Have a look under the “Who We Support” section to see the latest news from the Webbs, so we can be informed and praying for them. Hear about Ross’ diet when Lyndal’s not there to look after him, how many Psalms they’ve now got recorded on the Mega Voice, where the Irumu reprint is up to, and just how far the Irumu have to walk to get mobile phone reception (and we complain about coverage here!). Finally, be encouraged by Gokisia’s prayer, for Ross and Lyndal, and the work we have the privelege of being a part of!

For the latest news from the Boxes, and to hear about who their upcoming visitor is, check out the Who We Support section…

Depression and anxiety are widespread and growing diseases in our society. One in four people will experience one of these illnesses during their lifetime. At church, you will be sitting near someone suffering from it. How, as a church, as Christians, can we care for this person?

We need to realise we can make a difference in people’s lives. Studies show being involved in a church significantly decreases the chances of suicide. There are lots of ways we can encourage people to keep going, when life is black and seems hopeless.

Physically, people suffering this way need to maintain good health, fitness and diet. We can invite someone to go for a walk with us, or do activities with us, or enjoy a decent meal or, without making them feel guilty if they feel like they can’t.

We can provide emotional support; to show a willingness to spend time with them because we love them,  and not because they are a task. Asking questions about life and how they’re feeling, and occasionally how their meds are going, and listening to them. Going with them to the doctor, or psychologist…

Most importantly, we must support them spiritually. We need to pray with them and for them, read and speak the Scriptures with them and to them, not glibly but sincerely. A recent issue of The Briefing very helpfully explores this at more depth. We need to remind people of God’s great promise of forgiveness in Jesus. This means five things.

Firstly, we are creatures not God. We need to depend on our sovereign God and not our perfectionist efforts.

Secondly, being depressed is not a sin. Its a illness, like diabetes, that is a result of being in a fallen world.

Thirdly, sins done whilst depressed are still sins. These wrong actions will need to be confessed, and forgiveness sought - although this is better done when the illness is under control.

Fourthly, keep encouraging people to stick with Jesus, even when its a grind; to keep believing God is faithful and good and does forgive us, even if we don’t feel that this is true.

Finally, remind people of our great heavenly hope. Jesus will return and give us new bodies, free from decay and disease (Romans 8:23-24). This is part of what the gospel teaches us to long for. May Christ come soon.

The short, simple phrases of “the Lord’s prayer” have been said, shouted, whispered, and chanted for nearly 2000 years by millions of people worldwide. And unfortunately all too often, they are said as nothing but empty words… words spoken, but with little if any meaning or yearning behind them.

Starting on the 11th October, Greg Lee will be taking us through the depths of the simple prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray.

Make sure you’re there to see what God’s heart yearns for us to ask him for.

What do Gingerbread Houses and Christmas have to do with one another? Who knows? But for some reason there is a worldwide tradition of making Gingerbread Houses around Christmas time!! It’s great fun a fantastic opportunity to introduce our friends to Jesus and the church as we make preparations for Christmas.

This year we not only want this to be an event for the women of our church but for families. So on November 28 we are having two Gingerbread House making events on the same day.

Parents and Kids - 10am

The first one is family fun.  Mum, Dad or carers can come along with up to two kids and make a Gingerbread House together.  A great event to invite another family along to as there also be a puppet show for the kids explaining the good news of Jesus.

Ladies - 4pm

Later on in the day there will be a second event, much like the first, but a bit less chaotic!  This is an event to invite a friend from work, your mum, or your mother-in-law along to.  A great occasion to introduce people to the community of believers at Hunter Bible Church.  Again there will be a short talk outlining the gospel and how Jesus is essential to a meaningful understanding of Christmas.

Things to know…

Date: Saturday 28 November 2008

Where: St Matthews Anglican Hall, 7 Wentworth Street, Georgetown

RSVP: Numbers are limiited.  RSVP by 14th November 2009, to Karen Sowter (0408 032 506) and Sandra Azzato (0424 015 192).

Cost: $30 for one kit (kit includes gingerbread walls and roof, silver base, icing, lollies, afternoon tea, cellophane wrapping and ribbons)

Don’t like Gingerbread?

