Sunday to Sunday: 17-24 December 2023: Happy Christmas

Today I’ve been re-reading the Sunday-to-Sunday messages for the year. What a year! We have lost loved ones, but we know that love goes on! We have welcomed new friends and welcomed new friends into membership! And we have continued to pour out energy, creativity, faithfulness (and a willingness to sometimes fall on our faces), day by day by day, showing love to our community. During the year, a wise young woman in our community said to me, “I feel Read more…

Sunday to Sunday: 10-17 December 2023

Dear Friends On Sunday, many of you also heard the sad news that Doreen Henson passed away early on Saturday morning. There will be a Service of Thanksgiving for her life on Tuesday, 19 Dec, at 10am at the church, followed by morning tea. On Sunday I also discovered that Miriam is not alone! There are many people who think the service of Lessons and Carols is their favourite service of the year! And – after the beautiful singing last Read more…

Sunday to Sunday: 4 – 10 December 2023

“It’s my favourite church service of the year!” Miriam announced to our, somewhat surprised, family last night while we were talking about this Sunday’s Lessons and Carols Service. “What!” said her partner, Dan, “Better than the Blessing of the Animals?” “Oh, yes!” said Miriam, firmly, “It my absolute favourite service of the year!” So, there you are. The Lessons and Carols Service, this Sunday, 10 December at 10am, is Miriam’s favourite service of the year. I know she is not Read more…

Sunday to Sunday: 26 November to 3 December 2023

In my family (thanks to my American auntie, Auntie Melea) the rule was that Christmas decorations could not go up until after Thanksgiving! In Christian tradition, however, Christmas does not begin until the 25th of December! The period leading up to Christmas, that begins this Sunday, is Advent – a time of expectant waiting and preparation for Christ. (That, however, does not stop us from referring to church events as ‘Christmas’ events! 😊 Like the Church Christmas Party next Saturday Read more…

Sunday-to-Sunday: 12th – 19th November 2023

Dear Friends, Our series on joy has come to an end, but, as I mentioned on Sunday, joy goes on! It fills our prayers for one another.  It is our strength in difficult times. It sustains us as we model Christ’s humility. It is our confidence that we are ‘in Christ’. It accompanies (and enables) our grace and our generous giving to one another. Joy goes on! One way we can continue ‘rejoicing in the Lord’ is through our Advent Read more…

Sunday-to-Sunday: 5th -12th November 2023

Dear Friends, Last Sunday, 12 November, was a significant day for our community. We welcomed two new members – Stephen Tang and Eric Tsoi – who shared some of the wonderful and challenging parts of their respective journeys of faith. It was a privilege to hear their stories and we warmly welcomed them as part now of our story, of following Jesus, building caring, inclusive community, and sharing God’s love and justice in our words and actions. We also grieved Read more…

Sunday-to-Sunday: 29th October – 5th November 2023

This Sunday our series on joy continues with Philippians chapter 3! (I love the fact that Paul plays that old preacher’s trick here, beginning with “Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord,” and then going on to make several more points across two more chapters!) I am again looking for contributions – from the adults (I have enough offered from children – thank you!) – about joy (i.e. short readings or poems specifically mentioning joy.) Thank you too Read more…

Sunday-to-Sunday: 15th – 22nd October 2023

Dear Friends, An incredible rainbow – the most vivid and colourful I have ever seen in my life – appeared in the sky over Kingston last night. Here is my picture of it, although Duncan Grove’s picture (below), captured the colours much better! (I also note that Callum Ince had the distinction of his 3rd picture appearing on the ABC news last night! Amazing work, Callum!) In Genesis 9, God says, “I have set my bow in the clouds, and Read more…

Sunday-to-Sunday: 8th to 15th October

Dear Friends, I am still looking for contributions on ‘joy’! It was wonderful to hear Elizabeth speak about ‘where she finds joy’ in the service last Sunday. (She says she had stage fright, but it certainly didn’t look like it! 😊) I still have slots for the Blessing of the Animals (22nd Oct), 29th Oct, 12th Nov and 19th Nov to fill! And it was wonderful to hear Edna read the start of the Canticle of the Sun – and Read more…

Sunday-to-Sunday: 1st-8th October

Dear Friends, Over the next few weeks (with a break on the 22nd and 29th October) we are working our way through the book of Philippians and our theme is joy AND I am looking for help! I am looking for children (or families – if that’s easier) who can share with us where they find joy. 😊 And I am looking for some adults willing to share a short poem or reading about joy. And we are setting up Read more…