Brighton Uniting Church in Brighton, South Australia, Australia | Religious organisation

Brighton Uniting Church

Locality: Brighton, South Australia, Australia

Phone: +61 423 740 154

Address: 443 Brighton Road 5048 Brighton, SA, Australia

Website: https://brighton.ucasa.org.au/

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25.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday October 18th. We have Rev David Houston leading the worship and Rosemarie reading the scriptures, Anne on piano with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing the entertaining Children's session and sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube https://youtu.be/-ks8HC-Or_c

24.01.2022 The young people listened to a story on being special in God's eyes. Please note no video recording of today's service. We do have a podcast available on the website

23.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday Nov 22nd. We are back to no congregation due to Convid-19 restrictions for this week but hopefully this will change for next week. Please pass this link around to anyone you know that normally attends. We have Kate leading the worship and Robert reading the scriptures, our guest preacher is Daphne Wetherill who is providing the sermon. We are also using some new Audio Visuals we hope enhances the service. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/YSRJpkG47ws

23.01.2022 This weeks message from Rev Malcolm Rawlings - Father’s Day is a time to remember and celebrate those men who have had a significant influence on our lives. No matter what the context of our families, we are who we are in response to those around us. Our families are all different and we all have had different experiences of being fathered in our lives. Some men were wise and helpful fathers, others were not so helpful. Some men have left paths of grief and harm. Whatever our... context may we seek the good and life giving in our journey. As we reflect upon the men who were a fatherly influence in our lives, many of us remember strength, wisdom and gentleness. Some of us may have a more painful experience thinking about the masculine energy that was present in the men of our lives. Whatever our memories, whatever experience we share, we are who we are because of, and in spite of our past. Our life’s experiences can be helpful in our development and maturing if we hold them gently and with wisdom. Today take some time to recognise and be glad for the strength, wisdom and gentleness that was given to you from those in a fatherly role in your life. Take some time to release the difficult and painful memories of those who were unhelpful in your life. Let go of the grief and allow grace to heal your wounds, and begin to create patterns of health and love. Ponder on God as your patient loving parent in whose image, male and female, you were created. Discover kindness, gentleness, peace and patience as you see God at work in your life. Let God’s influence reveal the image of God within you as you are encouraged to recognise your place in God’s worldwide family. For more on this topic watch our next YouTube video or attend our worship this Sunday at Brighton Uniting church.

22.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday September 27th. We have Kate Tretheway leading the worship and Lorraine Chapman reading the scriptures with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing the entertaining Children's session and sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/wzcVZ-dDGH0

21.01.2022 This weeks message from Rev Malcolm Rawlings- Whatever happens I will trust in God. Circumstances will change and I find my life in constant flux. It doesn’t matter if the changes are helpful or unhelpful, I know that change is constant. I also know that whatever happens, God is. God is present, God is caring, God is evident in the world around me. Even when life crashes down around me, God still remains. Even when life becomes monotonous, God remains.... Even when my ideas about God change, God still remains. Like all of creation, I am loved by God, I am welcomed into God’s family by God’s grace. I am significant and there is a reason for my existence. I am influenced by others and I make an impact upon my world. This fact and the fact that I know this fact makes a difference in my life and I acknowledge that whatever happens God is still God. God’s love and grace continues to influence my life and nothing can change that. Even in the darkest of times, God’s light still shines through. The smallest candle can still be seen in the darkest night. So, regardless of the circumstances I am in, God still is with me. Regardless of the outcomes of my life I will trust in God. Watch our videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oZXXy1wVpwpgCrlQ3r5ng or visit or church at 443 Brighton road Brighton.

