Weekly Bulletin - September 13th-20th

Here's what's happening around our church this week.

Matt Lineker • September 10, 2026 • Weekly Bulletin

2 Minute Read

Welcome to the weekly bulletin 👋

This is your one-stop spot for everything happening in our church family. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days.

Sunday, September 13th

8:30 & 10:30am Worship Gatherings - Join us for Sunday
service in person or online.
Kickoff Sunday - We’re launching the next season of groups, teams, and more this Sunday!

Monday, September 14th

Freedom Sessions starts

September 10, 2026

Freedom Session Launches this Monday!

Tuesday, September 15th

Worship rehearsals resume at the Junction

Wednesday, September 16th

Nothing yet!

Thursday, September 17th

Morning Prayer - Join us for our weekly prayer meeting at 2304 Jingle Pot Road from 8:40am-9:40am

Friday, September 18th

Ocean Youth Kickoff Party - Students in grades 8-12 are welcomed back to a new year of Ocean Youth! 7PM at The Junction (2304 Jingle Pot Rd)

Saturday, September 19th

Soul Nights - The first Soul Night for singles in their 20s and 30s.

September 19, 2026

Soul Nights - our new singles ministry launches September 19th

Sunday, September 20th

All Leaders Gathering - Check your email for your information.

Upcoming Events

Kickoff Sunday - Sunday, September 13th
Youth Kickoff - Friday, September 18th
Soul Nights - Saturday, September 19th
All Leaders Gathering - Sunday, September 20th

New here? We'd love to connect.

This Week's Message

Are We Really a House of Prayer?

“Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” - Mark 11:17

Does our church reflect the Jesus' heart of it being a "house of prayer," or has it become a theatre for spectators?

In this message Andy continues the sermon series "As We Gather," focusing on the vital importance of prayer in the life of the church. Highlighting where Jesus declares, "My house shall be called a house of prayer," the sermon explores how modern churches can often prioritize worship, teaching, or fellowship while neglecting the foundational practice of intercession. Andy invites the church to shift its culture toward being a people of prayer, where collective, bold, and persistent petitioning becomes the heart of their identity, mirroring the actions and priorities of the early church described in Acts.

He also challenges congregants to move beyond public displays of piety and cultivate an authentic, private prayer life. He emphasizes that true spiritual growth stems from an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father rather than just performing rituals in front of others.

And building on the concept of the priesthood of all believers introduced in the previous week, Andy argues that church should not be a passive experience of spectating or observation. Instead, he calls the congregation to active participation and genuine connection, warning against the pitfalls of snobbery, spectating, or spiritual sleepiness. He asserts that the church is designed to be a place where everyone contributes, prays, and ministers to one another.

• 9/20/2026

Subscribe To Our Podcast

Giving

Your generosity makes our work in this city possible. We’re so grateful for you.

New to our community? No pressure. Today, just be our guest.

Give Now

Stay Connected

📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox.

📸 Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.

🎙️ Subscribe to our podcast

💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here.

Services: Sundays at 8:30am & 10:30am at Nanaimo Christian School.
See you soon ☀️

Stay connected by subscribing below so you never miss an update.

Subscribe to Weekly Bulletin Updates

Up Next

From this Author: Matt Lineker

September 24, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Weekly Bulletin - September 27th - October 4th

