Pastors Letter (Page 18)

29 August 2021 Dear friends This morning in my regular Bible reading I spent some time pondering Psalm 31.  I came away encouraged as I reflected on what God was saying in light of the current situation in our community and our nation. As I am sure you’re aware, we have an issue with a virus, and particularly with a variant that seems to defy our capacity to control it…

Dear friends I’m writing to you on Tuesday as Annika and I are getting ready to go off on holidays tomorrow. COVID permitting we should be in the Northern Territory by the time you read this, enjoying a nice break! We’ll be back at the end of the month and look forward to seeing you all then. I wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone for filling out…

Dear friends Very shortly I will receive my second “AZ Jab”, so I write to bid you all a fond farewell. Just a joke. However, given the tone of currently surrounding much of public conversation about COVID and the AZ vaccine, for some it may seem a little too close to the bone.  If you found it “off colour”, please accept my apologies.  Many in our society are afraid.…

Dear friends I hope you’re having a nice week and if you’ve been able to take some time off for school holidays that you’re getting some good rest in! Everyday we face lots of decisions. My first big one of the day is my breakfast choice. Cereal, muesli, porridge? Or maybe today I have the time to get some bacon, eggs and hash browns going? I have to…

Dear Friends, I recently came across this gem from James Smith (1802-62).  Smith was C.H. Spurgeon’s predecessor.  This was quoted in the book “Knowing Christ” and it concerns the relationship of Jesus to the Holy Spirit. Wherever the Spirit of Christ is, He … Reveals Christ to the understanding, Enthrones Christ in the affections, Gives Christ the control of the will,…

Dear Friends, As a part of my daily “devotional” time, I have been reading a great little book called “Knowing Christ” by Mark Jones.  Recently I read a short chapter entitled “Christ’s Emotions”.  The author, writing on “Christ’s Tears”, took us to the grave of Lazarus in John 11 where it is recorded that “Jesus wept” (Jn 11.35).  Let’s pause for a moment and consider…

Dear friends Do you recognize the letters above? Do they mean anything to you? Maybe I haven’t put yours in? Mines there! Can you pick it? If you haven’t headed down this particular rabbit hole before by venturing into the world of personality tests, then you may not be aware that these are all personality types from the Meyers Briggs Personality Test. I’m sure you’re all…

Dear friends I built a fire pit a few weeks ago. It was a pretty big day of digging, carrying bricks and dragging around logs for seating. A week later it was time to have a fire and enjoy the thing I had made. Having a fire was still work; it was stacking up sticks, getting the fire lit, stoking it, finding marshmallows to cook, helping our daughter lucy work out how to…