These questions are a follow-up to the sermon "Apostles and the Body", preached on April 14th by Rev. Kim Salo. ​1. Read Ephesians 4:11-13. Paul calls five ministries “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers.” Do you know of any churches that regularly exercise all five?  Why do so few churches designate their ministries this way? 2. Why do so many churches drift into “only the minister does real ministry” mode? What are some ways churches can get out of the rut of “only the minister does ministry”?  3. Read Luke 6:12-16. What are some of the reasons ..read more

For your consideration, some questions from the sermon on 4/7/24 1. Do you know what gifts God has given you (spiritual, practical) to use for others’ benefit and blessing? List them and keep them to remind you. How can you use these at St. Aidan’s? Here is a list of spiritual gifts, too: Administration, Being an apostle, Discernment, Evangelism, Exhortation, Faith, Giving, Healing, Helps, Hospitality, Knowledge, Leadership, Mercy, Prophecy, Serving, Speaking in tongues, Teaching (sometimes known as shepherding), Wisdom 2. How did you come to St. Aidan’s? Do you feel you’ve grown as part of ..read more

These questions are a follow-up to the sermon on March 24th by Rev. Kim Salo. 1. Have you ever acted in a play? Was it easy or hard to “get into character”? Was it a church play with a Christian theme, including a Christmas pageant or a drama about Christ’s Passion? If so, what was the experience like?   2. Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit telling you what to say? What happened?  3. Read Mark 10:32-34. What are some of the reasons that the disciples did not understand what Jesus was warning them about when he got to Jerusalem? In other words, why was Jesus so badly misunde ..read more

These questions are a follow up to the sermon on March 17th by Pastor Chris.  Read Matthew 5: 43-48 What is the difference between the teaching of Jesus in this passage, and the teaching of the religious leaders at the time? What would have been the biggest challenges to the Israelites who were listening to this exalted teaching? How would this teaching have changed their worldview? What do you find most difficult with this teaching? What steps/actions do you take to be able to obey this teaching? Do you pray for your enemies? Read Acts 9: 10-19 How did Ananias overcome his negat ..read more

Questions related to the sermon Light in the Darkness by Les Kovacs Sharing our faith in Jesus Christ can be a bit intimidating in our post-Christian society.  1. Have you run into cultural differences with non-Christians which create barriers to understanding and acceptance of Christian teachings?  Were you able to get past them? 2. Do you have a fear of being rejected or ridiculed by non-Christians for your beliefs, causing you to hesitate sharing your faith?  Where can you find the courage to overcome that fear? 3. Do you feel a lack of knowledge or confidence in your ..read more

​This blog is based on Rev. Kim Salo's sermon for March 3rd, titled "Together in Prayer". 1. What is the difference for you, if any, between praying alone, or in a small group of people, or with the congregation on Sunday? 2. What is your preferred way of addressing God when you pray? How much does it matter how you address God? 3. Have you experienced the Holy Spirit praying through you when you are alone? Through a group? Through a congregation? 4. What happens when you run out of words while praying? 5. When praying with Christians from other backgrounds, was it easy? Awkward? A bit fo ..read more

Note: The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5:1 to 7:29.  Read Matthew 5: 1-12: Why do think Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with these Beatitudes? Which of the Beatitudes is the toughest for you to comprehend? Which is the toughest for you to practice? Why? Meekness is often misunderstood by our prevailing culture as a “weakness”. How does Jesus disprove this? How is meekness a strength?   Read Philippians 2: 1-12: According to this passage, in what ways does Jesus fulfill the Beatitudes? What are some practical ways that you can apply the Beatitudes to your life?&nbs ..read more

​This blog is written by Kim Salo, based on Dan Rutherford's sermon on "Unity in Joy and Suffering", preached on Sunday, February 4th at St. Aidan's Church. Readings: Isaiah 7:10-19 Romans 8:28-39 John 14:12-20 1. READ Isaiah 7:10-19. Looking at what Isaiah said to King Ahaz, how is the birth of a child a sign from God to the king and his nation under threat from Egypt and Assyria? What is King Ahaz' attitude to God in this passage? Why is the name of the child so important? 2. READ Romans 8:28-39.  As if we were in a court of law, a defense lawyer puts several questions (starting at 3 ..read more

​Note: I am writing this after Brian Creary's sermon on Jan. 28. -Rev. Kim Salo Bible readings: Colossians 1:15-20 Hebrews 12:26-29 1. After saying in Col. 1:15 to 17 that the Son of God is the firstborn over all creation, and all that is seen or unseen was made in him, Colossians 1:18 says that Christ is the head of the body, the church.  How does Christ function as the head of the church you belong to? Note how the verbs in this passage are present tense, not "was" or "will be." In other words, how does Christ's  supremacy over his church become visible and real to us in the pres ..read more

Read John 17: 20-26 Reflection Questions: ​ In Jesus’ final earthly prayer, he prayed for the oneness of the Church. Why do you think unity was his transcending concern? What is the nature of this unity? (Verses 21a, 22b and 23a) What are some ways that you struggle with having unity with others in the church? What can you do to overcome these struggles? In what ways does the world try to have unity? What is the biggest difference to the unity that Jesus talks about? What can you do to promote unity amongst fellow believers? How can your unity with other believers be a testimony of God’s lov ..read more