27 March | Act 3 of Revelation

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person, some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • He calls us to be together both with him and with one another;
  • Hr calls us to wait with and for him;
  • and He calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • Get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • Take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • Invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

We are continuing in our series on the Revelation of Jesus Christ (we will get back to Mark after Easter).

Here is the video service for Sunday, 27 March 2022.

the sound level for the message is quite low… sorry about that…  here is a better version… it’s the recording from our in-person service

Coming Up

Youth

Sunday Night @ 7:30pm @ OCC

Griefshare

Monday, 28 March @ 2pm @ OCC

 

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

You can get the guide sheet for fasting here, as well as some other fasting notes.

sitting in the presence of God – a guided reflection

Welcome to a guided reflection

  • take a moment to breathe in deeply, repeat 2 or 3 times
  • stretch
  • we want to take some time to sit in God’s presence

Opening Prayer

Let’s begin by praying a prayer of Thomas A Kempis

Grant to us, O Lord, to know that which is worth knowing,
to love that which is worth loving,
to praise that which pleases you most,
to esteem that which is most precious to you,
and to dislike whatsoever is evil in your eyes.
Grant us with true judgement to distinguish things that differ,
and above all to search out and to do what is well pleasing to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listen to the Text

Listen to the words of Exodus 3:1-5. Click on the link it will start reading the passage. Immerse yourself in the account.

Worship Music

As we get ready to reflect n the text and let God speak into our lives, you may want to start this instrumental worship music.


Reflect on the text

  • Where God might be speaking to you in the midst of your life today?
  • Are you paying attention?
  • Are you discerning what is holy in the midst of the ordinary?
  • What is calling your attention?
  • What is drawing you into the presence of God?
  • Where are you hearing God’s name proclaimed and God’s character revealed?
  • Are we listening to the call of God – or to our own fears?
  • Are we listening to our friends and partners, those who encourage and support us – or are we listening to the naysayers and doubters and all their put-downs?
  • Are we listening to God’s story of everlasting covenant-faithfulness? Or to all the other stories that we tell ourselves or that we hear from the Empire?
  • Sometimes in difficult times we can find ourselves far away, cushioned from hearing the cries of the suffering.
  • But God hears – and calls us to hear as well.
  • Our prayer in these times is that God would extend our listening, that we may hear what God hears.

Closing Prayer: from the book of Common Prayer

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly:
Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties,
the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do,
that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices,
and that in thy light we may see light,
and in thy straight path may not stumble;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

20 March | Turn Around – the call of GRACE

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person, some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • He calls us to be together both with him and with one another;
  • Hr calls us to wait with and for him;
  • and He calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • Get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • Take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • Invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

We are continuing in our series on the Revelation of Jesus Christ (we will get back to Mark after Easter).

Here is the video service for Sunday, 20 March 2022.

Coming Up

Youth

Sunday Night @ 7:30pm @ OCC

Griefshare

cancelled for Monday, 21 March

 

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

You can get the guide sheet for fasting here, as well as some other fasting notes.

13 March | Act 2

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person, some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • He calls us to be together both with him and with one another;
  • Hr calls us to wait with and for him;
  • and He calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • Get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • Take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • Invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

We are continuing in our series on the Revelation of Jesus Christ (we will get back to Mark after Easter).

Here is the video service for Sunday, 13 March 2022.

Coming Up

Youth

Sunday Night @ 7:30pm @ OCC

Griefshare

 

 

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

You can get the guide sheet for fasting here, as well as some other fasting notes.

financial summary February 2022

Here is an update on our giving & expenses to the end of February 2022
Thank you for your faithfulness

 

January February
2021 income 10,714.00 18,482.21
2021 expense 19,750.12 19,207.18
2022 income 18,566.00 18,545.00
2022 expense 14,919.64 16,688.03

6 March Revelation “In The Middle”

welcome

Thank you for joining us on-line.
Some of us at OCC are meeting in-person, some are meeting on-line.

  • God calls all of us into his presence;
  • He calls us to be together both with him and with one another;
  • Hr calls us to wait with and for him;
  • and He calls us to serve & bless others – those who are part of God’s kingdom and those who have not yet responded to God’s grace

As you prepare to watch our service video, we encourage you to take a few moments…

  • Get your coffee or tea, settle in, be still…
  • Take 2 or 3 deep breaths… in and out… breathe,
  • Invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that often we are not aware that he is.

We are continuing in our series on the Revelation of Jesus Christ (we will get back to Mark after Easter).

Here is the video service for Sunday, 6 March 2022.

Coming Up

Sunday 6:30-7:30pm

Join us on-line 

 

 

 

 

Youth

Sunday Night @ 7:30pm @ OCC

Griefshare

 

 

Spiritual Practices

Don’t forget to download (and begin to read) the New Testament reading plan.

You can also get the guide sheet for listening – resting – soaking in God’s presence here.

You can get the guide sheet for fasting here, as well as some other fasting notes.

LIFEGroups

Get connected to one of our online LIFEGroups.

Wednesday @ 8:00pm
Thursday @ 7:00pm

 

fasting & praying for Ukraine

Today is March 2. In many traditions, it is Ash Wednesday.

On this first day of lent Christians all around the world will say, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel”, or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

This is a sober reminder of how precious life is, but also how precarious living is for so many persons, and for our planet.

It is a reminder that the good news of God’s Kingdom is a matter of “righteousness and peace and joy” (Romans 14:17).

Today many leaders of Christian communities around the world invite Christians to fast and pray for peace in Ukraine. The public witness of the Christians (indeed persons of all religious traditions) for righteousness, peace, and joy is of great importance.

Please join me in praying and fasting today. A helpful passage to read as you go to prayer is Psalm 46

When faced with a large-scale situation, it can be difficult to know how to pray. Let me suggest a simple model of praying for 3 Ps.

  • The Problem: We ask God to intervene in challenging and difficult circumstances, and for God’s kingdom to break out.
  • People affected: We ask God to comfort those who’ve suddenly found their lives torn apart by grief, fear and trauma, and those acting to help those in need.
  • Peacemakers and politicians: We ask God to give clarity and wisdom to government agencies and peacemakers, blessing and supporting their efforts to bring peace, breakthrough and lasting solutions.

Pray for peace in Ukraine and an end to war.

  • Pray that troops from Russia will withdraw; that attacks on cities and towns will cease; for a de-escalation of the crisis.
  • Invite God’s peace to reign across Ukraine; for miraculous breakthroughs to bring an end to war.
  • Ask for God’s protection for all people; that there will be minimal loss of life.

Pray for the many people whose lives have been impacted by this crisis:

  • For God’s safety, shelter and protection for those who are living in Ukraine, those who are being or are displaced, and for refugees, as they seek safe passage to other nations.
  • Pray for God’s healing for those wounded by attacks, and comfort for those who are mourning the loss of those they love.
  • For capacity and resilience for soldiers and emergency services; those with practical skills who are working on the frontlines of both sides of the crisis.
  • Pray for those living in Russia who have also been plunged into the reality of war; who are now facing uncertainty, financial insecurity and hardship,

Pray for world leaders and those who are striving for peace in Ukraine:

  • Invite God’s breakthrough in talks between Russia and Ukraine; that a peaceful solution will be proposed and accepted.
  • Pray for wisdom and discernment for world leaders as they try to find peaceful and long-term solutions to this crisis
  • Ask for supernatural assistance and breakthrough for diplomats and peacemakers who are working behind the scenes, guiding and working to create solutions.