Wednesday, 26 February 2020

Sound Recordings

The latest Mp3 recordings – Listen online, or Download . . .


Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  21:40 Size:  7.5 MB Uploaded:  23-Feb
SUN 23-FEB-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 6 times ] Download   [ 32 times ]
Transfiguration Sunday – As recounted in the day's gospel passage, while Jesus and three of his disciples were up on a mountain, the disciples were scared out of their wits when God spoke out of a cloud to affirm Jesus as his beloved son; but Jesus gave each of them a gentle pat, and assured them that there was nothing to be afraid of. Most of our lives do not dazzle with non-stop special effects like that; but all of our lives do contain the sacred. We have a challenge, to cultivate the insight for seeing God in the darkest and murkiest of places. This scripture reading is about affirmation. God's affirmation of Jesus calls on us to listen to Jesus, who exemplifies God's intentions behind the Law and the Prophets. How do we go into the community in such a way that people will feel affirmed and encouraged, not chastised and made to feel worthless? How can we acknowlege the shining presence of God in each other?
Matthew 17: 1-9

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  17:17 Size:  6.0 MB Uploaded:  16-Feb
SUN 16-FEB-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 16 times ] Download   [ 91 times ]
Epiphany 6 – The portion of the Sermon on the Mount set for this week deals with the first three of the 'six antitheses' or 'opposites', in which Jesus introduces some radical teaching using phrases such as "You have heard it said, ... but I say ...". For us, living 2000 years later, his words can be challenging and obscure. For example, if a certain part of this teaching were to be taken literally, there would be a lot of people stumbling around with eyes and hands missing. These teachings of Jesus must not be interpreted word by word; he was using 'midrash', which involves highly critical and scholarly analysis of a text with reference to its historical period, the cultural background, the intentions of the authors, and more. Hear what Sandy has to say in her sermon, as she deals with the 'opposites' that Jesus once presented to his audience.
Matthew 5: 21-37

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  18:21 Size:  6.3 MB Uploaded:  10-Feb
SUN 09-FEB-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 28 times ] Download   [ 296 times ]
Epiphany 5 – The day's scripture passage comes straight after the listing of the Beatitudes, a list of attitudes and actions of ultimate significance to the community; and anybody who lives and acts in accordance with those Beatitudes is to be blessed and congratulated. Every year on Australia Day, persons with outstanding achievements are honoured with national awards; so, in the light of the Beatitudes, to whom would Jesus be awarding honours in 2021? After Jesus had told his group of followers about the Beatitudes, he went on to tell them that they were collectively the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt being a preservative, could this be seen as a call for us to be preserving the Earth and its environment? And if we are the light of the world, it means that we are called to shine God's light into the dark places of human existence and expedite healing and justice.
Matthew 5: 13-20

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  15:35 Size:  5.4 MB Uploaded:  9-Feb
SUN 09-FEB-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 21 times ] Download   [ 119 times ]
Epiphany 5 – What kind of world are you prepared to live in, and what are you prepared to do for it? In the chosen portion from Isaiah, God makes it clear that he does not respond to people who cry out for him to intervene on their behalf, if they're quarreling among themselves and mistreating their fellow humans. God will only respond to our cries for help if we notice and respond to the pressing needs of others. The gospel passage from Matthew follows on directly from the Beatitudes, with Jesus addressing the same small group of people to assure them that they were, metaphorically, the salt or seasoning that brings out God's flavour to the world, and the light that reveals God's colours to the world. The earliest Christian churches exemplified this teaching, with growing communities that were noted for their outstanding care for others, including their non-believing neighbours.
Isaiah 59: 1-9; Matthew 5: 13-16

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  14:14 Size:  4.9 MB Uploaded:  2-Feb
SUN 02-FEB-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 25 times ] Download   [ 270 times ]
Epiphany 4 – In Australia we have been observing periods of one minute's silence in memory of those who have perished in bushfires. The silence of remembrance can send a powerful message, and if we listen, we can hear the whisper of God's heart, giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, and hope to despair. But remaining silent can also be highly unethical in the face of injustice and wrongdoing, when the perpetrators can take advantage of our silence to spread even more of their fake news. We must never be afraid to raise our voices for honesty, truth and compassion. That's what the Beatitudes are about – they offer a list of actions and attitudes aimed at achieving justice for the underprivileged, the reviled and the persecuted. The Beatitudes are full of opposites – as an example, it will be the merciful, not the hard and unforgiving, who will receive mercy. The eight Beatitudes are the frontier for entering the reign of God.
Matthew 5: 1-12 (The Beatitudes)

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  28:45 Size:  9.9 MB Uploaded:  2-Feb
SUN 02-FEB-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 38 times ] Download   [ 248 times ]
Epiphany 4: Covenant Sunday – The Beatitudes listed in the gospels are a distillation of what Jesus had to say about a good, flourishing life. To be declared 'blessed' in the beatitudes, for some action or personal quality, is to be congratulated for doing the things that bring true value to human existence, and for being an encouragement for others to do the same. The beatitudes are not meant to be soothing, sentimental platitudes for greeting cards; they are a declaration of God's intention for human life, and they are meant to startle us awake. Unfortunately, Christianity is often proclaimed loudly as a religion of legalism and judgementalism. What would it mean, to be people whose lives are shaped, inspired and encouraged by Micah Chapter 6 and Matthew Chapter 5 which tell of the covenant to which we are invited?
Micah 6: 1-8; Matthew 5: 1-12

