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Waiting on the Lord
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 10 Apr, 2016
Many of us understand that spiritual growth is a long, slow process, and that change doesn't happen overnight. But sometimes it seems like we're not moving at all, and sometimes it even seems like we are moving backwards. How can we find the trust and strength to continue waiting for the Lord when it seems like we have already been waiting for so long? | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Evaluating and Improving Your Spiritual Health
Worship Service: Sermon only - 3 Apr, 2016
How are you doing? How's your life going? How's your spiritual life going? These can be hard questions to know how to answer and hard questions to want to answer. Especially if things aren't going well we can feel a lot of shame and resistance around directly thinking about how we're doing. But, the first step in getting healthier is to take an honest look at how we're doing right now. That's what we're going to do this Sunday. This Sunday, during the adult sermon, I will give a short talk and then give people about 10 minutes to privately fill out a series of pages called the "Spiritual Health Snapshot" and "Spiritual Health Plan." It's a tool for evaluating how you're doing spiritually, picking an area to focus on, and then making a plan to work on it. These will be available on www.newchurchwestville.co.za/snapshot . You can download and print from there. If you've done it before, it can be useful to do it again and see how things have changed since the last time. If you haven't done it before, I hope you'll give it a try. Let's each do our individual work so that we can become more healthy as individuals and as a church. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Who Does Not Believe Will Be Condemned
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 27 Mar, 2016
This year, as we celebrate Easter, we are focusing on the Gospel Mark. One of the features of the account from Mark is a strong emphasis on belief—people who believe that Jesus has risen, people who do not, what will happen to those that do and do not believe. This Sunday will be an opportunity for each person to reflect on what they believe about Jesus and the Easter story and how the Lord can strengthen each person’s belief. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Palm Sunday Service
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - 20 Mar, 2016
Why did the Lord decide to enter Jerusalem in the way he did? What was the background to Him coming to earth and the history of the kings of Israel? | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Living Gratefully 6: The Gift of Uncertainty
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 13 Mar, 2016
Most of us like to know what is happening and why. We like certainty. But this week, we are talking about the gift of uncertainty. Why does God sometimes seem to be hiding? Why doesn't He clearly show us the path He is leading us on? And how can uncertainty be seen as a gift? His sermon will address those issues. | By Rt. Rev. Peter Martin Buss, Jr. , Westville, RSA
Living Gratefully 5 The Gift of Inspiration
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 6 Mar, 2016
We've talked in previous weeks about how the Lord leaves us in freedom and how He doesn’t force us to do anything. If that's the case, what does He do for us? How does He lead us and guide us and what can we do to recognise His guidance in our lives? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Living Gratefully 4 The Gift of Love
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 28 Feb, 2016
God's goal for each one of us is that we experience genuine love: love for Him and for other people. We know from experience that love that is forced is not really love at all; and so God never compels us to love or believe against our will. Instead, He calls us to follow Him freely, and to compel ourselves. This week, we will talk about how we can follow His example in our interactions with others – how we can resist the urge to control and dominate others, and instead appeal to what they love. | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Living Gratefully 3 - “The Gift of Change"
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 21 Feb, 2016
This week we're going to be reflecting on what is involved in the process of changing. Do we change ourselves? Does the Lord change us? Understanding how this dynamic works can help us to focus our attention appropriately and change for the better with the Lord's help. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Memorial Service For Caroline Royale Lester
Memorial Service - 17 Feb, 2016
Memorial Service for Caroline Royale Lester written by Rt. Rev. Peter Buss Sr., originally delivered on 13 February in Canada, and delivered by Rev Malcolm Smith at New Church Westville. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Living Gratefully Part 2: The Gift of Freedom
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 14 Feb, 2016
From the time that Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden, God has offered us choices. Sometimes it seems like life would be easier if we didn't have to work so hard to choose to do good. Other times we don't feel very free at all. But still, most of recognise that freedom is an incredible gift from God. Why is freedom so important? And how can we experience genuine freedom - freedom from our own selfish impulses and habits? Join us for this second week in our "Living Gratefully" series as we talk about the first gift of Divine Providence: freedom. | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Living Gratefully - Part 1: The Lord's Goals
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 7 Feb, 2016
This Sunday evening we begin our Living Gratefully program. “Living gratefully” - it sounds good but does it feel like something you could do or just like something for really spiritual people? Is it possible to live gratefully in the midst of the mess of a normal person's life? What does that look like? What difference can it make? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Kainon School Founders Day - Living Gratefully
Worship Service: Informal Family - 31 Jan, 2016
