Philippians 1 & 2

Philippians 3:

relationship over ritual

Context - the challenges ('those dogs'):
Gnoticism: a separation of spirit & matter; sin could be dealt with through improved knowledge. Combatted by reference to the centrality of Christ in Creation & in God's redemptive plan.
Judaisers: Orthodox Jews professing themselves to be ( Read more... )

We're studying Phillipians within the current Ps&Gs sermon series. Tonight, Felix spoke on loyalty (he's a newbie speaker: M.A. Divinity from New College; that faculty serves us well.  :) ) What's important to note here is that Phillipi was a Roman colony, so when Paul wrote:

Phil 1:27  Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of ( Read more... )

It's 2010. Last night's sermon was taken from Isaiah 9:

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress.
(  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. )

He fell back
on an old prayer: Teach me to know
what to pray for. He
listened; after the weather of
his asking, no still, small
voice, only the parade
of ghosts, casualties
of his past intercessions.

Thomas, R.S. "The Prayer." Collected Poems 1945 - 1990.
~ Taken from this interview with Archbishop Rowan Williams.

'The ( Read more... )

Ps&Gs Carol Service last night and the church was packed to the balconies :)

. I love the sense of awe and wonder which accompanies these Advent days. I love hearing again those words of prophecy from Isaiah, from Matthew & Luke with their Nativity accounts. The words with which John begins his gospel, proclaiming God's glory & sovereignty; ( Read more... )

David Wilkinson came to talk at Ps&Gs on this subject, as part of the autumnal "BIG" question sermon series.

(i) Darwin was excited about science & collecting & cataloguing from the natural world;

- Quote from Origin of Species, the words of Francis Bacon:
".. let no man upon a weak conceit of sobriety or an ill-applied moderation think or ( Read more... )

Ps&Gs new sermon series is based around Jesus' teaching on the Sermon on the Mount. Dave opened this morning on the subject of Money and damn, was it both relevant & topical to the world & place where we're in right now. In the light of Iona's impending redundancy and things seeming pretty unstable at my workplace, life in our household is rocky ( Read more... )

From church last night, this quote from Dan Allender writing on grace links to conversations I've been having of late & gave me food for thought:

"... All is a gift. Name the darkness in you.
     It can be redeemed. You can be redeemed."

Duncan & Jane preached their last sermon at Ps&Gs yesterday across the three services as they now prepare to move on to life in a new parish at St. James, Leith. We were told as a congregation of their departure late last year. We definitely received that news with some sadness as they are going to be missed but I think, I hope we also let them go ( Read more... )

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