Some nights, Cafechurch gets philosophical. Alister's first degree was in philosophy, and it's hard to break early formation! What follows is a pretty dry summary. the actual evening was much more interesting, and conversational, than you might think. For a slightly more narrative, less explicitly philosophical take on this, you might enjoy a sermon I preached at Easter - Practice Resurrection
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On Tuesday morning Australian Time we woke up to shocking news. Notre Dame Cathedral was on fire. For a while it looked as though the whole thing was about to collapse into complete ruins, or that the amazing medieval rose windows and great organ would be destroyed. Thousands watched, cried, and sang as the central spire came crashing down and red fire bloomed into the night sky. Heroism, and great organisation prevented the worst from happening, but the cold, blackened embers of the roof, and the huge amount of damage, serve as a reminder of how fragile things are.
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Is spiritual growth more like climbing a ladder or like being a plant? A lot of us have come from churches where a linear model of spiritual ascent was more or less explicitly at work. As well as being a human-centric ego project, it is a profoundly un-scriptural way of looking at spiritual growth. Rather than think of the spiritual life as a sort of ladder to heaven, Scripture is full of images of growth and fruitfulness. To grow spiritually, to bear fruit, is to be much more like a tree than a ladder.
Anne's session from 5/3/19 explores this idea more thoroughly
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Have you ever wondered why Jesus got baptised, given that he was without sin? In this presentation we explore three different levels of meaning in Baptism, which suggests an answer to that question.
The presentation draws on Rowan Williams' excellent little book Being Christian.
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The Ignatian tradition of Christian spirituality is a wonderful resource for making decisions when we want to collaborate with God's redemptive work in the world.
In this presentation from 13/11/2018, Anne talks us through it. It's easy to talk about "discernment", but what does it actually look like in practical terms?
There is also a document -"Prayer Exercises using Reason and Active Imagination" - which will give you some powerful tools to use for prayerful decision making.
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It’s important to start thinking about Cafechurch’s mission from Scripture, so here is a good place to start.
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 20:21-22
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One of the great challenges of life in our culture is how to make good decisions. We have so many options that it can be fatiguing.
Like Mr Bean trying to pack for his holiday, we aren't sure how to proceed.
In this presentation, Anne gives us a few criteria for making good choices
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The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.
Matthew Arnold - On Dover Beach
Is this really true? Is the decline of faith some sort of natural law?
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Cafechurch Session 10 July 2018
Jesus, we are told, went back to his home town. But people there didn't buy his story, and said, essentially: who on earth do you think you are? We have known you forever. And he was amazed to see that he could do no deeds of power there, besides heal a few people (And, really who can't do that? (Joke, obvs.)) (This is my very brief precis of Mark 6:1-6 )
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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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