This weekend please remember to partner in prayer with Dave Vaughan and Grant Zippel as they serve as Chaplains at the Clipsal. The team that prayed for the event, as we walked around the track, had quite an enjoyable prayer-walk with them on Monday - in spite of the inclement weather. It was great to meet a number of their contacts, including Jason the CEO of Clipsal, who thanked us all for praying for the event. The positive response of the Clipsal organisers to the prayer team was a great reflection of the respect and credibility Dave has built up over a number of years. Praise God for intentional and Godly influence of this kind! - That’s making an Impact!

This Monday, Julio and I are heading off to the Philippines for 2 weeks. While we are there we will be visiting: an orphanage, two churches, a hospital, a home-based Sunday school, a children’s feeding-program and the House of Hope drug rehabilitation centre.

The purpose of the trip is to determine if this is where God is leading us as a church - to partner with these Filipino ministries. We have so many skills and abilities in ministries here that could also be utilised in partnership abroad. We obviously have a natural association with the Philippines already, with a large number of our congregation having a Filipino background. It is exciting to think we may be able to establish a long-term overseas ministry relationship that would enable us to send teams to visit these ministries on short-term mission trips. This in turn would benefit both us and our Filipino partners – in providing assistance to them and exposure and training opportunities for our people.

Your prayer support as we seek God’s guidance is essential, to ensure we keep in step with God’s Spirit and are identifying the right country, regional locations and the right ministries.

Look forward to seeing you this Sunday

The animal farm visited the church grounds this week as a small number of farm animals were brought in to allow a group of children and their mums to pat the animals. I thought this was a brilliant idea by the Little Royals committee. Not so much because it gives children exposure to farm animals they might not otherwise get, but more importantly because it allowed for a connection of unchurched families with Christians from church.

I heard that just over 40 families were represented at this small farming expose, which is a fantastic result for a small event. I am very excited about things like this because it helps to establish CONNECTION with people and connection can lead to CONVERSATION and conversation can lead to COMMUNICATION and communication can mean an opportunity to present the good news of the gospel, little by little, in a respectful and gentle way. Congratulations Little Royals organisers on creating an opportunity to connect with the unchurched!

This event also reminded me that as a church we need to be focusing on areas of strength in our attempt to create opportunities to connect with others and with so many young families in the church this is certainly one obvious area of strength.

I think we need to acknowledge, celebrate and pray for these steps of connection with the community because they can be few and far between and let’s face it; it’s hard to get unchurched people to attend anything to do with church. Our challenge is to demonstrate, to a highly sceptical community, that we are not wacky (well most of us aren’t) and we enjoy doing normal things. Let us together look for opportunities to get connected, in order that we might build friendships - and as a result share our Christian faith in a relaxed and informal but highly effective manner.

All of this sits well with our current sermon and study series on Jesus attitude of acceptance towards people. The gospels demonstrate that Jesus met and accepted people right where they were in life and it was into these ‘ordinary’ circumstances he demonstrated acceptance, love and eternal hope.

Remember to pray for Dave Vaughan and Grant Zippel as they are involved in Motorsport chaplaincy at the upcoming Clipsal, another great opportunity to connect with and support people in the community.

Celebrating community connection

I have been reading and praying through the booklet “Praying for the Persecuted Church in Lent” published by Barnabas Fund and found it very helpful for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it informs me of what is going on in regard to Christian persecution in various countries of the world.

Secondly, it helps me to realise just how fortunate we are living in Australia with the spiritual freedoms we enjoy.

Thirdly, it distracts me from ‘my world’ and allows me to enter the world of others.

The busyness of life, the pressures of responsibility and the luxuries we enjoy all contribute to us becoming consumed by ‘our world’. We think, breathe, live and inhabit a zone of space and time that can become all-consuming as our employment, families, leisure activities, and ministries absorb every spare moment of our waking.

