Monday, 25 May 2020

Sound Recordings

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


Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  14:32 Size:  5.0 MB Uploaded:  24-May
SUN 24-MAY-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 1 times ] Download   [ 4 times ]
Easter 7 – By not being together for Sunday worship we are missing out on a sense of community, belonging and connection. But it's not the building that matters, it's our capacity to connect with one another during our enforced social isolation. God meets us where we are; and only a small proportion of deep spiritual experiences have been reported as happening inside a building. A few hours before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus was praying for himself, for his disciples, and for all of his followers; and he was asking whether they could all of them be united with him in his own deep, intimate relationship with the Father. There was no mention of selection criteria like theological unity or doctrinal purity. Followers of Jesus are all invited to join the dance of the divine and be the presence of Christ in the world, and we all have a part to play.
John 17: 1-11

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  11:40 Size:  4.0 MB Uploaded:  24-May
SUN 24-MAY-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 1 times ] Download   [ 15 times ]
Easter 7 – In what is generally known as his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus spent his final hours praying first for himself, then for his disciples; and finally for all believers, that they might know what it meant to experience a life of love and unity, a life that reflected the relationship between Jesus and his Father. Earlier in his ministry he had taught his followers that they would be recognisable from the way they loved one another across their differences – not always in agreement, but respectful of those with whom they disagreed. It would be a community inspired and shaped by God's grace. But with so many church denominations and splinter groups all over the place today, where is the unity that Jesus prayed for? "God, may we see in your oneness our need for unity; and in your threeness, our need for community". The prayer of Jesus is still the same today – "That they may be one."
John 17: 1-11

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  16:41 Size:  5.8 MB Uploaded:  17-May
SUN 17-MAY-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 13 times ] Download   [ 59 times ]
Easter 6 – In this scripture passage, the followers of Jesus are struggling with the idea that he may not be with them for much longer – what will happen to them when they are left without him? Jesus says that he will not leave them abandoned, but will be sending another advocate, the Spirit of Truth, to walk with them, strengthen them and comfort them. God draws close to those who need refuge and comfort, and his presence is not subject to religious rules and rituals. While Paul was in Athens he spoke of "The God whom they worship but do not know". God is at work in the most unexpected and surprising places, and when God seems absent, what's really absent is our awareness of God's presence.
John 14: 15-21; Acts 17: 22-31

Rev Dr Dean Eland Timing:  16:20 Size:  5.6 MB Uploaded:  17-May
SUN 17-MAY-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 17 times ] Download   [ 30 times ]
Easter 6 – What can be seen that's changed in our neighbourhoods and public spaces, as a result of the lockdowns and restrictions brought on by the pandemic? There have been many examples of people taking the initiative to connect with and support each other, with opportunities to stop, listen and learn. Learning comes from patience; teaching comes from knowing; seeing comes from respectfully waiting to understand. While the apostle Paul was in Athens he was invited along to a place where citizens and others spent a lot of time discussing new ideas, and when he was invited to speak he told them about a new way of living that involved giving, caring, and loving our neighbour as we love ourselves. Before long others, too, were spreading that particular good news around the city. Stop, listen and learn.
Acts 17: 15-31

Rev Vikki Waller Timing:  17:55 Size:  6.2 MB Uploaded:  10-May
SUN 10-MAY-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 13 times ] Download   [ 127 times ]
Easter 5 – When the disciples were quite upset by Jesus telling them about his coming death, he told them to see beyond the immediate issues and look at the big picture. In the place where he was going there would be plenty of room for them as well. In the context of this gospel passage, John was writing to a Christian community that had been forced out of Judaism and was being urged to give up and return to the old norm; and the words of Jesus, that he alone was the way, the truth and the life, were being addressed to his immediate followers, not to people of other faiths and traditions. It was not an arrogant claim, but a truism about a particular way of relating to God: that Jesus is the only one who can show you the way that Jesus does it. It does not assert a supremacy of the Christian faith over other faiths; neither does it say that all faiths are equally valid. But as followers of Jesus, let Jesus deal with our troubles. Let us live as the body of Christ.
John 14: 1-14

