Gratitude: Play Now | Download

Dave DiSabatino

Gratitude, has it been so long that we have forgotten how to be thankful? Have we forgotten what this virtue represents? Join us as we learn to restore this forgotten virtue.

 

 Jump Start - Pt.3: Play Now | Download

Jessica DiSabatino

When it comes to your spiritual life have you ever felt like you were in a car that just wouldn’t start?  In this series we want to give you the tools to accelerate your spiritual growth.  Over four weeks we are going to look at the book of Acts and challenge ourselves to grow in strength and power like we never have before.

 

 Ordinary Me - Pt. VI: Play Now | Download

Jessica Di Sabatino

The Bible is full of fascinating stories-stories that inspire us and encourage us.  But the reality is all the people playing the leading roles in these stories were extremely ordinary, flawed and damaged like we are.  Join us as we examine how God will use ordinary you & ORDINARY ME to accomplish the extraordinary.

How many of us like the feeling of accomplishing something on our own. To go it alone and conquer the unconquerable! I think it comes from our first time tying our own shoelaces or riding our bike without training wheels. We get praise for doing things on our own. We are encouraged to do things on our own. And if we are not doing something on our own at least let us be the one offering help. It’s funny to me how most of us love to help people but almost all of have learned to despise receiving assistance. To show any size of weakness is rejected by society. We learn at a young age to not ask for help. Unfortunately, I’m no different, I love doing things all by myself. I love the accolades that I get. Where people will stop and say WOW you did that! (I know, I know, I am painting a pretty prideful picture of myself!) The only problem that we see with this is, its not how God has designed us, as His church, to function. God brings us together to share in the community of His people and ultimately to bring Him glory through it! We are not the ultimate be all and end all in life. Paul tells us in Galatians 6, that we should stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed, to share those burdens. It is not talking about helping out with ‘backpack burdens’. Those are the burdens that we are meant to carry individually. Paul is referring to ‘boulder burdens’; these are loads, like a huge boulder, that no one was meant to carry alone. Just picture a small or even average size person trying to walk down the road maneuvering this large unmovable rock. It is impossible! But when friends and family join in the struggle, the once unmovable boulder now is easily moved. Likewise, when one of those who assisted finds themselves in a similar situation, they should not be too prideful to reach out and receive assistance. The sad thing is that in rejecting help we let others know that we are the ultimate and have no need for them to be a part of our lives. Just think about the last time your offer to help was rejected. It makes you feel unwanted and unneeded, unvalued.

In life most of us get to a place where we need friends, mentors or someone to be there to help us. When we hit the bottom we all need people to help us through that time. The problem arises when we haven’t taken the time to build community. That causes us to scramble to find someone, but because we have discouraged his or her previous offers to help, there is no one around to help carry your load. The fact remains; we need each other, and there is no way to get around it.

Proverbs tells us that ‘for the lack of guidance nations falls, but many advisers make victory sure’. When we live on our own and don’t allow anyone to help us we set ourselves up for failure (don’t get mad at me, I’m just telling you what the Bible says). The question I would leave you with is: whom are you allowing in your life to both help and whom you can help?

Alex

Its funny to me that the word community has replaced the word church in meeting a place where people are welcome and loved. Even writing this blog today I started with the title The Importance of Church, as I finished typing the five letters my mind began to think of how people would interpret a message on a church website about the importance of the church. So I changed the word to community. However, between you and I the true title should be The Importance of The Church and not just Liberty Church, but the importance of the Church as a whole.

In Awaken Youth Sunday school I had a student ask me a question about the importance of going to church. If someone gave their heart to God but didn’t go to church would they go to heaven? The simple and quick answer is ‘yes’, but I believe, and as I am in ministry longer, I understand going to church is not about just making it to heaven but it is about living a full and mature life in Christ. Now this may be a new way looking at church for some people, but in reality it is an old way of looking at church. In 1Corinthains 12, Paul tells us that the Church is a body. Wow! What a picture. Not a building, but a body and we all play a different role. We learn and grow with and from each other. If one part of the body is missing, the whole body suffers. If one person is missing from church, the whole community suffers.

I have had many conversations with people in regards to the need to attend and get involved at their local church. Many times people have all kinds of excuses why they just don’t fit in or they don’t like it. The problem is that down the road those are the same people that have fallen away from God and don’t understand why. Am I saying that all people that don’t go to church aren’t serving God, no, but I am saying that in my experience when people distance themselves from church they quickly become distanced from God. So, why is this? I believe it is because the church is meant to be body not individuals but a group of people that love and care about each other. When we share our triumphs and struggles we learn and grow with each other. When we feel weak or strong we can help encourage each other.

