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We’re All Cracked

25.03.2022 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

St. John’s Anglican Church is an old building and it’s full of cracks. We’ve tried patching them, but they always come back. Back in 2020, I started monitoring one crack to see what was going on. We were still in drought and, at the time, it was 3mm wide. Over the next few months it opened up to over 4mm. But then we had a wet year. At my most recent check, the crack had reduced to just over 1mm wide…

Be Extraordinary

18.02.2022 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

You might be familiar with the words of Jesus, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you” (Luke 6:31). Some call this the golden rule… The English author and philosopher, G. K. Chesterton, reflecting on these words, said that “Christianity isn’t just difficult – it’s impossible.”

The Danger Of Assumptions

03.02.2022 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

I recall late one summer afternoon a few years ago jumping into my hammock on our back verandah intending to relax for an hour with a book. I’d done that many times before, so I didn’t bother to check the hammock first. I assumed that, as on every past occasion, it was secure and I would soon be swinging gently from side to side in the cool afternoon breeze…

Can I Give You A Lift?

08.12.2021 Categories: All | Christmas Written by: Neil Percival

A couple of years before I moved to Young, I had just finished teaching a Scripture class at my local school when my Fire Brigade pager went off. Amongst other things, I was also the Captain of the local Rural Fire Brigade. I had foolishly decided to walk to school that day so, unfortunately, no car…

Advent – Living In Expectation

26.11.2021 Categories: All | Advent Written by: Neil Percival

It seems like we’ve spent much of the past two years longing for something better - freedom from fear and uncertainty about COVID-19, no more restrictions on movement or gatherings, not having to wear a mask… Time and time again conversations have come back to the date when COVID restrictions will ease and what life will be like after that day.

Who Will Do What Needs To Be Done?

19.11.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

With local government elections approaching, my thoughts have turned to who will I vote for and also more widely to questions about political leadership in this country and around this world.

Rights And Freedoms

08.10.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

In the current climate of lockdowns, mandatory mask wearing, and double vaccination requirements, there has been a lot of talk about “freedoms” and “rights.” The two words are often used interchangeably. “I freely choose to not wear a mask and anyone who tries to compel me is violating my rights…”

The Confident Expectation Of Better Times Ahead

01.09.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

The ongoing COVID crisis, compounded by the situation in Afghanistan, with other natural disasters around the world piled on top, has led me to reflect on the nature of hope. Here is my working definition. Hope is living in the confident expectation of better times ahead. I’ve chosen my words carefully, particularly the phrase “confident expectation,” because I want to distinguish between hope and wishful thinking.

Psalm 1 - Experiencing Blessing In Difficult Times

23.08.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

The Psalms can be a source of great comfort in difficult times, and we are certainly experiencing those at the moment. We live in a time of great uncertainty. We don’t know what restrictions we’ll be facing from week to week. We don’t know when we’ll be returning to some degree of normality or how long that will last. However, we can still experience God’s blessing despite everything going on around us.

The Best And The Worst

13.08.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

Difficult times bring out the best, and the worst, in people. During the 2019/2020 bushfires, we saw the best. As a nation we rallied around those in need and generously gave our time and resources.

Who Is In Control?

16.07.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

We all like to think that we are in control of our lives and our behaviour, but are we? I say this, because I woke up one morning a few days ago, in the dark, and the first thing I did was to tap my watch, expecting it to light up so I could see the time. Nothing happened…

Human Concerns or the Concerns of God

11.06.2021 Categories: All Written by: Neil Percival

I tipped over my wheelbarrow the other morning and out fell a thick, wheelbarrow shaped sheet of ice. I picked it up and looked through it. It was amazing how clear it was, just like a sheet of glass. The first irrational thought that popped into my head was that I could use it as a window but, obviously, I hadn’t thought that through…