It's very important for people living in our time and place to smell good. It’s probably more important that we don’t smell bad, some might even say it’s essential, but smelling good is still a pretty high priority for most people. To achieve this, there is a wide range of personal hygiene products, body sprays,... Continue Reading →
Turning Around (Luke 13:1-9)
If you drive from Greenock towards Nuriootpa along Sir Condor Laucke Way, you go over a bridge which crosses the Sturt Highway. Just before you reach the bridge, there is a sign on the exit ramp from the highway facing the Nuriootpa-Greenock Road which reads, “Wrong Way. Go Back.” Hopefully you will never see this... Continue Reading →
Under Jesus’ Wings (Luke 13:31-35)
Last weekend Tropical Cyclone Alfred had a severe impact on South-East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. There were plenty of pictures and videos of high winds, massive waves, pelting rain, flooding rivers and the damage which resulted from these extreme storm conditions. Some of the more amazing images showed people venturing out into the... Continue Reading →
Tested Love (Luke 4:1-13)
In a few messages this year I have explored the point of view that the heart of the Christian message is Jesus’ new command to his disciples: to love one another the way that he has loved us (John 13:34). St Paul tells us that the only thing that counts in the Christian life is... Continue Reading →
The Golden Rule (Luke 6:27-36)
A couple of weeks ago we talked about the heart of the Christian message being love: trusting God’s love for us in Jesus and loving others the way Jesus loved us. One way the Bible describes this love is 1 Corinthians 13. We talked about growing in our capacity to love others in 1 Corinthians... Continue Reading →
Giving Thanks in Good and Bad (Philippians 4:4-9)
It has been a tough year for farmers and grape growers in the Barossa Valley. Poor seasonal rain, a couple of severe frosts and challenging market conditions has made life really difficult. Over the last six months or more I’ve heard stories of people having almost nothing to show for the year’s work as they... Continue Reading →
Missional Listening (Luke 5:1-11)
How well do you receive advice from others? Sometimes we can find it hard to receive advice. We might think that we know what we’re doing, or that we want to work out problems or challenges by ourselves. However, when we are facing a problem we’ve never confronted before, when the challenge seems too overwhelming,... Continue Reading →
Back to Basics (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell stories of conversations Jesus had with people about the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28). Jesus quoted the Old Testament when he said that the greatest command is to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5), and to love our... Continue Reading →
So Many Choices! (Ephesians 1:3-14)
Have you ever looked at a menu and found it hard to decide what to order because there were so many good choices? Sometimes we can go to a restaurant or café and something on the menu appeals to us, so we choose it straight away. At other times, however, there can be so many... Continue Reading →
Growing in Wisdom, Maturity & Grace (Luke 2:41-52)
I have two pot plants in my office. They are from each of the two groups of young people I’ve had the pleasure of leading through Confirmation in the time I’ve served the Greenock Parish. Each year we buy small plants from a nursery and re-pot them in one of our Confirmation sessions. I then... Continue Reading →