REFLECTION Love is all we need Jesus was a great storyteller. You only have to read the accounts in the Gospels describing the crowds who followed Jesus. The people walked out of the towns and villages, sometimes quite long distances, just to hear him speak. Witness the thousands who became part of the “Jesus feeds the 5000” story. But Jesus was not only a charismatic storyteller, he was also well versed in Jewish law. Part of the friction between Jesus and the Pharisees was because…
Matthew | Death & taxes Fellowship@10, 18 October 2026 Alison Sampson ~ Matthew 22:15-22 and other texts Nothing in this world is certain except, they say, death and taxes. And, of the two, some of us seem to hate taxes more. This was certainly as true for first century occupied Palestine as it is for us now. To everyone’s horror, Jesus calls a taxman to discipleship (Matthew 4); and he’s later condemned for eating with tax collectors (Matthew 7). Then…
Philippians | In the midst of suffering, joy Fellowship@10, 11 October 2026 Alison Sampson ~ Philippians 4:1-9 Someone called me the other day, a bit bothered because I don’t always look happy. Indeed. I’m deeply saddened by the deaths, the debilitation and the other losses which are happening at the church. I’m sickened by the current political climate, in which a billionaire’s pet party offering nothing but fake news and hate looks to dominate the state election. I’m appalled by…
Exodus | Ten commandments? No, ten signs of life Fellowship@10, 4 October 2026 Alison Sampson ~ Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Sadly, it’s true: I’m one of those perverse people who can’t stand being told what to do. If you tell me to do something, then because I’ve learned a modicum of politeness I’ll grit my teeth and nod, and because for decades now I’ve been training myself to slow down and actually listen, I might even do it. But underneath…
Manningham Uniting Church & Community Centre acknowledges with respect the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung as the traditional custodians of this land and is committed to work for reconciliation and justice.
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