Urban Vineyard

Pete continues our series on Being the Image of God by addressing some of the wider implications of what it means to be made male and female. He highlights the way Jesus scandalously embraced people in their brokenness while also calling everyone to a righteousness that far exceeded the narrow religiosity of his time. In this sense, we are reminded of our calling as a church to embrace each other...

Jonathan concludes the conversation from last week on the significance of being made male and female in the image of God. Working from the ground up, he shows how the male and female body, when united as 'one flesh' is designed, in its original intent, for life and fruitfulness. This reveals much about God's nature as a divine community of love that exists between the Father, the So...

Genesis 1:27 is one of the most radical statements on the status of males and females as equally bearing the image of God. Genesis 1-2 not only teaches us that our physical embodiment holds the key to understanding what it means to bear God's image, it also teaches that our sexed bodies, and the reciprocal relationship between male and female, reveal something important about God's relat...

Sarah continues our series on Being God's Image by exploring the relationship between human embodiment and our identity as image bearers. She makes the important point that being an image bearer is not based on our capacity for certain functions (e.g. moral reasoning, rational thinking, creativity etc) but simply on the fact that we have (and are!) human bodies. All bodies – young, old, male,...

In carrying on our series on Being God's Image, Lloyd teaches into the vital issue of how suffering and human frailty doesn't invalidate our status as image bearers but instead reveals, in the pattern Christ established, our deepest identity. This is an important message.

James continues our new teaching series on what it means to be God's image by exploring the nature of our work in God’s creation. He begins by pointing out how flawed beliefs about work do great damage to our God-given identity before going on to remind us that God values, delights in, and takes part in work. It is not a 'necessary evil' but an inherently good part of being human.&a...

Jonathan begins a new teaching series on the multifaceted implications of what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). He discusses the pattern of creation in Genesis 1 and shows how God has set creation up as a cosmic temple and the place where his presence rests. He also discusses the role of humans, as image-bearers, who are called to enact God's reign as his r...

Pete finishes off our 'Rebuilding' series on the Book of Ezra-Nehemiah. This builds on his earlier sermon where Pete highlighted the relationship between Nehemiah's sorrow for Jerusalem which led to his prayer which led to transformative action. In this final sermon in our series, Pete evaluates the fruit of Nehemiah's reform, highlighting the deep society-level transformation...

To mark the Season of Creation, we take a break from our "Rebuilding" series to reflect on what it means to be creatures living under our Creator's loving and generous care. As part of the sermon we spent time hearing from different members of our church to learn about how they worship God through their acts of caring for creation.

Jonathan concludes our study of the Book of Ezra by discussing the overarching theme of what to do with disappointment and how to live faithfully even when things aren't working out as hoped.

Jonathan continues to teach on the beginning of Ezra - looking at the second wave of returnees and pondering what lessons we can learn from their attempts to rebuild faith in the rubble.

In part two of our new series, Rebuilding: Finding Faith in the Rubble, Pete teaches on the story of Esther, and as we're in election season he focuses on the themes of providence and politics in Esther's story.

Jonathan begins a new series on the theme of ‘rebuilding,’ based on the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Esther. The Old Testament is a strange place for many of us. In the early years of the Church there were influential voices who even questioned the need for the Old Testament. They saw it as belonging to a bygone era. Thankfully these voices did not hold sway, and the Hebrew Bible...

In wrapping up the series on Bearing Fruit - Jonathan teaches on the Hebrew word 'Tov' which can be translated as 'good' but so much more than what we think 'good' is.

As part of the Bearing Fruit series, Lloyd teaches on the fruit of patience - a gift we receive through the Holy Spirit.

Paul teaches on Psalm 67 - God shining His face on us so that we may bless the world.

Jonathan continues our series on being a people who bear fruit, looking in particular at the Spiritual fruit of faithfulness. He tells the story of Te Mānihera and Kereopa as examples of the fruit of faithfulness and connects this to the faithfulness of Jesus. In the end, we pondered what it would look like to be a people of faithfulness and concluded it would look a lot like the work of Jesus –&a...

To mark the season of Matariki, Jonathan drew out some of the treasures and promises God has given our church over the years, all of which speak of His great faithfulness to us.

Lloyd continues our series on bearing fruit, looking in particular at what it looks like to be a people of peace.

Peter Huskinson continues our series on what it looks like to be a people who carry God's name, as together we bear the Spiritual fruit of joy, kindness and gentleness.

In finishing the Empowered series on the Holy Spirit, Jonathan teaches on John 15, where Jesus says "I Am the True Vine." He teaches on what it means for we - the church - to be and bear the fruit of the Spirit.

As part of our Empowered series, Jonny teaches on what it means to be a people who "bear" or carry the Name of God, and to be the aroma of Christ in the world.

As part of the Empowered series, Pete teaches on receiving the Holy Spirit as part of responding to the good news of the Gospel.

As part of the Empowered series, Simon teaches on his experiences trying to 'do the stuff' that Jesus and the disciples did through the gospel stories and Acts.