Guest preacher Bede Cammock-Elliott, from our very own Lifestreams congreation, shares his thoughts about what it might mean to celebrate Christmas in a COVID world.

Guest speaker Dame Sue Bagshaw joins us during our 9.30am service where she talks about the Christchurch Youth Hub.

Do you feel pulled in all sorts of different directions at this time of year?

Plato’s famous analogy of the cave describes a community of people living in a dark cave unaware of a world of beauty and light just beyond their experience. Jesus is like a visitor who comes from the world of light into the cave to lead the people to freedom.

These words in our own Eleanor Horne’s pithy and exquisite hymn sum up the message of Advent and Christmas – God comes into our world as a baby, and fills us with awe and hope.

The title of the iconic neon artwork along the side of our Art Gallery in town is just the message for the Advent season we enter today. This is our hope.

Guest speaker Liz Yeoh from our very own Lifestreams congregation, shares her testimony regarding a recent personal loss and how God strengthened and carried her through it.

On the morning of the crucifixion Pilate met Jesus and asked if he was a king – the one with power met the one with authority. Jesus replied that his kingdom was not from this world. In our age of despots and tyrants, do you serve the true king who rules with mercy and gentleness?

Perhaps we feel we just have to grin and bear this Covid thing. It’s hard to be patient. Jesus tells his disciples there’ll be tough times, there’s a time to wait on God, and then there’s a time to act…

Rev. Pauline's sermon given at our 9.30am service, Sunday 14 November 2021