Dapto Anglican Church

October Prayer Focus (PDF 185kb)

If you haven’t already heard, the Moombara Street Development Application has now passed Council. The next stage involves preparation of the documentation for builder tendering, establishment of an electricity substation and the construction of a new entrance to the existing auditorium.

Also this week we received a $47,059.00 grant from the Federal Government to undertake the restoration of the brickwork at St. Luke’s Church at Brownsville.

At the same time our St. Luke’s Church Community is having a tough time of it! Ellen Kirkwood passed away late Thursday night. Her funeral will be held on Monday 28th September at 11am at St. Luke’s Brownsville. Then Jean Sandy and Gillian Horrell are both currently in Wollongong Hospital with significant medical challenges.

Then there are some great opportunities currently before us! The Best is Yet to Come Ministry has a full coach of people away on Tuesday and Wednesday on their Blue Mountains Retreat. Also we are only weeks away from this year’s DAC Attack Children’s 3 day Holiday Program 7th, 8th & 9th October.

As our community BUILDS FOR ETERNITY there is always plenty of growing, gathering and caring.

Please pray that God will continue strengthening and comforting and providing for us in His great work.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

Bulletin 27th September, 2009 (1.3mb)

In the Australian Parliament there is a debate over what relationships can use the word “marriage”.  The argument tends to concern legal entitlements. Prenuptial agreements for marriage assume the likelihood of a breakdown and marriage is being increasingly seen as a contract not a place of care!

A contract may be broken with mutual consent of the parties and is self-serving, being focused on what one gets. Marriage on the other hand is a commitment based on trust—its promise is unconditional and has no termination date! A marriage vow is intended to be unbreakable and is others-serving, focused on what one gives!

God’s intention for marriage is that it is a mutual love relationship set up for life.  While the Bible provides grounds for divorce and remarriage, the clear priority is for grace and reconciliation with your partner.

Divorce and remarriage is allowed by God because of our “hardness of heart”.  It allows some good to be retrieved when commitment from their vows has been withdrawn.  However divorce should be the exception that is thoroughly tested by the Bible and wise Christian counsel.

The best way to preserve your marriage is prevention of problems rather than cure. Spend time building your relationship and learning to care for your partner.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

Bulletin 20th September, 2009 (PDF 950kb)

Two great prophets stood on two different mountains, each surrounded by those followers God had entrusted to them. Both prophets spoke essential commands to their followers. They spoke commands that were the words of God himself, commands that were instructional for how these people were to live.

The first Prophet spoke at the mountain called Sinai, his name was Moses and the people he spoke to were the nation of Israel. He gave 10 Commands. Commands that to a large part would shape the relationship between God and His people.

Around 2000 years later the second prophet spoke. This prophet is even more highly acclaimed than the first! His name was Jesus, He spoke to the first Christians. His command also is to shape the relationship between God and all people.

His command was this,

‘…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’         (Mat 28:19-20)

Lord, have mercy on us: and by your Holy Spirit write your commandments in our hearts.

The Jesus signs are up, let’s start talking!

Shane Dirks
Assistant Minister

Bulletin 13th September 2009 (PDF 1.3mb)

Fatherhood is under attack! TV shows like “The Simpsons”, and “Married with Children” present fathers as weak, inept, unloving, and plain stupid.

When fathers are viewed in the media, it is usually in a bad light. Fathers are ‘doing a runner’ from their families, and neglecting them in droves.

Recently, we read that scientists at the University of Newcastle have managed to create human sperm cells using a female embryonic stem cell, claiming that fathers may soon be an ‘irrelevant species’.

Although on a slightly different topic, Australian husbands were voted as the worst husbands in the world, by a British survey. (Just because they regained the Ashes, it doesn’t give them the right to label us bad husbands, does it!)

Now, more than ever, we need to present a positive view of fathers in our society. We need to be fathers who take responsibility, and lead their families, as God intended.

The apostle Paul, in particular, is not silent about fathers, and says:
Love your wives.
Be church leaders.
Don’t exasperate (be a frustration to) your children.

Can I encourage all fathers, to always strive to be the fathers that God intends us to be: loving, and responsible, with our Heavenly Father as our guide.

Have a great day.

Jim Mobbs
Assistant Minister

Bulletin 6th September 2009 (PDF 800kb)