St James Presbyterian Church in Bedfordview

St James Presbyterian Church in Bedfordview Presbyterian Church, Bedfordview
Alternate contact number - 079 178 0313

18/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Holding
A friend of mine, this evening, had just discovered that a mentor, former employer and friend had died tragically earlier on this year. You could sense the scraping, hollowing despair eating him from within. The obvious emotional processing: Could I have been there for her? She had a rough time of late! I need to pay my respects ā€¦ And then the pain hits again, and then the processing and ā€¦ and ā€¦ and ā€¦

The hardest part is not being able to help this young man. Not being able to take this heartache and anguish away from him. Not being able to make it better. Sometimes all we can do is hold people in their pain and sit alongside them as they journey through it.

When Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus, knowing full well that resurrection was moments away, He did not rush past the grief of those around Him. Instead, He entered into it. He wept with those who wept. Before bringing healing, He offered presence.

Perhaps that is one of the greatest gifts we can give each otherā€”not answers, explanations, or solutions, but ourselves. To remain present when words fail. To sit in the silence. To hold anotherā€™s sorrow with them.

/633

18/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Springdog
When I get home in the evenings, there is some magical spell in the sound of the door lock that automatically transforms Lumos Fluffyboy Lockā€™s legs into springs. He bounces up and down in a way that seems to defy physics; it is as though all the life force that is in him is exploding out of his paws. He becomes the master of multitasking - bouncing, wagging and barking all at once!

Imagine if we greeted Jesusā€™ presence in our lives with just as much joy and enthusiasm.

Paul makes no bones about it when he calls us to rejoice in his letter to the Philippians, and if we are able to approach Godā€™s presence with joy and not let our glee be determined by our circumstances, how different would our lives, and the lives of those around us be?

/632

17/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Fly
Driving from the church to St Georgeā€™s, this morning, as I turned into Kirkby road, a Hadada Ibis flapped up off the road and landed on the bonnet of the churchā€™s car. I had a vehicle behind me and couldnā€™t brake, I didnā€™t want the bird to fall off and injure itself but I was also worried about the Hadada scratching the paint.

Sometimes where we land in life negatively impacts others. All-too-often we only think of our own lives and very rarely how our decisions and actions and consequences might affect those around us.

Jesus lived very differently. Throughout His life, He never acted merely for His own comfort or advantage. When He was tired, He still made time for those who needed Him. When He was misunderstood, He responded with grace. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing suffering and death, His prayer was not centred on His own will but on the Fatherā€™s purpose and the salvation of others. Wherever Jesus ā€œlandedā€ in the lives of people, He brought healing, hope, peace, and restoration. His presence lifted others rather than burdened them.

We are challenged to do the same.

/630

Connection
In a service today I used the example of a NASA astronaut who had fulfilled a boyhood dream by walking on the moon. I found the illustration helpful but had no personal connection with it. After the service one of the congregation came up to me with much wonder - she had shaken the hand of the very astronaut I had referenced. Suddenly a helpful anecdote had become a living human being.

One of the dangers of our faith is that Jesus is, at best, a moral example or, at worst, just a character in a story. It is important for us to remember that Jesus is a living Being with whom we can connect and have relationship with.

That connection takes intentionality, effort and awareness that transforms a story into an experience.

/631

13/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Curious
It does not matter what door it is - it could be an internal door, the door to the balcony, the door outside, a cupboard door, the fridge or microwave, if it can open and close Liquorice Allsorts Lock wants to get into it. Even laptop bags, shopping packets or suitcases the pitch black moggy wants to have a look.

Imagine if we were as curious about life and others? Imagine if we invested as much time in those outside of ourselves, in the events of our communities and the need of others how different our perspective on the world would be?

Jesusā€™ actions and words were hardly about himself but almost all geared towards those, and the world, around him. Our challenge is to be present - like God - so that we can bring Godā€™s Grace and life to the world beyond our noses.

