Carol Service with our famous Matrushka doll
​
As we gather around the table this morning, we come as people in search of peace. We know how easily feelings of fear, anger and greed destroy relationships and communities.
​
We place a Matrushka doll on the table, the grandmother of storytelling, reminding us of all the bold storytellers of our own faith tradition: mothers and fathers, kings and rulers, prophets and sages, wonderful messengers of hope and transformation.
We open the Matrushka doll, layer upon layer, story upon story, searching our stories of faith for messages of hope and healing as we respond with songs of praise.
We draw close to the stories because we want to be close to the child of peace, the hidden centre of our lives and hopes, proclaimed in hopeful visions, promised in unlikely friendships, hidden in forgotten spaces, discovered in mysterious encounters, born in humble places, treasured by eager hearts and revealed to wisdom seekers.
same sex marriage in our sanctuary
St Francis Sunday with the blessing of animals
Celebrating Women's Month in August 2018
​
Some of our young people
read to us stories of rebel girls
in the service.
​
Reflecting on the life of
the medieval mystic and feminist
Teresa of Avila we learnt a new
Taize Chant, whose lyrics are based on a prayer by Teresa:
​
Let nothing trouble you.
Let nothing frighten you.
Whoever has God, lacks nothing.
Let nothing trouble you.
Let nothing frighten you.
God alone is sufficient.
RUC celebrated its 5th Carnival this year.
Life is hard, you know, laughter is how we come to terms with all the ironies
and cruelties and uncertainties that we face." - Desmond Tutu
Our new giraffe and her sculpturer Zolile Williams have arrived at RUC. The sculpture is Rhoda Kadalie's farewell gift to the congregation and forms part of our vision to create Isaiah's peaceable kingdom in our church's front garden.
Listening to the birds together with St. Francis. Jill Joubert came to speak
to us about her recent exhibition Abandoned Saints and Forgotten Stories.
To have her wooden sculpture in our sanctuary was a very special gift.
Prof Steven Gish spoke to us about his most recent publication on Amy Biehl. She is included on the Wall of Names at Freedom Park in Pretoria, honoring those who contributed to South Africa’s liberation struggle.