Rev Dr Greg Elsden Timing:  26:24 Size:  9.1 MB Uploaded:  26-Jan
SUN 26-JAN-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 34 times ] Download   [ 332 times ]
Epiphany 3 – The well-known story in Matthew's gospel, of four fishermen abandoning their occupations to follow Jesus and become "fishers of men", has often been misused as a requirement for Christians to go out with some sort of spiritual fishing gear, and use it for catching people and hauling them into the church. The metaphor would be better interpreted as an invitation to choose another focus of life, and be willing to learn from Jesus how to go into the world and express love for all, spreading God's light to shine into the darkest and most painful recesses of human existence and experience. The deep and continuing darkness and suffering of the First Peoples of Australia must not be forgotten. May we, as the community or body of Christ, be a blessing to others, allowing God's healing light to shine into some of our community's darkest places.
Isaiah 9: 1-4; Matthew 4: 12-23

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  18:33 Size:  6.4 MB Uploaded:  13-Jan
SUN 12-JAN-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 62 times ] Download   [ 1242 times ]
Baptism of Jesus – In Jesus' public baptism, he was declaring that he was going to take the side of God's justice, to right wrongs, to lift burdens from the oppressed, to give sight to the blind. Our baptism does not set us apart from the world; rather, it puts us into the world to follow our vocation of following the example of Jesus. From around Australia there are, at present, reports of hundreds of bushfires that are destroying forests, native fauna, farming properties, homes, and livelihoods. People are losing their lives in the fires. And in the middle of it all, in places of greatest threat and need, there are people from many organisations providing generous support to victims. The helpers are from all religions and faiths, working together with compassion, mercy and love. In this sermon we were told especially of Uniting Church disaster chaplaincy. There is great need – and there are many ways to help.
Isaiah 42: 1-9; Matthew 3: 13-17

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  24:22 Size:  8.4 MB Uploaded:  12-Jan
SUN 12-JAN-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 51 times ] Download   [ 242 times ]
Baptism of Jesus – The sermon was divided into two addresses, one near the start of the church service and the other towards the end of the service. The first address discussed epiphanies, the baptism of Jesus, and some aspects of the way baptism is taught in various churches; and the second address discussed the passage from the book of Isaiah, a passage that had been used by the author of Matthew's gospel to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of a prophesy about a servant of God who was going to usher in a new age of justice and righteousness. Because the Isaiah passage was expressing the hopes and aspirations of the Hebrew people for a better world, we were asked to think about our aspirations for this church's contribution towards a better world over the coming year.
Matthew 3: 13-17; Isaiah 42: 1-9

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  20:22 Size:  7.0 MB Uploaded:  5-Jan
SUN 05-JAN-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 75 times ] Download   [ 233 times ]
Epiphany – The Epiphany, held twelve days after Christmas, is a celebration of God's light shining in darkness. It is a commemoration of the journey and destination of the Magi, an unknown number of very wise and learned heathen magicians who set out to find the meaning of an unknown light in the darkness. The light that they found was a child who had been born, in curious circumstances, to parents of lowly station. May we open our eyes, and be a source of that light to others who are looking longingly for even a glimmer in the darkness of old superstitions and dogmas that refuse to fade away. May we be a source of light for those who are in fear and trepidation of the terrible things happening around us – such as the bushfires across Australia, and the floods in Indonesia, and assassinations being performed by remote control in the name of 'peace'.
Matthew 2: 1-12

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  17:14 Size:  6.0 MB Uploaded:  5-Jan
SUN 05-JAN-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 60 times ] Download   [ 371 times ]
Epiphany – How much has our understanding of the Christmas story been influenced by the sentimental theology of Christmas cards? Matthew tells of the visit of some magi – there might have been magicians, sorcerers, illusionists or pagan priests – a year or so after the birth of Jesus, while the Holy Family were living in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph are not likely to have been the happy hosts when they were intruded upon by such an exotic and unexpected lot of visitors; and the time was made more traumatic when the family had to get up and run in the middle of the night, to escape from Herod's death squads who had orders to slaughter little boys of about Jesus' age. The child of Bethlehem had an intimate knowledge of the darkness, fear, struggle and disappointment that accompanies us all on our human journey. We are not alone; we live in God's world in company with each other, where love, comfort, strength, even joy, may be found. Consign those sentimental Christmas cards to the rubbish bin.
Matthew 2: 1-12

Members of the Congregation Timing:  7:00 Size:  2.4 MB Uploaded:  29-Dec
SUN 29-DEC-2019 - 9.30 AM Reflections  .mp3  Listen  [ 68 times ] Download   [ 264 times ]
Christmas 1 – It was a "Free Play" church service for the end of the year, in which members of the congregation were invited to contribute as they felt moved. Here are two of the short reflections offered during the service: "What have I achieved in life?", and "Let's give birth".

