My five-and-a-half-week journey to Europe was a wonderful experience with many highlights. One thing that struck me was the influence of the Christian Church in every country we visited. The beauty of the churches, Christian paintings, frescos and sculptures that Roslyn and I saw were awe inspiring. However, they also made me think deeply about…
From Rowan Callick Today’s readings are an especially eclectic collection: a description of “a wife of noble character”, the very first psalm comparing the wicked with those who “delight in the law of the Lord”, and James imploring us to “control our tongues”, even while fearing this to be a hopeless aim. Our gospel from…
From Fr Stephen Delbridge As we continue to read through the Letter of James and juxtapose our readings from Mark’s Gospel we are called to be mindful of who we are and how we live. James is vigorous in his declaration that faith requires works and Jesus is vigorous in his holding of the tensions…
From Fr Stephen Delbridge Canon Christopher alerted us last Sunday to these weeks that we will spend in James’ Letter. Last Sunday we had the line: ‘be doers of the word and not hearers only’. Today we have the follow-up verse: ‘faith without works is dead’ (!). We can match this verse with the actions…
For the next five weeks our Sunday epistle readings come from the epistle of James. It is a practical and straightforward letter, attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, which emphasises the importance of living out one’s faith through actions. James declares ‘faith without works is dead’ (2: 17). The letter includes themes of perseverance,…
For the past five Wednesday evenings a small group from the congregation have been studying, via Zoom, Paul’s letter to the Colossians. This week we studied the first part of chapter three, which begins with these words: So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated…
Archbishop Philip has called on all parishes to observe Vocations Sunday next Sunday, 25 August. On this day we will consider the truth that God has given to every Christian through the Holy Spirit, a gift or gifts for the building up of the whole church. In 1 Corinthians 12: 4–7 St Paul writes: Now…
Last week I shared with you a quotation attributed to Saint Augustine of Hippo. Today, as we celebrate the feast of St Laurence, I share with you another quote from Saint Augustine when he was preaching on the Feast of St Laurence in about 400AD: “[St Laurence] loved Christ in his life, he imitated Him…
Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 AD) was a bishop of Hippo in Northern Africa. A theologian and philosopher, Saint Augustine was one of the most influential Christian writers of early Christendom and is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Western church. His many important works include The City of…
Dear Members and Friends of South Darebin parish, Last Sunday we had a happy and uplifting choral Eucharist to mark St James Day and the one hundredth anniversary of St James, Thornbury being made a parish. My sermon reminded us that in the Kingdom of God everyone is as important as everyone else – there…