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Showing posts from September, 2017

Francis and being all good (with lots of stuff about SPCA)

This can be listened to here Gate Pa – Pet Sunday 2017 What I want to say: today we celebrate two things first is crazy saint of Assisi – Francis; and how when he embraced lady Poverty allowed him to see the goodness of God in all things and all people and all creation. the amazing work of SPCA -> today give freely to support this work What I want to happen: people to see the goodness of people and creation to support generously the work of SPCA The Sermon        1.      Introduction: Today we celebrate Firstly we celebrate the crazy little saint of Assisi, who turned the church of his time and his world on its head Francis of Assisi who through ½ million professed followers today in Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and other churches around the world, continues to live among the poor and disposed in some of poorest countries and challenge unjust ways of rich and powerful today in highest places        2.      The Goodness of God W

Show us your credentials.

“Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to teach here?” Big questions that keep coming up. Paul faced it repeatedly – with his crazy ideas about not following Mosaic Law. Paul said his authority came from being an apostle of the crucified and risen Christ; whose authority came from his faithfulness to God the father; whose authority was found in God’s faithfulness to the covenant to restore humanity and restore creation. Authority found in actions. In many ways Matthews’s gospel is all about these questions. In telling his story he sought to show both where Jesus authority came from and to describe the nature of that authority. Jesus credentials we seen in the fruit of his actions; actions that gave flesh to what scripture taught when read from the central themes of love, compassion, generosity. We continue to wrestle with this. For example as we struggle over blessing same sex marriages the underlying question is always “who authorizes us to change what we have believ

That Verse – Paul 7

This can be listened to here Gate Pa – Year A  22 nd  Sunday of Ordinary Time, Readings: Psalm                          Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26,44                                             First Reading:             Exodus 3:1-15                      Second Reading:        Romans 12:9-21                  Gospel:                        Matthew 16:21-28  What I want to say: I want to wrestle with Romans 1:26 which on the face of it condemns homosexuality. I want to look at what Paul might really have been saying as an example of how to keep working with Paul. What I want to happen: I want people to be more informed and imaginative in how they approach scripture The Sermon       1.      Introduction: A few years ago I was at a friend’s wedding way down south at after match function sitting with group – some knew vaguely             some just met somehow we got talking about homosexuality and gay marriage             as you do some were for a