It’s refreshing therefore to step outside that zone, albeit briefly, to contemplate the lives of others, to consider for a moment what their time and space might be like. I think it’s incredibly healthy for us to do that from time to time because of the real possibility that we might become self-absorbed. Once we become self-absorbed we are in danger of our attitude changing from one of gratitude to one of expectation. “The world and everyone in it owes me!” This typifies an attitude where I become deceived and begin to think that I am the centre of the universe therefore my needs and wants are the most important.

I know it sounds kind of unreal that we as believers would begin to think this way but pause for a moment and ask yourself the following questions: Am I more concerned about others or myself? How much of my free time do I spend on helping others? What do I spend my money on, self or others? When did I last give my time, money or thoughts to benefit someone else? How often do I complain about something that I feel I am entitled to but not receiving?

These questions can be a checklist to gauge our hearts to determine whether we are in danger of becoming self-absorbed. Purposefully pursuing the needs of others can be a great antidote to counter this ever-present danger, and in doing so we follow the example of our Lord Jesus and obey the commands of the Apostle Paul in verses that sum it all up, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”  Phil 2:4-5

Considering others.

The Winter Olympics are under way in Canada and it’s great to see the amazing, physical feats of the worlds best winter sports athletes. I can’t help but praise God for the way He has made us as human beings, as physical strength, agility, coordination and courage is demonstrated and applauded. I’m noticing though that all the athletes are ‘younger’ people, where are all the 50 year old grandfathers? I think I’ll write and complain to the IOC that there is not enough representation of older people – becoming a grumpy old man is starting to feel really comfortable! I just need a bit more free time to think about things I can complain about.

Vancouver is not the only city sporting champions; we have some of our own right here at EBC but they are champions in a different field of endeavour. Recently Dave Vaughan received a prestigious award from CAMS, the Confederation of Australian Motorsport – the governing body of motorsport in Australia. Dave received the award, usually reserved for senior age people with a lifetime of service, for dedicated service to motor sport as a CAMS Accredited Official. Here is what they wrote about him at the recent ceremony. David has been a motor sport official in a number of capacities for over 30 years, but is best known for being the Chaplain for the Australian Rally Championship over the last 9 years. Whenever there is a serious motor sport incident, the services of David come to the fore as a counsellor where he provides comfort and support to anyone affected by such an incident.

Through his demonstrated diligent service and high level of dedication to the sport over a long period of time, David is a highly respected member of the South Australian motor sport community and a very worthy recipient of the CAMS Service Award.

Congratulations Dave and thanks for being an example to us in the church family. Congratulations to all our people who are champions of service to this church and the wider community. We mightn’t see you on TV and most will probably not be acknowledged in any public way or receive a gold medal and media interviews but you are champions in our sight and in the sight of Him who really counts.

Celebrating champions of service

This Sunday Valentines Day and Chinese New Year will be celebrated so whichever day you recognize happy Valentines Day or Happy Chinese New Year! Valentines Day has rather obscure origins but it is said to have originated as recognition of a Christian martyr. Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned because he was caught marrying Christian couples as well as supporting Christians at a time when Christians were being actively persecuted by the Emperor Claudius Gothicus.

Claudius actually took a liking to his prisoner until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor which led to his being condemned to death. His was a horrible end when he was beaten with clubs and stoned, but this didn’t kill him so they finally beheaded Valentinus in about 270 AD. Not much to celebrate really is it? The day itself was recognized as a holy day by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD but was later developed into a romantic holiday by Geoffrey Chaucer during the Middle Ages when “the tradition of courtly love flourished.”

Strange how things get twisted and turned to suit our circumstances and culture. Many now call it Hallmark Day because of all the Valentines Day cards that are sold, not to mention the florists. Thinking about Valentinus made me wonder about living as a Christian in an anti Christian society. I think many would agree that our society is growing increasingly pagan and as someone mentioned to me on Sunday, persecution of Christians can’t be far away. 

I’m encouraged to think of Valentinus’ testimony as he supported Christians and even sort to convert the Emperor. How much more should we as Christians in a ‘pre-persecution era’ seek to encourage one another and share our faith at every opportunity? Times change and the door of freedom to so easily speak for Christ may eventually close. Let’s make the most of it while we can.

