For the past 12 years, the Ottawa, Ont., RPC has hosted a youth retreat in February. This retreat overlaps with the Canadian Winterlude festival that takes place every year in Ottawa and centers on the Rideau Canal Skateway. Everyone who attends the retreat enjoys practical teaching, encouraging fellowship and great food. This year we had the privilege of welcoming Pastor Jared Olivetti of the Immanuel (West Lafayette, Ind.) RPC to come and speak to 45 young people ranging in age from 13-20.

Pastor Olivetti gave three messages on the book of James over the course of the weekend. On Friday evening he spoke from James 1 and gave helpful strategies for overcoming temptation and for using times of trial to be an effective witness to the world. Saturday’s messages taught us how to live by the law in the covenant of grace and showed the importance of looking for good fruit in your life as assurance of salvation.

On Saturday afternoon, we were blessed with wonderful ...