pt. 2
Speaker: Vince Klassen I once helped a lady with a flat tire on the side of the road. She’d been there for 2.5 hours. No one had stopped for her,...
7/16/2023 • 34 minutes, 12 seconds
Samson’s Mother
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was with a friend recently and they asked me, in the context of this series on stories, what’s up with the story of Samson in the...
7/9/2023 • 33 minutes, 16 seconds
What’s your stories?
Speaker: Trevor Dreher What’s your stories? (deliberately terrible English) Do you think about moments in your life that you were happy, sad, angry, calm? What’s the story surrounding those moments?...
7/2/2023 • 26 minutes, 14 seconds
“Why do I keep doing that?”
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis The other day I was out in the backyard after mowing the lawn and Cathy came out and asked me why some patches of lawn that I...
6/18/2023 • 45 minutes, 36 seconds
Ned Flanders had it Wrong
Speaker: Vince Klassen There is this famous interchange between two characters on the animated series The Simpsons that points to a piece of Wisdom from our tradition. It goes like...
6/11/2023 • 33 minutes, 23 seconds
Distracted
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis In 2020, after watching the documentary, The Social Dilemma, I devoted a Sunday morning to exploring the relationships we have with our electronic devices. I knew at...
6/4/2023 • 43 minutes, 55 seconds
Wise in Relationships
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we start to move our thinking into the summer season, with the weather warming up and summer plans on the horizon, we want to explore a...
5/31/2023 • 41 minutes, 22 seconds
Removing the Thorn
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So, we’ve spent enough time discussing ways we avoid our emotional wounds and resentments. This week we’re exploring the actual process of facing them. This critical step...
5/21/2023 • 50 minutes
Don’t Forgive…Yet
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was out with a family member recently, someone I hadn’t seen in a while but I know them well. As I was driving up to their...
5/14/2023 • 39 minutes, 18 seconds
Ruminating
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the last few weeks we’ve been talking about ways that we avoid dealing with our resentments. We can resort to blaming, we can shame ourselves, we...
5/7/2023 • 44 minutes, 54 seconds
Herd Morality
5/6/2023 • 39 minutes, 35 seconds
It’s Always Me
4/23/2023 • 28 minutes, 6 seconds
It Wasn't Me
Speaker: Vince Klassen I sometimes watch with weird fascination when some deep part of myself, the wounded part, the hurt part, the angry part, takes over my life. It's like...
4/16/2023 • 36 minutes, 26 seconds
Footloose Had it Right
Almost every year I go to my doctor with the same complaint: "Dr. I'm tired." Her answer isn't that helpful ("You are getting old") but what I'm realizing is my...
4/10/2023 • 32 minutes, 44 seconds
Easter Sunday
Speaker: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis Just over a year ago, Will Smith was sitting in the audience at the Emmy Awards when Chris Rock, a comedian, made a comment...
4/9/2023 • 43 minutes, 10 seconds
My Precious
What will bring fulfillment to your life? I find people will often mention a relationship(s) they’re pursuing (a spouse, kids, or a friendship) - sometimes it’s a hobby or travel....
3/26/2023 • 47 minutes, 24 seconds
Widen Your Eyes
Speaker: Vince KlassenWhen I was a teenager, I became an atheist. Strange for a pastor to say I know, but I had experienced such a profound break between what I...
3/19/2023 • 33 minutes, 44 seconds
Wouldn’t a Lottery Win Make Life Easier?
Speaker: Trevor Dreher Have you ever spent time dreaming about, "What would happen to my life if I won the lottery?" Would I buy a different house? Go on a...
3/12/2023 • 28 minutes, 36 seconds
Genocide in the Bible
3/9/2023 • 45 minutes, 14 seconds
Bouncing Back
2/26/2023 • 46 minutes, 46 seconds
Soothing Fear
One of our family’s dogs had a fear of sidewalk sewer drains. She would freeze up any time we walked by one of them. It was so frustrating taking her...
