ADVENT In 2009 a young girl was given a certificate of bravery by the New Zealand government. Her name was Abby Wutzler. She was on holidays with her family in Samoa enjoying themselves on the beach when the water suddenly began to recede back into the ocean. Abby was only 10 – in grade 4 at school – but...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – God’s invitation God invites us to: To know God To bear God’s justice To enter God’s truth To enter God’s unity The readings this week reveals the simple theme of invitation. In Acts, Paul and Silas are given a unique opportunity to invite a jailer into Christ’s life. In the...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK An extension of the commandment to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Love is what unites believers with the Lord together with their faith. JOHN 14:23-29: Love is what unites believers with the Lord together with their faith. The Father in his grace comes to dwell in such a believer who in turn keeps...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – New Commandment – Love What defines a “Christian” for you? What are the most important qualities that reflect true faith in Jesus? Is it believing that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God? Is it maintaining complete and absolute sexual purity? Is it refraining from using bad language?...
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Amidst all the other voices that evoke fear, make demands, or give advice, the voice of the good shepherd is a voice of promise—a voice that calls us by name and claims us as God’s own. The question of Jesus’ identity arises often in John’s Gospel. While the other Gospels make...
MESSAGE: Third Sunday in Easter 1 May 2022 Resurrection How have you been living as Resurrection people? How have you seen the Lord? The Risen Lord. We participate in the resurrection called and commissioned. Now go and live this resurrection life as shown by Jesus. All the readings in the Lectionary this week speak of...
Christ is Risen, Alleluia! He is Risen indeed, Alleluia! In a world of cynicism and suffering, it can be tempting to see celebration as something flippant, irrelevant and heartless. However, in the light of the resurrection, and in witness to Christ, celebration takes on a prophetic character. This week as we continue to remember the...
MESSAGE: Easter Day 17 April 2022 The scriptures point to the best news of the Christian year: through the resurrection of Christ, we too shall live! Considering this news, we are called to live fully and deeply, and we are called to proclaim our joy from the rooftops. This is a day of singing with...
MESSAGE: Palm/Passion Sunday – 10 April 2022 THEMES: God coming to his people in faithfulness and love. Intergenerational Service: What a joy it is to celebrate Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem! The disciples gathered the colt for him to ride; people shouted “Hosanna!”, waved palm branches and placed their cloaks in the path of the colt....
In a rather startling turn, right before Jesus’ enters his period of suffering, the Lenten readings move us to a place of joy and celebration. Isaiah promises the exiles a new salvation of God; the psalm celebrates this salvation as it is realised; Paul celebrates the righteousness he has found in Christ, which far surpasses...
