Theme for week 4 – Love

– What does the love of God personally mean to you? Can you describe it in a word, feeling or image

– Can you think of a moment in your life when you felt God’s love clearly?  What happened? How did it change you

– Romans 8: 38-39, says nothing can separate us from God’s love.  How does this help us in times of difficulty or hardship

– How does receiving God’s love influence the way you treat others.  Do you think it is possible to love others well without first knowing God’s love for you 

Theme for week 3 – Joy

1) Joy in God’s Presence

In El Greco’s portrait, the faces of the Holy Family radiate a quiet, interior peace.
What does Joy mean to you & how do you experience it?   How does the painting help us understand the Christian idea that joy is found not in circumstances but in God’s presence?

2 Joy and Vulnerability

The infant Jesus is portrayed with tenderness, held in the midst of a humble family.
How does the vulnerability of Christ invite us to look for joy in humility and simplicity rather than power or achievement?

3. Communal Joy

Each figure in the painting contributes to an atmosphere of shared love and devotion.
How do we experience joy differently when it is shared within a community or family of faith, rather than pursued individually?

If you would like a referral from Rev Lu or Rev Tabitha, please talk to them.

Theme for week 2 – Peace

Questions for reflections

1. Peace After Chaos — What Does God’s Promise Mean Today?

Simon de Myle’s painting shows the violent storm and desperate struggle around the ark. In Genesis, the flood ends with God’s covenant of peace symbolised by the rainbow.

Discussion question:

How does the contrast between chaos and the rainbow of promise help us understand the kind of peace God offers, not the absence of trouble, but hope and faithfulness in the midst of it?

2. Who or What Is Our Ark?

In the painting, Noah, his family, and the animals are sheltered within the ark while destruction surrounds them.

Discussion question:

In today’s world of conflict, anxiety, and uncertainty, what does “the ark” represent for us? Where do we find God’s peace and safety, personally, spiritually, or within our community?

3. Peace as a Calling, Not Just a Gift

Once the flood ends, Noah is sent out to rebuild, restore, and live differently in God’s renewed creation.

Discussion question:

How does the story, and Simon de Myle’s dramatic depiction, challenge us not just to receive God’s peace, but to become peacemakers in a fractured world? What practical steps can we take?