The people of St Barnabas have met for worship since 16th September 1979 where they first met at the Fraser Primary School. As the congregation was … Read More
St Barnabas, Charnwood
St Michael’s, Hall
"In the early days, small groups of pioneer settlers were making their homes in the countryside around the centre now called Canberra and, despite the … Read More
Barney’s Boutique
The St Barnabas op shop, Barney's Boutique, is located at the church centre in Charnwood, 10 Charnwood Place, Charnwood. See map below. A … Read More
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Worshipping Together This Sunday: August 20, 2017
The Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
Readings: Genesis 45.1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11.13-32; Matthew 15. 10-28 (Reflection).
The gospel reading that we will hear today easily makes us cringe. Jesus referring to this crying, foreign mother as a ‘dog’ does not sit well. Yet her faith, however, overcomes any pride in her that might react negatively: ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs…’ Jesus is impressed. Jesus is moved. Jesus heals.
Worshipping Together This Sunday: August 13, 2017
The Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Readings: Genesis 45.1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11.13-32 (33-36); Matthew 15. 10-28.
This Sunday we will hear again the well known story of Jesus’ – and Peter’s – walking the water. A call to faith. A call to trust.
And – no doubt – a call to look for the perfect-timing God. The disciples are sent ‘to the others side’ by Jesus, battle the evening waves, and meet the prayer-refreshed Christ sometime in the ‘early morning’. They must have thought – like you and I often do – that Jesus timing was significantly off!
Of course, in hindsight they may have thought differently. Did they learn more of what God-trust looks like from this apparent delay? Perhaps.
Peter may also have grown in his trust of Jesus’ timing. It doesn’t take long to drown in a storm. Yet there is Jesus’ hand grasping Peter’s. An unpredicted – but perfect – timing. Only after all this trust-building do they all arrive at ‘the other side’.
May we all learn to trust God in our storms.
This week – as always – we will have services at both St Barnabas (9:00am) and at St Michael’s (11:00am). All are welcome.
Worshipping Together This Sunday: August 6, 2017
The Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
Readings: Genesis 32.22-31; Psalm 17.1-7, 16; Romans 9.1-16; Matthew 14.13-21
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is surely one of the best known and loved accounts of Jesus mission: The Feeding of the Five Thousand. Two Fish. Five Loaves. A compassionate Christ. Satisfied stomachs. Abundant leftovers.
A miracle among miracles.
There is more, however. Our text opens with Jesus intention: to find ‘a desolate place by himself…’ As we know he found a needy crowd and all their sick. This Christ-planned retreat became an afternoon of people-involved work before it even began. Surely it would be reasonable, as the disciples suggest, to send this crowd away in time to obtain their own sustenance?
The feeding of the crowd, however, extends Jesus stay. Jesus lingers. Jesus blesses. Jesus provides abundantly – far beyond all expectations. Here is more than one who can multiply food. Here is one who delights to be with us. One who delights to be with you.
Perhaps there is an easily missed invitation here for you to linger longer with one who deeply desires your company.
As always, all are welcome to be a part of our services.