Dapto Anglican Church

Genesis 3 records the low point of human history. Adam and Eve disobey God. When God walks in the garden they feel bad (remorse) but fail to repent, instead choosing to hide. When God confronts them they then try to avoid responsibility (Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the Serpent). This is a fairly natural response as most of us struggle to carry the guilt for the wrong we have done in life.

The bible contrasts these actions with those of Jesus. He came to earth and not only accepted responsibility for His own actions but for all of us as well. He took the punishment for all our accumulated wickedness (as he had none of his own).

Jesus offers salvation. We accept salvation by going further than just feeling sorry. We are called to acknowledge our responsibility for the wrongs we have done. Thank God for Jesus’ sacrifice in our place and commit to living differently in the future. True repentance means changing the way we live.

Stephen Semenchuk

Bulletin 02/09/07 (pdf, 2.6 MB)

Prayer 09/07 (pdf, 320 KB)

This week the potential future Labor Prime Minister has found his past actions under close scrutiny. Since his elevation to leader of his party his opponents have searched for information to tarnish his image. Finally an event from 2003 surfaces and he is asked to explain his actions in a “gentleman’s club”. His reply: “I can’t remember exactly what happened”. It is a typical politicians answer.

The whole incident begs reflection. What standard do we expect from our leaders? Given that even a Prime Minister is human and subject to temptation, mistakes, errors of judgment and sin, how forgiving should his people be? In the end if we have seen the worst they can dredge up against Kevin Rudd has he really lived purely enough to be elected Prime Minister?

The Bible does hold our Christian Leaders to very high standards. It speaks of leaders being “above reproach”. Yet our church leaders are human and likely to make mistakes. “Above Reproach” means that our leaders must repent openly of their sin and live lives consistently orientated towards Love, Obedience and Loyalty. Sometimes our mistakes are too great in consequence to remain in leadership but never too great to receive God’s forgiveness and grace.

God promises us that because of Jesus’ death in our place, He will not remember our sins!

Stephen Semenchuk

Bulletin 26/08/07 (pdf, 1.7 MB)

As followup from to the Just a Walk Across The… article, here are your responses:

