Fathers Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the important role Fathers have in the life of the family. Being a Dad isn’t easy – I can certainly attest to that. It requires patience and love, endurance and self-control, gentleness and strength. None of us are perfect in the role, but if we do our best to provide stability, love and godly leadership to our wives and our children then we are making an enormous contribution to the well-being of the family and to the health of our Church and society.
When God made humanity he made us male and female to complement each other. Both equal and in God’s image, but each different and unique. A man who rules over his family, who demands obedience or who uses strength or violence to get his way is not following Christ’s example. Each Christian man is to strive to emulate the sacrificial love of Christ Jesus in laying aside his own needs to care for the needs of others. In using his strength to love and serve with gentleness.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” – Ephesians 5:25.
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Judgement (this weeks sermon topic) isn’t a very popular notion these days. But it is actually very important in the right place by the right people in order to establish justice and in order to show love.
Imagine the child who grows up thinking they are a wonderful singer, but can’t actually hold a tune. Encouraged by parents and peers, they have no idea how much they are embarrassing themselves, but no-one wants to ‘judge’ so the farce continues.
One of the dramatic shifts in our culture over the last decade or so has been the rise of ‘tolerance’. Tolerance is the new queen of virtues, taking the place of love. The problem with tolerance is it doesn’t care enough to intervene. Love, on the other hand, doesn’t just tolerate, but seeks what’s best for the other person, even when it might involve disagreeing or even rebuking another person. Very often we aren’t in a position to judge, since we only see things from our own limited perspective.
Ultimately God is judge, and he will set to right all the injustices of our world on the day when Jesus Christ returns in glory. The problem for us is that from God’s perspective (the true perspective) we will all be found wanting on that judgement day – every single one of us (Romans 3:10-12). Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ has provided a way for us to find forgiveness and escape God’s righteous judgement – and we’ll see more on this next week!
You may or may not have been counted by now in the Australian Census. Satirical news sites jokingly announced on Tuesday morning that Australia now has only 48 citizens (because the rest of us experienced technical difficulties). What we’re interested in here at Church isn’t counting you, but helping you make your life count.
Your life counts because you are part of something eternal and valuable – the glory of God and the growing and maturing of his people. 1 Corinthians 12 describes the Church as the body of Christ – and every person in it as uniquely valuable and significant. You (every one of you) are a vital part of God’s Church in Picton and Wilton – we miss you when you can’t come, you encourage us by your presence, and every one of you brings your unique personality and talents to the team.
The aim is that we all grow up into Christ and become mature. The body of Christ grows and builds itself up as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16).
Yours in Christ,
Ben
We’re all ‘feeling very Olympic today’ to quote that fantastic movie, Cool Runnings. Did you know that the five interlaced Olympic rings represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games? The Games strive to create peace and harmony in our world through sport. The games are a great spectacle and do a lot of good – but like every human activity they are riddled with corruption and sin (just ask the Russians).
The only thing that can bring true peace is actually a person – Jesus Christ. What humanity needs isn’t a common cause, or a common stage, but somehow to deal with our common problem of sin. Jesus lived the perfect life and died on the cross to bear our sin in our place. Then he rose from the grave, conquering death and securing peace with God, hope and eternal resurrection life to all who trust in him.
So let’s enjoy the Olympics this month, but let’s enjoy peace with God and life in Jesus Christ for eternity!
Yours in Christ,
Ben
One of the most remarkable things about being Christian is recognising that God has Spoken. It is incredible to be able to open up the bible, at home or at Church or wherever we are, and hear God speak to us.
This week I received an email from our CMS link missionaries the Etheringtons with these breathtaking words:
“Another two days or so of paperwork and the text of the Kunwinjku New Testament goes to the Bible Society who will turn it into a finished book. Join us in praising our Lord for this long, slow miracle, and in praying that Kunwinjku people will continue to read and translate into action God’s words to them in their own heart language. This of course is a prayer for all of us as we read our own Bibles.”
The Kunwinjku people are a native Australian people group in far northern Australia. I pray that they (and we) will treasure and read and believe and obey the precious words that God has spoken to us.
Yours in Christ,
Ben
We have been struggling to work out how to identify which grave stones have been damaged in our cemetery, in order to attempt to contact surviving families. The best I think we can do at this stage is to present the following documents. One is a list of people buried at the cemetery compiled by the picton and district historical and family history society, the other is a hand-drawn map attempting to identify by red circles which graves have been damaged and what sort of damage. L = leaning, C = Cracked, PD = Previous Damage, F = Fence Damage, S = Sunk, and HSd = Head Stone Down. Names on this hand-drawn map are family names on the headstones. Many of the headstones have fallen ‘face-down’ so cannot be read, and many are so old as to be difficult to read anyway. We will be working to restore all the graves in time (some by volunteer effort, others by professional restorer), but wish to give notice to families about this work if possible to allow them to be involved if they wish.
