Electives
In a world concerned with ‘online presence’, do our bodies matter? Knowing our spiritual realities in Christ, do our bodies matter?
In this elective, we will explore how to understand and live together in our diverse bodies between Jesus’ resurrection and our own. What does it mean to live a whole and holy life in our bodies in the present? What about when our bodies don’t feel whole or holy? Come to survey the Scriptures and discuss the unique time we live in, being both the digital age and the age before Christ’s return.
Meghan is so thankful to have known the kindness of Jesus from a young age through her Christian parents, and to understand how his death and resurrection reconciled her to God. Meghan studied speech pathology and a Masters of Divinity before spending time with many Muslim women in western Sydney. She married her Filipino born Canberran husband in Sydney and later they moved to the Molonglo Valley with their three children. Lord willing, they will plant a new evangelical church at Stromlo Forest Anglican College in 2027.
1: Does Embodiment Matter?
2: How Do We Know That Jesus Rose?
What really happened to Jesus after he was put into the tomb? It’s momentous news - dead people do not come back to life. But if it’s really true, it changes everything. The four gospels - Mathew, Mark, Luke and John - show aspects of the glorious news that Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the dead. But reading them can feel like putting a puzzle together - are there conflicting accounts of what happened? How do we know what really went on early in the morning, that first Easter Sunday? Come and explore Jesus' resurrection with Anna Boxwell and grow in your joy and confidence in knowing Jesus rose.
Anna loves spending time with her and husband Steve’s kids at her parents’ farm in Bookham, and gardening with the kids at their place in Kambah. She has studied at Moore Theological College and St Mark’s National Theological Centre. Anna is a pastor at Renew Anglican Church in Canberra, the Manager of Ministry Training and Leadership Development for St Mark’s, and Assistant Director of Church Planting with City to City Australia. At St Mark's she seeks to raise up women and men to serve in ministry in the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn and beyond; to form them in their character, convictions and competence for ministry in a changing Australia. She also trains churches in our region in practical ministry, and (through City to City) trains church planters in communities all around Australia. Anna has a new book with Wipf and Stock, God’s Yes to Women: Why the Bible’s vision of partnership is good news for us all, co-edited with Dr Laura Rademaker and Dr Amy Erickson. She wouldn’t miss women’s convention for the world.
3: Risen But Not Yet Raised
We live in the tension of the “now and not yet”: raised with Christ and brought into his kingdom, yet we still face the reality of living in a broken world marred by suffering, disappointment, and sin, longing for the day when Christ will return and take us with him in glory.
So how do we rightly understand this time that we live in? What might it look like to live as those who belong to the world to come when our daily experience is in a world that is passing away? What might it look like to anticipate God’s present work without expecting the new creation to arrive early? And how do we keep trusting God when life still feels broken?
Together, we’ll explore the theology of the “now but not yet”, and its implications as we live in the tension between what God has already done and what he has promised is coming soon.
Sam serves as a Senior Staff Worker with FOCUS at the Australian National University. Originally from Sydney, she moved to Canberra at the start of this year. She finds great joy in reading the Bible with women, especially in the unique season of university life, growing together in their love and service of Christ. Outside of ministry, she enjoys getting outside, especially if it involves a trip to the coast!
4: Learning From Jesus Together
People in our culture increasingly struggle with isolation. We long for deep relationships with others in our churches and communities. We don’t want to just 'fake it', we want to be real and have meaningful and authentic friendships. So how do we do it? How do we develop and enjoy such relationships with one another?
How did Jesus do it? This elective will look to some of Jesus' closest relationships and glean principles that can help shape our own. From here we will springboard into how this can help us make and grow disciples.
Kelly was born in Canberra and has lived in the bush capital for most of her life. She feels privileged to be part of Crossroads Christian Church where she is involved in the leadership team and leads a Bible study group for young mums. She's married to Marcus and they have three adult children, two of whom are married. She works part-time as a school teacher and runs a mentoring business for women in ministry and pastor’s wives. She enjoys time with her family; bush walking, barbecues, board games, and their beautiful golden labrador, Theo.