Reflection 16 July – Matariki
Matariki & Psalm 119: Remembrance, Celebration, Anticipation by Josh Olds These images are all from the Mt John Observatory, which sits above Lake Tekapo. There’s something quite mesmerising about the stars isn’t there? It’s hard to be outside on a clear starry...
Reflection 2 July – Presence and Rewards
Acts 5:27-42 & Matthew 10:40-42 - Presence and Rewards by Dan Spragg You’ll recall from Genesis 1 the claim that we as humans are made in the image of God. Now a lot of the time this has been interpreted, especially by us modern Westerners, that each of us as...
Reflection 25 June – An Ancient and New Thing
Matthew 10:1-14 & 11:28-30 - An Ancient and New Thing A Reflection and an Idea by Dan Spragg Jesus sends his disciples out to go and do what he had been doing. I’ve mentioned the idea of apprenticeships recently. That’s essentially what being a Christian is meant...
Reflection 18 June – God draws near
Genesis 18:1-15 & Matthew 9:35-10:1 - God draws near and things happen… A Reflection by Dan Spragg A number of years ago some friends and I went on a camping trip staying at the Maitai Valley camping ground near Nelson. I think we were away for about a week to...
Reflection 4 June – The call to disciple
Matthew 28:16-20 A reflection on the call to ‘disciple’ by Dan Spragg There are a number of teachers in our midst. I myself was a teacher in a previous life. As a teacher one is always concerned with finding the best way for students to learn. I know that with any...
Reflection 21 May – The Ascension of Jesus
The Ascension of Jesus: Acts 1:1-11 Reflection by Josh Olds When I was 17, my parents left to join the Penguin Police. They were not going to join a task force that investigated crimes committed by penguins, as the name might suggest. The Penguin Police, as they were...
Reflection 7 May – We can know God, now
John 14:1-14 - We can know God, now Reflection by Dan Spragg What are we to think? And, what are we to do in the face of uncertainty, anxiety, worry, and fear…? The disciples in this passage are deep in the midst of these. This conversation is happening at ‘The Last...
Reflection 23 April – Thomas’ Scepticism is Our Assurance – Joy Kingsbury-Aitken
Thomas’ Scepticism is Our Assurance – a reflection on John 20:19-31 by Joy Kingsbury-Aitken Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, whose authors rely on sources that had their origin in the transmission of oral traditions, which Luke says were “handed on to us by those who from...
Reflection 16 April – The road to Emmaus – Josh Olds
Luke 24:13-35 - The road to Emmaus Reflection by Josh Olds. If I were to ask you to make a list of the greatest human achievements, what would you put on it? You might think of things like the invention of the wheel, or perhaps the building of the Great Pyramids....
Reflection – 9 April – Easter – Josh Olds
Easter Sunday: John 20:1-18 Reflection by Josh Olds. A while ago I had a conversation with a friend of mine who drives past a hospital every day on his way to work. He was telling me about how up until recently every time he drove by the hospital he would get a shiver...