For the first sermon in our series on reading scripture through different lenses, Oran looks at the passage of Jesus calming the storm from a political view point.

Jesus calms the storm - a political reading

Caro does a brief explanation of what the apophatic tradition is in theology and spirituality and then looks at how an apophatic reading of this text gives us space to face the unknown, the silence, the seeming absence and the mystery of God.

Jesus calms the storm - an apophatic reading

Luke looks at the story of Zacchaeus through the lens of a spirituality of descent. Drawing on the insights of Meister Eckhart and others, Luke helps us to see the ways in which our culture and our egos celebrate achieving, success, and the insatiable thirst for more. All the ways we spend ‘climbing our trees’. He suggests that Jesus is always calling us down from our trees, and outlines what a spirituality of descent might look like in both our inner and outer world.

Zacchaeus A Spirituality Of Descent

Linda leads us in an examen based on a reflection originally created by Father Michael Sparough SJ.

An examen

Caro leads us into some of the writings of Julian of Norwich and invites us into contemplation or a lectio divina of sorts. Contemplation starts at 15:40.

Background music by Karl Verkade https://karlverkade.bandcamp.com/

Song used throughout episode is by David Benjamin Blower. You can hear more of his music at https://benjaminblower.bandcamp.com/ or https://davidbenjaminblower.com/ or wherever you stream music.

Translation used of Julian of Norwich's work is by Mirabai Starr

Contemplation On Julian Of Norwich's Revelations Of Divine Love

Caro shows how the writer of the Gospel of John relates the place of God's glory and exultation to the cross. We also look at what the metaphor of the cross as the throne of God might have to offer us in our spiritual lives.

The Cross as the throne of God

There are different things in life that are invitations to us to slow down in this fast paced world. Some are natural, like winter; some are unexpected, like illness or loss; and others are practices we adopt to intentionally slow us down, like boundaries or spiritual practices. 6 people from our community share briefly how one of these things has been an invitation for them to live a slower paced life.
At the end Caro reads two poems. These are ‘Sometimes’ by David Whyte, and ‘In Search of Quiet’ by Will Small.

Slow June: Life’s Speed Bumps

Caro speaks briefly about St. Ignatius then leads us through an imaginative prayer experience with the text. Inviting us to find ourselves in this story and see how the Holy Spirit brings the text alive in our lives.

Feeding the 5000 - an Ignatian Perspective

We look at the life and the teaching of St. Francis and reflect and listen to the wisdom Francis offers us today.

St Francis Of Assisi - Contemplative Service

In this episode, Oran takes a look at Peter's vision of the animals in the sheet from a psychological view, considering the mindsets around disgust, purity, sacrifice and mercy and how they affect our interaction with those around us. Peter's reaction to the vision of the unclean animals is not exclusive to just ancient times, that same psychology affecting Peter's perspective is still very present in us today. God was inviting Peter beyond his cultural and religious boundaries, but Peter had to overcome deeply embedded 'disgust' (uncleanness, impurity, unholiness etc) in order to discover God in the 'other'.

A Psychological Look At Peter's Vision

How is the nature of our personal healing tied up with the world’s salvation? Becca looks at Luke 17 and what it might mean for us today.

The 10 Men with Leprosy and the Saviour of the World

Caro looks at some of the stranger details of this story including how Jesus liked to wander in ‘in-between’ places; how these men in their physical suffering had found a remarkable social healing; and how this might just be the unsexiest miracle Jesus performed. She finishes by reading a Rilke poem which alongside this passage encourages us to stay close to Jesus our Source.

The 10 Men with Leprosy - a miracle that happens ‘on the way’

This month we sat with the teachings of Meister Eckhart.

Meister Eckhart - Contemplative Service

Oran leads our community in unpacking the lectionary texts for this first Sunday of Advent centering around the questions of 'what are we waiting for?' and 'how do we wait?'

Advent Week One

In our contemplative service this month we sat in the theme of Light, engaging in an Examen and Lectio Divina to connect us to God this Advent.

Advent - Contemplative Service

Caro preaches through the lectionary texts for this second Sunday in Advent and we discuss how we hold on to hope when it feels like God is slow.

Advent Week Two

It’s the first Sunday after epiphany and our texts for today have the themes of water, Spirit and birds. We read through the texts and Caro shares some insights around God’s presence hovering over all creation including us.

