Category: newsletter (Page 1 of 16)

This has been a week full of milestones!

The 2 year anniversary of the Picton Community Pantry – serving our community by providing a place for low-cost groceries and connection. The conclusion of our first ‘Taste and See’ course and many guests making steps towards faith in Jesus. Application to several Federal, State and Local Council grants to support our ministries. And an application to the Urban Renewal Pilot Program. If we are successful in our application, then we will gain support in developing our Wilton Church property to better serve the rapidly growing community around us with the good news of Jesus Christ!

This year we’ve really felt the need for space. Our Wilton morning service Kids Program’s have struggled with many children in smaller than ideal spaces, and both our Wilton congregations have often used every chair in the building on a regular Sunday. We recognise that this is just the beginning of what God has in store for our little Church in a large and growing suburb, and so we need to make plans.

Parish Council are taking a first step by asking for financial contributions to buy 50 more chairs. We are exploring possibilities to increase or make more flexible the Kids ministry spaces, and we are beginning to explore the longer term project of a whole new Wilton Church building for the future.

Yours in Christ,

Ben

It’s Compassion Sunday this week!

We look forward to welcoming Compassion’s Church Partnerships Manager, Spiro yet again (and sponsor of 25 years himself), to talk to us about the work of Compassion’s child sponsorship programs, which occur all around the world.

Our church family sponsors quite a number of children in the Philippines (as well as some in other countries), and for the first time ever this year (just last month), 15 of us had the opportunity to see for ourselves, the work Compassion is doing in the Philippines.

Join us for church at any of the 3 services this Sunday, to hear from those who went to the Philippines last month, as they share their insights from the week-long trip. From visiting projects, to home visits, to Sunday church, to meeting our own sponsor kids, to a dinner hearing from 4 young people who are now alumni, find out how Compassion’s work is impacting those who live in the Philippines.

If you don’t currently sponsor a child but are thinking about it, we will have Child Profiles from projects we visited as well as other places. If you are unsure about sponsorship, pray about it and have a read of the link below, which has very helpful information:

17 Questions Most New Sponsors Ask, Answered (https://www.compassion.com.au/journal/questions-most-new-sponsors-ask-answered/)

Hope to see you Sunday!

Debbie.

Your Compassion Rep.

As of the 7th of May, I’ve been a mum for 6 months! Here’s a collection of reflections from this new mum.

1. I have such little control…

Starting from when I went into labour, to the temperament of our baby, to how much (or little) he sleeps, all the way to what he will do with his life, and how quickly he grows as time disappears.

2. …So dependence on God is a must

Jake and I can strive to be the best parents we can be, and aim to teach M everything we know about the gospel, but at the end of the day his salvation lies in God’s hands alone. Relinquishing control can be daunting, but what a relief that God has it in his far more capable hands.

3. God sees me

At 3am when I’ve barely slept, and it’s just me and our little milk monster awake, it can feel eerily quiet and alone. I have been comforted by Psalm 121- God does not slumber. He is awake with me, watching over me and sustaining me. This also gives me peace to rest (when I can) because I know that God is watching over M even in the moments that I can’t.

4. God sees my child

God knit him together in my womb. He knows M even better and more intimately than I ever can. This leads me to whisper prayers in the small moments.. “Lord, why is he crying, help me to give him what he needs”.

Being a mother is truly a gift.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums, young and old, seasoned and new. It is an honour to be one of you this year.

– Ineke

We could not believe how many people wanted to come to Church at Easter!

We had over 280 people join us across 2 Good Friday services, and around 350 people attend Easter Sunday services to celebrate Christ’s resurrection!

Praise God for such vibrant and encouraging gatherings of God’s people and pray that God continues to work powerfully among his people, transforming lives and building his Kingdom here in Picton and Wilton. Pray especially for our upcoming ‘Taste and See‘ course that many would explore the good news of Jesus and put their trust in him!

