Jamberoo Anglican

God’s word is really powerful

June 3, 2016/in News Sheet Blurb/by Jodie McNeill

(CREDIT: Matthew Keefe via Flickr)

We don’t really appreciate power until we lose it.

Some of us have felt the powerlessness in retirement, where one day we’ve got power over people and processes, and then the next day, this power is given over to someone younger.

Some of us have felt the powerlessness during poor health, where one day we’re running around a field, or carrying bags of groceries, or just tying your shoelaces, and then the next day we’re confined to crutches, or bedrest, or told about the medical condition that will now define our future.

Some of us have experienced powerlessness through abuse, where one day we’re young and free, able to make choices about life and actions, and then the next day your spouse takes away your power to contact friends, or spend money, or make simple choices.

So, we cry out to God to ask him to fix this world that suffers so much from the powerlessness of loss and sickness and abuse, and as we pray, God shows us the very thing that has the power to change everything.

It’s the power that is summed up in the simple phrase, “Jesus is Lord”, and it’s the power that transforms lives in this life, and in the life that is to come.

Romans chapter 1 verse 16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

For, as people hear the gospel of Jesus, and believe in him as Lord and Saviour, then hope comes from the power of the gospel to bring true forgiveness and genuine reconciliation.

This side of Heaven we won’t enjoy the full peace that we await, but we will have real hope in the real Jesus as we await his return or our going to be with him.

Coming up this weekend 4th – 5th June 2016

June 2, 2016/in Coming Up this Weekend/by Val O'Regan

This weekend we welcome Geoff Kyngdon from Oak Flats Anglican, who is speaking on the topic “The nature and character of God” from Psalm 139.

We will also share the Lord’s Supper at 5pm Saturday, so be sure to join us for this important reminder of the death of Jesus.

Our 8am Sunday service will be Morning Prayer AAPB.

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 prayerbook 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 28th – 29th May 2016

May 28, 2016/in News Headlines/by Val O'Regan

This weekend’s Bible Talk

This weekend we continue a mini-series called ‘Know and Tell the Gospel’. Jodie will be speaking on the topic “The power of the gospel”, from Romans chapter 1 verses 8 to 17.

Mission of the month: Moore College

Moore College is our mission of the month. Support this ministry by purchasing gifts from the ‘Mission Table’ in the Hall.

Refuge Retreat

Our high-school-aged youth group is going away on a weekend camp at Burrill Pines next weekend, 3rd to 5th June. Already we’ve got many non-church kids joining us. We’re charging only $20 per kid, including food, transport and accomodation, so that we can make it as easy as possible for people to join. Spread the news with the teenagers you know, and if you’re willing and able, we’d love cash donations to help us make the subsidies possible.

Dinner at the Bowlo

Join us this Thursday at 6pm at the Jamberoo Bowling Club for a relaxed Chinese meal together.

Men’s Dinner

You’re invited to join the men of Oak Flats and beyond on Tuesday night 7th June for the next Men’s Dinner. Our speaker is Moussa Ghazal. 6.30pm at the Central Hotel Function Room. Bookings essential. Phone 0439 561 373 or email mensdinner@oakflatsanglican.com

Gong Men’s Day

Join us on Saturday June 18th, 9am till 2pm or 5pm to 9.30pm at Dapto Anglican for a great day of teaching and encouragement for the men of our region. Price is $35 (or $25 concession). Register online at www.gongmensday.net

New roster coming soon

If you’re unavailable to serve on a roster from 27th June through 18th September 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 $5882.00, leaving a gap of $418.00.

Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $245,700. Compared to that total we received $221,466, leaving a gap of $24,234.

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 .

Saying ‘sorry’ is just the first step

May 27, 2016/in News Sheet Blurb/by Jodie McNeill

Sorry Day over Sydney Harbour (CREDIT: Butuba via flickr.com)

Thursday was National Sorry Day in Australia, a day to recognise all the damage done to Indigenous peoples of Australia since the arrival of the British in 1788.

I’ve witnessed people roll their eyes at this stuff before, and not only scoff but even protest against the welfare policies provided to Indigenous peoples today that give them assistance in housing and education, as if it’s somehow unfair.

They probably didn’t realise at the time that I am Indigenous myself.

Massacres of Indigenous peoples were still occurring well into the 20’s and 30’s of last century, often tacitly approved by–if not involving–law enforcement.

After being legally considered flora and fauna for over 100 years, they were only recognised as citizens in 1967.

Tens of thousands of children with mixed Indigenous/non-Indigenous descent were stolen from their families for ‘assimilation’, to absorb them into ‘white’ people while the rest were assumed to die out–and this was occurring until the 1970s, the decade before I was born.

This was not to be officially recognised by the Australian Government until the 1990’s, allowing for consequences to spiral further for another generation.

We are not talking about ancient history: we are talking about hundreds of people groups on this continent who have lost not only their land but their languages, culture, families, identity, and, for ninety percent of them, their lives.

This doesn’t just resolve the moment that the destruction stops, for there needs to be proactive help and reconciliation.

There are generations of Indigenous people today who have been severely disadvantaged from birth because their parents were severely disadvantaged and suffered greatly, and the problem has amplified.

Government assistance with things like housing and education is not only reasonable, but a minimum.

We are still a long way from an equal playing field.

John Hanlen (one of the members of last week’s Moore College team, who spoke at our church last Saturday night).