Malvern Christian Assembly
6705 Sheppard Ave E M1B 3C1 Toronto, ON, Canada

From Pastor Alicia, Next Steps Pastor at MCA . . . I remember trying out for a speech contest in grade 7. I worked on my speech for days and I remember thinking that it was pretty good. I courageously stood at the front of my class and read it with conviction; and then waited eagerly to hear my teacher call my name as a class representative in the contest. But . . . he did not pick me! I remember spending half the day crying in the washroom. Before school let out, my teach...er noticed I was upset. He had a change of mind and gave me a chance. The next week at the big speech contest, guess who took home first place? That’s right, I did!! Have you felt defeated lately? Have you felt like nothing is going your way? Does it seem like you’re taking two steps forward and three steps back? In our current situation, it is easy and perhaps normal to have those feelings. Maybe you have been putting your all into that relationship, that job, studying for that test, writing that essay, and you just keep hitting a wall. Maybe you’ve followed all the doctor’s instructions and that health issue hasn’t gone away. But, God! 1 Peter 5:10 says, And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. When we have faith and we trust God beyond your current circumstances, He can do incredible things. He extends grace - grace that restores us and makes us strong. He is the God of all grace, no matter what you are going through. God is able to lead you to victory, straighten your path and enable you to run every race without being weary. Get ready for your comeback! https://malvernchurch.com/f/he-will-restore-you

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Be blessed today. Nothing can stop the joy & hope Jesus brings! - Pastor Ginette

From Pastor Sam, Missions & Prayer Pastor at MCA . . . None of us wanted another lockdown or more restrictions, yet here we are beginning a lockdown that starts today in Toronto, Peel and other GTA regions due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. The past 3 months we saw some changes in our workplaces, Church attendance, even shopping. People were moving around, we were having limited social gatherings and things felt good after months of being at home. Yet again though, we a...re forced to be at home for a few weeks, travel less, have no social gatherings and no in-person church services. It is hard for all of us and we all understand the difficulties. During the next few weeks, one of the things we will be doing more frequently is relying on technology. iPads, Smartphones, Tablets, TVs, Computers . . . all of them will be used more and we will constantly watch our screens for various reasons as it has become a necessity in many ways. Personally, I find it challenging to keep away from these gadgets. I don't spend time playing games or posting what I had for lunch or dinner, but I do like to keep in touch with my friends and family. I love to connect with people, to know what’s happening and to find ways to pray for them or help them out. I want to send emails, check all my social media accounts, call people, watch the news and conduct Zoom prayer meetings. I don't know about you, but from morning to midnight, I spend more and more time on a screen! As with so many things, the internet and all of these smart gadgets can be a blessing and a curse. They can deliver information to our fingertips at the click of a button, give us access to knowledge, and much more at very moderate costs. They can help us communicate faster and more creatively than ever before. USE WITH CAUTION: May we all be careful and take enough precaution to make sure that we do not spend so much time online that it can lead to us neglecting relationships. Relationships need time, and they need regular attention. In our stopwatch lifestyles, leisurely conversation is a prized gem that so often seems just out of reach. The constant online interaction can make you feel that you know online people better than those who you see day-to-day. We need to be careful that while we try to connect with people online, we don't forget to talk to and share with those who are physically around us and those friends who need our prayers and regular communication. Let us be careful with our SMART gadgets and intentionally find ways to have control over them. Let us prioritize and give the necessary time to God, online church services, prayer-times and our family that God has given to us. As God's greatest creation, we should out-smart any man-made gadgets and use them wisely. https://malvernchurch.com/f/more-lockdown-more-gadgets