Living with Purpose

Magnification – Mission – Membership – Maturity

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life — a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45 HCSB)

Jesus Christ serves both God and us through his death and resurrection. How then ought we to live as those who love the one who served us by giving up his life? This week we will consider from Ephesians 6 how God’s purpose and work for us is to serve him, his Son, and one another.

Upcoming:

30.04 Living with Purpose – Serving in God’s Kingdom

07.05 The Cutting of the Covenant (Genesis 15-17)

14.05 The Sinfulness of Sodom (Genesis 18-19)

21.05 The Fear of the Faithful One (Genesis 20-21)

28.05 Powerful Faith in Powerful Promises (Genesis 22) – Communion gathering

Christianity Explored course

Christianity is pretty simple. It’s all about one life, the life of Jesus.

Christianity Explored is a fun and relaxed course which investigates who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Everyone who comes has the opportunity to ask all their questions, read through Mark’s Gospel, and consider the life of Jesus. Everyone is welcome.

Our next course starts on Tuesday 2nd May. For more information please contact the church office.

Ministry Training

During the first half of the year, we’ve planned a series of training days for all congregations. The goal is to know what we’re doing, how we’re doing it and make sure we’re serving to the best of our growing abilities. Those expected to be involved will be invited and information about these events will be made available closer to the events.

Our welcomers training is a necessity for everyone on the welcoming and ushering roster. Since we desire to welcome and integrate all people who join us, and this is not just the task of our welcomers and ushers, it is recommended that ALL members of our congregation attend this training!

Sun 30th Apr – Welcomers Training afternoon (2-4pm at the Thomas Street building)

Sat 3rd June – Leadership Team Training Day

Sun 4th June – Prayers Training afternoon

Please let Mark know if one of these is an area where you are interested in serving.

Northmead Winter Appeal (30th April – 21st May)

During the month of May, Northmead Anglican Churches are partnering with Anglicare to offer a helping hand to those in our community in need. We are calling on everyone in our parish to give generously from what God has generously given to us (2 Cor 8:8-9; Gal 2:10). And we will go into our local community and shopping centres to ask people to give towards Anglicare’s Winter Appeal.

There are three key areas you and your Gospel Team can be involved:

Donations from Northmead Anglican Churches’ members (Sun 30th April – Sun 14th May) – Over two weeks, members of our congregations are invited to provide food, clothing, and blankets towards Anglicare’s Winter Appeal. Bring your items to the church and place them in the Winter Appeal buckets.
Donations from Letterbox appeal postcards (Round 1: Sat 6th – Sun 14th May; Round 2: Sat 13th – Sun 21st May) – On the first weekend you place a Northmead Winter Appeal postcard in letterboxes in certain streets of Northmead and Winston Hills. The following weekend you knock on those doors with members of your Gospel Team and say you’re collecting food (as listed on the Appeal postcard) for the Winter Appeal. We will have Thank-you Packs for everyone (see below).
Donations from Northmead and Winston Hills shoppers (Round 1: 11-13 May; Round 2: 18-20 May) – We plan to have tables set up outside a few shops in Northmead and Winston Hills. The tables will be decorated with Anglicare’s banners. Members of Gospel Teams or groups of friends are rostered to stand behind the tables, giving a Winter Appeal Shopping Lists to shoppers, inviting them to contribute certain food items towards Anglicare’s Winter Appeal. Those who contribute towards the appeal are given a Thank-you Pack.

The Thank-you Packs will contain advertising material from Anglicare, information about Northmead Anglican Churches, an evangelistic tract, and other goodies like a lolly. As we meet with people in our community we can promote Anglicare, ourselves, as well as the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Anglicare is asking if we would be able to provide:

pasta & pasta sauce
chunky soup
tuna & salmon
cereal
long-life milk
toothpaste & toothbrushes
soap & deodorant
small jars of olive oil
blankets & warm clothes

Where do we go from here?

