Central Canada Wesleyan

09/06/2026

September 6th is the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel reading is Matthew 18:15-20.

It is possible that you have read this passage as a procedure. I know I have. I perceived that Jesus was offering a “how to” for conflict within the church. I would caution that we won’t understand the “How” unless we understand “Who” we are called to become.

The first sentence sets the tone, “If your brother and sister sins against you…..” We are a family communally worshipping Christ. The goal is explained in verse 15, “You have regained that one”.

In Canada, it can be easy to view the church as a gathering we choose according to our preferences and needs. Jesus didn’t see it that way. He invites us to his family and sometimes, family members stray. Jesus came to redeem us and heal us and to be integrated into his body called the church.

When we know who we are, then we have a better understanding of how to proceed when a brother or sister has sinned. First we go alone, then if needed, with one or two other brothers and sisters, then telling the church and if the person will not listen to the ecclesia, then they are excluded but only as a means of grace so that they will miss the fellowship and we can pray for them.

Binding and loosing and the authority of heaven accompanies this process as it is carried out in the love of Christ. Christ is present with two or three of his church in the midst of loving and disciplining those who have sinned.

Let’s pray today that Christ will give our Wesleyan Churches across Canada the desire to love and pray for healing for those who are caught in sin and need to repent.
Matthew 18:15-20
Reconciliation in the community of faith
18:15"If your brother and sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one.
18:16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
18:17If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector.
18:18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
18:19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
18:20For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

09/01/2026

Hey CCD Friends,

The Greater Things Conference is coming up October 17th at Southgate Church in Kemptville. The Ottawa Valley X multiplication network is joining together to train and inspire everyday disciples to influence their friends and family for Christ.

08/30/2026

August 30th is the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel reading is Matthew 16:21-28.

This passage takes place in Matthew just after Jesus had commended Peter in verses 13 to 20. This passage is a serious rebuke of Peter. When Jesus commended him it was because he was sharing what God had revealed to him about Jesus being the Christ, the Son of the living God.

However in today’s passage, Peter is correcting Jesus about how going to Jerusalem to suffer, be killed and raised on the third day should not happen.
At this point Jesus compares Peter to Satan (the adversary). Now, instead of sharing what God has revealed, Peter is “setting his mind not on divine things but on human things.”

How often does this happen to us that we focus on human things rather than the things of God?

Jesus goes on to teach Peter and the disciples that following him means self denial and taking up their cross. Saving their lives means losing their lives for the sake of Christ.

True life is found only in Christ and we only find Christ when we submit our lives to him.

Please pray for our Wesleyan Churches across Canada that we will all seek divine things through giving up our lives in this world for Christ.

Matthew 16:21-28
The rebuke to Peter
16:21From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.
16:22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you."
16:23But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
16:24Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
16:25For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
16:26For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
16:27"For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.
16:28Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

08/26/2026

Congratulations Norwood Wesleyan Church on reaching out to your community so creatively!!

08/26/2026

Check out the recent article from Global Partners featuring our very own CCD Missions Team Leader, Rev. Dan Dan James Wallis:

What would it look like, to rally together a group of people who love and champion missions in their church? What would happen if Global Partners was able to help equip this group to do a little bit more of what they already love? These were some of the questions asked a little over a […]

08/26/2026

Amen!!

Baptisms on August 16th. Praise God!

08/23/2026

August 23rd is the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel reading is Matthew 16:13-20.

Caesarea Philippi was located at the foot of Mount Hermon, near one of the major sources of the Jordan River. The site had an enormous natural cave or grotto in a cliff face. In antiquity, water emerged from the cave, creating a dramatic setting that ancient people associated with the underworld and the divine world.

There were niches and small shrines dedicated to various deities, but Pan became the principal deity associated with the site. The Greek name for the region, Paneas, comes from Pan.

Herod the Great's son Philip the Tetrarch later developed the city and renamed it Caesarea Philippi in honor of Caesar Augustus and himself.

16:13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

Jesus was at the gates to the underworld or gates of hell when he posed this question.

Peter’s confession was indicative of the fact that Jesus would overcome death itself. The Father had revealed Jesus to Peter as the Son of God. Jesus was the Messiah but even more importantly, he was God incarnate. Peter spoke the truth that God has revealed to him.

Peter’s name was Petros or “rock” in Greek and everything he declared at the gates of hell was rock solid. Christ the rock, Peter nicknamed “Rock” and a confession that was a solid rock foundation on which the church would be built. Jesus would build his church, Peter was entrusted with Spiritual authority from Christ.
This was a blessing to Peter but just like today, Christ was perfect and a few verses later, we learn that Peter was not. Jesus had to rebuke him and even called Peter “Satan” meaning enemy/adversary when Peter tried to inhibit Jesus from his mission to suffer and die.

