14 Dec 2025, Advent 3, Isaha 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11, True Joy
Before we begin, I want to share some news about my family in Korea. Last Sunday afternoon, my mother, who lives in Korea, had her official retirement ceremony. What makes this special… is that… she did not retire from a job, but from her service at the church. You might be wondering, “Was she a minister or a pastor?” The answer is no. She served in a unique role called “ Gwonsa” . This is a title specific to the Korean church, but in our context, you could think of it… as a
2 days ago7 min read
7 Dec 2025, Matthew 3: 1-12, Athelstone Uniting Church, Advent 2
Good morning, dear friends. Welcome to the second Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Peace. To begin today, as I mentioned in the newsletter, let’s have a little quiz! Every country has its own unique Christmas traditions, right? So here’s my question: What is the most popular Christmas Eve dinner in Japan? Are we ready? It’s a multiple-choice question. Listen carefully, and raise your hand when you hear the answer you think is right. Sushi and Sashimi Bento Box Fish and Chips K
Dec 77 min read
23 Nov 2025, From the Lowest Place to the Highest Promise Luke 23:33–43, Christ the King Sunday.
Recently, my mobile has been on fire. Messages kept popping up. “Hi Do Young! We are so proud of you.” “Hello, this is a huge job. We will pray for you.” Some people even came up to me personally to congratulate me. At first, I was a bit taken aback. Of course, some people… well, their eyes went very wide, like this, and they asked, “Uh…? You? Do Young? …Really?” Some reactions were quite funny. People would say, “I saw your name somewhere… I can’t remember exactly where… but
Nov 247 min read
16 Nov 2025, 2 Thessalonians 3: 6 – 13, Spiritual Muscles: Don’t Sit on the Unburnt Bench.
Photo : Rev. Jon Humphries (Facebook page) Good morning, everyone! It is so good to see you this morning! Let us look around and share the peace with one another. “Peace be with you.” When I was doing my Master’s studies in Public Theology, our supervising professor took a small group on a four-day intensive retreat at a monastery. It was Hartzer Park. Today it is used as a retreat centre and a place for spiritual formation, but in the past, it was a large training house for
Nov 178 min read
9 Nov 2025, Luke 20:27-34, The God of Living and the Living people of God
There’s one Easter I will never forget for the rest of my life. It was back in 2001. What made that Easter Sunday morning so special? Well… because I was holding a trumpet in my hands. You see, at one point in my life, I actually dreamed of playing the trumpet, not as a professional musician, but simply to play hymns with the majestic, powerful sound of the trumpet….. that would lift people’s hearts in worship. After being discharged and returning home joyfully, I celebrated,
Nov 97 min read
2 Nov 2025, Genesis 41: 37 – 52, Luke 19:1-9, The Blessing of Letting Go: Finding Our Manasseh and Coming Down
My mother-in-law, Okja, has the best memory of anyone I know. Incredibly good memory. Honestly, if she’d ever had the chance to study in the right environment, I’m sure she’d have earned several PhDs by now! Let me tell you how good her memory really is. About 18 years ago, she took her very first trip overseas — to Sydney. It wasn’t exactly a holiday; her granddaughter was about to be born, and she came all the way to help. She bravely got on an international flight all by h
Nov 37 min read
19 Oct 2025, Beyond the Wall, (Genesis 49:1–2, 22–30 | Psalm 1:1–6)
Good morning, everyone. A warm welcome to all our Year 12 students, their families, and everyone joining us today. Today is a special day—a day of blessing, celebration, and reflection. If you’re new here, this might feel a bit unfamiliar, but let’s greet one another with peace. Peace be with you. The Year 12 Survivor I am... a Year 12 survivor. Yes, that’s right. More precisely, I’m someone who endured Year 12 the stress, the exams, the group projects where only one person d
Oct 207 min read