1. Be involved in community activities – hobbies, sports, community action groups, play groups
2. Join the local Mothers Group
3. Be involved in local chamber of commerce, sports clubs
4. Invite neighbours & friends to social game of squash on regular basis
5. Engage in your local school community – Parents and friends, canteen helper, Scripture Teacher, etc.
6. Help improve your local area
7. Invite a friend or neighbour for a surf
8. Play sports with your neighbours
9. Make friends with my children’s sports parents
10. Start a women’s craft group and invite the neighbours and community along
11. World Cancer Day, join in raising money for cancer – join a walk etc
12. Aust. Biggest Morning Tea, invite someone to the church one or have your own
13. World Environment Day – invite neighbours to go for a picnic, bush walk or meet at the park
14. National Diabetes Week – invite those you know who are touched by diabetes, swap recipes – have helpful info on hand
15. Invite your neighbours to activities that interest them, snooker, fishing, walking
16. Drop a church brochure into a new neighbour
17. Show kindness to your neighbours and their children
18. Chat regularly with your neighbours
19. Give a gift of something we make ourselves to our neighbour for no reason
20. Share your home-grown excess produce
21. Offer to pray for or with a neighbour who is ill
22. If neighbours don’t have kids – make a fuss of their pets instead.
23. Chat to local neighbours when you see them at the corner shop
24. New neighbours – go introduce yourself – leave them with your name & phone no & tell them to ring if they need any help/info
25. New neighbours – offer them advice on local shops, services, schools etc.
26. Tell your neighbours, friends, hairdresser what you do during the week – attend church, bible study, church programs
27. Share what you did over the weekend/week with your work mates – church, bible study etc.
28. A smile – can do wonders
29. Que at the same checkout and have a conversation with the person serving you, tell them what you are doing when they ask
30. Stop and say g’day when you see neighbours and friends
31. Chat to those waiting for trains and buses
32. Be a good listener to your workmates, friends & neighbours
33. Visit those ill and recovering while in hospital
34. Keep in contact with old friends make sure you care about them
35. Introduce yourself to new work mates or class mates
36. Send cards – to celebrate events – birthdays, becoming grandparents, when people are sick etc
37. Sit with different people I don’t know at the Village dining room & get to know them
38. Christmas – give your neighbours cards – or maybe a small gift
39. Open house – and invite neighbours
40. Invite newcomers to a meal at your place
41. Invite neighbours to a BBQ
42. Take a meal to a neighbour who is sick
43. Invite neighbours on picnics & family outings
44. Invite neighbours to lunch after church – bring them to church with you first
45. New neighbours – take them a cake
46. Organise a street BBQ or party
47. Host a Morning Tea for the teachers of your local school – get neighbours to help
48. Pub Team – visitation – go have a drink with the locals and make your self known (but with restraint)
49. Invite your friends to XL events – they’re really cool (age appropriate)
50. Organise a supper for the Youth Parents
51. Gather some Christian friends and non Christian friends and invite them all to dinner
52. Invite your work mates to special church activities
53. Invite those who use our car parks during the week to an afternoon tea or ?
54. Cooking for your neighbours
55. Invite playgroups Mums to special events for women and to special church services
56. Invite neighbours for coffee
57. Host a bible study & invite friends and neighbours
58. Invite people to a Card’s Night, Bush walking, bike riding
59. Use special calendar events throughout the year & invite non Christian friends, family & neighbours to eg New Year
60. New Years Day – have a street picnic/party – play cricket etc.
61. Australia Day – host a real Aussie Barbie
62. Pancake Day – host Breaky or brunch of pancakes
63. International Women’s Day – invite all the women around to have a girly day
64. St Patrick’s Day – host a green party & get people to bring an Irish joke to share
65. Easter – invite to Easter at the lake – with Breaky first
66. National Youth Week – celebrate our kids – have a picnic or party at school (ask permission first)
67. National Mother Week – have a mother’s meeting at a park or at your home – celebrate being a Mum
68. International Day of Families – invite another family for a meal and games
69. Queen’s Birthday – have a royal party ball, make it formal – get everyone to wear a Tiara (females only)
70. Independence Day – have an American party, hotdogs, etc – watch American football or baseball together
71. International Youth Day – invite a bunch of kids/youth over to share with your kids/youth – have a party for them
72. Football Grand final – invite the boys around – or anyone who enjoys the sports
73. October Girls Night In – throughout October host girly nights – pamper nights, craft nights etc.
74. Melbourne Cup Day – host your own day – wear hats, invite your neighbours and friends, watch it on the telly
75. Thank you Day – invite neighbours in for coffee – thank them for being your neighbours
76. Christmas – make sure your neighbours are not alone, if they are invite them to join you
77. Say grace – tell visitors why you say grace
78. Use music to bring up Christianity – share your fav. Christian band
79. Use music to bring up Christianity – play with non-Christian bands
80. Organise a Christian band and offer to play free at local venues
81. Use my gifts in music to connect with others interested in music
82. Discuss Christian music with those interested in music, lend them a copy of your music.
83. Bringing music and friendship to those shut in at Nursing Homes
84. Invite neighbours to share your bin for their overflow
85. Collect mail for neighbours when they are away
86. Watch neighbours homes when they are away (for security)
87. Walk a neighbours dog for them if they are ill or elderly
88. Bring a neighbours washing in for them – when its dry
89. Watering a neighbours garden (on allotted days)
90. Bringing in a neighbours garbage bin for them
91. Lend your tools to your neighbours
92. Lend garden equipment to your neighbours
93. Offer to do a neighbours ironing if they are ill
94. Offer to do the shopping for those ill or elderly or car less
95. Offer a lift to Doctors or shopping for those ill or elderly or car less
96. Inviting your children’s friends over & taking them to church or Kids Club
97. Offer to baby-sit a neighbours young children so they can get their shopping done quickly with out the children
98. Offer to mind a neighbours pet when they go away.
99. If you have a water tank – offer to wash a neighbours car when you was yours.
100. Help neighbours with minor maintenance problems if you know how to help
101. Offer to mow a neighbours lawn for them
102. If you find a good handyman, painter etc. recommend them to your neighbours
103. If you have a great garden – open it up for people to take some solitude in and time out to pray
104. Give your seat to an elderly person or a Mum with kids on the train or bus
105. Hold doors open for people who have their hands full or are elderly
106. Offer to push an older person’s trolley to their car for them
107. Pickup dangerous items and rubbish at your local park (place in bin)
108. Help neighbours with building projects, sewing projects or repair of cars etc.
109. Organise working bees on a home for the infirmed or elderly living alone
110. NSW Seniors Week – get your kids/youth group to do something for the seniors of the community
111. Anzac Day – help the elderly or take some kids to the dawn service then have a Aussie Breaky together
112. Use your holidays to go on Mission (eg Beach Missions)
113. Invite neighbours to special events held at DAC – eg Gingerbread, Carols, special services, Breaky
114. Stick to the Road Rules – and have a fish sticker so people can identify you as a Christian
115. Be polite when driving, allow people in and be a good example
116. Buy a bible for a friend who hasn’t got one
117. Don’t give up on inviting your friends or neighbours to activities at church
118. Talk to children, grandchildren as you spend time with them about our great God
119. Introduce yourself as a Christian
120. Invite your neighbours to church with you
121. Live differently – be in the world but not of the world
122. Pray for God to give opportunities to share our lives with our family, friends or neighbours
123. Invite my friends to attend youth group with me
124. Use Christian posters & pictures in your workplace – that can then lead to conversations
125. Put notices and invites up about church activities at your school, club or community centre (ask permission first)
126. Follow-up Anglican’s who live in my street but to go to church
127. Use your computer to let people know you are a Christian – send them on thought provoking Christian material
128. Pray – asking wisdom – as we chat about our church activities
129. Mothers Day – invite people along to church with you – then share a meal together
130. Celebrate Christmas in July – make it about Jesus – celebrate Jesus not only at Christmas Time
131. Fathers Day – invite fathers and their families to church – let the men have a day off – to do what ever – golf etc.

