Holy Trinity Rathmines Podcast

In this episode, Ruth reflects on the desert as a sacred place of silence and solitude — a space where we intentionally step away from distraction to be present with God.She reminds us that while much of our faith involves words, true spiritual depth requires stillness. Without setting aside time to listen, we risk missing God's voice and presence.Ruth offers simple, practical guidance: choose a quiet, comfortable place, begin by breathing and becoming still, centre your time on Scripture, talk with God, and then pause to listen.This episode is an invitation to rediscover solitude — not as emptiness, but as a space to encounter God's love more deeply.

In “A Call to Intensify Our Hunger for Holiness,” Rob really challenged us to be honest about our sin—when we choose our own ways over God's way, and the patterns we keep falling back into. The truth is, every single one of us falls short and sin easily entangles us. But because of God's unconditional love, we're not stuck there. Through the perfect, sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ, sin and death have been defeated, and we're offered the free gift of salvation and grace. When we repent and accept Him as Lord and Saviour, we're forgiven, made new, and promised eternal life.But Rob reminds us that it doesn't stop at being saved—we're called to holiness. Sanctification is about intentionally turning away from sin and choosing to become more like Jesus. In this wilderness season, we're invited into real self-examination—letting God uncover the roots, patterns, and desires that shape us. As we trust Him, He strengthens our roots in Christ and grows in us a deeper hunger for holiness.

In this episode, Colin introduces our Lenten sermon series, Wisdom in the Wilderness: Journey with the Desert Fathers and Mothers. Drawing inspiration from the early Christian men and women who withdrew into the desert to seek God in prayer and devotion, we explore what it means to enter the wilderness in our own time.The desert mothers and fathers chose isolation not as punishment, but as preparation — a space to lean into God's presence, to listen deeply, and to learn daily dependence on Him. The wilderness is a place where distractions fade and trust is formed. Today, we live in a culture marked by constant interruption, low attention spans, and endless distraction. So it's important to intentionally seek solitude, prayer, and Scripture. Like the early desert monks, we must choose to step away and create space for devotion.Lent invites us to strip back the clutter, to resist excess, and to see clearly again. It calls us into deeper worship — not to earn God's love, but in response to it. Before we ever enter the wilderness, we are already beloved by God. And because we are loved, we journey into this season seeking Him with open hearts.

In this episode, we reflect on what it means to be deeply rooted in Christ. Drawing on Ezekiel 17 and Colossians 2:6–7, scripture reminds us that even what seems dry can flourish when rooted in God. As Paul writes, just as we have received Christ, we are called to continue walking in him — letting our roots grow deep and our lives be built on his foundation.Being rooted deeply and reaching out widely are not two separate callings. God does not wait for us to have perfect roots before using us — the disciples certainly didn't. Instead, growth comes through discipleship, transformation, perseverance, discipline, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.We're invited to pause and ask: How are your roots? Where might God be calling you to return — or to step into something new — so that new life can flourish?

In this episode, Colin explores the gift of prophecy and how God continues to speak to His people today. Prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit through which God shares His heart and His word, often spoken by ordinary people for the strengthening, encouragement, and comfort of us. Colin unpacks a simple three-step process for understanding prophecy: revelation, interpretation, and application. God first reveals something to us — this might come as a lingering thought, an image, a scripture passage, or a sense of peace, often in very ordinary ways. We then interpret what God is saying through discernment, bringing what we sense back to Him in prayer. This requires patience, waiting, and trust, believing that God is at work.Ultimately, the gift of prophecy draws us closer to God. It connects back to last week's message and reminds us that God's desires to have relationship with us.

Does God still speak today? In Part 1 of the God Speaks sermon series, Colin explores the biblical truth that God has always been a speaking God—and that He still desires to communicate with His people today.From the opening words of Scripture in Genesis 1, “Then God said,” we see a God whose voice brings life, direction, and change. And that voice didn't fade with the Old Testament; it was fully revealed in Jesus, the Word made flesh. If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why do so many of us struggle to hear Him?Colin explains five ways in which God speaks to us, through: Scripture, the Holy Spirit, community, common sense, and circumstance.Colin ends with an encouraging invitation to consider how life might change if we truly believe God wants to speak to us, cares deeply about our direction, and longs to walk with us every step of the way.

