Saint Mary's Talks and Podcasts

This week Ali teaches from Acts 24 emphasizing that the resurrection of Jesus is not just a theological concept but a living person we can know. He encourages us to pursue a deep relationship with Jesus and to hold on to God's promises and keep believing during difficult seasons of waiting.

This week Katy teaches from Acts 17-19, following Paul's missionary journeys, showing a consistent pattern of new creation, multiplication, and resistance as the gospel impacts different cultures and cities. Katy reminds us that God's power is made perfect in weakness, encouraging us to carry the good news to our unique spheres of influence.

Tom explores the story of Timothy and how his unique background—with a Jewish mother and a Greek father—was a perceived flaw that Paul saw as an asset, embodying the unity of the early church. Tom highlights how God often uses what we consider a weaknesses to bring about transformation and calls on everyone to embrace their own complex stories for what God is calling them to.

Emily speaks about the church in Acts 'earnestly praying' in the midst of Peter's imprisonment. We can be inspired by their response to situations - prayer was their reflex response and prayer was their place of respite. Emily speaks about how we pray sincere, honest prayers throughout every moment of our lives.

Chris shares a powerful message on hearing God's voice, outlining stopping, listening, and beholding as three key ways to connect with God. He emphasizes the importance of stillness, actively listening to God's inner voice, like Ananias from Acts 9:1 - 19, and engaging with the Bible not just as a text, but as a meeting place for encounter.

This week Tom speaks from Acts 8 and contrasts Simon the Sorcerer's ego-driven pursuit of power with Philip's Spirit-led life, which witnesses to Jesus. Through links to Luke's Gospel and Acts 1:8, Tom shows how Philip's actions and the spread of the Gospel fulfill Jesus's promise to be his witnesses, the core message being our lives should point to Jesus, not ourselves, reflecting Him as "The Way."

This Sunday, as we celebrated Baptisms! Katy preached from Ephesians 2:1-10 on what its means to be in Christ—a reality where we move from death to life, disorientation to direction, and division to belonging. Baptism symbolizes this new life and eternal purpose. We’re not alone; we’re part of a restored family, empowered by the Spirit, called to follow Jesus and join in the renewal of our city.

Sam speaks on Acts 6 at our 6pm gathering. He talks about Stephen’s simple call from God and the way God used him beyond his wildest expectations. He asks us to consider, how does God want to use each of us?

Ben preaches on Acts 5 and resistance to the Kingdom. He calls us to freedom and hope, as we look to follow God's call on our lives.

This week was Preach for the Stars, where we invite people from our church family to give short talks. At this 10.30 gathering, Ian preached on Acts 3 and the faith of Peter and John as they performed their first miracle, and Beth preached on Acts 4 and the disciples' prayer for more of the Holy Spirit.