Over the next 6 weeks as we celebrate Easter, try this challenge:

1. Once a week, either from a sermon, bible study or your own personal bible devotion, work out one thing that strikes you as important.

2. Decide on a list of 5 people you will encounter each week (family, neighbour, friend, shopkeeper).  Pray that God will give you opportunity to speak with them.

3. Share the one thing that struck you with each person on the list.

4. Do it for 6 weeks in a row.

At the end of the six weeks, expect God to have laid some new pathways of discipleship around you.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Pastor

The local Chilean impact is much more immediate and tragic.  Our Archbishop Peter Jensen has been monitoring the situation with Archbishop Greg Venables of Chile.  The CMS missionaries have been secured but the four Anglican congregations in Concepcion (where the earthquake was at its most destructive) have been camping in groups together and are short of food and water.

Now is the time to help and give generously to the Archbishop of Sydney’s Relief to Victims in Chile Appeal.  Your gift to The Archbishop’s Overseas Relief and Aid Fund (ORAF) will enable the Bishop of Chile to provide ongoing assistance to those hardest hit and in greatest need.

Please make your donation online by visiting the Archbishop of Sydney’s Appeals Unit website, www.abau.org.au and following the links, by calling 1800 653 903 or by marking your offertory envelope.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Pastor

It provides a visual illustration of the Christian life.

Now we know that Jesus has conquered death and eternity beckons.

Now we have received the Holy Spirit and He is at work in our life.

Now we can see God answer our prayers.

Now we can believe that the Kingdom of God has broken into history in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

But the perfect new heaven and new earth Jesus promises is not yet part of our experience.

We have not yet been removed from this broken struggling world.

Not yet have we been removed from temptations, diseases and suffering.

Now we have seen enough to believe Jesus is Lord but we have not yet seen Him as “the alpha and the omega”. We experience God’s kingdom “now but not yet”.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Pastor

1.  Please make time each week to build a relationship with your neighbours and friends which is intentionally aimed at them coming to know Jesus.

2.  Help Shane and his team deliver the Easter baskets to families who already havesome connection with our church.

3.  Work out how you can contribute to our Easter Fair on the 27th March. This will be the Moombara Street’s last “open house” before the major building occurs. We will invite the community to have a great time while they also help us raise funds.

4.  Plan to be at the outdoor Easter Sunday Celebration on 4th April next to Lake Illawarra with your contacts. It will be a day where Jesus resurrection will be proclaimed before a watching world.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Pastor

During the next 8 months we will be watching our site at Moombara Street go “under construction”.  We will have weeks like today when its harder to get into the building.  There will be other challenges and struggles too.  We face the pain so there will be great future gain!

Nothing can compare with the future coming Kingdom of Heaven.  However many years God gives us before we enter that kingdom, are construction years.  He is building us into kingdom people and  He is calling us to invite the community around us to become kingdom people.  The rest of our time on earth is really time we spend under construction.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Pastor

Scott Goode has had the challenge of placing 20 new members into Growth Groups this week.

Jim Mobbs is commencing the next “Connecting with Jesus” Course on Sunday 14th February for a number of enquirers.

“Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

The man was back the next day, as he had fallen into the same hole.  The doctor fixed him up again but added his advice to not go back to the same street.

We often find ourselves making the same mistakes and falling into the same “life holes”. Take the opportunity to be transformed. Join a Growth Group  today.

Growth Groups meet to discuss God’s word. They support each member in living transformed lives.

You don’t have to go it alone! Contact Scott Goode today and he will help you join a group that will help you live a life more the way God intends.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister

The building of the new entrance and offices at the existing Moombara Street Auditorium will commence on Monday 8th February, 2010. The builders expect access will be available on Sundays but we will have to use side doors  or access to the auditorium during the week. The work will take 4-5 weeks.

2. Project Manager for Major Building Work

The Diocese has approved our nomination of Josh Heyman to be the Project Manager. He has been acting as our Quantity Surveyor. He will supervise the tendering process and the major building works over the next 11  months. Tendering commences over the next few weeks. Please pray that God will give us wisdom in appointing our major contractor and that He will strengthen Joshas the Project Manager.

3.   Extra $30,000 State Government Grant
Recently our local State Member, Lylea McMahon announced that Dapto Anglican Church would receive $30,000 towards the building of our new foyer and café. This is an encouragement for us to continue providing new  employment opportunities in the Illawarra.

Stephen Semenchuk
Senior Minister