Seeing salvation

Simeon and Anna greet the baby Jesus as Joseph and Mary look on. In the year 2000, the National Gallery in London held an exhibition of classical art depicting the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. The BBC produced an accompanying television series and a beautifully illustrated book, which I purchased and which remains a …

How to become a nice person

Itโ€™s easy to shake our heads in disbelief at the apparent failure of world leaders to contribute to measures aimed at world peace. Itโ€™s also easy to shrug our shoulders at our own inability to negotiate peace within our family or faith community. The good news is that the Bible has a plan for world …

Sharing the good news of Jesus with others

In his book, What is Happening to Religion in Australia? Understanding the Trends, social researcher Philip Hughes observes a fundamental change in Australian values in the past century. He charts a shift from duty to family life to personal fulfilment.  Perhaps the most notable example of this is changing attitude towards same sex marriage, with two-thirds of all …

Discovering my gifts and serving others

When my eldest son Michael was about four years old, he graduated from watching me mow the lawn to actively helping out. Donning over-sized protective wear โ€“ gumboots, gardening gloves, and a full adult face shield with earmuffs โ€“ he bravely ventured out onto the lawn at Blakehurst to โ€œhelpโ€ me with the mowing. The lawn …