Weekly reflections

Dear Friends, On Monday, as many of you know, John Clark, John Higgins, Megan Williams, and I met with representatives from Assembly Council. This was the first stage of the NSW/ACT Baptist Association’s disaffiliation process for churches. “The discussion was,” in John Higgins’ words, “cordial and respectful and conducted in as good a spirit as could be expected for a meeting of this kind.” They explained why we had been identified – our statements at Assembly and the paper Same-sex Read more…

Dear Church, It seems a number of people could relate to Sunday’s wilderness metaphor! “But,” one said to me, “While I was thinking about how much I feel like I’m in the wilderness at the moment, I looked up and saw people – people in front of me and behind me and beside me – who all know what I am going through and who care. I am not alone in the wilderness.” “I am not alone in the wilderness.” Read more…

Happy New Year! Or – Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu – in Japanese (my new year’s resolution has been to resume studying Japanese on Duolingo). Or as today is actually the start of the Lunar New Year – Gong hei fat choy! Today (as you can see!) our weekly ‘Sunday to Sunday’ emails resume! The purpose of these emails is to keep people connected – especially if you’ve missed a couple of Sundays – with what is happening at CBC. The words Read more…

Dear Friends, I am blown away by this church – and by all of you! Last week the former pastor of Flinders Street Baptist in Adelaide, Rev Scott Cadman, said to me, in relation to the letter we’d received from Assembly Council, that – if you have a good church – you can trust the church to work their way through a situation. “Belinda,” he said. “You have a good church. They will work their way through this.” And that Read more…

Further edits to my Sunday to Sunday. Subject: Sunday to Sunday, 17 to 24 November 2024 Dear Friends, As was mentioned on Sunday, Canberra Baptist Church has received a letter from Assembly Council initiating the process (voted on by Assembly in June) that leads to the disaffiliation of a church. As I also mentioned on Sunday, I have gone through a gamut of emotions since receiving the letter; shock, anger, grief, relief, release and resolve. What I have been experiencing Read more…

Dear Friends, Apologies for getting my months mixed up in last Friday’s Fellowship News! I hope people worked out from the date (Friday 15th) that Judith Bauer is having surgery this Friday, 15th November! Please pray for her and for Richard as they both navigate significant health challenges at present. You would also have seen in last week’s bulletin that Advent is coming! Advent is not just about cardboard calendars containing overpriced chocolates! Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, is Read more…

I mentioned a prayer on Sunday which is often referred to as The Romero Prayer. It has a great deal in common with the teaching and the life of Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, El Salvador, who was assassinated on 24 March 1980, as he conducted mass, for speaking out against social injustice and violence in his country, but it was not written by him. It was, in fact, written the year before Romero was killed by Catholic Father Read more…

Dear Friends, There has been a change to this Sunday’s events!We have had to postpone Rev Dr John Harris’s talk on Historic Bibles and their legacy to Sunday, 17th November, at 3:30pm, in the Lounge. So rather than lunch, we will now be having afternoon tea before the talk begins. (If you can bring something for afternoon tea on that Sunday afternoon that would be very much appreciated!)So, there is no lunch and no talk this Sunday, but on Sunday, Read more…

While Belinda is away, she has invited me to produce the Sunday to Sunday reflections.I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of the key learnings, from this year, of the Currie Crescent Community Centre Advisory Committee. Much of what we’ve learnt came from the three tours (ACT, Melbourne and Sydney) held through the year. I’d be interested to know any comments you have…. I’ve also included a few of the photos and ‘unauthorised’ captions from the tours.

As art of last weeks Sunday to Sunday, I shared some of the key learnings, from this year, of the Currie Crescent Community Centre Advisory Committee. Much of what we’ve learnt came from the three tours (ACT, Melbourne and Sydney) held through the year. The good news is that there is more to share, please see below…. I’d be interested to know any comments you have…. I’ve also included a few of the photos and ‘unauthorised’ captions from the tours. Read more…