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 ;)