St John's Ashfield

Bible readings: Psalm 1; Colossians 2:1-5

 Bible readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; Matthew 2:1-12

Bible readings: Isaiah 11:1-9; Luke 1:67-80; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

So often the pressures and sorrows of life can turn us inward and lead us to exhaustion. We want to turn outward and live energetically, but we can't get going. Is there an alternative? As we continue in this Advent series to dig into the meaning and significance of Jesus' incarnation, we discover that Jesus' two appearings, in grace and in glory, can lead us into a life of zeal. Site...

What can make us safe and secure? This Advent, we're digging in to the meaning and significance of Jesus' incarnation. How does "God with us" in Christ bring us the security we need and doing for? Senior Minister Andrew Katay cracks open Galatians 4. Bible readings: Joel 2.28–32; Matthew 1.18–25; Galatians 4.1–7

How do we get peace with God and peace with each other? What what does it look like in practice? This Advent, we're digging in to the meaning and significance of Jesus' incarnation. How does "God with us" in Christ make peace possible? Senior Minister Andrew Katay cracks open Ephesians 2. Bible readings: Isaiah 57.14–21; Luke 2.8–14; Ephesians 2.11–22

As the life and story of Joseph comes to an end, he reflects on the incredible way in which the grace of God can bring good out of evil. What does that mean for how we face the darkness in our own lives—both within us, and in the world? CCIW's Senior Minister Andrew Katay brings our series in the life of Joseph to an end. Bible reading: Genesis 50.15–26

What does it mean to live a "blessed life," and how can we get it? CCIW Senior Minister Andrew Katay unpacks Jacob's deathbed "blessings" for each of his sons. Bible readings: Genesis 49 | Matthew 5.1–12 | Revelation 5.1–10

Joseph's father Jacob is nearing the end of his life, and has yet to see his family become a great multitude settled in the promised land: his family is seventy, forced by famine to take refuge in Egypt. Will his hope in God's promises die with him in Egypt? As Jacob reflects on his life, he shows us how we can keep our hope when the world tempts us to despair. Bible readings: Genesis 48;...

CCIW's Senior Minister Andrew Katay preaches on the next section of the story of Joseph. Bible Readings: Genesis 45–47

How does reconciliation happen? We get a model of reconciliation when Joseph is finally reunited with his brothers. CCIW's Senior Minister Andrew Katay brings us the next chapter in the story of Joseph . Bible reading: Genesis 42.1–17

What do you do with the past? As the story of Joseph continues, we learn about memory and hope. CCIW's Senior Minister Andrew Katay preaches on Joseph's rise to be Pharaoh's right hand man. Bible reading: Genesis 41.1–14

How do we keep trusting the Lord when we can see him at work in the lives of others, but not our own? As Joseph's travails continue, congregation member Clare Potts helps us to see how God is at work even in the delays we experience. Bible readings: Genesis 40 | 2 Corinthians 4.16–18

What happens to the so-called 'lord of the dreams' when he finds himself in Egypt? Congregation member Janine Steele draws our hearts to the God who is at work in all things, even as Joseph's sufferings continue. Bible readings: Genesis 39 | James 1.1–4, 12–18

Dreams are powerful. They give us hope and purpose. But how can dreams become a reality? And how do we cope when our dreams seem to die? Site Pastor Richard Glover begins a new series in the story of Joseph—a story that helps us learn how to keep our dreams alive when it appears, on the surface, that God is silent and absent. Bible Reading: Genesis 37.1–36

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. So, how do we work out how to use our freedom? CCIW Senior Minister Andrew Katay rounds out our Perfect Freedom series by unpacking what the Bible has to say about discernment. Bible Readings: Proverbs 3.1–8 | Romans 12.1–2

What are you afraid of? We all know how fear can hold us back from living the kind of life we want. The writer of Hebrews takes it even deeper than that, and makes an astonishing claim: our underlying fear—the heart of the human condition—is slavery to the fear of death. How does that fear play out in our lives? And how does Jesus free us from it? Site Pastor Richard Glover takes a look at Hebrews...

When Jesus sets us free from sin, what do we do with our freedom? In Galatians chapter 5, the Apostle Paul makes an astonishing statement: that in our freedom, we are to make ourselves slaves to one another in love. CCIW's Senior Minister Andrew Katay preaches the second sermon in our series Perfect Freedom. Bible Readings: Exodus 16:1–3 | Galatians 5:1, 13–18

On Back to Church Sunday we begin a new series called Perfect Freedom, unpacking the freedom that Jesus holds out to us. In this first week, Site Pastor Richard Glover unpacks Jesus' diagnosis of our deepest problem, and the solution: that we are slaves to sin, but the Son can set us free. Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 7:7–11 | John 8:31–38

On 'Back to Church Sunday' in 2024, Naomi, a member of our congregation, was interviewed about the revolutionary power of knowing God's love. Have a listen, and be encouraged by how God works his grace and kindness in our lives!

Can we know God? If so, how? Anglicare chaplain Bethany Downes visits St. John's to open up the next passage in our series through the book of Acts. Bible Readings: Isaiah 55:6–11 | Acts 17:16–34

Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Stead, Bishop of South Sydney, continues in our series through Acts at our baptism & confirmation service. Appropriately, we ask and answer the question: "What must I do to be saved?" Bible Readings: Joel 2:28–32 | Acts 16:11–34

As we follow the story of the gospel going out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, we see the apostles reach Gentile territory—and they way the tell the gospel starts to sound a little different. Paul and Barnabas in Lystra show us how the gospel responds to three problems we all face, even on the other side of the world today: the problems of satisfaction, suffering, and goodness. Site Pasto...

What does our union with Christ, a life of dying and rising with him, mean for life as a church? The New Testament suggests that Jesus identifies himself in the most profound way with the church as a whole—so closely that he calls it his own body. If we are united to Christ by his Spirit through faith, then we are necessarily united to our sisters and brothers in the concrete community of the chur...

CCIW's Senior Minister Andrew Katay unpacks three different "types" of dying and rising with Christ that can connect us to him in every day life: suffering, repentance, and love. Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 12.7–10; Philippians 2.1–5.