2/19/2023 • 49 minutes, 18 seconds
The Tussle
Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone in our lives would just accept us as we grow and morph into the healthy humans our spirituality is calling us to be? Ya,...
2/12/2023 • 44 minutes, 17 seconds
What do I have to do to stay out of hell?
As we finish off the Fearmongering Series, we ask a final question. If we assume that there is a literal eternal hell and a literal eternal heaven, how do we...
2/10/2023 • 38 minutes, 28 seconds
Our Need for Heaven
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Though it seems there has always been a level of skepticism and perhaps even disdain toward the notion of hell or that of a literal devil, sentiment...
1/29/2023 • 46 minutes, 20 seconds
The Devil Enters the Picture
Speaker: Vince Klassen We’ve talked about the evolution of the afterlife in the thinking of our spiritual ancestors and we’ve talked about the evolution of Hell. But where does the...
1/22/2023 • 38 minutes, 24 seconds
Do You Believe in Hell?
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Statistics tell us that over 50% of the Western world has some kind of belief in hell. Hell has been imagined in a number of ways over...
1/15/2023 • 43 minutes, 18 seconds
What Happens After We Die?
Speaker: Vince Klassen For many, the idea of an afterlife is a foregone conclusion. All their teaching and their upbringing says “there is some place you go after you die.” But...
1/8/2023 • 39 minutes, 54 seconds
I had a Salad for Lunch
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was at a pub with some friends recently. The server came around and asked what we wanted for supper. I ordered a burger and then she...
12/18/2022 • 44 minutes, 36 seconds
Dealing with your Inner Critic
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Come on Jarvis! What were you thinking? You know better than this! Get it together!” This is the pep talk I gave myself one morning after sleeping...
12/11/2022 • 51 minutes
The Core Issue with Failures of Willpower
Speaker: Vince Klassen Reading through one of the best sellers on willpower, I ran into this quote: “Influential behavioral economist George Ainslie has argued that this [...] is behind most...
12/4/2022 • 39 minutes, 11 seconds
Unmovable
There are times when what we feel like doing isn't the same as what we should be doing. It happens in our health and in how we spend our money...
12/2/2022 • 39 minutes, 3 seconds
Doing Hard Things
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis “Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.” Christmas is one of those times in the year when due to all the festivities...
11/20/2022 • 42 minutes, 33 seconds
Relationship Rituals
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I have some people in my life that I really value. I'm sure you do too. For me, the love and respect that I receive from...
11/13/2022 • 42 minutes, 23 seconds
Connecting Physical Routines to Living a Meaningful Life
Speaker: Vince Klassen Wouldn't it be nice if we could just have that spiritual practice of living a Meaningful Life...without doing anything?!? Ya, it would be nice if life...
11/6/2022 • 43 minutes
Mental & Emotional Rituals
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Do you remember the last time you got into a bit of a funk? When life just felt emotionally or mentally challenging? Maybe some part of...
10/30/2022 • 41 minutes, 40 seconds
Spiritual Rituals
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis What does it feel like when you’re spiritually “in the groove”? Some say their levels of self-awareness are strong indicators. When they’re able to spot...
10/23/2022 • 51 minutes, 56 seconds
The Main Things
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I’ll be the first to admit that I love to start things, but I’m not great at seeing projects or aspirations or dreams all the way...
10/16/2022 • 51 minutes, 22 seconds
The World the Way it Should Be
Speaker: Vince Klassen This is the final week of our exploration of how to find a meaningful life. We have explored the pathway of our wiring to find things...
10/9/2022 • 37 minutes, 51 seconds
Passion is our Guide
Speaker: Vince Klassen When we talk about a meaningful life, it sounds great. Who doesn't want to live a meaningful life? But do we know what things in our...
10/2/2022 • 47 minutes, 6 seconds
Stay True
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So Cathy and I have three grown boys. Though they look somewhat similar, honestly, they couldn’t be more different. In this posse, you have a high extrovert and...
9/25/2022 • 39 minutes, 51 seconds
Vapor
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis We were in downtown Kelowna on one of the last full days of our vacation this summer, enjoying breakfast with some good friends - when my cell...
