Weekly reflections

Dear Friends, On Monday, as many of you know, John Clark, John Higgins, Megan Williams, and I met with representatives from Assembly Council. This was the first stage of the NSW/ACT Baptist Association’s disaffiliation process for churches. “The discussion was,” in John Higgins’ words, “cordial and respectful and conducted in as good a spirit as could be expected for a meeting of this kind.” They explained why we had been identified – our statements at Assembly and the paper Same-sex Read more…

Dear Church, It seems a number of people could relate to Sunday’s wilderness metaphor! “But,” one said to me, “While I was thinking about how much I feel like I’m in the wilderness at the moment, I looked up and saw people – people in front of me and behind me and beside me – who all know what I am going through and who care. I am not alone in the wilderness.” “I am not alone in the wilderness.” Read more…

Happy New Year! Or – Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu – in Japanese (my new year’s resolution has been to resume studying Japanese on Duolingo). Or as today is actually the start of the Lunar New Year – Gong hei fat choy! Today (as you can see!) our weekly ‘Sunday to Sunday’ emails resume! The purpose of these emails is to keep people connected – especially if you’ve missed a couple of Sundays – with what is happening at CBC. The words Read more…

Dear Friends, I am blown away by this church – and by all of you! Last week the former pastor of Flinders Street Baptist in Adelaide, Rev Scott Cadman, said to me, in relation to the letter we’d received from Assembly Council, that – if you have a good church – you can trust the church to work their way through a situation. “Belinda,” he said. “You have a good church. They will work their way through this.” And that Read more…

Further edits to my Sunday to Sunday. Subject: Sunday to Sunday, 17 to 24 November 2024 Dear Friends, As was mentioned on Sunday, Canberra Baptist Church has received a letter from Assembly Council initiating the process (voted on by Assembly in June) that leads to the disaffiliation of a church. As I also mentioned on Sunday, I have gone through a gamut of emotions since receiving the letter; shock, anger, grief, relief, release and resolve. What I have been experiencing Read more…