Thursday, October 30, 2008

Free Money for New Lives

To cut a long story short: A large group of Moore College students are taking the free money the government is giving away on Dec 8th ($1000 for each child you have if you get family tax benefit A) and using it to support three things.

They are:

* Anglicare’s “Carramar House” - a safe house supporting pregnant women;

* Women’s Forum Australia - a great organisation who exist to promote Women;

* to produce a high quality TV Style advert showing the real devestating effects of an abortion, and helping people get in contact with loving support and care.

If MTC students give half of what the government is giving them, we’d be looking at $150,000. If many Sydney Anglicans joined them - the sky is the limit.

Check out the video below for more information.



What are you going to do?

This week

Phillip will be preaching on 'The Word of the Judge' from Hebrews 4:11-13.

In preparation, read Psalm 33:1-22 and Hebrews 4:11-13

We'll also be sharing in dinner together after the formal part of the gathering, so remember to bring a gold coin with you and don't eat dinner beforehand!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Women's Evangelistic Prayer Breakfast

Are you a woman who works in the city?

Do you have friends, family members and colleagues who don’t yet know Jesus?

Would you like to join with other like-minded women from TBT to pray that these people would come to know Jesus? To pray that our conversations would be seasoned with salt and our words wise? To pray for opportunities to speak of the hope that we have?

Then join Mandy at Café Rush from 8am-9am tomorrow - Thursday 30th October to pray. You can even grab a coffee and some breakfast at the same time.

Café Rush: 263 Clarence St, Sydney (just a few minutes from the Cathedral, between Druitt and Market Sts)

Monday, October 27, 2008

Update from Maiko in Japan

Japan – 24 October 08

Dear Friends,

How are you? I got back to Amagasaki-city safely in the first week of October. It is an early autumn here with nice cool breeze. The five week Australian assignment went very quickly, however, it was wonderful and meaningful period of time. It was very encouraging time to meet my brothers and sisters in Christ who had been faithfully remembering me in their prayers and had heart to proclaim the gospel in different parts of the world. Moreover, I had several opportunities to visit student ministry on campus during this visit. These opportunities made me to realize again how important and valuable to bring the young people to Christ and to nurture Christian students. If you could praise and pray with me as follows to our Father in heaven, I would appreciate it.


Praise and give thanks to God for:

*blessing time in Australia for five weeks and for rich fellowship with supporters and churches and friends and for safe return to home in Amagasaki-city.

*Inter-denominational women’s meeting in Hanshin region held on 9/October. This meeting has been around 25yeas in Hanshin region, which includes Amagasaki-city. We had a Christian soprano singer, Atsuko Kudo, as a guest this year, who sang beautifully to praise God and shared her story how she came to know Jesus as her personal Savior. There were over 400 of women in the meeting. Praise God that he moved many of those women by using her songs and testimony.

Pray with me:

*Mukonoso Megumi church will have house party on 2-3/November. Please pray that our fellowship and conversations will bring glory to the Lord.

*KGK Hyogo Block students Weekend Away will be coming on 21-22/November. I will be speaking at the evening meeting on Friday the 21st. Please pray for my good preparation and for students committee to organize programs.


May God bless you in coming months

Love in Christ, Maiko

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Parking in the Cathedral forecourt

If you are parking in the Cathedral forecourt, then please make sure you get a voucher from the front office. The city parking rangers will now book any car in the forecourt without a voucher, except on Sundays and Thursday morning.

The vouchers are in the front office. The underground parking still requires a voucher.

This new policy is to stop people without Cathedral business from parking in the forecourt, of which there are plenty.

The Conversation Hour: Will Graham

Last week on the ABC's Conversation Hour, Will Graham was interviewed. Will is the grandson of Billy Graham, and from the interview, lives for Jesus Christ.

It's great to see that Billy Graham had a great Christian influence not only at the major events, but also in his family. It's encouraging that he is constantly turning the conversation to Jesus and what he has done.

Listen here. The first half of the interview is Will Graham (25 mins), the second is an artist, which I didn't listen (so can't comment!).

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Bus adverts in London

Read an interesting story here.

We know there is a God, and he wants us to relate to us through Jesus.

Sydney Synod

On Tuesday night, Sydney Synod enthusiastically endorsed GAFCON’s Jerusalem Declaration.

Read it here.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Archbishop's Address at Synod

Peter Jensen's address at Synod is very helpful for us to hear, especially in the light of TBTX (reforming TBT to be on a mission footing).

Listen here. Watch here. It's 2 hours in length. Grab a cuppa and turn off the TV!

The Chatroom: Mark Driscoll

Kel Richards and Phillip Jensen chat about the recent cyclone that came to Sydney - Mark Driscoll. Listen and watch here.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Welcome to the world Zac!

This morning at 3.57am, Isaac William Turner was born. Zac weighed in at just under 4kgs. Both he and Ness are well and are now at home. Check out some pictures here.

Join with Mike and Ness in giving thanks for the safe arrival of Zac and ask that he might grow to know Jesus as his Lord and Saviour

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

TBTX

The Bible Talks Explosion is approaching fast. It's an event designed so that we can think about better reaching the City and the CBD for Christ.

Its on 4pm - 7pm on Saturday 18 Oct.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Dinner after church

This week after The Bible Talks we will have dinner together. Bring a couple of dollars to cover the cost, and we'll see you there.

Reflections on 1 Peter

I was talking with Jen, one of our student ministers yesterday morning and we were reflecting on how helpful 1 Peter is at keeping our perspective right - holding in tension the struggles and difficulties of this world, which are seen and felt and very real, with the great hope of eternity in heaven, which can seem far off and distant, yet is far bigger and better than anything of this world.

The troubles of this world are real: disappointments, unemployment, illness, relationship difficulties, unrealised expectations and struggles with sin that seem unending to name a few. At times they can seem overwhelming - and indeed like the only reality. Just getting by day to day can seem like enough.

And we can get so caught up in just surviving that we lose sight of the fact that as Christians we have so much more to live for. This world is not the end! We have a restored relationship with our heavenly Father. We have the promise of eternal life. We have been freed from the power of sin and have been given his Holy Spirit, that works in us to change and transform us as we await Jesus return.

We do still sin and we do still live in a sinful world where we see its effects. But we are not of this world, we are now 'aliens and strangers' in our temporary home awaiting the new creation.

So how are we to live? Let me quote from 1 Peter 1:13-16 (from my trusty new Holman)
Therefore, get your minds ready for action, being self disciplined, and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance, but, as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy


That's what I'm working on this week.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

October Prayer Diary

It's the 1st of October, so it is Day 1 of our new prayer diary that we handed out on Sunday night.

Isn't it exciting to think that together we are praying for our great city and the millions who don't yet know Jesus?

Missed out on getting one on Sunday night? Grab one from the info table this week and join with us as we pray and ask God to bring about change in us and in his world.