Building for Eternity
Archive for June, 2009
‘The Importance of vows’
Jun 29th
We find the important issue of vows, a theme in Judges 11 this week. Through life, we will make many vows,
* to friends
* to family and
* to God
When the penny drops for us, and we respond to Jesus for salvation, we ‘vow’ to trust in Jesus, and not in ourselves, to be saved. There is no more important vow for a human to make.
An article in a recent Daily Telegraph headed, ‘Couples Ditch; Death Do Us Part’. This article outlined that people are increasingly unwilling to vow a lifelong commitment to each other and including a ‘get out clause’ in their vows. Couples are now pledging, ‘as long as our love lasts’, to each other.
One reason for this influx is that secular marriage celebrants or non-christian ministers who allow this, are simply providing a service and care nothing for what God has ordained a marriage to be.
Another reason is humans are selfish, and wrongly see marriage as a tool to meet their ‘needs’.
Christian marriages must take seriously the vow, ‘for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part’, especially as we see the trivialisation of marriage vows becoming more apparent.
Jim Mobbs,
Assistant Minister
Sermon humour, is it ok?
Jun 19th
I was listening to Robert Forsyth, Bishop of South Sydney, talking on the ABC radio last Friday. His topic was the place of humour in sermons. His basic argument is not that it’s wrong, but often misused. As someone who has quite a dry, twisted sense of humour, who doesn’t take myself too seriously, I find the topic very interesting. You might be surprised to know I agree with him. A preacher must be himself in the pulpit. A person who is funny, and likes to laugh should naturally be that way when preaching. A person who is serious, and not naturally funny should not be different in the pulpit. I think a temptation for preachers is to 
be different to who they are in daily life.
The best definition I have heard to define preaching is “truth through personality” = God’s truth, through an individuals unique personality. At the end of the day, different personalities will appeal to different people.
Charles Spurgeon, “the Prince of Preachers” from the 1880’s was often criticised for using humour in his sermons. His reply was “if you thought that was funny, you should hear the things I left out!”
Jim Mobbs,
Assistant Minister
Where is our Treasure?
Jun 12th
During this week the media have caught up with the Sydney Anglican Diocese’s poor share investment results. It is true that the Diocesan Endowment and the Archbishop’s Endowment have recorded at least a 50% loss over the last 12 months. It will affect the Diocese’s Regional Leadership, their major church organisation and the training colleges.
It does not affect the ministries of local churches and the building capital grants (as those funds had been withdrawn from the accounts that suffered the loss). Hence Dapto’s building grant is still available, if we commence building within the next 18 months.
The Diocesan is not responding by just cutting programs or jobs. The Archbishop is leading a process where a restructuring occurs that will enhance our mission and ministry effectiveness. It is a God given chance to change things that may never have changed, despite the need. Please pray for the Archbishop and his team as they negotiate these troubled waters and lead us to an even better place to connect with our community and proclaim Jesus.
Stephen Semenchuk,
Senior Minister
The Guarantee You Can Trust
Jun 5th
Are you a person who pays extra for extended warranties on appliances? I am not! I don’t know if it stems from my optimism (if it lasts for 12 months then it will go for a decade) or my cynicism (there will probably be some exemption clause that will mean the warranty is not applicable). Generally guarantees are only as good as the integrity of the one who offers them.
In the book of Judges, following God’s leadership is the only guarantee of a future. Each time Israel gets in trouble and cries out to God he provides a judge who “saves” them. Our world seems to have become a very uncertain and insecure place. Trusting God is the only certain hope. As we gather we should celebrate the great, eternal guarantee from Jesus: no one is able to snatch any of those the Father has given me out of His hand. (John 10:30)
D.A.C. Building for Eternity
Stephen Semenchuk,
Senior Minister
Thank You McDonalds!
Jun 1st
Last Monday 45 people gathered for a pilot night of “Feed the Family”, treated with a free dinner & dessert at Dapto McDonald’s. It included 4 DAC host families with a couple of Young Adults and 5 guest families from our local community. This event was a partnership between Dave Eldridge, owner of Dapto McDonalds and Dapto Anglican Church (see the next Southern Cross).
The Staff serving us on the night were specially selected by Dave Eldridge and were some of our young adults; Amy Brown, John Batten & Sarah MacBain. Dave gathered with them praying before the evening began.
Highlights included; table service, with friendly faces to greet and serve us. Our hosts and guests enjoyed a great relaxed atmosphere and the exclusive use of the dining-room with floating balloons. Fun and laughter filled the space as the little ones, so exited at being asked to dinner, engaged with friends and the youth shared their skills in Trivial Pursuit. Some of the guests were blown away by the generosity of McDonalds and why we at DAC would want to host such an event.
There was plenty of fresh coffee (for the adults) and lots of conversation and connections were made. Lots of conversation and friendships were formed. Lots of conversation and other friendships were strengthened. By the way did I tell you that there was lots of conversation!
John Batten shared news about (soon to be launched) Breaky Club at Dapto High and the desire of DAC to partner, support, care, assist and serve the community in this way. John spoke of the generosity of businesses making this initiative possible & the existing connections of lunchtime groups within Dapto High.
There was also opportunity to inform and invite guests to upcoming events including the Men’s State of Origin Night, and the women’s DAC’s Got Talent. Some of our guests have already taken us up on our invites to other events.
Once more, a BIG thank you to Dapto McDonald’s for their generosity, support & partnership in this exciting initiative.
What’s next?
Our next dinner is already in the planning stage. So, if you have connections with families from the community and would like to host them at our “Feed the Family Dinner” Connect 09 Initiative, give the Church Office a call.
Jill Pearce
Hostess for the night