19.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday Nov 15th. We have Darryl leading the worship and Josh reading the scriptures, Kate and her children providing the music with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing the sermon and an entertaining Children's session firing arrows at the ceiling. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/s4KYap9x8yI

19.01.2022 Muscles are essential for our bodies to move and function and survive. Muscles need sustenance and movement to exist. If we stop moving and fail to care for our bodies they can atrophy, weaken and cease to function. However, on the other hand too much sustenance and not enough movement leads to them being encased in fatty tissue. So, we live a battle of seeking to find the balance of rest and activity, of plenty and restraint so that life can be enjoyed. Many of us exercise t...o develop our muscles, to enable them to grow. It seems that exercise can help and if you want your muscles to grow, they need to be put under stress and tension. In fact, our muscles need to tear, to break and then the body repairs itself and strengthens the muscle fibres. This is the process that makes our muscles grow bigger and stronger. If we don’t stretch, stress and tear the fibres there is no significant growth. We also need to allow times of rest in between times of exercise. Wisdom, care and balance are helpful in the care of our bodies. As this works in our bodies so it is similar in our souls, in our spiritual and emotional growth. As we experience stress and loss, our souls and hearts can tear, and we need to allow healing and repair. This weeks message from Malcolm Rawlings Unfortunately, many of us don’t help the process as we try to deny and ignore our pain, or project our struggles as someone else’s fault. God the instigator of all life enables us to embrace our pain in the crisis’s we face. God is with us, alongside us as we process our pain and aids in the healing properties of our souls. It is a process of grace and often takes time, and requires us to recognise what is happening and participate in the process. Whatever is troubling you, whatever stresses you face; take time to acknowledge that God is with you and that grace can aid in your healing and strengthening of your soul. May you take time to seek God’s wisdom, care and balance in your life. - For more on this subject watch our YouTube Video or your welcome to attend worship this Sunday 443 Brighton rd Brighton

18.01.2022 It has been a very challenging week and I hope that you have managed it well. There is no Grapevine Newsletter this week because, for most of the week, we could not hold a worship service in the Church. We were following the advice from Synod which said that all Uniting Church buildings were closed for the 2 weeks of the new COVID restrictions. However, the amended restrictions applying from midnight Saturday have allowed us a little more flexibility. Brighton Uniting will no...t hold a public worship service this Sunday. Unfortunately, this means that you will not be able to attend our Church on Sunday 22nd November. It is quite possible that this could also apply for Sunday 29th November, but there will be more information on this next week. We will record a service on Sunday which will be available on YouTube with a link in Facebook on Monday or Tuesday. Blessings to all.

18.01.2022 This weeks message - All Saints Day is the day after Halloween. Traditionally it is a time to remember people who have been recognised by the church as very Holy people. Over the centuries there have been many men and women raised to the level of sainthood for their holy lives and positive influence upon our world. It is good for us to pause and reflect upon how people have generously lived their lives for others often suffering themselves in the process. It can seem that the...se people are so holy that we have little connection with them. History can remove us from the reality of their lives and our life experiences seem so ordinary and mundane. The truth is that people are people and we all have similar likes and dislikes. We are all prone to tiredness, distractions and prejudices. All of us are able to do good things out of compassion for others. Yes, sometimes people are exceptional and their context lifts them to greater challenges and opportunities. However, God sees the potential for goodness within each one of us. We all have a life that can bring positive influence upon others. So, when we think about the Saints of old, or the people who have encouraged us along our path let us recognise that we too have an influence for good. God delights in his people, you and I; and crowns us with salvation. God gives freedom to be the best we can be and to make our world a better place. Watch our videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oZXXy1wVpwpgCrlQ3r5ng or visit or church at 443 Brighton road Brighton.

17.01.2022 Life is about participation; we never really are spectators as everything we do and experience has an impact upon our lives. Our responses to our experiences affect who we are and lead to other responses and experiences. Of course, some of our life experiences have greater consequences than others, however we are often unaware of where things will lead. It’s a bit like the pebble in the pond; the distance the ripples travel depends on the boundaries of the pond. Jesus tells ...a story about 3 people and their responses to life situations, 2 people respond positively to the tasks they are given, engaging in their duties with eagerness and commitment, the other person responds fearfully and chooses an option with minimal risk. The story ends with praise and recognition for the 2 who sought to be positively engaged in their tasks and acknowledgment of the lack of participation by the third. The story uses monetary gain as its context which is not the point of the story. The lesson to be learnt can be about living our lives the best that we can, participating positively, generously and with hope in a benevolent universe. God seeks for us to live our lives courageously and positively, regardless of our context, class or financial situations. The point is about being the best you can be whilst recognising your worth in God’s eyes. Jesus enables us to discover our worth because we know that through him, we are cherished, forgiven and accepted by God. We also know that life doesn’t always work out as we would like, and God invites us to continue seeking grace filled possibilities through God’s participation in our lives. May your coming week be filled with possibilities of positive participation. See more

