St Basil's Church

Jonah explores the invitation to be still and know that God is God in the midst of a violent world. We find ourselves surrounded by violence and perpetuate cycles of violence. These cycles are rooted in our desire to make ourselves the centre of the universe. However, when we look to God, we realise we are not at the centre, he is; at the still centre of a turning world stands the cross.

 Bex unpacks Psalm 22 and uncovers how the psalm teaches us how to pray and maintain intimacy with God, in the contradiction of our pain and His goodness. Looking at lamenting and questioning, vulnerably requesting things from God and being community in our pain. Psalm 22 offers a framework for us to follow in our prayer lives.

Guest speaker John Marker opens our Songs for the soul series looking at Psalm 86 and how Davids understanding of God’s character led him to pray and ask for an undivided heart. 

Pete James rounds off our series in Galatians by looking at how we live into the formation and freedom described in chapter 5 in community; with intentionality; and over time. Pete particularly emphasises the power of speaking truth in love to help the church mature.

Becky Callaghan continues the series by looking at Galatians 5, where Paul urges the church to resist returning to the yoke of the law and instead live in the freedom Christ has already won. This passage teaches us that true transformation comes not through law or striving, but through the Spirit, who empowers us to walk in love and live from our secure identity in Jesus.

Galatians 3, continues the theme of salvation by faith alone, looking at unity within the church, the new family of God. Paul continues to urge the church to be unified. Georgi unpacks this and challenges us to look at what that means for us and our communities today.

In Galatians 2, Paul passionately defends Christ’s final and justifying work. Jonah explains that through a particular translation we can grasp more deeply the beauty and depth of Christ’s faithfulness, whereby we are swept up into His justifying work. This counters over-work, anxiety and the need to self justify.

Pete James kicks off our new series by giving an overview of the letter and what has got Paul so passionate. Three things rise to the surface: how we are saved; the nature of the church; and life in the Spirit. Pete closes with a question from chapter one: are we living more for the approval of man or of God?

We were privileged to have Revd Dr James Harding continue our series on the Holy Spirit, looking at how the Spirit gives gifts. Drawing on scripture and the incredible testimony of his own family history, James stirred faith in us and encouraged us to come to God with a hunger to be filled to overflowing

Jonah continues our series on a living, breathing theology of the Holy Spirit. We long to be led and guided by the Spirit however, fear, anxiety and grief often overwhelm us and we find ourselves grasping for control and as we turn to God our motivation can be an attempt to control our future rather than discover his faithfulness in the present. If we long to know how the Holy Spirit guides us, we must first and foremost learn to long for and meet with Jesus’s presence in the present moment.