Tyrrell Baptist Church

09/01/2026

From the Pastor’s Desk:

For the past few weeks at TBC we've been Praying the Psalms with Jesus and learning to bring the whole of life to God in prayer: our joys, our questions, our grief, our anger, our wonder and our praise.
This Sunday we turn the question around a little.
What About the Church?
As part of our final Alpha Taster, we'll hear Nicky Gumbel describe the church with five simple words: Friends. Family. Home. Jesus. Love.
What do you think of when you hear the word church?
For some, it brings warm memories of friendship and belonging. For others, perhaps not. Some may have grown up in church; others may have questions about faith, Jesus or whether church has anything to say to their lives today.
That's one of the things I appreciate about Alpha. It creates space to explore those questions together, without needing to have all the answers.
We've been exploring Alpha as a church over the summer, and this Sunday we'll begin to listen and discern together about whether it is the right time and place for us to offer a full Alpha course. There is no pressure to decide immediately. Alpha will still be there next year. The question is simply: might this be something God is inviting us to do, and who might we invite to explore it with us?
We'll also share Communion together, remembering that the Christian life is not simply about our individual relationship with God, but about becoming a people who follow Jesus together.
Whether church is very familiar to you, something you've stepped away from, or something you've never really explored

08/27/2026

From the Pastor’s Desk:
At TBC, we’ve spent a good part of the summer praying the Psalms with Jesus. We’ve tried not simply to learn more about prayer, but to actually practise it... learning to meditate, to delight, to remain rooted, to notice what Jesus does, and to bring our distress and even our anger honestly before God.
It’s been quite a journey. Some parts have felt familiar; others have been uncomfortable and challenging. But I hope we’ve begun to discover that all of who we are can come before God. We don’t need to curate our lives or our feelings. It all belongs before Him.
And with that new honesty, we come to Psalm 103, which begins with David telling himself to remember who God is and what God has done.
But I wonder: could it be that this celebrated king wasn’t actually feeling so wonderful? Could it be that David needs to remind himself of God’s goodness precisely because, in this moment, it doesn’t feel so real?
Perhaps we can identify with that.
Sometimes faith is remembering what is true when we don’t presently feel it.
The Psalms have given us a vocabulary for prayer, but they also give us practices for living with God. This Sunday, we’ll explore the practice of remembering.
Join us at 10:30 as we pray Psalm 103 with Jesus.

08/21/2026

From the pastors desk:
Two weeks ago we explored Ps: 88 at TBC and discovered that God invites us to bring our sorrow to Him. Lament is not the absence of faith. It is faith refusing to give up the conversation with God. Perhaps as you practised lament you noticed something else? Sometimes underneath our sadness there is anger.
That may feel rather uncomfortable for those of us who have been taught to hide, suppress or get over our anger. Yet anger can also tell us something important. It may reveal that something we love has been damaged, that an injustice has been done, or that someone precious has been hurt. It is worth considering the question “What is my anger revealing?”

This Sunday we will explore one of the most challenging and controversial psalms, Psalm 137. It is honest enough to express the anger of people whose lives have been shattered. It does not tidy up their emotions into something acceptable. Instead it brings those raw feelings into the presence of God.

As followers of Jesus we read this Psalm with another story in view. Jesus is not indifferent to evil. He confronted injustice, wept over brokenness and expressed anger. Yet He also revealed a different way, a way that seeks justice without surrendering to revenge, and a love that is stronger than hatred.
If you are like me, and wondering what to do with your anger perhaps this psalm has something to teach us.
You are welcome to join us at TBC at 10.30 as we continue our summer series Praying with Jesus and discover what Psalm137 has to say about anger.

08/11/2026

From the Pastor's Desk
There is an old saying: "A change is as good as a rest." This Sunday TBC will hear a different voice in the pulpit as I take a week away.
Perhaps that is good for all of us. It gives us a little extra time to sit with what we learned from Psalm 88 before moving on. Rather than rushing ahead, let's continue practising the language of lament.

This Week's Meditation

Remaining Rooted in the Dark

This week, don't try to solve your sorrow. Simply bring it into God's presence.
Like the writer of Psalm 88...
Turn toward God.
Begin by naming who God is to you:
"Lord..." "Father..." "Shepherd..."
Tell the truth.
Speak honestly about what hurts.

Don't tidy your words.

Don't rush to answers.

Ask for what you need.

Healing.
Strength.
Comfort.
Hope.
Or simply God's presence.

Look Back:
Before you finish, recall one way God has been faithful to you in the past. Let yesterday's grace become today's courage.
Then simply rest in God's presence for a few moments.
You don't need to end with everything resolved.
Sometimes meditation is simply remaining with God in the darkness.

May we all find our rest in God this week.
I look forward to worshipping with you again at TBC on August 23.

08/05/2026

From the Pastor's Desk
This summer at TBC we've been learning an ancient Christian practice: meditation. Not emptying our minds, but filling them with God's truth and learning to delight in Him.
Over the past couple of weeks we've tried a simple exercise together. As we go through the week, we've been intentionally noticing God's presence, pausing to wonder at His creation, His kindness, and the countless small gifts we often rush past. Many of us have discovered that slowing down, even for a few moments, changes the way we see our day.
But what happens when the week isn't full of wonder? What happens when the days are marked by grief, disappointment, anxiety, or exhaustion?
We live in a world that celebrates the highlights reel. Social media encourages us to post the victories. Our culture tells us to push through the pain. Sometimes even church can unintentionally make us feel we should put on a brave face and pretend everything is fine.
The Psalms tell a different story.
They teach us that every emotion belongs in God's presence. Joy and gratitude belong, but so do sorrow, confusion, fear, and loss. The Bible has a name for bringing those painful emotions honestly before God: lament. Lament is holy honesty. It is choosing to speak the truth of our hearts to the One who loves us, trusting that He is big enough to hear it.
This Sunday we'll spend time in one of the most honest prayers in Scripture, Psalm 88. It doesn't offer easy answers or quick fixes. Instead, it shows us that even in our darkest moments we can continue talking to God.
If you've had a wonderful week, come and give thanks. If you've had a difficult one, come just as you are. Either way, you'll find a place among people who are learning to bring every part of life to our faithful God.
We'd love to welcome you this Sunday at 10:30.

07/28/2026

From the Pastors desk:

Why Did Jesus Die?

It's one of the biggest questions of the Christian faith and one that many people still ask today.

This Sunday at TBC we'll be doing something a little different.

Instead of the usual sermon, we'll be watching one of the talks from the Alpha course. Alpha is used around the world to help people explore the Christian faith in a relaxed, welcoming setting where questions are encouraged.

If you've ever wondered what Alpha is like, this is an opportunity to come and see one of the talks for yourself.

As part of our worship, we'll also share Communion together as we remember the love of Christ shown on the cross.

After the service, anyone who would like to is welcome to stay for coffee and an informal conversation about the talk. You don't need to know anything about the Bible. You don't have
to speak if you'd rather just listen. Whether you're curious about Jesus, wondering what Alpha is like, or simply interested in exploring life's bigger questions, you're warmly invited to come and see.

This isn't about having all the answers.

It's about creating space to ask good questions.

Everyone is welcome at 10.30 am

Send a message to learn more

07/25/2026

"God's Word seeks to enter us, not to remain empty." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

07/24/2026

"I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment." C. S. Lewis

07/23/2026

"Perhaps that's why we need the Psalms. Not because God has become less wonderful, but because we've become less full of wonder."

07/22/2026

Thought of the day: "The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder." G.K. Chesterton