Journey of a Thousand Steps

It is natural for us to ask why God allows suffering, but do we really want the answer? The story of Israel's exodus from Egypt to freedom reveals the reality of slavery and idolatory at the core of all human destruction - of the ecosystem and social wellbeing. In the account in Exodus 7-10 we watch the order that God has given to the world, physically and spiritually, reverse thorugh ten plagues - a ripple effect. God allows the consequences of human pride, greed and dehumanisation to unravel, but promises to provide a way out. He will not compromise with Pharaoh. His Promise is full freedom. Every single thing that has been taken from us, will be returned, and then some. His promise is Freedom++.
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 15 February 2026 

Have you ever felt you were too old, too young, too inexperienced, not reputable enough or not psychologically strong enough to pursue your dreams? If yes, you are in good company. This week we read the story of Moses being called into leadership at the age of eighty, as he encountered God at Mount Sinai. He had been living in Midian as a shepherd for forty years and his life in Egypt was well behind him. He was elderly and had every reason to doubt that the elders of Israel would listen to him, as a man who had grown up in the Egpytian palace, never himself experiencing slavery or living among them. What's more, Moses had a speech impediment and was afraid of public speaking. Exodus 3.1-15 reminds us that God always gives us the training, favour and psychological strength we need to step into our calling and see His promises fulfilled. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 8 February 2026

Sometimes we have good reasons to feel afraid, as Moses' mother and sister did at the very beginning of his life. This Sunday we celebrated three Confirmations and launched a new teaching series on the book of Exodus. As we consider the beginnings of Moses' story in Exodus 1.17-2.14, in the bulrushes, we see God at work in a dangerous situation, caused by an evil political regime. Moses' protection through a time of genocide was a sign of hope. This hope gives us the courage to stand against evil and represent God's Kingdom. 
Podcast by Bishop Genieve Blackwell, 1 Febraury 2026 

A critical skill that we need in our personal lives and for the church to be healthy, is knowing how to share our faith with people in our lives who don't currently share it. We all have people we deeply love, in our families, friendship circles and workplaces, who do not share our faith. Many Christians today are journeying with a husband or wife who is not involved in church. How are we meant to navigate this? Is it wrong to desire others to come to faith in Jesus? Today we practiced four disciplines, drawn from 1 Peter 3.8-22, that help us to love others enough to desire them to know God's love through Jesus Christ. Knowing how to help people take steps towards God without being pushy or judgemental is a critical skill for every disciple.
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 25 January 2026

How do you know who your person is? Who is the right friend, companion or life partner? Today we explored Paul's advice to the early church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 7.25-40). He presented a view that was as countercultural then, as it is now, that though marriage is a good gift, it is better to be single. Though he was speaking to a specific an audience who lived in an unsafe context, which is harder for those with children, his position presents an important corrective about how we choose relationships. We do this in a reverse order to the world around us. Instead of elevating romantic or sexual love, we elevate God. Instead of asking what we want in a partner, first, we ask, "Who am I and how am I called to love?" Instead of building a life around a person, God brings companions to us on the journey of discipleship.
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 18 January 2026 

We want to be a church that helps people find financial freedom and lean into the adventures God is calling them into. Jesus came that we could have fullness of life (John 10.10). This means not having an empty bank account, or, a full account that comes with a spiritually bankrupt life. This Sunday we spent time considering how to revise and prayerfully plan a personal budget for 2026, that invests in long-term fruitfulness, saves for a rainy day and avoids the trap of short-sighted living. James' letter to the early Church (James 5.1-12) gives us a powerful reminder that the investments we make in this life will be seen and celebrated in the next, if not immediately. Equally, if we sell out to entirely self-indulgent living, we will be participating in death and destruction in ways that won't be hidden from our eyes forever. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 11 January 2026 

How do you feel about the word 'purity'? The Church often has a reputation for nurturing unhealthy attitudes towards sexuality or natural human desires, or perhaps trying to 'cleanse us' of things that aren't dirty. Whilst we don't want to and were never meant to burden people with shame, today we were reminded by Paul's advice to a young church leader, Timothy, that the Church is called to be clean of the things that hurt people in the world. This week we considered his advice in 1 Timothy 5.1-8, which describes four ways we want to be noticably more transparent, and more pure, than the world. First, we are to be effortful in caring for the elderly. Second, we listen to and invest in young people. Third, we are respectful towards members of the opposite sex, and, lastly, we are generous towards those who are homeless. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 4 January 2026 

How do you stocktake the year that's been and set goals for the year ahead? Would you like to try a biblical framework for your planning? As we prepare to enter the new year, this final Sunday of 2025, we considered Paul's teaching to the Corinthian church about the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15.18-25). If we believe that we have been spiritually reborn in Christ and will be physically resurrected after we die, our end-goal starts in Heaven. We don't simply look to what we can achieve in the time we have on earth. We look back from who we are in Heaven, and seek obedience to the mission God has entrusted to us. This week's message comes with a practical, guided reflection to consider your priorities for the year ahead. 
 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 28 December 2025 

By the end of this message we hope you will see how believable the Christmas story is - not a fariytale! So many of the details in the accounts of Jesus' birth are too random, inconvenient and imperfect to have been made up. In the middle of an economically depressed and unsafe political context; as well as a socially lonely and difficult situation, signs and wonders emerged. This is exactly how faith leads to social change. First, a small team of people are faithful to a calling, long before there is evidence that it is real. Secondly, life keeps throwing difficulties at the situation to make it even harder than it already was. As people persist in faith, early adopters arrive (shepherds). Then come the wise donors who believe, even though they come from outside of the community. Are you ready for this life? 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2025

Do you ever wonder whether the story of Jesus' birth is simply a ridiculous fairytale? As we take a close look at Joseph's story in Matthew 1.18-25, we see his anxiety and uncertainty as he faced a very hard decision. We also notice three dynamics that combined to make sense of something crazy. First, he had knowledge of the scripture and recalled the prophecy of a birth that would come only from God. Second, he had a deeply personal encounter with God through a dream, which calmed his anxiety and gave him a reason to believe in a miracle. Third, he loved Mary. Their love and faithfulness was also a confirming sign that God was at work, even in a very unexpected way. To discern what is from God, versus what is fanciful or crazy, we also need three things: knowledge of the scriptures, confidence in hearing the Holy Spirit and close friendships within the Body of Christ. 
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 21 December 2025