Mark reflected on the story of the Magi, a journey full of mystery. After visiting the infant Jesus, they were warned in a dream to return home by a different route, and Scripture tells us nothing more. Mark used this to remind us that every journey of faith is unique. The shepherds stumbled into their encounter with Jesus unexpectedly, while the wise men were actively seeking truth — yet both were transformed by meeting Christ.In the same way, when we encounter Jesus, our lives are changed, and we too are called to “return by a different route.” This may mean re-examining our priorities, values, relationships, careers, or sense of purpose. Mark challenged us to consider what idols we might be holding onto, and whether we have truly surrendered our gifts for God to use according to His will. As we look ahead to 2026, we are each invited to respond to God's call, helping to build His kingdom on earth — worshipping, offering our gifts, and choosing a new way forward.

In this Epiphany Week 1 sermon, Colin reflects on Paul's message in Ephesians, written while Paul was in prison. Paul shows us how to live faithfully in difficult circumstances by learning to name, frame, and receive God's grace.Paul names his situation by fully accepting where he is. He frames it by trusting God in the midst of suffering, knowing he is part of God's bigger story and refusing to let his time be wasted. And he receives God's grace as a daily, sustaining gift.Colin invites us to step into a new reality of grace in our own walk with God, trusting that His grace surrounds us in all times and places.

In this second week of Advent, Colin led us in reflecting on the theme of peace. We turned to Matthew 3, where John the Baptist calls the crowds and religious leaders to prepare themselves because “the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Advent is a season of preparation, an invitation to ready our hearts for God's arrival.John's message is simple and challenging: repent—turn away from false securities—and open ourselves to the transforming work of God. He reminds us that the Holy Spirit baptises with fire, a symbol of renewal, refining, and cleansing so that our lives can reflect God's love and goodness.Colin encouraged us to look honestly at our own hearts and approach repentance not with striving, but with surrender. As we yield to God's plan and purpose, we allow Him to strip away what holds us back and shape us into people marked by hope, peace, love, and joy. Advent invites us to give our hearts to the Holy Spirit and let Him renew and refine us.

On Sunday, Ruth opened the Advent season and launched the Christmas series Let There Be Light. As we journey through Advent's four themes, hope, peace, joy, and love, she reminded us that this season is about more than remembering Christ's first coming. It also points us toward the promise of His return.Ruth's message on hope centred on waiting and being ready: waiting in hope, living prepared, and walking in the light of the Lord. We live ready by grounding ourselves in the Word of God, staying rooted in community, and sustained by the hope that Christ will come again.

Ruth closes the Habakkuk series with the fourth and final sermon. This week's message invited us to consider a challenging question: Are we willing to trust God even when it leads us through trouble or hardship? Looking at the prophet Habakkuk, we saw a man who trembled at God's warnings yet remained confident in God's ability to lead His people through judgment and into deliverance. Habakkuk models a righteousness rooted in trust—trust in God's mercy and in His ultimate salvation.We too, are called to trust that God brings salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Life brings both joys and celebrations as well as worries and trials, but we are invited to walk through all of it with Jesus every single day.

In part 3 of Habakkuk: An Honest Faith, Dilys walks us through God's answer to the prophet's laments and woes he expressed in honest frustration and confusion. God's answer is to wait in faithfulness. But how do we wait well? Dilys directs us to wait with connection, contentment, and courage. To faithfully wait on God's perfect timing we need to fill our time with prayer and praise to create a connection with God, learn to be content with where we are and what we have in the present moment, and to remain confident that the Lord will deliver His promises to His people. He is in His holy temple, you need only to be still and silent while He does the rest.

