A summary of what’s happening this weekend

Coming up this weekend 18-19 May 2019

This Saturday there’s something even more important than voting! Come along to hear God speak to you and us as we listen to his word, the Bible, and enjoy food, friendship, and the experience of coming together to enjoy a rich relationship with Jesus.

Our talk this week continues our ‘Hope Beyond Chaos’ series as I teach us about the humorous story of Eglon, and the slightly-underwhelming (but enormously encouraging) story of Barak. The title is ‘Holy Laughter and Lightning’, from the Old Testament book in the Bible, Judges chapter 3:12-4:24.

We’ve also got a bunch of questions that you asked from church last week, which I will answer during our church services. They are:

1 Why did God pass over the houses of the Israelites at the Passover?
2 Why does God ‘give’ cancer to people who don’t deserve it?
3 How can someone ask for forgiveness after they’ve committed suicide?
4 Is it a sin to be angry at God?
5 Why does God make us wait for his answer to some prayers, and how do we gain patience?

So what are you waiting for? It’s a great week to come along for the first time, or bring someone for the first time. We meet at 5pm on Saturday, which is followed by a tasty meal then youth group (for high-schoolers), and 9am Sunday for a slightly-more ‘classic’ Anglican service, with awesome espresso.

See you this weekend, God willing!

Grace and peace, Jodie.

Coming up this weekend 11-12 May 2019

We’ve started our new series ‘Hope beyond chaos’ and it’s a fresh reminder that when things go sour, God stays sweet. If you’ve never joined us before, then come along this Saturday night at 5pm or Sunday at 9am and hear from the Old Testament book of Judges how God continues to be faithful and kind to his people, even when we fail to follow him as we ought.

I’ll be speaking on the topic ‘The Cycle of Salvation’ and it’s all about God’s faithfulness. You can read ahead from Judges chapter 2 verses 5 to chapter 3 verse 11.

If you’ve been following the news from our church then you’ll know that we’re hosting three Canadian Bible college students for the month of May, and you can meet them on Saturday night. They’ll be leading our youth group this week after church on Saturday, so it’s a perfect time for new teenagers to come along.

After a week with no questions, we’ve got ten! Here are the questions you’ve asked from response slips and emails, which I’ll answer during our church services this weekend:

1 Why did you say that we are by-products (that is unintentional) of God’s salvation, considering creation and the cross?
2 How is it possible that the tribe of Benjamin failed to drive out the Jebusites when they had already been completely destroyed?
3 When we ask God for guidance how does he answer and speak to us?
4 How are we sure of God’s guidance?
5 If we want to gain money in order to give it away then is it wrong to want a business to grow?
6 Is there any sin that God won’t forgive?
7 Does God ever stop forgiving us?
8 How can I feel God’s peace?
9 How can I be assured that I am going to Heaven?
10 If you claim to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you of it?

So, come and join us this weekend on Saturday at 5pm for an all-age service with creche, infants and primary programs, followed by dinner then youth group. Then on Sunday at 9am we have a classic Anglican service followed by a delicious morning tea with espresso coffee.

Jodie.

Coming up this weekend 4-5 May 2019

When you join us this weekend, you’ll meet three people with very strong Canadian accents. These guys are working with our church for a month as part of their Bible college training, and they’ll be sharing why they think it’s such a great thing to be friends with Jesus.

If you’re coming along for the first time, you’ll be very, very welcome, and what’s more, you’ll get to hear the first in our new, nine-week series called ‘Hope Beyond Chaos’. I’ll be preaching from the Old Testament book of Judges during this series, and this weekend it’s from the first chapter. The book of Judges is a pretty full-on, almost ‘medieval’ kind of story, but it has very practical implications for living today in God’s world.

Whether you’re a follower of Jesus, or just checking out what he stands for, then we’d really love you to join us.

On Saturday at 5pm we have church that is ideal for people of all ages… with babies, kids, youth, and adults right through to the 90’s. We have dinner (free for visitors) and then youth group afterwards from 7.30 to 9.30. We’ve got a creche, junior kids and senior kids programs running during church, so it’s an all-age affair!

In the morning on Sundays at 9am it’s a more classic Anglican service, which is followed by a delicious morning tea and espresso.

This week there are no questions in our Q&A spot, so we’ll have an extended interview with our Canadian friends about life as a Christian.

We’d love you to join us! See you Saturday and/or Sunday!

Grace and peace, Jodie.

Coming up this weekend 27-28 April 2019

An Aussie Irishman walks into a church…

It’s no joke, because my old mate Cameron Jones has travelled all the way from Ireland to come to Jamberoo to tell us why Ireland needs Jesus more than almost any other place in the English-speaking world. (He’s also coming out to visit other churches… but it makes for a good story to say he only came out to visit us!)

To celebrate, we’re having a special Irish night this Saturday night 27th April starting with a special Irish church service at 5pm, then an Irish dinner, with trivia, games and other special items. Plus, Cameron’s also preaching on Sunday morning the 28th at 9am, so you can hear his Bible teaching in the morning at a more-classical Anglican Holy Communion service, if you’d like.

