Over the past few weeks some of our staff and senior leaders have been giving prayerful consideration to the best way to help support our growing church through refreshing and defining how leadership works in our church.

One of the things we talked about was whether it might be better to call each of us ‘partners’ rather than ‘members?’

Now, they’re both useful names to use to describe each of us who are actively involved in the ministry of our church.

And, as we’ll see in this weekend’s sermon from 1 Corinthians 12, the idea of ‘member’ actually makes sense when you think of each of us being a part (or a ’member’) of a body.

But in our common speak, we sometimes can think of a member as someone who pays their membership fees and seeks to get the benefits of being a member… which feels more of a consumeristic way of thinking.

Yet, that’s not how  our ‘members’ act in our church, for we all participate as partners who work together with servant hearts to sacrificially share our lives and resources with our fellow parishioners as we seek to see each person in our village, valley and region know how to follow Jesus and why it matters.

So, in that sense, the idea of being ‘partners’ is a more an active way of describing us, and perhaps , it better describes the depth and joy of our rich fellowship.

So, what do you think? Should we speak of each other as ‘partners’ of Jamberoo Anglican, or is the name ‘member’ still the more user-friendly way of describing all of us as parts of the body of Christ in Jamberoo?

Either way, the Lord has blessed with a wonderful team of disciples, who love to serve him as he has served us… no matter what we’re called!

JODIE McNEILL

(photo credit: ajusticenetwork via Flickr)

Over the holidays I’ve been reflecting on the rapid change our world has gone through as we’ve shifted into a state of mind that considers the ‘self’ to be both an authority and an idol.

My thinking partner has been Carl R. Trueman, who has written a fascinating book called ‘Strange New World’, in which he explores how things have changed so much that the phrase, “I am a woman trapped in a man’s body,” has become normal in just one generation.

Trueman begins his analysis by looking at a bunch of old and new philosophers, including Descartes (“I think therefore I am”), Marx (“Religion… is the opium of the people”), Nietzsche (“God is dead”), Freud (“erotism [is] the central point of… life”), and even Oscar Wilde (“A man… may break the law, and yet be fine.”)

These thinkers set the foundation for the radical change that has only fully arrived in our society in the last decade.

But the thing that lit the fuse of this explosive change was technology, including ‘the pill’ that kicked off the sexual revolution, and the internet that normalised pornography and established new communities that have rallied together for support and change.

The result is that our society has closed itself to alternate views, and has developed a habit of silencing speech and cancelling debaters, out of fear of causing harm to a person’s self by injuring their feelings.

In response, Trueman suggests that Christians should make it a priority to invest in Christian community, so that we can show the world that we are Christ’s disciples by our love for one another (John 13:35.)

Furthermore, he encourages us to make our church services special, since, “a large part of the church’s witness to the world is simply being the church in worship.”

So, as we face this strange new world, let’s continue to gather together in love for one another, as we show the world the hope we have in the new creation.

JODIE McNEILL

Swimming in the surf is great fun, but to minimise the dangers, our Surf Life Saving friends have given us flags to swim between so that they can focus their attention on those who need watching.

I recently attended a conference about pastoral care and the church leader spoke of their small groups as being like the flags on a beach.

He said that in their church, their small groups are the hub of pastoral care, and they help everyone to see when others might put their hand up for help… and when they wander into rough waters without realising their difficulties.

Whilst I seek to care for all our church members, as well as those who reside in our parish, I praise God for our Growth Group leaders who keep a pastoral eye out for those who are part of their group.

This why we encourage every member of our church to be a part of a Growth Group, even a person is not in a position to regularly attend the mid-week gathering of prayer, Bible study and encouragement.

By being a member of a Growth Group, you are swimming between the flags of our church’s pastoral care, and you’re helping all of us help each other to provide care and to refer, as needed.

Our church is blessed to have Sandee as our own Care and Community Chaplain, and she is always ready to help assist our Growth Group leaders and members in caring for each other, providing wisdom in how and when to refer to pastors and professionals.

If you’re not connected to a Growth Group, then we’d love you to swim between our church flags so we can care for you as we go through the challenges of life, as we await the return of Jesus.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Every three years our Archbishop summons every licensed and authorised church worker in the diocese to be refreshed in their understanding of faithfulness in ministry.

Last Wednesday, our staff team gathered in Figtree for that event, to hear about the important need for churches to help safeguard kids from abuse by providing ‘protective behaviours.’

This is a life skill that gives kids a basic understanding of what should and shouldn’t happen with their ‘private parts,’ so that in the tragic instance of abuse, children will already know what is unacceptable… even if they’re not old enough to be taught everything about sex.

Our presenter on the day was Andrea Musulin, who has been working for the Perth Catholic Archdiocese for a decade (and the WA Police for thirty years before that,) during which time she has prepared a number of excellent resources that are available for free download from safeguarding.perthcatholic.org.au

Whilst the resources are obviously written with a Roman Catholic audience in mind, the overall content is ideal for all Christian parents/carers as well as church leaders.

Two resources for leaders and parents/carers include, ‘Protecting God’s Children,’ and for teens, ‘Love, Sex and Relationships.’

In addition, there’s a terrific kids’ story book called, ‘You Are God’s Marvellous Creation,’ that I would particularly recommend to parents/carers to consider reading to their younger children around the age of their first years of school.

It was heartbreaking to be freshly reminded of the abuse of children that has occurred in churches, schools and other environments, and again it brought us to repentance as we recognised the harm that had been done by church leaders.

Let us pray that God would help us to do everything possible to make our churches as safe as possible for children, and to incorporate protective behaviours in their lives as a way of safeguarding them against potential abuse.

JODIE McNEILL

(Image credit: Safy Tashkandy, illustrator of ‘You Are God’s Marvellous Creation.’)

In a few weeks’ time I’m heading to Fiji on a three-and-a-half-week, short-term mission trip… and I’d love you to partner with me.

As our group prepared for this trip, we wrestled with just why we’re going.

In the end, we came up with a concise and reasoned answer to this question, which has helped us as we plan for our journey:

‘Our purpose is to partner physically and spiritually with Fiji, as humble learners, to mutually support growth in a relationship with Jesus.”

Whilst it’s a short-term mission, we also know that it’s long-term in focus.

That’s because 2023 is the 13th year that Year 13 has been to Fiji, and every year our group intentionally returns to the same places and connects with the same people.

This means we can support the ministries already happening on the ground in Fiji, rather than fostering any kind of ‘saviour complex’ that can easily be associated with short-term missions.

Our aim is to support, disciple, encourage, train and equip.

We do that as we purposefully link with Christians who are already doing the hard yards on the ground throughout the year, and who make use of our mission team to help boost their work during the time we’re present.

But the purpose of our trip isn’t just about what we’ll do or what impact we’ll have in our 24 days in Fiji.

The trip will help us learn valuable lessons about God and His world, in deep and meaningful ways.

If you’re willing and able, would you consider visiting www.year13.net/student-fundraising to help me raise funds towards this trip? I’ve raised $1400, but still need another $2100.

Most importantly, please pray for us as we prepare to share our lives together in relationship with one another… putting people above programs.

JACK VIDILINI