Archive

In Old Testament days, animal sacrifice was a daily part of life. Different kinds were made – grain, burnt, peace, sin and guilt. They were required for practically everything, from giving birth,...

Scripture is full of such simple but powerful statements that are there reminding us of the part Jesus Christ played in our lives – and continues to play. They are sentiments embedded in well-known...

Have you ever been asked to explain what you expect to accomplish in your life? As a teenager my dreams were very simple, getting married, having a boy and a girl, a pool in the backyard, and living a...

As Paul neared the end of his life, he wrote, ‘…I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord…will give me...

Here is a funny story you may be familiar with:There was a lady who called her husband while he was driving home from work. She worriedly told him, ‘I just saw on the news there’s an idiot driving...

One Sunday at the worship service, we learned that one of our longtime members, who had been unable to attend church, needed assistance for treatment related to her cancer diagnosis. She had been...

We’ve all had tasks we didn’t want to do. And when we don’t want to do something, it’s easy to put it off until later, maybe the next day, the next week or even later. Mark...

What next? I often feel overwhelmed when I hear that I need to go out and be missional. In my mind, I reason that we are but a small church, and we lack the right resources. We feel inadequate....

‘The Chosen’ is one of my favourite television shows; I love how they have created believable background stories for many of the stories we see in the Gospels. But what intrigues me in almost...

At the end of your life, wouldn’t you like to be commended by God for the way you’ve lived?  In our header scripture, the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that those ‘ancients’ in...

The great Redwood trees are some of the oldest living things on this planet. Needless to say, walking through the ancient groves is truly a humbling experience. These majestic giants have been here...

It is only in John’s gospel account that we learn that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there at the foot of the cross, when he was crucified. She was there with at least three other women, in the...

Every morning, I enjoy a cup (or three) of tea. I have a routine of putting on the kettle, heating the teapot while the water reaches a boil, putting in the loose tea and letting it steep while my...

I was travelling back home by train from a mainline London station on a Saturday night when a group of noisy people got on at the next stop. They settled farther down the long open carriage, but at...

Unfortunately, our summer norm has become one that is smoke-filled, and filled with cautious awareness for the possibility of local fires. This year we have had several fires within a few miles of us,...

Twice in the opening two verses of Colossians chapter three Paul tells us to set our focus on being heavenly minded. In the way we use language, the idea of heavenly mindedness can sound unattractive....

You have probably heard this funny story about a man who did not want to part with his money. I’ll give you the short version if you haven’t heard it. There was a greedy old miser who loved his...

In the second chapter of his gospel, John recounts the first documented miracle performed by Jesus – the converting of approximately 180 gallons of water, in six stone pots, into wine for a wedding...

When we think of temperamental kings, the phrase ‘off with his head’ might come to mind. Shakespeare used it a lot in his plays, and it was made even more famous or perhaps, infamous, in Lewis...

In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul invites his readers to keep their understanding of the gospel in clear focus by looking persistently at Jesus. Paul reminds us that the incarnation: the coming of Christ...

I didn’t stand firm when I pulled on that broken tree branch, and it finally gave way; I promptly lost my footing and tumbled to the ground with it. It could have been quite embarrassing, but no...

In the second chapter of his letter to the church at Colossae, Paul makes three assertions about the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, setting off each with the phrase, ‘in Christ’ or ‘in him’. The...

In The United States of America, more than 44 million people have outstanding school loan debt – amounting to more than $1.5 trillion that is currently owed. The forgiveness of school loan debt is...

Looking after the earth, that is our God-given collective job. God started Adam on this stewardship by giving him the simple task of naming the animals. I thought that sounded a fun way to begin, and...

We live in a war torn and violent world with one of the worst conflicts being in the Middle East, particularly around Israel and Gaza. As you see the pictures on TV, do you have an understanding of...

Over the centuries, this verse has been the subject of much debate. Some have interpreted Paul’s comment that Jesus is the ‘firstborn’ as meaning that Christ was the first and highest being...

In C.S. Lewis’ book, The Four Loves, Lewis writes a descriptive picture of love gone bad. He introduces us to Mrs. Fidget, who is known for living for her family. But it turns out that this is not a...

As we grow older our horizons in life tend to shrink. In my own case, in business I travelled half the globe. Today about the longest regular journey I do is to travel to church each week. Our...

If you haven’t worn your heart on your sleeve, you are at least familiar with the phrase. The exact origin of this is unknown, but the first recorded use of it was in...

In Revelation 7 John’s vision brings us to the throne of God in heaven, where, in the midst of a glorious throng of angelic worshippers, a great innumerable multitude assemble, dressed in robes of...

From the first verse of the Bible till the end, we have the story of God’s love for his creation; for all mankind. Alpha and Omega: The beginning and the end. In the Greek alphabet, in...

The Bible has a lot to say about giving thanks: “Offer to God thanksgiving…” (Psalm 50:14), and ‘It is good to give thanks to the Lord…’ (Psalm 92:1). Then in the final book of...