November 26: Waiting. Watch kids the night before Christmas and they can’t wait till the sun rises. The Advent season is just days away. Yet for the first Christmas, there was a period of 400 years of silence since God’s last word from his prophet Malachi. In our days, we feel like we’re still waiting. Let’s discover together what it means to actively wait.

sermon: Waiting … and Waiting (Isaiah 8:16-17) with Rev. Alvin Lau

November 19: One of the great truths of Christianity is that we are saved by grace. This message helps us to enter into what it means to live in this grace. In another story Jesus tells, he prepares us to live in light of what Jesus has done, is doing, and what he will do in the future. Are we investing well with the gifts he has given to us?

sermon: Invested? (Matthew 25:14-30) with Pastor Jim Sanderson

November 12: Jesus told many parables pointing to his return. His emphasis was on how to live now in light of the coming future. Are we prepared?  We are a community of Christ sharing Christ with our communities, declaring, and demonstrating the here and coming Kingdom of God.

Ready or Not? (Matthew 25:1-13) with Pastor Jim

November 5: This is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We need this reminder to pray for our suffering sisters and brothers. Living in a safe and prosperous country should not insulate us from the rest of the Body of Christ. When one-part hurts, we all hurt. We come humbly today before our God.

Humility (Matthew 23:1-12) by Rev. Jim Sanderson

October 29: A missing ingredient in a recipe, a skipped instruction or an incomplete understanding can have unfortunate effects. Jesus gives some inquisitive Pharisees some information they were lacking. This adventure in learning is for us too.

sermon: Greatness? (Matthew 22:34-46) by Rev. Jim Sanderson

October 22: We’re going to look at a story where Jesus flips a coin. It’s heads. He then gives a very simple teaching that helps us to understand what it means to live as citizens of earth and citizens of heaven.

sermon: My Allegiance is to? (Matthew 22:15 – 22) by Rev. Jim Sanderson

October 15: Are you invited? No one wants to be left off the guest list to a very important banquet. Everyone else you know is invited, but are you? Not everyone will attend. Some may even be asked to leave. Does today’s message have good news, bad news, or both?

sermon: Heads or Tails? (Matthew 22:1-14) by Rev. Jim Sanderson

October 8: This is a day set aside for gratitude. We are called upon to give thanks. We’re going to look at Psalm 100 often used as a call to worship. In it we are invited to enter his gates with Thanksgiving. We have been given much. Let us give thanks to God and to one another. This service will take place in three movements.

Shout. Know. Pray. (Psalm 100:1-5) with Rev. Jim Sanderson

October 1: Sometimes the best answer to a question is another question. This is often how Jesus responded to those trying to trap him. His questions forced self reflection about truth and response. Jesus graciously prods belief from the skeptical. A very warm welcome to all. We are a community of Christ sharing Christ with our communities, declaring, and demonstrating the here and coming Kingdom of God.

Sermon: Questions? (Matthew 21:23-32) with Rev. Jim Sanderson

September 24: We live in an un-even world of haves and have nots, of winners and losers, of popular and not so popular. Society rewards the best, the talented, the attractive and the privileged. Some of us will be put in a different category. In such a society we don’t feel as good about ourselves as we could or should. It is different in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is about grace not reward. Jesus says, the last shall be first and the first shall be last. What could this mean?

sermon: About Grace (Matthew 20:1-16) with Rev. Jim Sanderson

September 17: Where do you see yourself in our Mimico Baptist family? Whether you’re just joining us or you’ve been here for a while, we believe that God has a place for you here. We’ll take a bird’s eye view of how Mimico Baptist functions, and perhaps you might see a place where you can serve.

sermon: Your Mimico Place (1 Corinthians 12) with guest speaker Rev. Alvin Lau

September 10: What is the first word that comes into your head when you hear the word, Christian?  It would be interesting to get your answers but even more interesting to get the answers from people in our communities. Jesus once said to his disciples that the world would know we are Christians by our love.  The passage we look at today brings us to what we are about. 

sermon: About Love (Romans 13:8-14) with Rev. Jim Sanderson

Don’t forget to bring your communion elements.

September 3: This weekend is that moment between the unofficial end of summer and the start of a “new year”. In these moments, it’s good for us to reflect back in the moments where we’ve seen God at work (and perhaps the moments we’ve missed), moments of celebration and of regrets, and to look towards where God is taking us forward. This is a service for all ages to bring these prayers before God together with guest speaker Rev. Alvin Lau.

August 27: From time to time, it’s good to stop and take stock of our lives. To look back at God’s hand in our lives. To see how we’ve responded to His hand. Sometimes we respond faithfully; other times in disobedience. We join in this moment in history with Nehemiah and the time of prayer and reflection they had, and how it can extend to us today.

