Greetings … … and welcome to the first edition of the Koonung Heights – Surrey Hills Uniting Church Community News.  My thanks to the new team who will bring us this publication each week, reminding us of church activities and different ways to be involved. As we gather to worship this Sunday, we will mark…

Greetings … I have been pondering what to write in my final Minister’s Greeting for the Koonung Heights Community News.  I have said a lot in this space and as I wondered what might be helpful today, some song words came to me that I think have relevance for where we are.  The song is…

Greetings …We have entered the season of Lent for another year, coming together on Ash Wednesday, to reflect Jesus setting his face towards Jerusalem, and his followers’intentions and actions. As we pause to think about our response, in light of this, we are invited to commit to align our own intentions and actions more closely.…

Greetings … This coming Sunday is Transfiguration of Jesus Sunday – the day when Jesus’ personal appearance was changed into a glorified form which showed something more than the disciples had seen before.  This story is amazing, but I wonder if the most amazing thing is not Jesus’ transformation, but the way this encounter transformed…

Greetings … Lent, the forty day period of preparation for Easter, will soon be upon us again.  This period echoes the forty days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert before he began his public ministry.  In recognition of this, many people still give up something in Lent, and this year Uniting World’s Lent Event…

Greetings … My offering today is a poem called Compass, based on Jeremiah 17:5-10, and written by Jeff Shrowder.  It speaks into blessings and woes in our context.                      Cursed are those enslaved                        by technology, selfies,                        social media;                         elbowing their way                        every upward to ‘success’                        on a false summit;…

Greetings … … and welcome to the first Community News for 2025.  While we are well into 2025, it seems that things really ramp up when the Community News goes back into production. There is no doubt in my mind that 2025 is going to be a significant year for our Koonung Heights Community.  Our…

Greetings … To continue the poem from last week – The Four Candles of Advent, written by Royston Allen.                      The candle of JOY:                     The candle is burning, it’s flame so bright                        and joy floods the soul to our delight.                     For the Light of Life has shon upon us                        bringing joy so perfect…

Greetings … Last Sunday we began our Advent journey, and as part of this journey we light a candle on the Advent Wreath.  Last week we lit the candle for hope, and this week we light the candle for peacce.  Today I came across a poem written by Royston Allen, called The Four Candles of…

Greetings … This Sunday is the first in the liturgical year – Advent 1.  Advent is the season of expectation, the time when we are called to slow down as we anticipate the birth of Jesus. I received an email this week which shared a quote that was attributed to Dietrich Bonhoffer.  He is understood…