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  17:56 Size:  6.2 MB Uploaded:  29-Dec
SUN 29-DEC-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 65 times ] Download   [ 318 times ]
Christmas 1 – This sermon is largely about refugees. Jesus started life as a political refugee when his parents had to flee with him to the relative safety of Egypt, and the family's escape provoked Herod, the local despot, to issue orders for the murder of other little boys back in Bethlehem. There are countries right now where mothers are weeping uncontrollably over their slaughtered children; in Syria there are enormous humanitarian problems with hundreds of thousands of refugees crowded into camps and communal shelters; and Australia's treatment of refugees in offshore detention centres is cruel and dehumanising. To ignore these issues is to fail to appreciate the full meaning of Jesus as the embodiment of the good news of God's love and grace. Jesus will be found among those refugees; he is to be found in surprising places; his life is a revelation of the heart and will of God.
Matthew 2: 13-23

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  13:32 Size:  4.7 MB Uploaded:  26-Dec
WED 25-DEC-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 62 times ] Download   [ 247 times ]
Christmas Day – The celebration of Christmas offers us at the same time too much, and too little – too much of flamboyant signs of wonder, and too little of signs of peace. The birth of Mary's first-born, Jesus, was made known to some shepherds working on the night watch, when they were confronted by an angelic intruder who told them to go over to the village and find a particular baby in a stable, lying in one of the mangers. The baby, they were told, was destined to be the Christ, the Anointed One, and Saviour. And in due course the infant grew up to be a wise, courageous and faithful young man. For a tangible chance of peace, we need to follow him in his wise way and shift our priorities from grasping to letting go; from meanness to generosity; from 'me' to 'us'; and from 'us' to 'all of us'. Jesus led a life characterised by courage and compassion. His life was given for others. May we all join in the business of peace making, the Jesus way.
Luke 2: 1-20

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  11:58 Size:  4.1 MB Uploaded:  26-Dec
TUE 24-DEC-2019 - Christmas Eve 9pm Reflection  .mp3  Listen  [ 67 times ] Download   [ 195 times ]
Christmas Eve – Christmas is associated with a confusion of stories and images that make little sense to our ordinary lives. There are songs, and children's stories, and Christmas TV movies; there are stories of angels and shepherds, and of sages keeping track of a star moving across the sky. The accounts preserved in the gospels were written a generation later, to describe not only what actually happened, but to be a poetic description of the importance of the events, after the writers and their contemporaries had themselves experienced the person that this child was to become. It is not so much a matter of "What do the stories say", but "What do the stories mean". Christmas is a story of Emmanuel, God with us, coming into the world to offer forgiveness, love without requirements, and grace; and also bringing a challenge for us to be, with the risen Christ, a light in the darkness of this hurting world.

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  13:20 Size:  4.6 MB Uploaded:  23-Dec
SUN 22-DEC-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 71 times ] Download   [ 309 times ]
Advent 4 – What can't wait? Courage can't wait (Love) – This Christmas the birth narrative of Jesus will be told in a myriad of ways, and they will so often be dumbed down and domesticated. But Christmas is a story of tough love and practical help. 'Immanuel', 'God is with us', is more than a pious phrase; it tells of a God who is with us in tragedy, not causing the tragedy but being in it with us, holding tightly to us and promising never to let go. God's love is animated through peoples' actions with flesh and bone, muscle and sinew. For example, a group of Sikh volunteers recently drove 700km through the night from Melbourne to Braidwood, to deliver 350 boxes of food and water for bushfire-affected communities. And another example: 'Ads-Up' is a network of Australians and friends in Canada and the US, who are working on behalf of refugees on Nauru, Manus and PNG to let them resettle in Canada, which has a scheme for privately sponsored migration at a cost of about $20,000 per migrant. Donations can be made through the Refugee Council of Australia's website.

rev Dr Greg Elsden Timing:  17:57 Size:  6.2 MB Uploaded:  22-Dec
SUN 22-DEC-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 63 times ] Download   [ 485 times ]
Advent 4 – This Advent sermon concentrates on Joseph, a quiet, unassuming carpenter and Mary's would-be husband. For one's fiancée to be an unmarried mother was scandalous; to draw attention to her pregnancy would put her in danger of being stoned to death; to divorce her would be to force her into a struggle to support herself and the child on the edges of society. Joseph did what the angel had told him to do in his dream; he married Mary, and he named the child 'Jesus'. A child's legitimancy was established when the father named the child; and as Joseph was a direct descendant of King David, the naming fulfilled the requirement that the Messiah must come from David's house and lineage. The genealogy of the House of David is far from spotless, it is full of imperfection, dishonour and scandal. God was born into this world in a messy place, and he is likely to arrive in our lives in unlikely circumstances. As the angel told Joseph in a dream, "Don't be afraid". Trust God, and follow him.
Matthew 1: 18-25

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  15:05 Size:  5.2 MB Uploaded:  15-Dec
SUN 15-DEC-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 60 times ] Download   [ 430 times ]
Advent 3 – Mary's song, the Magnificat, is a deeply political speech with a threefold thrust – (1) social, with the proud being scattered; (2) political, with the defeat of oppressors and freedom for the victims; and (3) economic, with food for the hungry and hunger for those who withhold food. Mary is portrayed as anything but meek, mild and submissive. She was free, not domestic; she was strong, not submissive; and she was a very courageous woman who spoke out for God's justice, a fundamental expression of Christian discipleship. The example of Mary can be seen as a call for upholding the dignity and rights of women, and as a call for being prepared for God to live within us.
Luke 1: 46-55 (The Magnificat)

