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Showing posts from November, 2014

A Time to See the Clouds

This can be listed to here Gate Pa – Advent 1 2014 Readings: Psalm                                     Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19                                                                 First Reading:                         Isaiah 64:1-9                                    Second Reading:                    1 Cor 1:3-9                                        Gospel:                                    Mark 13:24-37                                 What I want to say: Advent is a time to hear the invitation to see the world through God’s eyes, to long for all God longs for, and to be part of the coming in to being What I want to happen: People to approach Advent slowly, out of the normal rush, taking care to be part of God’s ongoing work of salvation The Sermon      1.      Introduction: lot to worry us in world today Here             Home invasions and crime             ongoing financial struggle             threat natural disasters        

Advent One

Today (Sunday) marks the beginning of Advent. The world we live in sees these few weeks leading up to Christmas as the Christmas season. Shops have had carols playing and decorations up for a week or two now. It all becomes a mad dash to get ready for Christmas day, and then it is all over. Most people would be confused if we told them that it was really Advent now, and that Christmas doesn’t start until Christmas day and carries on for the next two weeks after that. So what is Advent? It is a time of expectant waiting for the coming of Christ. It is a time of making sure that we are awake, and have our party shoes on. We are not talking about passive waiting here, but an active alert waiting. We actively wait for God. And maybe God is actively waiting for us? Advent also heralds the beginning of a new church year, and a new gospel to hear from. Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley notes that “(a) new Gospel unfolds before us, but not from the beginning! Advent is traditionally a time o

Talented Talents

This sermon can be heard here. Gate Pa 16 th November 2014 Pentecost 23, 33 rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Readings: Psalm                          Psalm 123                                                                   First Reading:             Judges 4:1-7 Second Reading:        1 Thess 5:1-11                          Gospel:                        Matthew 25:14-30                  What I want to say: Suggest the point of Christianity is living in presence of God rather than getting to heaven – and that the Way of Christ provides a guide as to how one might look for, live in, and respond to the presence of God now. Then use that to explore three ways of reading the parable of the Talents. What I want to happen: People to think about how they live in the presence of God. The Sermon      1.      Introduction: Parable talents well known ask you what about – sure you can tell me ask?? common reading of this story about Kingdom of