Welcome to the weekly bulletin 👋 This is your one-stop spot for everything happening in our church family. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days. Sunday, September 27th: 8:30 & 10:30am Worship Gatherings - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. Congo Grace BBQ Fundraiser - Supporting our missions partnership in the Congo. In the parking lot after both services.Donate here Monday, September 28th: Freedom Sessions - Continuing to meet weekly Tuesday, September 29th: Nothing yet! Wednesday, September 30th: Young Adults Discipleship Group - Weekly gathering for young adults. 7PM, North Nanaimo. Thursday, October 1st: Morning Prayer - Join us for our weekly prayer meeting at 2304 Jingle Pot Road from 8:40am-9:40am. Friday, October 2nd: Ocean Youth: Meet the Team BBQ - A hangout and BBQ for parents, youth, and leaders to get to know one another. 7PM, 2304 Jingle Pot Rd. Saturday, October 3rd: Nothing yet! Sunday, October 4th: 8:30 & 10:30am Worship Gatherings - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. Elders & Deacons Meeting - Leadership meeting. 7PM. Upcoming Events The big ones to have on your radar this week: Congo Grace Fundraiser - Sunday, September 27th. Supporting our missions partnership in the Congo. Ocean Youth: Meet the Team BBQ - Friday, October 2nd, 7PM, 2304 Jingle Pot Rd. A hangout and BBQ for parents, youth, and leaders. New here? We'd love to connect.New here? We'd love to connect. Classifieds House Wanted A Christian family of four relocating from New Zealand at the end of October (husband a veterinarian, wife an elementary teacher) is looking for a 3-4 bedroom standalone house with a yard in North Nanaimo, Lantzville, or Nanoose Bay. Furnished or unfurnished, budget up to $3,500/month. Contact the church office to be connected. Last Week's MessageWatch OnlineSubscribe To Our Podcast Giving Your generosity makes our work in this city possible. We’re so grateful for you. New to our community? No pressure. Today, just be our guest.Give Now Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox. 📸 Follow us on Instagram and YouTube. 🎙️ Subscribe to our podcast 💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here. Services: Sundays at 8:30am & 10:30am at Nanaimo Christian School. See you soon ☀️

Matt Lineker

Media Director

September 23, 2026 • 3 Minute Read

Congo Fundraiser This Sunday

This Sunday, lunch is on the grill, and every burger helps a kid at Grace Orphanage start the school year well. After both services (8:30 and 10:30), we're firing up the BBQ in the parking lot at Nanaimo Christian School. The burgers have no price. You give what you'd like, and every dollar goes directly to iWOF's Back to School 2026 campaign for Grace Orphanage. Why Grace Orphanage Oceanside has supported the kids at Grace Orphanage for many years. It's one of those relationships that doesn't make a lot of noise, but it's been part of who we are for a long time. Grace Orphanage is a home for orphaned children in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, just outside the city of Uvira. Since 2008, they've given kids who lost their families a safe place to live, with food, clothing, health care and school. Today, 48 children call it home. They welcome kids from every tribe and every background, and each of them grows up knowing they're loved and that God has a purpose for their life. The team there believes education is the best way out of poverty, and they've built their home around that. The kids attend a good school, and a teacher comes in five afternoons a week to help the ones who need extra support. With help from the International Widows & Orphans Fund (iWOF), a registered Canadian charity, they've built houses for the children, a Reading Centre, and a garden that grows their own food. This year's Back to School campaign covers backpacks with supplies, uniforms, after-school tutoring, and the cost of the programs. It reaches every student at Grace Orphanage and 50 sponsored kids from the surrounding community. It also helps six students who've made it to university keep going. They're young people preparing to lead in their own community. James writes that the kind of faith God accepts looks after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27). Following Jesus has always looked like this: noticing the kids nobody else is looking out for, and doing something about it. Ways to give Grab a burger on Sunday. It's by donation, and you can pay with cash, tap, or the QR code at the table. Every dollar goes straight to iWOF. It's lunch for you and a school year for someone else. Give online. You can donate directly to the campaign through CanadaHelps. You'll get an instant tax receipt, and it works whether or not you can make it on Sunday. Donations made via card or online are eligible for tax receipts.Give to Back to School 2026 Share it. Send the link to friends and family. The campaign is counting on people telling people. See you in the parking lot.

Matt Lineker

Media Director

September 20, 2026 • 4 Minute Read

You weren't meant to follow Jesus alone.

