This is the latest blurb that is published on the front of our weekly bulletin
Our Federal politicians are debating whether or not to strip dual-nationals of their Australian citizenship if those individuals are considered to be a terrorist threat. Whilst this is a policy of other, similar countries like the UK, it is causing controversy in parliament. Above all, it shows the high value of being an Australian citizen. … Read more
Suppose that you were to die today and stand before God and he were to say to you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” what would you say? This famous question by the organisation Evangelism Explosion leads us to think carefully about how it is that we gain acceptance by God. If your answer to … Read more
Right now, our church is joining with Christians everywhere in trying to stop changes to the definition of marriage. We believe that redefining marriage will cause harm to our society because we believe that God’s framework of relationships is the best for everyone. But even though we don’t welcome the proposed changes to marriage, we’re not saying that we don’t welcome … Read more
It has been 18 years since the first National Sorry Day, which has served to help remember and commemorate the mistreatment of Australia’s Aboriginal people. Yet, even though the Prime Minister publicly apologised in 2008, the hurt amongst Australia’s indigenous people continues to this day. This Reconciliation Week, we are sorry for the ways in which we have contributed … Read more
In tomorrow’s combined leadership group meeting, we are reviewing the book Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. In writing this book, the authors examined thousands of different churches and concluded that the most vibrant ones were the churches that were the most simple. Yet, when they spoke of simplicity, they weren’t talking about the content or style of Bible talks … Read more
When people talk about establishing new, healthy patterns in life, they often try to break it down into smaller, achievable chunks. So, to get people more active, they encourage people to walk half an hour a day for three days a week. Every week on Saturday morning at 7.30am, our church gets together for only … Read more
This week the NSW Government ordered school principals to prevent Scripture teachers from using three specific Christian books in the classroom. This unprecedented action comes from strong pressure by a lobby group that seeks to silence any view from schools that does not match the secular, atheistic worldview. We need to teach our classes in a manner that is … Read more
In the day before the execution of Bali Nine members Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, there was a giant flower arrangement on Sydney Harbour with the three words ‘KEEP HOPE ALIVE.’ Yet within hours, news arrived that these men were not granted the mercy that was longed for. The executed men knew they were guilty of … Read more
Over the past two decades Anzac Day has grown to become the key concept that defines the Australian identity. It is no surprise that a day that filled with such tragedy and loss has affected us in such a profound way. Stories of courage, mateship, and sacrifice have combined to shape how we see ourselves as a nation. As … Read more
What are you looking forward to? Maybe it’s retirement? Maybe it’s life after exams? Maybe it’s the birth of your child or your grandchild? Maybe it’s your upcoming holidays? You might sometimes feel that there is little for you to look forward to. When this is the case, life can be really tough. As the Russian novelist Dostoyevsky … Read more