by Rev. Dr John Evans
Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19
Matthew 7:21-29
I want to continue our practice of using the simple pattern of reflecting on this piece of art work during Pentecost: of putting ourselves in the picture. Today the question for our crowd restlessly sitting there, looking leaderless, on this National Reconciliation Sunday is, who are we [...]
Rev. Dr John Evans preached this sermon at Queen’s College Fellows’ Chapel Service at the University of Melbourne this week.
Matthew 6:24-34
All who live in a university college or associated with a university college know about compromise. There are compromises over the food. My experience tells me there is male food and female food! There are [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Matthew 28:16-20
The French artist Paul Gaugin escaped France to continue his painting in the South Pacific. He has been variously described as a mad, bad and perhaps having a less than respectable reputation. He is however, famous for his depiction of women and girls of the South Pacific. Towards the [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
Acts 2:1-21
I Corinthians 12:3b-13
At Pentecost we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. The Spirit came as a “rush of a violent wind” and “tongues as of fire” appeared among them. The presence of the Spirit of God among the disciples and others was palpable [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
John 17:1-11
Acts 1:6-14
An oxymoron is an expression which is pointedly foolish; two contradictory terms are joined together – usually to make some witty, possibly insightful point. An oxymoron is not a mad welder.
For many today the term church member has become an oxymoron; a contradiction in terms. A member is a [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
“Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.”
1 Peter 3:15
‘The hope that is within you.’ Hope. What is the hope that is within us?
Hope provides for us our reason for living. It is the vision our there [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Today we come to worship God with heavy hearts, and profound sense of unreality. We planned for a birthday, a joyful occasion; and instead we now grieve the passing of a dear friend.
As you can imagine, today is very different from how we originally planned this service. However, in [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
John 20:19-31
Today I want to reflect on wind, breath and spirit. In English generally seen as different words, but in Greek, and also Hebrew, the same word. First I wish to consider the wind, the winds of change, swirling around us; and then in the midst of all this, the [...]
UCA staffer, the talented and insightful Cheryl Lawrie had another column in The Age on Easter Sunday:
IN THE biblical descriptions of the Easter event, the story moves straight from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. An entire day of grief, devastation and fear lies unspoken between the end of one paragraph, where Jesus is buried, and [...]
by Rev. Dr John Evans
Acts 10:34-43
Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed.
As I reflect on Easter Day sermons, I think there are two sorts. The first are the ones about the HOW of the resurrection. How did the resurrection happen; how did the actors in the drama feel, who moved the stone; or who were these [...]
