Ordination to what? 20 Nov 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Ordination to what?
In two weeks Nicholas will be ordained as a priest. He will join the group of elders or presbyters (the origin of the word “priest”) in the church who share with the bishop the ministry of Word and Sacrament.
Part of the old service included this exhortation:
You have heard, my brothers, in your private examination, in the sermon, and in the readings from holy scripture, how great is the dignity and importance of this office to which you are called. And now .again l exhort you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you remember the dignity of the high office and charge to which you are called: that is to say, to be messengers, watchmen, and stewards of the Lord; to teach and forewarn, to feed and provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep who are scattered abroad, and for his children who are surrounded by temptation in this world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever. Have always therefore printed in your mind how great a treasure is committed to your care. For they are the-sheep of Christ, whom he bought with his death and for whom he shed his blood. The church and congregation whom you must serve is his bride and his body. ...
Any light here? 13 Nov 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Any light here?
Will legalising prostitution reduce the amount of prostitution? Will legalising it make it better for women? Will it reduce the exploitation and oppression of women in the sex-industry. Will it reduce the criminal element? All good questions.
Perhaps the aim is merely to control it and to remove it from the suburbs. How will the new law reduce the prevalence of prostitution in the suburbs? Presumably by police action. But is there not a law against that already?
Controlling, regulating, supervising, put it under the watchful eye of a bureaucracy as well as the police ... might still allow scope for bribery, corruption and the criminal gangs.
Is it worth letting our MPs know our opinion on this? For what reasons have they not adopted the Swedish model of making the use of prostitutes illegal, rather than making prostitution legal?
8. God's believing people Romans 4.13-25
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=268}
God's believing people Romans 4.13-25
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 6 November 2011
Bible Readings: Genesis 22.1-19; Psalm 16; Roamsn 4.16-25; John 6.35-40
Why faith like Abraham's is all that is necessary for God to credit to us all that he requires to accept us as his people.
What should we do? 30 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
What should we do?
It was quite an exciting weekend at Willetton last week. The multi-cuisine feast was a gourmet’s delight. Once again there were a lot of people present who are not normally in church on Sundays.
And on Sunday at Willetton we also had quite a lot of people who are not normally in church with us. Some were visitors from other churches, and some were visitors from no church.
Is this a good thing? Having people come to events or church services who don’t normally go to church? Coming to meals is OK I suppose. But what about church? Do we really want lots of people coming who are not used to church and don’t know what to do?
God's Love and Baptism 23 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Other Sermons
{podcast id=149}
God's Love and Baptism
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 23 October 2011
Bible readings: Isaiah 40.27-31; Romans 5.1-8; John 3.1-16
Sermon preached at a baptism service about children, families, marriage, baptism and knowing God's love.
Why baptise? 23 October 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Why baptise?
Why would anyone want to baptise children these days? After all it is becoming a minority sport. We could ask why parents add their child’s name to the waiting list for private schools (and pay a large fee for the privilege in some cases)?
Because they want the child to have a good education (and they hope the school will still be a good school 12 years later when the child enters secondary education). So we baptise children because we want them to be part of the (minority) group that follows Jesus. Because we want them to follow Jesus themselves. And learn about him. And find out how to follow him.
In a way it’s a bit like enrolling the child as a member of your favourite football team. You want them to have the privileges of membership eventually – and to be supporters.
7. God's Grace Romans 3.27-31
- Details
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=267}
God's Grace Romans 3.27-31
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 16 October 2011
Bible Readings: Jeremiah 23.1-6; Psalm 34; Romans 3.25-31; John 12.20-36
Why there is nothing to boast about by those who live according to the Old Testament expectation that they should live by faith
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