The Dance of Three as One
Reflection for Trinity Sunday Romans 8:12–17 and John 3:1–17 The Dance there’s a dance with no beginning; this dance, it has no end; the dance has no [...]
Abide with Jesus, or, Courageous Love
Reflection for Easter 5 - Wesley Uniting Church Canberra Abide. Most of the meanings of this English word given in my 20 year old Macquarie Dictionary are prefaced with ‘archaic’. [...]
Our inheritance: cherish with use
Reflection on Exodus 20:1–17 Ten Commandments. Ten, among over a hundred scattered through the Torah – in the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Which are the most important? Which underpin the [...]
Gender: revealing
Revealed I really dislike gender reveals. They seem to be growing in popularity, not least for the hilarious videos of failed reveal stunts. Then there's the devastating reveal stunts that [...]
Learning about leading. Lesson 2: connection.
Communication is key Leadership is all about relationships. Someone whose leadership I appreciate is Phil Ruge-Jones, facilitator of the Network of Biblical Storytellers' Scholars Seminar. He's been reading, too, and found these insights [...]
Tentative steps in return to gathering
To my congregation Like many of you, I had travel plans for this year. Right now, I might have been between conferences in Adelaide and Melbourne. I was meant to be [...]
Achievement unlocked: asks for help
Over the weekend I suddenly recognised my sadness and loneliness (even in a week of numerous, joyful, connections with people), my tiredness and insomnia, lack of enthusiasm and abundance of anger, for what [...]
Pandemic Connections: Broken or Deepened?
A matter of perspective Some members of my congregation are worshipping online with other congregations during this pandemic season. One response to this might be concern that we will 'lose' [...]
Priests on the sidelines? Leading church when gathering is suspended
A fellow clergy person wondered recently about priests being on the sidelines, seeming unneeded in the time of Covid-19 suspension of community gatherings. I wondered if it might actually be an invitation to trust, and [...]
Diary of a Chronically Exhausted Vicar. Episode 49
Ah, the gift of words from others to help us see, understand, anew. A poem. On the healing nature of green after reading Phosphorescence, by Julia Baird 1. 'I see trees of green' [...]
Who are we, Community of Christ?
The Stories: Acts 16:16-34 and John 17:20-26 I want to begin with the story in Acts; the first part of the story, which we often skip over for the sensational miracle in the jail [...]