In Part 2 of Habakkuk: An Honest Faith, Rob explores what it means to be honest with God, which includes bringing Him your raw, honest questions in your anger, confusion, or grief. The prophet Habakkuk demonstrated this type of honest faith in his prayers to God and promised to stand at his watch post and listen for God's response. Rob explained that faith means watching and waiting in hope, trusting God even when He seems silent.

This new series, Habakukk: An Honest Faith, will explore how the prophet Habakkuk brought his honest questions and struggles before God and how God's answers encourage Habakkuk to trust in God's ultimate plan. In Part 1 of this series, Scott leads us through the beginning of Chapter 1 of the Old Testament book and breaks down the meaning of the word 'lament,' an honest expression of protest and sorrow to God. Scott tells us that lamenting is important because it deepens our relationship with God, transforms our pain, not transmits it, and is the only appropriate response to innocent suffering in the world. Scott shows us that God's answer to Habakkuk, and to us, demonstrates His presence with us and His purpose for us.

Wrapping up the Making Space series, Dilys explores what it means to make space for the stranger. Looking at Jesus' example and His interactions in the Bible, especially with Samaritans, she shows how hospitality isn't just something we do, but part of who Jesus is. When we welcome strangers, we're also welcoming Him. But the idea of caring for the stranger doesn't start with the Gospels. Dilys also looks to the Old Testament, where the Israelites knew what it felt like to be foreigners in a strange land. They experienced both the hardship of that and the hospitality of God in their deliverance to Egypt - and were commanded to reciprocate God's gracious care to others.

In this message, Ruth continues the Making Space series by focusing on the theme of hospitality, specifically, what it means to make space for your neighbour.She challenges us, as Christians, to be intentional about creating connection, making a difference in our communities, and living as everyday examples of Christ's love. Drawing from the Gospels, Ruth highlights how Jesus modelled what it means to be a good neighbour through how He spent his own time visiting with others, and through His parables and teaching moments. Sometimes, being a good neighbour starts with something as simple as a smile, a wave, or a friendly hello. These small gestures can brighten someone's day and open the door to deeper connection. Whether it's someone at the bus stop, a barista handing you coffee, or a stranger you pass on the street, we're all called to show kindness and warmth in our everyday encounters.Each of us may express this differently, but the call remains the same: to live lives of hospitality and make space for those around us.

Continuing with the Making Space series on hospitality, Rob's message this Sunday explores examples in the Gospel where Jesus sat at a table with others. One of the most powerful examples is the Last Supper, a meal Jesus shared with his disciples, a group of very broken people — and yet he still broke bread with them.Creating space at our tables isn't just about food. It's about making room for connection through presence, belonging, reconciliation, and joy.When Jesus shares meals, he invites, connects, and transforms guests. And when we make space at our tables, we're living out the Kingdom of God in real, tangible ways.

In Part 2 of the sermon series Making Space, Scott challenges us to prioritise people over projects, embrace vulnerability, and practice hospitality through friendships. Jesus served as the ultimate example of friendship through his relationships with Mary, Martha, Lazarus and His disciples. Christ continues to connect with us through friendship today and we are encouraged to value our relationships, making space in our lives for the people around us.

Colin introduces a new sermon series called Making Space. The discussion in Part 1 breaks down how Christian hospitality creates places of radical inclusion, transformation, and invitation. Jesus used hospitality to make a statement and symbolise the Kingdom of God, because hospitality is rooted in love for one another!

This week, Revd. Rob continues the People & Presence series and explores the invitation to spend time in God's living presence. Rob dives into what it means to be in God's presence and why we may struggle to experience this. We are called to accept the invitation to step into God's presence by stepping out of the cave, bringing our emptiness with us into the light.

Exploring our priorities as a community for the term ahead, Colin unpacks what it means for us to be a people of worship, care and space.

Mark Boobyer finishes our summer series sharing on Matthew 11, exploring our expectations and how Jesus is the one who can fulfil.

Kathleen McAllister continues our Summer series, sharing on Psalm 103, leading us to engage with our failures, our frailty and the unchanging, steadfast love of God in their midst.

As part of our August series, Jacob Reynolds shares some reflections on the Creation story in Genesis and what is means for us to be a people who walk in there presence of God.

