Coming up this weekend 2nd – 3rd December 2017

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This weekend we continue our series on 2 Samuel. In the next talk, Jodie will be speaking on the topic, “The might of the king’s men”, from chapter 21 verses 15 to 22 and chapter 23 verses 8 to 39.

We will also share the Lord’s Supper at 5pm Saturday, so come along and be reminded again of the great service of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.

We will also be hearing from Jemimah McNeill for a review of her Year 13 experience.

During church, we’ll be hearing answers to these questions from the past two weeks:

1 Why is the Bible reading passage different to the passage that is preached?
2 When were swords first mentioned in the Bible?
3 Why didn’t the author of 2 Samuel comment on the strange behaviour of Joab?
4 Could the song of 2 Samuel 22 have been sung before David’s sin with Bathsheba?
5 What does ‘exalt’ mean, and why would God exalt David?
6 How do we guard ourselves from looking down on flawed Bible characters?
7 How can God forget our sins when we continue to have the consequences of those specific sins?
8 Is there any information regarding the Weekendaway for 2018?

Our 8am Sunday service will be a Morning Prayer 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, 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 25th November 2017

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This weekend’s Bible Talk

This weekend, we continue our series looking at 2 Samuel as Jodie preaches from chapter 22 verse 1 to chapter 23 verse 7, with the title, “Real hope in the real king”.

Mission of the month

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

Parish Council

Our Parish Council meets this Monday, 27th November at 7pm at the church. Please remember them in your prayers.

Ladies Morning Tea

Ladies of Jamberoo Anglican are invited for Morning Tea on Friday 1st December at 10am, located at Jamberoo Uniting Church. RSVP to Pam on 4236 0202.

Working Bee

Are you free next Saturday 2nd December from 8am to midday for a working bee? We’d love to spring-clean the church before our Christmas celebrations.

Midweek Service

On Thursday 7th December at 11am we’re having our new ‘Midweek service’ in the church, followed by a light lunch. This is an ideal time to come together, especially for those who may find our weekly services to be a challenging time of the day. Bring along old and new friends for a service that is aimed to serve both regular churchgoers and those who may not have been along before, or at least for a long time.

Community Carols

Put the date in your diary and start inviting friends! Two Saturdays before Christmas, the 16th December at 5pm.

New roster coming soon

If you’re unavailable to serve on a roster from 18 December 2017 through 18 March 2018 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 $5402.00, leaving a gap of $898.00.

Olimometer 2.52

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $81,900. Compared to that total we received $71,624, leaving a gap of $10,276.

Olimometer 2.52

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 .

Slavery that brings freedom

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If I asked you to create a picture of freedom, then what would you draw?

Maybe you might paint a prison door opening, or the shackles of a slave being released?

Or perhaps you might draw a picture of a person running down an endless beach, or someone standing at the edge of a giant canyon with arms raised high?

Some businesses try to use the idea of freedom to convince us to book a holiday, or apply for a loan, or purchase a car, or gamble in a lottery… even though these things often end up enslaving us.

The Bible tells us how we can become truly free… and the method is surprising.

It’s summed up beautifully in the words of our Anglican Prayer Book, which say to God that his “service is perfect freedom.”

It’s really quite odd to say that we can gain freedom from becoming servants, and yet, the New Testament writers kept telling us that they were servants (or more literally ‘slaves’) of Christ.

In fact, we read this phrase from the hand of Paul, James, Peter and Jude, who regarded this concept as being at the very core of the Christian identity.

But this should come as no surprise to us: Jesus said of himself in Mark 10:45 that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

So as we serve each other, let us enjoy the freedom that comes from being a slave of Christ.

After all, when Jesus is our slave master, we experience a love that came at the very expense of his life.

And so, as we gather to serve each other, let us do so as people who joyfully consider God’s service as perfect freedom.

Jodie McNeill.

Coming up this weekend 25th – 26th November 2017

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This weekend we continue our series on 2 Samuel.  In the next talk, Jodie will be speaking on the topic, “Real hope in the real king”, from chapter 22 verse 1 to chapter 23 verse 7.