/629

12/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Different Greetings
Leaving this morning, as the sun was rising, I bumped into a number of folk who were also making their way off to work. In three instances I greeted an individual and each of them grumpily and begrudgingly responded until they looked down and saw Lumos Fluffyboy Lock. Suddenly their faces lit up, their expressions softened and they resorted to those high-pitched cooing tones reserved for babies and well clearly Pomeranians.

After an encounter with my boy I got cheery goodbyes and well wishes for the day!

It struck me how easily our values are revealed by what captures our attention and affection. We naturally gravitate toward what we find appealing, comfortable, or enjoyable.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus consistently valued people others overlooked. While crowds admired the powerful, wealthy, and influential, Jesus stopped for the blind beggar, touched the l***r, welcomed children, and ate with sinners. He saw worth where others saw inconvenience.

What does the way we treat one another reveal about our values?

/628

Forthcoming attraction....
11/06/2026

Forthcoming attraction....

Save the date...
11/06/2026

Save the date...

A reminder....
10/06/2026

A reminder....

10/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Clear
I am in shock. I cannot believe how clear and sharp and black the text on my phone is. It honestly feels like I have a new super fancy device. In reality itā€™s the new glasses: after looking at the colours and faces and text I want to burst out singing with the late Peabo Bryson and Regina Belleā€™s, ā€œItā€™s a whole new world ā€¦ā€

Sometimes the thing that needs to change is not the world, or others, for things to become clearer, but rather ourselves. Sometimes we need understand that the problem is our vision and not what weā€™re looking at.

The religious leaders of Jesusā€™ day had a monochromatic view of God. They were threatened by Jesusā€™ teachings and his influence and so, instead of reviewing their perception of God, they tried to get rid of Jesus.

Before we reach conclusions about what we are looking at, we need to check our own prescription.

/626

Options
Whenever there is Bible Study we have to use the acronym, ā€œBS!ā€ No, that is not a comment on the ministerā€™s teaching but rather to prevent little fluffy white ears from hearing the full words. Whenever Lumos Fluffyboy Lock hears ā€˜Bible Studyā€™ he goes bananas. He races to the back entrance of the church, barking his head off to get to the hall. Itā€™s not because he is so keen on the Gospel, itā€™s more because he is keen on the tidbits that the participants hand out to him.

Somehow he knew that tonight is Wednesday and so instead of simply going outside for a bathroom break, (a little early) he charged off to the hall and stood - looking quite disgusted - at the locked hall door. When he realized that it wasnā€™t going to open for him, he ran around to the back of the minor hall and checked to see if that door was open! Somehow Lumos has learnt that if he canā€™t get in the one way, maybe he can get in the other!

For millennia Godā€™s plan for us was to find God and fulfill our purpose through the Abrahamic Covenant (bless others as we ourselves have been blessed). When we failed to be faithful to that agreement, God had to find another door, which God did through Jesus.

When we fail. When the world fails. When things donā€™t go according to plan or are not realised as we hoped, then we need to be like Lumos, like God, and look for another way.

Donā€™t give up. Keep on searching. The door will be opened at some point.

/627

07/06/2026

šŸ™šŸ»In Gavin's Words šŸ™šŸ»

Anti-Hero
This evening, at the evening service, one of the young men present in the discussion group spoke of a fictional anti-hero who, as a shape shifter, could change his form to take many different forms. He had changed into so many other forms that he forgot what his original form was. Who he was.

We live in a world where there is so much pressure to perform, so much pressure to live up to the expectations of others that we sometimes forget who we are.

The way Jesusā€™ ministry transcended different people of different backgrounds is a reminder that our identity is not ultimately found in the roles we play, the opinions of others, or the masks we wear. It is found in the God who made us and calls us His own. When we spend time with Christ, we are reminded not only of who He is, but also of who we are in Him.

/625

Address

3 Oxford Road
Johannesburg
2007

Telephone

+27826773415

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when St James Presbyterian Church in Bedfordview posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Place Of Worship

Send a message to St James Presbyterian Church in Bedfordview:

Shortcuts

Share

Category