Dear friends Last Sunday’s service included reflection on Psalm 116, especially the opening verse – “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.” Our mini-choir presented two related songs – “I love you Lord, and I lift my voice” and “I love the Lord, he heard my cries”. I’m not sure how well they came across on your Zoom, but I had the privilege of being in the church and it was absolutely beautiful. Thanks Read more
I couldn’t decided whether to start this week’s ‘Sunday to Sunday’ reflection with, “Sunday afternoon turned out to more eventful than I thought it would be…” or “On Sunday afternoon I ended up at the Covid 19 clinic in Weston Creek!” Both are true. Seventy minutes before Sunday’s church meeting I was cleaning the kitchen and impaled the end of my finger on the Tupperware chopper (those blades are sharp!) We applied three band-aids (but they were a band-aid solution!) and the wound kept bleeding. Read more
Dear friends Last Thursday (28 May) was the 20th Anniversary of the Reconciliation Walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and yesterday was the end of National Reconciliation Week. Belinda reflected on this in her Sunday-to-Sunday email last week and also in the service on Sunday. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2020 was “In This Together”, a theme that continues to be very relevant even after the week has finished. So let me tell you a bit about the painting Read more
Dear Friends, I had one of those frustrating days yesterday. I was looking at the Common Grace materials for National Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June), and their call to those who took part in the Walk for Reconciliation in 2000 to send in photos and stories for the 20th anniversary of that event (today – the 28th May 2020). And I can see my photo clearly! In it is my mother and I pushing a one-year-old Miriam in a stroller Read more
Dear friends Last Sunday was our Annual Thanksgiving Day when we launched our Thanksgiving Offering. John Lewis from Baptist World Aid was our guest speaker, via Zoom from Newcastle. He brought an up-date on BWA’s ministry in various parts of the world, but especially in Bangladesh. Out Thank Offering will be used to help communities in that country deal with the devastating affects of Coronavirus. John Lewis spoke on 2 Corinthians 1:1-17, emphasising that God is a God of comfort Read more
‘Safe as houses’ was the theme last Sunday; that rather than promising us the relative physical security of a house, Jesus, in John chapter 14, promises we will always find a home, a dwelling place, with him, a place of shelter to which we are called to invite and welcome others. It was the message Jesus gave his disciples in uncertain times and it continues to both a comfort and a challenge to us in uncertain times. And the uncertain Read more
Well, the results are in for the Canberra Baptist Church ‘Songs for the Journey’ playlist’! 500 miles by The Proclaimers was mentioned in a few breakout rooms – one of my personal favorites! And with the proximity to Anzac Day we had a few wartime songs: Coming in on a wing and prayer, Pack up your troubles, and It’s a long way to Tipperary. There were a few nostalgic entries; The Carnival is over and Morningtown Ride by The Seekers, I love to go Read more
Greetings everyone. Last Sunday morning I commenced my sermon with a riddle – “When is a door not a door?” I invited anyone with an answer to write it on a sheet of paper and hold it up at the end. There were so many who held up “When it’s ajar” that we didn’t have time to spotlight them all. There were also some very creative responses including “ADORE”, an actual jar, and the following virtual background from Zach. The Read more
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! It was wonderful last weekend to gather – over Zoom – with a congregation meeting in different homes and different states (and even different countries) to remember again the life, death and resurrection of Jesus – that within our darkest night God’s powerful love has kindled a fire that never dies away. Attached is a picture of the flowers on the communion table on Easter Sunday – with the Christ candle and other Read more
Dear Friends, It is interesting what we can do and what we can’t do during this Covid 19 emergency. Our family can’t drive to Sydney for a special meal to celebrate my brother’s birthday this week, but we are having a 40 minute Zoom conversation with our four households – each week – bringing us closer than we have been in years! As a church we cannot at the present time hold services in our buildings, but we can Read more