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

This Sunday morning I will be speaking while Don is speaking in the evening. We have begun our journey through the gospels as we seek to identify Jesus methods of witness.

Maranatha!

Happy New Year! Although it’s starting to sound a bit obsolete as we are already into the fourth week of the year. It doesn’t take long for the joy, expectation and atmosphere of “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year” to fade. I estimate it takes about one week of busyness back at work and the holiday season seems a long distant memory, disappearing behind us like dust on a country road. All too soon it’s settled and gone as if none of it ever really happened. I began to wonder, what does “Happy New Year” actually mean? I hope you are happy, every moment, of every day, throughout the year? Maybe that’s what we mean by saying it but it’s not very realistic, life is never a journey of happiness, all the time. If it is for you maybe we could swap lives for a short period of time???

Lets be real, life has its intensely happy moments and there are seasons of great joy. I’ve spent most of my holidays having a great time with constant laughs shared with family and friends but now the challenges and realities of life loom high on the horizon and there is no avoiding them. Not all of those challenges are the encouraging, uplifting kind. So do we grit our teeth and bear it until the next holiday break when we can relax again and forget about the troubles of the world? I think there might be a better way, as Christians we can see life as an ongoing journey of fellowship with God. He is with us, by our side, sharing our happy times and our sad times, encouraging us when we’re down and giving us hope for the future and a constant awareness of His indescribable peace and presence.

When we experience life in this way, our sense of happiness and well-being becomes less dependent on our circumstances and more dependent upon our walk with God. So perhaps my New Year’s greeting to you should be, “May God’s Peace Be With You In 2010.” It sounds a little pious but I think it’s a more realistic description of what the Christians ongoing experience is like.

May God’s peace be with you!

So this is Christmas - tinsel, presents, food, holidays but most of all, hopefully most of all, for Christians it’s about Jesus. God’s gift of a Saviour to a lost world. He is our hope, our forgiveness, our salvation. Imagine the world without Him, imagine your life without Him….

Jesus gives life, meaning and purpose, He brings us into a right relationship with a holy God, whose just and righteous wrath against sin must be satisfied. God’s call to each of us is to have faith in Jesus, to believe in Him that His substitutionary death on Calvary’s cross might make us right in God’s sight.

My prayer for you this Christmas season is that you might have personal experience of knowing God and be right with Him by believing in His Son, Jesus Christ. This, above all else, is the true meaning of life and God’s intended purpose at Christmas.

To all those holidaying and travelling we pray you will have a safe and restful holiday. We look forward to all that 2010 has for us as a church.  In January we will have a sermon series that focuses on God’s desire for relationship with each of us as His creation. No matter who we are or what we’ve done, God wants to restore us to relationship with Himself.

Our service times over the Christmas period are as follows:

• Christmas Eve 7pm
• Christmas Day 9am
• Sunday 27^th 10am (no evening service)
• January 10am & 6pm

May you enjoy God’s richest blessing at Christmas and may His plans for your life continue to be revealed throughout 2010.

Brian.

Our sermon series, “How To Sin & Get Away With It” has now concluded and this week we begin a much briefer but very important follow up series called, “How To Be Forgiven Because We Can’t Get Away With It.” (How’s that for a succinct series title?) The fact is, we can be deceived into thinking our “secret” or “respectable” sins are not so bad compared to the more “serious” sins of others. God is offended by all sin however, no matter whether we categorise some sins as being more serious than others. Hopefully our recent series has helped to highlight the reality and seriousness of all sin.

So when we recognise our sin what do we do? How can we be forgiven? Thankfully God doesn’t just point out our sin then leave us to wallow in self condemnation and guilt - not at all! He has graciously and mercifully provided us with a Saviour, whose long awaited arrival changed for all time the reality and permanence of God’s just forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ we can be forgiven and experience the freedom and joy of knowing and walking with God.