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  24:15 Size:  8.4 MB Uploaded:  15-Dec
SUN 15-DEC-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 64 times ] Download   [ 287 times ]
Advent 3 – "Delight can't wait - Joy can't wait" – Isaiah has given us a rich tapestry of scenes describing a life of longing, scenes of a flourishing wilderness. The gospel reading from Matthew is quite different, with a presumably despairing John the Baptist locked up on Death Row and asking some friends to find out from Jesus whether he really was the Messiah. Jesus didn't reply with doctrines and creeds; he simply told them to repeat what they had seen – that the blind could see, the deaf could hear, the lame could walk, and so on. What would it be like to live this Christmas and after, in the face of the world's unbearable sorrows? The God of the prophets and of Jesus is not a magic cure-all or a heavenly insurance policy. Feel deeply, because God feels deeply; he invites us to experience a deeper sense of joy that might be very different from happiness. It is a joy that disillusions us from our own well-being, and doesn't depend on circumstances. We are never apart from the gracious embrace of our Creator God.
Isaiah 35: 1-10; Matthew 11: 2-11

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  22:37 Size:  7.8 MB Uploaded:  8-Dec
SUN 08-DEC-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 86 times ] Download   [ 510 times ]
Advent 2 – The prophet Isaiah described the ruined kingdom of Israel in terms of a broken off tree stump, and there was great promise of renewal in the appearance of a new shoot growing out of the stump. The ancient kingdom would be renewed, and everyone would be protected and cared for. There would be perfect peace – shalom – instead of violence and destruction. To bring about this type of community we must change how we conduct ourselves; we need to engage in risky acts of listening, dialogue, hospitality, service, and working for justice with compassion. We can get involved in making peace one step at a time, and may we experience the joy of it.
Isaiah 11: 1-10

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  14:17 Size:  4.9 MB Uploaded:  8-Dec
SUN 08-DEC-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 71 times ] Download   [ 210 times ]
Advent 2 – What Can't Wait – Isaiah was exercising a ministry of imagination, when he presented his very improbable picture of a world with vegetarian lions and toddlers playing with snakes. The Jews were a subjugated and conquered nation, and Isaiah's message was for them to reclaim their identity as the people of God. He was describing an idealised, hoped-for world, with an inclusive peace brought about through comprehensive justice. The bringing of justice was personalised in a figure, and Christians recognise the figure as Jesus. How do we bring about justice for all, without destroying the enemy? How might we be the flesh and bones of the change, as we follow the Jesus way?
Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19; Isaiah 11: 1-10

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  24:01 Size:  8.3 MB Uploaded:  1-Dec
SUN 01-DEC-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 96 times ] Download   [ 334 times ]
Advent 1 – What Can't Wait – Advent is a time for being awake, watching and waiting. The Gospel passage from Matthew contains concerning images of people being snatched away, and Jesus returning suddenly when least expected. Many Christians see the promised return of Jesus as an excuse for sitting back and doing nothing towards cleaning up this messy world of ours – God has it all under control, the argument goes, and with Jesus coming back to set everything right, why bother? It is a belief that has caused serious damage towards ideas of God and his intentions towards us. Advent has been set aside as a season for finding ways of not feeling overwhelmed and devoid of hope. There is no limit to the ways that God will be present with us, in his wild, unpredictable pursuit of a relationship with us. And what can't wait? The answer is: Hope.
Isaiah 2: 1-5; Matthew 24: 36-44

Peter Russell Timing:  19:52 Size:  6.9 MB Uploaded:  24-Nov
SUN 24-NOV-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 103 times ] Download   [ 1175 times ]
Christ the King / Reign of Christ – The feast of "Christ the King" has a very short history, going back to a turbulent period of Italian history in 1925. Because Jesus did not claim to be King of the Jews, and because of the involvement of Fascists back in 1925, the feast is also known as the "Reign of Christ". Having a monarch will inevitably result in a class system of wealth and privilege, and Jesus came to uncover the whole game of power and privilege. He identified not with the rich and influential, but with the wretched and lonely; he put the powerful down, and exalted the poor and helpless. He was not a king, but he certainly was a liberator. A better term than "The Kingdom of God" might be "The Commonwealth of God", with an implication of sharing without exception for the common good.
Colossians 1: 15-20; Luke 23: 33-43

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  13:47 Size:  4.8 MB Uploaded:  24-Nov
SUN 24-NOV-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 85 times ] Download   [ 488 times ]
Christ the King – Christ as a king was unlike other kings. He was not surrounded by grandeur, pomp and ceremony, and he did not assert impressive power and authority. With his life of humility, surrender and sacrifice in a world marked by greed, selfishness and partisanship, he was such a danger to society that he was brutally and publicly executed, surrounded by hate and derision. Yet he still spoke blessing and promise to another less fortunate than himself being crucified at his side. We are living in challenging times, and we need to find ways to walk as Jesus walked, listening, protecting, enduring and blessing. We have a king like no other; we are not abandoned; but God will not act if we ourselves don't act.
Luke 23: 33-43

