Using Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel inviting her to participate with God’s good plans for the world, Caro invites us to see this story as an archetype of our own ‘yeses’ to God at different points in our life. This sermon used 6 different artworks… If you’d like to see them as you listen to this episode you can find them post on our Facebook page (and it the community group) posted on 9/12/2024.

Luke’s gospel begins with God disturbing many lives. Reflecting on the way God disrupts Mary’s life helps us to look for ways God might be disrupting our lives too.

Caro unpacks Jesus’ teaching around turn the other cheek, give your robe as well and go the extra mile and looks at how Jesus is encouraging people to maintain their own dignity within a system of oppression. We are called to forgive people and resist systems of oppression and injustice.

In this message, Oran looks at some of the theological principles around forgiveness and how it does, and doesn’t, relate to God.

Becca shares about the challenges that come with forgiveness, spiritual bypassing, and how we can “lower the bar” and offer ourselves and other deep compassion on the journey.

Together we reflect on forgiveness, what it might be and what it might not be, and then we do an examen considering what we might need to send away, let be or move away from in our lives.

Ambient background music is by karlverkade.bandcamp.com/

This contemplative service leads us in reflecting on some quotes and poetry that invite us into wholesome confession, honesty, truth-telling and vulnerability.

Ambient background music is by https://karlverkade.bandcamp.com/

Luke and Caro share together to kick off our series on forgiveness and we begin by looking at being people of humility who are able to confess our mistakes as well as what a healthy apology looks like.

Research highlights the many health benefits of immersing ourselves in nature. This connection extends beyond the physiological and psychological to touch on a deeper spiritual level. We aren't merely coexisting with nature; we are an integral part of it.

Returning to nature, akin to returning to a Garden, is crucial for our well-being. In this message, Oran examines the link between nature and humanity from both scientific and spiritual viewpoints, while also exploring how the lack of nature in our lives relates to the concept of sin.

Caro looks at the way the Bible speaks of creation as an active participant in God’s world, and how mysticism opens us up to seeing all creation held together in Christ… along with humanity. We consider how this challenges the idea of human superiority and how it may inform the choices we make and lives we live.