This morning (Wednesday) we sent off a team of 15 Church members to the Philippines on a Compassion Mission trip. They will meet their sponsor children and observe the work of Compassion in a few local regions of the Philippines. Pray for safety, encouragement and joyful relationship building between our Church members, the Compassion team, and the local Filipino families.

Yours in Christ,

Ben

In SRE today I asked who could remember the Memory verse we learned last week and hands shot up. One child could say the verse perfectly and a few others had a really good try. I was impressed after only one week of working on it. Sometimes we think memory verses are only for children but why? Here’s some excuses I have tried… I’m too old? I don’t have time? Or perhaps you’ve just never really thought about it. Well let me encourage you, you can be (and should be?) committing God’s Word to memory.

Kids in my SRE class are often motivated by the prize, a bouncy ball or eraser or book mark that says Jesus loves you – the bouncy balls are the most popular! But what if the reward was much greater. Focusing your mind on things above, helping you to get to know God better, reminding you of great truths that sustain you, easing your anxious thoughts, taking up space in your day and life that may otherwise be filled with mindless scrolling.

This term we have been challenged to remember John 14:6, Next term we’re studying the book of Colossians. A few of us have started to memorise Chapter 1 – why not join us 😊.

Yours in Christ,

Kate

*Picture unrelated… AI generated image of when the Picton congregation was attacked by a dinosaur (and Joan was eaten, poor Joan…)

Changed access to Wilton Anglican Church all this weekend (20-23 March). The Picton Rd / Almond St intersection will be closed from Friday night through to Monday morning. Access to Church will be via Pembroke Parade (Bingara Gorge) or Macarthur Drive and rear access to Church only on Fitzroy St. See below an explanatory letter from Sydney Water.

It’s important for all of us to have ways to relax and enjoy God’s blessings and his beautiful creation!  Rest and relaxation help us to put things in perspective, help us to rely on God not ourselves, and build resilience and the ability to cope.  Some of the things I enjoy are running, tinkering in the veggie patch and reading novels.  I recently read a novel called ‘Theo of Golden‘ about a man who learns to listen, appreciate other people and bring blessing and kindness to others.  It’s a beautiful read with genuine characters and honest Christian reflection and encouragement.  You can borrow this one from the library, (once we return it :)).
A series I read a while back and found greatly encouraging is the ‘Mitford Series‘.  These books centre on a small American Church and community and are a quirky heartwarming picture of God’s people loving each other and striving to live for Jesus.  There are 15 books in the series, and I have the first 3 if you want to borrow them.
Right now I’m reading the latest Chris Hammer book, ‘Legacy’ – a fun escape from reality Crime Fiction. What do you do to relax?  If you’re a reader, what are you reading right now?
Yours in Christ,
Ben 

*Pic above: Megs, Estelle and Jade at the Women’s Paint and Sip event last Saturday.

Easter is the best time to invite friends to Church.

Research shows that 40 percent of Australians would say yes if they were invited to church at Easter time. I’m not a betting man, but those are pretty good odds.

So why haven’t you invited someone? Is it because you don’t think its important for your friends to come to know Jesus? Is it because you’re embarrassed about Church and what they might think about it? Is it just because you’ve been busy and haven’t got around to it?

It’s OK if you’re not going to invite someone, but if you’ve been praying for them, if you care about them, if you want them to come to know Jesus, then I say stop what you’re doing right now, and send that invitation!

We’ve arranged four different activities that you can invite people too, I’m very confident that all four are going to be high quality, low cringe, and clear on the gospel: Women’s Paint and Sip, Men’s Meat and Grill, Easter Services and the Taste and See course.

You could send them the details in an sms message, or include the link to the event pages on our website, or grab a paper invite from Church and hand it to them next time you see them. There is no time like the present. And if you sent that invitation, feel free to let me know so that I can pray for your friend and for their response.

Yours in Christ,

Ben