This Sunday we read from Matthew a pair of pericopes (sections of Scripture) that seem like they aren’t meant to be read together. But when we read them together, we gain interesting insight into the person of Jesus. This section poses a challenge to those who purport Jesus to be perfect and fair in all situations. Indeed, immediately after imploring listeners to be ‘of right heart’, he uses a racial slur and reveals a bias within himself. Many readers today find this to be highly relatable, as we all seek to be kind and just – not only in our words and actions but in our hearts and minds too.

Please note that our Sunday Service begins at 10:30. You are warmly invited to gather with us from 10:15 am, in our Sanctuary or online, for a time of musical reflection.

SingYourJoy’s Emerge Choir is a non-auditioned, affordable community choir for youth aged 9 to 15 years (should be turning 10 by December 31). Through weekly rehearsals and several performance opportunities during the year, these young people learn musical and life skills. They learn to cooperate as a group, encouraging and motivating each other to reach their potential. Singers learn vocal technique, music reading skills, solfege, and performance and listening skills.

Register for our Fall 2026 Season

This week, James Bay Community Project introduced Social Prescribing through their new Community Connector. This program, designed for people aged 55+, helps bridge the gap between clinical and social care by connecting participants with local, non-clinical services and supports.

Social prescribing recognizes that a person’s health is shaped not only by medical care, but also by their connection to and participation in their community.

A Community Connector provides personalized support to participants who need help finding and navigating local resources. Together, they create a wellness plan based on what matters most to each individual and work towards achieving those personal goals.

Community services may include recreation programs, food security support, transportation assistance, social and support groups, wellness and cultural programs, and volunteer opportunities.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Megan Edwards (pictured above) at 250-388-7844 ext. 309 or connector@jbcp.bc.ca.

Our A Taste of Palestine Dinner last Saturday went oh so well — and was oh so full!

We enjoyed a delicious three-course vegetarian Mediterranean dinner and listened to numerous tales and stories from Izzeldin Bukhari, a Palestinian chef from Jerusalem. Among many other things, we learned about the history of falafel, that Canada is the 18th country on Izzeldin’s touring list, and — as we suspected — that his last name comes from the ancient city of Bukhara (in modern-day Uzbekistan), from where his family moved to Jerusalem several centuries ago.

We’re so grateful to Izzeldin, the event organizers, our own Joanne Keelan, and our wonderful Community Lunch volunteers for making this evening happen. A very special thank-you also goes to our local Finest at Sea, who provided server uniforms and dishes and helped us in the kitchen.

And thank you to everyone who joined us! Your donations will support Izzeldin’s peaceful efforts.

Now we’re trying our very best to get the recipes from Izzeldin to share with you — fingers crossed! :)

And if you’d like to see what we had for dinner (and more photos from the evening), check out the photo gallery on our website or Google Drive.