Dapto Anglican Church

Our architects have prepared the Moombara street building schedule.  If God provides reasonable weather, we will open the new building in 2010.  We need to complete the new foyer and offices during the next 3 months (in the old building) to open the way for our major construction in 2010.

The ministry priority in 2010 is to open up new inroads into our community and Shane Dirks will lead our evangelistic endeavours.  This also means new growth groups will open and our congregational leaders will need to open up pathways so that all Dapto Anglican members can be nurtured and empowered.  Therefore we are bringing Scott Goode on to the team full time to return our staffing levels to the 2007 level.  We will be moving Scott and his family into Dapto in the next few weeks.

Our youth and children’s teams continue to expand their influence over the next generations.  We hope to open up new trainee positions so that the work can continue to grow.  The IT ministry is also in dire need of resources.

To open 2010 we are inviting you to make a special thanksgiving offering on Sunday 20^th December.  If God has been good to you in 2009 then we pray you will open your heart and give.  We need $20,000 to ensure we open 2010 without a shortfall and are able to open up these important ministry opportunities.  Special envelopes will be available next week along with more exciting details of how God is opening opportunities for the gospel in our area.  Next year will lay the foundations for the next decade of ministry, please seek God’s encouragement for how you can be involved.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister
(on behalf of the Parish Council)

Bulletin 29th November 2009 (304kb)

Woody Allen once said, “The one sure way to avoid anxiety is to not take a personal interest in your own life.”

Modern life in Australia is fraught with opportunities for stress.  Employment uncertainty, rising interest rates, high electricity & water prices, family breakdowns, unpredictable weather patterns, global warming and the criminal element of society, all contribute to a sense of fear & stress.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Paul added in his letter to the Philippians; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Ultimately only God, has the power to offer eternal security and the permanent cure for anxiety.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

Bulletin 22nd November 2009 (PDF 625kb)

Many times the New Testament encourages us to persevere and see things through to the end.  But there is a prior step.  The distance a person travels is not as important as the direction. A Sioux proverb says; “If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will take you there”.

Each one of us needs to settle on the direction of our life.  God’s call on us is to seek first the kingdom of God.  Paul in Philippians doesn’t just require us to rejoice, but to rejoice in the Lord.

• God needs to set the agenda of our lives,

• God needs to be at the head of our priorities and

• God needs to define what is right and wrong.

The choices we make and the things we do are windows into our soul.

• As people look through the windows of your life do they see the Lordship of Christ?

• When we rejoice, is it in the Lord?

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

Bulletin 15th November 2009 (PDF 2mb)

November Prayer Focus (PDF 183kb)

Do you ever feel like the stresses in your life are moving you close to breaking point?

There are stresses for all of us:   Students trying to prepare for their High School Certificate or University exams; children coping with teachers they do not get on with or in playgrounds that feel like jungles; parents dealing with responsibilities even when they feel exhausted; workers whose employers push relentlessly for more productivity or simply the frustrations of traffic and queues.

Two health experts Garry Egger and Charles Watson explain that often stress builds up as we shut out parts of reality and develop “tunnel-vision”.  In losing sight of the “big picture”, our horizons narrow and our awareness closes down.  Things just seem to be too overwhelming.

These health experts answer to dealing with stress is to step back and regain perspective.  In Philippians 2, Paul raises our awareness about Jesus.  Jesus left heaven to deal with the problems of our world.  His death, resurrection and ascension meant that he will one day reappear and rid our existence of its stresses and frustrations.  We are involved in a cosmic conflict as God’s kingdom is established.  There will be tough times, there will be suffering and there is an ultimate answer and great meaning to our life.  Rather than tunnel-vision we should look to the stars.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

Bulletin 1 November 2009 (PDF 1.8mb)