Journey of a Thousand Steps

Sometimes we have good reasons to feel afraid, as Moses' mother and sister did at the very beginning of his life. This Sunday we celebrated three Confirmations and launched a new teaching series on the book of Exodus. As we consider the beginnings of Moses' story in Exodus 1.17-2.14, in the bulrushes, we see God at work in a dangerous situation, caused by an evil political regime. Moses' protection through a time of genocide was a sign of hope. This hope gives us the courage to stand against evil and represent God's Kingdom. 

Podcast by Bishop Genieve Blackwell, 1 Febraury 2026

A critical skill that we need in our personal lives and for the church to be healthy, is knowing how to share our faith with people in our lives who don't currently share it. We all have people we deeply love, in our families, friendship circles and workplaces, who do not share our faith. Many Christians today are journeying with a husband or wife who is not involved in church. How are we meant to navigate this? Is it wrong to desire others to come to faith in Jesus? Today we practiced four disciplines, drawn from 1 Peter 3.8-22, that help us to love others enough to desire them to know God's love through Jesus Christ. Knowing how to help people take steps towards God without being pushy or judgemental is a critical skill for every disciple.

Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 25 January 2026

How do you know who your person is? Who is the right friend, companion or life partner? Today we explored Paul's advice to the early church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 7.25-40). He presented a view that was as countercultural then, as it is now, that though marriage is a good gift, it is better to be single. Though he was speaking to a specific an audience who lived in an unsafe context, which is harder for those with children, his position presents an important corrective about how we choose relationships. We do this in a reverse order to the world around us. Instead of elevating romantic or sexual love, we elevate God. Instead of asking what we want in a partner, first, we ask, "Who am I and how am I called to love?" Instead of building a life around a person, God brings companions to us on the journey of discipleship.

Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 18 January 2026

We want to be a church that helps people find financial freedom and lean into the adventures God is calling them into. Jesus came that we could have fullness of life (John 10.10). This means not having an empty bank account, or, a full account that comes with a spiritually bankrupt life. This Sunday we spent time considering how to revise and prayerfully plan a personal budget for 2026, that invests in long-term fruitfulness, saves for a rainy day and avoids the trap of short-sighted living. James' letter to the early Church (James 5.1-12) gives us a powerful reminder that the investments we make in this life will be seen and celebrated in the next, if not immediately. Equally, if we sell out to entirely self-indulgent living, we will be participating in death and destruction in ways that won't be hidden from our eyes forever. 

Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 11 January 2026

How do you feel about the word 'purity'? The Church often has a reputation for nurturing unhealthy attitudes towards sexuality or natural human desires, or perhaps trying to 'cleanse us' of things that aren't dirty. Whilst we don't want to and were never meant to burden people with shame, today we were reminded by Paul's advice to a young church leader, Timothy, that the Church is called to be clean of the things that hurt people in the world. This week we considered his advice in 1 Timothy 5.1-8, which describes four ways we want to be noticably more transparent, and more pure, than the world. First, we are to be effortful in caring for the elderly. Second, we listen to and invest in young people. Third, we are respectful towards members of the opposite sex, and, lastly, we are generous towards those who are homeless. 

Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 4 January 2026