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Nazareth Then and Now
Ancient Nazareth lacked the critical advantages for its development as a significant settlement: abundant water supply, an elevated site for defensive purposes, and strategic location adjacent to a major highway. The most comprehensive recent study of the archeology of ancient Nazareth and its local region was completed by Ken Dark over several seasons between 2004…
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The oldest hatred
Presentation to a panel discussion sponsored by the Jewish Council of Australia at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane on Monday, 29 September 2025. The topic of the event was: Should anti-Semitism be exceptionalised or should we combat all forms of racism together? Co-hosts for the event included: Doykeit (a local Jewish group in Brisbane), St John’s
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Joy to the World
IMAGE: https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-860w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2/rockcms/2024-12/241211-syria-ted-turner-mb-0648-4b734b.jpg Advent 3CSt Paul’s Church, Ipswich15 December 2024 [ video ] On this third Sunday in Advent, we are invited to reflect on JOY as an essential attribute of our lives. So far this season we have done a little thinking about HOPE and PEACE, but today we shift our focus to JOY. It
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people of hope
Advent SundaySt Paul’s Church, Ipswich1 December 2024 [ video ] Here we are: Over these four Sundays we are asked to reflect on key themes: I have no idea who chose those 4 themes or determined their order. However, I am glad that someone did. They are great themes for us to reflect on over
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It’s complicated
Pentecost 26BSt Paul’s Church, Ipswich17 November 2024 [ video ] From widows to rival wives Last week we had readings that featured several women whose husbands had died, leaving them in particularly vulnerable situations as widows in ancient societies where there was no public social security system. Today the first reading features the rivalry between
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Noticing the widows
Pentecost 25BSt Paul’s Church, Ipswich10 November 2024 [ video ] Yesterday I was in Lismore for a refresher course as part of the Safe Church Ministry training offered by the Diocese of Grafton. As we began that program we looked at various biblical text about vulnerable people, since our duty of care for vulnerable persons
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Because of them (2024)
All Saints & All SoulsSt Paul’s Church, Ipswich3 November 2024 [ video ] Today we pause to acknowledge all of those who have gone before us in the faith. Some of them are people from long ago. Many of them are people from far away. Others are people we have known; who we remember with
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Changes along the way
Pentecost 22BSt Paul’s Church, Ipswich20 October 2024 [ video ] Changes along the way For several weeks now our Sunday Gospel readings have offered us glimpses of the journey taken by Jesus, his disciples and a mixed crowd of people as they headed south from Galilee to Jerusalem. This was to be a one-way journey,
