On the 18th October this year, members of the St Nicholas church family attended our Busy Bee event. They cleaned, organised, and tidied our church building, did some gardening on the church grounds, and gave the Heritage Church a fresh layer of sealant. Since the Busy Bee typically happens twice a year, once in Autumn and once in Spring, the maintenance work we do during this time is important. The church warden runs the event and volunteers from St Nics come to do the work. They happily give up a Saturday morning to keep our church building and grounds a safe place for the family and visitors to gather.
Why a ‘Busy Bee’?
Busy Bees are fantastic for two reasons. First, they allow us to serve. They remind us that we are here to serve one another just as Christ came to serve us. Matthew 20:28 says, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Of course, there are many ways for Christians to serve one another and the wider community. (For one such example, you can check out this blog post about the Craft Group.) Second, they keep our gathering place hygienic, safe, orderly and pleasant. While church is not a building, it is important to have a suitable place where we can focus on the Lord and fellowship with one another.
Gratitude
So thank you to those who attended this October! Thank you also to the various members of our church who have helped throughout the year (those who have cleaned the bathrooms, the floors, the cups and plates, have sorted out the sprinklers and have done the weeding around the grounds). Such efforts do not go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated by all who gather at St Nics. As the body of Christ, together we can and do love our neighbours as ourselves in the way we serve. How beautiful! Thank you, Lord, for guiding us and bringing us together to serve your kingdom.
We were delighted to host Cate Lewis (Director of Freshwater Ministries, and leading the Australian Network of LHOP) and her husband Greg. Cate delivered a talk on ‘Hearing God’s Voice’ coupled with activities for practicing just that, which is all part of the LHOP ministry. It was informative and encouraging for all who attended: from newer Christians to those older in the faith.
‘Hearing God’s Voice’
There were two sessions held for this particular talk, one on Wednesday morning on the 10th September and the other in the evening. Each slide was focussed on how we navigate our Christian life and the various ways God speaks to us today. The Old Testament contains numerous examples of God communicating with His people, and the New Testament affirms that this is still possible. It is astounding the images and words one can receive for a complete stranger that speaks to that person. Of course, it is imperative that we use discernment when it comes to the message we receive and give – another important point that was covered in the talk.
What is LHOP?
LHOP stands for Local Houses of Prayer and is a ministry dedicated to bringing God’s kingdom here. It is based off the principles and teachings found in Ffald-y-Brenin (in the UK). The idea behind this ministry is to create places where God’s presence is palpable. Is this possible? Countless testimonies from visitors of Ffald-y-Brenin would testify that it is. One of the ways we can create these kingdom pockets (which can spread out into something much larger) is by blessing our neighbours and neighbourhoods, our colleagues, and our family and friends. On top of blessing these people and areas, we can also uplift them in prayer. Prayer is powerful, and when you have whole churches praying for their neighbourhood, real change can start to be seen. It’s both beautiful and effective. Blessing and intercessory prayer are complimentary but distinct.
Thank you, Cate, for gracing our church with your presence and sessions. Your ministry is a real blessing to us here at St. Nic’s.
St. Nic’s Thursday Craft Group have been busy and generous crafters recently. They made an astonishing 45 blankets and 15 teddy bears for the “Wheelchairs For Kids” Organization. Isn’t that something? Each child that needs a wheelchair gets one each along with accessories, such as knee blankets and toys. There have been some very talented ladies with amazing skills that have put this together and made them all for these children. Their hearts have gone into these and it truly shows. The craft group’s generosity is sure to be felt by those who receive these blessed gifts.