Life Stories in Prayer (Nehemiah 9:6-7, 19-20) with guest speaker Rev. Alvin Lau

August 20: We just completed our second week of space camp. Thank you to our hired staff and the volunteers who have done a great job. The story of Joseph’s life is one of dreams, dashed and realized, accusations, prison, power and so much more. The ups and downs of his life are as dramatic as the biggest roller coaster at Wonderland. One wonders how it will play out and why. We finally have the big reveal in chapter 45 when Joseph speaks to his brothers.

sermon: Mysterious Ways (Genesis 45:1-15)

August 13: Heading into the unknown can sometimes be both exhilarating and fear-inducing. So how do we deal with it when we walk into the unknown? We’ve delve into this often-quoted passage in what our response to fear can be.

That Which Must Be Named (Philippians 4:4-9) with special guest speaker Rev. Alvin Lau

August 6: This is the place, and this is the time. Here and now God waits to break into our experience: To change our minds, to change our lives, to change our ways. To make us see the world and the whole of life in a new light. To fill us with hope and joy and certainty for the future. This is the place, as are all places, and this is the time, as are all times. Here and now, let us praise God!

The Significance of Insignificant Women! (Shiphrah and Puah, Naaman’s slave girl, and Rhoda) (selected passages)
special guest speaker: Jan Thomas 

July 30: We just completed our first week of space camp. Our hired staff and the volunteers did a great job. In this service, we are looking at a gem of a passage of scripture, plump full of good news. The context for the good news is a time of severe trial.

Sermon: Secure (Romans 8:26-39)Pastor Jim

July 23: “Omnipresent” – a big word meaning “present everywhere at the same time”. It’s an attribute we use to describe God. Yet the impact of this concept can reach many different levels. Through this psalm of David, we’ll explore both the heights and depths of this in our lives.

sermon: U R There (Psalm 139:7-10) with guest speaker Rev Alvin Lau

July 16: What does God think? What’s his thought process? Sometimes we tell God what we think he should think. We think we know best. Perhaps there’s much more we’re not seeing. We look to the prophet Isaiah to reveal something different for us.

sermon: Imminently Everlasting (Isaiah 55:8-13) with guest speaker Rev Alvin Lau

July 9: We have some good news for anyone looking for a rest. Our passage highlights a lot of the problems evident in our world and calls our attention to Jesus as a better direction. Unfortunately, some people put more energy into finding reasons not to believe in Jesus than in investigating the reasons why they should believe in Jesus. Some of the very things that keep someone from understanding Jesus also keep them from finding satisfaction and rest. Jesus is calling. Sermon: Give Me a Break (Matthew 11:16-30)

July 2: The story and history of Canada is wild, inspiring, violent, adventurous, and so much more. It is the land we now call home, and we pray that God would indeed ‘keep our land’. We look at a shocking passage from Genesis. Following the story of Abraham and God’s promise to him this event has us questioning just about everything. There is a promise in the passage it helps us to understand it’s important place in scripture and in history.

Sermon: Is This Crazy? – Genesis 22:1-19

June 25: A number of individuals will be declaring their faith in obedience to Christ through the waters of baptism. What takes place here is a sign of hope in a world with much distress. Together we declare the good news that, Jesus is Lord.

Sermon: Baptism – Romans 6:1-11; Matthew 3:13-17

June 18: Have you ever been that one child who was lost somewhere like a mall? A moment of panic sets in. All these noises and you’re frozen, unable to move … until you hear a familiar voice. That voice brings a sense of hope, of knowing you’re not alone. On this day, while we celebrate those who are dads and dad-like figures in our lives, we come to hear the ONE voice who is our Shepherd.

sermon: Promised Coverage (John 10:27-30) with guest speaker Rev. Alvin Lau

June 11: Where to go? (Genesis 12:1-4; John 3:1-17) To get to where we need to be we have to take an unexpected route. For Abraham to be at home in the promises of God he had to leave the known and head into the unknown.  Nicodemus would find his way into the Kingdom of God via the womb of new birth. God has a place for you and a way to get there. Ready for a step of faith? Today we also consider how this promise is carried forward by the next generations.

June 4: Our God is a perfect unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This Triune God brought about the world, entered the world, and is at work to save the world.

Sermon:  Trinity (Genesis 1:1-4; Matthew 28:16-20)

May 28:

It was on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection, that the Holy Spirit came dramatically upon the church. This explosion of love and power moved a people to actions of grace and courage. The wind of the Spirit still moves the hearts and lives of people. Get ready to move. 

sermon: Wind and Fire (Acts 2:1-21)

May 21: In the Christian calendar, today is Ascension Sunday. Before leaving for the heavenly realm, Jesus promised to empower his followers to be his witnesses in the earthly realm. They would be given a global mission.

