KGF Church

Zooming in on Humanity in the Garden

Genesis 2:4-25

The map on your phone allows you to zoom in or out with ease. You can see the whole world or zero in on a street corner - it's pretty amazing! 

What do we notice when we zoom in on humanity? 
We come to Genesis 2:4-25 this Sunday in our adventure in the first book of the Bible and discover the cosmic and universal view of creation in Genesis 1 suddenly narrows to a specific place - a garden - specific trees - a tree of life and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil - and specific people - Adam and Eve. 

We zoom in on us, humanity, in a particular place. What are we to make of Eden?

Well, what are you to make of who you are and where you live and who you share yourself and that place with? 

Now there's a timeless question!

Phil Wagler,
Interim Pastor

And God Said...

Genesis 1:3-2:3

What did your Mom say?
What did your Dad say?
What did the boss say?
What did the teacher say?
What did the celebrity say?
What did the politician say?

Though we don't always like to admit it, we can't deny that it matters a great deal what people with authority say. Isn't it quite amazing that we do many things - positively or negatively - based on the invisible words that come from people we respect or have been granted some position of authority to speak? We especially long to hear people we care about speak and the "silent treatment" is not therapeutic at all! 

We venture further into Genesis 1 this week and discover that God speaks - and that God's speech is powerful and foundational for life and all that is good. What does God say in the beginning? What does he say to us and the world? And why does that still matter?

This is what we'll explore together this week. 

Phil Wagler,
Interim Pastor

Genesis Beginning Again: In the Beginning, God...

Genesis 1:1-3

We're beginning again.

Last week marked day one of another new year, and the rest of your life. 
Every new year begins with hope and expectation, potentially new commitments, and yet it's just another day on a calendar that builds on the many that have come before us.

As a church family we are going to begin 2025 where Scripture begins - in Genesis. Over the next few weeks we'll unpack Genesis 1-12 to ground us and challenge us to understand who God is and what he is calling us to in a new year that is part of an old world. This week we begin with God who was there, in the beginning, and invites us in these days entrusted to us to remember that wherever chaos reigns the Spirit is hovering.

Happy New Beginning!

 

Phil Wagler,
Interim Pastor

In the Face of Power and Evil

Luke 2:1-2; Revelation 12:1-6

Bahar al-Assad is gone. Trump is back. Trudeau is in trouble. 
Netanyahu. Putin. Milei. Zelensky. Rutu. Xi Jinping.
The world is ruled by powers that shift and change. Some cheer the transitions. Others rally to protect them.
The world seems like a hot mess! What is going on? Who is really in charge? 

We're less than a week away from Christmas Day when we Christians celebrate that in the days of Caesar Augustus, a baby was born and Herod lost his mind.
How can we understand the massive impact of the arrival of the Prince of Peace? Does his arrival still send shock waves or have we settled for Hollywood holiday sentimentality?
And, what on earth does Revelation 12 have to say about all this where we see a Dragon seeking to devour a child?

It's been an interesting year! Should be an interesting Sunday. 

Phil Wagler,
Interim Pastor

Christ is Here in our Suffering

The Book of Daniel

This Sunday, as we look at Daniel, we'll explore what it means to endure suffering, to hold on to hope, and to pray. We'll also discuss coming to the end of ourselves, Jesus power to save, and the work of the church to stand in solidarity with the suffering.

This Advent, as we reflect on joy, we face a sobering reality: sentimentality won't sustain us through the hardships of life. Drawing from the powerful stories in Daniel and the hope found in Jesus, we’ll explore how God meets us in our suffering—not from a distance, but in the midst of the fire and the lion’s den. Discover how Christ’s presence transforms our struggles into hope, and how we are called to live as his church, standing in solidarity with those in need. 

 

Together with you in Christ,
Levi Simpson
Director of Spiritual Care from Kelowna’s Gospel Mission

Christ is Here in the Common

Luke 1-2

At the start of Luke, we see God breaking into the ordinary—through the routines, relationships, and responsibilities of people like Zacharias and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds. Astonishingly, Jesus, the Son of God, entered the world not with domineering power, but in humility, as a baby, born into a common family for the common good of all.

Do we recognize Christ’s presence in our everyday lives? Do we wrestle with a tension between longing for clear signs of God’s work and the humble, common ways He often reveals Himself? 



Too often, we seek God in mountaintop moments but lose sight of Him in the mundane. Yet, could it be that our everyday faith, offered through the simple routines of life, is precisely where God works to accomplish His kingdom purposes… let's discuss this Sunday!


Devan Scollon

Student Ministries Director

Christ is Here

Have you seen the news lately and wondered, "Where is God?" Have you assessed your life and our community and wondered, "Where is God?" From Kelowna to Jerusalem the question can be asked, pondered, and prayed.  Advent is here. Four weeks of preparation for heaven's answer to the question, "Where is God?," if we slow down and listen, we might understand that God's response is, "Christ is here." What's happening in the land once called Judea is dominating today's headlines. Jerusalem and Bethlehem once wondered "Where is God?" and almost missed the message that Christ had arrived. This week, we begin advent with a special guest from Jerusalem, Dr. Salim Munayer. We'll explore how the message "Christ is here" is still the hope for the Holy Land and right here too.   💬 Questions for discussion: How does the message of hope and reconciliation in Christ give you hope and expectation for what Christ is doing here and now in your life and our world❓ What do you find most challenging about the way of peace that God has brought into the world through Jesus Christ in light of all the troubles and wars that exist❓ What are you being prompted to further pray for and understand about the war in Israel/Palestine, as well as our city and community❓ Phil Wagler, Interim Pastor

The Bread of Life

John 6

In John 6, Jesus performs an incredible miracle, multiplying loaves of bread to feed thousands, enough for everyone to be fully satisfied with leftovers to spare! The crowd was amazed by His ability to provide bread, but Jesus wanted to show them something far greater. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” With these words, Jesus reveals the heart of the miracle: He is not just the giver of bread—He is the true Bread. Only He can satisfy the deepest hunger of our souls. Jesus invites us to partake in a life-changing feast: to delight in His presence, find our fulfillment in Him, and take our place at His table as followers, friends, and family. Are you hungry for something more?  Devan Scollon, Student Ministries Director

Unity, Disagreement, and Division

1 Cor 1:10-17

Martin Luther King said, "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools". And while we all know that division is painful, and sad, and ought to be prevented, most of us don't know how to spot it before it's begun its path of destruction. And what does the bible say about how to live out the fact that sometimes we just don't agree? Surely Jesus doesn't expect us to just agree about everything! How does disagreement differ from division? And what does the way of unity look like anyway?    Pastor, Joel Lise

We Must Remember

James 1:1-12

This Monday, Remembrance Day, we will cherish the time to remember those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Words cannot express how blessed we are because of their commitment to peace. As much as we value peace, it’s impossible to live a life without trials and hardships. With trials come pain and wounds and times of loneliness and deep questions. Most of us would just like them to go away.

On Sunday, let’s come together to look at the book of James and see what it says about trials. God has a purpose for trials. It’s hard to believe that anything good could come from something we instinctively want to avoid. But “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I encourage you to join us on Sunday. God’s got you!

Steve Perry
Board Member