Its very exciting when one of our brothers gets to do something like record an album. And an album launch is a great opportunity to rejoice in God’s gifts with one another.

There’s going to be a special opportunity to do that on Saturday June 5th at the Grainery Christian Centre! It will be a great night with special guests “Planet of the Stereos” and our own Hugh Jonas will be speaking. Definitely the type of thing to come along and invite friends to.

Doors Open 6:30pm
Entry $10 for singles and $25 for families
for more info check out www.myspace.com/jonokirkmusic

Psalm 78

¹ O my people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.

² I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

³ what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.

⁴ We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

⁵ He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,

⁶ so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

One of the amazing privileges of living in Australia is our public education system. Not simply that children have the opportunity to read, write and add but even more importantly children in our public schools are educated about the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.

Week by week we have teams of Scripture teachers ascending on some of the local schools (both primary and high school) in the area. Each week they open the bible with these kids and help them to access the truth that will set them free.

Recently there has been a push to have ethics classes replace the current Scripture time slots or at least stand in opposition to them. Sadly there is a trial beginning this term in a number of schools around the state whereby parents and children had the choice to withdraw from their current Scripture classes and commence ethics lessons delivered by staff from their school.

Not surprisingly about half the numbers of Scripture children in these trial schools have been withdrawn. How devastating for the future of children in Australia if these ethics lessons are passed. This generation and following generations of children will live in even greater ignorance of their creator and saviour.

What can we do? How are we to respond to the changes in our local schools? Can I give you three suggestions…

1) PRAY - pray that these trials will not be successful. Pray that teachers and students are unsatisfied with the ethics lessons. Pray that God would continue to use Scripture in our schools to bring glory to his name.

2) WRITE - letters to our state government showing your opposition to the cancellation (or decrease) of Scripture teaching in schools. If you are a parent - write to the principals of the schools and areas supervisors showing your opposition to these changes.

3) TEACH - our time in schools teaching this generation about the good news about Jesus may indeed be limited. Why not give Scripture teaching a go! Make the most of the opportunities we have now…have no regrets!!!

My prayer is that these trials will not be successful. My prayer is that children would so love their Scripture classes that when given the option to change to ethics classes they choose Scripture. My prayer is that we would continue having the freedom to go into schools and teach of the praiseworthy deeds of our Lord. Won’t you pray that with me?

I saw an amazing car this week - it was a Morgan. After consulting Google, I can tell you that the Morgan is a ridiculously exclusive convertible that it is hand-made in England. If you want one, you’ll need to join the waiting list.

I saw the Morgan while driving along the busy Pacific Highway in Sydney. My passengers and I laughed that the driver would be getting wet in the light rain that was coming down. However, as we stopped laughing, the car spun out across both lanes of traffic, jumped the curb and wrapped around an electricity pole!

We stopped quickly to help the driver. Thankfully, he seemed okay though very shaken up. But even to the untrained eye, I knew that the Morgan was toast. Such immense structural damage – surely it was beyond repair? In 60 seconds, the Morgan was destroyed.

I felt sad for the driver and the split-second destruction of his pride and joy. But I began to wonder how I would cope if the possessions in my life were destroyed so abruptly. My car? My furniture? My computer? My investments? As I stood beside the road next to the crumpled Morgan, it was a helpful reminder about how much I care for my possessions here on Earth. In the end, moths, rust (and accidents) can destroy these things. God tells us not to store up the things of this earth (Matthew 6:19). It is much better to treasure the things of heaven.

…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!

It has only been 6 months since I started teaching scripture in high school and I have really grasped what an amazing opportunity it is! I currently teach year 7 classes at Lambton High School and I am amazed that so many of these teenagers have not heard about God, Jesus and the bible. This is not to say that it’s easy at all. Far from it! But it’s not everyday you get to share the gospel with a bunch of teenage kids.

At the same high school HBC is running a Lunchtime Christian group who meet in one of the classrooms each week where all kids are welcome to find out more about Christianity. We play games, open up the bible and hear a short talk. We are currently working our way through John’s gospel and it has been really encouraging to see some of the year 7 kids from scripture come along to this lunchtime group.