12.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday September 6th. We have Darryl Carr leading the worship and Ros reading the scriptures with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing a sermon. The video link is below. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/XVysf7-v6MQ

12.01.2022 This weeks message from Rev Malcolm Rawlings- Life can have a way of wearing us down. We become weary in holding onto our faith. The state of our world is over whelming in its problems and mess. We have been faithful and trusted in God and yet there seems to be so much wrong with our world. Why doesn’t God intervene and answer our prayers? We used to pray often and believe that it would make a difference, and now it is harder to rally our faith into words of request. Sometime...s we just don’t believe that we can make things better. Some of us are tired and have decided that it’s better not to ask so that we are not disappointed by a God who doesn’t seem to act. Out of the doldrums of our faith God still speaks and dares us to trust in God and seek God’s movement in our lives. When we stop and reflect upon life, it is possible for us to see that God is making a difference personally, locally and globally. Miracles still happen and prayers are still being answered. Faith and prayer are still influential in realising God’s pattern for our world. They are not magic words or lucky charms, rather faith and prayer remind us of God’s presence, enable us to see the bigger picture and transform our desires into selfless patterns of grace. Wherever you are on your journey, let God coax you into deeper faith and seek to engage you as prayer partners making this world a better place and sharing the reality of God’s grace with those around you. Watch our videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oZXXy1wVpwpgCrlQ3r5ng or visit or church at 443 Brighton road Brighton. See more

12.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday Nov 1st. We have Tineke leading the worship and Ros reading the scriptures, Lesley on piano with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing an entertaining Children's session and thoughtful sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/y6ueNRx7DOQ

10.01.2022 This weeks message from Rev Malcolm Rawlings- Life is hard and I often find myself in trouble with many problems. I have prayed to God to make my life easier, yet things have a way of becoming worse. I have been told that the hard times are good for me, that it is then that I develop good character and that I become more aware of God’s presence with me. I also know that broken bones do heal stronger and that I appreciate my life more after I have been through difficult times.... This is all well and good, it’s just that I think it has been long enough God and surely, I have learnt a lot, so wouldn’t it be okay to ease up a little and make my life a bit more comfortable now. I know that Jesus said that if people come to him, he will ease their burdens and give them rest. So, I’m thinking it would be good for my life to experience some of your blessings, God. I know you love me, so I’m just asking for some relief and a few easier days. I have had this conversation with God during my life, mostly when I am feeling desperate and it is here in the anguish that the penny drops and I become aware of the opportunity that is before me. I discover that the delay in receiving blessings is not with God’s timing but with my willingness to learn. In the midst of my journey I find that my reluctance to understand life in the bigger picture blocks my appreciation of what is happening all around me. Life is not just about me and my struggles, I am part of a bigger community, and it is in becoming aware of my interdependency with others that our troubles are shared and relationships are strengthened and grace is recognised. This is true most of the time, however there are some struggles that are overwhelming and I am still learning how to live through them. Yet I still seek to be open to God being with me through it all. Watch our videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oZXXy1wVpwpgCrlQ3r5ng or visit or church at 443 Brighton road Brighton.

10.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday September 13th. We have Tineke leading the worship and Brian reading the scriptures with Sue Pearce reading Rev David Houston's sermon. The video link is below. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/ycfvJFWocNw

