Dear Friends Like you, I distinctly heard John and Kristine say they would not be returning to Canberra Baptist. In Kristine’s words, “Pilgrims never go back!” There’s been a few attempts to explain why they have come back (and gone back on their word!) but I have been thinking lately Read more…
Dear Friends Last Sunday – specifically Sunday night – was twelfth night. The Christmas trees are packed away. Christmas is officially over. But as we continue to think long and hard about the magnitude of the fires our country is currently experiencing, I wondered if there was a way to Read more…
Dear Friends ‘Happy New Year’ doesn’t sound like the right thing to say just now when so much of our country is burning, when so many human lives and other life has been lost and homes and livelihoods destroyed. But the prophet Jeremiah (not known as a Pollyanna in the Read more…
Dear Friends As we struggled to take in the news this week that Australians and others on holiday in New Zealand had lost their lives in an unexpected volcanic eruption, our Prime Minister Scott Morrison made reference to, “a time of great innocence and joy [being] interrupted by the horror Read more…
Dear Friends I was reading a reflection this week by English actress Emily Watson which reminded me a little of my sermon last Sunday and the litany of fears that we hold for our world at the current time; climate change and conflict, and the ensuing human dislocation and Read more…
Dear Friends What are you longing for this Advent? I must confess that the time of Advent, the weeks leading up until Christmas, are often more about ticking off lists for me, doing what has to be done (or what feels like it has to be done) rather than thinking Read more…
Dear Friends Lately I am keep being reminded of ‘heart prayers’; prayers that move us “from head to heart”; from a limited and partial dimension of our lives (what we are consciously able to think about at any given time) to the centre of our whole being; prayers that are Read more…
Dear Friends I remember my mentor Rev Athol Gill saying to me: ‘Always have a sunset clause’. Those sage words I carried for many years and they helped shape a kind of strategy for church and for the many community development projects I have been involved in; meaning, that we Read more…
Dear Friends I know all of you continue to be shocked and saddened by the news Martin and I have experienced substantial difficulties in our working relationship and that Martin made the decision to resign. It has been a difficult journey for us, and we are very grateful for your Read more…
Dear Friends For our 10 day break, Margaret and I travelled to Broken Hill. It was a family gathering because there we were to scatter the ashes of Margaret’s parents. Jim and Helen Nixon grew up in Broken Hill and the family decided to scatter the ashes in a dry Read more…