Apology for survivors of abuse

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On Monday 22 October in the House of Representatives, our Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, delivered an emotional, heart-felt apology on behalf of the Parliament and the Australian people, to the survivors of child sexual abuse, including those in Anglican churches.

That our Church was complicit in any way in these events, by ignoring them, disbelieving the testimony of survivors, or allowing sex offenders to continue their horrendous conduct in what should have been the safety of a church environment, is itself a matter of deep shame.

Let me reiterate my apology to the survivors of child sexual abuse, for our failure to protect them as children, and also to the families of those who have died prematurely due to their abuse.

While we have adopted rigorous processes to ensure the safety of children in the present, I recognise that this will not overcome the trauma that accompanies the sins of the past.

Today is an opportunity for congregations across the diocese to acknowledge the failures of the past and listen with acceptance to those who have been harmed.

My fervent prayer is that this will in some measure provide healing for these wounds, raise our consciousness of the seriousness of child sexual abuse, and enable us as a Church community to play our part in protecting and giving voice to the most vulnerable among us.

I offer this apology confident of the comfort, transforming power and tender love of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ARCHBISHOP GLENN DAVIES

Coming up this weekend 24th – 25th November 2018

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This weekend we continue our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Jodie speaking on the topic ‘What to do with the weak’ from Romans chapter 15 verses 1 to 13.

During our services this weekend, Jodie will spend time giving the official apology to survivors of abuse from our Archbishop Glenn Davies, and spend time in prayer for those who have suffered abuse and for their families.

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

  1. Will God forgive a Christian soldier who kills in offence not defence?
  2. Who wrote the book of Ezra?
  3. How did Adam die?
  4. Was Moses rebuked by God when he smashed the Ten Commandments?
  5. When trying to avoid causing the weak to stumble, must we always avoid the offensive thing, or only in their presence?
  6. If your conscience thinks that nothing is right, then does that mean that you can’t avoid sinning?
  7. Should prawns be considered unclean since they crawl and eat on the ocean ground?
  8. Is the Roman Catholic view of transubstantiation an example of a disputable matter amongst Christians?

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Holy Communion Second Order AAPB 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!

Church news for the week beginning 17th November 2018

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This weekend’s Bible talk

This weekend we continue our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Jodie speaking on the topic ‘The difference that real unity makes’ from Romans chapter 14 verses 1 to 23.

Mission of the month

Church Missionary Society (CMS) is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Toys ‘n Tucker

Contribute to the Anglicare Toys ‘n Tucker appeal by putting toys or tucker in the box at the entrance to the church.

Christmas Decorating for SRE

Once again this year we are privileged to hold Jamberoo Public School’s Combined Christmas Scripture Assembly in our church on Thursday 29th November.  Can you help decorate our church for Christmas on Monday 26th November? See Lesley Errington or Lesley Calhau.

New roster coming soon

If you’re unavailable to serve on a roster from 17 December 2018 through 24 March 2019 please let us know via comment card, email office@jamberooanglican.com or even better go to www.jamberooanglican.net.

 

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5509.00, leaving a gap of $791.00.Olimometer 2.52Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $273,000. Compared to that total we received $245,588, leaving a gap of $27,412.Olimometer 2.52Electronic 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 .

Can Google help your Christian life?

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CREDIT: Travis Wise, via Flickr.

One of my great joys of each week is the opportunity you give me to answer your questions. Some of the questions are familiar, but others make me think a little harder.

This week I thought I might share with you some of the ways I go about trying to prepare answers to these questions.

For many of the answers, I draw down upon my previous training and theological reflection from over the years, sharing with you some of the insights that I received from older and wiser mentors and theologians.

Many of your questions based on the current sermon series allow me to inform you of some of the things I’d really wanted to include in the Bible talk, but didn’t have time to discuss.

But then there are the other questions that are really tricky.

My (not-very) secret tool is one that nearly all of you also share direct access to: Google.

When you ask me a tough question, then I’ll often put some key words into my search engine, and see what hits come up.

Then, depending on which websites seem to offer a solution, I’ll then click through and have a read of what has been suggested as the answer.

The risk in doing this is that the democratisation of the Internet enables people with all sorts of perspectives to come across with the perception of authority.

And even those whom I trust might still have a perspective on things that I don’t share.

But as I read their answers, I take the time to consider their arguments, and evaluate their conclusions.

