What should we do with Manus?

With the reports of the poor conditions at the Manus Island Detention Centre, and this week’s resulting violence, our nation should be deeply concerned with the way that many legitimate refugees are being treated. As a nation that “abounds in nature’s gifts” and prides ourselves as having “boundless plains to share” with “those who’ve come … Read more

Is Schapelle innocent?

It would be difficult to avoid noticing that convicted drug trafficker, Schapelle Corby, has been released on parole from her Bali prison. Despite her conviction and her sentence, people continue to speculate about her innocence, regardless of the strength of evidence that supports the original decision by the Bali court. This public affair matters to … Read more

What’s God doing in the drought?

As our Aussie farmers wilt under the pressures of this latest drought in our land, we are reminded again of our dependence on God for all our everyday needs. So what are we to make of this drought? What is God doing in our sunburnt country? Well, we must remember Jesus’ words that God “sends … Read more

The challenge of ordination

Tomorrow at 10am at St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney, 35 men and women will be ordained as deacons for service in the Anglican church, including our own Adam Hotson. Apart from gaining a ‘Rev.’ at the start of their name and permission to wear a ‘dog collar’, ordinands are officially given a copy of the Bible … Read more

Thank you God for Australia

Australia Day is a great opportunity to give thanks to God for the country he has made for us, and for the many great things about this nation: the freedom, the prosperity, the natural beauty, and the relaxed attitude to life. Yet, strangely, when some people reflect about something they have that is good, they … Read more

Tolerating intolerance

I recently heard a missionary being asked what had changed most in society in the five years since he moved away from Australia. His answer was that he noticed that the Australian media had become increasingly active in their intolerance of Christian belief. When individuals speak out about issues of human sexuality, they are regularly … Read more

How we can help the people in South Sudan

To help us understand what is happening on the ground in South Sudan, here is an excerpt of a letter from the Archbishop of South Sudan, who writes to ask the worldwide Anglican church “to pray for us and lobby your governments to come in to end this senseless war.” He continues: The crisis began as … Read more

Welcome to the Hotsons!

As the new year begins, our church is delighted to welcome Adam, Anita, Nick, Noah and Chloe Hotson as Adam joins our ministry team as our Assistant Minister. Adam has spent the past four years studying at Moore Theological College in preparation for this full-time position, adding to his two full-time years studying at Youthworks … Read more

It’s time for a fresh start

There’s something cleansing about the fresh start that the new year affords us every time we turn over the last page of our calendar. The idea of clearing the debts in our personal conscience account is strangely appealing; I might have over-eaten, under-exercised, over-criticised, under-loved in 2013… but the new year gives me a chance … Read more

The Blessed Mary

Many people throughout the history of God’s people have received a great honour from God that was completely undeserved. Mary, like those people, was nothing more than an ordinary human with an extraordinary privilege. It is hard to conceive just how amazing it would be for a woman to receive news that she would give … Read more