What does it mean to be Jesus' disciple? I haven't quite decided which of the weekly readings I'm going to go with for Tuesday. Either the troubling and mysterious story of the time God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, or Jesus' instructions to his disciples before he sent them out two by two. Either way, it should be an interesting evening.
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This week at Cafechurch, Rev Dr Sally Douglas, minister of Richmond Uniting Church and associate faculty at Pilgrim College will be resourcing our conversation about the female Divine.
The evidence indicates that in the earliest church Jesus was celebrated in the language and imagery of the female Divine, Woman Wisdom. We will dive into this evidence and explore some of the potential implications of re-engaging with this ancient understanding today.
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Once upon a time, long, long ago, an aged couple sat at the entrance to their tent, near a famous grove of oaks...
What does this ancient story have to do with us? Why would a promise made to a (definitely legendary, and possibly fictional) nomad sometime in the time before history have anything to say to us today - even if life does feel a little more medieval just now than it did say six months ago
7pm on 9/6/20, hit us up for a Zoom link. The resources will end up on this page, for your convenience
Here is the Change Gear
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Is the idea of the Trinity just some outmoded bunkum, an insistence that people believe "three impossible things before breakfast"? Wouldn't it make more sense to think about God as one thing, rather than with all this theological nonsense? These are all good questions - some of which I daresay I'll have a bash at answering, and some I will ignore, this coming Tuesday (2/6/20) at Cafechurch. Hit us up for a Zoom link - and there is some limited space available in housegroups for those who never want to Zoom ever again in their entire lives.
I suggest this for a change gear
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Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also.” John 14:6-7a
There is a legend about the great Mughal emperor Akbar. He was a great and wise ruler, and famously not only tolerant of, but actually interested in religion. He had conquered himself a realm which contained a great many different religions and sects - who were continuously squabbling. One day, the story goes, he decided to set a test....
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Jesus said that he came to bring life in abundance. I don't know know about you, but I don't feel like my life is especially abundant right now. I feel like I'm stuck in the belly of a giant fish like Jonah. What does it mean to have an abundance of life which isn't crushed by something like COVID-19? What does abundance look like in the midst of suffering?
Tuesday 5/5/2020 at 7pm via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/190315168?pwd=eEV1QkZ5Mi9BK25hWVE4K25DYVltQT09
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This coming Tuesday at Cafechurch On Zoom (28/4 at 7pm): Abundant life. Good shepherds. Gates. Sheep. What does abundant life look like in the time of Coronavirus?
Here's the text
Email Alister on info [at] cafechurch.org for the zoom invitation.
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If Cafechurch had a patron saint, it would be "doubting" Thomas. We reckon he gets a bit of a bad rap. You shouldn't believe things just because all your friends do. After all, as my mother used to say, if all your friends jumped off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, would you do it too?
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Easter is over, and the long, wearing journey of social isolation feels like it has only just begun. Let's pool our resources. Share something that is helpingyou get through this time - something that made you laugh or cry or pause thoughtfully, and think of God.
The photo is of one of the ways I'm coping: comfort eating. Casoulet de Toulouse - essentially baked beans with ham. And duck.
7:00 pm Tuesday 14/4/20 - Email info [at] cafechurch.org for the Zoom invitation!
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One of the big theological questions is this: Why did Jesus have to die? It's related to another: why does God allow bad things to happen? Where is God in the midst of suffering? At the intersection of Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter, and the Coronavirus epidemic, these questions are more timely than ever.
We will meet via Zoom. If you want to be part of it, email Alister at info [at] cafechurch.org and he will send you a link!
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To contact us, email Alister: info [at] cafechurch.org or call 03 7019 3135. Cafechurch is part of the Chalice - Northcote Congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia
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