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  12:28 Size:  4.3 MB Uploaded:  10-May
SUN 10-MAY-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 15 times ] Download   [ 60 times ]
Easter 5 – Stephen and six others were preaching the gospel with compassion and kindness, by distributing food to elderly and needy widows who would otherwise be neglected because of their Greek language and ethnicity. When Stephen got into trouble with the authorities and finished up by being stoned to death, it was not for his compassion but for the passionate way he expressed his beliefs in public. Hauled before the temple authorities, he gave an historically accurate and truthful summary of how they and their predecessors had been disobeying God, and the authorities were infuriated by the thrust of it. To "Tell the Truth" is the greatest contribution that Christians can make to society – but it may well bring them into conflict with the prevailing culture, because as a church we are aliens with upside down values, "the first shall be last" being one example. The Holy Spirit encourages and sustains us as we move toward something new and wonderful – it is the hope given to us at Easter.
Acts 7: 55-60

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  14:41 Size:  5.1 MB Uploaded:  3-May
SUN 03-MAY-2020 - Easter 4 Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 26 times ] Download   [ 167 times ]
Easter 4 – In the reading from John's gospel Jesus describes himself as a shepherd who loves and protects his sheep, knowing each one of them by name. While they are locked up in the sheep pen he makes sure that they are secure and come to no harm; and on the way to the pasture they will follow him and nobody else. He also describes himself as the gate through which one passes on the way to a full, satisfying life. During the pandemic we are finding ourselves penned up behind gates and doors that must remain closed to the world for the safety of ourselves and the vulnerable. It can be a very trying time, and in this sermon Sandy offers some suggestions that could be useful in dealing with spiritual and mental health issues caused by social isolation. When the time is right and the gates and doors are opened, the Shepherd will be there, calling us to go out with him into the wide world. What sort of world will it be?
Psalm 23 (Paraphrase); John 10: 1-10

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  15:17 Size:  5.3 MB Uploaded:  26-Apr
SUN 26-APR-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 45 times ] Download   [ 197 times ]
Easter 3 – Two of the disciples of the late Jesus of Nazareth were making their way from Jerusalem to the nearby village of Emmaus, and they were thoroughly dejected. Two days ago their Master had been brutally executed, and that morning his body had gone missing. They had had enough of it; all the promises and hopes and dreams had come to nothing. While they were plodding along they met up with a stranger who set about explaining it all in some detail. They didn't recognise that the stranger was Jesus until he broke bread at table, using a very familiar blessing; and he vanished from view. We at present are living with the threat of a virus that has shaken the foundations of our health, travel, standard of living, and future security. Whether we realise his presence or not, Christ is on our journey with us, and his followers are continuing to experience him as a living reality. The same wonderful things are happening today that happened back then, if we can open our eyes to see them. May our eyes be open to the often surprising places where the risen Christ often conceals himself.
Luke 24: 13-35

Rev Dr Deidre Palmer Timing:  18:51 Size:  6.5 MB Uploaded:  26-Apr
SUN 26-APR-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 35 times ] Download   [ 325 times ]
Easter 3 – 'Break The Silence Sunday' – During the current pandemic we are being told to stay at home; to leave our homes for only a limited number of reasons; and to avoid normal social interactions. It's the law, and it's meant to save us all from being infected by a horrible disease. But what if home is not a safe place? Being forced to live with a violent, controlling partner or an abusive parent, and not being allowed to use the phone or call for support, results in enormous fear and uncertainty. If you're nearby and hear the cries of victims, call the police! The risen Christ walked alongside two of his despondent disciples to reassure them, again, that they were beloved children of God. The risen Christ walks with us, too, to assure us that we are all beloved children of God. The Uniting Church is part of a wide collection of people who hold that all people are created in the image of God, and are created to express their gifts. Let's break the silence about family and domestic violence; listen to and hear the cries of victims; and treat the victims with mutual care and respect.
Luke 24: 13-35

