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” And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them, and the two fishes divided he among them all . And they did all eat, and were filled .”

Prayer is a common theme throughout the Bible. That’ s not really surprising. But — perhaps surprisingly – there is something else that is mentioned in the Bible more often than prayer is . Think for a moment: What is it that is mentioned in the Bible more often than prayer?

Any suggestions?
The answer is : Eating and drinking.

Jesus often made a point of welcoming people who were outcasts: he welcomed them, not by praying for them, or by offering to pray for them, or by ‘ telling them to pray – but by eating with them. Then, as now, the meal – the act of eating with another person – was a sign of acceptance. The shared meal was a common feature of the Jewish tradition .
It was a powerful part of the practical expression of Jesus’ ministry. The final meal he shared with his twelve disciples — the Last Supper — became the basis for the Communion Service of the Christian Church. The shared meal was so typical of Jesus that, according to-the story in Luke’s Gospel, when he was raised from the dead, the disciples recognised him in the breaking of the bread.
The feeding of the five thousand was open to all of them. Jesus did not offer to feed only a select few of them. No one was excluded. Certainly, no one was excluded on the grounds of colour, or race, or religion , or social class, or level of wealth. He said simply: “Give ye them to eat . “
And, of course, there was more than enough to go around, as there is more than enough to go around today, when there is enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.

In this sermon the Rev Geoffrey Usher considers the sharing with others in the building of communities. The full text can read here.

by Rev Geoff Usher

A troubled man paid a v i s i t to his rabbi: a wise and good rabbi, as a l l rabbis try to be.

 “Rabbi,” said he, wringing his hands, ” I am a failure. More than half the time I do not succeed in doing what I must do.”

 “Oh?” said the rabbi.

 “Please say something wise, Rabbi,” said the man.

 After much pondering, the rabbi spoke as follows: ” Ah, my son, I give you this wisdom: Go and look on page 930 of The New York Times Almanac for the year 1970, and you will find peace of mind maybe.” “Ah,” said the man, and he went away and did that thing.

 Now this is what he found: The listing of the life-time batting averages of all the greatest baseball players. Ty Cobb, the greatest slugger of them all, had a lifetime average of only .367. Even Babe Ruth didn’t do so good.

 So the man went back to the rabbi and said in a questioning tone: “Ty Cobb – .367 – that’s it?” “Right, ” said the rabbi. “Ty Cobb – .367. He got a hit once out of every three times at bat. He didn’t even bat 500 – so what can you expect already?”

 “Ah,” said the man, who had thought he was a wretched failure because only half the time he did not succeed at what he must do. Theology is amazing, and holy books abound.  That story comes from Robert Fulghum’s book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.   

This sermon is continued here.

by Rev Geoff Usher

Well; we’ve made i t . We have got past all the pre-Christmas rush and bustle:- the shopping; the writing and sending of cards; the opening and reading of cards received; the sorting out what to do with all the cards: stand them on mantelpieces and tables and other flat surfaces, and try to remember not to open or shut doors energetically enough to blow them over; or hang them from strings; or staple them to hanging ribbons; or … the wrapping and labeling of presents while trying to remember whether you have over-looked someone important; the lunches and parties and carol services and mince pies and more parties and tables of food and more mince pies; and the special family rituals related to Christmas; and Christmas Day itself, with the exchanging of gifts, and too much food, and more mince pies, and the afternoon siesta, and television repeats, and clearing up afterwards, and lots of dishwashing, and perhaps another mince pie.
We’ve made it. The rush and bustle calmed down, and there was that quiet holiday lull between Christmas Day/Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, and perhaps an opportunity for more celebration, although perhaps less hectic.
Think about the conversations you have had over the last week’ or two. Not the really serious “meaning of life ” conversations, but the inform al “passing the time of day” conversations with friends and acquaintances, people you have met in the street or at the shops or at social events. What sorts of things have you said, or heard?

The sermon is continued here.

Looking around at the scorched wreckage of today’s international governmental polity, one may wonder how the Earth Charter even came into being.

Launched just over 25 years ago in 2000 at The Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands to great fanfare, it was eight years in the formulating, the work of the independent Earth Charter Commission. Its task was to produce a global consensus statement of principles for a sustainable Earth future. And an important fact is “the Earth Charter is a creed belonging not to governments but to the world’s people”. (See the Earth Charter website)

The Rev Rex Hunt gave a history and discussion of the Earth Charter at a recent talk at our meeting and this talk can be read in full here.

If I say the word “Christmas”, what is the first image that immediately occurs to you?
Some possibilities are: –
Christmas tree
Decorations on the tree
Other decorations
The figure of Santa Claus / Father Christmas Christmas crackers
Advent
Advent candles
Advent calendars
Nativity scenes
John *Martin’s Christmas Pageant in Adelaide The service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge
Gifts
Christmas stockings
Christmas cards
Carol services
Carols by Candlelight
Other traditions, perhaps within your own family.
I want today to look at just some of these, in no particular order.

The Rev Geoff Usher’s delightful sermon for the end-of-year Christmas party can be read here.