Hello Church,
We’re looking forward to very special Sunday this week, as we celebrate God’s grace to us in Christ with the baptisms of Joel and Lindsey. We’ll have church as usual at 10:00 (with the kids staying in throughout to hear their testimonies and baptismal promises), and then head straight down to the beach at the end of Wattle Avenue at the conclusion of church. We’d love you to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at Wattle Avenue Reserve afterwards. Please ask God to use this as a time of great encouragement for Joel and Lindsey, a reminder to us all of his wonderful grace to us in Jesus, and a clear declaration of the gospel to those who are visiting. Speaking of visitors, it’s a great Sunday to invite friends along to hear the gospel with clarity. Please do arrive early and fill up the rows towards the front to make sure we’ve got room for everyone.
Looking back to last Sunday, it was great to gather for our Annual General Meeting. We gave thanks for Mike Hern’s four years of service on the Leadership Team and unanimously endorsed Sue Pyke’s election to the team. Please pray for Sue, Paul, Jane and Stephen as they continue to serve in this way. We’ve seen God powerfully at work in our midst in the last 12 months. This gives us great reason to look back with thankfulness and to look forward with eager anticipation of his ongoing work amongst us. Of note, however, is a significant need for us to increase our giving to resource the ministry of our church. This situation needs to be addressed by September when our Leadership Team will set the 2026 budget. If there is no increase in giving we will need to reduce our pastoral staff hours, which will have a significant impact on the life of our church. Please take the time to prayerfully consider how you might respond to this.
The gospel is the declaration of the greatness of our generous God: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor 8:9) And this same gospel calls forth a giving over of our whole lives, as we lean more and more on his gracious kindness: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Cor 9:7-8)
I look forward to celebrating his amazing grace together this Sunday!
Simon