Sunday Worship

Come and Find Rest

Matthew 11:16–19, 25–30

Life has a way of leaving us weary. The demands of work, family, responsibilities, and uncertainty can weigh heavily on our hearts. In Matthew 11:16–19, 25–30, Jesus extends a simple yet life-changing invitation: "Come to me... and I will give you rest."

This rest is more than physical refreshment. It is the deep peace that comes from trusting Christ, laying down our burdens, and walking with Him. Jesus reminds us that His way is marked by gentleness, grace, and hope, offering strength for every season of life.

Join us this Sunday as we explore what it means to accept Christ's invitation and discover the rest our souls were created to find.

Whether you are a longtime member, a first-time visitor, or simply curious about faith, you are warmly invited to worship with us. Together, we will gather to praise God, hear His Word, and be encouraged by the promise of His abiding presence.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Next week's Children's Time

In preparation for children’s time on Sunday, July 12, here is a little background:

God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants..., fruit trees of every variety.... And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.   ~ Gen. 2. 11, 12, 31

The earth is the lord’s and all that is in it.   ~Psalm. 24.1a.

The tall trees in the greenwood.

The meadows where we play.

The rushes by the water.

We gather every day.

All things bright and beautiful.

All creatures great and small.

All things wise and wonderful.

The Lord, God made them all.

We have come to understand that God is our Maker, the Creator of the whole integrated biosphere in which we live. All life has something in common: we are created.

The story we will hear comes from Annette LeBox and artist Crystal Smith. It is based on an amazing discovery that was made by one of the scholars at UBC’s forestry faculty. It is a discovery that helps us all understand both trees and God, just a little bit better. Here is Ms. LeBox’s introduction to the story- Science can build our faith, rather than destroy it.

For many years, foresters believed that trees competed for food, water and nutrients. Yet Suzanne Simard’s scientific research pushed against that very idea. She proved that forest ecosystems are cooperative.

Mother trees, the largest and oldest trees in the forest, connect with mycorrhizal fungi beneath the earth. The fungi and the trees help each other out. Fungi wrap themselves around the tree roots to form an underground communication network that Simard calls the Wood Wide Web. Mother trees use these fungal threads as pathways to send sugar to their younger trees. Fungi send nutrients from the soil to the trees. In return, mother trees feed fungi sugar.  (You can read more about aspen trees here.)

Dr. Simard proved that trees of different species such as Douglas fir and paper birch loan each other sugars during times when they need varying amounts of energy. In spring and fall, deciduous trees like birch are leafless. Without leaves to absorb sunlight, birches produce little sugar, so firs share their excess sugar.

In summer, the leafy birches return the favour by sharing sugar with firs. In a mixed forest, the shaded firs must compete with leafy trees for sunlight, therefore they produce less sugar. Cooperation among trees leads to a healthier forest.

Although Dr. Simard proved that fir and birch trade sugar, other scientists are looking to see how common this is in other species.