Kogarah Uniting Church

22/01/2026

Today, on this national Day of Mourning, we come alongside all who grieve the devastating attack at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025. We pause to remember those who lost their lives on that tragic day:

Matilda
Edith Brutman
Dan Elkayam
Boris and Sofia Gurman
Alexander Kleytman
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan
Peter Meagher
Reuven Morrison
Marika Pogany
Rabbi Eli Schlanger
Adam Smyth
Boris Tetleroyd
Tania Tretiak
Tibor Weitzen

We continue to pray for God’s comfort for their families and friends, and we stand in solidarity with all who mourn, particularly members of the Australian Jewish community.

We encourage the Church to pause tonight at 7.01pm, to light a candle and to ask God to reinvigorate Christ's love in us so that we can shine for Him in this world.

11/01/2026

We are in the Church/Liturgical Season of After Epiphany.Epiphany from Greek for "manifestation," is a holy day of light, showing Jesus as God's Son revealed to all people, not just Jews. The Day of Ephiany was last Tuesday, January 6th.

An epiphany is a sudden, profound realization or manifestation or a moment of deep insight. May our work / our liturgy in this season be opening ourselves more to the work of God in us as individuals and as a congregation/community.

Traditionally, in the Sundays of After Epiphany we focus an some significant narratives from the Gospels.

In remembering the visit of the Magi, let us follow the signs we see to discover the one who is to be king for us. What gifts will we bear to honour the one we seek?

In remembering Jesus's baptism by John the Baptist. Let us remember the meaning of our baptism, and in remembering that we have been plunged into the faith and family of Jesus, let us look to giving better and truer expression to this. We can do this by being more intentional about our discipleship. We can seek to step out in faith more as we live out our gifts in service to God by to embody God’s love to others.

In remembering the call of the disciples, let us reflect on what do we seek from Jesus, and what Jesus seeks from us? Let us also think on how following Jesus changes us and changes how others know us.

As we hear of Jesus and his proclamation of metanoia, that changing of heart, mind and being, because the Kingdom of God has come nea, what might we repent of, especially in this time of new resolutions?

When we hear Jesus teaching on a mountain let us listen to the radical nature of his teaching and seek to be open to coming to understanding of what this means for us in our lives and in our living?

As we hear Jesus proclaiming that those he was speaking to are salt of the Earth and light for the world, let us look to the incarnation of that light , in Jesus, the anointed one, the Christ, who is the Word of God and who is God and who is the true light who had come into the world, the true light that enlightens everyone. Let us look to That light in us and seek to allow God to incarnate that light in us. For God is present with us and within us as Holy Spirit, and our baptism is a calling into action.

Let us not just gather to remember by gathering and ritual, but let us do the work of inspiring each other towards love and good works as we work to join God in God’s mission and work.

After Epiphany gives us a lot to think about.

God bless.

- Jon

06/01/2026

In this time of uncertainty and change,
we hold before God the people of Venezuela –
those who are celebrating,
those who are fearful,
those who are grieving,
and those who long for peace, dignity, and a future shaped by hope.
We pray especially for Venezuelan communities here in Australia,
for families living with distance, anxiety, and deep love for home.
May God’s peace surround all who suffer.
May wisdom guide leaders.
May justice be pursued without violence.
And may the voices of ordinary people be heard and honoured.
We join our prayers with those offered across the global church, trusting in God’s promise of peace, restoration and life.
Amen.

𝐀 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐯 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐢

In this time of uncertainty and change,
we hold before God the people of Venezuela –
those who are celebrating,
those who are fearful,
those who are grieving,
and those who long for peace, dignity, and a future shaped by hope.

We pray especially for Venezuelan communities here in Australia,
for families living with distance, anxiety, and deep love for home.

May God’s peace surround all who suffer.
May wisdom guide leaders.
May justice be pursued without violence.
And may the voices of ordinary people be heard and honoured.

We join our prayers with those offered across the global church, trusting in God’s promise of peace, restoration and life.

Amen.

03/01/2026

For you, for this new year: a blessing that welcomes you in. Oh, my friends, may the house of this year meet you with health and peace and grace of the most beautifully ordinary kind.