Water, Spirit, Birds

Walking through the lectionary texts Caro invites us to consider the trajectory of God’s presence in Scripture which ends in the high point of our bodies being the dwelling place of God. We then unpack what this means about the sacredness of our bodies and how we might listen to our bodies to hear God speaking to and in us.

Bodies Matter

It is easy to assume that the way we read and interpret the Bible today, with our modern and scientific minds, is the way it has always been done. That the words we glean through scripture from God are the same today as they were for the early church. However, it may be surprising, and perhaps confronting, to realise that our way is a relatively young way of approaching scripture. In this message, Oran looks across seven pivotal stages of biblical interpretation throughout Christian history and discusses what we might gain from a greater hermeneutical awareness.

A History of Biblical Interpretation

Caro zooms out and in on this strange and wonderful account and we look at what it might have to offer us as a metaphor for our spiritual lives.

The Transfiguration

This month we looked at the gift of having a contemplative posture in life.

A Contemplative Posture - Contemplative Service

We continue with our lent series sitting with Henri Nouwen’s wisdom. This week Caro unpacks how our self worth can be stuck in what we have or do and how God invites us to live a little more from our belovedness.

I’m not what I have, I’m not what I do.

We wrap this contemplative service around Henri Nouwen's wise words: "I'm not what I have, I'm not what I do, I'm not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God." Caro leads us in a practice that helps us ground ourselves in our belovedness and Becca shares how needing to be in control or responsible for things has been a challenge in her life, and she leads us in a practice she has found helpful in letting go. **There is a part of Becca's sharing that we have edited out as she shared some personal things she didn't want up on the podcast.

Knowing your belovedness and letting go of control.

We continue with our lent series sitting with Henri Nouwen’s wisdom. This week Caro unpacks how our self worth can be stuck in what other people say or think about us. We wrestle together being honest with how we struggle with this as well as looking at Jesus and asking ourselves ‘how was he able to live from such a sense of beloved identity?’

I’m not what other people say about me.

This week we talk about the mysterious power of Christ’s death not as an historic event but as a real energy at work in us and the cosmos. How can we trust in death and resurrection in our own lives?

Christ’s death alive in us.

The Sacrament of the Present Moment is the practice of being present and aware of God within the individual moments of our lives. This reminds us that God is everywhere, all the time, always waiting to engage us. In this message, Oran looks at how we might practice this sacrament in our daily lives, and observed the writings of Jean Pierre de Caussade and Eckhart Tolle.

The Sacrament of the Present Moment

Becca shared about how Jesus' resurrected body still carried the wounds from his past, giving us courage to be honest about the wounds we still carry.

Post Traumatic Resurrection

How does Jesus' post-resurrection encounter with two people who don't recognise him speak to our own experiences of loss and grief?

Grief on the Emmaus Road

The Myth of Redemptive was a term popularised by Theologian Walter Wink in 1945, in his book The Powers That Be. It is the idea that war brings peace, might makes right, and out of violence and chaos comes peace and order. We see this myth at work all throughout human history and still today in our everyday lives. We think that if we, the good guys, can just hit the "bad guys" hard enough, there will be justice. But this only perpetuates the violence, not stops it. In scripture we see Jesus' whole ministry as a push back against the Myth of Redemptive and instead shows us redemptive suffering on the cross. In this podcast, Oran looks at this myth and how it has influenced us over history, including scripture and theology.

The Myth of Redemptive Violence

Becca hosts Laura, Bekk and Kim as they share their thoughts and experiences with the motherheart of God. They share ways in which seeing God as mother has been healing, and also the ways they see God as beyond gender. This is a really authentic and honest discussion and highlights the ways each of us have an individual and unique relationship with the Divine.

The Motherheart of God

Central is a non-denominational Christian church that meets in the suburb of Port Kembla, Wollongong, Australia. This podcast is a recording of our Sunday sermon. In our gatherings we often have dialogue, ask questions, and listen to each other, not just the preacher. For this reason, what you hear here has been edited to remove bits and pieces of discussion that would otherwise be recorded as 'dead-space'. We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by what you hear. If you'd like to find out more about us you can find us at centralchurch.org.au or www.facebook.com/centralchurchportkembla/

Central Church Port Kembla

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