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  15:19 Size:  5.3 MB Uploaded:  19-Apr
SUN 19-APR-2020 - Easter 2 Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 47 times ] Download   [ 533 times ]
Easter 2 – While the disciples were huddled behind locked doors after a long and confusing weekend, they felt the presence of someone else; and when the stranger let them see the bruises and scars on his body, they realised it was Jesus. The disciples were overjoyed to be with him again. Then Jesus gave them a disturbing challenge, that he was sending them out as his Father had sent him out. He was saying, "Look at what it cost me; that's the way it will be for you." Christianity is willing to embrace real people with real bodies, real scars and real pain. We all carry wounds of one kind or another, whether we admit to them openly, or hide them from others, or deliberately bury them. We are living in times of fear, doubt and anxiety; and the invitation to follow Jesus, the risen one, continues to be a therapeutic, healing invitation. The invitation is to go out on a journey of healing, with the experiences that have marked and hurt us, and to form communities of trust and compassion where stories of woundedness are listened to, and our own woundedness is accepted.
John 20: 19-31

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  14:46 Size:  5.1 MB Uploaded:  12-Apr
SUN 12-APR-2020 - Sermon for Easter Day  .mp3  Listen  [ 49 times ] Download   [ 791 times ]
Easter Day – Is there room for joy in the middle of the COVID-19 epidemic, with we cannot worship in a crowded room but must keep away from each other and sing alone? Yes, there is room for joy, from the news of an empty tomb and the joy of the disciples. For the duration of the pandemic we have to live with social isolation and worse. We long for real, three dimensional people contact. While digital technology helps us keep in touch and bind us together, it doesn't stop the desire for actual presence. Easter is a story of presence and absence. The disciples had the painful experience of Jesus' absence after his cruel death, and when they found the tomb empty their emotions were complex. The resurrected Jesus appeared quietly and gently to Mary and his disciples, and he is still with us in the Spirit. He is God's presence. When our isolation is ended, how might we again be spending our time in fellowship with one another? Easter Day celebrates the fact that Jesus is with us, present and not absent, even at times when we are alone.
John 20: 1-18

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  5:38 Size:  2.0 MB Uploaded:  10-Apr
FRI 10-APR-2020 - 9.30 AM Good Friday Reflection  .mp3  Listen  [ 51 times ] Download   [ 364 times ]
Good Friday – Good Friday is a solemn day for remembering how Jesus confronted brutality, betrayal, lies, duplicity, cowardice, self-serving and manipulation. But it is not all about death, it is also about life. Jesus died the way he did because he lived the way he did. His was a life of love and passion unchanged by hatred; a life spent confronting evil and injustice; a vibrant, fearless life. Suffering and death are not an end in themselves, they are part of the journey that is life. Jesus invites us, and the rest of the world, to a new way of living, refusing to settle for less than the authentic living that he demonstrated himself. But, it is a way of life that will undoubtedly have consequences for us as it had for Jesus.
++ NOTE ++ During the COVID-19 emergency, church services are being uploaded to the Pilgrim Facebook page and also posted on YouTube, and the Orders of Service can be downloaded from this LINK.

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  15:42 Size:  5.4 MB Uploaded:  5-Apr
SUN 05-APR-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 50 times ] Download   [ 547 times ]
Palm Sunday – Jesus had planned ahead for his entrance into Jerusalem, and he had deliberately chosen to be mounted on a nursing female donkey with its colt trotting alongside to keep up with its mum. That donkey must have been the most unmilitary and unthreatening mount imaginable. Crowds cheered, they waved palm fronds, and they laid cloaks on the road. It was a counter-procession, a subversive piece of political street theatre that mocked the obscene pomp and circumstance of official events like the arrival of His Excellency the Procurator, Pontius Pilate, for his official presence during the feast of the Passover. Jesus knew it was going to land him in deep trouble with the authorities, and it certainly did. The mission of Jesus was the proclamation of God's kingdom of peace, justice, and radical, universal freedom. He mounted a donkey, and he took Rome for a ride.
Matthew 21: 1-11
++ NOTE ++ During the COVID-19 emergency, Sunday services are being uploaded to the Pilgrim Facebook page and also posted on YouTube, and the Orders of Service can be downloaded from this LINK.