During both services, I’ll be answering all these questions you asked during church last weekend:

1 How do we know what Jesus prayed in his private prayer on the night before he died?
2 What hymn was sung at the Last Supper?
3 If Judas repented, then would Jesus have forgiven him?
4 Does our preference for unity show an innate desire for God’s love?
5 When God said “let us make man in our image”, is this the same “us” as John 17:21?
6 When we are in heaven, will we be able to speak to Jesus’ disciples and dead friends?
7 How should we respond to a Jehovah’s Witness when they come to our door?
8 What do Mormons and Scientologists believe differently to us?
9 Is casting lots the same as gambling?
10 Is it a sin to question God’s existence?

So, don’t miss out on a special weekend of church as we gather to learn about the church of Ireland and the special plans God has for the future!

Jodie.

Coming up this Easter weekend 19-21 April 2019

Easter is a very special time to be at church because it’s the time when we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our services this Easter weekend are:

GOOD FRIDAY 9am: an all-age service to reflect on the death of Jesus for us.
EASTER SATURDAY 5pm: an all-age service with kids’ program, followed by dinner together.
EASTER SUNDAY 9am: a classic Anglican service followed by espresso morning tea.

On Friday, I’ll be preaching on how the death of Jesus is actually a great moment of injustice… but Jesus did it for us. It’s all about the two criminals on the crosses who died alongside Jesus from Luke chapter 23.

Then on Saturday and Sunday I’ll be preaching from John chapter 17 verses 20 to 26 where we find out what Jesus prayed for us on the night before he died, and why this changes everything.

On Saturday and Sunday we’ll include our weekly question and answer segment, and I’ll be answering these questions from last weekend:

1 What warnings does the Bible give about dreams?
2 How does God look down on everybody at the same time?
3 Is it God’s job to love us?
4 How did Jesus act under authority when he is the Father?
5 Do we believe that holy water will protect us from sickness?
6 If your relative goes to Hell, then will you feel sad?
7 Why didn’t Jesus tell Judas not to betray him?
8 Should we forgive Judas for his treachery?
9 Would you agree with Mikhail Gorbachev’s who said, “Even God didn’t create a perfect world; even God couldn’t cope with this society; I don’t think that was his plan”?

This is a very special weekend to join us for church, so we’d love to welcome you with us this Easter.

Grace and peace, Jodie McNeill.

Coming up this weekend 13-14 April 2019

Speaking to many people last week, it was clear that the new Bible Talk series on Jesus’ prayer to his Father has really had a big impact on us. Jesus prayed for his glory, so that his Father would get the glory, and because of that, his chosen people get certain eternal life. Amazing. If you missed the talk then you can catch up by listening on our Talks page.

So, be sure to join us this coming weekend for the next instalment as I preach from John chapter 17 verses 6 to 19, as we hear what Jesus prayed for his disciples, and what that means for us.

If you’ve never joined us before, then you really need to pop in! We absolutely love visitors, so come along at 5pm on Saturday for an all-age service with kids’ program, a terrific dinner together, then youth group for the teenagers afterwards. Or come at 9am Sunday for a more classic Anglican service, followed by espresso coffee at morning tea.

Plus, during our services we have a question and answer spot, where I get to answer your questions from last week. And they are:

1 Is it OK to be single or a virgin if you’re not wanting to grow up to be a nun?
2 Is it acceptable to divorce if the husband and wife were not Christians when married, but one later becomes a believer?
3 Whilst we won’t have married relationships in heaven, won’t we still know people there?
4 Will we feel sadness in heaven about the people who are suffering eternally in hell?
5 How is there any ‘cool’ way to die?
6 Why does God choose to save some people but not others?
7 Can we truly forgive someone who continues to do wrong to you and doesn’t repent?

Can’t wait to see you this weekend!

Grace and peace, Jodie.

Coming up 6-7 April 2019

Well having spent four weeks looking at sex (listen to the recordings here if you missed them), we’re now going to spend some time reflecting on the prayer that Jesus prayed to his Father on the night before he died. It’s from the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 17, and our series is called ‘What would Jesus pray?’

For our first week, I’ll be helping us look closely at what Jesus prayed to his Father about his own glorification in verses 1 to 5, as he prepared for the most important part of his mission to earth. This is very important for us, today, as it shows us where Jesus’ priorities lie, and why it matters that this continues to be at the heart of what he desires for us and for the universe.

We also love to meet together to hear answers to the questions you asked last week, and here they are:

1. What place does dreaming have in the Christian life?
2. What does Mary’s headpiece represent?
3. Why didn’t Jesus have a wife?
4. Are there any relationships in heaven?
5. What does the Bible say about when it is permissible to remarry?
6. Why should a person give up the fun things in life in order to become a Christian?

