Trivia question: What is the only place in Australia that celebrates Thanksgiving? Norfolk Island. It has its own official Thanksgiving Day in November, though it falls on a Wednesday rather than the Thursday observed in the United States. I’m not sure why the Americans get a Thursday and Norfolk Islanders a Wednesday, but perhaps they have more important things to do on Thursdays. We are often encouraged to be grateful: to “count our blessings” or develop “an attitude of gratitude”. Good advice. But it raises a question: thankful to whom?

I have just finished Les Misérables—not read it, but listened to it. All 68 hours of it! You may not have read the novel, but I’m sure many of you have seen the musical on stage or at the movies.

This Sunday we begin a five-week series on the vision we share as St Andrew’s: Growing Disciples of Jesus Christ through Belonging, Maturity and Outreach. I’m looking forward to it. Vision can sound like a slogan or a plan for making things happen. Our confidence rests somewhere deeper: Jesus says, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). He builds through his death and resurrection, and forms a family of disciples who follow him in the way of the cross.

This Sunday we reach the end of The Seven: From Vice to Virtue. Some of us may be breathing a small sigh of relief. Nine weeks of examining our deepest desires has been rather intense!

Last week I was on leave. It was good to stop, catch my breath and reflect with thankfulness on what had been a very busy—but also very fruitful—third quarter of the year.

Last week I suggested four films to accompany the first four pairings in our series: The Greatest Showman, Amadeus, Groundhog Day and The Mission. If you managed to watch all four, congratulations—you have spent approximately nine hours contemplating the moral life while sitting on the sofa. I am not entirely sure whether that counts as diligence or sloth. This week, we come to the final three vices and virtues.

The school holidays are almost here. For some, that means travelling; for others, entertaining children or grandchildren; and for still others, enjoying the slightly quieter roads while everybody else does the travelling and entertaining. It may also mean time for a movie. So, for the next two weeks, I thought I would offer some holiday viewing inspired by our sermon series, The Seven: From Vice to Virtue. This week, here are four films corresponding to the first four pairings we have considered.

We are now halfway through The Seven: From Vice to Virtue. Along the way, several thoughtful questions have arisen. Here are three of the most important. First, what is the difference between sin, a sin and a vice?

Yesterday, 10 September, was R U OK? Day. This year’s theme is “Ask R U OK? Any Day”—because, rather inconveniently, life’s difficulties do not confine themselves to the second Thursday in September.

The story is told of a young soldier fighting for the Union during the American Civil War. It was 1864, and he had been away from his family for several years when news reached him that his father was gravely ill and unlikely to live much longer. “Please come home.” The soldier immediately sought compassionate leave, but his request was refused...