Archive for January, 2007

God desires to see his kingdom grow through the world. For many year we have been a church that endeavours to build God’s kingdom in our local district and in many places beyond our borders.

One area of partnership has been supporting other churches. Two years ago we supported the Newtown Parish to employ a student minister. The Minister of Newtown often says that this was one of the things that helped kick start their parish. Last year our support of Carnarvon culminated in the great mission in July.

This year we want to continue the tradition and help two new parishes. We have agreed to help the struggling parish of St. Clair (Western Sydney) with support for a student minister. Their new Minister Gary Haddon is endeavouring to revitalise the most struggling parish in Sydney and we would like him to have some support.

Closer to home, the Church Army has appointed our own Wayne Pickford to pioneer a new ministry to Berkeley. For this endeavour we have the opportunity to help with time and energy as well as prayer and finance.

Let’s keep our vision God sized!

Stephen Semenchuk

Every now and then we meet people who have extraordinary qualities. Whether it be great insight into the world or a great capacity to care for others.

As a Christian I am often most inspired by great people of faith. Usually they are people of prayer, patience, conviction and hope. They are people who are prepared to take risks and step out in faith.

Such people have learned to trust God in most situations. You can’t buy faith like that and it doesn’t just come about by reading stories about great people of the past.

Great faith is built by trusting God in the important issues of life. God makes great promises about our lives but so often we choose to do things our way not His way. Faith grows as we see God work, keeping promises and answering prayer. If we don’t ask Him or rely on Him there is no room in our life for Him to work.

Stephen Semenchuk

The message on the wall of Dapto Mall makes this grandiose claim. Modern sociologists have declared that shopping malls are the modern world’s new temples. Weekly, people gather to pay homage to materialism and the latest sale (have you started your Easter Egg Shopping?)

We should not be offended by their challenge. Retailers are simply seeing an opportunity for profit, a market to tap. However, we should be stirred for action! They are openly competing for the hearts (and souls) of our community. They are working off the principle that many people shop to “feel better”.

Our hope must be for Dapto to truly come alive. “Come alive” because the spirit of the living God enters in the minds and hearts of the people who live in this area! Please pray for a true “Coming alive”, and look for ways to help your friends and neighbours encounter Jesus.

Stephen Semenchuk

All through the Christmas season the nostalgia of the birth of a special baby dominates our thoughts and feelings. Two pages later in Luke’s gospel the baby is fully grown and taking on the world!

He directly confronts the lies of the devil, the possession of evil spirits, the devastation of disease and the elitism of formal religion.

The baby Jesus was born with a destiny. A destiny to right wrongs, shine light into darkness, bring healing to brokenness, offer hope in suffering, and most of all to save people from the lost-ness of ignoring God.

You can’t leave the Lord of the universe, in a manger!

Stephen Semenchuk