Today is the first Sunday in our series on Christian spirituality and the spiritual ‘disciplines’ which help us “attend to the work of grace in our lives and our times” using Marjorie Thompson’s book, Soul Feast (By the way, I still have four copies or you can buy one – in a variety of formats – online.) In the new foreword of the new edition, Barbara Brown Taylor, writes that Marjorie is not a prescriptive spiritual guide, but one Read more…
What is the best thing you have ever tasted? For many of us, over the last couple of weeks, it was probably gelato! Or perhaps it’s some of the family favourites that get served at Christmas. For those of us who believe in delaying gratification, it is that first bite of a crusty hot cross bun enjoyed on Good Friday and not before! Or perhaps it is a very special meal you enjoyed with others on some memorable occasion? Read more…
Upon returning from Nicaragua, I chanced by the newly released Quarterly Essay entitled, ‘Moment of Truth: History of Australia’s Future’ by Mark McKenna. I couldn’t put it down; in fact, I wept, so powerful was the story painted of the struggle of the indigenous community of our nation. In one chapter, McKenna quotes the philosopher Raimond Gaita who reflected that “citizenship governed by the rule of law is a great good, but it runs deeper when nourished by love of Read more…
Epiphany is a Christian feast day, a day in the liturgical calendar for remembering one of the events in the life of Jesus, celebrated in many churches around the world in many different ways. The word ‘epiphany’ comes from Koine Greek, ἐπιφάνεια, epipháneia, and was used of the appearance of the dawn – I am reminded of our Isaiah passage this morning, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Read more…
Join in the festivities at Canberra Baptist this Christmas Period. Sunday 9th December – 9:00 am & 10:30am Choir Music Service Sunday 16th December – 6:15pm Carols in Telopea Park and free BBQ Monday 24 December – 11:00pm Christmas Eve Service at Wesley Uniting Church Tuesday 25 December – 9:00am Christmas Day Service
The Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT has a Tax Deductible Releif Fund to accept monetary donations which will be used to assist farmers and people in regional communities in difficult circumstances due to the drought. These funds will be channelled through local churches in teh affected regions to allow those churches to assist people in need in their communities. Online donations can be made at www.nswactbaptists.org.au/news/drought-response/.
Coming to a City Near You Jesus comes to Jerusalem, the city nearest you. Jesus comes to the gate, to the synagogue, to houses prepared for wedding parties, to the pools where people wait to be healed, to the temple where lambs are sold, to gardens, beautiful in the moonlight. He comes to the governor’s palace. Jesus comes to Jerusalem, the city nearest you, to new subdivisions and trailer parks, to penthouses and basement apartments, to the factory, the hospital Read more…
Dear Friends To live is to grow. In fact, many dictionary definitions of ‘life’ mention the capacity for growth as a central characteristic; along with activity, reproduction, etc. It is striking, how well this principle also applies to our spiritual lives. Jesus Himself compares the spiritual life to that of a vine (John 15:1-7), and Scripture further urges believers to grow up in Christ, progressing from spiritual ‘milk’ to ‘solid food’ (Hebrews 5:12-14) – in context, this ‘meat’ refers to Read more…
Dear Friends At camp, as part of our evening worship service, we ate pretzels! Pretzels are associated with Lent and we used them to engage in a Lenten exercise, of eating slowly and deliberately, thinking about the taste and the texture as we ate, because the season of Lent is not just a time of fasting and giving things up, but it is also an invitation to slow down and go more deeply into our thoughts, feelings, relationship – with Read more…
Dear Friends Retreat – “… the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:15-16. Talking about rest is often like speaking another language, in the world that we live in. As people, the workplace, and even work itself, become more and more accessible through technology, the expectations to always be ‘switched on’ seem only Read more…