THE YEAR AS A HOUSE

Think of the year
as a house:
door flung wide
in welcome,
threshold swept
and waiting,
a graced spaciousness
opening and offering itself
to you.

Let it be blessed
in every room.
Let it be hallowed
in every corner.
Let every nook
be a refuge
and every object
set to holy use.

Let it be here
that safety will rest.
Let it be here
that health will make its home.
Let it be here
that peace will show its face.
Let it be here
that love will find its way.

Here
let the weary come
let the aching come
let the lost come
let the sorrowing come.

Here
let them find their rest
and let them find their soothing
and let them find their place
and let them find their delight.

And may it be
in this house of a year
that the seasons will spin in beauty,
and may it be
in these turning days
that time will spiral with joy.
And may it be
that its rooms will fill
with ordinary grace
and light spill from every window
to welcome the stranger home.

—Jan Richardson
from How the Stars Get in Your Bones: A Book of Blessings
janrichardson.com/books

Image: “Many Rooms”
© Jan Richardson
janrichardsonimages.com

31/12/2025

A prayer we carry into the new year. Not rushing. Not striving. Just trusting God to meet us day by day. If you’re stepping into this year with hope, uncertainty, or quiet faith... you’re not alone. He is already there.

24/12/2025

Christmas morning arrives softly... Light glows, hearts awaken, and grace lingers in every quiet corner of the home. Today we pause to remember the greatest gift ever given. Jesus, our hope wrapped in love, our peace born into the world, our light shining gently through every moment. May this day be filled with gratitude, warmth, and a deep knowing that God is near.
Merry Christmas 🤍

16/12/2025

Even a Christmas tree teaches us, to stand tall after we fall, to shine even in the darkest corners, and to bring joy just by being present. May we all sparkle a little brighter this season and never forget, it’s perfectly okay to be a little tilted sometimes. ❤️

14/12/2025

In response to the Bondi Beach incident, support services are available for those affected.

🔴 Register.Find.Reunite. has been activated by Australian Red Cross to help people reconnect with family and friends. Visit https://brnw.ch/21wYlXs to access the service.

☎️NSW Police Force Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC) is operating 24/7 on 1800 227 228 for information relating to people impacted.

🩸 Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is supporting Sydney hospitals. O- and O+ blood are always in high demand in emergencies. To donate, visit https://brnw.ch/21wYlXt, call 13 14 95, or use the Lifeblood app.

In moments like this, checking in on one another and sharing only verified information can make a real difference. Support resources are available at https://brnw.ch/21wYlXs.

14/12/2025

𝗔 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮, 𝗥𝗲𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗶

This morning, we wake with heavy hearts following the tragic events at Bondi.

As the Uniting Church in Australia, we hold in prayer all who have been affected — those who have lost loved ones, those who are injured and recovering, the first responders and health workers, and the wider community carrying shock and grief.

We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and with all who were gathered in peace. Violence has no place in our shared life, and fear must not have the final word.

In the light of Christ, we commit ourselves again to compassion, care for one another, and the work of peace. May God’s love hold all who are hurting today.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿

God of mercy and peace,
we come to you with hearts that are tired and grieving.
We entrust to you the lives lost,
the wounded,
and all who are holding sorrow this day.

Surround the Jewish community and all who have been affected
with comfort, safety, and hope.
Strengthen those who serve and protect,
and grant wisdom and gentleness to all who lead and respond.

In a world shaken by violence,
teach us again the way of Christ —
the way of love, courage, and peace.
Hold us, heal us, and lead us forward.

Amen.

— 𝗥𝗲𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗶, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

13/12/2025

Joy isn’t found in the perfection of life, but in the presence of God. Even when the path feels uncertain, His peace steadies every step and His light fills the cracks with hope. May this be your gentle reminder today: when your heart is rooted in Him, joy becomes unshakable. 💛

09/12/2025

06/12/2025

As the final month unfolds, take a moment to breathe in gratitude and reflect on God’s steady hand through it all.
He was with you in every joy and every trial. And He’ll carry you into the new year with the same faithful grace. 💛