Category: newsletter (Page 1 of 12)

Songs for the Road #1

13/11/2024 / Ben

Recently I’ve had one song going around and around in my head – but it’s a good one! The chorus goes:

‘On that day, we will see you, shining brighter than the sun.
On that day, we will know you, as we lift our voice as one.
‘Til that day, we will praise you, for your never-ending grace.
And will keep on singing, on that glorious day.’

Many in our church family are facing sickness, death and sorrow, in their own lives or the lives of their loved ones. For all the weariness and feelings of hopelessness that can come upon us, this song declares:

‘What a blessed hope, though now tired and worn
We will spend eternity around our Saviour’s throne
Though we grieve our losses, we grieve not in vain
For we know our crown of glory waits beyond the grave’

Whenever I visit my family up north, I come away with a healthy dose of ‘eschatological awareness’! That is, in the face of their weariness, mental illness and the reality of impending death, they cry (often!!) ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ or ‘Take me home, Lord Jesus!’ It’s not a cry I hear in many other places, or from my own lips. And yet they are on the right track.

In the opening sermon of the 2 Thessalonians series, Scott challenges us to consider our intimacy with God. Do we know him? Are we growing in our knowledge of him? We are called to grow in this intimacy with God together, as his family. The more we know him, the more we will long to be with him!

So, as we sing together this Sunday, let’s sing heartily and whole-heartedly of all God has done for us in Christ, to make us his people, and to give us a future hope, beyond this weary and worn life.

‘Hallelujah, what a day it will be!
For at home with You, my joy is complete
As I run into Your arms open wide, I will see
My Father who is waiting for me’

‘On that Day’ by City Alight https://youtu.be/pF4qFdxD4kM?feature=shared

Yours in Christ,

Sharon (Picton 9am Congregation Member)

Mimic a Meerkat

25/09/2024 / Ben

The meerkat is everyone’s favourite at the zoo. After busily foraging around for food (haven’t they noticed that the food mysteriously appears every day at 9am) they stand to attention bolt upright and check this way and that to see that there is no danger at hand. They’re looking out for one another, because they’re a team, because they’re family.

I want to suggest that might be a good habit for us to be in at Church. Not in order to notice any danger, but to notice anyone in danger: anyone who is standing by themselves; anyone looking lost or lonely; or anyone who has come to Church for the first time and will leave again promptly if nobody comes to speak with them. I estimate that it only takes 30-60 seconds of no-one speaking to a new person after Church for them to feel awkward and decide to leave. Then they possibly never come back.

I completely understand that there is always a friend at Church who you’re itching to catch up with, or to gloat about how you’re team beat their team in the football. But that conversation can wait. When the service finishes, just put that conversation on hold for a second and mimic a meerkat.

I also understand that talking to strangers is scary. Why not be a pair of meerkats? Try it with a friend, say ‘Hey, have you ever seen that person at Church before? Why don’t we go and say hello?’

Mimic a meerkat, and you just might find an opportunity to welcome somebody to our Church, listen to their story, show them around, describe how our ‘King’s Kids’ Sunday school or youth ministries or bible studies work, or even explain the good news of Jesus!

Being a welcoming Church is not just about who’s on the roster at the door – it’s about setting a culture of welcoming newcomers, seeking to build them up in Christ and incorporate them into our family. It’s our responsibility – all of us – and so over the next few weeks in this space, I want to explore this issue.

Yours in Christ,
Ben

Welcome

04/09/2024 / Ben

What was your first impression when you walked into church for the first time? Were you greeted at the front door with a smile or was there some confusion as to where you should sit and where everything was? Did anyone come up to you after the service and have a chat? Were you followed up later on in the week with a message or phone call?

Welcoming new people into our church is a vital ministry not just for those who are the designated welcomers for that day, but for all of us who attend a service. Sarie King, the writer of a research paper into welcoming and integrating newcomers, described welcoming as “…not about greeting people, it’s about churches and congregation members practicing a ministry of hospitality and inclusion to believers and unbelievers alike, it’s about connecting them in relationship with other believers, and engaging them fully in the life, growth and ministry of a congregation.”

Our welcoming is much more than the hour or two we spend with newcomers on a Sunday. It is also the time we spend during the week reaching out to those who have come for the first time. The effectiveness of this follow up can be seen in the following quote:

“The basic finding is summed up in the ’36-hour principle’:

When lay- persons (aka not ministers) visit the home of a first- time worshipper within 36 hours, 85% of them will return to worship next Sunday. When the visit is delayed for 72 hours, only 60% return; when delayed five to seven days, 15% return… if the minister makes the first visit percentages were then cut in half.”

