Weekly reflections

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary’, Jan Vermeer van Delft, 1654″Thank you for being part of honouring the work and ministry of Uncle (Rev) Graham Paulson last Sunday – the first ordained indigenous Baptist minister in Australia.

This Sunday, 17 July, Steve is preaching on the story of Mary and Martha and the things that distract us from what really matters. Then on Sunday 24 July (Term 3 – for those of you for whom school terms mark time!) I will be beginning a four week series on the book of Colossians – looking at what we, as the church, need to know about being the church; how we need to grow in our knowledge of who Read more…

By CBC Office, ago

I have got a bit stuck on those references – two Sundays ago – to the ‘companies of prophets’ in the Elijah/Elisha story (2 Kings 2).

As I said then: “As a community of faith….together we are the company of prophets of Canberra Baptist! We are called to care for the disadvantaged, to live out and speak out God’s justice and truth and love, to go through the necessary, but difficult transitions in our lives and our church, to step into new things welcoming each other’s gifts, caring for each other and witnessing to what God is doing amongst us.” How do you feel about this Read more…

By CBC Office, ago

Holy Week Devotional

May the mind of Christ my Saviour: Devotional for Holy Week “May the mind of Christ my Saviour…” was written by Katie Barclay Wilkinson (1859 to 1928). Very little about her except that she worked with young women in West London, and was connected to the Keswick Convention, a movement to promote deeper devotion to Christ in the Church of England. The hymn first appeared in print in 1913. The hymn was originally written as a daily devotional, and the Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago

The beauty of being part of a team

Would you like to hear some good news? Last week in the 2022-23 Federal Budget the government announced an additional 16,500 places for Afghan refugees. You might remember back in January Immigration Minister Alex Hawke announced the government would allocate 15,000 visas over four years for Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban -10,000 within the existing humanitarian program and 5,000 from the family stream. Groups such as Christians United For Afghanistan protested that this wasn’t enough and was simply taking places away Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago

Relay for Life

“G’day, Everyone! I won’t beat about the bush. After church this Sunday, come to the Open Table Lunch at the manse! We can talk about the three ships – fellowship, partnership and sportsmanship! Go ‘Relay for Life’!” That is my homage to John Clark’s wonderful children’s talk on Sunday – brilliantly executed by Kerstin Wallace and Stephen Gee! It was a wonderful service, so thankyou to John and to John! Captain’s calls don’t have the greatest reputation, but this was Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago

A Gardening God

I may have taken Sunday’s passage (Luke 13:1-9) too literally! On Monday I spent several hours in the garden (at our house in Hughes) digging around the plants, weeding and pruning and I am definitely feeling the effects of it now! (There has been a lot of moaning and groaning each time I need to use my legs! A lot!) But the good news is I discovered lemons on our lemon tree (transplanted when we extended the house eight years Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago

“where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet”

Many years ago, when I was a young woman, very concerned about discovering the will of God for my life, I had a conversation with my father about what would happen if I fell in love with someone, but didn’t know if that was the person God intended me to marry. I remember my father saying, “Don’t you think that if you have fallen in love with that person, then perhaps that is the person God intends for you to Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago

Community Centre Report

Dear Friends, I am very thankful to James Cox who stepped in to preach on Sunday even though we weren’t – sadly – heading away on church camp. (We hope that another campring opportunity may be possible a little later in the year!) I am also very thankful for the way he opened up Romans 12:1-8 for us – his reflections on how the ordinary activity of our lives is spiritual; that what we do every day in our bodies Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago

Minister’s report

Dear Friends, Before you go any further – just wanting you to know that tonight at St Pauls, Manuka, at 7pm there will be a special prayer service for the Ukraine. Today is also Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent! At prayers this morning we read parts of Matthew 6, and Lucy drew our attention to the assumption the passage makes that, as people of faith, we do faith! We do alms giving (Matt 6:2). We do prayer (Matt Read more…

By Belinda Groves, ago