Today is known on the church calendar as "Transfiguration Sunday" as well as "7th Sunday after Epiphany".

Thank you to Kathy S who was today's Worship Leader. Kathy engaged us from the start with "Welcome to Country" and a prayer "May We Walk In His Way".

Kathy interviewed Leanne B, a member of our church and who works with Wayside Chapel. As Finance Manager, Leanne has financial responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day finance function, payroll and reporting.

Leanne has experienced the Wayside Chapel’s motto "Love over Hate" where each visitor is welcomed with respect; creating community with no ‘us and them’. They do this by breaking down the barriers of judgement and providing a safe place where people from all walks of life are welcome. At Wayside, everyone is a person to be met, not a problem to be solved. Wayside Chapel has provided unconditional love, care and support for people on and around the streets of Kings Cross, and the wider Eastern Suburbs since 1964.

Bruce Hanna, our preacher for today continued the theme of Love over Hate. Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 gives a very clear direction of how we should live:

It reminded me of another term I recently heard and loved which gives dignity to all people that are often labelled and that is "People of Determination". 

Our second reading, Matthew 5: 38-48 takes the above message further in that, we should go the extra mile. Jesus, that wonderful Rebel, never took the line of least resistance and his teachings pushes us to go beyond our "own" property and people; to take positive action for the good of all. Jesus calls us to enter into relationship and community with one another and take up the challenge of unconditional love for all people.

The message today was an "epiphany" as we were reminded quite powerfully of how Jesus' love in action makes a difference: with the example so well emphasised through the shared experiences of the visitors, staff and volunteers to Wayside Chapel.

Genelle N