Weekly reflections

Dear Friends, Here’s what you missed – if you weren’t at last Sunday’s church meeting! Megan Williams and I provided a comprehensive overview of the issues facing the Association now that it has redefined Baptist identity around a position on marriage. Steve Coster, Cecelia Aull, and I gave reports on the mission activity of the church, youth, families, and young adults and overall worship and pastoral care. And we decided to postpone the toilet redevelopment as we continue thinking about Read more…

What is your next step? As I mentioned on Sunday, Canberra Baptist Church, along with Baptist churches around Australia, sets aside May as May Mission Month. For us it is a time to hear more about Baptist Mission Australia, our Baptist mission agency, and Baptist World Aid, our overseas aid agency, as well as give generously (and thankfully!) to assist those that Baptist World Aid is working with in developing countries in our May Thank Offering. This will be the Read more…

I’m reading Romans. ‘Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.’ And ‘for all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption.’ Read more…

*|MC:SUBJECT|* *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* View this email in your browser Sunday to Sunday – 24 to 30 April 2023 Hi *|FNAME|* Well, this is my last week (for now) of sending out the Sunday-to-Sunday email. Belinda will be back next week (yah!!!). Today I’m sending one of the sections of the discussion paper that didn’t make the final cut – Yes! it was longer!! As we move into a time when we’ll be discussing the idea of discerning a new Vision for Mission, Read more…

*|MC:SUBJECT|* *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* View this email in your browser Hi *|FNAME|* I hope you are doing well. There is much happening in the life of CBC, please see Belinda’s note below. But before you read-on, I need to first let you know some sad news. David Barber passed away last Saturday (15th). We remembered Beth, Rick and Nick and their families in our prayers on Sunday. A memorial service will be held here at the church Monday 24th at 2pm, followed by some light refreshments Read more…

Dear Friends, I am writing with the very sad news that Warwick Trimble passed away on Sunday evening. Sandra and Sally were with him, and Megan will be arriving, to be with them both, today. A memorial service for Warwick’s life will be held at the church at 1pm next Wednesday, 12th April. Warwick will be dearly missed because as one person said to me, “He was a very dear man.” He had a huge enthusiasm for people and music Read more…

I am still fascinated by the name – Righteous Lazarus, the Four Days Dead! If you missed last Sunday’s service, this is how Lazarus of Bethany (John 11:1-45) is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church. I confess, when I first heard the name, I was reminded of the 1987 film, The Princess Bride. Apologies to you who haven’t seen it or who aren’t fans (Inconceivable!), but there’s a wonderful scene where the ‘miracle worker’ Miracle Max says, “It just so Read more…

On Sunday 2 April, at 12pm, Canberra Baptist Church is hosting a Community Easter Egg Hunt, and everyone is invited! When: Sunday 2 April, 12pm Where: meet in the carpark – Canberra Baptist Church, Currie Cres, Kingston. Who: everyone is welcome! What: bring a basket to collect your eggs! At 12pm we will gather in the carpark (in front of the church) and, with staggered starts from youngest to oldest, the hunt will be on! Bring along your family and Read more…

Being a healthy church is, “not rocket science… You preach the gospel, offer hospitality, and pay attention to worship and people’s spiritual lives, Frankly, you take Christianity seriously as a way of life.” I keep coming back to this quote from Christianity for the Rest of Us (the book we explored in depth several years ago, which laid the groundwork for the formation of our church goals). It is a great reassurance when I start to feel like the task Read more…

On the shoulders of giants…. As part of the process of naming CBC’s strengths, I’ve been reading much of its history. There are so many books and articles that contain so much information about the life and mission of this church. It’s wonderful to read of the dedication and commitment that so many have given. We do indeed stand on the shoulders of giants!We are in a process of naming our strengths. We are currently in the stage of seeking to name the Read more…