Rev. John Morrison _______________________________________________________________________________________ Readings Micah 6:1-8 & Matthew 5:1-12 (NRSV) Introduction 26th January. Today. Australia Day, at least officially. Others call it Invasion Day, Survival Day, Day of Mourning. A day that is meant to unite us as a nation but which is increasingly divisive. Read more…
Isaiah 42:1-9, Matthew 3:13-17 This day in the Christian calendar is set aside to focus on the baptism of Jesus. A day to recall an event in the life of Jesus, a key in the sense that it marks a new beginning – for Jesus’ public ministry, his awareness Read more…
John 1:1-18 & Matthew 2:1-12 Late last year I bought a book called Last Christmas. It is not the book of the film – which was a bit of a festive season flop – but a collection of essays and stories about ‘people’s memories of past Christmases and hopes for Read more…
Luke 2:8-14, John 1:1-14 A few years ago, I told a story about the coldest Christmas I can remember. It was while Aron and I were living in Japan – before children – and on Christmas Eve we went to church – it was the only Christmas service our church Read more…
Luke 2:1-16 I have a son was born on the 5th December. He was not my firstborn son. He was child number 3 – but it was close enough to the Christmas story for his big sister Miriam, aged 5 at the time, to draw all her Christmas cards Read more…
Matthew 2:18-25 There’s a lot to take in when you discover you’re pregnant – even in a planned pregnancy. Actually, the more I think about it ’planned pregnancy’ has to be an oxymoron (similar to another expression I remember from that period in my life – making a ‘birth Read more…
Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 1:39-55 As you know this church and many churches around the world mark the four Sundays leading up to Christmas as the season of Advent. Advent literally means ‘arrival’ or ‘coming’ and is observed as a time of waiting or longing. Waiting, yes, to celebrate again the Read more…
Luke 1:26-33, Matthew 24:36-44 – Angels The first words out of the angels’ mouths every time it seems are, “Do not be afraid!” It’s Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, who first converses with an angel in Luke. He is in the temple – chosen by lot which Read more…
Luke 23:33-43 – Jesus, remember me This Sunday marks the end of one year in the church calendar and the beginning of another. Known as Christ the King Sunday it is a time to reflect on the meaning of Christ’s kingship before we again, through the season of Advent, begin Read more…
John 2:1-11, Psalm 36:5-10 I’ve been reading a lot about biblical literature recently as I’ve been preparing a conference paper. I mostly look at OT literature, of course, but there are some good stories in the NT too. There is a skill in being able to convey a narrative in Read more…