…just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness… (Colossians 2.6-7) Someone once said that stories are verbal acts of hospitality[i], so let me share a slice of my story by way of entry to ourRead more

Underlined in John’s Gospel (fittingly, in John Anonby’s Bible) are these words: “I have come that you may have life and life to the full.” Today we attest that John August Anonby took Jesus up on his offer, life to the full. Some years ago I was over at John and Elizabeth’s for supper. At one point IRead more

Luke 12.49-59 Years ago, Mel Gibson made a film called “The Passion of the Christ”. No Jesus movie gets things exactly right, but it was a fresh take on a character whose portrayals are often clichéd. It was and is a powerful film. When my dad saw it, “The Passion of the Christ” was theRead more

Luke 12. 13-21 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance ofRead more

Watch this sermon here. Read this sermon below. Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe inRead more

Daniel 5Pacific Community Church, March 20, 2022 As I understand it this series in Daniel is a discussion about living with Christian integrity in a pluralistic society, with an aim as a local church to be a “faithful presence”. Ancient historians remind us that we wouldn’t have the modern world as we know it withoutRead more

Luke 11. 14-28Living Waters Church (February 27, 2022) I was hiking recently with a friend and we got talking about our waistlines, which turned into talking about the forty-day season ahead of Easter, known in some Christian traditions as Lent. For many, the time before Easter is about taking time and taking stock of what’s going onRead more

Luke 11. 1-4 I’m not sure how we learn how to pray. We probably pick up patterns from all kinds of places and people. Do we pray like we talk with our parents, whatever a parent has been to us? Do we pray like we talk with our friends, at least the ones who willRead more

I can see the church building from our dining room window, so we’ve got a pretty good view of the big conifer dressed up in Christmas lights, which our two-year-old has been very excited about. Every morning she checks to see if the lights are still on and reports back promptly. The other day weRead more

Sermon, Living Waters Church, December 5, 2021Watch or listen here Our carol for reflection today might be new to some of us but is a well-loved Christmas hymn in other traditions. Once in Royal David’s City is one of those carols which draws out the sharp contrasts surrounding Jesus’ birth in the gospels. Which reminds me ofRead more