Winston Hills Community News – 9th February 2017
Genesis – The Origins of Everything
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.(Genesis 2:4)
Last week we started looking at the record of the heavens and the earth. The phrase “these are the generations of…” is used by Moses to divide up the sections in Genesis. In this section (Genesis 2:4-4:26), God tells us many significant things about his plans and purposes for mankind.
And at the centre of this section, we’re told about Adam’s sin which impacts his relationship with God, his relationship with the creation, his relationship with Eve, and it impacts us. Please read Genesis 3 in advance so that you might benefit in understanding God’s Word to us when we gather on Sunday.
Upcoming:
12.02 Gen 3 Paradise Lost
19.02 Gen 4-6.4 God’s Severe Mercy
26.02 Gen 6-9 A New Hope?
05.03 Gen 10-11 We Built This City…
Winston Hills Weekend Away – Postponed!
It has been decided to postpone the Winston Hills weekend away until later in the year (late October is the planned timing at this stage). This will enable us to organise this valuable time more thoroughly. We apologise to those who had made the effort to free up that weekend for this event.
Yet this doesn’t mean we will waste our time, because everyone is invited to…
Winston Hills Beach Day – Sat 25th March
We plan to head down to the coast, gather on the beach at Mona Vale (parking around Surf Lifesaving Club on Surfview Road) from 11am on Saturday 25th March. Please bring your own drinks and picnic lunch. Of course, toss in the boogie board and swimmers. From 1:30pm we will have some organised fun together, including a mysterious man cover in something delicious!
Everyone is welcome!
Gospel Teams 2017
As a large group of believers in Jesus Christ, who seek to encourage and grow one another in faithfulness, we gather regularly to listen to God (by reading the Bible) and speak to him (prayer). This is how God transforms us to be like Jesus. The writer of Hebrews suggests we should encourage one another in these things “daily” (Heb 10:24-25). Practically, we can do this through a mix of having a “Quiet Time”, through 1-1 accountability and prayer partnerships or small group and at our Sunday gatherings. So we want you to consider making time in your week for these vitally important things.
This month we will be forming our Bible Study groups (called Gospel Teams or GTeams) that will work together to read God’s Word, pray, proclaim and serve Jesus Christ together. Some 2016 GTeams will have lost leaders and so will need to be reformed this year. However the expectation that the group whose leaders haven’t changed will continue into this year.
Currently we have GTeams on the following nights:
Monday night mixed (David O, Ben B) – FULL
Tuesday night mixed (Mark G)
Wednesday morning women (Amber, Jo, Rochelle, Mel)
Wednesday evening women (Simone H, Ann L)
Wednesday night mixed (David P)
Thursday night men (Mike A, Eddie)
This Sunday we will again have forms which you can use to tell us what time and what form of gathering (GTeam, 1-1, etc) would be suit you. We will be working hard to raise up sufficient leaders for our GTeams, as well as finding men and women who might be suitable 1-1 partners with you if our GTeams do not suit you.
Once we have heard from you, your GTeam leader will contact you to invite you to their team.
Just a reminder, there are older members of our Northmead congregations who would be happy to meet with you one to one, read the Bible and pray with you. If this is something you would be interested in trying, please let Mark know.
Safe Ministry Training
Children are highly valued by God and deserve the strongest possible protection in our churches and ministries.
As we work to orient young people for life, it is essential that all people involved in Anglican ministry to the vulnerable, including children and teenagers, are thoroughly equipped and trained with approved Safe Ministry training.
All people working with children or youth in ministry, including ministers and assistant ministers, are required to complete Safe Ministry Essentials, and then every three years undertake Safe Ministry Refresher training.
If you intend to work with the vulnerable at NAC this year, then you are required to complete this training. Jacquie Sperinck will have contacted those who are required to do the refresher course. The details are:
Safe Ministry Essentials – Saturday 9am-3pm in the Northmead church building
Safe Ministry Refresher – Monday 13th Feb, 7.30-9.30pm in the Northmead church building
If you require information about the training, please contact Jacquie Sperinck at the church office.
Rectory Working Bee
Before Adrian Russell’s family move into the rectory, it will require some work.
If you can paint, clean, dig, sweep, compliment, build, restore, polish, lift, pour, encourage, or perform tasks that will help us prepare the rectory, then please join us on Saturday 11th from 9am. 7 Thomas St, Northmead.
The Groombridge family will also be moving to 11 Lister Street, Winston Hills over the coming week. If you have some time on Sunday afternoon to help shift small items, or might be able to help clean their rental place in Baulkham Hills on Thurs 16th, please contact Rochelle.
Women’s Conference – Living with Anxiety
Date: Sat 18th February
Time: 2-4pm
Cost: $10 (includes afternoon tea)
RSVP: Church Office or email dncargill@optusnet.com.au
Ministry Apprentice Program Night
On Monday 20th February at 7:30pm, our Ministry Apprentices will be sharing about their vision and plans for 2017. Since they are dependent on the prayers and direct financial support of individuals, we want to encourage you to attend, so that you might know their needs and hear how you might pray for them.
Since we are particularly responsible for supporting Rusdyan Cocks’ ministry amongst us this year, it will be worthwhile finding out how we as a congregation can train and equip him for a life of serving our Lord.
For more details, please see the MAP Night page.
Newcomers’ Lunch – Sunday 5th March
Have you recently arrived at Winston Hills Anglican Church? We would like to invite you to lunch to meet us, hear about our church, and hear what it means to be a member of our congregation.
More details will be available soon.
Opportunities to serve
If you are able to assist us at our Sunday gatherings, we are currently looking for:
- Sound desk operators
- An Apple laptop – we no longer has access to a suitable laptop to run our PowerPoints and videos
- PowerPoint creator – use the Service Leader’s runsheet to produce the PowerPoint display
If you are willing to be trained or able to help us in any of these areas, then please speak with Mark.
Dates for your Diary
February 2017
- Thurs 9 – Germinate (Years 1-4) begins
- Fri 10 – Boost (Years 5-6) begins
- Sat 11 – Safe Ministry Training
- Sat 11 – Rectory Working Bee
- Mon 13 – Safe Ministry Refresher
- Mon 20 – MAP Supporters Night
- Sat 25 – Music Ministry Training
March 2017
- Sun 5 – Newcomers’ Lunch
- Sun 5 – Service Leaders Training
- Tues 15 – Friends of Northmead
- Tues 21 – Western Sydney Region Annual Women’s Autumn Dinner
- Sat 25 – Winston Hills Beach Day
- Wed 29 – Northmead Anglican Churches AGM
WHAC Prayer Points
- Praise God that through the gospel of Jesus Christ he provides (eternal) life, a place (in heaven), a purpose (praise of our Creator and Jesus) and a co-worker (Jesus Christ).
- Please pray for our children and youth ministries as they start up this week. Pray that our children will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ clearly proclaimed.
- Please pray for Rusdyan Cocks and the other Ministry Apprentices (John Kim, Sam O, Dan Sperinck and Alex Hitchcock) as they serve us this year.
- Please pray for our Bible Colleges (Moore College, Sydney Mission & Bible College) as they prepare for the new year. Pray that the students will grow in their love and knowledge of Jesus Christ, seeking to serve him throughout the nations.
- Pray for the formation of our new leadership teams at WHAC that godly disciples of Christ will be given the opportunity to guide, serve and grow us (1 Tim 3:8-13).