Pilgrim Church

Escaping Pharaoh’ Grind: Freedom for Faithfulness with Josh Liem

Exodus 1-4

We’re beginning a new sermon series in the book of Exodus: a story of deliverance, power, and formation that shaped Jesus’ own vision of God’s kingdom. Exodus invites us to ask not only what we long to be freed from, but what we are being freed for. Join us as we explore the God who hears the cry of the oppressed and forms a people who reflect His character in the world.

A Whisper in Herod’s Winter: Christmas as Clandestine Hope with Guest Dr. Mark Glanville

Matthew 2:1-12

As we journey through the Christmas season and anticipate Epiphany, we will spend time with the Magi in Matthew chapter 2. We will ask: what is the emotion, the tone of Christmas, in the stories themselves? Christmas is joyful, but it is not the full-blooded victory celebration of Easter Sunday. Rather the incarnation is whispered into the night. After all, the wise men slinked away, undercover, for fear of Herod. Christmas is a clandestine celebration. How can we enter into 2026 in this spirit? How can we journey into the coming year alert to the harmful ways of Herod, while whispering and embodying a different way?

Revealing Our Hidden Idols with Felix Chan

Matthew 4:1-11

This week we’ll close the year by looking at Jesus’ testing in the wilderness and how it exposes the idols we often carry - performance, approval, and control. Through Scripture and story, we’ll reflect honestly on the past year and discover how God meets us in the places we feel most challenged or overwhelmed. As we step into a new year, we’ll explore what it means to live grounded in God's enduring love and acceptance.

Christmas Eve - Meditation with Josh Liem

Christmas Eve service was Wednesday, December 24th from 5:30-6:30pm. This was a combined service with Zion, and was an evening service of carols, candles, community, and the Christmas story.

The God Who Enters the Dark with Josh Liem

Psalm 80, Isaiah 7:10-16, Matthew 1:18-25

On the longest night of the year, the final Sunday of Advent invites us to stop running from the darkness and to sit in it, with our doubts, fears, and longing. The ancient cry of Psalm 80, "Restore us, O Lord," echoes through King Ahaz's failure, Joseph's quiet obedience, and our own prayers for a world still waiting. Yet God's answer isn't a plan to extract us from the darkness, but rather to enter into it: Emmanuel, God with us.

For reflection & discussion:

1. What's one thing you're looking forward to this Christmas season, and one thing you're finding hard about it?

2. Joseph receives a word from God that doesn't remove the scandal or suffering—it just asks for obedience. Have you ever felt called to obey God even when it didn't make your life easier?

3. The sermon says, "God's answer to 'Restore us' is not to get us out of the darkness, but to enter into it himself." How does that change what you expect from God in difficult times?

4. Isaiah tells Ahaz that a pregnancy in wartime is a sign of hope. Why is caring for the vulnerable an act of trust in God?  Who are the vulnerable you may be called to care for?

Tidings of Comfort and Joy with Joshua Liem

Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10

Gaudete Sunday invites us into the strange Advent tension of joy in the midst of darkness.  We will explore how Scripture teaches us to find joy not by escaping suffering but by paying attention: to creation rejoicing, to John the Baptist waiting in prison, and to the patient hope of the prophets. Come discover how attentive presence with God and one another opens us to a deeper, surprising joy in this season.

Q&R Sunday with Pastor Josh, Jess, and AI Jesus

Join us for a special Q&R (Questions & Responses) this Sunday during our regular service times! Our two pastors will be joined by a special guest — an AI chatbot — for a lively and thoughtful conversation about faith, life, and your big questions. This is your chance to ask what’s been on your mind — from theology to everyday faith practice — and hear honest, engaging responses from both human and digital perspectives.

We’ll also be sharing a potluck meal together during the service, so please bring a dish to share and come a little early to help us get set up. We’re looking forward to a warm morning of food, fellowship, and worship together!

The Word That Changed the World with Guest Dave Mohr, BCBA Executive Minister

Luke 2:8-14

In the middle of fear, chaos, and the unknown, heaven delivered a single word to the world: peace. But what did that word truly mean then - and what does it mean for us now? Whether rediscovering, or discovering for the first time, this one word changed everything then - and it can do the same for you now. Come experience the peace only Jesus can give.

Before becoming the executive minister for the BCBA, Dave served as the pastor of an NAB church in Calgary, Alberta. Having been married since 1991, he and his wife, Kim, have three adult children. Though he has been geographically displaced fan for some time, Dave is a life-long Edmonton Oilers fan.

You’re Invited!... to Stand Together with Joshua Liem

Ephesians 6:10-24

We're wrapping up Ephesians with Paul's famous "armour of God" passage.  Teaser: this isn't about simply your personal spiritual protection or mobilizing for culture wars, but rather a source of meditation for growing your imagination and vocation in life.

You’re Invited!..  To Walk in Wisdom with Joshua Liem

Ephesians 5:15-6:9

This Sunday, we're tackling one of Paul's most controversial and misinterpreted texts: the household codes in Ephesians 5-6.  We'll explore how this ancient wisdom literature was actually radical for its time, why context matters desperately when lives are at stake, and what it means to be filled with the Spirit rather than following magic formulas. (Spoiler: Paul isn't giving us a one-size-fits-all blueprint for family life.)