Continued from Just a Walk Across the…

It has been an inspiring week! As we have put together the list of ideas to build bridges to our neighbours, colleagues, and friends, we are encouraged by the creativity, commitment and dedication of so many of our members.

Here are a few ideas to stir your imagination; you’ll find more great ideas inside this bulletin and on our website www.daptoanglican.org.au.

• Be involved in community groups & activities – hobbies, sports, community action groups, play groups, etc.
• Invite neighbours for a coffee or BBQ.
• Engage in your local school community – Parents and friends, P&C, canteen helpers, scripture teachers, etc.
• Make friends with your children’s sports parents.
• Invite newcomers to a meal at your place.
• Show kindness to your neighbours and their children.
• Tell your neighbours, friends, hairdresser what you do during the week – attend church, bible study, church programs; invite them.
• Invite your children’s friends to our Children’s Programs & drive them there & home again.
• Give your seat to the elderly or a mum with kids on the bus/train.
• Live differently – be in the world but not of the world.
• Talk to children/grandchildren about our great God
• Offer to push an older person’s grocery trolley to their car.
• Invite neighbours to special events held at DAC – eg: Gingerbread, carols, special services, breakfasts.
• Be a good listener to your workmates, friends & neighbours.
• Easter – invite to Easter at the lake – with breaky first.

So now lets continue or if you haven’t tried before, lets get busy walking across the…

Stephen Semenchuk

Bulletin 19/08/07 (pdf, 1.4 MB)

Last year, over 14% of Australians who filled in the Census nominated “No Religion” as their preference (up over 2.2%). Meanwhile 17% of the population indicated “Anglican” (down 2.2%). Further research has indicated that around 65% of the population would rarely consider attending a church and are not aware of even knowing a person who currently goes to any church!

The challenge of being a “kingdom of priests”, a people belonging to God and introducing others to our Lord and Saviour, is becoming harder and more urgent! At the same time the best approach is relational, natural and trumpeted by our loving lifestyle. We don’t need more programs, we need Christians who use their networks and opportunities to simply be friendly, caring and intentionally Christian.
Each of us need to “Just walk across the …… room, road, shopping aisle, backyard, office, factory, lecture theatre, gym, sporting field…. and say “hello”. We should work out random acts of kindness (things like baking a few extra biscuits and giving them to a neighbour or bringing their bins in for them or ???). We should work out some non-threatening ways of building friendships (build on your interests by inviting a neighbour to join you—playing cards, going to a movie, sharing a coffee or a meal, going on a walk or a fishing trip or ????)

Today we are giving you our new Dapto Anglican Church brochure.
IT IS FOR YOU TO GIVE AWAY!

We challenge each of you to be alert to the new people who move into your street and go and say “hello” soon after they move in. Take the brochure and give them an invite to our church “if they are interested”.

1. We are asking you to tell us your ideas of how you “Just Walk Across the Room/Road” etc.
2. Today, please fill in the slip included in this bulletin & give it to the service leader or place in the offertory plate. [Or Leave a Reply - Phil B]
3. Next week we will publish a list of ideas & simple ways that you use when “Walking across the…”

Stephen Semenchuk

Continued at Just a Walk Across the… (Part 2)

Bulletin 12/08/07 (pdf, 802 KB)