Advent

MARY’S MAGNIFICENT MAGNIFICAT

December 18, 2024) Dr Richard Winter shares and challenges…

Why I love the Virgin Mary is a sermon I have preached before, raising some quizzical eyebrows! For example, someone asked me, ‘Is this Catholic theology.’

One time when I mentioned I loved the Virgin Mary to a friend who was training to be a Catholic priest it made him smile. But I added that I don’t pray to her, neither do I think of Mary as a co-redemptionist with Jesus. His eyes opened wide when I explained that I think of Mary as a wonderful example of a faithful servant of God.

Mary’s Magnificat
Ever heard this term?

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LUKE’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

(December 05, 2024) Brian Bell shares… and encourages—

As we are now in the season of Advent, I share a few thoughts taken from Luke’s gospel. Chapter 1:1-4NLT shows that Luke is very specific about his purpose: ‘to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.’

Now Luke was not one of the first early disciples called by Jesus, he was not writing from a personal meeting with the Lord Jesus. And he wrote his gospel for the benefit of a person named in verse 1 as ‘the most honourable’ Theophilus who also didn’t have a personal meeting with Jesus… and that makes Luke’s message very relevant for you and me today.

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THE LIGHT HAS COME!

(Sunday December 03, 2023) Dr Jim McClure shares … 

Today is the first day of the season called Advent which many churches observe throughout the world. Often associated with Advent is the lighting of a candle each Sunday with a final one being lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

The lighting of the candles is not just a decorative novelty – but symbolic of light that banishes darkness.

One of the values of Advent is that it encourages us to –

  • Reflect on Christmas’ spiritual significance in the midst of so many distractions and anxieties in the world.
  • Remember that Christmas really has nothing to do with Santa Clause but has everything to do with the birth of Jesus.
  • Read afresh John’s summary of 2000 years ago: ‘The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him’ (John 1:9-10).
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PRACTISING HOPE LEADS TO BOLD FAITH

(December 5, 2021) Carol Round reminds us to activate our faith…

‘Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful’ encourages Hebrews 10:23.

As the first candle of Advent was lit this past Sunday at our church, it set the tone for this season – a season of hope. For those unfamiliar with the Christian liturgical year, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and ends on Christmas Eve.

For Christians, Advent is a time to reflect. It’s a time of anticipation, a time of waiting. During this busy season, we seek the quiet reflected in the starry night, thanking God for what he has done in our lives, wondering what God is doing, and… for what he will do next.

While Advent celebrates Christ’s birth – his first coming, it’s also a time of excitement and preparation as Christians anticipate his second coming, his return as Christ the King. It’s a time for imperfect people – all of us – to look forward to something greater to come, something greater than ourselves. The hope of better things to come.

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