9/18/2022 • 42 minutes, 20 seconds
Where Do We Find Meaning?
Speaker: Vince Klassen As September starts, kids go back to school and we wind down some summer holidays. It’s a perfect time to reset ourselves and take some time and...
9/11/2022 • 35 minutes, 42 seconds
Healing the World Around Us
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we come to the end of our Comeback series, we are starting to realize that coming back isn’t as easy as we might have thought. What...
9/4/2022 • 43 minutes, 16 seconds
Where Do I Belong?
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Experiencing a sense of belonging and connection with others is proving to be very challenging these days, despite how much many are craving it. Science tells us...
8/28/2022 • 41 minutes, 4 seconds
The Difference One Can Make
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s inspiring isn’t it, to hear stories of people who have so unselfishly given back to society in remarkable ways? People who have quietly volunteered their personal...
8/21/2022 • 51 minutes, 57 seconds
“Aliyah” – The Difficult Process of Coming Back Home
Speaker: Vince Klassen Our spiritual ancestors have this word that they use to describe the process of people coming back home — Aliyah. After generations of people being forced away from...
8/14/2022 • 35 minutes, 21 seconds
Healing from COVID
Speaker: Trevor Dreher The last two years have likely beat us up and caused us to question…lots. It’s interesting in talking with people how many are still feeling tired. Have you...
8/7/2022 • 26 minutes, 56 seconds
Homosexual “Clobber” Passages Reinterpreted
Speaker: Vince Klassen In the Bible, there are six sections that speak about homosexuality — they are referred to as the “Clobber Passages”. And that’s how they are often used,...
7/31/2022 • 41 minutes, 31 seconds
Homosexual: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Speaker: Vince Klassen I went to a grad from someone from our community recently named Shaun Pulsifer. He graduated from the Los Angeles Film School. And as part of his...
7/24/2022 • 50 minutes, 11 seconds
Homosexual: Locked In
Speaker: Vince Klassen Recently we learned that there was a church that voted to exclude people from their membership because of their sexual orientation. We didn’t agree with them, but...
7/17/2022 • 45 minutes, 54 seconds
Lonely
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis For years research has been waving red flags about the growing level of loneliness in our culture. Did you know that the number of people who have...
7/13/2022 • 37 minutes, 55 seconds
When Music + Crowds = Magic
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I was talking to someone this week about her experience at the Garth Brooks concert(s) that just took place in Edmonton last weekend. As she described it,...
7/3/2022 • 38 minutes, 45 seconds
Transcendence through Love
Speaker: Vince Klassen Throughout our lives we hear stories, or maybe if we are really lucky we get to be part of these stories of people doing incredible things for...
6/26/2022 • 38 minutes, 25 seconds
Transcendence
Speaker: Trevor Dreher To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/podcast
6/19/2022 • 24 minutes, 56 seconds
Stranger Things
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Throughout my life, I’ve witnessed some weird phenomena. Experiences that I still can’t explain. Miracles, coincidences, strange happenings…just stuff that made my head spin — no, not...
6/12/2022 • 44 minutes, 57 seconds
The Misuse of Self-Control
Speaker: Vince Klassen If we learned anything from Homer Simpson’s religious neighbor Ned Flanders is — if you enjoy it, it’s probably bad. Be that beer, donuts, sex, you name it. If...
6/5/2022 • 41 minutes, 57 seconds
(More) Joy
Speaker: Vince Klassen NOTE: We are switching things up a little bit this week. Talk first, then a little mini concert. Going to be a blast! Come on out and...
5/29/2022 • 39 minutes, 36 seconds
Generous People
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I was five years old and sleeping in my bed one night when our neighbour, “Mr. Malarchuk” called my Mom to ask if I would like to...
5/22/2022 • 49 minutes, 12 seconds
Peace and the Freedom of Choice
Speakers: Vince Klassen I’ve been reflecting on life recently and I’m starting to see a pattern in me and many around me. Putting in much effort without seeing results can...