Here is the bottom line if you desire more of God, then in part, the answer is begin to attend and get involved at your local church. Spend time with the people God created. Become a self-less listening ear. Or a shoulder to cry on. Or some one to shout for joy with! Maybe you feel this is a sales pitch from a pastor looking for more people to attend his church. The reality is that yes I am a pastor but the sales pitch is for Jesus and for people to be transformed by His incredible presences! I leave you with this quote “ in five years you will be the same person you are today except the people you know and the books you read”. So the question is, who is influencing you?

With another year behind us it’s time to celebrate!  Each year the staff at Liberty takes some time out to let our Volunteers know how much they are appreciated.  It goes without saying that with only 7 staff members it would be impossible to do what God has called each one of us to do without the dedicated volunteers that make it happen week after week.  Our team is looking forward to throwing a party for our volunteers that have spent many hours over the past year tirelessly giving of themselves to serve others!

To have over 70% of our church members actively involved in a ministry exemplifies the sense of community that Liberty is all about.  The passion that each one of our volunteers serves with is an absolute amazing testimony of how through Christ people from every different walk of life can truly come together for His glory.

When was the last time you volunteered?  Not the kind of volunteering that is done out of guilt, or because you owe someone a favour.  Volunteering is really about giving - doing something to benefit someone else, with no expectations of anything in return.  When those are the reasons behind why you volunteer, you feel blessed.  So if you haven’t volunteered (for the right reasons) lately, find somewhere to get connected and make the most of the experience.  If you’re interested in volunteering at Liberty we’d love to have you on our team, so click here to sign-up now.

Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough sometimes, but I’ll say it again “Thank You” to every volunteer out there that is doing their part to make a difference!

Nina

 

 The Year of Joy part 1: Play Now | Download

Jess Di Sabatino

Our Declaration as a church over 2010 is the Year of JOY.

Join us as we discover joy in the midst of struggles, chaos,

and confusion as we study the book of Philippians

 

 Can You See Him Part 2: Play Now | Download

Dave DiSabatino

Daily life usually sets us on a path that’s almost robotic and we forget to see God in all things-the GOOD-the TRAGIC, or even the MUNDANE. Think of your day today. Did you see Him in your kid’s laughter, the homeless person on the corner, or even the papers you stapled? He was there. Join Liberty as we discover how to see God in everything.

WOW!  The CNE is closing & summer holidays are coming to an end, but it is an exciting season for many getting ready for back-to-school.  We had a fantastic time last week serving our community by giving away backpacks filled with school supplies to students entering JK - Gr. 8.  It was a wonderful experience and I can say for sure that there are 169 students who are very well prepared for school this year!

Although this amazing outreach was initiated by Liberty we really couldn’t have done it on our own.  Many of the bags, along with some of the supplies were generously donated by another church, Bethel Pentecostal Assembly in Goderich.  There was also a substantial donation of supplies received from Hilroy Canada, thanks to arrangements made by one of their employees, Rob Sutton.  To be truthfully honest the afternoon of packing bags, making hot dogs, and serving our community really would not have been successful without the numerous volunteers (too many to name here) that offered to help.

So thank you to everyone for all your efforts (big & small) in making the B2SB 2009 a tremendous event!  Hope to have you all join us again next year.  Also if you have any suggestions on how we can make it even better feel free to leave a comment - would love to hear from you.

Nina

So recently I have been spending a lot of my office hours in Starbucks.  I like the atmosphere, the free samples and obviously the coffee.  What I have been surprised at is the number of regulars who come to Starbucks on a daily basis - just to hang out.  For some reason I thought this kind of coffee shop camraderie only happened on shows like Seinfield of Cheers, but right here in Toronto is a reality show waiting to happen.  

When I first realized how many regulars there were I have to admit that I sort of disdained them - thinking “don’t these people work?”  - “can’t they pipe down - can’t they see I’m TRYING to work”, but the more I sat near them and heard their thoughts and dreams and fears- the more I realized that what these people were craving was authentic community.  A place where they can hear and be heard by others.  

And this got me thinking - when God was creating the church I wonder if he really had more of Starbucks atmosphere in mind.  I wonder if he was thinking that church would be place where not only was his name lifted up - but it would be a place where people could come to hear and be heard….I kind of think so.  In Galatians 6:2 Paul is talking to a group of believers and he is talks about how they interact.  Here is what he said,”

” Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

This is an amazing verse because it reminds me that my job as a Christian is to help carry the burden’s and problems of others.  This is not an option.  

For the past two years - our church has given out a Starbucks breakfast before our Sunday gathering - part of the reason for this is that we want to create an atmosphere were we learn to carry each other’s stuff.  Where we learn about each other’s dreams and struggles and where we engage in authentic community.  Our prayer is that when people come and join our community for the first time that they will sense that we are more than just a cultural expression of religion, but that we are a place where the God-given craving for true relationship can be fulfilled.  

enjoying my Starbucks, 

jess