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.
17 November 2024
This end is the beginning In Jesus’ day, the temple was the main place for Jews to congregate and worship on important religious holidays. The synagogue, on the other hand, was the place where people would regularly gather for the reading of the Law. Jesus appears to have been a frequent attendee of the local synagogue and there are a number of accounts of Jesus teaching in the synagogue. Just like today when the big cities have their magnificent cathedrals in…
10 November 2024
‘It is always and all about Jesus!’ Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. 2 Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Now wash and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor, but…
3 November 2024
Importance and centrality of relationship; that we are made for relationship with each other and with God. Let’s reflect together on the readings that we’ve heard this morning. Let’s pray. “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, God, our rock and our redeemer, Amen.” Today Jesus has a word to us on love, a famous word, what he calls the greatest commandment. I recently heard from someone whose spiritual practice,…
27 October 2024
REFLECTION Don’t let your sight get in the way of your vision! This is Mark’s story about a blind man called Bartimeus. I guess this resonates with me because, as an artist, my sight has always been incredibly important to me. A couple of years ago I was introduced to a book about another blind man. The book is “Thunder Dog” by Michael Hingson. This is a man, blind since birth, whose parents determined that they would give him the…
20 October 2024
Baptism Illustration: What is the most important or defining moment of your life? I love cricket. In my last years I had gravitated to being the keeper. This one week I arrived five minutes late and got told I was now the captain. Now this was not good news because we had not won a game as a team in eighteen months. Last season we once scored 11 runs all out and on another occasion a team scored 518 with one…
13 October 2024
All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy (Spike Milligan) Mark 10:17-31 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall…
6 October 2024
Marriage: God’s Solution to Loneliness, Lust and Laundry (Mark 10:2-16) 2 Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ 3He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ 4They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.’ 5But Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 6But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” 7“For this reason a…
1 and 8 September
A new creation story Rev John Power Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. – Maria, The sound of music. Creation stories appear in most religious traditions on Earth. They play a very importantrole in any meaning system as they usually set the groundwork for the rest of thenarrative. They also form a premise upon which later theological propositions aredeveloped, set up a tension that is to be resolved and suggest an orientation of humanity to the…
18 August 2024
MUC Hymns: Phosphorescence for the Soul (Ephesians 5:15-20) 15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20giving thanks to…
11 August 2024
If Jesus is the Bread of Life – What Happens If You Don’t Like Bread? (John 6:35, 41-51) 35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ 42They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we…
4 August 2024
How Does Jesus Feed You? (Mark 6:35-44) 30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the…
21 July 2024
Crowds to the Left, Vast Needs to Right (Mark 6:30-34 & 53-56) 30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there…
14 July 2024
How Dancing Leads to Spite (Mark 6:14-28) 14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ 15But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ 17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested…
7 July 2024
Mark 6:1-13 (MUC Pentecost 7 July 2024) Theme Quote: I don’t know, I don’t care, and it doesn’t make any difference. (Jack Kerouac)Quote: Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don’t know and I don’t care. (Jimmy Buffett) The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth 6 He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. 2On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this…
30 June 2024 Cutting of Ties
Service to Mark the Conclusion of Rev Swee Ann Koh’s Ministry at Manningham Uniting Church and his Retirement on Sunday, June 30th, 2024 @ 2.30 pm A Reflection: My Story. My Testimony. My Account. Prologue First things first, thank you for coming to my Cutting of Ties and Retirement Service. When I announced to the congregation that I am retiring on 30th June 2024, I said: “Whether it’s good news or bad news depends on you.” Some of you might want to see me…
23 June 2023
The Big Storm REFLECTION PART ONE – DAVID AND GOLIATH Of course, if we were growing up today, I am not sure we would be allowed to hear the story of David and Goliath. It’s a bit gory – especially the bit at the end, which we didn’t read …then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it. Goliath was a…
16 June 2024
Manningham Uniting Church Fellowship@10 16th June 2024: Pentecost 4 Theme: The Power of Small Text: Mark 4:26-34 Introduction“The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.” (Mark 4:26,27). “He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of…
2 June 2024
Manningham Uniting Church Fellowship@10 Holy Communion 02. 06. 2024: Second Sunday after Pentecost Theme: Listening to God’s Call Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 and Mark 2:23-3:6. Introduction ‘In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.’ (1 Samuel 3, 1b) These words begin the story of the calling of Samuel. Are you a good listener? Do you know there is a big difference between hearing and listening? Hearing means that the sound waves go into your ear, make the eardrum vibrate, nerves in the snail-shaped structure are stimulated…
26 May 2024 Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday 26 May 2024 Rev Dr Con Apokis Readings: Isaiah 6:1-8, John 3:1-17 lntroducing the Theme Quote: Spanish proverb “Jealousy is thin because it bites but never eats”. I fear that I am about to annoy some of you – I not only love the Christian Trinitarian tradition and outlook – I believe in the God of Jesus through it. Quote: Anonymous – as we continue with you this will be one of my go to themes – “If you think you are leading but…
19 May Pentecost
Manningham Uniting Church Together@10 19th May 2024: Pentecost Theme: The flames have died down Text: Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. On this birthday of the church, we would do well to remember the stories our ancestors wove together about what it was like back in the beginning. We are told they were huddled together in fear. Afraid to go outside, in case the authorities might spot them. Tormented by their grief. Afraid the dream might be over. Some of them…