5/15/2022 • 36 minutes, 33 seconds
A Skillset for Loving
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis Few would argue that one of the greatest indicators of a vibrant spirituality is a deep love for others. A way of life that demonstrates concern for...
5/8/2022 • 32 minutes, 30 seconds
Finding Our Unique Sexuality
Speakers: Vince Klassen We can all probably agree that there is a wide range of personalities. We each have our own unique personality that makes us different from anyone else —...
5/1/2022 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
When Did Our Sexuality Become Something Dirty?
Speakers: Jeff Jarvis Experiencing healthy sexuality is a challenge that every human will wrestle with. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, single or married, gay, straight, asexual, or...
4/24/2022 • 50 minutes, 17 seconds
Easter Sunday – Resurrection of a Different Kind
Speakers: Vince Klassen & Jeff Jarvis Join us this Sunday as we explore what is arguably the largest religious weekend on the Christian calendar. We’re going to unpack Easter through...
4/17/2022 • 41 minutes, 6 seconds
Motivating Ourselves for the Long Road
Speaker: Vince Klassen We’ve been talking about all the hacks we can do to motivate ourselves to make the changes in our lives that we know we need to make. Sometimes it’s...
4/10/2022 • 46 minutes, 29 seconds
Flaking Out
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the last couple years, my garage has evolved into a bit of a disaster. Tools, building supplies, bottles, old furniture, camping equipment, stuff from family we’ve...
4/3/2022 • 44 minutes, 26 seconds
Overcoming Self-Doubt
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Over the last couple years, my garage has evolved into a bit of a disaster. Tools, building supplies, bottles, old furniture, camping equipment, stuff from family we’ve...
3/27/2022 • 45 minutes, 4 seconds
A Spoonful of Sugar…
Speaker: Vince Klassen The title of a famous song from the Disney movie Mary Poppins isn’t just a catchy title, it also shows us some wisdom around what can motivate...
3/20/2022 • 41 minutes, 9 seconds
How to Change
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis At the heart of our Spiritual Journey Model is this idea that we are all together. It’s not focused on I against Them, it’s focused on We....
3/13/2022 • 44 minutes, 17 seconds
Winning but Losing
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It’s likely happened to all of us… We get focused on getting something done, perhaps we make plans or get our hopes set on things turning out...
3/6/2022 • 45 minutes, 9 seconds
Pass the Salt
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So one day, Jesus describes his followers as the “Salt of the Earth” and the “Light of the World”. What a beautiful description of the effect someone’s...
2/27/2022 • 50 minutes, 38 seconds
Transcending the Physical
Speaker: Vince Klassen We have been working towards this message for the whole series so far. How do we connect with something More? Something bigger? Something beyond the physical parts...
2/20/2022 • 44 minutes, 24 seconds
The Dark Side of Transcendence
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we start to explore the different ways we can find Transcendence in our lives – things beyond the purely physical – there are things we need...
2/13/2022 • 43 minutes, 36 seconds
The Goal of Relationships
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we explore this idea of adding Transcendence into our lives, there are some foundational skills we need in place to build upon. One of those skills...
2/6/2022 • 38 minutes, 45 seconds
Me, You, We
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So depending on who you talk to in the world of Spirituality, you can come away with differing ideas as to what it’s really all about. For...
1/30/2022 • 42 minutes, 50 seconds
Hanukkah and the Beauty of Religious Freedom
Speaker: Vince Klassen This Sunday is a public service announcement. Or maybe a Friends Church Service Announcement. Things you need to know if you are part of the Spiritual Gym....
1/23/2022 • 38 minutes, 49 seconds
It’s Right There
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I don’t know how many times I’ve done it. After looking for 10 minutes for something, I yell out to Cathy to help me find it. What’s really...
1/16/2022 • 32 minutes, 27 seconds
The Unfinished and the Celebration of Sabbath
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we each explore our unique spiritual journeys, one of the things we probably all want to know is: How do we increase our connection to More –...
