http://www.daptoanglican.org.au Building a Jesus focussed community in Dapto Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:57:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Pick up a pack from the Ministry Centre (bag, map & 2 lots of pamphlets) Record on the Master Sheet, before you leave the building, which pack/s you have taken. Follow your map route only & deliver invites into letterboxes (but not into letterboxes that say “No Junk Mail”). Return the map, bag and spare leaflets to the our Church Office as soon as possible. We need all our spares back quickly, so that areas that run short can all be invited. http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/11/letter-box-drop/ ...says Mel Humble Mary Pickford was telling a group how much she missed doing the Letterbox Drop last year. Mel, Nathan, Callum and Amy wanted to do something about it and challenge us all to get out and about over the next 2 weeks, connecting with our neighbours, and delivering the advertising for the Carols in the Showground on the 6th December and our Christmas programs. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/11/i-love-this-time-of-year/ Bulletin 16-11-08 (pdf, 1.49 MB) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/11/bulletin-16th-november-2008/ We give God great thanks for the life and ministry Peter, Anna, Sarah and Mackayla Hutchinson have shared with us for 4 years. They entered our parish during a time where our Family, Children’s and Youth Ministries have been flourishing. They helped us add events like the Open Air Easter Service at the Lake and the Gingerbread House event. They shared their lives, home, leadership and faith with us. Our Church has flowed downstream to a new place where God has been preparing us to reach out and connect with our ever growing community. Our prayer is that our church has also flowed blessings into their lives. They have grown in their time with us and I believe most of us will look back with thanksgiving to what God has been doing. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/11/the-river-of-ministry/ Bulletin 09/11/08 (pdf, 1.7 MB) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/11/bulletin-9th-november-2008/ 65 of our men filled the Hong Sing Restaurant on Wednesday Night to wrestle with the issue of consumerism. We were challenged to rethink our attitude to the “stuff” we accumulate in life. The remedies to wanting more and more “things” to somehow feel better and happier were: Contentment with what we have. Joy in Jesus. Generosity—giving to the poor and gospel work. Defining our worth through Jesus. One idea was to have a week when each family would not spend a cent on any non-essential item. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/a-spend-free-week/ Bulletin 02/11/08 (pdf, 1.73 MB) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/bulletin-2nd-november-2008/ Prayer 11/08 (pdf, 1.34 MB) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/prayer-focus-november-2008/ St Luke’s Preschool has carried the reputation as one of the best Christian preschools in the Illawarra for many years. Local primary schools remark regularly about our graduates standing out when they start primary school because they are so well prepared for school. The committee intentionally employs staff beyond the minimum requirements to ensure best practices. Therefore our staff are highly skilled educationally and provide quality Christian care, community & education. This week the renovations were completed and our facilities are also second to none. So, St Lukes Anglican Preschool now sets the standard for Preschool Christian education in our region and beyond. Let us give great thanks to God for all those who have laboured in establishing a great flagship for Dapto. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/setting-the-standard/ Bulletin 26 October 2008 (Pdf 638) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/bulletin-26th-october-2008/ Father God, we praise you for your love for all people and for sending Jesus to be the saviour of the World. Help us to share this love with others. We pray for the people of our city and beyond. By your Spirit prepare their hearts to respond to your Word and put their trust in you. As we connect with them, may they connect with you, and find the joy of sins forgiven and life eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/connect09-prayer/ Bulletin 19th Oct 08 (Pdf 331kb) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/bulletin-19th-october-2008/ It was great to celebrate our holiday bible club with a full church last Sunday morning. Many worthwhile connections were established with families. The next large scale opportunities for us to bring friends and connect with the community will be: *  The Gingerbread House night Saturday 22nd November * The Community Carols at Dapto Showground on Saturday 6th December. Start praying for the friends & family you intend to invite. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/connecting-before-09/ 2008-10-Oct-12 (Pdf 417kb) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/bulletin-12th-october-2008/ Each day around 160 children joined about 45 enthusiastic Dapto Anglican Team members for hours of fun. We hope everyone who came got so much more than they expected as they learnt how to build a rock solid foundation for life on Jesus. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/what-a-week/ Bulletin 5th October, 2008 (Pdf 1.2mb) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/10/bulletin-28th-october-2008/ Prayer Focus Oct 2008 (Pdf 120kb) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/09/prayer-focus-october-2008/ Once upon a time in the town of Ducksville was a church. Every Sunday hundreds of ducks would waddle into church. They would listen to the duck preacher. They would quack their support and then they would return to their duck world. One Sunday the duck preacher stood before them and said “Friends you are ducks”, and the congregation quacked their support. The preacher continued, “You have wings” and the congregation grew in their quacking support. He said “You are ducks, you have wings and you can fly” and all the ducks got excited and were quacking their support even louder. The preacher reached his climax “You are ducks, you have wings, you can fly, you can soar on wings like eagles!” The crowd enthusiastically quacked a giant “Amen” and then they all waddled home. God has a great vision for his people. He calls on us to choose Him, choose life and choose to soar like eagles. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/09/they-will-soar-on-wings-like-eagles/ Bulletin 28th September 2008 (Pdf, 1.6mb) http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/09/bulletin-28th-september-2008/ The older I get the more retirement seminars I get invited to. I am starting to feel that the next 15 years are all about preparing for the next “however many years God gives me”. The fact is that Jesus may return during the next 15 years. My superannuation may never be called on. We have to be careful that we put our last energies into planning for the life God has given us today. He doesn’t take us straight to heaven when we are adopted into God’s family. He leaves us here to do his work. It is important for us to be responsible for our livelihood but it is even more important for us to be faithful stewards of the lives God allocates to us. How can God work through you today and tomorrow and the next day and…. Stephen Semenchuk http://www.daptoanglican.org.au/2008/09/planning-to-live/