Document 1a – Introduction to ‘Burial Records of St Mark’s Anglican Churchyard’: 2016_06_12_21_43_04
Document 1b – Plan and Burial listings of St Mark’s Anglican Churchyard: 2016_06_12_21_46_07
Document 2 – Hand Drawn Map of Cemetery noting damaged sites: 2016_06_13_11_58_35
Below are photos of the damaged sites, with hand-held labels corresponding to the hand-drawn map. If you want to get in touch regarding the restoration of the cemetery or any particular grave site, please do so via our website ‘contact form’…
Along with many businesses and residents of Picton, St Mark’s Anglican Church went underwater last Sunday night. The pews, and other furnishings floated up 2 metres in the air and then came down again as the water subsided, creating a muddy horrible mess and an unusable building. The historic 123-year-old pipe organ has swallowed a lot of mud and debris, and many of the headstones in the cemetery have been badly damaged in the storm. It will be a long recovery and restoration process before the beautiful Church will reopen.
However, St Marks has stood for more than 160 years, and it will stand for many more centuries to come. This Sunday we’ll be holding a service of Reflection, Prayer and Hope, following on from this terrible storm. This will be an opportunity for anyone and everyone to join us to reflect on what has happened, come together in prayer, and be reminded of the hope and security we can have in God through Christ in the midst of the ups and downs of life. The service will be held at 9:30am in the Wollondilly Shire Hall, Menangle St, Picton. 100% of the money collection taken during the service will go to the Mayoral Relief Fund.
Rev Ben Boardman says ‘We are very aware that other Picton businesses and residents find themselves in a far worse situation than us. I have been urging Congregation members to help others in town with greater needs than our own. In the midst of this tragedy it’s wonderful to see the resilience and community spirit of Picton as I’ve worked alongside many volunteers in the clean-up effort. The declaration of disaster and offer of concessional loans from the government is wonderful. However, the reality is that even once the clean-up is complete and life has moved on, there will be residents who have completely lost their homes and business owners who have lost their livelihood. I can’t measure or completely comprehend what that must be like. Be assured, you are in my prayers, and I am always available if you need a listening ear. Jesus offers forgiveness, love, hope and security in a world of uncertainty.’
While the Church is being restored, it is hoped that Church meetings will be held most Sundays in the Shire Hall (depending on availability). Please check the Church website or call 4630 8888 for any updates.
Everyone is welcome this Sunday for a service of Reflection, Prayer and Hope following the Storm: 9:30am at Wollondilly Shire Hall, in Menangle St, Picton. For further info, please check the Church website (www.pwac.org.au) or contact us on 4630 8888.
We live in a confused and unstable world. We’re not sure whether a gorilla or a 4 year old boy is more important to protect. A fluctuating economy and market conditions send 350 local workers out of a job and their families into insecurity. And Queensland dominate in State of Origin Football (Ok so this last one kind of doesn’t matter).
Thank God for Christ who ‘suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God’ (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus has won for us assurance and stability – knowing that we are loved by God and precious to him, we can weather any storm that might come our way.
This week I’ve had the great privilege of meeting with other Anglican Ministers down in Nowra for a few days of fellowship. It was a great time of encouragement and learning. Andrew, from Anglicare, shared a story from the maximum security prison in Lithgow. One of the inmates was teasing others about attending chapel services – so they challenged him to stop hassling until he came to see for himself. He went along and was converted. His family on the outside were so amazed by the transformation in his life that they have started attending Church to try to find out what has transformed his life so amazingly! Let’s not give up praying for our friends and family who don’t know Jesus yet – nobody is ever too far from God to be saved.
In Christ,
Ben
This week I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on and discuss the history of our Churches (St Mark’s in particular). I’m so thankful to God for the men and women who have gone before us.
From the Antill family who first hosted Church meetings in Picton in their home in 1825 with the ‘Galloping Parson of Cobbity’, Rev Thomas Hassall. To those who during good times and hard, have fought to keep our Churches open and to proclaim the good news of our resurrected Lord Jesus. We bear a responsibility to carry on this great heritage.
But we cannot do it in our own strength. Just as those men and women of generations past – we go on strengthened and shielded by Gods power as God himself is at work building his Church.
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1 Peter 1:23.
Yours in Christ, Ben
