Dapto Anglican Church

Its great to be back in Dapto! The mission in Carnarvon was a wonderful opportunity and God used our team in ways that just exceeded any reasonable expectations. The final day of the mission saw 25 people come to breakfast in a Caravan Park and hear the gospel, 67 children and youth attend the holiday club (only 3 children had any previous connection with the church) and a dozen parents stay for the whole morning enjoying a Devonshire tea and conversation. The minister and congregation of Carnarvon were massively encouraged and are talking about taking the next steps in reaching their community. A lady called Tabatha and her daughter Samara, came to events through the week and shared her struggles and problems. By the end of the week she had committed herself to finding out more about God and regularly attending the church. She wasn’t the only one to be so moved.

The team itself was an absolute testimony to the graciousness of God. They worked hard in unity and love and persevered through the hardships and challenges. God used the team to make an impact on Carnarvon but also through Western Australia. Churches and their leaders throughout the North West were greatly inspired that God had brought us across the continent to share with them. Three Churches in Perth have also verbalized their encouragement and inspiration. Who knows what God will make of these blessings.

Returning to Dapto I marvel at how God has blessed us. He has showered us with resources and people. He also placed us in a situation where we minister amongst 30 thousand people (almost equal to the population of the whole of North West Australia).

August will give us the opportunity to seize the day. We will have the opportunity to commit to the next stage of our vision and start developing the Ministry Centre. We will have the opportunity for training in ministry. We will have the opportunity to enjoy community at the Sausage Sizzle and Bush Dance, we are rescheduling the Men’s Dinner to another night so that we can seize the evangelistic opportunity more effectively. Every week we will have the opportunity to hear God’s word and be transformed.

Stephen Semenchuk

Fresher than ever.

Bulletin 30/07/06 (pdf, 712 KB)

God says,

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth… so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”
Isaiah 55:10-11

It’s amazing! God has spoken you and to me. He has spoken through shepherds and kings ‚Äì the many different authors of the Bible. And what they wrote was inspired by the Holy Spirit – just as the Spirit speaks directly into our hearts as we read the words.

What you do with God’s word is what you do with God

Could we be like Samuel of whom it was said,

“The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of His words fall to the ground”
1 Sam 3:19

Some of God‚Äôs words in the New Testament help us to connect with Jesus and the disciples and the early church. And we keep coming back to these passages because they’re so encouraging; like Romans 5:8.

Some of God‚Äôs words in the Old Testament are less familiar. And if the Bible was a movie rather than a book, then parts of the Old Testament seem like “Power of One” meets “Back to the Future”. On the one hand it’s a safari trip through fascinating and unfamiliar territory as we explore what happened between Adam and Abraham; Abraham and Moses; Moses and David; David and Jesus. But on the other hand there’s this feeling of deja vu – as we often make startling connections between the past, and our present and God‚Äôs future.

My prayer for you, as we spend the next few weeks skimming through Leviticus and Numbers, is that you will find the trip interesting and refreshing – and that along the way God will speak of His love and purpose into your life.

Peter Hutchinson

The week to come and some great news from last week!

Bulletin 23/07/06 (pdf, 765KB)

We hope this is your prayer as we meet together today. We hope to never live such comfortable lives around God that we start to miss the things he is doing and saying among us. The LORD challenged the people this way in Isaiah’s day,

You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing.
Isaiah 42:20

And the LORD still speaks to us today saying when necessary,

I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die…
Revelation 3:1-2

Is there anything that can still move you to tears and to prayer?

Never imagine that God has forgotten you or abandoned you or rejected you! How could God convince you of that? And how then would you respond to him? The LORD describes his passion for you in this way,

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands‚Ķ
Isaiah 49:15-16

Peter Hutchinson

What happened last week.

Bulletin 16/07/06 (pdf, 1.6MB)

‚ÄúIf you had this everyday I‚Äôd come!‚Äù declared one lady who attended the first ‚ÄúRefresh‚Äù ever held in Carnarvon, Western Australia. The team had some great spiritual conversations following the talk on ‚ÄúSelf Esteem‚Äù. ‚ÄúIsolation and lack of extended family has these women crying out for someone to share with‚Äîthey need Refresh & Caf?© Church‚Äù said Hilary & Natalie as we chatted during their first ‚Äúfree time‚Äù.

The group I caught up with on Friday lunch time (10am WA time) had just finished serving breakfasts to 15 people in one of the caravan parks they are staying at and were heading out in one of the mini buses to a plantation for morning tea. Hilary described it as “cool (it was 30 degrees yesterday!) with the sun shining through the gumtrees, a beautiful orange creeper and grass instead of red sand!”

The door knocking has had “many & varied responses” said Steve Semenchuk. A Police woman who was new to town had received an invitation through the doorknocking to the Craft night last night and came along. So did someone who was invited when they attended “Sundowners” one evening in a caravan park. Their comment was “if this is what church was like we’d come.”

The Children & Youth teams are doing a fantastic job. Not everything has gone smoothly, one of the high schools decided that they could only have the Seminar after school hours and wouldn’t allow reminder leaflets to be handed out at lunchtime. No youth came. No giving up for our Youth Team—they went to the local shops and Skate Park and hung out with the kids there!

Pray for our team and all who are currently in Carnarvon. Many in the caravan parks are “following the sun” Рpray that they will come to “Follow the Son”! Give thanks for the clear gospel messages that our teams are giving.

Lyndall Bailey

The coming events

Bulletin 09/07/06 (pdf, 645 KB)