We, just like Peter, must remain in Christ and dependent on Christ for perspective, purity and power.

Please pray that this message of Christ as the rock of ages will be received in our Wesleyan Churches across Canada today.

Matthew 16:13-20
The profession of Peter's faith
16:13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
16:14And they said, "Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
16:15He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16:16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
16:17And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.
16:18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
16:19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
16:20Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

08/16/2026

August 16th is the 12th Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel passage is Matthew 15:10-28.

The Disciples of Jesus are with him in two scenarios in this passage. One is where Jesus calls out the intention/practices of the Pharisees when he teaches about what defiles people. The Pharisees were insistent on correct ritual practices like hand washing and cleanliness of utensils. There was nothing wrong with these practices but the Pharisees were missing the point. The washing was meant to point the way to the cleansing of the heart that could only happen from God.

Jesus provoked the Pharisees through his teaching as a way of inspiring them to grow and learn. It was a way of testing them and teaching the disciples.

In the parallel passage that follows, the disciples are present and Jesus uses the same manner of provocation when he first ignores the Canaanite woman and then tells her how it is not right to give the food from the master's table to the dogs. The response of the woman was more noble and cooperative than that of the Pharisees and the disciples got to learn from both scenarios. They wanted to send the woman away but Jesus wanted them to learn about the ways of God.

Sometimes, we pray and then we are tested. It is so tempting to move on like the Pharisees and give up. The best response is to emulate the Canaanite woman and take the path of faith in Christ. This is how she passed the test and how we can pass the test even when it seems like the first response from heaven is "not currently available" or feeling like we are being challenged even more.

Please pray that our Wesleyan Churches across Canada will respond in faith today as the Good news of Christ is proclaimed.

10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides.[d] If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

08/09/2026

August 9th is the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel Reading is Matthew 14:22-33.

The account of Peter walking on the water happens right after Jesus miraculously feeds the 5000. Jesus made his disciples go ahead of him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while he went up on a mountain to pray.

Jesus sanctified human prayer and set the example for all of us. Going up on the mountain was also a reminder of Moses who was called up the mountain to meet God while the people were dealing with everyday life challenges. Jesus is the ultimate mediator/priest/representative for humanity and he brings heaven to earth.

The disciples encountered a terrible and frightening storm and they were scared for their lives and did everything they could to get to shore on their own. This process took almost all night. Finally, when their strength was almost gone, Jesus went out to them, walking over the chaos and threat of the sea. The disciples presumed this was a ghost and Jesus identified himself and encouraged them.

Peter wanted to come to Jesus if it was really him and Jesus gave him permission. Peter got to walk on water through the power of Christ. The moment he got distracted from the Lord and focused on the wind, he began to sink. Peter cried out to Jesus to save him and Jesus rescued him and brought him into the boat.

The disciples had seen enough that their only appropriate response was worship and a declaration that Jesus truly was the Son of God.

We can rest assured that Jesus is the connection between earth and heaven for all of us and that we are safe in his boat/ark called the Church. Jesus invites us to come to him even in the worst storm and if we falter and cry out for help, he saves us and delivers us safely to the other shore. Today, across Canada, the message of Christ will be delivered and our role is to focus on Him in worship. Please pray for our churches to worship Christ and trust him through deliverance from the storm.

Matthew 14

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

08/02/2026

August 2nd is the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel reading is Matthew
14:13-21.

There is a saying that history doesn't always repeat but that it definitely rhymes. When Jesus expresses compassion for a group of people who followed him to a remote place, we are reminded of the children of Israel who followed God's call to depart Egypt. When Moses prayed, God provided bread from heaven. In this instance, Jesus, the bread from heaven received an offering of bread and fish and multiplied it many times over.

When we as imperfect human beings submit what we have as an offering to God, He loves us and multiplies blessing into our lives individually and corporately.

When we come to the table for Holy Communion and participate in what John Wesley called, a means of Grace, God pours life into us

Where do you need grace and life today? Offer what you have to the Lord and experience his compassion, his power and most of all his loving miraculous life.

Pray for Wesleyan Churches all over Canada today preaching this good news of Christ!

Matthew 14:13-21
Jesus feeds 5000
14:13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14:14When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.
14:15When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."
14:16Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
14:17They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
14:18And he said, "Bring them here to me."
14:19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
14:20And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.
14:21And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.