Good Friday Clip

Lent Event - For World Poverty

Whether you're someone who does Lent each year, or whether you're just someone who is concerned about world poverty, we recommend Lent Event.


The Lent Event people have put together some great resources - in particular the booklet with daily prayers / reflections for each of the 40 days.

One Difference

I saw a friend of mine drinking bottled water (when working outside on a hot day) and noticed the brand - One. The slogan "100% of our profits fund essential water projects in developing countries" inspired me to check out their website, with this clip:



Sometimes it can be difficult to find meaningful ways to follow Jesus and love your neighbour in the course of our average busy day - but i think this is one.

Of course, the ultimate would be to carry your own water bottle and donate the money you save to a great cause. But the next best thing (if you have to buy bottled water) is to support people who use profits to fund great projects like this - rather than the softdrink corporations that own bottled water.

God's Christmas Presence

A cracker of a Christmas gift...

Weekend Activities

Hi guys :-)

We have a great team of students from Crossway College who are spending the week with us at TUC and have helped organise two fun evenings for the weekend!

Friday Night:
Frankfurters and Footy
5pm at Moorak St Park for footy and a BBQ and the Bronco's game at the church afterwards

Saturday night:
Chick Flick and Dessert night
7pm at the church

Soo there's something for everyone! Please come and join us for one or both of these great nights!

Hope to see you there! :-)

Election Guide

The Uniting Church has put out an election guide - with the catchphrase "Your Faith, Your Vote, Your Voice". It encourages churchgoers to vote with a Christian perspective.


It's NOT about telling you who to vote for - just about looking at each of the issues from a Christian point of view. At the end it has links to the party websites if you want to see who comes closest to the Christian ideas.

PS - the uniting church election website also has a variety of other election resources

Jun 18-27 - Refugee Week

Refugee Week runs from Friday June 18 to Sunday June 27.


There's a bunch of events happening, starting with a celebration at Southbank on Friday Jun 18 and finishing with a Community Festival in Annerley on Sunday Jun 27. [Full details and event list]

Salvos Red Shield Appeal

Today a bunch of us were out collecting donations for the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal - to fund all the great stuff they do for people in need.


It was actually really good fun - and i enjoyed hearing a story from one old lady about how the Salvos helped her dad.

Commando Chaplains

So last week, ABC's Compass program showed some of what is going on in Afghanistan - through the eyes of two chaplains in the British army. It was an intriguing look at how life (and faith) take on a new dimension in the front line. Certainly quite different to village life in northern England.


You can view the episode online up until April 25 (ironically).

Ice Cross

This photo was National Geographic's Photo of the Day over the Easter weekend. I've got to admire the commitment of the people involved - in less-than-pleasant conditions.

Easter - The Cross

A short clip about the cross - and how the very thing that was meant to destroy Jesus ended up amplifying his message.

Earth Hour Party

The Earth Hour party was a massive amount of fun. As it turned out, we innundated ourselves with fun games (by everyone bringing a couple of corkers) and Earth Hour just wasn't long enough to play them all (some games go a bit slower by candlelight). So there will probably be a sequel games night some time in the near future.

Meanwhile, why not check out some amazing Earth Hour pics.

Tony Dungy

Here is the video from tonight - Tony Dungy giving an insight into what goes through the mind of an NFL coach. He talks about his time at the Buccaneers and at the Colts - and what it's like to follow Jesus at the same time. He has some great thoughts such as "How you respond to failure, how you respond to disappointment, says a lot more than how you do in successes."


But he also talks about the more spiritual aspect of his life.

My favourite passage in the bible is where Christ says "What would it profit a man to gain the whole world but forfeit his soul?" And with 31 years in the national football league I have seen that a lot.

It's a quote that Dungy lives out in his life. He sums it up with this philosophy.

Every decision I make in life I am going to make it through the lens of Jesus Christ. I'm going to put him out there first - and my own feelings, my own thoughts, my own desires are going to be second. It's that simple. And if we do that Christ promised that he would come into our lives, he'd be our head coach and he'd guide us to that victory, that ultimate victory.

Link to video

Retooning the Nativity

The important details...

Jesus and Santa

Let's do a quick comparison:

Finding God

There's a lot of talk about "finding God" - as if that's a really difficult thing to do. Fortunately, God is not hidden. For starters, we can easily find God in the bible.

TEA Party Looking Ahead

Here is the collection of documents evolving from the forward looking exercies we have undertaken in the last few weeks. If you feel strongly about anything please let us know - especially what you do or don't agree with and, more importantly, what you would be willing to commit to in order for your passions to become reality. This will be available in hard copy from church next week as well. Looking Ahead 09/10

Jesus Was A Refugee

With all this recent talk of refugees, it got me thinking about Jesus, who (within days of being born) was a refugee. It's not something that's normally mentioned as part of the Nativity story with the shepherds and wise men, but the gospel of Matthew (chapter 2) tells us the events after Jesus's birth:

An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother" the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child." That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod's death.

Under threat from the rulers of the land, Jesus shared something in common with the asylum seekers of today. Years later, he made the following statement about helping those in need (quoted from Matthew 25).

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'

Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

3 Things Jesus Is

It's a statement that sometimes seems controversial, but also offers so much hope.

Cereal Advice

During September, Ben has been hosting breakfast in the church courtyard. Over brekkie we read and discuss some bible. We came across the timeless advice "Whoever sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly". That's when i noticed the cereal box said the same thing (but i'm guessing the bible isn't talking about protein and calcium ;)