Worship Reflections by Rev Swee Ann Koh
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…