Come anyway. Come to help or so you can invite your friends and family. Not crafty or creative it doesn’t matter! Tell your friends. No talent required. You can’t muck it up. All houses look great with lollies and a dusting of icing sugar. Invite your friends – it’s easy! People will want to come because it is relaxed, friendly and enjoyable. Make a list of who you could invite and start mentioning it.

Short talk

Don’t forget to mention to people you invite this is an event being put on by your church and that there will be a short talk before we make our houses.

Help is gladly accepted…

Please consider how you could help.  See the list attached and consider if you can volunteer for a job or 2.

PLEASE NOTE:

Information sheet!!!

As I sit here and watch NCIS late in the evening after an elders meeting I am strangely surprised at how similar our staff team is to the NCIS team.

1. United in mission

Each episode with NCIS begins with a crime that needs to be solved. This is the NCIS mission. They work towards that end-goal with great tenacity and are unified in that goal.

A staff team like Hunter Bible Church needs to also be united in one mission - the mission of Jesus. As we read John’s gospel, God’s view of the world is spoken of in great clarity. Apart from Jesus people in Newcastle stand condemned (Jn 5:24), are dead (Jn 5:24), living in darkness (Jn 8:12) and children of the devil

(Jn 8:44). Jesus mission is to bring life to those who are dead and so that is our mission in Newcastle. We want to promote Jesus in this city, because it is Jesus who makes it possible for people to cross over from death to life (Jn 5:24).

2. All have specialised roles

The NCIS team have areas of expertise. Gibbs leads the team, Abby is the “Jane of all trades” and does anything from DNA processing to document analysis, Ducky is the medical examiner and so on.

This year we have staffed our church much like NCIS. We specialise as we work together on a common mission.

Greg Lee - Senior Pastor
Dave Moore - Magnification
Sam Hilton - Mission
Dave Allen - Membership
Richard Sweatman - Maturity & Ministry

I believe this reflects God’s picture of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12). Not everyone can be a foot, because the church needs a hand. Specialising in these areas of ministry has enabled staff members to do what they are gifted at for the common goal of reaching Newcastle with the gospel. At a later date I will write more specifically on the humility required to be a great second chair.

3. No-room for solo acts

When your staff team looks like an NCIS staff team - a common goal and specialised roles - there’s no room for solo acts. Each team member is heavily reliant on every other team member’s specialised gifts and ministry areas. Just like Ducky can’t do his job on the NCIS team properly without Gibbs or Abby, neither can I do mission without the membership team helping new converts feel welcomed and loved at Hunter Bible Church.

Whilst we have always worked well together as a team I feel like there has been a tangible difference in the way we have operated as a team as we have shifted to the NCIS ministry structure.

My sense is that when a staff team functions as a patch based ministry (i.e. each pastor working within a particular congregation) there is still a common mission but it is not as tangible. In fact, you can even end up working in competition against each other in that same mission - doing whatever you can to make your patch grow and only ever looking sideways to make sure its going better than your team mates.

The NCIS ministry model is not only good for the gospel, but great for teams.

I love working in our newly structured staff team!!!

Here is the first of the Jesus all about life TV ads that will hit the TV stations soon.  Check it out and think about how you can be talking to your friends about the issues it raises…

Here’s the latest update we have from our sister Katie, from unichurch. Download it so you can hear about her job changes, her Bible study group and meet some of her new friends, and be more informed in praying for her…

katie-august-update

…the Conference with a mission after!

Every year a bunch of us from UniChurch head along to this amazing conference with our good friends from Newcastle Christian Students (NCS)

And this year is no exception. NCS is aiming to take 120 people from Newcastle along to get a full semester worth of bible talks, hands on training and practical experience in Ministry in just 10 days. Wow!

Take a road trip to Canberra, for the first half of the NTE experience; a five day conference with over a thousand Christian students from around Australia. Get some 1st class bible teaching in the all together sessions as well as in small groups. (The small groups are awesome as over the five days they’ll walk you through the steps of how to write your own short talk from the Bible).

Then for the second half of the NTE experience (the mission after) split up into teams of 8 to 15 (ish) and  travel to South-West Sydney (+ other exciting locations). Get the absolute privilege of partnering with  local churches and helping them take to amazing news of Jesus’ substitutionary, sin bearing, death and Resurrection to their community.

So students, get involved! Why would you miss this exceptional chance to end the Uni year with a bang and to catapult you into a great summer?

Go to  www.afes.org.au/nte and sign up today!