The Reverend Rob Sutherland CSC
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The Reverend Rob Sutherland CSC and Reverend Angela McNeill and the congregation at St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church at Moggill invite everyone to join in worship on Sunday 21 September 2025 - Pentecost XV
The Reverend Rob Sutherland CSC and Reverend Angela McNeill and the congregation at St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church at Moggill invite everyone to join in worship on Sunday 21 September 2025 - Pentecost XV
The Sentence
The Sentence
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9
Reflection from the Reverend Rob Sutherland CSC - 21 September 2025
Reflection from the Reverend Rob Sutherland CSC - 21 September 2025
Dear Friends,
It has been for me a week of letting go and saying goodbye; not personally and not just to our wonderful Queensland winter but to those who have been much loved. This Sunday we will commemorate St Matthew and celebrate much that we have received through him but also remember that God let him be killed, martyred, for his work as a faithful evangelist in Ethiopia.
During the funeral for Joan Morgan on Thursday, her son Peter gave a beautiful eulogy. He noted the many tough times in his mother’s life but also shared the joy of growing up in a house filled with her singing. Joan was 88 and needed much care, which Peter had lovingly given for years, but Peter shared, without directly quoting from Ecclesiastes 3, that there is a time to be born, a time to do things and a time to die.
I preached about the eternity of God’s love and hope – love is the essence of the nature of God’s relationships within Godself and the essence of the relationship that God both offers and hopes for from us. I spoke of Jesus telling and leading his disciples to heaven through his own death. Our Christian hope is to live perfectly loved by God forever.
How do we, both as a church and personally as followers of Jesus, how do we show leadership in this matter, in our personal courage, our faith, to follow Jesus through death to heaven? This I have discussed over the past week with our Archbishop and with a bishop and with a surgeon and with parishioners and others.
Why are we, we who say that we believe in God’s love and eternal life and salvation and heaven, why are we so reluctant to let go when God says, ‘It’s time to come home.’? Just because modern medicine offers to extend our lives and modern care in nursing homes stops us from dying of accidents and infections, should we accept these offers of life extension?
This week I will visit my father in Melbourne. He has over the years accepted medical age extensions; he now lives with excellent, death preventing care but, in his dementia, he wishes his life was over and asks why God won’t bring him home.
In the Gospels and New Testament, many of Jesus’s most faithful followers God allows to be killed as young men. Why do we, as God’s followers, hope to live a long life on earth?
These issues are deep and personal and complex; I’m not suggesting this is simple. My hope is not for a long life but for a long eternity surrounded by God’s love. Grace and peace and hope and love,
ROB
This Week at St Michael and All Angels
This Week at St Michael and All Angels
- Sunday 21 September 2025 Pentecost XV.
- 8.30am Holy Communion*
- Wednesday 24 September 2025
- 8.30am Morning Prayer
- Sunday 28 September 2025 - Patronal Festival – St Michael and All Angels
- 8.30am Holy Communion Service*
What's Current
What's Current
Click on the Underlined Links Below
Click on the Underlined Links Below
For comprehensive information about our parish activities keep a record of our official Website www.mmcanglican.org.au
For comprehensive information about our parish activities keep a record of our official Website www.mmcanglican.org.au
HOW TO FIND US:
(St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church is located adjacent to Moggill State School at 3407 Moggill Road Moggill QLD 4070. Catch the444 Bus to the Moggill terminus. The church is a short walk just past the 'new' Moggill State School. Originally our heritage church building was the original Moggill State School which opened in 1866.) HOW TO FIND US:
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