Melville Presbyterian Church Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Guest Speaker: Reverend Don Muir

Scripture: Mark 13:24-37

Advent candles are a part of Christian tradition that serve as a reminder that Jesus Christ came as light into our dark world. The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the “Prophet’s Candle.” The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival. We are to maintain this same hope in our troubled world. 

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Revelation 1:1-8 Celebrating Christ as the King. This day is often called ‘the Feast of Christ the King’. It is a feast day that celebrates the full authority of Christ as King and Lord of the universe.  

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 90:1-8, 12, Deuteronomy 10:12-22, Luke 12:16-21 The parable of the rich fool. Christians are not to devote our lives to gathering and accumulating wealth. What happens to all that wealth when we die? Second, we are not blessed by God when we hoard our wealth. We are blessed when we are a blessing in the lives of others. And, we are blessed when we build the Kingdom of God.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17, Matthew 5:1-12 From a Christian perspective, the Beatitudes teach that believers are blessed even in hard times because they will receive eternity in heaven. Also, we are blessed for having honourable qualities such as being meek, righteous, merciful, pure, and peacemakers. The horrors of war are discussed. 

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, Matthew 22:34-46

Kingdom living vs worldly living. Can we follow the Lord's first and greatest commandment ourselves? Discover how humility and faith in Christ can help us follow the commandments. 

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Isaiah 45:1-7, Matthew 22:15-022 Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. Jesus draws the sharp distinction between the kingdom of the world, and the kingdom of God. Under Caesar, we have certain obligations that involve material things. Under Christ, we have other obligations that involve things eternal. 

Guest Speaker: Mr. Suman Roy, Feed Scarborough Food Bank Scripture: John 6:1-15 Why are so many Canadians using food banks? Learn how Christ fed the hungry, how he feeds our souls with truth and righteousness and how we can help the suffering.  

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 65:1-4, 8-13, Isaiah 5:1-7, Matthew 21:33-46.

In this Thanksgiving season, God teaches us to produce fruits for His kingdom by returning the harvest to Him.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7, Philippians 2:1-18 Paul teaches us that Unity is not a feeling, but a verb, a choice or an action. It is being together as Christians despite our differences. This is the mindset of Jesus that we are to copy.  

Guest Preacher: Lauren Laframboise Scripture: Matthew 11:25-28 In a world of mental and sensory overload, God gives us the tool of rest to cope.  

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Genesis 50:15-21, Matthew 18:21-35 Why is God's gift of forgiveness so hard to accept? This sermon will help us understand how large our debt is to God and the importance of Christ's sacrifice to save us.  

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Jeremiah 29:4-14, Ephesians 4:1-16 What Presbyterians do on Sharing Sunday. 

Guest Preacher: Bruce Compton Scripture: John 6:48-59, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Communion, the Lord's Supper and Eucharist. What are they? Understanding the heart of Christian worship. What does taking communion really mean to us? 

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Understanding the full measure of God. What does this mean to us?

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16 What does it mean when God anoints our heads with oil? Continuing our study of Psalm 23.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-9, Psalm 65

In a divided world, God invites us to sit down, take rest and eat in fellowship with Him. Understanding how to be a guest at God's feast. Take comfort in Psalm 65.

Guest Speaker: Rev Jacob Birch Scripture: Ezra 1, Luke 15:11-32 Do you like do overs in life? God loves us, and gives us restarts if we seek Him. Hear how to feel safe to take your concerns to Jesus.  

Guest Speaker: Phil Cook

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-9, Ephesians 1:3-14

Concluding our series on understanding predestination and free will. Did you know they both coexist in the Bible? God can't be rushed and isn't governed by time. Freewill makes both good and evil possible, all while God is still in control. 

Guest Speaker: Phil Cook

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39

Understanding predestination and free will. Does the 16th century Calvin's understanding of predestination conflict with C.S. Lewis' modern day understanding of free will? What is our current understanding?

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 23, Matthew 19:16-22 Seeking right relationship with God, others and creation. A new way of understanding reconciliation by living and loving as God loves us.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 23, Isaiah 41:8-20 Where do we turn in difficult times? See how Psalm 23 helps us discipline the heart and mind. Scripture gives us comfort, strength, guidance, provision and hope.

Guest Speaker: Ishbel Dimson   Scripture: Isaiah 1:12-18, Matthew 25:31-40 Join us for a week of prayer as we follow the gospel to seek unity by loving and serving others. Giving is a blessing that has to be experienced. 

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: Psalm 23, Luke 7:11-17

Trinity Sunday, the next Sunday after Pentecost observed as a feast in honour of the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. See how God restores our soles and our lives.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: Numbers 11:24-30, Acts 2:1-21

Pentecost - 50 days after Easter. The day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, causing them to speak in tongues. It teaches us to wait upon the Lord.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: Acts 1:1-14, Ephesians 1:15-23

Forty days after the resurrection, Jesus and His disciples went to Mount Olivet, near Jerusalem. There, Jesus promised His followers they would soon receive the Holy Spirit, and He instructed them to remain in Jerusalem until the Spirit had come. Then Jesus blessed them, and as He gave the blessing, He literally and physically ascended to heaven. Jesus instructs us on how to wait on His kingdom.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-12, Psalm 23 All creation is declared to be loved and redeemed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Ephesians reinforces the claim that there is no end to God’s grace. And Psalm 23 tells us we find still waters, peace and rest in the one true God.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 23, Luke 15:1-10 Psalm 23 reveals the Lord is our shepherd and that He provides everything we need. Christ seeks even the one that is lost. Hear how our life with Jesus can overflow with contentment.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

The fellowship of the believers is formed with signs and wonders, breaking bread and prayer. The body of Christ is the church.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Acts 2: 36-41, Luke 24: 13-35 The disciples don't recognize Jesus after his resurrection. Jesus used food to help them and us to see Him, and to be a family of faith. The importance of Christ's words "when you do this remember me".

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Easter Sunday and Christ is Risen. Join us as we continue the Lenten journey. The tomb is empty and "don't be afraid". The good news of Christ's message is that death does not win, fear does not win, so do not be afraid. God will be with us during our wilderness. Fear does not stop God from bringing forth the light. Happy Easter!

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey

The arrest, trial and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ is presented in scripture, reading and song.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21 This is the beginning of the most important week in the church year that leads us to Easter, the most holy day for Christians. It is a time of hope, despair and new hope for believers. Palm Sunday honors the last days of Jesus, his trial, death by crucifixion and His resurrection to life everlasting.  

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: 1 Samuel 25:1-38 This fifth Sunday in Lent marks the beginning of Passiontide, a deeper time of Lent. It is the final Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week. The Liturgy of the Word speaks of re-creation, resurrection, and new life as we experience wilderness.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 107:1-9, Matthew 4:1-11 The first Sunday in Lent. Experiencing spiritual wilderness and God's table that He will set for you.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Psalm 78:1-4, Exodus 16:1-35 The second Sunday in Lent. Can God make a feast in the wilderness? The story of God's gift of manna and quails to the Israelites after they left Egypt.

Reverend Bethany McCaffrey Scripture: Genesis 21:8-21 The third Sunday in Lent. Hagar is cast into the wilderness with her child. See how we are not apart from God in our wilderness, and how God strengtheners us when we search for Him.

Guest Minister: Reverend Don Muir Scripture: Psalm 23, John 9:1-41 The fourth Sunday in Lent. Jesus heals a blind man who didn't ask to be healed. Through scripture, Jesus reveals we are in darkness and we need Him, the giver of sight and light. We must both hear Him and see Him.