Journey of a Thousand Steps

We live in a world where people, at best, have no idea what a church leader or priest does, and at worst, wouldn't trust this kind of leadership. In Paul's first letter to young Timothy, a leader in the early church in Ephesus, he reminds us that to be a leader of faith, as a priest, elder, deacon or lay leader, is both hard work and truly beautiful. When we allow a culture to emerge that lowers the standard of work and moral conduct required of leaders, this gift becomes lost and the church suffers. Today we were encouraged to raise the bar, in terms of what we expect from church leaders, and the standards we strive to role model in our own lives as disciples. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 26 April 2026
 

This week we continued our teaching series on 1 Timothy with an exploration of one of the most controversial texts in the Bible - chapter 2. Paul writes to Timothy with advice about how men and women should behave and relate to each other in the early Ephesian church. This is one of the key texts that is referenced to support the theological position that God designed women to be subordinate to men, and not to hold positions of authority or biblical instruction over men. Our congregation took a deep dive into the historical context of this passage, even moving around the church, as we considered the changes that were happening for men and women, Jews and Gentiles, after the resurrection of Jesus. We considered the need for contextualisation in reading texts like this, whilst seeking the consistent and timeless Word that God wants us to heed for the Church now, as then. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 19 April 2026   

Have you ever been in a church that spoke unlovingly in the name of 'truth'? Have you ever been in a church that felt it was loving to avoid parts of scripture that are countercultural or difficult to understand? Today we started a new teaching series, looking at Paul's advice to the young leader, Timothy, in Ephesus. Timothy was leading a community divided about how to understand the scriptures, pray and worship, interact as men and women and select leaders. This Sunday our guest preacher, Adam Cetrangolo, shared stories and tips about how to walk the balance between truth and love. 
Podcast by Adam Cetrangolo, 12 April 2026  

What is your greatest vulnerability at the moment? Is it a biological struggle with a habit or addiction? Is it a psychological struggle to stop behaviours you don't like, but that you still, somehow, seem to go back to? Is it a vulnerability to being harmed by a relationship or group who are being unkind to you? We all experience these vulnerabilities, just as our nation is feeling the push of war and economic destruction from the other side of the world. We live in an environment that is hostile to wellbeing and safety. This is why Easter is good news for us. There is a way to be lifted out of the chaos and grounded in another world - one where we can have eternal citizenship to a place that is safe, loving and just.  
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 5 April 2026

The Cross sits at at the center of the Christian faith, and is a symbol at the front of most churches. What is your understanding of why this is? The cross is uncomfortable, unsanitised. It tells us that there is both victory and suffering in this faith. This is not a religion that is easily made-up or ready to 'sell.' Sure, it gets distorted - many congregations either overplay personal suffering in the life of faith, or deny it, pretending that journeying with God guarantees a life of fortune and blessing. This Good Friday, we were invited to look at the cross - to see Jesus' choice to face the pain sober; the gift of his new family, formed by the grace of God, who stood at the foot of the cross; and, the reality of betrayal. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 3 April 2026 

Have you ever ended a relationship that you really wanted to work? Or thought about it? This week we visited the boldness of God and of Moses in their interactions with one another, in the aftermath of the people's unfaithfulness at Mt Sinai. God is seriously contemplating separation. The covenant has been broken and God is deeply hurt. Our guest preacher, Julia Pope, drew out this uncomfortable, yet real, side of God. Moses is bold in his responses in Exodus 33-34. He knows God has every right to walk away, but asks that God stay, saying, "I don't want to go without you. In fact, I want to experience more of you, grow closer to you!" It's a bold request. What bold request would you like to make of God this Easter?   
Podcast by Julia Pope, 29 March 2026

Today we talked about marriage in ancient Israel. Marriage can be a painful and sensitive topic for us in the Church today, because our ideals have often been weaponised to exclude people. However, we can't sideline the centrality of marriage as a symbol of God's love in the scriptures. So, we seek to understand it. As Israel entered into a covenant relationship with God, they stepped through four phases that mimicked entering into a marriage. These indicated that God was not a dictator who sat above them, but the spouse and best friend who wooed and committed to them. Which stage are you at in your journey with God? Do you give him a chance to be known? Are you serious about making a committment to be faithful to him? Have you given him first place and allowed him into every part of your life? Are you collaborating with him to love and serve the poor, and those who don't know true love in their lives?
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 22 March 2026 

What do you do when you feel under threat or depleted? Do you find yourself withdrawing, arguing or freezing up - unable to lead or make decisions? Throughout the Exodus teaching series, we have seen Moses and the Israelites respond in all three of these ways whilst under pressure. In Exodus 17.1-17, as they fear for their survival they consider giving up and going back to slavery. They start to argue heavily with their leader and create division. Then, in a moment of weakness, Moses freezes up and pressures God to do a miracle, to prove that everything will be okay. In this story we remember the call to praise God and remember His goodness, including and especially in the face of lack. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 15 March 2026 

Have you ever made a brave decision to leave behind an old way of living, a toxic relationship or workplace, or even an unsafe homeland, only to find the new way of life harder at first? This Sunday we learned about the first month in Israel's history after leaving Egpyt. Their celebration and elation was quickly followed by doubt, hardship and grumbling. Exodus 16 reminds us that when we get free, life gets harder before it gets easier. There are very good reasons for this. We can't leave slavery and move immediately into building a better, more prosperous life. As disciples of Jesus, we learn to embrace the wilderness seasons of rest, healing and recalibration. What step towards freedom are you taking today? Are you deciding to leave slavery, embracing a season of recovery, or stepping into your destiny, ready to build?
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 8 March 2026

Why do Christians speak of drinking the Blood and eating the Body of Christ? In this week's teaching from Exodus 12.1-13 we revisited the history of terms like "blood of the lamb," "redemption price" and the significance of "firstborn sons" in ancient times. We saw that Jesus chose the Passover meal to inaugurate a new covenant, where he became the firstborn son who paid the redemption price that saves us from death. What does this mean in practical terms? It means we are in a solid, evidence-based position to live free from the fear of death. We receive the same inheritance that Jesus has - a full and blessed life, starting now, and that will be completed, forever. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 22 February 2026