Bless

LHOP & Cate Lewis’ Visit

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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.

Cate Lewis delivering her talk

Craft Group Generosity

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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!

Craft group goodies
Craft group goodies
Craft group blankets
Craft group blankets
Craft group goodies
a close up of the blankets
a close up of the teddies

Re-Building Hope in Ukraine

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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.

Charity concert at St Nic's church, Australind
Vocal Fusion Choir performed at the charity concert at St Nic's church, Australind
The Buevskies performed at the charity concert at St Nic's church, Australind

Church Mission Society in Australia: Empowering Communities Through Faith and Service

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We have supported Church Mission Society (CMS) for several years now contributing $2400 per annum in support of our link missionary Joan, and on Sunday 23 July we extended a warm welcome to David Greeff, the Western Australian director for CMS.

CMS is a dynamic, mission-oriented organization that has been actively spreading the gospel message to communities both locally and globally beginning in the 19th Century. At its core, CMS is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission, as stated in Matthew 28:19-20, by making disciples of all nations. The organization’s mission is to empower individuals to serve and share the Gospel through diverse ministries catering to communities’ unique needs in various parts of the world.

Within Australia, CMS has established a strong network of churches, parishes, and individuals who share a passion for missions. St Nics is one of these. Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, CMS provides support and training to equip believers for effective cross-cultural ministry.

CMS missionaries serve in diverse fields such as education, healthcare, community development, and church planting, endeavouring to bring holistic transformation to the lives of those they encounter. Our Missionary partner Joan services in a state-approved Language School in an East Asian country.

In addition to practical initiatives, CMS strongly emphasises prayer and intercession. Recognizing the spiritual battle in spreading the Gospel, CMS encourages supporters and partners to pray fervently for the mission fields and the individuals involved, locally and globally.

We have appreciated CMS’s responsible stewardship of resources. The organization maintains a high level of transparency and accountability, ensuring that financial support is used efficiently and effectively to advance the mission.

David’s visit encouraged us to continue both to own this in prayer and to offer financial assistance for the advance of the gospel.

Zoom Alpha with St Nics Tuesday 18th July

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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

Shalom

Jamie

Local Houses of Prayer Training Days in Western Australia

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In May 2023, the newly forming LHOP leaders network in Australia met at Ffald-y-Brenin, West Wales, UK. The purpose was to worship and pray together, encourage one another with testimonies of God’s grace working through current LHOP in Australia and reflect on how we might make this teaching available widely in Australia.

Ann de Leyser, the director for LHOP and Cate Lewis the Australian coordinator commissioned Verity and me to bring this training to WA.

As a pastor and church leader I see this as a wonderful way to enable church communities to look out and discern together what is on god’s heart for their local communites and spheres of influence. Seeking god for what He wants to bless around us has already made a significant impact for us here at St Nics.

If you are interested in finding out more in the first instance look here for an overview. We are working on a bespoke Australian website but this will take you to the international site. if you are interested in bringing this teaching to your church please contact Jamie and Verity via the contact details on this website and will get back to you. Training is free though we would ask for expenses and accommodation to be covered by the hosting church community.

Read more: Local Houses of Prayer Training Days in Western Australia

Behind the scenes at St Nics Op-Shop

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Our op-shop has been running for over 30 years and enables us to offer quality clothes and wares blessing our wider community and helping us fund a variety of different outreaches and ministries.

Judy Blechynden is the coordinator and has been in this role for nearly a decade. Judy looks after a team of approximately 25 volunteers that run the shop successfully. Judy says her “vital vollies” do a fantastic job and each share equal duties and responsibilities. All their hard work generates funds which St Nics distribute to support our outreach programs, both local and further afield.

The shop is open each weekday and also Saturday mornings. 2 or 3 volunteers are there at any given time.

It takes a lot to keep the Op-Shop always looking presentable and well-stocked. Only quality items are offered for sale and the prices reflect that we are a charity whose main aim is to provide for the less fortunate – as well as astute buyers who can spot a bargain.