As you look to find answers to your tricky questions, here are a bunch of handy websites that are usually pretty helpful, but as with everything, need to be carefully tested:

au.thegospelcoalition.org

gotherefor.com

christianity.net.au

fervr.net

publicchristianity.org

desiringgod.org

gotquestions.org

puritanboard.com

hermeneutics.stackexchange.com

bible.org

If in doubt, ask a trusted Christian what they think… and remember, you’ve always got the option to ask a question in church and hear my attempt to provide an answer… drawing down upon my research in all sorts of places!

JODIE McNEILL

Coming up this weekend 17th – 18th November 2018

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This weekend we continue our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Jodie speaking on the topic  ‘The difference that real unity makes’ from Romans chapter 14 verses 1 to 23.

At our Saturday 5pm service we will have a special update about Bush Church Aid (BCA). Also during that service, we will have our popular weekly question and answer time, and Jodie will be answering these questions:

  1. What does it mean for God to be omnipotent (i.e. ‘all-powerful’)?
  2. Was ‘original sin’ God’s idea?
  3. Are erotic novels as bad as pornography?
  4. What does the Bible say about abortion?
  5. Does God forgive a Christian solider who has killed in self-defence?
  6. What happens to the Holy Spirit in us after Jesus returns or we go to be with him?

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’ is taking a break for the holidays but returns next week. 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.

Church news for the week beginning 10th November 2018

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This weekend’s Bible talk

This weekend we continue our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Jodie speaking on the topic ‘The best motivation for love’ from Romans chapter 13 verses 8 to 14.

Mission of the month

Church Missionary Society (CMS) is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Toys ‘n Tucker

Contribute to the Anglicare Toys ‘n Tucker appeal by putting toys or tucker in the box at the entrance to the church.

Ladies’ High Tea

Join us this Saturday 17th November, 2pm to 4pm at Oak Flats. With guest speaker, Christine Jensen. There is no cost to attend this event, but please register at www.oakflatsanglican.com/ladiesdinner for catering purposes.

New time for our Sunday service

For your planning and prayer, we’ve decided to move our Sunday service an hour later to 9am from February next year. If you’d like to offer any feedback, please chat to Jodie or a member of Parish Council.

Christmas Decorating for SRE

Once again this year we are privileged to hold Jamberoo Public School’s Combined Christmas Scripture Assembly in our church on Thursday 29th November.  Can you help decorate our church for Christmas on Monday 26th November? See Lesley Errington or Lesley Calhau.

 

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5509.00, leaving a gap of $791.00.Olimometer 2.52Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $273,000. Compared to that total we received $245,588, leaving a gap of $27,412.Olimometer 2.52Electronic 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 .

A great hope

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One friend in ministry commented to me the other day that this fourteen year old girl she is working with doesn’t think that Jesus is real because “so many bad things have happened in her life”.

Often this is a topic that pops up in conversations I too have with Christians and non-Christians alike. The problem of evil seems so hard, and so big, that it makes people ask why God would let such horrendous things happen.

We see this continuously in our news, in troubles within our own families, and even in the places we turn for leisure like Netflix’s documentary series Making a Murder. Everyone’s right, the world does suck!

In those conversations we tend to think about sin and explain why the world is this way. While it is important to do that, and explain that the fall brought sin, death, and suffering into the world (Gen 3); it is also incredibly profound that nearly everyone notices that this is not the way it is supposed to be.

God created a world that was perfect and good (Gen 1). Though humans stuffed it up, it is important to encourage believers and non-believers to think about God’s promise of restoration(1 Peter 5:10; Acts 3:19-21). As Christians, we already have a taste of this restoration as we truly are new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). But a day will come where evil and suffering will pass, for God is just and he will put sin and Satan in their place for good and his people will dwell with him forever (Rev 21:1-5).

So take heart! Though some days the world is grim, there is great hope and comfort found in the person of Jesus who conquers all and promises to come again.

RAYNE ORANGE

Coming up this weekend 10th – 11th November 2018

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This weekend we continue our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Jodie speaking on the topic ‘The best motivation for love’ from Romans chapter 13 verses 8 to 14.

