Alive with Christ

This weekend we begin the next part of our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Simon Chaplin speaking from Romans chapter 12 verses 1 to 8.

We will hear from Jodie a special update about our annual get-togetherof all the churches in Sydney and the Illawarra (called the ‘Synod’) at both our services.

At our Saturday 5pm service will also have our weekly question and answer time, and Jodie will be answering these questions:

1. Is it blasphemous for modern Bibles to change the original English translation?
2. Why do English Bibles differ from each other? For example, Psalm 22:15 says “my strength is dried up” but another says “my mouth is dried up”?
3. Do you have to celebrate the Lord’s Supper at church, or can it be done at home?

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Morning Prayer Sunday service.

If you’re wanting to check out our church we’d really love you to visit us on Saturday at 5pm for a contemporary service with kids’ program and dinner afterwards. Our youth group ‘Alive’ runs straight after dinner on Saturday night. Or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

If you can’t make it in person, you’re welcome to jump online to watch the service (with the same sermon and many other items) at www.oakflats.tv.

See you at 5pm this Saturday or 8am this Sunday, God willing!

CREDIT: Photo Brian Kelly, via Flickr.

One of the great treasures of the Christian faith is the collection of prayers found in ‘The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions’.

It contains two hundred or so prayers written nearly five hundred years ago, and their timeless words capture some deep reflections on the Bible’s teaching.

I first became aware of these prayers when an album was released by Sovereign Grace called ‘The Valley of Vision’, where several of these prayers were put to song, including ‘Let Your Kingdom Come’ and ‘O Great God’.

Yet it is the first song of the album, which is based on the first prayer of the book, that has been a great blessing to me in my Christian walk.

Here are the first two stanzas:

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Let us pray that we will find God’s glory in our valley.

JODIE McNEILL

This weekend’s Bible talk

This weekend we welcome Simon Chaplin as he speaks on ‘The glory of God’ from Psalm 19.

Next week’s Bible talk

Next week, we welcome our own Mark Howard as he speaks on the topic ‘The difference the Trinity makes’ from Isaiah chapter 42 verses 1 to 9 and John chapter 1 verses 1 to 18.

Mission of the month

Anglicare is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Ladies’ Dinner

The next Ladies’ Dinner will be held on Tuesday 16th October with guest speaker Nicky Fortescue, who will speak on the topic of ‘Taking grace, giving grace’. 6.30pm at Oak Flats Anglican, cost $15. Please visit www.oakflatsanglican.com/ladiesdinner to register.

SWITCH Lite

The women’s conference for the Illawarra is coming up soon. Join us on Saturday 27th October, 9am to 12.30pm at Bomaderry Anglican Church. The guest speaker is Claire Smith, who is speaking on the topic “God’s Good Design”. We will explore what the Bible really says about men & women. Cost is $20 or $15 (student or concession). For more details and to book visit www.southernwomen.org.au. Registrations close 21st October.

McNeill’s Commencement Service

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $1200.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $1082.00, leaving a gap of $118.00.Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $47,400. Compared to that total we received $47,661, leaving a gap of $-261.Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Church of England Jamberoo. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562 .