Humility 101

Sermon for 28 September ’08
Philippians 2.1-13
Though he was in the form of God, [Christ] did not regard equality with God  as something to be exploited…
These are the opening words of a song. I don’t mean a song that was based on the scriptural text. Bible scholars tell us that these words begin a song, well-known [...]

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Class of ’88

 

 
This is the Class of 88 — those who graduated from Trinity Theological College nearly 20 years ago. Those of us who were ordained that year had dinner the other night at Ciao Baby, an Italian Restaurant. A terrific bunch and a terrific night!
Most of us are still in placement as ordained ministers, and all [...]

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The “money quotes”

Regarding the global financial crisis and the USA’s impending bailout of financial institutions: From Bishop Alan’s blog, we are seeing
a new form of “socialism” that, having privatised the profits is now socialising the losses.
And from Bono:
It’s extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can’t [...]

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Progress in Christ

Sermon for 21 September ’08
Philippians 1.21-30
I remember playing snakes and ladders when I was a kid. Perhaps you played it too? I remember being young enough to enjoy snakes and ladders, to thrill when my counter landed at the foot of a ladder, and to know the indignation of landing at the head of a [...]

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Liturgical thought of the day (3)

In times when there is no persecution, God gives to the Church liturgists, that it may know hardship.
 
(Source unknown—but I wish I knew!)

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Beauty in the back yard

The Waltons went whale watching yesterday. Just a 45 minute trip to Redcliffe, where we missed Tanya Richards’ ordination to the diaconate. On board a catamaran, and off through Moreton Bay and to the other side of Moreton Island.
It was wonderful to be where the humpback whales are, less than an hour from Redcliffe, on [...]

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Contemplating a Change @ CUCA

 
 
No sermon from me today. Katie Wallis and the band led us in worship, as a wind up for their marathon 15-week, 24-service promotion of Contemplating a Change, the CD that Katie & Matt Green co-wrote. All proceeds are going to Mwandi; that meant approx. $12600 at the start of the morning, and another ~$500 by the [...]

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Doing the right thing is not enough

Sermon for 7 September ’08
Romans 13.8-14
Matthew 18.15-20
 
See how these Christians love one another!
These are the words of Tertullian, a North African theologian of the second century, in his work The Apology, 39.7. Actually, what he said was more like
‘Look,’ they say, ‘how they love one another’ (for they themselves hate one another); ‘and how they [...]

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Liturgical thought of the day (2)

To be consumed with worry over making a liturgical mistake is the greatest mistake of all. Reverence is a virtue, not a neurosis, and God can take care of himself.
(Aidan Kavanagh, Elements of Rite, p 31)

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Liturgical thought of the day (1)

As chair of the Uniting Church’s Working Group on Worship—and therefore a kind of practical liturgical theologian—I think I’m qualified to know something of the truth of this (and I plan occasional Liturgical Thoughts of the Day; some will even be straight):
The most paranoid people I know are liturgical scholars and denominational worship executives.
From the [...]

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