Luke 1:26-38, 46b-55 This week’s gospel reading is The Annunciation or the announcement that Mary will have a child. The angel or messenger from God said: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him […]
Mark Since the Gospel according to Mark is what we will be hearing from most this coming year I thought it would be good to give an overview of this Gospel. The Gospel according to Mark is the shortest of the 4 Gospels. Historically it has been seen as having little significance as it was […]
Mark 1:1-8 Last week during our service we looked at the way the church year is arranged and the different seasons. We are in our second week of the season of Advent. Advent is the preparation for the season of Christmas and is also beginning of the church year. Last church year we were focused […]
Mark 13:24-37 On Tuesday I had the great pleasure of preaching at the Catholic Church Our Lady of Hope, Epping as part of the Ecumenical Covenant Churches which includes Catholic Parish of Epping & Carlingford, Epping Anglicans, Epping Baptist Church, Epping Uniting Church and West Epping Uniting Church. Together we celebrated the beginning of Advent. […]
Ezekiel 34:11-24 This Sunday is Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday. This celebration is a relatively new addition to the Western liturgical calendar, beginning in 1925, less than 100 years old. Even more recently, 1970, it was moved to this Sunday, the Sunday before Advent. World War I left many countries in poverty […]
Judges 4 The book of Judges covers a time period after Joshua’s death and before the anointing of Saul as king. The book is named after the central characters, the judges. The term “judges” is broader than the meaning we associate with it today. Judges are portrayed as tribal leaders who became regional leaders and […]
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Sometimes I look at the state of the world and wonder why the all-powerful God does not take charge and control things to prevent the horror, the pain and suffering that we see around the world. Do you wonder this also? Would you, like me prefer God did take charge? I confess […]
Joshua 3:7-17 Joshua has become the new leader now that Moses has died. Can you imagine how Joshua felt? I imagine he was rather anxious. He had big shoes to fill. Moses “was unequalled … for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all […]
Deuteronomy 34:1-12 A few weeks ago I said that I identify with Moses. That like Moses I tried making excuses when God called me. I mentioned that I had a stole made which was presented to me at my ordination that had an image of the burning bush on it. Well here at the end […]
Exodus 33:12-23 How did you go with last week’s question: I wonder if there are deities or idols that led us to misrecognize God and one another? Geoff, on Sunday, asked the question: What idols do we make? What do we invest in, worship and give power to? Is it our cars, houses, new piece […]