Saint Mary's Talks and Podcasts
Sep 28, 2026 · 0 min · 9 segments
Jon shares on our Vision Sunday, using the story of Joshua as a template to help us reflect on the past 8 years of Saint Mary's, as well as look ahead to where God may be leading us next.
"I'm looking for someone to share an adventure that I'm arranging, and it is very difficult to find anyone." "I should think so in these parts.
We're plain, quiet folk and have no use for adventure.
Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things.
Gandalf in trying to pique his interest, "You will have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." "Can you promise that I will come back?" And wise Gandalf re- slowly responds, "No, and if you do, you will never be the same." This summer, uh, as a family, we listened to the epic storybook, uh, audiobook adventure that is The Hobbit.
A- and as we did over and over again, I just found myself thinking what incredible creativity, what incredible imagery and imagination Tolkien uses to capture the reality of faith.
And Bilbo, although initially distracted by worldly pleasantries and comforts, material possessions, he eventually chooses to follow.
And what you see i- in the, uh, rest of the book is him discovering his life, discovering the adventure that he was called into and that a life of faith in Jesus is an adven- invitation into an adventure.
A long, often unexpected journey with challenges, with danger, with pain, surprises, moments of breathtaking beauty, and moments of bellyaching silliness.
For the next two weeks, I want us to consider together the adventure that we are called on here as a community at St. Mary's to live towards our vision o- of following the way of Jesus, playing our part in the renewal of our city.
A- and to do that, a- as Beryl has already reminded us, we are going to need a power from beyond us.
We're gonna need a perspective.
So why don't we pray? And maybe just at the start, maybe just, um, with your hands open on your lap, it's just a way of saying, "Lord, I, I wanna receive what You wanna say today.
I don't wanna be closed off.
Lord, come and speak into my life." And as you do that, we pray together, come, Holy Spirit.
We are here.
You are here.
We are here together.
And so would you come and speak to your people? Amen.
"I'm looking for someone to share an adventure that I'm arranging, and it is very difficult to find anyone." "I should think so in these parts.
We're plain, quiet folk and have no use for adventure.
Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things.
Gandalf in trying to pique his interest, "You will have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." "Can you promise that I will come back?" And wise Gandalf re- slowly responds, "No, and if you do, you will never be the same." This summer, uh, as a family, we listened to the epic storybook, uh, audiobook adventure that is The Hobbit.
A- and as we did over and over again, I just found myself thinking what incredible creativity, what incredible imagery and imagination Tolkien uses to capture the reality of faith.
And Bilbo, although initially distracted by worldly pleasantries and comforts, material possessions, he eventually chooses to follow.
And what you see i- in the, uh, rest of the book is him discovering his life, discovering the adventure that he was called into and that a life of faith in Jesus is an adven- invitation into an adventure.
A long, often unexpected journey with challenges, with danger, with pain, surprises, moments of breathtaking beauty, and moments of bellyaching silliness.
For the next two weeks, I want us to consider together the adventure that we are called on here as a community at St. Mary's to live towards our vision o- of following the way of Jesus, playing our part in the renewal of our city.
A- and to do that, a- as Beryl has already reminded us, we are going to need a power from beyond us.
We're gonna need a perspective.
So why don't we pray? And maybe just at the start, maybe just, um, with your hands open on your lap, it's just a way of saying, "Lord, I, I wanna receive what You wanna say today.
I don't wanna be closed off.
Lord, come and speak into my life." And as you do that, we pray together, come, Holy Spirit.
We are here.
You are here.
We are here together.
And so would you come and speak to your people? Amen.
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