On three Monday nights in November, 37 members of HBC (mostly UC but also PM) met to think through their next move in life. Each of them are in the process of pulling stumps at university and planning to start something new.

For some, the change has come through the completion of a degree. For others it’s being united with a spouse who’s moving to another town. For others still, a decision that uni just isn’t the right thing at the moment.

The coming transition can be a time that brings a range of feelings: excitement, worry, conviction, uncertainty, confusion, hope. It’s certainly a time for reflection. University years are a privilege - years that often shape the rest of our lives. Years of new friendships, available time, independence and learning - usually cultivating some big thoughts about life, the universe and God. For this, we must firstly be thankful.

The Grad Nights were time to consider together some of the changes that the future might hold - guided by the Scriptures. Greg opened the Bible to help work through three big topics: money, work and ministry. It was clear that the life of a Christian will stand out in the world.

Real-life alumnus, jack-of-various-trades and AM-church-attender, Mark Jefferys, came along as a guest to share personal insights on life from the other side of uni. Each night, Mark humbly opened up his life, marriage, family, work, relationships and bank-account to help get everyone thinking; never claiming perfection, but demonstrating Christ’s work in him.

Some time was spent discussing scenarios in groups and praying for each other.

Now that you know there are (at least) 37 people in our church who are moving on from uni in 2012, it’d be great for you to pray for them as well. Pray that their character would be growing to match Jesus - that this would lead to wise and godly decisions that would help them stand firm in Christ and continue to present their lives to him.

There was a nervous atmosphere in the church office on the afternoon of September 23. Throughout the working world, Friday afternoon is generally a time of the week when office frivolity is at its highest and mood its warmest, leading into the week’s end. HBC’s office is usually no exception with its renowned Friday Dance Party - but this Friday was different.

A group of 13 members of Hunter Bible Church, a couple of ring-ins and a rugged tour guide were all gathering to depart on an adventure that we expected, without knowing exactly how, would change our lives. Rightly unaware, on the dawn of this ‘AIM Mission Awareness Tour’.

The stats were impressive: 17 people, 1 minibus, 7500km to be driven through 4 states of Australia, 90 hours of travel, 11 locations to stop and pitch 6 tents over 15 nights.

Heading through the Mayf on our way out of town...

The goals were also impressive: to see the work of Australian Indigenous Ministries in six separate places across the country, to experience what life is like for the workers there, to encourage the people we met and to be encouraged, and to grow in God’s word - all of these as a team unified by Christ.

How would we cope with the lengthy confinement on the bus? Would relationships prosper or wither? How would we respond to regular nights of 6 or less hours of sleep? What shock would we face experiencing new cultures within Australia? Would the bus hold together? How could we encourage the missionaries without creating too much disturbance in their setting? How far would our phone reception extend? Would we be able to climb the rock?

Different from my memories of bus journeys for school camps past, the cool kids weren’t on the back seat (I was toward the front) and there wasn’t the missing kid who had slept through his alarm. The departing travellers were quite happy to openly plant farewell kisses and hugs on those who were seeing them off, even waving from the bus.

We were off.

Ever find yourself wanting to pray for our missionaries, but not really sure what to pray? Check out their profiles under the ‘who we support’ section here and you can see what they’ve asked us to pray for, and pray!

Big Questions is starting this week at Women’s Bible Study. There’s still time to invite your friends!

What would be your response if you heard of someone offering a miracle cure for something which countless of your countrymen had died from? Check out Mike and Katie Taylor’s latest newsletter here to hear of their response to this current situation in Tanzania…

photo credit: NatUlrich

What are your plans for the Sept/Oct school holidays this year? Sitting at home watching reruns of Gilmore Girls?? Doing some renovations?? Or working?? Well why not do something fun? Come on the Bus Trip with a difference… From Sept 23 to Oct 8, we’ll be taking a bus load of HBCers out to visit AIM missionaries working in indigenous communities in central Australia. But places are limited!

If you’re keen, you can email Kelly for more info at kelly@hunterbiblechurch.org. Or you can download both the ‘expectations’ file and the ‘application form’. Please hand application forms to Kelly Landrigan, or email them to her at the above address, or post them attention Kelly to the church office: 50 Hudson St Hamilton.

Have you checked out our “who we support” page lately? It’s been updated… Why don’t you take a look here and check out who we support as a church…

I just received the email below from Kate Wick’s as it’s O-day on Curtin Uni campus. Why don’t you stop and pray for the ministry of Curtin Christian Union now?

Dear friends at HBC,

We are very thankful for your very generous gift to us last month. We continue to appreciate your support so much and recognise the degree of generosity you are showing - it’s no small amount that you send our way. Thank you!

We would appreciate your prayers as we are trying to work extra hard to fit in the Irumu audio editing now. We have touched it here and there up till now but realise we have to get into it in a big way to get it finished. Makes the days long!! We are thankful for several people who have helped us by editing out the obvious mistakes which leaves us, who know the language to make the finer adjustments. The list of normal jobs doesn’t seem to get any less!

Today Serah (our ni-Vanuatu secretary) and I met together to decide on the programme for a 3 day ladies’ workshop planned for 8th - 11th March. It will be on Tanna island, for wives of local translators from 4 different languages where we have translation projects happening. Please pray for our continued preparations and that those who have to travel across the island to attend will be willing to and be able to find transport to do so.

Ray and Glenda Leach have joined us to do Finance and Maintenance. You could pray that they settle in well and that we all work really well together.

Thanks for your support in this way too,

Sincerely Lyndal

I’ve just been uploading some of the newsletters from our missionary family. You can read some updates from the Boxes here and the Alley’s news here including some exciting news…