Weekly reflections

Dear Friends, Thank you to all those who helped to make last Sunday’s 94th Anniversary Service such a wonderful occasion! I appreciated Rev Phil Waugh’s words – very relevant and very challenging – and the beautiful music from Kelly Tsang and Desmond Tan and the choir, and the special morning tea, coordinated by Anneke Blackburn. It was a wonderful celebration, and it was followed by a significant church meeting in the life of this church as we work out together Read more…

On Monday, bright and early at 7:30am, St Paul’s Manuka hosted the Ecumenical Service marking the commencement of the Parliamentary Year. Ciru Nganga, from Canberra Baptist Church, was one of the young people who prayed for our nation and politicians, and she did a brilliant job! The text of her prayer is at the bottom of this email. Rev Dr Sarah Bachelard, Spiritual Director of Benedictus Contemplative Church, spoke, and she was also brilliant. These last two weeks, we have Read more…

Well, school is back – which means all of us now have resumed our normal routines! Part of the normal routine at Canberra Baptist Church is preaching through our church goals at the ‘start’ of the year. This Sunday, 5 February, 12 February and 19 February, Steve and I will be looking at what our goals are and what they mean to us as a congregation. Join us on these three Sundays as we recommit ourselves, led by the Spirit, Read more…

It was exciting to see on the 7:30 Report last night a kind of follow-up to last Sunday’s sermon for Aboriginal Sunday. The story interviewed three descendants of the activists who organised the Day of Mourning protests in Sydney in 1938; Suzanne Ingram, granddaughter of Louise Ingram (shown in the photograph carrying her daughter, Olive), Anny Durett, granddaughter of Pearl Gibbs (who I spoke about on Sunday) and John Maynard, the grandson of Fred Maynard. It highlighted the courage of Read more…

To prepare for this Sunday’s service – Aboriginal Sunday, the Sunday before January 26 – you are all invited to bring to church a quote that inspires you in the area of justice and reconciliation with Aboriginal people. I am going to jump in early! This is one of my favourite quotes – often attributed to Gangulu woman, visual artist, activist and academic, Lilla Watson: If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if Read more…

Please join us on Sunday at the manse for lunch! Everyone is invited! It will be simple – a sausage and salad – but you are all very welcome! The weather is looking a little threatening in the afternoon, but Aron is confident that we can fit everyone in the house – even if it rains! My mother has been visiting this week and we have been to see the Cressida Campbell exhibition and been moved by some people’s ability Read more…

Happy New Year, to all of you, and thanks be to God who walks with us into this new year! I have been thinking about the 12 days of Christmas this week, as today, 4th January, is the 11th day of Christmas!  (According to tradition, the 12 days begin on the 25th ofDecember and end on the 5th of January – before Epiphany or Three Kings Day.) So, happy ‘eleven pipers piping’ day to you as well! But I have Read more…

As I mentioned on Sunday, the season of Advent offers us a series of invitations, not the usual Christmas invitations, but invitations, that writer Debie Thomas describes as, “hard-edged; [that] don’t look pretty on greeting cards. But…are essential and life-giving, nevertheless.” Advent is an invitation to tell the truth. To lament what is happening in our world or in our lives at present. Advent is an invitation to yearn – to want and to want fiercely! What is it that you Read more…

When I was visiting in the hospital last week, I overheard two nurses speaking to each other outside in the hall. “There’s been a lot happening this morning, hasn’t there!” said one nurse. “I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed” “Yes, I know what you mean,” said the other, “There’s been a lot.”And the first nurse reached over and put her hand on the other’s arm – just for a moment. “Ok,” she said, “That’s ok. Let’s keep going.” It was just Read more…

What a weekend! Let me first say that Des and Janice’s renewal of vows was wonderful! And the pictures I have seen of Marlene’s big birthday (was it 60, Marlene?) celebrations looked absolutely lovely! Saturday’s Baptist Assembly, however, was a very different story! Sunday passed in a bit of a blur, but sitting in church, I really appreciated the songs Steve had chosen. First, ‘Let us build a house,’ with that wonderful welcoming refrain, “All are welcome, all are welcome, Read more…