Last year we ran some training events over a few weekends and one of those was focused on Welcoming and Newcomers Integration. Over the following months we will be running follow up training, looking at what we have been doing well, what could be improved and any changes people may have in mind. The first training session is for Wilton 5pm congregation and will be Sunday 15th September 3:30-4:30. If you are interested in attending please let me know ASAP. We will send out more information for those who are interested for Picton 9am and Wilton 10am later.

Yours in Christ,

Jake

Thankyou Sandy!

21/08/2024 / Ben

There are many faces serving faithfully behind-the-scenes at our Picton and Wilton congregations and Sandy Chad, member of Wilton 5pm, is one of them. Sandy has been committed to serving families of Playtime on Thursday mornings at Wilton Church as its lead coordinator since it started up in 2022, but last Wednesday, myself and the other co-leaders of Playtime gathered and said our grateful goodbyes as Sandy is stepping down from her role. “Working alongside other Christian women to bring God and happiness into the lives of the children and their parents and carers has been rewarding,” Sandy says. Equally rewarding was witnessing the development of the preschool-aged children who attend regularly, especially those who started Playtime as bouncy babies! Sandy’s husband, Frank, has also been a mainstay of Playtime setting up and packing up each week, and sometimes providing the morning tea.

In the time it has been operating, Playtime has grown rather large. Starting as a small group of mostly local families, it now has families attending from various suburbs of the Wollondilly; a mix of those from Christian and church backgrounds and not. Sandy tells me that it could sometimes be tricky to get the balance right between providing enough Christian activities for the families who wanted them and not too much so as to turn non-Christian families away from coming back. (I’m sure my co-leaders will agree with me that Sandy’s warmth, and the personal attention and care she devoted to each child and carer, is undoubtedly a big reason why families keep returning each week.) However, it was always heart-warming to see children and carers of different backgrounds, ages and stages enjoying songs and stories in a circle together as Sandy led the children in making a joyful noise unto the Lord!

Something you might not know about Sandy: she is a retired teacher and says that she found fulfilment in putting her teaching skills to good use as a Playtime leader. I can attest to Sandy’s excellent organisation and planning skills – she put great thought into planning programmes, activities, excursions and even gifts for annual holidays that the children could take home. Sandy was also brilliant at remembering birthday gifts for our Playtime children, including the newborns! “She makes everyone feel welcome and valued,” a mother at Playtime expressed to me in praise of Sandy one Thursday morning.

So what is next for Sandy, and for the future of Playtime, you might be wondering? “I already miss Playtime but I’m going to concentrate on more rehabilitation, which has taken a great deal longer than I expected,” Sandy says, speaking on her personal health challenges. “I’m also trying hard to read my Bible again as my stroke in November has adversely affected reading. I do listen to the Bible but it’s a real gift to be able to read it!”

As for Playtime, I am delighted to introduce its new lead coordinator, Abbey Stephens. For those who don’t know Abbey, she currently attends at Wilton’s 10am congregation and serves as a creche (and occasionally King’s Kids) leader. Abbey is fun, creative, and does everything effortlessly, and with infectious enthusiasm. She loves Jesus and is passionate about children’s ministries. (Abbey also has a pretty cool collection of pop culture earrings, I have to say.)

Abbey is looking forward to “getting to know the other leaders more and hanging out with the different kids, which is a super joyful time.”

Please pray for Sandy, for Abbey and the other leaders as we minister to families at Playtime this term and beyond!

Yours in Christ,
Rachel Winn (W10 Church member and part of the Playtime team)

Mental Health

14/08/2024 / Ben

All of us need to take care of our mental health, just as we do our physical and spiritual health. Our mental health will go through ups and downs and we’ll need to get professional help sometimes, just as we do regarding our physical health.

Whether it be anxiety, depression or other manifestations of poor mental health there are a range of ways we can get help, but the best first step is to connect with others. Healthy relationships with one another and with God gives us resilience to cope and are a good first line of defence.

On Sunday afternoon we were blessed to have Trinette Stanley, from Anglicare, present to us from both a medical and biblical perspective. She shared that with the right help and care someone with a life-long mental illness can live with good mental health and participate fully in life. She also introduced us to Rev Prof John Swinton (via Youtube), and encouraged us to think in terms of healing, not in terms of seeking a cure. Even though we may be suffering from illness (physical, mental or other) we can experience ‘healing’ or ‘shalom’ by being in right relationship with God, the creation and one another.

Trinette’s seminar has given us some tools and encouragement to help us in our mental health journey’s, and to support those among us suffering poor mental health or mental illness. I’ve already spoken to several people who have benefitted personally, including finding the courage to seek professional help.

If you want to find out more, please let me know. One great place to start if you want to get help and/or think some more about this topic is the Mental Health Resource Hub (https://www.anglicare.org.au/church-partnerships/mental-health-resource-hub/), which aims to equip you to navigate mental health and wellbeing challenges within your Church community.

Yours in Christ,

Ben

Contact Us

From Distress to Peace