Weekly reflections

While I was looking for pictures of jacaranda trees for Sunday’s slide show, I came across this story about the jacarandas of St George and Sutherland Shires in Sydney – https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-19/the-story-behind-the-jacarandas-in-sydneys-south/13638852   In 1952 Sister Irene Paxton who ran a maternity hospital began giving jacaranda trees to young mothers, asking them to plant them in their backyards and watch them grow, as they watched their children grow. The name of the maternity hospital was Jacaranda Hospital! For the people of St Read more…

Would you like to hear some good news for a change? Do you know someone else who would like to hear good news for a change? This Sunday is the start of Advent; the time of preparing for the birth of Christ into our lives and into our world. It is good news for a change! And it is good news for a change – news that brings transformation to us and through us! Over the next four weeks, in Read more…

Dear Friends, It was puffer jacket weather in church last Sunday! In my new role as pastor/amateur meteorologist it looks like this coming Sunday will be mid-teens – so perhaps you’ll still need a coat or cardigan in church! As mentioned in last week’s Sunday to Sunday, we are following the current ACT Government guidelines for public indoor gatherings. We are able to have up to 90 people in the church (so we’ve abandoned our alphabetical system) and we are Read more…

Dear Friends, Thanks to Friday’s further easing of restrictions, everyone is welcome at church this Sunday! No more worrying about street names! We will however ask that you continue to wear a mask (unless you have a medical exemption). The ACT Government still strongly encourages wearing face masks in public indoors gatherings such as places of worship, but we would encourage it even more because: we are engaging in a higher risk activity (singing) we cannot always maintain a social Read more…

Dear Friends, It was lovely to have people in church last Sunday – those who live on streets from A to H! This Sunday we are hoping to see those of you on streets from I to Z! The numbers are restricted to 45 in the church, but there will always be room in the ‘overflow’ space in the hall, and an opportunity to meet new people and catch up with friends – without masks – outdoors afterwards! (And if Read more…

Dear Friends, It is times like this we need to remember “what a friend we have in Jesus”. Last Sunday morning, Merle White, a long-term member of our church and a good and loving friend to many of you, passed away. Don and their children, Elizabeth and Peter, and the rest of the family are grieving deeply and appreciate your prayers for them. There will be a small service, for family and some friends, at the crematorium next Monday to Read more…

This week is the start of Mental Health Month in Australia. Many months ago, we planned a special service for the 10th October (which is also World Mental Health Day) but after weeks of lockdown and pandemic anxiety, Cecelia and I thought it would be good to use the full month to focus on the Mental Health Month objectives: 1. To raise community awareness and understanding of mental illness. 2. Reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. 3. Read more…