Combined Christian Celebrations Narrabri

14/07/2026

15/06/2026

Life Matters is back, although we haven't heard from The Courier if they are going to publish it yet. This week we hear fromPs. Michael Allan, location pastor at The Chapel.

Narrabri Lake was empty (aside from some very enthusiastic and muddy ducks). After the recent downpour life has returned; plants look green and fresh, animals appearing all over the place, some brave kids splashing about too! Where there is water there is life. Especially natural water. Fresh rain has more life in it than town water could possibly provide (just ask your lawn).

In the dry spells of life, where we feel like there have been no downpours of hope or joy, when we are lonely, or afraid, or angry, or hurt, we long to see a drop of live giving water. Anything will do, it can be a party, new love, sometimes escape into drink, or a new TV series. These things are like trying to keep things alive with only town water – it might help for a little while – but what you really need is fresh water – it has everything required for life!

Fresh water is the life that only God can give, town water is what we try to do for ourselves.

Psalm 1 reminds us of a person whose life is oriented around God, they are: “like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off.”. Notice the fruit

arrives it its proper time, not immediately, or right when it is wanted – It arrives at just the right time – some things can’t be rushed.

Living God’s way can be hard, sometimes yes; but the life he gives, that which he pours out freely, more than makes up for anything we can conjure up ourselves. If you feel like you just can’t keep things alive in your life, like you have tried everything to keep going and nothing works, I wonder, have you tried God’s living water? Have you really, truly, given him a go?

A life planted in him will be more fruitful, greener, than anything you can imagine. If you want to try it, you can simply talk to him. Say: “God, I can’t do this on my own, I need your help!”

22/04/2026

Life Matters

New Life Christian Fellowship

There is a legend about a sign on a road in outback Canada that says “Choose your rut carefully. You will be in it for the next 60 miles.”

A month or so ago, I was feeling that my church had hit one of those ruts and we were stuck in it, with no escape route.

From time to time we all feel dissatisfied with our lives. It feels like we are “stuck” doing things that don’t really satisfy, but unable to take the risk of changing.

We all have routines that make life easier to navigate. At about 10.30 each evening I instigate the bed routine. I don’t have to think about what to do next because each of the dozen steps in the process flow from one to the next.

You get in the car, and you no longer have to think about how to start the engine, change gears, use blinkers etc. Those things become routine, allowing us to focus on the important things like the road ahead and adjusting the stereo system.

Routines are helpful, but when we allow the routines to define us, they become ruts. As you get older, the ruts get more comfortable but so deep that you cannot escape them even when you want to.

Every church has its routines. We give them fancy names but they are routines. You get to church, sit in the same place, expect the worship to flow along the same path. Then the comfort of routine turns into something that must never be changed.

On the Easter weekend our church shook things up a bit for Good Friday and Easter services. Then two weeks ago, we laid hands on and prayed for some people with different illnesses in our church, which we haven’t done for a long time. The same morning, I felt that God was saying I should abandon my prepared talk and talk about something completely different.

The rut is broken, but we need to avoid the next one.

Jesus said, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

He is not talking about being chaotic or unaccountable, but having the freedom in our hearts to hear God’s Spirit and to obey His direction.

That sounds like the opposite of a rut to me.

17/04/2026

Life Matters
Bernard Gabbott

Creativity

Last Friday was such a delight. My family and I loved NARRABRIGHT. The creativity was sensational – the music in the main street, the food that was available, the light displays. And then we walked by the creek pathway… and that was such a wonderful experience. Sitting on Number 3 oval, looking at the NARRABRIGHT sign, under the stars, with the burble of the town around us – what a corker of an evening!

I am so thankful that we live in a country town like this. To be able to enjoy such an experience, to be exposed to creativity in such a beautiful setting, to benefit from the service of so many (a huge ‘thanks’ to all those who enabled this event!) – there was so much to be thankful for!

And, as we walked down, the clouds in the west, with the sun caught behind, and massive beams of light shining through – that was another moment of creativity to be thankful for. This remarkable convergence of human and divine creativity (and I will call it that!) brought three simple truths to my mind.

First, human creativity is a gift that is hard to fathom unless we grasp that we are made in the image of the Creator. Any reading, on face value, of Genesis 1-2 exposes us to such a reality, and the abundance of the world around us shows us creativity at its pinnacle.

Second, the damage and brokenness in this world that we experience in no way undercuts or erases such creativity, human or divine. But it does push us to consider, and yearn for, a restoration where these two work perfectly together. You can see such a moment when Jesus calms the storm in Mark’s Gospel (ch.4).

Third, the closeness of NARRABRIGHT and Easter forced me to consider the way in which divine creativity serves broken human creativity, for our good. The events of Easter expose our need, and God’s solution, in a moment of creativity that is merciful and kind and gracious and loving. At the cross, and at the empty tomb, God’s divine creativity is displayed completely – and we benefit!

01/04/2026

Join us at 10 am Friday for a group walk, or any time on the weekend.
Find the special messages of hope at each cross and take home any that are specially meaningful to you.