For Sunday the 1st of March - 9:00 am

No matter how much we value our independence, it’s also natural to want to belong, and to want to have a place where we feel at home. But it’s not always possible to find a place where we are loved, where can learn to forgive and be forgiven, and where we can be challenged to use our unique gifts for the benefit of others.

This Sunday we will listen to a part of the Bible that teaches about baptism. As we reflect on this teaching, we will consider God joins us into his family, the church, through the gift of baptism. We will consider how God, through baptism, provides us with a true home, where we may receive his love and forgiveness.

This Sunday we will be meeting for a service with Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45 a.m.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 22nd of February - 10:00am

Encouragement for a challenging journey

Life issues are often challenging -  bushfires, drought, finances, health, relationships are all current challenges for people around us.   Biblical leaders also faced challenging issues.  A unique meeting of Moses, Elijah and Jesus, three leaders who experienced major challenges, is reported in the Gospel for Transfiguration Sunday.  God the Father’s encouragement on that occasion provides help for us also as we face life’s challenges.  Hearing the Father, listening to Jesus, and receiving Jesus' comforting and strengthening company on our journey all provide much-needed help.

 

For Sunday the 15th of February - 9:00 am

When we see athletes competing in a final, we see the end result of sometimes years of hard discipline and training. When we see an athlete win a great victory, we know that lots of hard work went into making the victory a reality.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that uses the imagery of athletes competing against each other. As we think about this imagery, we will consider how God is training us to live lives of great service and love toward each other. We will consider how God gives us ways to discipline our lives, so that we miss out on nothing of lasting value.

This Sunday we will be meeting for a service with communion at 9:00 am. We will be remembering in prayer the needs of our city, and especially the needs of those people who have suffered loss because of the fires.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 8th of February - 10:00 am (AGM Sunday)

All of us at some stage face the temptation to give up:  to give up on friendships, to give up on marriage, to give up on God, to give up even in life. When we are tempted to give up, it can be of little help to be told that we should try harder to persevere. After all, when we are weak we don’t need advice, we need strength.

This Sunday we will be hearing a passage from Isaiah 40 talks about the reality of human weakness in the face of struggle, but that also talks about the fact that God has the strength to carry us through the difficult times. As we think through what the Bible says, we will think about practical ways that we can trust God in life, and so experience God’s help when we are weak.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00 am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 10:45 am. The AGM will be held after the service.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor