Progressive, affirming, questing in Warrnambool, Victoria
Well, Sanctuary has now met for the last time and, in the words of an old prayer, what has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done: let it be. I am in the process of closing things down, and this will be the final post. We’ll finish off with Psalm 136, Sanctuary-style, developed from your responses to a prayerful exercise (here). Continue reading “Our final post: Psalm 136, Sanctuary-style”
Words for the closing of a church. (Listen.)
Once upon a time, nearly eight years ago, some of us did something very foolish. A bunch of people who had mostly drifted away from church or were burned by church or had been rejected by church bumped into a quirky minister on holiday, and wondered if they might try again. Continue reading “John | Farewell Sanctuary, my beautiful beloveds”
When Beth first worshipped with Sanctuary, she found it so mysterious that she wrote a poem. It became something we shared at our annual covenanting service. A few weeks ago, she went back to the poem and added the lines in italics. It is a beautiful witness to the transforming power of a small, gentle gathering around the gospel. Thank you so much, Beth, for sharing this with us now. Continue reading “A silver spoon from Richmond, revisited”
Not one stone will be left … (Matthew 24:2)
Holy God,
whose presence is known
in the structures we build
and also in their collapse:
establish in us a desire
not to contain your mystery,
but to be led beyond security
into your sacred space,
through Jesus Christ: Amen. Continue reading “Trusting in the foolishness of death, Sanctuary will close”
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained, saying, “If only we had died by God’s hand in Egypt, where we sat by the stew pots and ate our fill of bread; but you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill the whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:2-3)
Once upon a time, there was a pastor who was beginning to feel stagnant, and stale, and trapped. She waited and waited for God to open the door of a small inner-city church; but at last, and to her shock, God called her to serve a regional crowd instead. “Who am I to do this?” she asked as she doubted and wrestled and argued with God. Finally, however, she obeyed; and she moved and began working among the people there. But after a year or so of people gathering and growing, and miracles abounding, she began to grumble. Continue reading “Exodus | Hungry people, heaven’s bread”
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. (Psalm 84:3)
Reading this, I might feel guilty that I am engaging a builder to birdproof the roof and remove the dozen or so pigeons pooping through the ceiling roses at Sanctuary. I might feel I am cruelly removing the sparrow from her home and the swallow from her nest, heartless woman that I am. I might feel, too, that I am unduly silencing the background effects to our gathering prayer, “For your love warm and brooding …” [coo coo]. Continue reading “Psalms | Even the sparrow | Pet blessing”
If another member of the faith community sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. (Matthew 18:15)
On Sunday I spoke about how much I hate conflict. It was a tremendous relief to hear that I’m not alone. And while it’s all very well for Jesus to tell us to point out faults, the question we’re left with is … how? That is, how do we approach someone without damaging relationship further? Continue reading “Matthew | Go and point out the fault. But how?”
Present your bodies as a living sacrifice … (Romans 12:1)
I’m absolutely delighted that a group of folk are willing to take the Sanctuary conversation forward. It tells me that there continues to be a heart for Sanctuary and what it might mean to this region. The group will meet soon to work out how it will guide the congregation through the next phase, as it discerns what Sanctuary’s next incarnation will be. Continue reading “Church | Four questions for the future”
It takes a special sort of energy to plant something new; now it’s time for me to move on.
As those of you who read Wednesday’s email know, I recently heard a wonderful story. Words from Sanctuary had sparked an awareness in someone in another congregation that, even if things don’t come out the way we want or plan, ‘if God has anything to do with it, there will be new life, new friends, and plenty of justice and joy.’ She read those sentences over and over again, to herself, to her husband and even to their prayer group. For her husband was preparing for a driving assessment, and very anxious about it he was. And indeed, despite all his practice and prayer, the assessor concluded that it was no longer safe for him to drive and his licence could not be renewed. Continue reading “Church | Jesus, now lead on”
Paul writes: Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver and is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance…” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
In his letter, Paul’s inviting people to support the work of the gospel. Of course, he’s not suggesting that giving leads to financial reward. Instead, he’s alluding to the blessings which flow from a way of life which is confident, generous, interdependent and openhearted, and to the freedom which comes when we are liberated from the clutches of wealth. Continue reading “Church and the cheerful giver”
Sanctuary 