Pastors Letter (Page 13)

Dear Friends, How’s your week been? In the Winter household we’ve been stuck at home this week with COVID. Annika tested positive on Saturday, and the rest of us were positive by Tuesday. We’ve got lots to be thankful for though – so far we’ve all had quite mild cases, and we’re making the most of hunkering down at home by watching…

G’day friends, As we make our way through this year as a church I’m really thankful we can do that together. Church is a team sport with eternity in the balance, so I count it such a great privilege to be doing it with you! God has been kind to challenge us to consider how we might partner together financially for the sake of the gospel. So far we’ve had 27…

Dear Friends, In Ephesians 3:10 God gives such a surprising explanation of what his purpose for church is: “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms…” I think that’s amazing: That God’s purpose in bringing us into his family, gathering us together as…

Dear Friends, I hope you’ve had a great week so far. I know lots of you have heard that the Winters have had quite a bad run of sickness lately. Thanks for all those who’ve messaged and been praying for us – you’ll be glad to know that we’re all feeling a bit healthier again this week which has been a great relief! I’ve had to miss two…

Hello, As I write this I’ve just finished watching the evening news, which included a number of items about the rising cost of living. Interest rates, gas prices, petrol prices, food prices… it seems the impact is unavoidable. So, last Sunday might have seemed an odd time to give a church finance update with an encouragement for people to increase their giving to…

G’day, I recently read a great book, and I’ve been struck by how well it connects with this Sunday’s passage in Ephesians 4. Being the Bad Guys by Stephen McAlpine begins with the observation that “Only a few generations ago, Christianity was the good guy, the solution to what was bad… [but now] the tide has shifted… Christianity is viewed as the bad guy. Christianity is…

Dear Friends, Tomorrow at Grace Conference the speaker Jenny Salt will be preaching from the book of Hosea with the women present. Hosea stands out in the Bible as possibly the most graphic portrayal of God’s amazing love and grace and faithfulness towards sinners like you and me. It’s the kind of story that should be on our TV or cinema screens as a gritty character…

Dear Friends, As I write this, it’s election day tomorrow. As you read it, there is every likelihood that you’ve already cast your vote. Politics in our present age matters, because it is a privileged opportunity for us to influence the shape of the society we live in. It is one small way we can love our neighbour by seeking the good of the wider community rather than…