______________________________________________________________________________ Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 and Psalm 89:1-4,19-29 (NRSV) Introduction Over the last 3 weeks, we have reflected on the themes of hope, peace and joy and how they are related to the birth of Jesus. They have been the themes in our Sunday services and also in the Advent Read more…
Sowing Joy – Psalm 126, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Two weeks ago on the 7:30 Report on the ABC there was a beautiful story of a couple, Grace and David Quast, who decided to get married on their property in Crooble, near Moree, in September last year, during the drought. As Read more…
6 December 2020 Messengers of Peace – Isaiah 40:1-11 Mark 1:1-8 There is a transcript for this sermon but wordpress and I are having some serious disagreements about uploading it, so if you would like a copy please just email office@canbap.org and I will send it through to you. Sorry Read more…
Mark 13 Talk to my children and they will tell you I am not a fan of wild rides. Talk to them a little longer and they will tell you what I call a ‘wild ride’ is pretty tame. And then you won’t be able to stop them. They’ll be 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…
25 December 2018 – Christmas Day A few years ago, I came across a list of six of the best Christmas short stories, and on it was Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory. Does anyone know it? Truman Capote is better known as the author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958) and Read more…