The Apostles Creed?

Faith is always done together. As the saying goes, it may be personal but it is never private (Jim Wallis, Sojourners). Because faith is about how we love God and how we love one another, it is by necessity a shared conversation. How you speak…
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A church of gratitude

We spend much of our time here at Hope, exploring and teasing and playing with the Gospel narratives of Jesus – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Like every church, indeed every Christian, we have our favourite sections of the Bible. The ones…

A quiet Easter wave

Sometimes Easter feels like standing in the surf at Maroubra, another series of waves comes crashing through and I have to judge whether to jump, swim, dive or float. Another season of Lent wends its way towards an upper room, some washed…

Patient hope

Often during Advent, churches will have a wreath with five candles in it. Each week they light one more of the candles until on Christmas Day the final candle is lit as the Christ Candle. It’s a pretty liturgical ritual – and one that…
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Resurrection and Mary (John 20:1-18)

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.” – John 20:11   It felt like an ending It seemed like failure Even her grief was being denied as the body was now gone.   She stands as witness in her tears She stands…
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Peter and my failure

Peter in the courtyard is perhaps the centre of the discipleship journey for me. Certainly, Jesus upon the cross remains the mystical heart of faith – central to the mystery and passion of divine reconciliation. But for my own journey in seeking…

Hope, despair and faith

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.…

Known and Loved

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…

Last Sunday recap (John 2:1-12)

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,…