St Michael's Uniting Church

Why Bother with the City?

Posted: April 30, 2017 | 0 Comments

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 30 April 2017 I have always worked and often lived in cities. London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham and of course Melbourne. I am excited by cities: their vibrancy, vitality, sheer numbers of people,, buildings, places to enjoy, places to study, to reflect. Art, theatre, music, sport, history,…

Why bother with the Church?

Posted: April 23, 2017 | 0 Comments

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 23 April 2017 Acts 2. V 42 “They met constantly to hear the apostles teach, to share the common life, to break bread and to pray….A sense of awe was everywhere” “They held everything in common and made general distribution to those in need” WOW. This was…

The Storm is Over a New Day Begins – Easter Sermon 2017

Posted: April 16, 2017 | Category: Easter | 0 Comments

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 16 April 2017 Luke 24 v. 30. “When he was at the table with them he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened” And so we celebrated with Jesus only last Sunday with Palms and Hosannas…

“Before the Storm” Palm Sunday

Posted: April 9, 2017 | Category: Easter | 0 Comments

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 9 April 2017 Let me take you back to 10 October, 1974. It was the night of the British General Election and I was staying overnight in a midlands town, Stafford. As I walked slowly around the streets of this fairly quiet county town fairly late in…

That’s the Spirit

Posted: April 2, 2017 | Category: Easter | 0 Comments

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 2 April 2017 “I will put my spirit into you shall live” Ezek. 37.14 Ezekiel’s message is that something that was dead i.e. the disunity between the separated nations of the northern and southern kingdoms can be fixed. They can be re united and live again centring…

Signs of the Times, St Michael’s

Posted: March 26, 2017 | Category: Easter | 1 Comment

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 26 March 2017 The whole Bible is full of signs. It was common throughout the whole of the Old Testament period to be persuaded by signs or to call for them, seeing them as some sort of Godly confirmation of his activity in the world. This…

Marriage Equality in Australia

Posted: March 20, 2017 | Category: Easter | 2 Comments

Executive Minister of St Michael’s Uniting Church, Melbourne’s largest Uniting Church, Rev Ric Holland responds to the growing discussion in parliament of marriage equality over the weekend. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13 “All couples, regardless of gender or sexual orientation,…

Finding out for yourself

Posted: March 19, 2017 | Category: Easter | 0 Comments

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 19 March 2017 The story we read from John’s Gospel is full of messages as is typical of this book. But for me the most important thread is that this Samaritan woman is absolutely gobsmacked by what she has seen and heard. So much so…

We own the world.

Posted: March 14, 2017 | Category: Easter | 1 Comment

Notes on the Sunday address by Rev Ric Holland, 5 March 2017 The apostle Paul, says himself, owns nothing. All the early disciples and this strange bunch of itinerant Christian preachers owned nothing. They were dependent upon others for food, clothing and shelter. So how can he, with his colleague Timothy, possibly say they owned…