Excess clothes are donated to the Philippines and East Timor for distribution amongst the needy and surplus or poor quality clothing is sent to 3rd World countries by a charitable organisation whereby the material is stripped into rags, then bought back to Australia and sold to retailers.

Our Op-Shop also helps our larger Bunbury community by donating clothes to the Shoe-String Café for distribution amongst their clients, and visiting Sea Farers to our shores benefit from our donations of books and seasonal clothing for their brief stays here.

Fellowship and social interactions with each other are an integral part of making the op-shop a great place to spend time, either as a volunteer or as a browser and we hope continues to provide a blessing to our wider community.

A Life of Blessing

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At the end of Psalm 23, David says

 ‘Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

This is the scripture I want to be included and reflected upon at my funeral. Since I have been a Christian, I have had many trials and yet overall, I can testify that I have been consistently and greatly blessed. As I walk with the Lord, I am experiencing a Life of Blessing. This is what God intends for us all. From creation to the revelation to Moses to Jesus to now. Walking with the Lord is a life of blessing.

However, in God’s kingdom, we are asked to take on the priestly role of speaking blessings to the creation and all around us. This is what we are going to be exploring in more detail over this new course ‘A Life of Blessing. ‘  There will be teaching each Sunday and then a follow-up for our growth groups throughout the week.

My expectation is that we can be equipped to change the spiritual landscape around us as we step into this ministry of blessing.

Speaking blessing means first being in tune with what is on God’s heart for the area or person or land that you are a blessing. So, we have to seek Him first in prayer and from that place of intimacy speak out His blessing. This opens up a way for the kingdom to break in. That’s why we begin today with the Gospel ( the Good news) of the Kingdom

May you be blessed as you step into this teaching.

Shalom

Jamie

Divine Appointments as we listen to God.

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Divine Appointments

This week Suzanne is speaking about divine appointments. This is not about a trip to a chocolate factory or the finals of the AFL!  Jesus teaches us that it’s God’s intention that we should hear His voice and follow His guidance and instruction. ( John 10: 27) We are invited to partner with God which may involve a specific appointment with someone else! Jesus first models this for us. The Apostles, deacons and others continue this in Acts. 

Paul notes in Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Is it possible to miss out on completing these assignments/ good works? Of course,  if we are not listening. On Wednesday   I was speaking about Evelyn Underhill, known for her insightful writing and spiritual direction  ( June 15th is a day when she is remembered by the church) She made this observation

“Many people feel unaware of any guidance, unable to discern or understand the signals of God; not because the signals are not given, but because the mind is too troubled, clouded, and hurried to receive them.”

This remains true, perhaps even more so today. We have digital distraction, 24/7 News, and there is even doom scrolling. We are inundated with information and must be intentional about reducing our exposure. It’s then we will be able to make time to listen to the scriptures and quieten our souls. It’s then we will find it easier to listen to the Lord. This then can be carried into the whole day.

That’s why we are continuing with our time of silence each Sunday as we wait on the Holy Spirit. We are intentionally saying ‘Lord we are here, and we are listening for You.’ I wonder what He will say to us as a church and as individuals? 

Big Morning Tea

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This morning under the oversight of Fran Craig we were able to host a Big Morning Tea to raising funds for the Cancer Council of Australia. Once again a team of volunteers from St Nics baked and prepared to welcome people. Fr Brian Newing came and spoke sharing his own personal experiences as well as an enduring trust in the Lord. Our barista Barbara Gore oversaw the coffees and plates of goodies were shared and enjoyed. Craft group provided lots of interesting gifts for purchase. Our thanks to Pam and Eve for this.

We ran a door raffle and a running raffle. Marian Andels beautiful wall hanging was won by Robyn Scutella. It was a lovely morning and once again we experienced what Jesus said- it is more blessed to give than receive. $600 was raised. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this lovely gift for the Cancer Council.

Gluten Free option, thanks to the thoughtfulness of our team.