UPDATE Regarding Physical Services from 9 July, 2020, indefinitely
- In accordance with State Laws and Regulations, our physical services will be suspended until further notice.
- The Church buildings will remain closed to all parish groups and tenants.
- While the building is closed, please remember that Church is alive.
- Our Online Sunday Services and Children's Ministry Resources including a weekly All Age Video will continue to be made available throughout the lockdown period.
Sunday Service, 9 August, 2020, Pentecost 10
- The Service is available on Our Online Sunday Services page.
- Please carefully read the instructions provided in order to maximise your experience.
- The next Sunday's Service will be available on Saturday evening.
From the Vicar, 9 August, 2020
From June 14 – Sept 6 (13 weeks) I will be doing a Sermon Series on Matthew 9-18.
When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the lake [in the midst of the storm], they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him... Matthew 14:26-31 (NRSV)
Some years ago, when I was delivering a Bible lesson to children on this text, I used an illustration from my years as a ballet dancer: I taught them how to ‘spot’.
‘Spotting’ is how dancers spin around (usually on one foot) multiple times without falling over. You need to fix your eyes on a particular ‘spot’ that is in front of you, then keep your eyes on it as you spin around which involves whipping the head around back to that same ‘spot’. Essentially, you are trying to not let that ‘spot’ out of your eyes. If you get this right, you will not fall over or get dizzy when you do a lot of fast turns.
In the gospel Peter was not doing fast turns, but something unusual: walking on water. It seemed while he kept his eyes fixed upon Jesus, he was managing it alright. But then he got distracted, he started noticing the great wind and he became afraid and started sinking. In a sense, he ‘lost his spot’! But when he called out to Jesus, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.
In this extended time of isolation and further restrictions, faith can seem hard to exercise without the usual props of church buildings, physical services and connections associated with it. But one thing remains, Jesus is present. Jesus is the one whom we need to keep our spiritual eyes on in storms, in treading strange paths, in isolation and in spiritual loneliness. And if we feel we are sinking or falling, Jesus will catch us. Keep your eyes upon Jesus.
God be with you.
Jennie
From June 14 – Sept 6 (13 weeks) I will be doing a Sermon Series on Matthew 9-18.
When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the lake [in the midst of the storm], they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him... Matthew 14:26-31 (NRSV)
Some years ago, when I was delivering a Bible lesson to children on this text, I used an illustration from my years as a ballet dancer: I taught them how to ‘spot’.
‘Spotting’ is how dancers spin around (usually on one foot) multiple times without falling over. You need to fix your eyes on a particular ‘spot’ that is in front of you, then keep your eyes on it as you spin around which involves whipping the head around back to that same ‘spot’. Essentially, you are trying to not let that ‘spot’ out of your eyes. If you get this right, you will not fall over or get dizzy when you do a lot of fast turns.
In the gospel Peter was not doing fast turns, but something unusual: walking on water. It seemed while he kept his eyes fixed upon Jesus, he was managing it alright. But then he got distracted, he started noticing the great wind and he became afraid and started sinking. In a sense, he ‘lost his spot’! But when he called out to Jesus, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.
In this extended time of isolation and further restrictions, faith can seem hard to exercise without the usual props of church buildings, physical services and connections associated with it. But one thing remains, Jesus is present. Jesus is the one whom we need to keep our spiritual eyes on in storms, in treading strange paths, in isolation and in spiritual loneliness. And if we feel we are sinking or falling, Jesus will catch us. Keep your eyes upon Jesus.
God be with you.
Jennie
Each week, in addition to the video of Rev Jennie doing Opening Prayers and Holy Communion, Sam and Sav work hard putting together an All Age video of about 5 minutes.
In Part 5 of Where is God? we discover that we can find God in Nature, in our Awesome Creation.
Each week we will explore something of how we can see God in our relationships, how we can find God in the wonders of nature and how we can trust God even in troubling times
The weekly video can be accessed on the Children's Ministry Page, or for them all, on our YouTube page where all of our videos to date are available to view, including the Sunday Service Opening Prayers and Holy Communion videos that have been done to date!
In Part 5 of Where is God? we discover that we can find God in Nature, in our Awesome Creation.
Each week we will explore something of how we can see God in our relationships, how we can find God in the wonders of nature and how we can trust God even in troubling times
The weekly video can be accessed on the Children's Ministry Page, or for them all, on our YouTube page where all of our videos to date are available to view, including the Sunday Service Opening Prayers and Holy Communion videos that have been done to date!