1/9/2022 • 35 minutes, 8 seconds
You’re Better Than This
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis A lot of reflecting happens at this time of year. Over the next few days social media will be filled with people’s highlight reels from the past...
1/6/2022 • 44 minutes, 18 seconds
How to Change the Beliefs that Aren’t Working
Speaker: Vince Klassen We probably all have beliefs that don’t really work anymore. Beliefs about us: I’m not enough, I’m too _____, etc. Beliefs about others: they want to hurt...
12/26/2021 • 25 minutes, 20 seconds
Facing Our Ghosts
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So what do you do when you can’t seem to escape a painful event from your past? For some, a haunting memory still causes anxiety, or feelings...
12/19/2021 • 54 minutes, 3 seconds
The Toolkit
Speaker: Vince Klassen I was walking down the sidewalk a few days ago, yelling at my phone. Literally yelling out loud at my phone. I was trying to pay for...
12/12/2021 • 42 minutes
Understanding Your Triggers
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis After last Sunday’s message, I’ve been thinking a lot about the kinds of situations that trigger overreactions on my part. Though there are a number that come...
12/5/2021 • 52 minutes, 22 seconds
The Body Remembers
Speaker: Vince Klassen We are just entering the holiday season. A time of festivities and gatherings (safely of course). And, often, family. And there is nothing that can make us...
11/28/2021 • 35 minutes, 27 seconds
Ask the Experts
Speaker: Vince Klassen We are living in a more and more complex world. Much of what is going on around us is frankly, beyond our understanding. I know how to...
11/21/2021 • 45 minutes, 18 seconds
The Tribe Has Spoken
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So I’m not a huge “Survivor” fan but I will admit I watched my fair share in the early days. There was something fascinating about the concept of...
11/14/2021 • 43 minutes, 44 seconds
OMG
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Many of us who grew up in religious circles were forbidden to swear. Thankfully, there were substitute words you were allowed to use. Rather than saying “shit”...
11/7/2021 • 47 minutes, 24 seconds
The Green-Eyed Monster
Speaker: Vince Klassen There is nothing quite so frustrating than showing up with some big news, only to be upstaged by someone close to us: “Guess what? I was accepted...
10/31/2021 • 42 minutes, 50 seconds
The Spirituality of Rhythm
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis In a day and age when Sundays are no longer closed for business and weekends can feel as busy as most weekdays, the 4th Commandment to “remember...
10/24/2021 • 42 minutes, 34 seconds
Put On Your Life Jacket
Speaker: Vince Klassen This week we are starting the 10 Commandments series. 10 rules for life. 10 foundational pillars of the Christian tradition. Or are they? More and more we...
10/17/2021 • 36 minutes, 54 seconds
Transcendent We
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Our spiritual ancestors spoke often of experiencing divine moments. Moments when unexplainable things would happen causing the hair on the back of one’s neck to stand up...
10/10/2021 • 38 minutes, 2 seconds
The Magic of ‘We’ Moments
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis It can be a really healthy thing to take a step back sometimes to get clarity around what it is we’re doing and why we’re doing it....
10/3/2021 • 42 minutes, 30 seconds
If I Had It All My Own Way
Speaker: Vince Klassen Where do we all fit in our spiritual journeys? Some traditions tell us that we are bad. Everything we want is bad. Some go so far as...
9/26/2021 • 36 minutes, 7 seconds
Fried Chicken for Them
Speaker: Vince Klassen If you are feeling a little stuck in your spiritual journey. if you feel like there is work to be done but you are not sure what...
9/19/2021 • 40 minutes, 58 seconds
Stuck in a Moment
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis The spiritual journey can be frustrating, can’t it? Many of us set out at some point with high hopes of becoming “more spiritual” people (whatever that meant...
9/12/2021 • 48 minutes, 12 seconds
Seeing the Sabotage
Speaker: Trevor Dreher Paul, one of our spiritual ancestors once said, “Why do I do what I do? Because I keep not doing the things I should do, and I...