“Wheel Chairs For Kids”
The charity, “Wheelchairs For Kids”, is on a mission to provide wheelchairs, knee blankets and soft toys to children all over the world who would otherwise be without access to adequate wheelchairs. If that wasn’t enough, they also encourage the more senior members of society to get involved in the manufacturing process, creating a sense of community and camaraderie. It is truly heart-warming to know there are charities out there making a difference. Already, they have supplied 50,000 wheelchairs to kids in over 90 countries! If you want to know more about the charity, their website is: https://wheelchairsforkids.org/
The Craft Group
The craft group itself gathers on a Thursday morning at 10am here at St. Nicholas Church. During this time they come together to create various items for all sorts of reasons, especially for supporting charities. Not only do they make things, but they connect as a group, chatting, drinking tea and coffee…and sometimes enjoying a bit of cake. These ladies surely have big hearts and lovely attitudes. Their actions set a good example of how to be light and salt in our community. It is a privilege to have them as part of the St Nicholas community here in Australind. If you want to get involved, you’re more than welcome to come on a Thursday.
Thank you, craft group, for your continued kindness and generosity!
As the Anglican Church across Australia embraced the idea of HOPE 2025 between Easter and Pentecost, our focus has been “Being Salt and Light” to our community. Following a suggestion from the 2024 Parish Council, we focused our support even wider, to the everyday people of Ukraine. Our plan was to have a fundraiser in the form of a Charity Concert where ALL money for tickets, raffles and donations would go towards supporting the peoples of war-torn Ukraine.
God soon took us down the path of supporting the Perth Charity group “Mobile Crisis Construction” who take rubble and engineer it into bricks like Lego that join without mortar to rapidly build shelter, homes, schools and hospitals. The equipment fits amazingly into a sea container. Amazing!
Local choirs Vocal Fusion Inc and Vocal Fusion Youth Choir both jumped at the opportunity to support and perform. Personal contact with MCC Director Blake, a member of Ukrainian Folk Group “The Buevskies”, resulted in an offer to headline our concert, bringing authentic music, costumes, yummy foods and heartfelt stories of the hardships facing family members in Ukraine.
A wonderful afternoon featured an hour of a wide variety of choral songs, from classical peace songs like “Ose Shalom” and “Ave Maria” to “I am Australian” from the Youth Choir before joining together for “What a Wonderful World”. The second hour featured beautiful Ukrainian singing and music from the 6-member folk band.
All involved were thrilled to donate the amount of $5026 to the worthwhile charity, and we pray God will continue use us and these gifts to help the less fortunate people of Ukraine through the work of our Christian friends at MCC, spreading Salt and Light across the world.
The Alpha course we run here at St Nics allows people to join us and explore life’s big questions from a Christian perspective. As many of you already know it can be a transformative experience.
Alpha has impacted lives worldwide since its establishment in 1977 and has helped millions across more than 100 countries. Its effectiveness lies in engaging videos and open discussions underpinned by prayer. Participants embark on a personal and communal exploration of faith, in an environment where questions are welcomed, doubts are explored, and friendships are nurtured.
Each week’s thought-provoking video presentation delves into core topics of the Christian faith, covering subjects such as Who is Jesus? Why did He die? How can I have faith? Does God heal today? How and why pray? How and why should I read the bible? Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? The videos serve as a catalyst for discussion helping participants go deeper in their own spiritual understanding.
The discussions will happen in breakout groups following the video with Vance and Chelsie helping me lead this course. It’s here that participants can share their thoughts, ask questions, and engage with the material presented. It is a place where genuine conversations occur, doubts can be voiced without judgment, and new insights can be gained.
Alpha covers the foundational principles of the Christian faith. Since we have run Alpha we have welcomed people each year into our church family who have renewed their faith or chosen to follow Jesus for the first time. Often people discover answers to long-standing questions, while others encounter a renewed sense of purpose and a deepened relationship with God. Alpha is a journey of discovery, inviting participants to explore their faith, encounter the love of God, and find belonging within a supportive community.
