Many years ago I was part of a theology reading group. We set out to read The Crucified God by German theologian Jürgen Moltmann. It was a challenging read, but has been foundational for me. Moltmann experienced God as a prisoner-of-war. He had been a German soldier at the end of World War II. […]
At our recent meeting, the Hope Uniting Church Council reflected on who we are as a congregation community. One of the things that was named in our discussion was the importance of people being acknowledged and known as individuals, each bringing our own story and gifts to the community. This being known reflects our experience of […]
The gospel of John leads us on a merry dance in trying to pin this Jesus down. John seems to make definitive and dramatic statements “The Word of God!” or “the light of the world!”. Powerful images that spark something within in us, and yet leave us with more questions. Last week’s reading (John […]
“Who are you?” the people come to ask John. In response John points them towards the One who will make all things new: Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Who is this Christ, already among them? The light shining in the darkness that cannot be overcome. The love […]
How do we know God? Specifically, how do we know the God who we see revealed in Jesus Christ? The opening to John’s gospel is a powerful mash-up using Jewish wisdom literature, Greek philosophy and even some of Genesis chapter 1, to create an incredibly evocative vision about the Word of God. This Word of […]
On Prayer- “Prayer is taking a chance that, against all odds and past history, we are loved and chosen.” Ann Lamott “To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the world.” Karl Barth “We pray because our life comes from God and we yield it back. Prayer is the great […]
Throughout my ministry I’ve found that people either love John’s Gospel for its strong claims about who Jesus is, or have found the whole thing mystifying for its long winded and dense style AND its polarising claims around Jesus. This gospel certainly takes some unpacking. It is bold and uncompromising, and it is full of […]
For the most part it feels as if our lives move at warp speed these days. Everything is urgent, instant and measured out in Mbps, likes and strategic plans. Perhaps we’ve bought into the latest mindfulness trends (useful) – though mostly they’re considered techniques to better face the impending busyness of tomorrow. With precious little […]
We’re about to embark upon a new worship series at Hope entitled “What’s love got to do with it?”. Apart from the cheesy goodness of using 80’s pop song titles each week, we’ll be looking to explore what we might mean when we say that “God is love.” Here’s an intro to the theme from […]