September has been a month of new starts around here. A few things launched, and each one is a different door into the same thing: following Jesus alongside other people. It's possible to attend church for years and never really be known. We don't want that for you. We believe the best environment for spiritual growth is authentic relationships, and relationships don't happen by accident. Someone has to open a door, and someone has to walk through it. So here's a look back at what happened this month, and a few ways to step in. The students kicked things off. On Friday, September 18th, high schoolers gathered at The Junction for our Youth Kick Off Party. There was pizza and there were obstacle courses. Students met their youth leaders and heard the vision for the year. The invitation was the same for returning students and brand new ones: come, and bring your friends. That's usually how community starts. Someone says there's a place for you, and you show up.Attend Ocean Youth Then Soul Nights began. The next night, Saturday, September 19th, we held the first Soul Nights, our new ministry for single adults in their 20s and 30s. By single, we mean not married. Dating, engaged, divorced, widowed, or anywhere in between. Wherever you are, you're welcome. That first night was about spending time together, getting to know one another, and sharing the vision for this community. And the vision is simple: the goal isn't marriage. The goal is Jesus. Singleness isn't a waiting room. It's a gift, and a meaningful way to live for Christ. Discipleship Groups are open for sign-ups. Discipleship Groups launched this month, and sign-ups are open now. Groups meet throughout the week in homes across Nanaimo. You read Scripture, pray, and have honest conversations. Some nights you dig deep into the Bible. Some nights you spend half the evening talking through what life threw at you that week. Both matter. You don't need to know the Bible inside and out. You don't need the right answers. Expect conversations rather than lectures, prayer rather than pressure, friendship rather than pretending. Probably some coffee, too. If you've been waiting for a good moment to join one, this is it.Find a Discipleship Group Serving is a way in, too. Most of what happens at Oceanside runs on volunteers. Someone sets up the chairs. Someone makes the coffee. Someone plays drums. Someone helps a kid finish their craft. Every one of those jobs matters, and so does every person doing them. I've been serving on a team for 10 years, and it's given me opportunities I never would have had otherwise. I got to play on a worship team in Chicago for the Equip. I've met a lot of like-minded friends along the way. Maybe you've been coming on Sundays and you're not sure how to go deeper. Serving is one of the best ways to get to know people. On a team, you're not just sitting near someone for an hour. You're working toward something together, and that's where friendships have room to grow. You don't need to have it all figured out. Whether you're drawn to chairs, coffee, drums, or crafts, we'd love for you to join a team, and we'll help you find where you fit.Join a Team Your next step. Everyone has a next step. Whether yours is a Discipleship Group or a serving team, click the Next Steps button and let us help you find it. Community isn't something you wait for. It's something you step into. The door's open, and we'd be honoured to walk through it with you.

