Episode

Do you know what an earworm is? That song or bit of a song that gets stuck in your brain. Having grown up in the church, it is very hard to read this passage in Acts without that line, “walking and leaping and praising God” repeating and repeating in my Read more…

I want to start with a little exercise this morning… If I asked you to complete the line, “No one on their deathbed ever said, “I wish…” how does the line end? (I wish I had spent more time at the office/I wish I’d spent more time at work/I wish Read more…

There are several stories in the New Testament about Jesus’ disciples being caught in storms on lakes. Journeys by boat – any kind of journey – have always been perilous. But in the Australian mindset, we are positioned on the land. “We will decide who comes to this country and Read more…

It feels like a while since I read – in full – story of David and Goliath. (And in case you’re thinking I chose this passage deliberately at this moment when we are in a David and Goliath struggle with the Association, can I say – no – it is Read more…

1 Samuel chapter 8 and following chapters are some of the most anti-monarchist passages in The Old Testament. It wasn’t until late in the week – when it was too late to change the readings – that I realised the irony of preaching this passage on the eve of King Read more…

Over the last four weeks we’ve explored the Baptist Mission Australia theme of ‘Mending’. We heard Beth Jackson speak about that beautiful Christmas tree ornament and God’s ‘renewing’. On Mother’s Day I spoke about ‘relating’; how God’s love is a love that urges us to live bigger, shine brighter and Read more…

Today – despite what our calendars and the sales prices on the few remaining chocolate eggs in our supermarkets say – is still Easter. We are in Eastertide and counting down the Sundays until the day of Pentecost. But as we read through the book of Acts in reverse we Read more…

On Easter Sunday morning, four years ago, a member of this church sent me this cartoon from The Australian. The context being, of course, that we were in lockdown, unable to leave our homes unless we were essential workers! Raising questions about how the life-giving, life-transforming work of Jesus has Read more…

found wrangling this reading from John, the last reading for this season of Lent like trying to get an octopus into a string bag! It begins with a convoluted story about Greeks (maybe Jewish converts, maybe Greek-speaking Jews) seeking Jesus, which leads, quite abruptly it seems, into Jesus speaking about Read more…

There was exciting news this week – for my family at least! – that an Australian airline plans to allow small cats and dogs on board! But it has drawn attention to other ‘animals on planes’ stories! Did you know some Middle Eastern airlines allow falcons to travel on plans? Read more…