Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. Luke 4:1

This week we begin our Lenten study groups. There are three groups meeting each week to reflect on the Gospel passages for the Sundays during Lent. The groups are meeting on Tuesdays at 10.00am and 7.30pm and on Wednesdays at 7.30pm. All groups are meeting in the Harbour Room at Christ Church Cathedral.

You are most welcome to join us or you can join in the discussion on our Facebook page (go to the discussions tab – you need to have a Facebook account to participate… very easy to set up if you don’t already have one)

To see what else is happening at the Cathedral check out our online calender here

Together with Anglican Churches around the country, Christ Church Cathedral in Darwin is inviting people to come back to church on September 13th, 2009.

With music provided by the Darwin City Brass Band, we hope people will come and see what it is we do here on Sunday mornings and why we think we have something worth sharing.

As part of the service the Dean will offer an apology to those who may have been hurt by the church in the past, either at the Cathedral or in other places.

We hope many people will accept our invitation to “come as you are” on Back to Church Sunday.

Who have you invited back to church?

Click here to see what else is happening at the Cathedral this month.

Some said

there had been too much rain
and the roof
long cracked after years of stress
gave way from water seeping in.

Others said
what fell from the heavens
had nothing to do with it,
that the church walls
had pushed out toward the street
so that the massive stained glass window of the Almighty Father
had fallen in and left a hole,
a silhouette of the icon
that used to command the whole church
from high above the nave.

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The challenge of a “good” shepherd is the same presented by a “good” samaritan – all our prejudices are confronted by the Christ who says”everyone is your neighbour – and especially those you hate” (like shepherds and samaritans for Jesus’ first hearers). The scandal is lost on us who have only romantic notions of shepherds. Perhaps we get a better feel for Jesus’ intent if as Nigel Taber-Hamilton suggests, in his article in The Witness, we hear Jesus say “I am the good Muslim”, “I am the good homeless person”…