In recent weeks we have done a little thinking about the Spirit. On Pentecost Sunday we saw that Jesus sent His Spirit to enable His people to carry out His mission. Last week, Paul laid out the need for the Spirit to open our eyes to the wonder of the gospel. This week he continues in a similar vein as he explains the great privilege and wonder of receiving the Spirit. Not only does He enable us to see the wonder of Jesus' death for us, but of all God's plan and more besides. Join us as we consider the amazing work of the Spirit in our lives.

As we saw last week, one of the problems in the Corinthian Church was division as different factions favoured different leaders. In these verses Paul addresses that problem directly. However, he does so in an unexpected way. He speaks about the nature of the gospel, of the sort of people that are often saved and the way he preaches because of the gospel. Again we learn that as we confront any issue with must begin and end with Jesus.

This week we begin a new series working our way through the book of 1 Corinthians. We'll take some time today acquainting ourselves with the church in Corinth and some of the problems that led to Paul writing this letter. We'll also begin to look at the core truths he uses to teach and correct them. At the heart of it all however will be one central truth, that is as important for us today as it was for the church back then. It's not about us first of all, it's all about Jesus. Something we know intellectually but not always something we live out.

Today is Pentecost Sunday, the seventh Sunday after the resurrection of Jesus. It was the day when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the Church. It's not something we pay particular attention to every year, but it is a world changing event. Perhaps not quite at the same level as Jesus' death and resurrection, but close to it. Why is that the case? Today we'll think about why and what it means for us as followers of Jesus.

After a good few weeks we have come to the end of our series focusing on God's work in Jacob's life. Here again we see great kindness from God and His promises of blessing. Jacob obeys God and returns to the place where it all began. It is a high point, and yet this account is also full of sorrow. Why? Why is it there is still much suffering, when Jacob is doing well and Gid has promised to bless?

Today is Mother’s Day, a day we like to set aside to celebrate our mothers. It's also a day we like to encourage our mothers because being a mother can be a weary task. It is full of joys, but also full of pressures. Pressures that are perhaps exacerbated because we are surrounded by images and examples of the ideal mother, with the ideal children. Indeed, this is true for all sorts of different walks of life. We live in a world of comparisons, whether mothers, fathers, workers, students, young, old, single, married and so it goes on. How can we rest, when everyone else is doing so much better than me? In 1 Cor 4, Paul gives us an answer that removes a terrible burden and allows us to find rest.

Does your life act as an advertisement for Jesus? Have you ever wondered how to respond as a Christian when you are mistreated? Is Hungry Jacks better than McDonalds? How can our very lives declare the glory of Jesus? Join us this Sunday as we explore these questions with Jesse Gollan, our guest preacher.

As we continue in Genesis this week, we come to a very difficult passage. Here Dinah is raped by a young ruler from Shechem, Jacob is passive in response and the brothers take a terrible revenge. What are supposed to take away from an account like this? Certainly there isn't any example to follow. But it does force us to wrestle with the reality of sin, and our response to it. It also calls us to look in hope to our God who promises to just, and also loving.

For some this will be difficult to consider, please don't suffer in silence. Both myself (Pastor Jono) and Lisa Huck are ready to speak with you and walk with you in your pain. Please contact us after the service or in the week to come.

Last we saw a turning point in Jacob's life. God wrestled with Jacob and demonstrated His power and Jacob finally realised he needed to cling to God for blessing. No longer would he try to use and control God, he would submit to Him and rely on Him. This week we begin to see how this changed Jacob. He is, to a large degree a new man. He acts in new ways. And yet he still needs the grace of God, for while he has turned a corner, he still has a long way to go.

This week we return to Genesis and the life of Jacob. We have seen over previous weeks how God has been working in Jacob's life to bring him to the realisation that God himself is our true prize. This week that comes to a culmination as we see Jacob wrestling with God. It is a strange episode to say the least and yet it helps us to see the lengths God often needs to go to with us to enable us to cling to Him as our only hope.