Are you joining us? Flyers are available from today. Please take some and make prayerful invites perhaps to the 5 people you are praying for. Register your interest via the stnicholasminster@gmail.com
Sunday 23 May was Pentecost. This is the time that we remember the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fulfilment of prophecy given by Joel and others many years before. It is the church’s birthday and so we celebrated with cake together afterwards and enjoyed the creativity of our brothers and sisters in art, gardening, ( see the flowers brought in especially below) music and hospitality. This outpouring was a validation of the authority and rule of Jesus fulfilling what He said as recorded in the gospels. The Holy Spirit is the life-giver in the most profound sense. The Holy Spirit precedes creation in Genesis 1, hovering over the waters. The Holy Spirit precedes the incarnation of Jesus. And the Holy Spirit worked in power to raise Jesus from death. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings the people of God to new life in fulfilment of Jesus teaching as recorded in John 3 and shared with Nicodemus. The Holy Spirit is the gift giver and it is the indwelling Spirit who bears fruit in the believer’s life. 1 Corinthians 12-14 and Galatians 6. Every believer is born again as the Spirit of God brings life to us. We are new creations 2 Cor 5:17
As we say each service We are the body of Christ
His Spirit is with us.
It was also the first of our ongoing joint services. We are now meeting together at 9 am for the next season and sharing life on a Sunday morning in one gathering. We had a most enjoyable celebration together and look forward to all the Lord will do in us and through us in the months ahead.
We have been attending the St Nic’s On-Line Zoom Growth Group meetings on Tuesday evenings at 7.30 pm to 8.45 pm with Jamie and Verity and have found them very interesting and easy to do. We were both skeptical at first, thinking that the flow of delivery would be slow or glitchy. However, we found this was not the case. After a short time of getting used to the system it was just about the same as if we were all in the same room. Logging in was quite straightforward and didn’t require any special equipment, user-names, pass codes or programs.
We have noticed how helpful it is for parents with children—they can attend the meeting while their kids are playing in another room, so no need for a baby sitter.
Personally though we have found “Zooming In” to be very efficient on time, especially for us, as we have a 40 minute drive to Australind to join the Connect or the Men’s Groups on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm. We have enjoyed the unity of the Online Group, listened to music together and discussed questions arising from the bible readings. We often take it in turns to read out loud and to pray together.
There are often a few jokes shared and laughs as you would get in a “normal” meeting. The only thing I think we have not managed to sort out is how to make a coffee/tea for each other or pass around the biscuits!
How are you feeling as we enter 2021 as a church family? Full of hope or rather anxious? However you feel, we know that the Lord is with us and He has gone ahead of us, showing us the way forward into the new year – a year which promises to be full of new learning and new growth.
Lent Programme – Faithful God, Faithful Church
The new school term coincides with the season of Lent, a time when we ask the Lord to reveal to us what is in our hearts and how He wants us to grow more like Him. This Lent, Jamie and I have sensed that the Lord wants us to grow in two fruits of the Spirit in particular – the Fruits of Love and Faithfulness – and growing in these areas will require us to step out in faith.
Have you ever had a Family Meeting?
A time when you gathered as a family to discuss plans, make decisions or try to find solutions to problems? This Lent is going to be a bit like doing St Nic’s Family Business as we ask the Lord to show us what’s really in our hearts – the good, the bad and the ugly – ask Him to pull out some weeds and co-operate with Him in growing more of the fruit of love and faithfulness in our lives. We will be starting our Lenten teaching a little early this year as the ‘Faithful God, Faithful Church’ programme lasts 8 weeks, rather than 6.
At times it will be challenging. We may have to confront our own sin or disappointments – but thanks be to God, thorugh Jesus sacrifice on the cross He has provided free forgiveness and has promised to cleanse us from all sin. At other times we will be challenged to step out in faith in ways we have not done before. And at other times we will just need to keep on doing what we have been doing – what Eugene Peterson called ‘a long obedience in the same direction’. That can be a challenge in itself. Yet the Lord doesn’t ask us to do anything He isn’t already doing for us daily , over and over again – and Jesus is our model. Learning to love and be faithful like Him is going to be a wonderful adventure!
Get Involved!
Church membership can be a little bit like a gym membership. We join full of good intentions but we often do not make the most of the opportunities afforded. In order to grow together as a community, we need everyone to be involved wholeheartedly. We recognise that in our framework for the community. We aspire to Bless abundantly, Belong wholeheartedly, Believe increasingly, Behave with integrity and Become Good News. We don’t want to be merely hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word too – and not just a few of us – but all of us!
