Alister's Blog
If you are interested in reading more about Cafehchurch-y stuff, you might find our pastor Alister's blog interesting. Rather unimaginatively, it is at alisterpate.com
He is particularly proud of
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Cafechurch, Faith, and Mystery
In a segment filmed for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN channel, author Brene Brown reflects on why she left the Roman Catholic faith of her youth, and how she has found herself back in the Episcopal church.
One of the key points she makes is that she originally “fell in love with the faith and the mystery piece.” However, over time her experience of church, “became less about faith and mystery, and more about politics and certainty.”
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Community of the Spirit
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. Acts of the Apostles 2:1-3
What does it mean to be a "spirit filled community"? What are we to make of the tongues of fire? What about being able to speak other languages without all the tedious necessity of studying? And is it really true that no-one is drunk in the morning?
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Servant, Body, People, Community
There are, apparently, 96 different images of the church in Scripture, For convenience, we can group them into four sets:
- The people of God (e.g.1 Peter 2:9)
- A Servant People (e.g. 2 Corinthians 4:5)
- The Body of Christ (e.g. 1Corinthians 12:12-31)
- A Community of the Spirit (e.g. Romans 8:23)
This week, we are going to adopt a reflective stance to our image of church, always asking the question: What does it mean to be the church here in Northcote?
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Jesus the True Vine
"Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me." John 15:4
Join us as we spend time abiding together with Jesus. Just as Jesus abides in us, we abide in him.
Join us for Caravan - our unplugged communion service - at 7:00pm on 27/4/21 at Chalice - 251 High Street Northcote
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A New Situation
Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit." John 20:21-22a
Like the disciples all those years ago, Cafechurch finds itself in a new situation. Join us as we begin a new season of discerning what it means to be church in Northcote.
Tuesday 20/4/21 at 7pm. Bring your dinner, serious(er) bit from 8pm.
(Ignore what it says in the photo. Unauthorised people definitely welcome!)
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Easter
Cafechurch is doing a variety of things over the leadup to Easter, and over the Easter weekend itself. Come to one or all of the things. Less conversational, more reflective.
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Unless a grain of wheat dies...
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.- John 12:24
This is all very pastoral and beautiful of course, but what does it have to say to us now? What is the Good News in our anxious, covid-raddled society?
Tuesday 16/3/21 at 7pm. Bring some dinner :)
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Retreat Day
Cafechurch is having a retreat day on 21/3/21 The theme is hope. Can we be open the God of hope, even during dark and difficult times in our lives? Come just as you are do this day of gentle, creative prayer exercises, with plenty of space for personal reflection.
When:Sunday 21/3/21 from 10-4:30
Where: Chalice - Northcote Uniting Church 251 High Street Northcote
Cost::$25/$10 full / low waged
RSVP:annepate [at] hotmail.com
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In the light
" But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." John 3:21
What does it mean to be in the light? Is it the same thing as salvation? What is that anyway?
Tuesday 9/3 at 7pm at Chalice - Northcote Uniting Church We're working on a solution to the dinner thing, so bring some cash.
Image: Casey Horner on Unsplash
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