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  27:02 Size:  9.3 MB Uploaded:  18-Nov
SUN 17-NOV_2019 - 10.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 105 times ] Download   [ 860 times ]
Pentecost 23 – Combined Worship Service – This sermon deals with shame, an intensely personal experience of believing oneself to be flawed. Shame and guilt are not the same thing: with guilt you say "I made a mistake"; with shame you say "I am a mistake." Greg refers to the work of Brené Brown, a research psychologist from the University of Houston, and her advice for connecting with our authentic selves and overcoming shame. The gospel account of the woman caught out in adultery shows how Jesus dealt with her shame; and in the letter to the Romans, Paul assures us that there is no shame in being caught up with Jesus. If God has said "Yes" to us, who can be against us?
Romans 8: 1-4, 31-35, 37-39; John 8: 1-11

Rev Vikki Waller Timing:  20:17 Size:  7.0 MB Uploaded:  10-Nov
SUN 10-NOV-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 103 times ] Download   [ 253 times ]
Pentecost 22 – In the Adelaide region, several churches are at present celebrating significant anniversaries as they look back with pride to the glory days of the past. But during the sixth century BC, the Jewish people were looking back to their former magnificent temple with regret; it had been destroyed a generation or more ago, and the thought of its inadequate replacement was quite discouraging. But the prophet Haggai had a message for them; God was telling them, "Take courage; I'm with you; don't be afraid." And centuries later, when the Thessalonian Christians were fearful for their future, they were encouraged to stick to just the basics of what they had been taught. God's purposes are bigger than ours;
Haggai 1: 15b - 2: 9; 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  26:21 Size:  9.1 MB Uploaded:  10-Nov
SUN 10-NOV-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 104 times ] Download   [ 430 times ]
Pentecost 22 – Choose to Hope! – Is there life beyond death, or will it be an entry into nothingness? At the time of Jesus, the Sadducees were a religious party who rejected the idea of resurrection. When some of them confronted Jesus with a silly question about marriage and resurrection, he told them, without making a definitive statement, that the resurrection life will not be the same as our present life. To have faith in the resurrection is to believe that God will redeem the life and work of Jesus from the death sentence imposed on him by history. We are not required to understand this intellectually; but we do need to know that we are living in the presence of a resurrection God. God affirmed the life of Jesus, because it was a life worth continuing.
Luke 20: 27-38

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  16:07 Size:  5.6 MB Uploaded:  3-Nov
SUN 03-NOV-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 123 times ] Download   [ 573 times ]
Pentecost 21 – There has been public outrage in Australia over revelations from the recent 'Banking Royal Commission', with its details of greed, fraud, deceptive financial advice, money laundering, and worse. The gospel passage for the day tells of another person, Zacchaeus, who was considered to be a swindler and a crook because of his line of business with money; he was a tax collector for the Roman occupying authority. When he and Jesus met in Jericho, Jesus arranged to have a meal with this so-called 'sinner'. Zacchaeus was not the crook he was believed to be; he was already a very generous supporter of the poor, and he was trying to be scrupulously fair and honest with anyone he had wronged. This is more than a story of repentance; it shows Jesus at work, bridging the gap between God and people, and between people and people.
Luke 19: 1-10

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  18:13 Size:  6.3 MB Uploaded:  27-Oct
SUN 27-OCT-2017 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 125 times ] Download   [ 696 times ]
Pentecost 20 – When we think of the pharisee and the tax collector in the parable, do we see ourselves as the pharisee, a respectable citizen who can proudly tell God and the world that he always does the right thing, or are we like that miserable tax collector, too ashamed to raise his head? Or a bit of each? We all too often define ourselves against the faults of others, with little appreciation for the others. Don't demonise others when you know so little about who they really are; it will lead to a failure to see yourself as you really are. Let us accept one another for our common humanity, as God accepts us.
Luke 18: 9-14

Some returned Taize pilgrims Timing:  13:23 Size:  4.6 MB Uploaded:  27-Oct
SUN 27-OCT-2019 - 9.30 AM Reflections  .mp3  Listen  [ 122 times ] Download   [ 608 times ]
Pentecost 20 – During a Taizé-style church service, three young adults recently returned from a Taizé pilgrimage reflect on what they experienced during their time as pilgrims. They tell of hospitality, gentleness, humility, acceptance, and sharing, in a community of diverse cultures, languages and traditions. There was worship in simple repetitive song, and there was quiet contemplation. It was truly an example of living a Christian life. The recording includes some very short extracts of Taizé music.

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  18:55 Size:  6.5 MB Uploaded:  20-Oct
SUN 20-OCT-2019 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 131 times ] Download   [ 411 times ]
Pentecost 19 – In the scriptures it is written that righteousness in the eyes of God comes from staying in a covenant relationship with God, a covenant that involves loving God and neighbour. It means working for the good and wellbeing of the community, especially for the most vulnerable and weak. We need to be kind, to do good, to be generous and compassionate. It matters more to be demonstrating faith working through love, than to be able to provide the correct answers to questions about belief. If we love one another, God lives in us – we are God's body in the world, we are the body of Christ. Perhaps, one day, you could be the only Jesus that someone will ever see.
Jeremiah 31: 27-34; Luke 18: 1-8

