Welcome to Ordinary Matters—a space where we explore faithfulness in the tapestry of everyday life because, quite simply, the ordinary matters.


Let us introduce ourselves!

Alastair Sterne—I am a creative director turned pastor and writer. I have degrees in graphic design, theology, leadership, and a Doctorate in Intercultural Studies. I am the author of Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices For Who God Made You To Be and Longing for Joy: An Invitation Into The Goodness and Beauty of Life (forthcoming: September 3, 2024). I love to write, drink coffee, and host a good meal. I feel most alive when I’m working with people to make good things happen.

Julia Sterne— I am a clinical counsellor with a Masters of Arts in Counselling. I love spiritual direction, sitting with Jesus, and writing for the heart. I am passionate about helping people find their place in a better story.

In 2011, we founded St. Peter’s Fireside—a vibrant, liturgical church nestled in the heart of downtown Vancouver, B.C. In parallel, we launched New Story Counselling, where Julia works with people in need of clinical guidance and support. With over 15 years of marriage and two wonderful daughters, we have seen the depths of life's ordinary and extraordinary moments. After a decade of work in Vancouver, we relocated to Victoria, B.C. in 2023. We are in a season of new beginnings which includes dedicating some of our time to Ordinary Matters.

What is Ordinary Matters?

It's an embodiment of our shared passion—a platform where we pour our hearts into writing and talking about our pursuit of truth, grace, and love in all aspects of life. During our time at St. Peter's Fireside, writing articles about faith and its intersection with everyday life became a central focus. Our repertoire spans topics ranging from the profound spiritual significance of the church calendar to the transformative power of art and creativity. We've delved into the whimsical world of surprise potatoes and ventured into the weighty matters of women's rights and the intricate art of raising children. Our discussions have encompassed critical subjects such as vaccinations, the quest to know God's will, the complex dance of social media's grace and peril, and the complexities surrounding euthanasia.

When the pandemic struck, we ventured into the realm of podcasting with Ordinary Matters. Our limited episodes explored how to anchor ourselves amidst upheaval, offered alternatives to the relentless pursuit of productivity, and delved into the depths of grief and lament. The impact it had on our audience surprised us, sparking the idea to eventually dedicate more time to this endeavour.

As we move forward, Ordinary Matters will be our primary platform for writing and podcasting. We want to cut through the cacophony of noise with quality articles and episodes that share our experiences and insights on living a life infused with faith in the everyday. We’ll be revising and re-releasing some of our past articles and episodes on Substack. As we invest our time into this space, we will explore:

  • Spiritual formation for everyday life, reflecting the journey of our own hearts

  • The cultivation of emotional well-being, as we navigate life's ups and downs

  • Thoughtful explorations of how the gospel speaks to cultural issues

  • Theology that nourishes our minds, stirs our hearts, and guides our steps

  • A window into our daily lives, sprinkled with updates on the projects that ignite our passions

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Why Subscribe?

You can subscribe to Ordinary Matters and access all our content for free. We will commit to a schedule for publishing once we find our cadence in this new space. But as a minimum, we will share something at least once a month.

We want to dedicate as much time as we can to Ordinary Matters. A subscription is basically the cost of getting a cup of your favourite single-origin coffee and having a good conversation with us once a month. If you subscribe, you will empower us to offer more of our time to this work. Since we are only beginning to find our way in this endeavour, we are not yet offering any benefits for paid subscriptions. But we would be greatly encouraged if you do subscribe.

Our vision extends beyond content creation—we're eager to find creative ways to connect with you. We hope you'll join us on this journey with us as we move closer to Jesus with each step.

P.S. If you can’t find our newsletter after you subscribe, take a look in your spam folder. Please mark our address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder, look in the Promotions tab (assuming you use gmail). You can always access our articles and episodes at ordinarymatters.org

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In pursuit of faithfulness in every day life because the ordinary matters.

People

I am a multidisciplinary leader with the toolkit of a creative director, pastor, researcher, and writer. I help people make good things happen.
I am a registered clinical counsellor with a passion for helping people find their place in a better story.