Passing Australia Day, the year really has begun!  The ‘Summer break’ is over.  I start a new year refreshed from an extended break on long service leave.    I enter a new year with an increased reserve of thankfulness, & my prayer is that I maintain my gratitude.  

As we start a new year, I’m reflecting & praying over our vision as a church: ‘To see more disciples of Jesus, shining as lights in our city’.   Simple as it is, there’s a lot to this statement.  In 2026, our attention turns to ‘shining as lights’.   

In my time away, I was struck by the attention given to ‘Christian Christmas’.   Europeans having nativity scenes, not Santas.   Massive cathedrals dominate the city.  A form of the light shining.  At the same time,  Christ’s glory was obscured.   Reduced to nothing more than a baby.  Sidelined in cathedrals where Mary took centre stage.   

God invites us to shine as lights & magnify Christ’s glory in the year ahead.    John the Baptist’s ministry is instructive.  John is described by Jesus as a ‘shining light’: ‘John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light’ (John 5:35).  The KJV translates it: ‘a burning and shining light’.    John shone.  Not by drawing attention to himself – even though his word & actions were bold.  He shone by pointing to Jesus.  John 1 reminds us that ‘the Baptist’ shone in other-centredness:  

‘There was a man sent by God whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world’ (John 1:6-9) 

John shone, by pointing to the true light – Jesus.  John was bold in word & action, to draw people’s attention to the source of life itself & encourage them to trust Christ.  

Join with me in praying that would be us.   Pray that we’d live & act in our community, in our workplaces & schools, our social clubs, friendship networks & family circle in such a way, that we’d stand out.  We’d stand out in works & actions to draw attention to Jesus – the true light. 

In Him

Mark Smith (Senior Minister | 8am & 7pm)