So, we’d love you to join us at 5pm on Saturday (with a kids’ program, then dinner together, then youth group), or 9am on Sunday (for a classic Anglican service, followed by excellent espresso coffee).

Can’t wait to see you this weekend!

Grace and peace, Jodie McNeill.

Coming up this weekend 30-31 March 2019

It’s been quite an experience for us as we’ve spent the past three weekends looking at the topic ‘True Sex in the Song of Songs’… a study of a remarkable book of the Bible. Some people have thought that this book simply describes the love of Jesus for his church, but it doesn’t take much to realise that its really just about sex.

This week is the fourth week, and we’re looking at the topic ‘True Sex is Committed’, as we explore what the Bible says about commitment… which will lead us to cover marriage and singleness, and a whole lot more. Our Bible passage is chapters 7 and 8 from Song of Songs.

As part of our normal gatherings we spend a little time hearing some answers to questions from last week, and here are the questions you can look forward to hearing answers for:

1. Given that Baal is the moon god, does this mean that Allah is a reincarnation of Baal because Islam’s symbol is a crescent moon?
2. Since Jesus will reject some people who say “Lord, Lord” (Matthew 7), then why will a person be saved simply by confessing Jesus is Lord (Romans 10)?
3. What does it mean in Song of Songs when it says, “the watchmen made their rounds”?
4. Is marriage a human ‘right’?
5. Does the Bible talk about whether it’s right to marry a non-Christian?
6. How do new-age feminists’ values line up with Christian values?
7. How should we discuss the topic of sex with non-Christian friends who are sexually-active and unmarried?
8. When you say that a “survivor should seek counselling”, who are you referring to?
9. How can I recover from the trauma of sexual abuse when I feel like I’m not good enough for God to heal me?
10. If someone likes tattoos but not hymns, doesn’t this disprove your theory about the modern attraction to ancient forms of worship?
11. Why don’t our services include a reading from the New Testament every week?

If you’ve never joined us before, then this is a perfect week to come along. Join us on Saturday at 5pm, for church with a kids’ and youth program, followed by a hearty dinner together. Or come on Sunday at 9am for church followed by a terrific espresso coffee.

I’m really hoping you’ll join us this weekend! It will be awesome to have you with us.

Grace and peace, Jodie.

Coming up this weekend 23-24 March 2019

Quite a few people have mentioned that they’ve been coming to church for decades and they’ve never before heard a talk series on sex and the Song of Songs. This has meant we’ve had lots to think about and talk about as we’ve met for dinner or coffee after church. We’d love you to come along and be a part of this challenging discussion by joining us for the talk ‘True Sex is Secure’.

In particular, we’re going to be addressing some of the things that happen when the secure bonds of sex are broken. We’ll be looking at issues of rejection and abuse in relationships, and this will lead us to explore just where God is in the midst of these kinds of horrible things in life.

As part of our regular church services, we also have a question and answer time, and these are the questions I’ll be answering that you asked last weekend:

  1. Is it wise and helpful for Christians to visit mosques to show support after the Christchurch massacre?
  2. In the Song of Songs, the woman’s virginity was attractive to the man, but what about the man’s virginity?
  3. What advice should we give to a Christian man whose wife withholds sex from him?
  4. What does ‘abundant’ praise mean in the context of Song of Songs?
  5. What was your most romantic gesture to Mandy?
  6. If we sing old words in church then won’t visitors think that God is out of date?
  7. Shouldn’t Christians avoid non-spiritual Yoga classes because its origin is in Hinduism?

So, come along and join us either at 5pm Saturday (with kids and youth programs, and dinner for all straight after church), or 9am Sunday (with espresso over morning tea). Nearly every week we welcome someone new to our church, so if you just want to pop in and check us out then you’ll be very welcome.

Grace and peace, Jodie.

Coming up this weekend 16-17 March 2019

Well maybe it was because we were talking about sex, but last weekend was probably our biggest weekend in recent history, as we gathered in great number to hear God’s word, to pray to him, and to do it in a community of energetic, enthusiastic and loving disciples of Christ.

If you’re thinking of joining us this weekend, you’d be very, very welcome. We love it when new people come along, and we really do go out of our way to include visitors and newcomers. God is working among us to draw many people into our church, and maybe this is the weekend you’re going to experience that, first-hand?

Our topic this weekend is ‘True Sex is Honourable’, as we look at our second instalment in the four-week series on the Old Testament book, ‘The Song of Songs’. It’s going to be an important word from God about an issue that touches all of us in a real way. Don’t miss out!

Each week we have some questions from the week before that we answer. Here they are for this week:

  1. Where does the Bible say that slavery is wrong?
  2. Would you recommend Melinda Tankard Reist as a resource against child sexual trafficking?
  3. Is it OK for Christians to attend a yoga exercise class?

Our service times are 5pm Saturday, which caters really well for kids and youth, but still includes good numbers of people from all ages and stages. We have dinner afterwards, then they youth hang around for their group. Or, join us 9am Sunday for a classic Anglican service, which includes espresso coffee for morning tea.