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In our community of faith at Emmanuel we have been on a journey of renewal. It has been hard at times. There is a lot to celebrate and there has been pain to deal with. Through it all, God has been gracious and teaching us that the process of transformation takes a lifetime and He calls us forward into an adventure of discovery in an ever changing culture. How do we adapt to that ever changing culture in a way that remains faithful to Jesus and yet recognizes that 'old ways' of doing things don't work anymore? That was the main topic of our leadership conference this past April. At that conference there was a beautiful piece of art created that looks to the past, sees the present but also looks to the future, much the way Abraham did when he responded to God's call to move to a new land that God would show him. We are still on the way. We have not arrived yet. The adventure continues.

As we come to the end of our study on Jesus the Good Shepherd we address what good leadership looks like. You may be thinking, 'I'm not a leader, I'm just an ordinary church-goer. What does this have to do with me?' Well, you are a leader. In your home, in your marriage, in your work place etc . . . You may not have a title but you do have and can have influence and so the way you exercise that influence is critically important. So, while 1 Peter 5.1-5 does address leaders in the Church, there are important principles for all of us as we seek to live our lives in a way that honours Jesus. See you Sunday!

We have seen Jesus declare himself to be the Good Shepherd through His actions. He feeds five thousand plus people. He chooses compassion over violence and revenge when His cousin John is beheaded. He teaches the people many things, leading them in righteous paths. He stills the waters and leads the disciples to the other side of the sea of Galilee. These are right out of Psalm 23 and demonstrate that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. But now Matthew introduces another element, the element of danger and death for those who stray away from or refuse Jesus. There is a great mystery here in Matthew 18.10-14 but we are also given great comfort in Jesus the Good Shepherd.

This morning we have Pastor Steve Boctor leading us in worship. Steve is an author on parenting and has over 20 years of experience in leadership and speaking. He has a passion to challenge people of all ages and cultures to reach their fullest potential in Christ. Steve is married and has 2 teenagers and has been a Lead Pastor for 10 years. He is preaching on Isaiah 29:13-14a. The message is entitled "What Does the Heart of Worship Look Like?"

In our tradition we say that the practice of the sacraments, communion and baptism, are dramatic presentations of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Jesus practiced this tradition long before us as His actions are often dramatic presentations that declare who He is and what He came to do. We see this worked out in Mark 6. As we look at those events, we are going to see Jesus' work as the Good Shepherd relating to the events in Israel's history, picking up the themes of Psalm 23 and reframing our future in Jesus Christ. It may be a tall order, so read ahead in Mark 6:7-52 and let's come prepared to hear God speak to us.