Matt Lineker

Media Director

September 17, 2026 • 3 Minute Read

Weekly Bulletin - September 20th-27th

Welcome to the weekly bulletin 👋 This is your one-stop spot for everything happening in our church family. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days. Sunday, September 20th: 8:30 & 10:30am Worship Gatherings - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. Leadership Gathering – Fall Vision Night - Our 2026/27 All Leaders Gathering kicks off at 5PM in the Auditorium. Bring a plate of appetizers to share; childcare and pizza provided for kids. RSVP and details in your email. Monday, September 21st: Nothing yet! Tuesday, September 22nd: Nothing yet! Wednesday, September 23rd: Young Adults Discipleship Group - Weekly gathering for young adults. 7PM, North Nanaimo. Thursday, September 24th: Morning Prayer - Join us for our weekly prayer meeting at 2304 Jingle Pot Road from 8:40am-9:40am. Friday, September 25th: Meet the Leaders - This week's Ocean Youth is Meet the Leaders night. Students in grades 8-12 come meet the youth team over games and snacks. 7PM at The Junction (2304 Jingle Pot Rd). Saturday, September 26th: Desserts + Delights - Our friends at Crossroads Pregnancy Centre are hosting their annual dessert fundraiser, supporting local moms and babies in crisis. Tickets are free but going fast - reserve yours before they're claimed. Get tickets here. Sunday, September 27th: 8:30 & 10:30am Worship Gatherings - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. Congo Grace Fundraiser - supporting our missions partnership in the Congo. Details to come - check with the missions team. Upcoming Events The big ones to have on your radar this week: Leadership Gathering - Fall Vision Night - Sunday, September 20th, 5PM, Auditorium. Kicking off the 2026/27 year for everyone serving in leadership at Oceanside. Meet the Leaders (Ocean Youth) - Friday, September 25th, 7PM, The Junction. Grades 8-12 come meet the youth team. Desserts + Delights - Saturday, September 26th. Crossroads Pregnancy Centre's annual dessert fundraiser - free tickets, going fast. Congo Grace Fundraiser - Sunday, September 27th. Supporting our missions partnership in the Congo.New here? We'd love to connect. Classifieds Room/Roommate Wanted Single Christian woman looking for a room to rent or a roommate to share a rental for September or October. Please contact Rachel at 778-268-4350. Housing Wanted A woman planning a move to Nanaimo is looking for a reasonably-priced apartment or suite to rent among our congregation. Contact the church office to be connected. House Wanted A Christian family of four relocating from New Zealand at the end of October (husband a veterinarian, wife an elementary teacher) is looking for a 3-4 bedroom standalone house with a yard in North Nanaimo, Lantzville, or Nanoose Bay. Furnished or unfurnished, budget up to $3,500/month. Contact the church office to be connected. Last Week's MessageWatch OnlineSubscribe To Our Podcast Giving Your generosity makes our work in this city possible. We’re so grateful for you. New to our community? No pressure. Today, just be our guest.Give Now Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox. 📸 Follow us on Instagram and YouTube. 🎙️ Subscribe to our podcast 💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here. Services: Sundays at 8:30am & 10:30am at Nanaimo Christian School. See you soon ☀️

Matt Lineker

Media Director

Currently Reading

September 10, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Weekly Bulletin - September 13th-20th

Matt Lineker

Media Director

September 10, 2026 • 1 Minute Read

Crossroads Dessert Auction

On Saturday, September 26, from 7:00–9:00 PM at First Baptist Church Nanaimo (1650 Waddington Rd), our friends at Crossroads Pregnancy Centre are hosting their annual Desserts + Delights evening, and we'd love for our church family to be part of it. This is a night built around celebrating what a community can do when it wraps around local moms and babies with love and care — and Crossroads has had an extraordinary year doing exactly that. Here's what's in store: 🎁 Silent Auction Baskets — full of treasures and gift certificates donated by local businesses. 🧁 Hundreds of Desserts — bake sale tables and a live auction featuring creations from local bakers. 🌟 Celebrating Impact — a chance to reflect together on a year of supporting some of our community's most vulnerable families. Tickets are completely free, but they're going fast.Claim Your Tickets

Matt Lineker

Media Director

September 3, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

Weekly Bulletin - September 6th-13th

Matt Lineker

Media Director

September 2, 2026 • 2 Minute Read

The New Bulletin

Our New Website Is Live — Just in Time for Kick-Off Sunday Oceanside is growing. More people, more ministries, more happening every single week — which is a good problem to have, and also a real one. The more is happening, the easier it is for something to slip past you. So with Kick-Off Sunday just days away, we thought it was the right moment to launch something new: our brand new website, live today. The biggest addition is one we've never had before — a weekly bulletin, right on the site, updated every week with what's coming up and what's happening across our ministries. And you don't have to remember to go check it. Subscribe, and you'll get a notification the moment a new post goes up. A few other things that came with the new site: Posts from every ministry, in one place. ONE80 Kids, Ocean Youth, Discipleship Groups, Rooted, and more all now have a home for their own updates — so you can follow what matters most to you and your family without digging around.See All Posts A new events calendar. Everything coming up at Oceanside, laid out and up to date, so you can actually plan around it instead of hearing about it after the fact.See Events A site that's finally caught up with us. Cleaned up, current, and built to keep pace as we grow — no more outdated pages or information that's a season behind. As we grow, we want to make sure growing together doesn't mean anyone gets left out of the loop. This is one more way we're trying to make that easier. Click subscribe below to get notified every time a new bulletin goes up — and we'll see you Sunday.

Matt Lineker

Media Director