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  23:15 Size:  8.0 MB Uploaded:  20-Oct
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Pentecost 19 – The 'Parable of the Persistent Widow' is commonly interpreted in terms of the necessity for persevering in prayer. But if that uncaring judge in the parable is supposed to represent God, it is hardly the same God as revealed in other parables of Jesus. An alternative interpretation is offered – that the widow in the parable is in fact God, and the unrighteous judge is one of the rich and powerful who don't care about the injustices suffered by those beneath them. In this interpretation of the parable, God is pleading with the rich and powerful, that they might respond to the cries of the diadvantaged and helpless.
Jeremiah 31: 27-34; Luke 18: 1-6

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Pentecost 18 – Anti-poverty Week – The reading from the Hebrew scriptures is a message to the exiled people in Babylon, urging them to get over their grief at being out of their comfort zones, and to reach out and be a blessing to their neighbours. Life was far from what they would have preferred, but God would comfort and assure them that God was with them. This recording includes the sound tracks from three video clips dealing with the levels of hardship and poverty that the Australian government inflicts on job seekers, as a result of the quite inadequate Newstart allowance and the rules under which it can be granted and withheld.
Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-7 (expanded)

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Pentecost 17 – When we ask God for more faith to help us meet challenges, what are we asking for? Are we asking for the supernatural ability to move mountains? Are we asking for the ability to believe what we can't believe? Are we asking for an antidote to anxiety, to make us happier, stronger and braver? Faith is more than an ability to believe certain things about God. Faith means leaning hard into God's abundance, day by day; but it does not automatically banish struggles with unbelief, distrust and anxiety. In the gospel narratives, the people whom Jesus commended for their faith were those who sought him out with a sense of trust in him and his Father..
Luke 17: 5-10

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Pentecost 16 – In the scripture readings set for the day, the prophet Amos sends a dire warning to certain of the super-rich who indulge themselves to excess while showing no responsibility towards others; Paul writes passionately to Timothy on the subject of caring for others; and in the parable of Lazarus, Jesus sends another dire warning of the consequences of leading a self-indulgent, uncaring lifestyle in the face of extreme poverty and distress. By cleaning up our own lives, we can make life easier for others. Be rich in good works, and be ready to share. In Australia there are more than 70 organisations dedicated to the alleviation of distress and poverty around the world – in spite of the Australian government's foreign aid budget shrinking year by year.
Amos 6: 1a, 4-7; 1 Timothy 6: 6-19; Luke 16: 19-31

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Pentecost 16 – Social Justice Sunday – During this worship service, the Rev Liellie McLauglin, a Minster of the Word in the Unitng Church, was inducted into a leadership role in the "Community Connections" (CC) initiative. In her address, Liellie gave us an overview of the aims of the initiative, which, broadly, are to build reciprocal and interactive relationshipa and deepen awareness between communities in all walks of life, from all backgrounds, and for all religions or no religion. CC can provide links to all manner of service providers. Regular activities include a monthly Job's cafe for people struggling to find employment; a twice-monthly Random Acts of Welcome lunch in the city, multi-cultural and faith-friendly; discussions of Interfaith Matters; and much more.
1 Timothy 2: 1-8

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Pentecost 22 – Great wealth has a subtle power to tempt us into corrupt and disastrous behaviours, if we use it just for ourselves. In the gospels, Jesus oftem points an accusing finger at the self-satisfied wealthy who keep the written law to the letter but show no compassion for others. There can be a great disparity between the conditions of the wealthy and the poor, and the gospel calls on us to be responsive to the needs of others, acting with intention, passion, energy, focus, conviction, compassion, sensitivity, and love. The opposite of wealth should not be poverty, but dignity; and the opposite of poverty should not be wealth, but dignity. When you see great need, don't just pray for the victims with your thoughts and wishes, but pray for them also with your bodies, voices and votes.
Luke 16: 1-13

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Pentecost 22 – Season of Creation: Week 4 – Jesus told a parable in which a wealthy landowner accused his estate manager of embezzlement, and gave the man just a few more hours before he'd be sacked. In the short time remaining the manager decided to improve his future prospects by fiddling the books one more time, and he reduced the amounts that debtors were owing to his employer. He got away with it; indeed, his employer commended him for his action. What was going on? In the historical context of the time, Jesus was not endorsing dishonesty and embezzelment, rather, he was giving a glimpse of the kingdom of God. In that society, wealth was nearly always acquired by forcing "little" people further into poverty, and by reducing the debts the manager had cemented future relationships for himself, for his employer, and for the debtors. The kingdom of God is about relationships, and you cannot serve both God and wealth.,
Luke 16: 1-13

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Pentecost 14 – Losses can be trivial; and losses can also be significant and heart-rending – there is so much heartbreak around the world because of natural and man-made disasters and the way people treat each other. Jeremiah tells of a period in the history of Israel when there was no compassion and little accountability in a so-called religious society; the Psalm points out how we suffer unforeseen consequences when we ignore God; and the gospel passage assures us that even when we do go astray, God is eagerly waiting for the chance to pull us out of our selfishness and self-destructiveness. The image of a good shepherd expresses tender care; and God has unmeasureable joy when he recovers a person who has been lost. There is no limit to God's grace.
Jeremiah 4: 11-12, 22-28; Psalm 14: 1-11; Luke 15: 1-10