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  10:28 Size:  3.6 MB Uploaded:  5-Apr
SUN 05-APR-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 48 times ] Download   [ 290 times ]
Palm Sunday – We are living in unpleasant times, and this year the Lenten theme of spending time in the wilderness seems more real, even from the safety of our own homes. Self isolation and social distancing will certainly help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic; but they can also lead to problems, for example in households with domestic violence, or where parents are struggling to cope with young children. Even though physical separation is mandatory, there are acts of incredible generosity and kindness that give hope for us to live together in our global village. We can celebrate our common humanity as we face the unknown together. Our call is to be the church in the places where we find ourselves, following the example of Jesus whose vision was not of might and power, but of justice and mercy. This might be a time to develop spiritual practices, or to be more intentonal about being neighbourly – perhaps with more phone calls?
++ NOTE ++ During the COVID-19 emergency, Sunday services are being uploaded to the Pilgrim Facebook page and also posted on YouTube, and the Orders of Service can be downloaded from this LINK.

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  22:02 Size:  7.6 MB Uploaded:  27-Mar
SUN 29-MAR-2020 - 10.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 72 times ] Download   [ 694 times ]
Lent 5 – The raising of Lazarus from the dead is a troublesome story. When Jesus was told that his friend Lazarus was critically ill, he announced that Lazarus wasn't going to die but was simply going to be asleep; but Lazarus did in fact die, and a few days later Jesus was to be seen weeping alongside other mourners at the tomb of an obviously dead Lazarus. We can thank God that Jesus wept – it gives us the assurance that grief takes hold of God just as it takes hold of us. The tomb was opened at Jesus' request, and when Jesus called him, Lazarus came out with the funeral cloths still wrapped around his body. The bindings were undone, and Lazarus was sent on his way. We don't understand resurrection, but it is a metaphor for Christian living and life, the way that God engages in the life that we live. God is calling us out of the tombs of our despair, denial and death, to a new life here and now. May Jesus' tears keep us tender, open, humble, generous and brave. Despite COVID-19, our journey need not be to the grave, but through it. Let us mourn in hope.
John 11: 1-45
+++ NOTE +++ While the church building remains shut during the coronavirus emergency, Sunday services are being uploaded to the Pilgrim Facebook page, and also posted on YouTube. To download the Order of Service and associated resources, click on this LINK.

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  22:30 Size:  7.8 MB Uploaded:  22-Mar
SUN 22-MAR-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 139 times ] Download   [ 592 times ]
Lent 4 – When we move on from asking God why certain things happen and why doesn't he do something about it, we can come to understand that the works of God are the works of love in the world. It doesn't mean that love will kill our troubles, but it does mean that God will love us with our troubles and through our troubles. A very troubling situation at present is the spread of that COVID-19 coronavirus, and the official demands on us that we remain physically separated from each other by a certain minimum distance, along with other precautions. But we still need social connection, for the sake of our mental and spiritual health. We need to find new ways of caring for one another at a physical distance, as a witness to the grace and tenderness of God. May we treat each other with kindness, compassion and respect, especially in this challenging time.
John 9: 1-17
+++ NOTE +++ For as long as the church building remains shut during the coronavirus emergency, Sunday services will be streamed live to the Pilgrim Facebook page. To download the Order of Service and associated material, click on this LINK.

