Our Lenten theme, " Joy through tears" continues to resonate with a great many  people in our congregation and indeed town. I've discovered this through a number of conversations this week. Learning to give thanks for the good things in life, for the small things and for the kindness of others, is an important aspect of living and walking in the cross shaped life. Living out the Spirit of  Christ in our every day lives requires us all to appreciate the people and the...
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Tonight we begin  the first  of our  Lenten Bible studies based around the epistle to the Phillippians.  The theme I've chosen for  the next few weeks is " The Cross Shaped Life"  I want these evenings to be rooted in reality. However I also want them to be evenings of hope and encouragement. Evenings where people laugh a lot and share fellowship and make new friends. I also want them to be evenings when we can acknowlwdge that it is all right to feel sad, it is all...
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I wonder if you noticed the coverage in the papers yesterday about the launch of the Churhes Mutual Credit Union. A number of the newspaper articles had headlines suggesting that the Churches involved in this new  venture were taking on the Wonga's of this world. The truth is this project is a long way from moving into the same market as Wonga.  Indeed Credit Unions operate under completely different finanicial rules. However it is a clear strategic move by the churches...
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This week our theme  for those who follow Samctuary First has been thinking about the place of communication in the Christian life. There is something paradoxical about the world in which we are all living. Never before has humanity had the potential to be more connected and integrated. Technology offers us the tools and resources to draw closer and understand each others habits, cultures  and fears.  Communication systems have never been better. However the...
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There is something deep within us all making us want to look up into the sky and be overwhelmed by its beauty and majesty; especially when we come across a sky as magnificent as it was this evening. I've just finished writing my sermon for tomorrow. I'm reflecting on Jesus' communication strategy. He often used the natural world around him to begin to teach truths about God and human beings. For him it was knowledge of God first that allows us to begin to discover...
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I've been trying to iron out some of the technical issues that seem to face me when I write this blog. However  for the past few months it has felt like I'm getting nowhere. So I end up frustrated and give up and leave the study. Hence  the spasmodic writing of articles. Somehow the software never seems to do what I want. This morning I was in the Sanctus Media office and this gave me a chance to speak to Owen who is our web designer. After a short conversation and a...
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