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Pentecost 14 – Season of Creation, Week 3 – The prophet Jeremiah was warning the people of Israel of the approach of a severe drought that would turn their country into a lifeless barren desert, the antithesis of the world that God had created in the beginning. Today we have another prophet in the tradition of Jeremiah – Greta Thunberg, a 16 year old Swedish student who has been addressing gatherings of the world's leaders on the subject of man-made climate change and its disastrous consequences. There is a glimmer of hope, that the world's political and business leaders might find a fresh way that seeks outcomes for the common good of humanity, the care of creation, and the glory of God.
Jeremiah 4: 11-12, 22-28 (Luke 15: 1-10)

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Pentecost 13 – During the first few centuries of the Common Era, followers of the Jesus way were noted for lifestyles that put the needs of others over personal needs, and they used their rights and freedoms for the common good. But ever since the Enlightenment of the 18th century, a sense of community has been replaced by individualism, the current emphasis being on achieving self expression and personal fulfillment. What can you do in your daily life, to let people know that you are a follower of Jesus? It won't happen just from practising a faith that is personal, individual, and private. The Jesus way is more than a corporate expression of personal piety; it is going out into community to foster relationshps and grow and nourish one another as God intends.
Luke 14: 25-33

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Pentecst 13 – Season of Creation: Weaving Community – Choosing and following God's life is difficult and costly; it does not guarantee health, wealth and happiness, but the gifts of God's life are the wisdom, resources and capacity that lead into a fulness of life. In the world today, the cost of doing right is so high – how do we do it, in the face of markets driven by shareholder expectations for profit, fickle voters, special interest pressure groups, and increasingly polarised political systems? It is suggested that it comes down to small details in the lives of Christians and faith communities – to risk being counter-cultural for the sake of the world, but not at the risk of losing autheticity, freedom and power.
Luke 14: 25-33

Rev Liellie McLaughlin Timing:  20:41 Size:  7.1 MB Uploaded:  2-Sep
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Pentecost 12 – This church service coincided with the first day of Spring, and our preacher likened a blessing to a beautiful flower coming out of a bud that had been forming down in the soil. A blessing is an act of reverence, freely given from one to another. When Jesus arrived at a Pharisee's house for a formal Sabbath meal, he was carefully watched to see how he would react to the presence of a man with a severe medical condition. (It is related in verses 2 to 6, but skipped in the prescribed lectionary reading.) The Pharisees were a group of cold-hearted watchers; they lacked love and their compassion had grown cold. Blessing is something that comes from within, like a flower emerging from a bud. We need to be taught again of the loveliness within us, to be told of it by word and touch, and to share it. It comes from Jesus, and it passes through us to others.
Luke 14: 1, (2-6), 7-14

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Pentecost 11 – In the Law of Moses there is a rule about resting and not working on the Sabbath. When Jesus healed a crippled woman on a Sabbath, he was told he was breaking the Law because healing was 'work'. There is a tendency for rules to be kept just to say that they have been kept; but God's compassion cannot be constrained by rules and boundaries. With a gentle touch from Jesus, the woman who had been bent double for eighteen years was healed and restored to community – on a Sabbath, as valid a day for healing as any other. Justice, mercy, kindness, healing and compassion are not bound by rules and calendars.
Luke 13: 10-17

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  29:28 Size:  10.2 MB Uploaded:  25-Aug
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Pentecost 11 – Migrant and Refugee Sunday – The recording starts with short accounts from two persons who arrived in Australia as refugees, and they tell how they came to recognise the love of God through their experiences and the ways they were welcomed. The sermon that follows is based on the account in Luke's gospel of Jesus healing a crippled woman during a sabbath worship service, which infuriated the worship leader and left the congregation overjoyed – how do we leave room for the healing presence of the risen Jesus to show up and surprise us, despite our ingrained attitudes and practices? After the sermon their is a third refugee account, from a migration agent who tells of her struggle with Australian Immigration bureaucracy over the fate of a very sick, unaccompanied teenage boy from Afghanistan. She took the boy into her own home to save him from being deported, and he is now a permanent resident and a successful businessman.
Luke 13: 10-17

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Pentecost 10 – The day's gospel reading is troublesome, with Jesus saying that he had come to bring division and not peace – not his usual message. The Kingdom of God is not all soft and convenient, and here we are told the hard and costly part. The Kingdom will not be welcomed by all, and there will be division and alienation, Among believers, Christians from different traditions can find it hard to be polite and respectful over a lot of issues, including sexuality;. We need to live together, not in spite of our diversity but because of it. The Christian life has joy, beauty, healing and grace; but it is also arduous and risky, and it is not a guarantee of prosperity and safety. Yet you can be joyful and full of God in all of life's troubles. Look to Jesus, the one who embodies all that God desires for us.
Hebrews 11: 29 - 12: 2; Luke 12: 49-56

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Pentecost 10 – “The way to peace” – The Jesus way of peace is seriously committed to love and compassion, with no place for retaliation and retribution. But Jesus warns that there is a price to Christian discipleship, because of its radically different standards from those of the 'world'. Those who work together with Jesus can find themselves confronted by divided families, hostility, ridicule and abuse. The text from Hebrews likens the struggle to a marathon race – after all the discomfort, pain and derision, you cross the finishing line to the applause of such a crowd of spectators, that it's all worthwhile. – Peace!
Luke 12: 49-56; Hebrews 12: 1-2