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  25:01 Size:  8.6 MB Uploaded:  15-Mar
SUN 15-MAR-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 109 times ] Download   [ 450 times ]
Lent 3 – The story of Jesus and the woman at the well is often interpreted in terms of God's forgiveness of a promiscuous woman who kept tricking men into marrying her and then walking out on them. But it's not a story about morality. It's a story of how Jesus saw and understood this woman's plight, and shared his insight without shaming or condemning her. In the patriarchal society of the day a woman had no legal or social power to end her own marriage, because only a man could initiate a divorce. This woman was most likely the victim of a series of husbands who had all thrown her out, and she was currently surviving under the patronage of yet another man. Jesus saw her for what she was, and he did not judge or condemn her. Can we follow the example of Jesus, to see brokeness without shaming and condemning the victim?
John 4: 5-42

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  17:18 Size:  6.0 MB Uploaded:  15-Mar
SUN 15-MAR-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 118 times ] Download   [ 1572 times ]
Lent 3 – Jesus bridged a considerable social gap when he, a Jewish man, took the initiative of engaging an unaccompanied, socially isolated Samaritan woman, to share with her some deep spiritual truths. It gave her the courage to rejoin her village community and tell them all about it. Her life was transformed. It has been shown that social rejection often leads to loneliness and mental illness, while social connection and cohesion are associated with wellness. But, with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading around the world, we are being told, on the best of medical advice, to maintain a safe distance between ourselves and anyone else. Not to socialise? No, there are ways of caring for our neighbours even if we keep our distance physically. In cities with compulsory lockdowns there are blue skies instead of polluted grey, birds can be heard singing, people are reflecting, and neighbours are singing to each other through open windows. Isolation doesn't have to be loneliness. There may be endemic sickness, but there doesn't need to be disease of the soul.
John 4: 5-15, 27-30

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  21:09 Size:  7.3 MB Uploaded:  8-Mar
SUN 08-MAR-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 91 times ] Download   [ 795 times ]
Lent 2 – During Lent we find ourselves invited by a risen Christ to accompany him to a barren wilderness, to be confronted with new information, new insights, and new opportunities for realigning our lives; and it might not be a comfortable experience. Nicodemus, a high ranking Pharisee, visited Jesus during the night to discover something about the powers that God had bestowed on this remarkable rabbi; and Jesus told Nicodemus that he would not see the kingdom of God unless he was born twice: first with the 'water' of normal human childbirth, and then born of the Spirit. The teaching would indeed be confronting and disturbing for Pharisees, when they saw themselves as the guardians of Jewish heritage. John, the author of this gospel, goes on to assure us that God loves this world of ours so completely, unconditionally and passionately, that he was prepared to give the life of the one he relates to as son, so that everyone who trusts in what he is saying will have true, real life, here and now – which is eternal life, not a life that putrefies and falls to pieces.
John 3: 1-17

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  15:27 Size:  5.3 MB Uploaded:  1-Mar
SUN 01-MAR-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 102 times ] Download   [ 629 times ]
Lent 1 – Following his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for an extended period, during which he was subjected to a series of temptations that suggested that his mission to the world could be made much more spectacular if he were to use his God-given powers to better advantage. He resisted the temptations. During his subsequent three year mission, Jesus often went away to isolated, quiet places like hillsides and deserts after a busy time of interacting with people; it made space in his life to commune with God and grow in grace. By following his example of quietly retreating from the world from time to time to be with God, we too might return into the world to reflect more of God's loving kindness to humanity.
Genesis 2: 15-17, 3: 1-7; Matthew 4: 1-11

Rev Dr Andrew Dutney Timing:  20:31 Size:  7.1 MB Uploaded:  1-Mar
SUN 01-MAR-2020 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 117 times ] Download   [ 413 times ]
Lent 1 – Immediately after his baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil; and when the devil tried to subvert him with 'proof texts' from the Scriptures, Jesus responded with verses from the book of Deutoronomy to summarise everything the Jews had learnt about God when they themselves were in the wilderness. Jesus knew where he stood, and he stood in the law; the tempter had no power over him. The ancestors had been taught that their vocation was to be the people of God for the sake of the world; and by echoing what the ancestors had learnt, Jesus was revealing that he himself was the embodiment of that sacred vocation. The novel "Gilead" (2004) by Marilynne Robinson is mentioned in the sermon, for the way it deals with passages from the Scriptures that assure us that however daunting a wilderness may feel or be, there is a promise that God will send angels at the critical time.
Matthew 4: 1-11

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  21:40 Size:  7.5 MB Uploaded:  23-Feb
SUN 23-FEB-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 117 times ] Download   [ 596 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  [ 109 times ] Download   [ 517 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  [ 121 times ] Download   [ 731 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  [ 114 times ] Download   [ 551 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  [ 109 times ] Download   [ 792 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  [ 129 times ] Download   [ 653 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  [ 131 times ] Download   [ 1099 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
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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
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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
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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

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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
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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".

