Missed church on Sunday? Want to revisit something that was spoken about last Sunday? Read the reflections that were given at last Sunday’s (and previous) services.
10 December 2023
Advent 2 Date: 10.12. 2023 Text: Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark1:1-8 Title: Comfort and Peace Introduction “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 4O:1,2) I don’t know about you but I certainly need the Comfort that God offers to God’s people. The context of these comforting words. The Hebrew people were definitely in need…
3 December 2023
Sunday, December 3, 2023 – 1st Sunday in Advent, Year B Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9Mark 13:24-37 Theme: Naming Where We Are Introduction The relentless war in Ukraine. Unspeakable violence in Israel and Gaza. Blistering wildfires in western Australia. The rising cost of living and homelessness, significant overrepresentation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system and climate change policy and impacts. As we approach our next liturgical season and a new Church year, we find ourselves, once again, in a world that threatens…
26 November 2023
A Rainbow of Hope Mathew 25: 31 to 46 Somewhere, over the rainbow, Skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream, Really do come true. A few years ago, I might have sung that sing for you. But that dream has somewhat faded. Those musical buffs will recognise this song from the Wizard of Oz, sung by Judy Garland. A rainbow. So what is special about a rainbow? you might ask. Let us pray As a…
12th November 2023
Reflection for Fellowship@10 12th November 2023 Text: Matthew 25:1-13 Title: Wise or Naïve? Introduction Let’s recap. Ten bridesmaids were waiting for a bridegroom, they waited so long that they fell asleep! This parable is familiar to you. Right? So, there were these ten bridesmaids waiting for a bridegroom. Five of the bridesmaids were wise and five of the bridesmaids were foolish we are told. The wise bridesmaids brought along some extra oil for their lamps, the foolish bridesmaids did not. Long before the bridegroom…
19th November 2023
REFLECTION it’s about trust! Throughout this year of Matthew we have heard a number of parables about the kingdom of God. In fact, most of the parables about God’s kingdom are found in Matthew How many times did Jesus say, The kingdom of heaven is like…? the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed… the kingdom of heaven is like yeast… the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field… the kingdom of heaven is like a…
5th November 2023
Reflection for Together@10 5th November 2023 Text: Matthew 25:31-46. Title: Homelessness Introduction “The good we do lives on in others, and it is one of the most important things that does.” These are the words of the late Rabbi Lord Johnathan Sacks who died on 7th November 2020. He had been Chief Rabbi in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations for 22 years and a source of inspiration for many. “The good we do lives on in others, and it is…
29 October 2023
Text: Matthew 22:34 – 46 Title: Putting Love Before Everything Else Introduction The Pharisees and the Sadducees have been taking turns, as if by design, trying to trap Jesus. Last Sunday in Matthew 22:15-22We have the Pharisees and the Herodians ganging up to entrap Jesus: “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it…
22 October 2023
REFLECTION What is God’s? CONTEXT The drama in Matthew’s Jerusalem is getting more serious. The Pharisees sensed that what Jesus stood for ran directly against what they stood for. The Pharisees derived their power and authority from demanding slavish adherence to the Jewish laws. Jesus threatened their authority. Who was to be followed? The religious leaders or this upstart carpenter – this Jesus who seemed to claim authority for himself, even above the law. In Matthew 21, Jesus had entered Jerusalem as if he…
1 October 2023
Text: Matthew 21:23-32 Introduction Last Sunday at the baptism Together@10 service I reflected on the extravagant generosity and grace of God from Matthew 20:1-16. The Uniting Church considers baptism as a gift from God.“Baptism is a visible sign of God’s grace. That is most powerfully expressed in the practice of baptising infants as well as adults as an expression of God’s gracious welcome into the community of faith.” And in today’s gospel message the crowd that follows Jesus is again proof of this…
17 September 2023
PENTECOST 16 THE PASSOVER – TRIBES PASSING THROUGH THE RED SEA AND THE SEA OF FORGIVENESS ALONG THE WAY It’s fair to say all humans are bound together by some form of tribalism. Tribes! Tribes are the basic unit by which humans are organized into a meaningful life. Some of you might recall from the 1980s the lovely song of praise “Bind us together Lord, Bind us together with chords that cannot be broken” I remember during the 1980s many UCA camps…
24 September
Title: Are You Envious Because I am Generous? Introduction Let me first welcome all of you to this baptism service. Good to see so many of you here. I hope you will find this service meaningful for you. As you know we are here to baptise Amelie Alice May Smith and Jasper Andrew Hanson into the family of God. What is baptism? Or what is the meaning of baptism? The Uniting Church considers baptism as a gift from God. “Baptism…
3 September 2023
Introduction This morning I want to begin my reflection with a preamble.We have a difficult passage this morning – Matthew 16:21-27.There is a great chance that some of you might not like my reflection.This passage is not for the faint hearted. The passage from the Gospel according to Matthew contains one of Jesus’ hardest sayings. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to…
27 August 2023
The world fills with the beauty of diversity, whether in cultures, languages, or geographical locations. Uniting Church is also blessed with its own diversity in culture, language, tradition and theology. In Act2 Report, there are 1672 local communities in 6 synods and 33 presbyteries. There are more than 45 languages (including first people languages). I believe Manningham UCA is also blessed with your own diversity. Our reading this morning from Paul’s letter to Corinthians, mentions the Church as the body…
20 August 2023
Text: Matthew 15:21-28 Title: Crossing the Line Introduction That annoying Canaanite woman is at it again and not even Jesus can catch a break. Every three years that annoying woman comes along to disturb us. The way the anonymous gospel storyteller that we call Matthew tells his story, this annoying woman exposes Jesus for the human being that he was and shatters our illusions of Jesus the god-like super-hero. I know we could just look the other way. We could…
13 August 2023
…these are the days of miracle and wonder… For the last couple of weeks, a song from my youth has been playing in my head. You might know it too. These are the days of miracle and wonderThis is the long distance callThe way the camera follows us in slo-moThe way we look to us all, oh yeahThe way we look to a distant constellationThat’s dying in a corner of the skythese are the days of miracle and wonderAnd don’t…
14 July 2023
I acknowledge that it may be dangerous to preach on a parable which is so well-known. But let’s try to hear something in this well-known, well-worn story that we haven’t heard before. CONTEXT The parable of the sower and the seed is the first of seven parables in Matthew 13 concerning the kingdom of God. Matthew uses and expands on Mark’s parable chapter (to compare the two versions of this parable read Mark 4:3-8). The parables in the two gospels…
2 July 2023
Whoever Welcomes You Welcomes Me Matthew 20:40-42 Introduction In the 10th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus sends twelve disciples to share good news throughout the region of Galilee. In today’s passage, he speaks a word of welcome:“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” When it comes to welcome, I think the church needs to be careful. I think every church sees itself as a welcoming church. Is Manningham Uniting Church a welcoming Church? Barbara Brown Taylor once wrote that she cringes…
4 June 2023
Introduction Let’s vote on the Trinity! IN or OUT? The Church celebrates Trinity Sunday today. Don’t panic I am not going to reflect on the Trinity this morning. I am fully aware that some of you don’t subscribe to the doctrine of Trinity. And I don’t intend to bash you with another sermon on Trinity. According to Rev Dr John Squires, a retired Uniting Church’s minister and a biblical scholar, “Trinity Sunday is one of those extremely rare moments during…