At both our services, we will have a special update about Church Missionary Society (CMS) which is our Mission of the Month.

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, or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

Church news for the week beginning 18th November 2017

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This weekend’s Bible Talk

This weekend, we continue our series looking at 2 Samuel as Simon Chaplin preaches from chapter 19 verse 1 to chapter 20 verse 36, with the title, “The return of the King”.

Mission of the month

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

Ladies Guild Lunch

The Ladies Guild are meeting together this Wednesday 22nd November for lunch at Emma’s (‘Crust and Crumb’ at 22 Allowrie St), 12pm for a start at 12.30pm. Contact Helen Curll for further details.

Christmas Decorating for SRE

It’s great to be holding the combined SRE assembly in our church building this year. To make it an even better experience for the children could we have some volunteers to decorate the church before Thursday 30th November. The decorations can then stay for the whole Christmas period.  See Lesley Errington if you are able to help.

Working Bee

Are you free Saturday 2nd December from 8am to midday for a working bee? We’d love to spring-clean the church before our Christmas celebrations.

Community Carols

Put the date in your diary and start inviting friends! Two Saturdays before Christmas, the 16th December at 5pm.

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 $5402.00, leaving a gap of $898.00.

Olimometer 2.52

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $81,900. Compared to that total we received $71,624, leaving a gap of $10,276.

Olimometer 2.52

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 .

What does ‘yes’ mean?

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(Photo credit: State Farm via Flickr.com)

This week we learnt that over 60% of adults who returned the postal survey indicated that they were in favour of changing the definition of marriage to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Our Archbishop Glenn Davies says he accepts the outcome of the marriage postal plebiscite, but warns that there must be freedom of speech, conscience and belief for Christians and others who disagree:

“Now that the outcome is that the ‘yes’ vote is the majority vote on behalf of the Australian people – as I said to the Prime Minister 18 months ago on behalf of other religious leaders that if that’s what the Australian people want then we live in a democracy and I recognise and acknowledge that outcome.”

“That doesn’t mean I will change my views. I will still continue to teach that marriage is, in God’s plan, between a man and a woman. But I acknowledge that once the parliament passes those laws, that will no longer be the law of the land.

“The consequences then are – what happens to people who want to hold to that truth? It is one thing to say, for example, we don’t have laws against adultery in this country, but I still want to say adultery is wrong – it is immoral. I want to be able to uphold that teaching without the law saying to me – no, it is not illegal, so you can’t say that.

“At the moment that’s not the case, but the way in which we have seen in other Western Democracies, the coercive effect of changing the definition of marriage has been to restrict people’s ability to hold a different point of view. And one of the outstanding points of democracy and human dignity – is the freedom of speech, the freedom of faith and the freedom of conscience.

Therefore what the Parliament needs to do now, in legislating for same-sex marriage, is to do so in a way which protects people’s liberties.”

From www.sydneyanglicans.net

Coming up this weekend 18th – 19th November 2017

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This weekend we continue our series on 2 Samuel.  In the next talk, Simon Chaplin will be speaking on the topic, “The return of the King”, from chapter 19 verse 1 to chapter 20 verse 36.

At our 5pm Saturday service we will be celebrating the baptism of Ethan & Gracie Gray, and we would love you to join us for this special event.

Also during our 5pm Saturday service, we’ll have our weekly question and answer time, and Simon will be answering these questions:

  1. Given that the world of 2 Samuel seems so different to the New Testament, are we only studying it because it points us to Jesus?
  2. Where is the Ark of the Covenant located now?
  3. Is the Jonathan mentioned in 2 Samuel 17:17 Saul’s son?
  4. Has Absalom’s Monument ever been discovered by archaeologists?
  5. Did David know that it was Joab who killed his son Absalom, and how did he react to the news?
  6. Why did Joab choose a Cushite to take the news of Absalom’s death to David?
  7. When Ahimaaz told David that they’d won the war, why did he say “the Lord your God,” not “our God?”
  8. Is it still a sin for a Christian to be in a same-sex relationship if they are bisexual?
  9. Are all rulers chosen by divine right, and if so, is democracy a myth?
  10. How was Jesus able to walk on water?

