Matthew, Revelation | #blessed? It takes the encouragement of the saints to live the Beatitudes

It takes the encouragement of the saints to live the beatitudes. (Listen here.)

So I was at the beach at sunrise this morning. And I was in the middle of, like, downward-facing dog when between my legs I saw dolphins. OMG my life is incredible!!! So I grabbed my iPhone 18 Pro Max and took a selfie. Then I sat on the sand watching the waves roll in as I drank my goji berry protein shake with ashwagandha and spirulina. I’m posting here so I can treasure this moment for always. I’m so #blessed. Don’t forget to like, share and comment below on how you, too, are happy, healthy and totally #blessed!

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Exodus | Ten ‘commandments’? No, ten signs of life

What if the Ten Commandments aren’t actually rules, but simply indicators of a life grounded in God? (Listen here.)

Sadly, it’s true: I’m one of those perverse people who can’t stand being told what to do. If you tell me to do something, then because I’ve learned a modicum of politeness I’ll grit my teeth and nod, and because for decades now I’ve been training myself to slow down and actually listen, I might even do it. But underneath my blood will be boiling and I’ll be longing to do the exact opposite.

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Exodus | What we need is here

Even in the wilderness, God provides – with a nod to Wendell Berry. (Listen here.)

What a time we’re having. Our beloved friend and organist has suddenly and unexpectedly died; our dynamic placement minister has suddenly and unexpectedly resigned. We’ve had too many funerals and too few baptisms; too many leavings and too few celebrations; things are falling apart. I think it’s fair to say, many of us feel like we’re in some sort of wilderness.

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Matthew | Saint Dolly & the art of forgiveness

Forgiveness as a way of life. (Listen here.)

A couple of weeks ago, Dolly Parton died; the world is in mourning. One little story helps illustrate why. Her singing career kicked off in 1967, when she was invited onto The Porter Wagoner Show. Back then, Porter was the star and Dolly was the sidekick, and when Dolly sang solos she was booed. So Porter asked her to sing duets with him, instead, because people wouldn’t boo while he (the star) was singing. As they sang together, Dolly gained in confidence and stage presence and began writing songs. Gradually, she became the star.

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Exodus | The god of freedom

The God of freedom calls us to shape the future through our collective choices. (Listen here.)

The people were far from home. They had been enslaved, and their baby boys were being taken and killed. They were being spoken of in brutal, animal terms. The overseers cracked their whips. The king demanded ever-increasing workloads and allowed no time for rest. The people wept and cried and prayed for mercy while wondering, could anything possibly change?

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Funeral | ‘You will be with me in the garden’

A brief homily given at a recent funeral, for one who loved gardens.

Jim loved gardens. He loved plants, and compost, and growing things. He loved his veggie patch, he loved the wild garden alongside the river, and he loved Wombat Bend. He loved Redgum Café, I suspect not only because it was part of this church, but because of the magnificent redgum which gives it its name.

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