Category: newsletter (Page 1 of 12)

This Sunday 4 May, our Archbishop has declared to be a Day of Prayer for the Spread of the Gospel across our Sydney Anglican fellowship. There is a central prayer meeting at the Sydney Cathedral at 2:30pm which everyone is welcome to attend, but there will also be a focus on prayer for the spread of the gospel in all of our Anglican Churches on this day. It’s great to have an archbishop who leads us in prayer and its great to have a God who loves to answer our prayers – so let’s pray!

It was so wonderful to have full churches over the Easter weekend, with many visitors at all of our 5 services – both Christians who have moved into the area and are finding a new Church, and not-yet Christians wanting to participate in our Easter celebrations.

We’re following this up by inviting people to participate in the ‘Hope Explored’ course where they can get a foundational understanding of the Christian faith and the Hope, Peace and Purpose that Jesus offers. If you’re interested in participating in Hope Explored, please reply to this email to let me know – it starts this Sunday at Picton 10:30am and Wilton 4:30pm – and another weeknight option will start in a few weeks.

Yours in Christ,

Ben

Four things have dominated this week, all in the theme of death:

• We mourned the loss of our dear sister, Shirley.
• We heard news of the death of Pope Francis, whose life and ministry was characterised by humility.
• We prepare to commemorate ANZAC Day, remembering those who served and some who gave their lives so that our nation might be free.
• And most significantly, we celebrated the death and resurrection of Christ last weekend.

It is an unplanned blessing to discover that this Sunday at Picton, and the following Sunday at Wilton, we are looking at the last section of John 11, where the high priest Caiaphas declared to the gathered Sanhedrin:

‘It is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.’

Caiaphas likely meant Jesus to be a political sacrifice, and the chief priests and Pharisees acted on this by plotting to take Jesus’ life.

Ironically, we see how Caiaphas’ prophesy was fulfilled in a much more significant way. Jesus death wasn’t a political sacrifice, to quell an uprising and keep the peace, it was a sin and death conquering, God’s wrath absorbing, Satan defeating, salvation offering, substitutionary death in our place so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God our heavenly Father. Isn’t it marvelous how God is in control of all circumstances and weaves them together to bring about his purposes – the salvation of his people, and the glory of his name!

Yours in Christ,

Ben

“I am the resurrection and the life.”  (John 11:25)
These are Jesus’ words to Martha in the wake of her brother Lazarus’s death, and they have provided comfort to many millions of believers ever since.  Indeed, I shared them last Thursday at Campbelltown Hospital.  
In a world full of uncertainties and vulnerabilities, Jesus offers comfort and eternal hope to all who trust in him.  This Easter, join me in taking hold of Jesus’ promise of eternal life and resurrection hope.
This Easter, go deeper than eggs and camping, go to Jesus.
This Easter, find Life in Christ!
We’d love for you to explore the Life and Hope that Jesus offers by participating in a ‘Hope Explored’ course, or by receiving a free ‘Meeting Jesus’ book, or by meeting up with someone to ask questions and discuss.  Let us know via our Connect card if you’d like to take up one of these opportunities.

Happy Easter,
Ben

This Easter we’re going to be reading John 11 about the remarkable day when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead!

Lazarus is Jesus’ friend, and the brother of Mary and Martha. When confronted by his friends death Jesus is deeply moved in Spirit and troubled (v33). His initial response isn’t to problem solve, but to weep. So we read the shortest verse in the Bible: ‘Jesus wept’ (v35).

Death for Christians is not to be trivialised or skimmed over as if it doesn’t matter. Death is the great enemy to life and joy and hope. Death is the great breaker of relationships and the loss of a loved one alters us in significant and often permanent ways.

However, Jesus goes further than to simply mourn – he is the powerful God of the universe and he calls Lazarus from the grave as easily as you and I rouse a drowsy friend from sleep.

Come along this Easter as we stare death in the face and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection power.

Yours in Christ,

Ben

You are what you eat. So what have you been chewing on?

I’ve been reflecting this week on the fact that we all consume a great deal of content, from YouTube, Netflix, podcasts, music playlists, social media etc… How are you going at focusing your attention on what is good for you? And how do you know what is good for you? Or do you rely on the ‘algorithm’ for your diet?

I’m hoping that we can do better at recommending good content for each other to build one another up in Christ. Maybe you have been encouraged by some good content that you’d like to recommend?

Of course the most essential part of our diet is the Word of God – let me recommend to you the ‘Redeeming Time App’ (https://redeemingtime.app/) to help you make use of your idle time feasting on God’s Word. Also, below are links to Spotify playlists for the Picton 9am and Wilton 10am congregations (Wilton 5pm to come). What do you recommend?