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, and our new youth group Alive! meets straight after dinner. Or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

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

Church news for the week beginning 11th November 2017

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This weekend’s Bible Talk

This weekend, we continue our series looking at 2 Samuel as as Jodie preaches from 2 Samuel chapter 17 verse 1 to chapter 18 verse 33, with the title, “War and peace”.

Mission of the month

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

Midweek Monthly Service

We are thankful to God for a terrific midweek service on Thursday, so we’re going to now run them on the 1st Thursday of every month (except January) at 11am, followed by a light lunch. Our next service is 7th December. Who will you invite?

Welcome to ‘Alive!’

Our new youth group has a new name: ‘Alive!’ It meets Saturday nights after dinner, during term time. For students aged years 7 to 12. See Rayne Orange for more details.

Baptism of Ethan & Gracie Gray

Greg & Jill Gray would love you to join them and their family and friends for the baptism of their children Ethan and Gracie next Saturday 18th November during our 5pm service.

Christmas Decorating for SRE

It’s great to be holding the combined SRE assembly in our church building this year. To make it an even better experience for the children could we have some volunteers to decorate the church before Thursday 30th November. The decorations can then stay for the whole Christmas period.  See Lesley Errington if you are able to help.

Working Bee

Are you free Saturday 2nd December from 8am to midday for a working bee? We’d love to spring-clean the church before our Christmas celebrations.

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 $5402.00, leaving a gap of $898.00.

Olimometer 2.52

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $81,900. Compared to that total we received $71,624, leaving a gap of $10,276.

Olimometer 2.52

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 .

A new name for small groups

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(CREDIT: woodleywonderworks via Flickr)

Healthy small groups have always been an important part of a healthy church.

These groups have typically been called lots of different names: bible study groups, connect groups, life groups, growth groups, and so on.

But now we’re going to introduce a new name for our groups that will help us clarify why they exist.

We’re going to call them ‘serve teams.’

The reason why they’re called ‘teams’ is that they are a group of people who are connected, even when they don’t meet. 

So, in the same way that a person is a part of a cricket team, even when they’re not playing cricket, we will all be part of a serve team, even when the group isn’t meeting.

And the reason we’re calling them ‘serve’ teams is that they are teams that are dedicated to doing what Christians do: serve. 

Jesus said that he came not to be served but to serve, and we, too, follow his lead.

In fact, in Ephesians chapter 4, we read that God has given people to his church in order to speak his word, so that all Christians will be equipped for service.

And, so, the reason these teams exist is to serve: to serve each other in the team, as members love and build each other up.

And they exist to serve our church as we get involved in what happens in the life of our church.

And they exist to serve our community, as together the members think of ways to bring the gospel of Jesus to our world.

What’s more, as we serve, together, as a team, it will bring us closer together, as a team.

And in order to serve, we’ll keep doing what our small groups have always done: prayerfully studying God’s word, so we’re equipped to serve, to God’s glory.

Jodie McNeill.

Coming up this weekend 11th – 12th November 2017

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This weekend, we continue our series on 2 Samuel. In the next talk, Jodie will be speaking on the topic, “War and peace”, from 2 Samuel chapter 17 verse 1 to chapter 18 verse 33.

At our 5pm Saturday service we will have an opportunity to meet one of our church members, which is always a great encouragement to us all.

Also during our 5pm Saturday service, we’ll have our weekly question and answer time, and Jodie will be answering these questions:

  1. How could God be contained in the Ark of the Covenant when it is an object made by humans?
  2. How did David know that Ahitophel’s destruction was God’s will?
  3. Should we follow David’s model of praying curses down on our enemies?
  4. Did David truly submit to God’s will, or did he simply pray and then assume that God’s will aligned with his own?
  5. Given that Hushai deceived Absalom, is it OK to lie and deceive in order to do good?

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, or come along on Sunday at 8am for a Prayer Book service.

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