This year, our school theme is Living Gratefully. How do we notice the blessings in or lives and remember to thank the Lord for them? In particular on Founder's Day, we remember and thank the Lord for all the people who have contributed to Kainon School, and all the ways that Kainon School has been a blessing to the world. And we also ask: what is the best way to demonstrate our thankfulness, to not simply say “thank you” but to live gratefully. | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Gathering in the Lord's Name
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 24 Jan, 2016
This Sunday we're going to think about people gathering together. What different reasons do we gather together for? What changes when we gather together? How can we gather together in the Lord's name? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
You Must be Born Anew
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 17 Jan, 2016
Is it possible to really change? At the beginning of the year, it's a question we may find ourselves asking. The startling answer from the Lord's Word: both yes and no. According to the Word, we have two "selves" or "wills" at the same time: a fleshly one, and a spiritual one. The fleshly will doesn't change and will always be fleshly, but the good news is that we can choose to act from the spiritual one instead - if we put the fleshly one to death. How do we do that? Listen on! | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Seeing Patterns by Eric Carswell
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 10 Jan, 2016
This Sunday we will be hearing a sermon by Eric Carswell called “Seeing Patterns.” It takes a funny and not very well-known story from the Old Testament and uses it to explore how we can come to see negative patterns in our lives, even when we don’t particularly want to. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
The Son of God
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 20 Dec, 2015
Joseph was told that the Child in Mary's womb had been "conceived of the Holy Spirit"; Mary was told that the Child would be called "the Son of God." He would also be "Immanuel," that is, "God with us." How could He be both the Son of God and God Himself? It can seem like an abstract theological problem, but coming to grips with this question helps us to see more clearly who God is, and so be more closely conjoined with Him. | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
A Little Child Shall Lead Them
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 29 Nov, 2015
Christmastime can be a busy and stressful time of the year – gifts to buy, deadlines to meet, guests to welcome. But the heart of the Christmas story is something quite possible, “peace on earth.” The peace of Christmas is intimately tied to something else: the innocence of a Baby laid in a manger. How can we experience some of that innocence and peace amidst the turmoil of daily life? Come and listen! | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Betrothal: “ What Matters to the Lord When People Get Engaged"
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 22 Nov, 2015
This morning we are going to witness a betrothal. It is a word which is not used much these days but is mentioned several times in the Word. What does 'betrothal' mean and what is important to the Lord when a couple get engaged? We are going to explore this topic this morning. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Part 2 - Holding On
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 15 Nov, 2015
Letting Go - Part 1
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 8 Nov, 2015
Some of the most important decisions we make in life are about what we choose to let go of and what we hold onto with all of our might. Holding on can be a good thing or a bad thing, likewise letting go. This Sunday we're going to explore what the Word teaches about what to let go of and how to do it. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Money 3 “ What Does Money Mean to the Lord and About the Lord?"
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 1 Nov, 2015
What does money mean to the Lord and about the Lord? Over the last two weeks we've talked about what money can mean to and about us as individuals, and what money can mean to and about other people. This week we conclude this series by talking about what money means to and about the Lord. Does the Lord give people money as a sign of His favour? Does the Lord want us to give money to Him? Does the Lord care about money at all? | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn , Westville, RSA
Money 2: “ What Does Money Mean to Others and About Others?"
Worship Service: Sermon only - 25 Oct, 2015
Last week we explored different things that money can mean to us and what the way we use money means about us. This week we're venturing into the challenging territory of what money means to other people and about other people. We'll talk about money in marriage; we'll talk about the power that money gives us to affect other people's lives in good and bad ways; we'll talk about paying tax. Come along for the ride. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Money 1-What Does Money Mean to You and About You
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 18 Oct, 2015
We spend a lot of our time and energy on money. Earning it, saving it, budgeting it, arguing about how to spend it, worrying about having enough of it. It’s easy to get bogged down by it all. We need a higher perspective on money to help us figure out what to do. It’s not as simple as money is all bad or money is all good. Let’s see if we can learn from the Lord how to think about and handle money. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA
Longing For Truth
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 11 Oct, 2015
When we're desperate for an answer from the Lord--when we're desperate to make sense of something or to find a way forward--sometimes then the Lord seems most absent. It feels like we're desperately thirsty in a wilderness with no water anywhere in sight. This Sunday is a lay service and the sermon being read is by the Rev. Brian Keith and it has some great insights about how to turn to the Lord for guidance in the right way. | By Rt. Rev. Brian W. Keith , Westville, RSA
Waiting For the Harvest
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - 4 Oct, 2015
Have you discovered some motivations in yourself that are not so good--in fact that are ugly and hellish? What should you do about that? This Sunday I'll be reading a sermon by the Rev. Brian Smith about the parable of wheat and the tares and what we can learn from it about how and when evil can be removed from our lives. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith , Westville, RSA