We would like to encourage everyone who considers St Nic’s to be their spiritual home to do the following:
Attend a Sunday service every week of the ‘Faithful God, Faithful Church’ teaching series, starting on Feb 7th and culminating in Easter Week. The family service will be following the same theme each week as the 8 am service.
If you are unable to attend a service each week, listen to the sermon that you have missed on line.
Do the Faithful God, Faitihful Church Study Notes each week either with a St Nic’s small group, a spouse or a friend. These notes and exercises will be much more productive if done in conversation and prayer with others.
Take time to do the personal reflections and responses each week in order to effect genuine change and/or perseverance in your life.
Does that seem like a tall order? Well the good news is, if you commit to each of these you will have your Lenten Disciplines all worked out for you! And what’s more you will have a family of supporters walking the same path with you, praying and encouraging you along the way. And, if you ‘drop the ball’ one week, just pick yourself up and get back on track, with no judgement or condemnation. We’re in this together – all hopefully trying our best, but none of us yet perfect.
For Parents and Children
An information and activity pack will be available by February 7th so our younger members can put some of our learning into practice too. These will be available on the table in the church building. Please ask Amelia if you would like it emailed to you.
I want to end with the famous words of the Three Musketeers – “All for One and One for All”! Let’s aspire to love and faithfulness that brings that kind of unity among us at St Nic’s!
(Please note the picture above was taken earlier in the year before COVID restrictions applied- it illustrates studying together in groups.)
Last Sunday we completed our teaching on the Armour of God. It’s His armour and He gives it to us.
However, that does not mean we now park it and forget all about it. Armour needs to be put on. We can readily incorporate this in our daily prayer as a helpful spiritual discipline. Combine that with the Lord’s prayer and you have a whole pattern of prayer to draw upon. As we explored at our 10 am service there are significant overlaps. This next three weeks we are following the lectionary and then beginning our series on the ‘God of Joy’ starting October 18th.
Thanks to those of you who have already given us feedback on the Armour of God series. (18 families so far on the 10 experience) along with informal comments along the way. We appreciate all of you taking the time to do this. There were many encouragements and some things to explore further.
If you did not participate in our group bible study written to support the sermon series on the Armour of God, you can ask Amelia via stnicholasminster@gmail.com. If you want to explore the teaching more fully our bible studies really are helpful in this. Working through a study with others brings alternate perspectives and insights.
When we think of our community life and learning together, my hope is that we understand our Sunday gatherings are only one part of our discipleship. We encourage as many of you as possible to join a small group as this is where we explore the teaching more fully, build closer links with one another and bless each other. Small groups and congregational gatherings are the two wings of the church. If you cannot commit to a small group, it may be possible to form a triplet. Do talk to me more about this if it interests you. We also need to consider our emerging youth and how we can support them in small groups in the future. Please pray about this with me.
Pray for all our families on holiday. Please uphold Alf, John, and I as we prepare for our diocesan synod. Pray that we will be a diocese that remains in step with the wider Anglican communion and faithful to His word. Remember it’s in prayer that we stand together, in Christ and see His kingdom come.
This Sunday is week 3 of our series on the Armour of God. We are thinking about the belt of truth with John bringing the teaching at 8 am. I am aware that people are listening in from other churches and you are most welcome. If you have missed previous weeks, our website recordings are available to you under the sermon tab.
As we have the children with us each week at our 10 am family service, we are presenting some of the same teachings in two quite different ways! Last week Verity had us putting on the helmet of salvation with the words,
“I belong to God – God keeps me safe
I am a child of God”
1 John 3: 1
The first challenge in our spiritual battle is on our identity and standing. Jesus experienced this in his time of testing in the desert before beginning his ministry. This morning we are considering the belt of truth which is the antithesis of all that the devil brings. From our gospel reading today Jesus describes him as,
‘the devil…..a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.’
As I continue as a disciple of Jesus I am still growing in my understanding of His teaching and the truth that is in Him. As I do that I am knowing by experience greater freedom just as Jesus says in John 8: 32. One prayer for us all this week could be that we would be a church community that knows the truth in Christ and grows increasingly in His freedom as the beloved sons and daughters of God.
