Category: Sermon Notes

The Psalmists Cry

A look to the Psalms for guidance to embracing lament. Moments when we need to honestly cry out to God in ways and words not generally accepted by our society. A guide to help move past our denial, honestly engaging our lament and arriving at genuine praise. By Walter Brueggemann with Steve Frost. DVD and workbook

The New Normal

Fourteen short stories on churches and faith communities reaching out to their neighbours and transforming a city after the Christchurch earthquakes. To raise awareness and provoke new thinking on mission. DVD

The Good Lives Project

Good Lives Project (Tearfund) An experiment of faith in action. This seven-part small group study seeks to help us live more responsibly in everything from personal and family finances to day-to-day practices. In the words of the Apostle Paul, it is an attempt to ‘conform no longer to the present pattern of the world’ (Romans 12:2). It suggests commitments that can be made personally or as a household or family, in the areas of consumption, work and leisure, giving, environment, debt, and investments.  A series of Booklets (no Video material)

Towards Belief

Leading Christian thinkers defuse the belief blockers of our time. More than 30 leading authors, speakers and apologists are interviewed as they seek to defuse the top belief blockers to Christian faith: suffering, the Bible, supernatural, religious violence, exclusive faith, church abuse and other topics. Erwin McManus, Amy Orr-Ewing, John Dickson, Nicky Gumbel, John Lennox and more. DVD and discussion guide

Living with Death

Living with Death is a DVD with leaders guides which work through the issues of death and dying. Helpful topics on acknowledging death, fear of death, death and the church, being present and others.

Outflow

Everyday outreach for everyday people. Five sessions on a DVD. Use this to lead your group into meaningful discussions and deep discoveries. Interviews with experts on how to reach families, panel discussions to spark conversations and discussion questions to engage your group to grow closer to each other and closer to God.

An Alphabetical Prayer

Written by the community at Parklands last Sunday and incorporated into our worship You are a God Who … Is an amazing, accepting, awesome, affirming, adoring, Abba Father. Blesses us in bold ways, bring us home and gave us the beatitudes. Is caring, cuddly, cares for His children, community, church, city, cars and cats. He is Christ and He celebrates Christmas and loves carols and card. He also can eat cookies and ice-cream constantly, courageously and can concourse the whole container. Is caring and cool Christ. Is a divinely devoted Dad who deliberately died for us and delivered us into a dynamic destiny. Is exciting and exuberant in extending grace, eagerly encouraging, exhaustive in your excellence, engages with us in…

‘WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR’

ADVENT SERVICE ‘WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR’ Message by Lester Isaiah 9.1 -7, Matt 4.12-17. WHAT AM I GOING TO SAY: How Jesus came to a dark of place. HOW AM I GOING TO SAY IT: 1. Historical Context 2. Look at what Isaiah means by ‘Light & Darkness’ 3. Read Isaiah 9.1-7. 4. Look at the names ‘Wonderful & Counsellor’ 5. Look at the strange events around this child! 6. Read Mathew 4.12 – 17 7. Talk about 4a Brentwood St. HISTORICAL CONTEXT In the year 735 BC, the King of Assyria (at this stage occupying most of modern Iraq & Syria) was marching his army westward towards what is now Turkey, that same year the Northern tribes of Israel, already under…

Parihaka’s story

Part of Colin’s message touched on a visit to Parihaka. A comment made by many who visited was “How come we didn’t know this”? The following are some resources that might help link so that if you are interested in learning of some of the parihaka story, this might get you started. New Zealand Geographic Article “Why Wasn’t I told” A Stream of the documentary “the Prophets” from Maori TV. The Taranaki prophets Te Whiti and Tohu influenced the philosophy of Gandhi, with their brand of passive resistance. An Article from Te Ara about Te Whiti and Tohu Happy reading/Watching

Simple September – Soup

Click here for the Podcast for this message  Wisdom . .  . has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. PROVERBS 9: 1-2 “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you.” LUKE 14:13-14 The distinctive quality of Christian hospitality is that it offers a generous welcome to the “least,” without concern for advantage vantage or benefit to the host. Discuss : Do we only invite people over when we have something to gain? What does it look like not to do this? The best place to tell a story is at a table – Len Sweet  Discuss : Do…