May 14: On this Mother’s Day, several memories may come to mind, whether it’s about your own mother or others who have been mother-figures in your life. Jesus uses a similar reference in how he saw the people in Jerusalem in his final days before his crucifixion … and how he also sees us. Whatever your age, we join together in worship of Jesus and be covered in prayer under Him. (from Matthew 23:37)

Guest speaker: Rev. Alvin Lau

May 7: Do you trust Jesus? Trust, sometimes we call it faith or belief. What does it mean to trust Jesus and what does it look like? In a time of crisis, Jesus says to his disciples, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, and trust also in me.”

April 30: Scripture consistently encourages us to share the stories of God, his praiseworthy deeds and wondrous truths. It is through these stories both from Scripture and from each other that we see the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. In this service, we will hear stories from three of our board directors. Together, with the kids staying for our service, let’s listen and to see what is the golden thread that weaves these stories in unity. We will collaborate and discover God’s message for us.

Guest speaker: Rev. Alvin Lau

April 23: Together we continue to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Please don’t live as if the resurrection did not happen. In Christ, we are raised to new life. This is a transformative event that we participate in.

April 16: The week after Easter is a good time to reflect on what difference it makes for us and the world that Jesus rose from the dead. 

April 9: Today we celebrate in word and song, the account of the great love of Christ for the world. This great love finds its focus on every person. May you be counted among the friends that Jesus gives his life for and to.

April 2: Welcome to our Palm Sunday Service. Great crowds of people came out to wave palm branches and celebrate the coming of Jesus as their king. Today we join this celebration and welcome Jesus to be our Saviour King.

March 26: Our team who served in the Dominican Republic returns to share their experiences of what God is doing uniquely at the Lighthouse Project and lessons learned for home. From here, where will Jesus take us? We’ll have a time of reflection, celebration and consideration of the lessons Jesus taught this team and is teaching us.

March 19: Sermon: Eyes to See – 1 Samuel (16:1-13) , Psalm 23, Ephesians (5:8-14), John (9:1-41)

With the surprise anointing of David as king came with new possibilities. David knew that to be the shepherd of God’s people, God had to be his shepherd. Years later, Jesus has come as the new Davidic King, as the good shepherd, to unleash even greater possibilities.

March 5: 3 Thoughts from the Word – Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34), Bread (John 6:47-51), Cup (Matthew 26:27-29) Mimico Baptist Church celebrates communion (also known the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist) on the first Sunday of the month. Together along with our Mandarin fellowship and our kids, we’ll explore deeper about the significance of communion as those of us who follow Jesus receive the elements.

February 26: I Confess (Matthew 4:1-11, Psalm 32, Romans 5:1-11) Today is the first Sunday in Lent. This is a season of reflection and repentance as we move toward Easter weekend. We look at the confession prayer of David paired with the story of the temptation of Christ. Jesus was victorious over temptation when we so often fail. What of the victory of Christ can be ours?  

February 19: Glorious! (Exodus 24:12-18, Matthew 17:1-9) A mountain top experience can be transformative. Who doesn’t want a taste of glory. We would love to stay there, but the reality is that live is often lived in the valleys. Can we take some glory with us? 

February 12: A Matter of Life and Death (Deuteronomy 30:15-2) Something that is a matter of life and death demands full and immediate attention. What so many push to the margins of their lives really should be central. What if it is the most important matter of our lives. We are invited to a high priority decision.

February 5: Holding on (Psalm 112) When life’s ride gets rough, we need to hold on. Walking the narrow road doesn’t leave much room for error. Difficulties or a crisis can knock us off balance. Sometimes we fall. We hold on to God and to each other only to discover that we are being held by God. 

January 29: What God Wants (Micah 6:1-8, Matthew 5:1-12) The relationship between God and his people is not quite what it should be. Both sides are trying to determine what the other wants. The misunderstanding is clarified when God lays out what he would like from his people. Jesus rephrases the same ideas in the Sermon on the Mount. This is a good time for some self examination and focus. What God wants is good for us and for the world. 

January 22: 103rd Anniversary Service – Faithfulness in Ordinary Time (Hebrews 3) – Guest speaker is Jennifer Lau, Executive Director of Canadian Baptist Ministries. Jennifer has traveled across Canada and to many countries around the world, seeking to connect Canadian Baptists to the people CBM serves globally. Her passion is to help people situate their own faith journeys within the global community and encourage them to faithfully follow Jesus into the world. She has served with CBM since 2002.  Jennifer is married to Chun and they have two children.  This day is also Chinese New Year, so this will be a triple celebration. 

January 15: Behold the Lamb (John 1:29-42) – Jesus has many names and titles including, the Christ, Immanuel, Son of God and Son of David. When John the Baptist introduced Jesus to his disciples, he gave a new and very significant title. He called him the Lamb of God. This peculiar name carries incredible significance. It is a name that helps us understand what he would do to secure our salvation.