Episode

Prelude Choir – Alleluia, hurry the Lord is near Call to Worship Family of Christ, siblings by adoption, let us come together and seek peace! The Prince of Peace is here, making his home in our hearts. When we are at peace, our hearts are not afraid. When we are Read more…

The sheep and the goats – Matthew 25:31-46 Well, it is a challenge to be the third speaker – especially to follow… But it is a greater challenge to reflect on the past year for Canberra Baptist Church in the light of this familiar, but always unsettling parable about the Read more…

Rejoice in the Lord greatly – Philippians 4:10-20 Eight weeks ago (with a little break for the Blessing of the Animals and the Open Baptists weekend) we began a series on Philippians, and today is the last in this series. But joy, (hallelujah!), goes on! It is firmly and deeply Read more…

Rejoice in the Lord – always. – Philippians 4:1-7 Poor Euodia and Syntyche! What a way to be remembered for posterity! I was tempted, when I was planning this series to skip the beginning of chapter 4, but as I did more reading, I was intrigued by the fact that Read more…

Luke 2: 1-20 Written by Rebecca Hilton, who considers that Luke would be comfortable with a retelling of the story he wrote, given that the story is for everyone, now matter who they are, and where they live. Congregational responses are bolded (because they are likely to be difficult to Read more…

“Finally,” Paul says in Philippians chapter 3, “Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!” It’s a very appropriate verse for today, isn’t it! Today we are rejoicing in the Lord! We are rejoicing in the baptisms of Maddie and James and the reminder, for many of us, of Read more…

One of my joys in this series on Philippians – and joy – has been receiving an enthusiastic email from John Morrison telling me he preached a similar series at Wellington Baptist and attaching the annotated (as only John would!) list of jokes he used! Though he added, “I am Read more…

Did you see the story on the news this week about Australia’s oldest man, Ken Weeks, celebrating his 110th birthday? There was a party in his aged care home in Grafton and he received a letter of congratulations from the king, though that seemed standard fare. “On my 100th birthday,” Read more…

Pray with Joy – Philippians 1:1-11 At this time of year, the lectionary (the 3-year cycle of readings that many churches follow) focuses on one of Paul’s letters to the early church. Two years ago, we looked at Ephesians. Last year, Colossians, and today we are starting a six-week series Read more…

Don’t waste a fight – Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 18:15-20 I may have given my punchline away with this image, but many years ago Aron and I attended a series of marriage enrichment dinners at our church (not this church) and we invited some friends – a couple many of you Read more…