Sermons by Rev. Steve Jourdain
(Minister)
Steve and Shirley Jourdain
Being Better Fathers in the Lord
Ian Grant recently commented on the greatest plague of the Western World - "fatherlessness". Men generally tend to be task-oriented; married to their jobs or living out in their backyard sheds; often under pressure and tired when they come home, and more likely to be irritable and grumpy with their kids; whereas mothers are generally relationship-oriented, are expert multi-taskers and seem to have been created with a large dose of divine patience! The Apostle Paul wrote: "Fathers, do not exasperate (irritate, embitter, be hard on) your children, or they will become discouraged."
What would Paul write about marriage if he was writing today?
Remain faithful.
Men tend to be things-orientated, be preoccupied with activities and work. Can be workaholics.
Women more relationship-orientated and martyrs for their children and husbands.
Find out what loving your particular partner really means. (The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman):
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Words of Affirmation,
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Quality Time,
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Receiving Gifts,
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Acts of Service,
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Physical Touch (GATTS for short)
For some time now, St Albans has had a "Student Welcome Sunday" on the day before Massey lectures start, as a way of welcoming new students and returning students to St Albans.
'We believe that the church should be a welcoming, invitational community which warmly invites others into Christian conversation and community.'
Luke 19 v 28-44
Today is Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday, where the word "passion" refers to the sufferings of our Lord, especially at his crucifixion but also in the events of the week leading up to it. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. There are four aspects of this story which point to Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem for the Passover festival being an historic moment.
God's Word to Tertiary
Students
Some of our young people are about to leave or have already left town and
home this week to pursue tertiary studies. They are also entering another phase
in the 'university of life', What would I say to the young people from and
within our church family who are doing tertiary study? And I trust that what I
share will be encouraging to those of us who aren't. I want to speak from Paul's words to the Romans, chapter 12 verses 1 and 2.
How do we measure Christian growth / health?, what are the signs of mature discipleship? Rate yourself from 1 (low) to 10 (high) on these measures.
Leadership is about seeking to influence others in some way or direction. With this definition, most of us are in some kind of leadership position, in our families, workplaces, community groups or some ministry in the church..
Foundation stone or Stumbling block?
At a pivotal stage in his ministry on earth, Jesus asked his disciples "Who do YOU say that I am?" - and the question remains as potent now as then; the answer we give determines our personal destiny, and whether Jesus becomes a foundation stone for us, or a stone against which we stumble
A vision for service
(a mini-series)