Up Close and Personal
Psalm 19:1,4,8,11 “The heavens declare the glory of God;…. Their voice goes out into all the earth,….” “The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes…. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Every part of creation speaks of the glory of God. Like a work […]
Where it all begins
Jesus’ public ministry began with his baptism by John and confrontation with Satan in the wilderness. Unlike our own experience, his baptism could not deliver anything to Jesus that he did not already have. His baptism was for us. Jesus chose to be baptised in obedience to the Father’s command (Matthew 3:15). Humility. “In your […]
Lent. A message from the Elders
Lent is a time for spiritual examination. A time to seriously consider the integrity of our relationship with the Holy Father and to re-align ourselves with what God wants for us. It is also a time to reflect on the finished work of Jesus Christ – His eternal victory over sin and death (1 Peter […]
The Affair of the Sausages
The year is 1522 and the location is Zurich, Switzerland. A Pastor, Ulrich Zwingli, has contracted a printer, Christoph Froschauer, to publish a collection of his sermons on the epistles of St. Paul. Printing in the sixteenth century was an arduous affair and Froschauer had his workers busily engaged well beyond their normal working hours […]
Hearing God’s Word
I began my formal training to become a Minister of the Word at the beginning of year 2001. We became members of Hope Valley Uniting Church because we lived just down the road in Valley View. We joined a Bible Study group which kicked off with a study on the book of 2 Timothy, a […]
Uluru
The massive sandstone monolith in central Australia, known as Uluru or Ayers Rock, is sacred to the Aboriginal people and is one of the nation’s most recognisable natural landmarks. One of its amazing features is the way in which it appears to change colour at different times of the day and year, most notably at […]
Yes, to us, but, more importantly, in us
Having just finished reading through the prophet Isaiah at the end of last week, I turned back to the New Testament to be re-acquainted with Paul’s letters to the churches. Like for many of you, Paul’s letters have been constant companions. Always challenging, the letters continue to inspire and inform my thinking and preaching. Yesterday, […]
Please Close The Gate
When travelling through farming districts, it is common to be reminded, by a sign fixed to a gate, “Please close the gate”. Failure to do so, could allow valuable stock to wander away. On the first day of the New Year, it is a day for gate-shutting. Where, for instance, a decision has been made, […]
The New Year, 2021
Francis Brienen, a British minister and author in the Reformed Church. has written the following inspirational prayer for the New Year. Make it your earnest prayer for 2021. God of all time,who makes all things new,we bring before you the year now ending.For life full and good,for opportunities recognised and taken,for love known and shared,we […]
The Grace of God
Theologians point out that there is a sharp distinction between the use of the word ‘grace’ in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, it can be used to designate kindness and graciousness in general, with no particular tie or personal relationship between the individuals involved. It is also used to signify a […]