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Pentecost 9 – In our churches there can be a mismatch between what we claim we stand for and what outsiders actually see, and a church held together mainly by ritual and tradition could be failing to demonstrate the way of Jesus. It is a way that involves a selfless and generous caring for others. In the passage from Luke's gospel, Jesus urges us not to rely on excessive possessions and wealth, things that can't bring much happiness, but to sell off the excess, give the proceeds to the poor, and thereby gain the joy of an everlasting 'treasure in heaven'. Let us be more than a mutual interest group held together by religious ritual, let us be followers of the Jesus way, sharing our various gifts with the world, and sharing them with love. It won't be easy, but we'll be in it together.
Isaiah 1: 1, 10-20; Luke 12: 32-40

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Pentecost 8 – In this parable told by Jesus, a farmer had accumulated so much wealth during a particularly good season that he decided to upsize his storage facilities, go into retirement, and enjoy luxurious living for the rest of his life. But he hadn't planned for his mortality, and God told the silly fellow that he would be meeting his Maker that very night. He had lived only for himself, with no thought of gratitude or sharing with others. No amount of wealth or possesions can lead us to God and a life that is rich and meaningful. Which do we love the more – our possessions, or God and our neighbour?
Luke 12: 13-21

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Pentecost 7 – Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer addresses God as an intimate and tender "Daddy" type of father, and the prayer has just three requests: (1) give us our bread for the day – which today can be expanded to include the simple necessities to sustain life for all people and all living things; (2) forgive us our debts as we forgive the debts of others – unjust debt burdens often resulted in destitution; and (3) save us from the time of trial – that is, from situations such as violence and murder. In this sermon, the Lord's Prayer is discussed in its historical context, and also in a modern context with reference to the global consequences of human damage to the environment. There is an emphasis on social justice and environmental issues.
Luke 11: 1-13

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  25:40 Size:  8.8 MB Uploaded:  28-Jul
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Pentecost 7 – "Lord, teach us to pray" – The Lord's Prayer is a prayer for a community to pray together, for and on behalf of the world, in a privileged intimacy with God. Prayer can require a lot of practice and discipline. What are we actually doing when we pray? Are we telling God about things that might have slipped his notice? Are we nagging him to do something for us? What to ask for can be a moral dilemma. Prayer is the invitation to consciously and deliberately place our messy and turbulent, God-infused world in the caring hands of a God who is love. May God lead us to those quiet sacred places.
Luke 11: 1-13

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Pentecost 6 – When Jesus and the disciples were made welcome at the home of two sisters, one of the sisters, Mary, sat listening to Jesus and enjoying his company, while the other sister, Martha, was annoyed at being left with all the cooking and cleaning and serving – the culturally appropriate tasks for a woman caring for guests. When she asked Jesus to intervene on her behalf, he told her that she was tearing herself apart with worry, and that Mary's choice of listening to what he had to say was far more fruitful in the circumstances.. Hearing and doing go together, and we must learn to balance activism with devotion. Learn when to be still, to hear the words and music of the grace that makes us whole.
Luke 10: 38-42

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Pentecost 5 – "Please don't explain, just show me" – The parable of the Good Samaritan shows us what is meant by eternal life – the parable is not just a story of neighbourliness. Eternal life is exemplified in the way the Samaritan behaved, and it is something that's with us here and now. Eternal life is more than a vision of everlasting choirs in a heavenly future. When a scribe had asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus told the parable and advised the scribe to "Go and do likewise." Eternal life is likely to be spread around and inherited more by example and imitation, than by words and preaching. In our churches, do we have too many arguing "scribes" and not enough caring welfare workers?
Luke 10: 25-37

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Pentecost 4 – Naaman the Syrian general had a dreadful skin disease, and on the advice of a small Jewish slave girl he went to the neighbouring kingdom of israel to track down the prophet Elisha, and ask the prophet to make the necessary arrangements for the God of Isreal to bring about a cure. Elisha didn't even open the door for Naaman and his delegation; instead he sent a message telling Naaman to go and wash himself in the river. Naaman overcame his anger at such a ridiculous suggestion when a servant persuaded him to accept the instructions with humility and graciousness, and put aside his dignity and arrogance. He bathed himself as directed and was cured. God's healing grace does not emerge from glitter and ceremony, but from humility and compassion.
2 Kings 5: 1-17

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Pentecost 4 – Geoff told us about the year he once spent working as a liason person for John Smith, a Baptist minister and the founder of the "God‘s Squad Christian Motorcycle Club International". One of the aims is to reach out to outlaw biker gangs like the Hells Angels and the Bandidos, who have been counted among the most despised people on the fringes of society. It is in line with the way of Jesus, who was equally at home with the most powerful, the poorest of the poor, and those of no repute. The sermon goes on to discuss how God cured a pagan Syrian general, Naaman, of a skin disease at a time when the Jewish people were so out of touch with God that God was unable to cure a single one of them. The prophet Elisha gave Naaman the freedom to go home in peace, just as he was, with no need to convert to another religion. God is the God of love, kindness and compassion.
2 Kings 5: 1-19

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