One word, perhaps, sum up the Lectionary readings this week: humility. In the face of a culture in which we are all encouraged to ‘value ourselves’, to ‘reach for what we want’ and to ‘not let anyone stop us’, this can be a difficult, even ridiculous, word. To claim that true, vibrant, authentic life is...
THEME: Unshakable Kingdom A Heart of Compassion If you pay close attention to the world around you, if you really open your eyes and look closely at the life of those who surround you, you will undoubtedly start noticing how much brokenness and suffering there is in our world. We tend to focus on our...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – Everliving God, increase in us your gift of faith, that, forsaking sin and all that hinders us, we may run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – TRUST – temporal/eternal – scarcity/abundance. Living God, Judge of us all, you have placed in our hands the wealth we call our own: through your Spirit give us wisdom, that our possessions may not be a curse, but a means of blessing in our lives. Grant this through Jesus Christ...
The Gospel reading sets the tone for this week’s theme. There can be no question that the work of faith, of receiving God’s grace, and of following Christ in worship and service, is a lifelong journey of perseverance and faithfulness. And it is because of God’s faithfulness toward us that we can even contemplate this...
Rev Tania writes: This week it’s all about listening – to God’s word – and to living it out in compassion, integrity, and justice – which requires listening to others. This can be harder than it sounds with all the noise that bombards us each day. That’s why the discipline of worship is so important....
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – compassion, service and sacrifice In the readings this week we find the powerful metaphor in Amos of God’s plumb line – the measure of God’s people and their faithfulness to God’s purposes. Then, alongside this, the Gospel places the parable of the Good Samaritan – clearly the plumb line measures...
MESSAGE: Fourth Sunday after Pentecost 3 July 2022 THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – The Kingdom of God has come near to you. The nearness is embodied in the hospitable moments of community – in the intimacy of community. Nearness All the readings this week speak of God working in very natural and...
Rev Tania writes: The journey into living the values of God’s Reign continues. In the last few weeks we have recognised our need for forgiveness and God’s resources, and we have confronted the ways that evil works in our world. It is not enough to resist evil. It is not enough to not do what is...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – Christ’s gifts of healing, hope and wholeness God’s Story – God’s design for our lives Our Story – living into God’s design for our lives. Now we are prepared for the second half of the year – Green Season/the “Our Story” part which happens in Ordinary Time in the weeks...
