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God with Us - How?
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - April 13, 2014
As we've led up to Easter we've been exploring the concept of God being with Us - God with us as a King, God with us as an Example. This week we'll listen to the Lord talking to His disciples right before He was about to leave them, explaining to them how He could still be with them once He was gone physically. This will give us the chance to learn how God can be with us too, even though He's never been with us physically. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAGod with Us as Jesus and the Christ
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - March 30, 2014
This Sunday we're beginning a sermon series that will take us through Easter called "God with Us." We'll be digging into the Easter story as it's told in the Gospel of John. For this week we'll be focusing on how we react to the idea of the Lord's kingdom coming. We might think we want that to happen but when it starts to affect how we're living our lives it suddenly becomes not such an appealing idea. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSA7 Practices of Peace: Navigating
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - March 02, 2014
After cultivating new habits, a new stage comes when we start to experience the benefits of living a better way. We become lit up about the new way of living, and our love leads us forward. When we have faith in its positive effects, navigating our way through life becomes easier, more peaceful and more joyful. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSA7 Practices of Peace - Cultivating
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - February 23, 2014
Once we've acknowledged God's presence in our lives, and begun to see that there is a higher way, we are ready to take action (cultivating). These practices lead us toward creating a life that continues to be a blessing to others. The small seeds within these actions will go on to bear more fruit, more seeds, positively affecting people we may never meet. Gen 1:9-13, AC 9, TCR 529, TCR 528, AC 29 | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAWhy Does What You Believe Matter?
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 19, 2014
| By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSA"When You Have Eaten and are Full"
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 05, 2014
When things are going well and we are 'full' it is easy to forget the Lord. Moses had some warnings about this when speaking to the Israelites before they entered the promised land which we would do well to take heed of. This is a slightly adapted version of a sermon by the Rev. Dr. Reuben P. Bell. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAWhere is He Who is Born King of the Jews
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - December 15, 2013
The wise men followed a star that eventually led them to where the Lord was. And the way we picture them is either purposefully travelling across the desert, following the star, or having arrived at their destination, kneeling before Jesus. Before they made it to the Lord, however, they got a bit lost. When we're trying to follow the star in our lives we also will probably end up not in the right place at first. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAJesus' Dodgy Family History
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - December 01, 2013
This Sunday we're going to be looking at the genealogy - the long list of names - at the beginning of the gospel of Matthew. Before you decide that you've definitely got something more important to do on Sunday evening, let me explain why I chose this. I've wanted to preach about the genealogy for some time precisely because it seems boring at first. Why is it there? Why does the whole New Testament start this way? What I found is that, if you look at the list of names more closely, you see that there are actually some quite juicy details contained in it and some important information about what family Jesus was born into. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAWhat We Can Learn from Mindfulness and Meditation about Spiritual Practices
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - November 17, 2013
As human beings we have a lot to deal with - stress, grief, ambition, conflict, joy, confusion, pride, exhaustion, excitement, frustration, guilt, etc. - and rarely does it feel like we have the time and space to deal with what comes up properly. It's a hectic time of year, with lots of work and social commitments, and at times like this life can feel particularly overwhelming. This Sunday we're going to talk about simple but profound truths about how we can learn to respond to life differently. To gain the benefit of these truths will absolutely require that we change our behaviour but it will also change our lives. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAPath of Integrity 6 - Have Compassion
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - September 01, 2013
One of the hardest things to do is to let go of hurt or shame we've carried. In time, however, we may learn to see blessings that have come from our struggles and we can forgive others as well as ourselves. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAPath of Integrity 5 - Take Responsibility
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - August 25, 2013
Integrity is taking responsibility for our choices and their consequences. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAPath of Integrity 2 - Drop the Distractions
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - August 04, 2013
Soon after you gain clarity about your dream, you will see more clearly the addictions, temptations, and other distractions that threaten to sabotage your efforts. We call these "distractions" because they take you off the track of your true path. This is your chance to break old habits and build new ones that support your goals. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAUnderstanding Marriage 3 - The Wisdom of Women