We will share the Lord’s Supper at 5pm Saturday, so be sure to join us for this important reminder of the death of Jesus. We will also have our popular weekly question and answer time, and Jodie will be answering these questions:

  1. Do the things in Hebrews 13:15-16 cover all of the sacrifices that please the Lord?
  2. Why is the British Queen called the Head of the Church, when there is a separation of church & state?
  3. Is it OK to rebel against the government if they order you to sin against God?
  4. To what extent should Christians engage with the government?
  5. How strictly do we need to submit to the authorities?
  6. What are some present-day examples of godly disobedience?
  7. Should a Christian participate in a workplace strike?
  8. What does it look like to show genuine respect to authorities we don’t personally relate to?
  9. When 1 Peter 5 says “submit yourselves to your elders” then does this mean parishioners should obey the minister?

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Holy Communion First Order AAPB service.

This Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, so we will have a special prayer for Remembrance Day during our services.

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’ is taking a break for the holidays but returns next week. 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.

 

Church news for the week beginning 3rd November 2018

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This weekend’s Bible talk

This weekend we continue our series on ‘Romans: The Heart of Truth’, with Jodie speaking on the topic ‘How to be a good citizen’ from Romans chapter 13 verses 1 to 7.

Mission of the month

Church Missionary Society (CMS) is our mission of the month. Support this ministry through the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Toys ‘n Tucker

Contribute to the Anglicare Toys ‘n Tucker appeal by putting toys or tucker in the box at the entrance to the church.

Monthly Midweek Service

The next (and final) monthly midweek service (with a special Christmas theme) will be held on Wednesday 5th December at 11am, followed by a light lunch in the hall. We will not be having a midweek service in November.

Ladies’ High Tea

Join us on Saturday 17th November, 2pm to 4pm at Oak Flats. With guest speaker, Christine Jensen. There is no cost to attend this event, but please register at www.oakflatsanglican.com/ladiesdinner for catering purposes.

New time for our Sunday service

For your planning and prayer, we’ve decided to move our Sunday service an hour later to 9am from February next year. If you’d like to offer any feedback, please chat to Jodie or a member of Parish Council.

Men’s Dinner

The next Men’s Dinner will be held this Tuesday 6th November at 6.30pm at the Central Hotel Shellharbour, with guest speaker, Mark Thompson. $31 per person (or $23 concession). Register online at www.oakflatsanglican.com/mensdinner.

Christmas Decorating for SRE

Once again this year we are privileged to hold Jamberoo Public School’s Combined Christmas Scripture Assembly in our church on Thursday 29th November.  Can you help decorate our church for Christmas on Monday 26th November? See Lesley Errington or Lesley Calhau.

CMS Summer School

CMS Summer Schools is running from Saturday 5th to Friday 11th January, 2019. Register now at nswsummerschool.org.au.

 

Giving update

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5509.00, leaving a gap of $791.00.Olimometer 2.52Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $273,000. Compared to that total we received $245,588, leaving a gap of $27,412.Olimometer 2.52Electronic 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 .

The only way to pray

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CREDIT: Ninac26, via Flickr.

I am reading a wonderful book at the moment called “Teaching the Psalms” by Christopher Ash. His main idea is that before we apply the Psalms to us, we must hear them as the prayers of Jesus.

But as he began to explain this I came across a statement that may take many people by surprise. Because our prayers arise out of sinful hearts, “God cannot and must not hear them”.

Most people believe that God will always hear them no matter what. But in our natural state God cannot hear our prayers.

James describes our prayers as spiritual adultery (James 4:3). Our natural prayers to God are something along the lines of this: “God, is it OK if I commit idolatry?”

That’s because our natural prayers do not arise out of single-hearted love and devotion to God. Even our best prayers will have a mixture of pure and impure motives.

Our hearts are filled with sin, and it is a presumption to think that God would hear our prayers.

However there is one that God will always listen to.

When Jesus heals a man born blind, some of the pharisees are outraged at Jesus. The man defends Jesus, saying “We know that God does not listen to sinners, he listen to the godly person who does his will” John 9:31.

When Jesus heals Lazarus, he does so by praying to the Father: “Thank you that you always hear me”(John 11:41). Lazarus comes back to life, because Jesus is godly person whom the Father always hears.

There is only one that this is true of. It is only through Christ that prayer becomes a possibility.

The Spirit brings Christ to dwell with us so that our prayers are united with his: “For through Jesus we have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Eph 2:18

It’s humbling to remember our natural state before God. But when we do, we can appreciate the gift of prayer in Jesus through the Spirit all the more!

SIMON CHAPLIN