Reflection 16 February – Rev. Luke Blackbeard
Text: Luke 6:17-26 One of the first things we’ve noticed about Christchurch is that it is flat! I’ve spent much of my life around hills and even in the shadow of mountains. Whether it’s the rolling hills of Southland, the bush-clad flanks of Mount Cargill, or...
Reflection 2 February – Rev. Luke Blackbeard
Our reading from Luke is part 2 of Jesus’s Nazareth address, his first sermon, if you will, that Luke the Gospel writer records. It starts off well and then gets a bit spicy, with the people of Nazareth trying to do away with Jesus. As I was sitting with the reading...
Reflection 8 December – Rev. David Coster
Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 3:1-6 God’s Messenger I am not too sure how many weddings I have officiated at during my ministry but it must be in the hundreds. One of the things I have noticed with weddings is the inordinate amount of time spent by many people in making...
Reflection 1 December – The Kingdom of God is Near – Joy Kingsbury – Aitken
on Luke 21:25-36, 1 December 2024, “The Kingdom of God is near” The church year begins with the Season of Advent, looking forward to celebrating the coming of Christ. Personally I have found the language that speaks of the birth of Jesus as if it were a future event...
Reflection 24 November – Christ the King Sunday – Christine Arnold
Christ the King Sunday Christine Arnold Today is Christ the King Sunday, sometimes referred to as the Reign of Christ. Unlike other notable Sundays which have been on the church’s calendar for thousands of years, Christ the King Sunday has been celebrated for less...
Reflection 10 November – God: The House Builder – Rev. David Coster
Psalm 127 & Mark: 12: 38-44 God- the House Builder. After the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, I learned many building terms which I had never heard before. I did not know what a shear wall was, and I didn’t know that concrete came in different grades, depending on...
Reflection 3 November – He Whom You Love – Joy Kingsbury – Aitken
He Whom You Love Today’s reflection is somewhat speculative. I first preached it to the congregation at St Albans Uniting, where my conjectures generated considerable discussion after the service. Maybe they will have a similar impact today. I am...
Reflection 27 October – Bryan Wright, Linda Cowan
(Bryan) On occasions when we are in Central Otago, we see people boldly stepping off a disused bridge by a bungee cord. Judging by the screams it is a highly exciting experience. Then when they emerge, often after a dunking in the Clutha River most seem elated. I...
Reflection 20 October – The Request of James and John – Luke Blackbeard
Mark 10:32-45 - The Request of James and John Introduction This reading from Mark 10 is probably one we’ve heard a few times before. It’s also pretty straightforward, isn’t it? We can see that the heart of this passage is the revelation that Life under the rule and...
Reflection 13 October – Rev. David Coster – Challenged by Jesus
James 3: 1-10 & Mark 10:17-31 Challenged by Jesus It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:25) This week I was reading an article from “Sojourners” a Christian group based in the USA which...