10.01.2022 This weeks message from Rev Malcolm Rawlings- None of us are perfect, the truth is our lives are littered with many mistakes. We have hurt others and ourselves with the choices we have made. Sometimes our mistakes have minor consequences, other times the consequences are painful and damaging. Whatever the circumstances life is always better if we move forward and seek to bring hope and love in the midst of life’s challenges. Sometimes, we can find ourselves stuck in our past ...mistakes as we burden ourselves with guilt and shame. We become immobile as we label ourselves with our past deeds. We are more than our mistakes; we are not branded by our previous actions. God sees us as so much more that what we have done. God knows who we are and still loves us. God’s acceptance of us regardless of our past frees us to make a better future. We still are conscious of our mistakes and we live within the consequences of our actions, it is that we are not trapped by the stigma of our thoughts. When we see ourselves through God’s eyes, we become aware of the great possibilities that God is able to achieve through us. We discover the freedom to be the best we can be. We know that at some time in the future we will fail and that’s ok. We still have the opportunity to stand up and try again. Every day is a new day to go forward in God’s love and acceptance. We can believe in God, we can believe in ourselves, we can believe that we are flawless through God’s grace in Jesus. Watch our videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oZXXy1wVpwpgCrlQ3r5ng or visit or church at 443 Brighton road Brighton. See more

10.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday October 4th. We have Robert Backhouse leading the worship and Lyn Wood reading the scriptures, Graham Gardiner on piano with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing the entertaining Children's session and sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/y7Qx5YwMT0A

08.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday October 25th. We have Sue Pearce leading the worship and Lorraine reading the scriptures, Tony on piano with Rev Malcolm Rawlings get's his shirt off to provide this entertaining Children's session and sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/MnbAU0oSl_8

06.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday October 11th. We have Elizabeth leading the worship and Brian reading the scriptures, Lesley on piano with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing the entertaining Children's session and sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/lEvnRY_S6gc

04.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship service for Sunday August 30th. We have Rev David Houston leading the worship and Heather reading the scriptures with Rev Malcolm Rawlings providing a sermon The video link is below. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/dWri9Q63C0I

04.01.2022 On Saturday, September 12th 2020, we held our Presbytery meeting at Adelaide West Uniting Church. It was a fantastic event with great attendance within COVID-19... guidelines. The meeting included the induction of Diane Bury as the Presbytery Chairperson, as well as the ordination of Rev Haydn Lush. We also heard from the moderator and general secretary about where the church is currently, as well as Cyrus Kung, who the Presbytery voted in favour of ordination (which will happen later I'm the year so watch this space!). Other highlights included Dr Tanya Wittwer and Rev Dr Christy Capper running a phenomenal information session about COVID-19 and collective trauma, as well as voting to adopt several of our new Presbytery rules. Many blessings for this who attended and this who were unable to attend, and continued prayers for our Presbytery as we continue to do the important tasks required to develop it further.

03.01.2022 This weeks message from Rev Malcolm Rawlings - Our world is an amazing place with rich diversity of life and interdependence as all things exist together. Life is so complex and delicately balanced and we have seen what can happen when this balance is disrupted. There is so much diversity around us that often we take our world for granted. We used to believe that our world and all within it will continue to survive and adapt despite what we do to it. We have realised that thi...s is not true. Climate change and extinction of species are concerns for many of us today. There is a delicate balance between all things and we have not always appreciated our impact upon nature. If we as humans reflected more upon what nature can teach us rather than what we can use nature for, then our world would be more effective in cooperating with each other. Our world with its complex ecosystems is full of teachable moments if we would take a humbler position and seek the wisdom that is offered. All of our world was given to reveal God’s glory, grace and presence. At its best creation can give us insight into the wonderful, complex creator God that caused all existence to be. God delights when all of creation lives together in cooperative interactive existence. We have an opportunity to help our world heal from the destruction it has experienced and our time seems limited to make amends. We also have an opportunity to help nature heal as part of our desire to give glory to our God. God is praised when all of creation respects and cares for each other. Let us seek to do our part in making our world a better, healthier place for all things, and praise God in our efforts to live in harmony with every part of creation. Watch our videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oZXXy1wVpwpgCrlQ3r5ng or visit or church at 443 Brighton road Brighton. See more

03.01.2022 Welcome to our Online worship and Remembrance Day service for Sunday Nov 8th. We have Elizabeth leading the worship and Anne reading the scriptures, Graham on piano with Rev Malcolm Rawlings on his Smartphone during an entertaining Children's session and provides thoughtful sermon. The video link is below. You are welcome to join us each Sunday at Brighton Uniting church 443 Brighton road Brighton. Don't forget to click on the Subscribe button in YouTube. https://youtu.be/NVxmUg0WST8

02.01.2022 And morning tea is back! (With the appropriate precautions in place)