9/5/2021 • 28 minutes, 5 seconds
Paying Attention to the Red Flags
Speaker: Vince Klassen Looking back after some of the more brutal times in my life, I feel like I can see “Red Flags”, moments that were warning me of the disaster...
8/29/2021 • 44 minutes, 24 seconds
Well Spent Energies
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Every Sunday, my phone sends me a note telling me how much time I spent on it in the past week and the breakdown of which apps...
8/22/2021 • 42 minutes, 26 seconds
Finding Unity Again
Speaker: Vince Klassen As the world starts to come out of the pandemic (fingers crossed!), I find myself reflecting on all that happened during the pandemic, and the word that...
8/15/2021 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Principles of Generous People
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Besides the obvious benefit of leaving a positive mark on someone’s life, current research tells us that living generously leads to happier, healthier, more fulfilled lives with...
8/8/2021 • 44 minutes, 19 seconds
The Seasons of Your Life
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis Change is hard, isn’t it? I still remember the day when my business partner came in and announced that he was going to resign to pursue a...
8/1/2021 • 47 minutes, 36 seconds
Disguises and Our Need to Belong
Speaker: Vince Klassen and Alessandra Enns What does it feel like to belong? Or maybe the more common feeling is rejection – the feeling like we don’t belong? The famous...
7/25/2021 • 38 minutes, 37 seconds
Money…it’s Complicated
Speaker: Trevor Dreher The journey towards adulthood seems to come with many expectations surrounding how and where we spend our money. For example, the purchase of an engagement ring should...
7/18/2021 • 25 minutes, 55 seconds
Pharrell Williams on How to De-Stress after a Pandemic
Speaker: Vince Klassen It’s finally here, whether we are ready for it or not, the lifting of the pandemic restrictions. For some, it couldn’t come soon enough, for others, it...
7/11/2021 • 43 minutes, 25 seconds
Quiet Minds
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis How many moments do you get in a day or a week or perhaps for some, even a month, when you feel light, peaceful, and stress-free? When...
7/4/2021 • 46 minutes, 47 seconds
Breaking Bad and Whose Car Can We Light on Fire?
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we end our teaching season (we start in July and end in June every year) we wanted to explore the idea of our Spiritual Endgame. We...
6/27/2021 • 38 minutes, 19 seconds
Your Spiritual Endgame
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis The end game/goal of my spiritual journey is_______________________. How would you answer this question? In the circles I grew up in, the number one answer probably would...
6/20/2021 • 37 minutes, 54 seconds
True Crime: Joseph
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we take a few weeks to go deeper into topics or stories that we covered this year, I want to take you deeper into the story...
6/13/2021 • 39 minutes, 29 seconds
Finding Your People
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I believe one of the great human experiences is to have people in our lives who we can experience meaningful connection with. To have someone we can...
6/6/2021 • 45 minutes, 45 seconds
A Path to Spirituality
Speaker: Vince Klassen People often ask us, “What’s the end game of this spirituality thing?” Where are we trying to get? We get it, in an age when there is so...
5/30/2021 • 44 minutes, 7 seconds
Grudge
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis If there is one thing that we can be pretty much assured of in life, it’s that we’re going to get hurt. Many of us already have been. Broken...
5/23/2021 • 35 minutes, 35 seconds
Stepping Out of the Cage
Speaker: Vince Klassen As we explore what it looks like to Become a person of deep spirituality, we start to ask the question: Where are we on our journey? Are you...
5/16/2021 • 33 minutes, 38 seconds
“Trickster”
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis I love good deals! The thrill of spotting something valuable that the seller underestimated or being able to negotiate a “winning” price – these kinds of experiences...
5/9/2021 • 50 minutes, 38 seconds
Sitting Shiva with Sadness
Speaker: Vince Klassen In the famous video for the 1990 smash hit Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O’Connor expresses the sadness of a breakup. But she does more than that…...
5/2/2021 • 38 minutes, 15 seconds
Why are you so afraid?
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis So first a personal confession… throughout our marriage, I have often been annoyed by Cathy’s sense of caution. From the need to always lock doors, or to drive...
