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Tag Archives: covid19
Sermon: Of equal worth
In the eyes of God, however, every human life is equally important. To God, our lives are without price, so valuable that in Jesus God was willing to die for us. And the same is true of every other person: those we love; those we know: those we will never meet. From God’s perspective, we are all equal and we are, all of us, priceless. Continue reading
Christmas Day: The unity of humanity
Covid19 has shown us that the unity of humankind, and the importance of universal justice and care, are not simply nice sentiments to be paid lip-service at Christmas time, but plain, down-to-earth, common sense. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged 'First Coming', Christmas Day, covid19, Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-20, Madeleine L'Engle, Psalm 96, unity
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Reflection: Uncertainty on Christmas Eve
Now Omicron has happened and finally, after almost two years, I know not to make any predictions at all. I have not only no idea what 2022 will bring, I have no idea what will happen tomorrow. But, really, that has always been true. We may think we live in a stable, predictable, world, but at every moment the unexpected can shatter it. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Christmas, Christmas Eve, covid19, Luke 2:1-20, Mary, Unexpected, Year of Luke
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Sermon: Faithful complaint
Job complains and accuses God of wrongdoing, but he does that because he believes in a God of justice. Job does not believe in a God who is indifferent to human suffering. If he did, there would be no reason for him to demand a confrontation with God Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Book of Job, covid19, Job, Job 23:1-9 16-17, Job's comforters, protest, suffering, theodicy
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Sermon: Choose to believe – at the core of the cosmos is love
… why not make the choice to believe that the Creator of the cosmos loves us, that love is at the core of the universe, and that God has come as close to us as a next-of-kin, as this psalm tells us? If we hold on to this, then we can look up at heavens and the firmament and believe that we are just as important to God as they are. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged covid19, creation, lockdown, Lockdown 6, Psalm 19, Psalms, Torah, Victor Gollancz
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Sermon: Counting our blessings
I do encourage you to follow Bonhoeffer’s example in lockdown and be grateful for the little things, including being allowed outside and able to observe the coming of Spring. I am, as your minister, encouraging you to count your blessings. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Agnes Newton Keith, covid19, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, imprisonment, lockdown, Song of Songs 2:8-13, Spring
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Sermon: Blaming God
We may have ultimate faith that God is love, that God responds to our suffering with compassion, but in those times when we cannot feel God’s love, the heritage of our faith tells us that kicking and screaming and blaming God for God’s absence is also a faithful response. Continue reading
Sermon: A story without an ending
I suspect that the reason the resurrection was announced first to women was because too often women have not been believed when they speak, women’s testimony has not been taken seriously. The God who created both male and female in God’s own image might be making a point. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged covid19, Easter Sunday, Fear, Gospel according to Mark, Mark 16:1-8, resurrection, women
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Sermon: Living in the face of death
I am almost sure that this was not what the writer of the books of Kings intended, but for me today’s story is a parable about love in the face of death. When everything tells us to turn back, not to take the hard journey of love, if we have the courage to continue to love we see a revelation of God. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged 2 Kings 2:1-12, covid19, death, Elijah, Elisha, Mark 9:2-9, Transfiguration
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Sermon: Putting one foot in front of the other
Reflection for North Balwyn Uniting Church 7th of February 2021 Isaiah 40:21-31 Psalm 147 Mark 1:29-39 We woke up on Thursday morning to a new case of community transmission in Victoria. The covid19 journey is truly a wild rollercoaster of … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Babylonian Exile, C. S. Lewis, covid19, Freedom, healing, Isaiah 40:21-31, Mark 1:29-39, patience
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