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

Blessings,

Ben

P9 Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/44MdUzosZ8U3ip6lSaaf7x?si=0YQKCrzCSouipdMd_vO9Cw

W10 Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1vwZNQ4tqDe2Zs7cZOoFVH?si=fd138f6dfba74932

How are you going at praying daily for your friends to find life in Christ?
I have forgotten some days, but I’ve found it a helpful discipline to call out to God for those friends and also to remind me to connect with them and look for opportunities in conversation with them.
We began in February identifying 3 friends to pray for daily and provided training in ‘Growing Conversations About Jesus’.  In March our focus is on conversations with those friends to deepen friendships and perhaps share with them something of our faith in Jesus.  Now as we head towards April we focus our attention on invitations.
Will you be inviting friends to the Women’s ‘Paint and Sip‘ event, or the Men’s ‘Jesus, Beer and Pizza’ event, the Hope for the Illawarra events, or perhaps our Easter services?
Last Sunday I was reflecting in conversation about the way God has saved several people in the last few months as they’ve been drawn to come to Church and drawn to put their faith in Jesus and find life in him through forgiveness of their sins.  Reflecting on the way God has worked in these people gives me confidence in my prayers that God can work in my friends too.
Blessings,
Ben

At Picton and Wilton Anglican Churches, we are committed to the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people, particularly within our own community. As a church we take the teaching and leadership of children and young people seriously and we do all we can to provide an environment that is safe from any form of harm.

Ministry to children and young people is vibrant and exciting work, and also greatly significant to the life of the church. It is a service to the children and youth, the church family, and to God himself that offers great opportunities, but also carries significant responsibilities for the wellbeing of the children and young people in our care.
there are two aspects of this coming up that I want to draw your attention to:
1. If you are a parent / carer of (a) child(ren) in our programs, please complete our annual comprehensive permission note this year, if you haven’t already – due end of March.
2. We’d also love you to participate in our Safe Ministry Training so that you are equipped to work with children and young people in our Church (this isn’t the only requirement, but it is the most time consuming one).  You could participate in the Face-to-Face Safe Ministry Training in Mittagong on 29th March.  Or we will be helping both adults and junior leaders complete the online Safe Ministry Training on 30th March at Wilton Church. If you wish to participate please email [email protected] to let us know.  
For more info about our approach to Safe Ministry please check out our website here: https://pwac.org.au/safe-ministry/
Yours in Christ,
Ben

We had a great weekend away last weekend. Rick Lewers reminded us of the security and assurance we have in Christ as he spoke to us from Romans 8 about our Adoptive Father, Atoning Son, and Awakening Holy Spirit. It was a great time of fellowship, with meals together, games, activities and the Amazing Race.

This week we are preparing to relaunch our Bible Study Groups and hoping you will sign up to join one. It’s always a tricky process and we’re bound to make mistakes, so don’t get offended, just let us know and we’ll sort things out. We’ve had a go at putting groups together, based on the survey we did and now we hope people can either confirm what we’ve suggested for them, or cross their name out and sign up to a different group on the paper forms at Church on Sunday. If you’re name isn’t on a list, its just because you didn’t complete the survey earlier, you can still sign up to a group.

Our goal is to have as many people as possible benefitting from the bible teaching, fellowship and encouragement that a Bible Study Group can offer. Of course, we realise that not everyone can or will be part of one, and that’s OK.

Most groups will start meeting in the first week of March.

Yours in Christ,

Ben

What do you want for your friends and colleagues?  A fun life full of adventure and achievement?  A big house and a comfortable retirement?  They can achieve all those things and still wind up facing hell and the judgement of God at the end. What do you want for your children or grandchildren?  Success in their careers and in their relationships?  To afford the Australian dream of a house of their own?  They can achieve all this and still wind up facing hell and the judgement of God at the end. Life is long, but eternity is far longer.  Let’s pray and strive to help our friends and family know Jesus, that they might have full life in him now, and eternal life to come. But how can we help our friends and family, our children and grandchildren come to know Jesus?  That’s where our ‘Growing Conversations about Jesus’ course comes in.  Over the next 4 Thursdays we’ll consider how to prepare the soil, plant the gospel seeds, water the soil and grow and nourish the gospel message in the lives of our friends in gentle and loving ways. Be equipped to make an eternal impact on the lives of those around you – and start now in praying that God might be at work in their hearts to put their faith in Jesus.

Blessings, Ben

Join us Thursdays 10am at St Mark’s, Picton, or 7pm at Wilton Church starting tomorrow 6th February.

Compassion Australia is an inter-church, non-demoninational evangelical Christian organisation. Their ministry is holistic child development in partnership with local churches, in over 25 developing countries around the world.

Through sponsorship, Compassion assists children and their families living in poverty, regardless of their beliefs, gender or background. This has been occurring for over 60 years and 2 million children worldwide are benefiting from this ministry.

Picton and Wilton Anglican Church members sponsor 45 children, 37 of which are in the Philippines. A Compassion trip is being planned to the Philippines in 2026. Register an ‘expression of interest’ to Debbie at Church. Money not required yet. Let her know the size of your group and the details of your sponsor child and where they are located.

Follow the link below to see what’s happening in that part of the world…..

https://www.compassion.com.au/where-we-work/philippines

From Debbie,

Our Church Compassion Rep.