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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

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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
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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.

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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
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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

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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  20:20 Size:  7.0 MB Uploaded:  13-Oct
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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)

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  21:18 Size:  7.3 MB Uploaded:  6-Oct
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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

Rev Dean Eland Timing:  25:02 Size:  8.6 MB Uploaded:  29-Sep
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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

Rev Liellie NcLaughlin Timing:  20:05 Size:  6.9 MB Uploaded:  29-Sep
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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

Rev Ian Giles Timing:  20:21 Size:  7.0 MB Uploaded:  23-Sep
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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

Rev Dr Vicky Balabanski Timing:  19:42 Size:  6.8 MB Uploaded:  23-Sep
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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

Rev Vikki Waller Timing:  21:15 Size:  7.3 MB Uploaded:  15-Sep
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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

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  9:05 Size:  3.2 MB Uploaded:  15-Sep
SUN 15-SEP-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 217 times ] Download   [ 593 times ]
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)

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  16:26 Size:  5.7 MB Uploaded:  8-Sep
SUN 08-SEP-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 237 times ] Download   [ 1023 times ]
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

Raelene Telfer Timing:  11:26 Size:  4.0 MB Uploaded:  8-Sep
SUN 08-SEP-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 229 times ] Download   [ 917 times ]
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
SUN 01-SEP-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 247 times ] Download   [ 976 times ]
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

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  8:36 Size:  3.0 MB Uploaded:  26-Aug
SUN 25-AUG-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 251 times ] Download   [ 985 times ]
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
SUN 25-AUG-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon and talks  .mp3  Listen  [ 244 times ] Download   [ 1020 times ]
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

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  22:02 Size:  7.6 MB Uploaded:  18-Aug
SUN 18-AUG-2019 - 11.00 AM Service  .mp3  Listen  [ 723 times ] Download   [ 1785 times ]
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

Rev Vikki Waller Timing:  15:55 Size:  5.5 MB Uploaded:  18-Aug
SUN 18-AUG-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 256 times ] Download   [ 922 times ]
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

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  17:33 Size:  6.1 MB Uploaded:  12-Aug
SUN 11-AUG-2019 - 11 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 252 times ] Download   [ 1532 times ]
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

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  18:07 Size:  6.3 MB Uploaded:  4-Aug
SUN 04-AUG-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 254 times ] Download   [ 1510 times ]
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

Rev Sandy Boyce Timing:  18:48 Size:  6.5 MB Uploaded:  28-Jul
SUN 28-JUL-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 259 times ] Download   [ 1766 times ]
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
SUN 28-JUL-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 264 times ] Download   [ 1265 times ]
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

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  18:47 Size:  6.5 MB Uploaded:  21-Jul
SUN 21-JUL-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 264 times ] Download   [ 1120 times ]
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

Rev Dr Phil Carr Timing:  23:18 Size:  8.0 MB Uploaded:  14-Jul
SUN 14-JUL-2019 - 11.00 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 307 times ] Download   [ 1050 times ]
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

Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Timing:  21:52 Size:  7.5 MB Uploaded:  8-Jul
SUN 07-JUL-2019 - 11 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 280 times ] Download   [ 827 times ]
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

Geoff Boyce Timing:  20:34 Size:  7.1 MB Uploaded:  7-Jul
SUN 07-JUL-2019 - 9.30 AM Sermon  .mp3  Listen  [ 283 times ] Download   [ 1257 times ]
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

StJohn