On his final Sunday with us in Holy Trinity, Scott Evans reflects on Paul's letter to the Ephesians and what it means for us to be a people according to God's purposes.

Rob shares his reflections on Acts 17:16-34, exploring the teachings of Paul in Athens and how we move forward in sharing our faith in the season ahead.

Rebecca wraps up our 10 week deep dive into Paul's letter to the Galatians, looking at chapter 6 in particular exploring (some of) Paul's top tips to living life in The Spirit.

Scott Hill takes the penultimate section of our Galatians series, exploring how we can grow in faith and freedom.

On Sunday, 6 July, we heard from Ruth as she spoke on the end of chapter 5 in Galatians, the comparison of Hagar and Sarah, and living in freedom. 

Dilys continues our teaching series through the letter of Paul to the Galatians, encouraging us to keep moving forward, no longer falling back into ways of living and enslavement from which we are now free.

Colin unpacks Galatians 3:23-4:7, exploring our new identity in Jesus as children. We are no longer slaves, but children who by the Spirit cry "Abba Father"

Scott Hill continues our series in Galatians, exploring chapter 3:1-14 and how we can be a people who live in the freedom of the Holy Spirit, rather than the pressure of success.

Scott Evans preaches this Sunday continuing our series in Galatians exploring Chapter 2:11-21 urging us to be a people that live out of the faithfulness of Jesus.

Dilys continues our series in Galatians leading us through Paul's understanding of freedom and the practices which will lead us to life.

This past Sunday, 18 May, Scott Evans spoke on the first chapter of Galatians and the good news of the gospel Paul wants to remind the Galatians of. 

This Sunday kicks off our new teaching series, digging deep into the book of Galatians, which Rebecca introduced to us, laying out context and some of the themes we will encounter over the next few weeks.

Scott explores the life and character of Thomas from John 20:19-31.

Colin opens up our passage from Luke 24 for Easter Sunday 2025. How do we respond to the news that He is Risen? With cynicism, or like Peter by sprinting to see for ourselves?

Scott Hill wraps up our series for Lent in 2025 leading us into the practice of Silence & Solitude, through the story of Moses in 1 Kings 19.

Rebecca continues our lenten series, deeper still, exploring how we go deeper in our connection to Jesus through Prayer & Fasting.

Colin continues our teaching series throughout lent, exploring spiritual practices which lead us deeper in our faith. This week, he focuses on Worship & Gratitude, exploring the role of the song, our bodies, and The Spirit.

Scott continues our series Deeper Still exploring Jesus practices and life of hospitality & community, and how we can be a people who make space for the stranger.

On Sunday, Dilys continued our series for Lent called Deeper Still, sharing about the practices of Sabbath and Celebration and God's gift to his people of both rest and delight.

Rob opens our new series for Lent 2025; Deeper Still, exploring how spiritual practices can lead us further and deeper in our discipleship in the season ahead.

Exploring Luke 2, Ruth leads us through the stories of Simeon and Anna, patiently persevering until what God spoke came to pass.

On a slightly different Sunday, Colin interviews Rob about his work with Pioneer Ministry in the Church of Ireland; its inception, what is currently happening across the island, and the call for us to press forward together as a pioneering people.

Scott explores how we want to be a church who give our Time, Talents and Tithe to God who turns our ordinary into extraordinary, our scarcity into abundance.

Rob shares with us the direction he's been sensing God is leading Holy Trinity in for this next season, out of the shallows of our relationship with Jesus and into deep waters of being challenged and changed.

This week, Rebecca looks at the theme of the Kingdom of God in the book of Matthew. We trace the kingdom throughout the Old Testament and what it means for Jesus to announce it and invite us to follow Him and how it's the place where true human flourishing can be found.

As we begin our BREAD bible reading project for 2025, Colin unpacks some of the back-story & context to Matthew's Gospel exploring Jesus is the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies and the only source of true fulfilment for us today.

Scott leads us into 2025, reminding us of the grace found in Jesus for each of us and all we carry into this new year.