Celebrating Diversity - Racial Diversity

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve looked at racial diversity, a church for all ages and this week we’re looking at accessibility. We start our podcast with an interview with Fiona Lee, one of our church family whose son, Arthur has been diagnosed with a number of mental and physical disabilities that make access to church difficult. Then Jono goes on to unpack how the bible calls us to care for the least among us and build a bridge for all to experience the wonderful truth of the gospelSpeaker: Jono Simpson and Fiona LeeBible reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

We’re continuing our series in diversity this time we’re looking at the church as a family of all ages. Our guest speaker today is Ursula Simpson who asks us the questions; what does it look like for the church to be a family, how did Jesus demonstrate family love amongst his disciples and what are the roles of different generations within the church.Speaker: Ursula SimpsonBible reading: Genesis 12:1-5

We’re beginning a new series entitled Celebrating diversity and this week Jono is looking at the biblical narrative surrounding racial diversity in the body of Christ. We want to be people, and a church that welcomes all and celebrates diversity. God made the body of Christ to have different parts that can benefit each other. The gospel bridged the great divide between us and God, and is the model for us to love and serve one another amidst our differences. Speaker: Jono SimpsonBible reading: Revelation 7:9-12

We are concluding our series on the hardest words with the two words “Please Help”. David Poore walks us through the essential nature of asking for help from both God and others and shows us that when we become dependant we discover the true riches of God’s kingdomSpeaker: David PooreBible reading: Philippians 4:4-7

This week’s podcast we have special guests Ray and Vi Donovan talking to us about forgiveness. Back in May of 2001 they experienced the unimaginable; the loss of their son Chris through a violent confrontation with a gang of youths. With the help of the Holy Spirit they were able to forgive the young lads who murdered their son and have since become campaigners for restorative justice, giving talks in prisons, schools, probation services and youth clubs across the countrySpeaker: Jono Simpson/ Ray and Vi DonovanBible reading Colossians 3:12-14

It's the second Sunday of vision week and this time we’re looking at how we can partner in the work of the church through our giving. In this week’s sermon Jono shares the heart behind giving, how we can never out give God and that God demonstrated his great generosity by giving us his dearly loved son. We get a detailed look at the current church finances and the vision for the future with a very specific target in mind.Speaker: Jono SimpsonBible reading: Matthew 5:13-16

It's vision week at St Johns, when we look at our vision, hold up last year next to the vision - and celebrate all God has done and commit ourselves to all that God has for us this year. We’re dipping back into Nehemiah to see what it means to be all in as the people of God. Speaker: Jono SimpsonBible reading: Matthew chapter 9 verses 35 to 38

In this week's episode our children and families pastor Lucy Simpson concludes our series in the Psalms this time looking at God as our help. Drawing from the Psalm, Lucy poses three questions: Why should we go to God for help, what happens when we go to God for help and how can we be confident that God will in fact help us?Speaker: Lucy SimpsonBible reading: Psalm 30

In this week's episode Jono further shows us the nature of God as revealed in the Psalms, this time how God is our hiding place. He points out that when we become a christian we are hidden in Christ, as it says in Colossians, but what's it like in the hiding place and how do you get there?Speaker: Jono SimpsonBible reading: Psalm 32

We continue our series in the Psalms looking at the nature of God, this time we are focusing on God as our strength. David Poore walks us through the psalm and demonstrates how despite all the challenges the psalmist faces he continues to turn to God for strength; his rock, his shield and his shepherd.Speaker: David PooreBible reading: Psalm 28