Start considering how you might contribute towards the Winter Appeal (bring your gift to church from this Sunday)
Discuss with your Gospel Team how you would like to serve
Gather a few friends and set a time to sit behind the table outside the shops
Inform the church office what times you’ve chosen
Inform the office if you’re available to prepare the Thank-You packs

For more information, please contact Mark Groombridge.

Friends of Northmead – Legal Issues Seminar

NCEA Prayer Breakfast

Please join us at the Thomas Street building on Saturday 13th May at 7:30am to hear about the work of God’s gospel in our local high schools and to pray for God to grow his people through the work of NCEA.

Stretch Night – The Sacraments

This month’s Stretch night on Wednesday 24th May (please note new date!) with be on the Sacraments, particularly Holy Communion. What are the Sacraments? What is happening when we share some bread and wine (aka grape juice) together or wash someone? What is Scripture describing or prescribing for us?

Location: Thomas Street building

Time: 7:30pm

This month we will be expressing our understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ through Holy Communion on Sunday 28th May.

Ministry Opportunities

Assisting with ESL (Monday mornings)

Are you available on Monday mornings to support our ESL outreach ministry? The ESL team is looking for a few people to run the kitchen, prepare morning tea, and be available to chat with anyone who joins the program. Please contact Mark at the office or Denise Carpenter (0431 737 559) if you can help or would be willing to join a roster.

Usher and Assistance at Woodberry Village Sunday service

Because of the failing health of those that help out in welcoming people, guiding people to a seat, and so on, we need volunteers to help out. Would your Gospel Team consider this as an opportunity to reach out to the residents at Woodberry with the gospel? We are looking for 1-2 volunteers for each Sunday service whose names would be added to the roster. Please contact Don Barker if you could assist with this.

Parramatta Family & Local Court Support Group Inc

Over thirty years ago a volunteer service began at the Family and Local Courts in Parramatta, in reaction to a lack of support and positivity in places that both sought to resolve family disputes and misdemeanours of the law. An interdenominational group was formed from local churches in the area, to lend an ear, and a smiling face, and a hand of kindness by way of a cup of tea and a biscuit to those attending the Family Court and the local Court. The support group are seeking the help of people who might like to be a Rostered Volunteer about three hours a month for serving tea and coffee at either or both of the courts. Choice of day or week of the month is available ie. 3^rd Tuesday. Time is usually between 9am and 12.30pm. For more information, please contact Robyn Druitt (member of FIVE congregation) or call Margaret Wigmore on Ph: (02) 9871 8492, mobile 0407 436 642 or email at wiggy46@optusnet.com.au.

Dates for your Diary

April 2017

Sun 30 – Welcomers Training seminar
Sun 30 – Northmead Winter Appeal begins

May 2017

Tues 2 – Christianity Explored course begins
Wed 3 – Friends of Northmead seminar
Fri 5 – Sun 7 e11even Weekend Away
Sat 13 – NCEA Prayer Breakfast (NAC)
Sun 14 – Mothers’ Day
Sat 20 – Youth and Children Training Day
Wed 24 – Stretch Night
Sat 27 – EQUIP Conference

FIVE Prayer Points

Pray that the new people who have been visiting our congregations will come along to our Christianity Explored courses.
Pray for those who have been sick, unemployed, mourning or struggling in life under many trials. Pray that they may particularly have faith to trust in Jesus through these things.
Pray “to the Lord of the harvest” for people to be raised up to assist with ESL at Northmead. Pray also that the number of people who are coming to learn English will continue to increase.
Pray that as we finish off our Living With Purpose series this week, that we might consider who we live and what we live for. Pray that we might be a welcoming church that proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ to one another in word and deed.
Pray for the teachers in our congregations and those who work in schools and universities that, as they start another school term, they may boldly stand for Jesus in the face of secular opposition and godless philosophies.

FIVE Community News – 26th April 2017