Lent Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 God wants us to share his joy. This is the heart of the three parables Jesus tells in Luke 15 of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons. When the man finds his lost sheep, he invites his friends and neighbours, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ (v6) When … Read More
When do we listen to God?
Lent Reading: Isaiah 55:1-9 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and … Read More
Rollercoasters are OK!
Lent Reading: Psalm 27 You couldn’t pay me enough to go on a real rollercoaster –being terrified for my life isn’t my kind of fun! But I confess that my emotions can sometimes take me for a bit of a ride. At times like that, Psalm 27 has real resonance for me. The psalmist begins so strongly – The LORD … Read More
Knowing Jesus brings blessing.
Lent Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 How is your life better for following Jesus? After freedom from slavery and wandering the desert, the Israelites settled in their land promised by God. In Deuteronomy 26 they are instructed to take a portion of their first crops and bring it to the priest as a thanksgiving offering for God’s goodness. As people gave, they … Read More
Family
“Families are like fudge… mostly sweet with a few nuts…” “Family is like pizza. It’s messy, might give you a stomach ache, and you can’t get enough of it.” I first came to Unley Park Baptist when I was a teenager. There weren’t many young people then, but I distinctly remember that there was a sense of family across the … Read More
churches supporting local schools
In our area, 4 chaplains serve in our local public schools. Christopher McWhirter-McWhitlock, Unley High School, Denby Tamms, Unley Primary, Margaret Hayman, Blackforest Primary, Nion Derwick, Goodwood Primary. Our chaplains are highly valued by their schools. In general, chaplains provide support to the Wellbeing services of the school. A chaplain role is flexible which means they can fill gaps when … Read More
more time and deeper conversations builds friendships
At our church, each term we have an “Out To Lunch” (OTL) Sunday. On an OTL Sunday we encourage friends, growth groups, and families to eat together after church and invite more people along. It can be however you like to lunch. The OTL essentials are it is a group lunch; people connect, and others are invited in. We promote … Read More
growing Our life in Jesus
Do you know how to become more like Jesus? Afterall, this is the goal of Christian faith, to be transformed into the image of God’s son (2 Cor 3:18). How does the Spirit of God work through your choices, habits, experiences, relationships to change you? Or are you too busy, too tired, too distracted to experience a rich, meaningful life … Read More
‘tis the season to be grateful
Dear Church, I thank God for you. I am grateful for the love people have for our church. I am grateful for the trust and unity we experience. I am grateful for the friendships that have been cultivated over the year. I am grateful for the openness people have to God’s work in their life. I am grateful for the … Read More
MANY HANDS, LIGHTER WORK
Last Sunday evening we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Street Party. Since then, we have had warm, positive feedback on the night. People noted the welcome, the fun, the community feel, the musical talent, the breadth of ages involved. The night offered a beautiful picture into our church family. One of our guests, Unley Mayor Michael Hewitson kindly thanked Unley Park … Read More