Zechariah's vision reminds us that our true source of empowerment comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.  We are invited to lean on and listen to the Spirit of Jesus who guides us on our way through the challenges and joys of our earthly sojourn.

Paul invites us to embrace an invigorating life in Jesus Christ - a life of liberty, growth and hope.  In spite of the challenges of life, we can lift our heads above the human overcast and sing out our great "yes" to the love of God.

The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus leads us to the truth of receiving eternal life through faith in Christ - this life is an ongoing enlivening through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

We see the hand of God at work as we read of the Spirit of God dispatching Philip to the wilderness to lead a surprizing seeker into God’s family.  Within this story we are impressed with both Philip's listening ear to the Spirit's leading and the listening heart of the Ethiopian who seeks a deeper connection with God.

Paul uses the word 'mystery' to refer to both the saving work of Jesus and the birth of the  new humanity.  We are invited to enter the mystery of Christ and to persevere in our faith journey even as we are beset with questions, tensions, and the paradoxical nature of the Gospel.

* Thank you to Stephanie Potter-Davey for the beautiful photos she took of the Northern Lights which we appreciated along with Pastor Alan’s sermon as a back-drop to the powerpoint slides.  A copy of the sermon slides is available through the "Sermon Notes" link above.

The elderly apostle encourages his young assistant to be strong in his faith by protecting "the gift of God that is within you."  To this end Paul reminds Timothy and us that we have an amazing hope for the future due to the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

The Preacher ends his volume by saying that 'the end of the matter' is to fear God and keep his commandments.  We are invited to keep the Triune God as our centre amidst the challenges and questions of life that we carry in the everyday.

The preacher encourages us to keep looking to God during every season of life.  God is a good God who pours out his blessings so that we might know him more. Let us not choose fear or cynicism due to life’s challenges but keep going forward in faith.

The 'preacher' reminds us to live wisely and fully under the hand of God.  We are encouraged to give up our desire to control the exigencies of life and live our days in confidence and trust in the faithful hand of our Maker.