The provision of a Saviour, in Jesus Christ, is God’s grand plan of salvation for the human race. It is a plan that has taken millennia to unfold and be fully revealed. Amazingly we live in a time when we can look back on God’s purposes throughout history and His trail of raising up prophet after prophet who have spoken of and given clues to the identity of the coming Saviour. We have the privilege of being able to follow those clues, and recognise the Saviour’s final arrival in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago.

A couple of things become very evident when we reflect upon God’s provision of a Saviour. One is that God loves us dearly, more than we can fully comprehend. The second observation we can make from God’s grand plan of salvation is that God is certainly not in a hurry. All is done according to His will and His timing - not ours. When you are eternal time has much less significance.

I encourage you to reflect in this Christmas season on the wonder of God’s plan of salvation and the provision of His Son our Saviour. The privileges we enjoy as Christians know no bounds and all because He loves us so much.

Forgiven in Jesus,

Brian

I’ve noticed there has been a rumour going around that I recently had a birthday. Some have congratulated me on turning 60 but I thought 40 was closer to the truth. I rang my mum just to clarify my age but being 95 she couldn’t quite recall? Some, acting on the rumour, were quite insensitive to my circumstance and sent me disturbing cards reminding me that I had entered a new phase of life called old age and becoming a senior. I am still in denial about the whole experience and can’t wait for Christmas to have something else to think about and celebrate because I see nothing celebratory, if it’s true, in being half a century old! Just as well I’m not a grandfather because then I’d really be having a crisis!

Hilery was however sensitive to my circumstance and secretly, at least to me, organised a surprise holiday for my ‘special’ birthday - a week in Bali. It was a great week away, very relaxing and refreshing. Bali is certainly a beautiful country with magnificent coastal scenery and friendly, relaxed people. It took us a while to unwind but when we did the only effort required was to ride our scooter to another restaurant on the beach for a $3 meal of fresh prawns or steamed fish in banana leaves followed by an hour massage or a sleep by the pool. Ah what a life, maybe getting old is not so bad if we get to do this more often!

There’s always a downside to a holiday however as the airline pilot implied as we touched down in Adelaide, “welcome back to reality.” Our reality here in Adelaide is very rewarding however so it is good to be back and I am looking forward to church on Sunday and the privilege to fully and freely worship our great God with our church family.

One thing that I did not enjoy on holiday was the predominance of idol worship with small offerings being made to various gods. The small offering parcels of food, in specially made flax baskets, were left everyday and everywhere; in doorways, on the footpath, on the road and on the beach. Our reality of believing in the One, true and living God is incomparable and a privilege worthy of our deepest devotion.

Considering early retirement,

Brian

Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.” Other characters in our culture rephrase this as – never let truth get in the way of a good story.

Truth huh! Wouldn’t we love to know it when many of our politicians are embroiled in controversy; when our financial and petroleum institutions justify their pricing structures; when we are lured by subtle advertizing to buy, but the product doesn’t measure up?

Yes we’d love the truth to be evident before the consequences surface.

Each of us knows in our heart and conscience the truth will never let us down -sometimes we’ve just gotta trust it. It may take a bit for truth to surface, but like an air bubble in the ocean, it inevitably rises to the surface.

Jesus made the statement,”I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This statement deserves our full consideration because if it has interacted with our heart and conscience, faith calls us to follow.  

This Sunday morning the senior EBKidz will be leading the morning service with support from the other Kids ministries. The theme coming through their year of Sunday school has been that statement – I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life. We look forward to seeing how they have interacted with Jesus’ words.

Please consider sitting upstairs if the church is looking full Sunday morning.

On Saturday while EBKidz are practicing, Gingerbread houses/men are being created over at Eddies. It’s not too late to join in on the pre-Christmas fun there.

Tuesday night we had our AGM and if you weren’t there or need clarification on something, please contact the office or speak with one of the pastors for more details. On Sunday evening we will continue in our series looking at: Confronting the things we often tolerate. Ps Joe will be speaking on the topic of Judgementalism.

Joe