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - July 14, 2013
This Sunday I'll be reading a sermon by Rev. John Odhner, a minister who has done a lot of marriage work. In this thought-provoking sermon he talks about when men should listen to their wives and about one of the main things that destroys marriages. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAUnderstanding Marriage 2 - Getting Married and Staying Married
Worship Service: Sermon only - July 07, 2013
Why get married? Why stay married? A lot of people are asking these questions and don't have good answers to them. Last Sunday we talked about what's most important in the first stages of getting married, in dating, proposing, and getting betrothed (if you don't know what betrothal is then read or listen to last week's sermon). This week we're talking about what's most important in the wedding service and being married. If we understand that then maybe we'll be able to answer those questions. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAUnderstanding Marriage 1 - Dating, Proposing, Betrothal
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 30, 2013
Have you been to a wedding recently? Have you thought about why we have weddings or marriages for that matter? Are they important or are they just legal paperwork? You can probably guess what the answer is but can you explain why? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAThe New Jerusalem - Why Jerusalem
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 26, 2013
This Sunday we are celebrating New Church Day by talking about the Holy City New Jerusalem, as we often do. This time we are focusing on why it's the New Jerusalem. Why not New Bethlehem or New Durban? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSACaptivity, Part 1 - The Value of Captivity
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - May 19, 2013
In the story of the Bible God allows His chosen people to be taken away into captivity. Enemies come and destroy the temple and all of Jerusalem and take the people far away from the Promised Land. What was the value of this experience for the people and what is the value in our lives of times when we are taken far away from where we want to be? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSABegin a New Life, Part 3 - Why Prayer is Essential in Changing Our Lives
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - April 28, 2013
This Sunday we're continuing our series on beginning a new life. In the past 2 weeks we talked about seeing a problem in ourselves and owning it. Then what? Do you need help dealing with your issues? The Lord can help us in huge ways if we know how to get His help. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAThe Problems with Loosening the 10 Commandments
Worship Service: Sermon only - April 07, 2013
There are times in life when doing a "good enough" job just won't cut it. When is that the case in our spiritual lives? Are you doing a good enough job of keeping the 10 Commandments? Will that cut it? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAGood News From Mark, Part 10 - Going Into Enemy Territory With Love
Worship Service: Sermon only - March 17, 2013
This week we're reading about how Jesus went to Jerusalem, knowing that people were going to do all they could to take Him down. How did He respond to their challenges and what can we learn from it? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAGood News From Mark, Part 6 - Be Opened!
Worship Service: Sermon only - February 17, 2013
Did you grow up in a church environment? How has that affected your spiritual life today positively or negatively? There are significant advantages to growing up in a church environment and there also problems that 'church people' often have that other people don't. The stories we're going to read from Mark this week will help us identify some of those problems so that we can deal with them and gain the full benefit of being part of a religious community. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAGood News From Mark, Part 4 - Don't Tell Anyone
Worship Service: Sermon only - February 03, 2013
There's this confusing thing that happens a number of times in the Gospel of Mark. The Lord heals someone in an amazing way but then tells them not to tell anyone. Why not? Other times He specifically tells people to go and tell people what has happened. What's the difference? This Sunday we're going to see if we can figure out what's going on here and also what we can learn about when we need to keep quiet and when we need to spread the good news. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAGood News From Mark, Part 1 - Repent and Believe in the Gospel
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 13, 2013
This Sunday we begin a new sermon series, "Good News from Mark." From now until Easter we will reading through the Gospel of Mark and exploring what good news it has for our lives. In this sermon we focus on the first words of Jesus Christ, "Repent and believe in the gospel." Find more resources at www.newchurchwestville.co.za/mark | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAHow to Be as Happy as the Angels
Worship Service: Children & Adult - December 25, 2012
The angels were so happy to get to tell the good news to the shepherds that the Lord had been born. What can we learn from the angels about how to be happy? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSAWaiting For the Lord, Part 1 - What Happens When We Don't Wait
Worship Service: Sermon only - November 25, 2012
As it gets closer to Christmastime we're going to be spending a couple of weeks thinking about what it's like to wait for the Lord to come. There are things that we want the Lord to do and sometimes we wait and wait and wait and nothing seems to change. This Sunday we're going to look at what happens when we get fed up with waiting on the Lord and make another plan instead. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Westville, RSA