St. Peter's Fireside

In the eighth week of the series, The Table Of Undeserving Friends, Pastor Alastair Sterne walks us through Acts 9. In this passage we learn that loving our enemies isn't just an idea, it's a practice; and it's a practice that can only take place when we recognize that we too have been enemies.

In the seventh week of the series, The Table Of Undeserving Friends, Pastor Alastair Sterne walks us through 2 Kings 5. Naaman's encounter with the prophet Elisha. We see that no amount of power or strength can earn us a seat at God's table. The way into the kingdom of God is through weakness, not strength.

In celebration of Pentecost, Pastor Alastair preached on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-11. In this passage, we discover the power which gave birth to the early church: The Holy Spirit. If Pentecost didn't happen, the church is just a social club. But if Pentecost truly happened (and it did), the church is the body of Christ and is invited to play a part in making Jesus known for the sake of the nations.

In the sixth week of the series, The Table Of Undeserving Friends, Pastor Roger Revell at 1 Kings 17. The prophet Elijah's time with the widow of Zarephath teaches us that God's hospitality is most profound and life changing in mutual human weakness.

In the fifth week of the series, The Table Of Undeserving Friends, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at 1 Samuel 25. Abigail intervenes between the foolishness of her husband, Nabal, and the reckless anger of King David. In doing show, she shows us how messy hospitality can be here and now and how we need someone to intervene for us.

In the fourth week of our series, The Table Of Undeserving Friends, Pastor Alastair Sterne walks through Luke 7:36-50. In this scandalous scene, Jesus dines with Simon the Pharisee and a prostitute. In it, he asks Simon, "Do you see this woman?" How we see her determines how we see God welcoming others.

In the second week of the series Bishop Trevor Walters looks at hospitality through the story of two quarreling sisters: Mary and Martha. He looks at the surprising display of hospitality that Jesus shows Mary by allowing her to sit with his other disciples and listen to his teachings. Through this he demonstrates that hospitality is not about the details and the finest food and drink, but rather about offering ourselves to our guests.

In the third week of the series Michael Chase walks us through the story of Solomon Welcoming the Queen of Sheba to Jerusalem. He uses Jesus' reading of the Solomon and Sheba story to expound both the way in which Jesus lays out the table for us and the way we are to approach it. He also shows that like Solomon's display of hospitality, ours too are imperfect. Yet we take refuge in the fact that God still used Solomon and he continues to use us to make himself known in the world.

In the first week of our series, The Table Of Undeserving Friends, Pastor Alastair looks at how King David extended a radical, unprecedented, breathtaking welcome to Mephibosheth. He asks the question, "What drove David to do this?" and in the same way we have to ask ourselves "What should drive us to exhibit the same welcoming arms in our own lives?"

In this Easter Sunday sermon, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at Thomas' encounter with the risen Lord. His experience captures the climax and lunacy of Easter, and in it we discover that what we think we need to believe in Jesus may not be what we actually need.

In this Good Friday sermon, Pastor Roger Revell dwells on why Jesus had to die and how it reveals to us the great cost of sin.

In this sermon Pastor Michael Chase shows us why Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey is such a significant event. It was the way he chose to show the world that he was the king they had been waiting for. But a very specific kind of King - a king of peace. He examines the various reactions to Jesus' 'Triumphal Entry' and why it's so important that we don't miss who Jesus is revealing himself to be.

In the last week of our series in Jonah, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at Jonah 4:1-11. Jonah isn't about a whale, it's about a plant. Under the unpredictable plant, Jonah explodes with anger at God. In this passage, we discover that Jonah can't live with grace. But we also see that Jonah can't live without grace either. Why is grace so difficult for Jonah to accept? Why is grace so difficult for us to accept too?

In the fourth week of our series in Jonah, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at Jonah 3:1-10. Jonah finally walks in God’s calling and heads to Ninevah. And in his footsteps we discover that our primarily calling is always to God himself. But the people and place God calls us to play an important part in our calling to follow God.

In the third week of our series in Jonah, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at Jonah 1:17-2:10. When Jonah can descend no further from God, he finally prays. But while his prayer looks good on the surface, it is rife with problems. Jonah's prayer forces us to consider how we pray, and why God still answers our prayers even when our hearts and words are a mess.

In the second week of our series in Jonah, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at Jonah 1:4-16. In this passage, he explores how Jonah would prefer death over living with a fuller picture of who God is. We too have to confront how we settle for smaller versions of God, even if it's to our own demise.

In the first week of our series in Jonah, Pastor Alastair Sterne looks at Jonah 1:1-3. In this passage, he explores Jonah's almost allergic reaction to the call of God. In the same way, we too flee from God's call to go to the city.

The Lenten season is often misunderstood. People say "It's empty ritual" or they question it's origins and say "It's not in Scripture!" But if we meaningfully engage in the season of Lent, God can use it to help us become more fully the people of Easter.

In the third and final week of our series, Love Money, Pastor Roger looks at 1 Timothy 6:11-16. In this passage, we encounter an invitation to unload and share wealth rather than grasp and accumulate it. We also find an outline for the right pursuit of money, the joy-filled possibilities for wealth, and the true source of wealth found in relationship with Christ.

In the second week of our series, Love Money, Pastor Alastair looks at 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 17-19. This is one of the few passages in all of Scripture that offers a corrective for the rich. While being rich can be problematic, it's also an opportunity to demonstrate God's richness and generosity.