what's on
Sunday 8 June - Indwelling the Word (after the 9:00am service)
Sunday 22 June - Indwelling the Word (after the 9:00am service)
Wednesday 25 June - Young at Heart (10:30am)
Sunday 22 June - Indwelling the Word (after the 9:00am service)
Wednesday 25 June - Young at Heart (10:30am)
Stop Climbing, Start Receiving:
Christ’s Prayer Unites You to God (1 june)
In John 17:20-26, Jesus offers His “Righteous Father Prayer,” a divine word spoken not only for His apostles but for you, who believe through their preaching. The Law confronts us here, revealing our vain attempts to achieve unity with God or one another. We pursue glory through good works, fervent love, or mystical experiences, imagining we can ascend to heaven like golfers perfecting their swing. Yet, our efforts fall short. The righteous Father, viewed through the Law, stands as a judge we cannot satisfy, exposing our divisions, our failures, and our sin that keeps us distant from His holiness.
But hear the Gospel’s comforting promise: Jesus, the chief Apostle, was sent not to demand your ascent but to descend to you. He prays, “I made known to them your name,” and that name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is yours in Baptism. This is no mere participation in God; it is a gift of complete unity, poured out through the external Word preached and the water that seals you as His own. Christ’s glory, His love, His righteousness—they come down to you, not because you have earned them, but because He freely gives them through His death and resurrection.
This is what it means to be apostolic: to receive the Word that makes you one with Christ and each other, not through your striving but through His promise. Even in a world of suffering, where unity seems unattainable, you are His. Your name is spoken with God’s in Baptism, and His forgiveness is yours, now and forever. Rest in this Gospel, dear church, for it is yours—not by your doing, but by His grace alone.
We Pray For:
† Governments and industries, that they may use God's creation wisely.
† God to make his name known to all nations through Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit.
† Those caught in sin, and for the freedom which forgiveness brings.
† Justice for the poor and a curbing of those who flaunt the law of God.
† All who suffer, that they may be strengthened by hope in God.
† Scientists who seek to know about and use God's creation.
But hear the Gospel’s comforting promise: Jesus, the chief Apostle, was sent not to demand your ascent but to descend to you. He prays, “I made known to them your name,” and that name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is yours in Baptism. This is no mere participation in God; it is a gift of complete unity, poured out through the external Word preached and the water that seals you as His own. Christ’s glory, His love, His righteousness—they come down to you, not because you have earned them, but because He freely gives them through His death and resurrection.
This is what it means to be apostolic: to receive the Word that makes you one with Christ and each other, not through your striving but through His promise. Even in a world of suffering, where unity seems unattainable, you are His. Your name is spoken with God’s in Baptism, and His forgiveness is yours, now and forever. Rest in this Gospel, dear church, for it is yours—not by your doing, but by His grace alone.
We Pray For:
† Governments and industries, that they may use God's creation wisely.
† God to make his name known to all nations through Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit.
† Those caught in sin, and for the freedom which forgiveness brings.
† Justice for the poor and a curbing of those who flaunt the law of God.
† All who suffer, that they may be strengthened by hope in God.
† Scientists who seek to know about and use God's creation.
Pentecost (8 June)
Do you ever feel your love for God or others falls short? The world tells us love is a feeling we must muster or a task we must perfect, but Jesus speaks a different truth in John 14:15-21. When He says, “Whenever you love me, you will keep my commandments,” He’s not setting a test you’ll fail. Instead, He promises that His love, poured out through His death and resurrection, will work in you to fulfil His command to love one another.
This love comes not from your efforts but from the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who brings Christ’s forgiveness through the preached Word. The Spirit doesn’t demand you prove your worth; He declares, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is the truth that sets you free from a troubled conscience, assuring you that Christ will never leave you as an orphan. His presence dwells in you, transforming you into a bearer of His love.
What does this mean for us? It means we’re called to love boldly, not by our own strength but by trusting Christ’s promise. When you hear, “I forgive you,” you’re empowered to forgive others, defying the accusations of sin and death. This is no ordinary love—it’s the love of the cross, which overcomes the world’s empty demands and makes you a light in the darkness.
So, dear church, rest in this truth: you are Christ’s beloved, made to be the greatest lovers the world has ever known. Not because of what you feel or do, but because Jesus is in you, and His Word works through you. Let’s cling to His forgiveness and share it generously, knowing He holds us fast forever.
This love comes not from your efforts but from the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who brings Christ’s forgiveness through the preached Word. The Spirit doesn’t demand you prove your worth; He declares, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is the truth that sets you free from a troubled conscience, assuring you that Christ will never leave you as an orphan. His presence dwells in you, transforming you into a bearer of His love.
What does this mean for us? It means we’re called to love boldly, not by our own strength but by trusting Christ’s promise. When you hear, “I forgive you,” you’re empowered to forgive others, defying the accusations of sin and death. This is no ordinary love—it’s the love of the cross, which overcomes the world’s empty demands and makes you a light in the darkness.
So, dear church, rest in this truth: you are Christ’s beloved, made to be the greatest lovers the world has ever known. Not because of what you feel or do, but because Jesus is in you, and His Word works through you. Let’s cling to His forgiveness and share it generously, knowing He holds us fast forever.