Beacon Church

The sermon was delivered by Frank Ocampo, who challenged us to reflect on our community and the way we pray for it, particularly regarding the decisions made within the church and in our wider workplaces and society. Drawing on the account of Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro, Frank explored Jethro’s advice for Moses to seek support from others while continuing to pray for the people, asking God to raise up individuals with wisdom and discernment. Frank emphasised the importance of not only praying for our leaders to make wise and sound decisions, but also standing as intercessors for those who do not yet know Christ. He encouraged us to recognise our responsibility to pray faithfully for both our communities and those whom God is calling to Himself.

Owen Hylton beautifully introduces the sermon series on Exodus by exploring chapters one and two, reminding us of the importance of obedience and the fear of God. Owen explains that obedience flows from the fear of God. This sermon series helps us to reflect on the condition of our hearts and to consider whether we truly understand the importance of walking with God. The book of Exodus reminds us of God’s relationship with us and encourages us that He is able to guide us.

This sermon was given by Frank Ocampo and invites reflection on our attitudes towards serving the church and others. Through the Bible and everyday life, Frank shows that serving can be a challenge, but he points to Jesus, who served his community and even his enemies. He explains that serving wholeheartedly means being selfless, which is understood more deeply through an intimate relationship with Jesus, who shows us how to love, forgive, and be like him. If our posture is for selfish gain, then we are not serving wholeheartedly, and this must be brought to the Lord.

To welcome the New Year, Phil Hopgood, starts us off with our vision series, which encourages the believer to pray continuously. Phil beautifully reminds us that prayer can be hard for the believer, as the implication of life may deter or contribute when and how we pray, but Phil reminds us that God is faithful, as even though prayer can feel like an inconvenience, we must push through and make time to pray. Phil offer various way how we can incorporate prayer throughout the day, and reminds us that God cares and understands.

This week, our sermon was given by Lally Wood, who drew our series to a focus on the glory of God. Lally reminded us that the angels presented themselves to the shepherds—people who were lowly and at the bottom of society. This shows that God’s glory is not for a particular group of people or a certain status, but for those who are ordinary—which is everyone. This means that God is there, waiting to extend His hand so that we may encounter Him. It is not about keeping up with the latest trends or reaching life goals, but about fixing our eyes on the Holy One, Emmanuel, who is with us—waiting for us, and calling us to trust in Him.

In this Advent message, Matt DaCosta opens our new series Heaven Speaks by walking us through the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth in Luke 1. Drawing from a season of divine silence broken by God’s surprising intervention, Matt helps us explore what it means to trust God when our prayers seem unanswered, when His timing confuses us, and when His voice feels distant.

This week, Owen continues our prayer series with a gracious reflection on God as our Father. He highlights that approaching God in this way can be challenging, especially if our relationship with our earthly father has shaped our expectations. Owen explains that our relationship with God is not meant to be transactional but deeply relational. Understanding God as Father influences how we respond to unanswered prayer, reminding us that, as His children, we are called to trust Him. Knowing God by His fatherly nature—and by His other attributes—helps us grow in deeper relationship with Him. Ultimately, it is not about us; it is and always will be about God.