Central Church Port Kembla

In this episode Oran looks at the story of Zacchaeus through a narrative framework to discover more to this passage than just a Sunday School story.

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.

Becca shares how we can read this passage through the lens of mental health, drawing from her own experiences as well as John Swinton's book Finding Jesus in the storm: the spiritual lives of Christians with mental health challenges, she suggests how we can find hope that Jesus is still in our boat during any storms we're currently facing and beyond.

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.

This week Caro outlines what we’ll be focusing on as a church in our preaching this year.

In this episode Oran looks at the story of doubting Thomas and explores the role doubt has to play in our faith journey.

This week we look at the Cross through the lens of the scapegoat mechanism. Caro attempts to explain the imagery of the scapegoat in the Old Testament, unpack a little of Rene Girard's scapegoat theory as it related to human society, and then help us gaze at Jesus on the Cross and how he might be exposing and healing our compulsive need to pass blame.

What is the cross all about? There are many, many things we can see God doing through the cross. This week Caro lays out the idea of the reconciliation of all things that we see in 2 Corinthians 5:19, Colossians 1 and Ephesians 1.

This week Oran explores the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. What is the meaning behind the only violent act of Christ recorded in the gospels, and how is it relevant to us today?

Caro shares the plan for our Church in 2021…COVID dependent of course. Listen to what our new rhythms of gathering will become.

Drawing from the book of Acts, Carolyn shares what it looks like to be the people of God in a changing world.

Oran shares his recent personal experience with fear and vulnerability.

Final wrap up - Sermon on the Mount by Central Church Port Kembla

Caro unpacks the beatitude ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled’ and we look at the power dynamics present in issues of justice and injustice.

Caro shares the prayer of St. Brendan and how it has been providing connection and meaning in her life and she invites us to find ourselves in the words of this ancient prayer. Prayer of St Brendan Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown. Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with you. Christ of the mysteries, I trust You to be stronger than each storm within me. I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in your hand. Tune my spirit to the music of heaven and somehow, make my obedience count for you. Amen.

Caro has a conversation with Becca about the writing of a Psalm that took all our community’s words describing our relationship with God during isolation and lockdown. We chat about people’s diverse experiences of the spiritual life and how the Psalms give us space to feel every emotion available in our human experience and bring it before God.

Caro talks about the desert father saying: “Go into your cell and your cell will teach you everything.” And how we can mine the lockdown season of COVID-19 for all its treasure. Here is the list of questions Caro throws out: Spirituality • Where, when and how did you most often experience the presence of God? • What parts of your character did you feel God developing during this time? • Describe your relationship with God during this season in 3 words. • If you missed gathering together as church, what did you miss the most? How does this help you understand what’s important for your spiritual life? Body • What gave you energy? • What drained your energy? • Did you exercise more or less than in normal life? How has this felt? • Have your eating patterns changed? • What changes to your lifestyle have you made and do you want to keep them? Creativity and Purpose • What creativity emerged in you? • What frustrated you the most and what did you do about that? • Have any dormant dreams, ideas or hopes risen up in

Oran unpack the idea of this COVID-19 time as liminal space and then dives into how we can wait in this in between space well.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Becca guides us through a time of reflection in prayer connecting with the maternal images of God present in the scriptures. Music by Karl Verkade karlverkade.bandcamp.com/track/bridge…extended-mix Intro and outro music by Chris De Souza desouzamusic.bandcamp.com/track/right-single

The Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” Music by Karl Verkade Song: Bridge in E Major (extended mix) https://karlverkade.bandcamp.com/track/bridge-in-e-major-extended-mix Intro and outro music by Chris De Souza Song: Right https://desouzamusic.bandcamp.com/track/right-single