That annoying Canaanite woman is at it again and not even Jesus can catch a break. This annoying woman exposes Jesus for the human being that he was and shatters our illusions of Jesus the god-like super-hero. It is clear from the way that the story is told that Jesus was trying to ignore this … Continued
What if I were to tell you that what we do this week could change the world? Would you believe me? Would you believe me or doubt me? We’ll never know, of course, unless we try. Two women once made a decision, took a chance, and changed the world. It was simultaneously a small gesture and an … Continued
For generations Pentecost was one of the great feast days of the church; right up there with Easter and Epiphany. Pentecost the day when the church celebrates the birth of the church. As we celebrate the birthday of the Church, it is tempting to ask: Are we feeling weary? Maybe, just maybe we are in … Continued
For generations Pentecost was one of the great high feast days of the church; right up there with Easter and Epiphany. The three great high feast days of the church year were Easter, Epiphany and Pentecost; not Christmas. Pentecost the day when the church celebrates the birth of the church. As we celebrate the birthday of the … Continued
Living with this pandemic has been a difficult time, for me, in some ways. On the one hand, I have mostly enjoyed being self-isolated in my own space, with no real pressure to do any more than survive. Yes, I did go to the supermarket twice while we were in Lockdown, and I attended Church … Continued
I’d like to start by looking at investment. I called a friend recently and asked him what he was doing, he said, he was working on a special project: Aqua thermal treatment of ceramics, aluminium and steel under a constrained environment. I was impressed. Later I realsied that he was washing utensils, under warm water, … Continued
Today it is four weeks since Easter Sunday – and it’s been six and a half weeks since Level 4 lockdown began after the stroke of midnight of 23 March. I know some of us were already “locked down” before that because of our health or because of the rules at the places we live. … Continued
While reflecting on today’s reading I recall what I learnt during my training – studies about historical and literary criticism. Often, we were reminded by Rev Dr John Salmon to remain true to the text and let the text speak for itself. Maintain the integrity and honesty. This morning I am deconstructing the text and … Continued
Today’s text involves walking. According to the latest issue of Biblical Archaeology there are at least nine possible locations that are candidates for the Biblical town of Emmaus. We simply don’t know where Emmaus might have been. Emmaus is nowhere precisely because Emmaus is everywhere. Each and every one of us have travelled along the … Continued
When we think of the Lord’s disciples. We have certain words that almost always go with them. We think of Judas Iscariot or Judas the Betrayer, we think of Peter denying Christ three times but also Peter the Rock that the church was build on, we think of the John, the one Jesus loves, and … Continued
Easter Day, today, is traditionally regarded as the most important day in the liturgical life of the church. Is Easter about the transformation of Jesus’ corpse, the most spectacular miracle ever? Did God literally raise Jesus from the dead in physical bodily form? Is the Easter story to be treated as a parable of the … Continued
A Personal Story…. We all, in general, live with areas of discomfort in our lives, whether that be physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual. Good Friday: Sitting with discomfort. The drama of the final day, is what Good Friday could be called. We come here today to remember a man. A man… who had dreams, who … Continued
Who will return the donkeys? Ever been given instructions before about a course of action to take? The next part is a narrative approach to the reading where the reading and the message/reflection sermon are intertwined, with the idea to insert ourselves into the passage. Bearing in mind, who will return the donkeys? Instructions.They were given clear … Continued
In churches (physical and virtual) all over the world, preachers are hauling Lazarus out of his well-worn tomb. So, let me deconstructed what some believe is a miracle, so that the story could be of some use to us as we journey through Lent in the 21st century. Lazarus has been lying in his tomb for four … Continued
(NB: This is the first week that our Sunday Gathering has been suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. So this Reflection is first and only delivered to us all electronically, rather than just as an on-line record to refer back to after being heard live in our church community.) As usual, I read … Continued
What an immense privilege for me to be here on this special day and join with so many friends and within the city I call ‘home’. Preparing for this event has been very emotional for me, recognising the long journey undertaken by so many to arrive at today. Yes, today is an endpoint in some … Continued
QUESTIONS WE NEED TO ASK MARY I sometimes think we don’t really know what to do with Mary, we just dust her off once a year for the nativity scene and then quickly put her back. There are many question I want to ask Mary. The angel calls Mary “the favoured one”. What kind of … Continued
Glenda and I recently travelled to Cambodia and Vietnam and my theme this morning comes as a reflection about our experiences. Let me assure you it is not a travel trip reflection. I want to reflect on what is the same but different about faith. Not so much the faith of the people we met … Continued
Introduction: Being a Pentecost people Good morning everyone. It’s three weeks since Pentecost Sunday when Lucy led the service. She was thinking about what happened in Jerusalem on that day that “… they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the … Continued