St Pauls and St Barnabas

  As December arrives, the world embraces the festive season—decorating homes, singing carols, and sharing gifts. Yet amidst all the joy, it’s easy to overlook the deeper story that this season holds. Advent invites us to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts to receive the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ. It’s a season of anticipation, where we remember God’s promises and find renewed hope in their fulfillment. This year at St. Paul’s & St. Barnabas, our Advent and Christmas sermon series is titled,   “Come and Discover Hope in Jesus.”   Over six services, we will journey through Scripture, beginning in the Old Testament, to see how God’s promises bring hope even in the darkest moments. We will explore the unfolding of His redemptive plan, culminating in the joy of Christmas Day and the forward-looking hope for the New Year. What to Expect Each Sunday from 10:30AM , we will look at a key passage from the Bible, tracing the story of God’s faithfulness and the hope...

The Power of Prayer – A Reflection for Advent This past Sunday, we were delighted to welcome Simon Henry, National Youth Officer for the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD), to SPB. Simon shared a powerful and timely message about prayer, drawn from Matthew 6:5-13. As we enter the Advent season—a time of preparation, reflection, and anticipation—his words served as a reminder of the profound privilege and power of prayer in our lives. Why Pray? Simon reminded us that prayer is at the heart of our relationship with God. It is through prayer that we connect with our Creator, who desires to hear from us—our worries, our celebrations, and even the things we struggle to put into words. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6, we are called to pray with sincerity, avoiding empty repetition, and to approach God with the confidence that He knows our needs before we even ask. Prayer is not only about bringing requests t...

Winter Coat Project: A Day of Warmth and Community The Winter Coat Project at St. Paul’s & St. Barnabas was a beautiful reminder of the power of generosity and community. The culmination of weeks of preparation, prayer, and effort, it was a day filled with warmth—both literally and figuratively! The day began early, with our volunteers arriving first thing in the morning to set up the hall and sort through the generous donations. Coats, scarves, hats, gloves, and other winter essentials were organised, ensuring that everyone who came through our doors would find exactly what they needed. Even before we officially opened, the need was clear, and we made the decision to welcome visitors early. From 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm, the hall was buzzing with activity. Our volunteers worked tirelessly to help individuals and families s...

Rekindle the Flame: Reflections on 2 Timothy 1:1-7 Rekindle the Flame: Reflections on 2 Timothy 1:1-7 In Paul’s final letter, written from the depths of a Roman prison, we find a message that transcends time and space. Addressed to his dear friend and spiritual son Timothy, the opening verses of 2 Timothy are both tender and profound. These are not just the words of an ageing apostle but a heartfelt charge to a younger minister and, by extension, to every believer today. They echo through the ages, challenging us to evaluate the source of our identity, the strength of our faith, and the legacy we will leave behind. Paul begins by reminding Timothy of his roots. He reflects on Timothy’s sincere faith, nurtured by the godly influence of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. This multi-generational faith underscores the importance of spiritual...

Community Prayer Gathering This past Wednesday evening, we were privileged to gather in the newly refurbished lounge at St Paul’s & St Barnabas for a community prayer meeting. It was a joy to welcome friends from other churches across the area as we united in prayer for our church, our community, and the wider world. The theme for the evening was to seek God's guidance, and blessing for our church and community. Scripture encourages us to pray without ceasing ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ) and to come boldly to the throne of grace ( Hebrews 4:16 ), and so we lifted up our voices in faith. During the prayer meeting, we focused on key areas: our local community, the great work of the churches in the area , and personal renewal. Encouraged by the echols of Philippians 4:6 , where we are encouraged to bring our requests to God with thanksgi...

The Future Indicative - Matthew 5:48 The Future Indicative – Matthew 5:48 We had the joy of welcoming Rev. Josh Lenon from Red Door Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, to St. Paul’s and St. Barnabas (SPB) this past Sunday. His message deeply resonated with our congregation, challenging and uplifting us as he explored the powerful “Future Indicative” in Matthew 5:48. This passage, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” can often feel daunting. But Rev. Lenon helped us see it as a promise from Jesus—an assurance that God is actively at work in us, shaping us into His likeness. In his message, Rev. Lenon explained that Jesus’ words here are not a present imperative, an impossible demand to be flawless now. Instead, they are a future promise, spoken in what biblical scholars call the “Future Indicative” tense, meaning that this perfection is something we are moving toward, with God Himself leading us on this journey. The perfect...