Friends Church Calgary Weekly Message Friends Church

Speaker: Vince Klassen

In our workshop collective, I teach a class designed to help people master the tablesaw, a formidable tool with a 10-inch blade spinning faster than the speed of sound. This “spinning blade of death” can understandably be intimidating, especially for beginners. However, the key to safely using a tablesaw lies in focusing on something other than this terrifying centerpiece—an understandably difficult task for novices!

This challenge mirrors a common struggle in the Christian tradition: the fear of Hell. Many people live with the constant worry of whether their actions might lead to eternal damnation. But what if we approached this fear from a different perspective?

Atheism presents an intriguing counterpoint by asking, “How would you live if there was no Hell to fear?” This question isn’t meant to dismantle anyone’s belief structure but rather to provoke thought: “If fear wasn’t a factor, how would your decisions and behaviors change?”

Imagine navigating life with this mindset. It has the power to transform your motivations and open up new possibilities. Join us as we delve into this profound question, exploring how removing fear can redefine your approach to both woodworking and life 🙂



To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

It’s human nature, isn’t it, to try to explain why certain things happen in our lives? To hope that in the end, life is fair?  We want to believe that good will be rewarded and evil will be punished.  It seems every religious system has its way of explaining how this happens. In the Christian tradition heaven and hell have served as the ultimate system for rewards and punishment. Which works for some but has proven problematic for a growing number.

In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a belief called Karma has helped explain why life tends to follow certain patterns and how it ensures fairness. And, to some degree, it’s been adopted in Western culture, providing a source of mental comfort and motivation for many on their spiritual journey.

This week, in the first installment of our series called “Growing Our Spiritual Journey”, we will explore this belief and contemplate ways it might improve your spiritual journey to enrich your world.  Invite a friend and we’ll see you Sunday.



To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Vince Klassen

We’ve been exploring how to “Love our Neighbour”. While it was easy for Jesus to say, it’s a bit trickier to put into practice. To truly love people skilfully, we must overcome our own relational challenges. This means learning to regulate ourselves and stay within our Window of Tolerance so we can understand our own and others’ attachment wounds and how to love that person effectively.

But why do this?

Why would we do this work?

We believe this is a profoundly spiritual question! This is where our spirituality intersects with our everyday lives, and it’s at the heart of what Friends Church is trying to inspire in all of us.

Join us this week as we tie the whole Relation$hit series together with its connection to our Spiritual lives and cast a vision for a new way to live your life.



To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis & Vince Klassen

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve discussed two forms of insecure attachment: Avoidant and Anxious. Two common relational patterns that, when unaware, can create some Relation$hit.

This Sunday though, we’re going to study a third style of attachment that has a much more positive effect on relationships: Secure Attachment. This style of relating can make even the most insecure people feel safe and loved and connected. Together, Vince and Jeff are going to explore the specific behaviors and approaches that “Securely attached” people employ to enrich their relationships.

Invite a friend and come out to learn new skills that could be game-changing for your relationships.

Recommended books to read on Attachment Styles:



Attached by Rachel Heller and Amir Levine

Wired on Love by Stan Tatkin





To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

Join us this Sunday for week three of our Relation$hit series. We’re exploring the inner world of those who Anxiously attach to others. These are the ones who have highly sensitive threat centres. For anxious attachers, one particular look, text, delayed response, or piece of negative feedback can set off internal alarms – fearing that someone is upset or worse.  The result is often an emotional meltdown of sorts: excessive texting, calling, clinging, catastrophizing…or as Vince put it in week one, “flipping their lid”.

Whether this can look a lot like you or someone you’re trying to love, the good news is that there are effective ways to avoid this Relation$hit, to soothe this anxiety, and experience much healthier, secure relationships. We’re going to talk about how to do this!



To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Vince Klassen

This week on our “Relation$hit” series, we’re delving into how to love others in a way that truly connects. Our focus this week might seem counterintuitive: we’re exploring a group of people who often navigate the world alone. They don’t seem to need much from anyone, projecting an image of independence and strength. Yet, beneath the surface, their isolation can take a heavy toll.

If you’re part of this group, you’ll learn why you keep your distance and how it has helped you adapt to a world that might otherwise feel overwhelming. You’ll also gain insights into how these coping mechanisms, while they offer comfort, may also be hurting you.

For those who know people in this group, you’ll discover that loving them requires a different approach, one that might go against your instincts.

Jesus famously said that one of the pillars of his spirituality is loving your neighbor. But how do you love someone who seems to need it the least?

Join us this week to uncover why our relationships often falter with this group, and learn how to truly support and connect with them in a way that resonates.To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate