Wait...I can't catch up!

What do you do when you feel as though life has gone ahead of you and you just can't catch up? I have been thinking about that a lot recently as summer holidays are just a distant memory and autumn is showing it's signs in abundance...the apples and pears are ready on the trees and the tomatoes are being harvested, quinces are on the table and I am still trying to work out the best way to use my time...Life is so full.
As a whole church we have started off the year looking at Christianity Explored, which has been a real blessing, but it has got me thinking... on the front cover it says in bold type

One Life. What's it all about?

Sometimes I ask myself just that - what is it all about and how do you fit it all in? Life just gets in the way...moving house, children who are really unwell, trips to hospital, relative who need caring for, weddings... the list goes on and that says nothing about the size of my ironing pile!

But sometimes we just need to remember that we don't do it all in our own strength and that praying is always a great first step...How can we best follow and serve the Lord Jesus and be an encouragement to one another? By trusting him and praying daily that our lives even in the ordinary or busy things would be extraordinary as we seek to share with others the love of Jesus.

Consultation

It happened and it all ran well!

We had about 50 people together for a day at the PCNSW Church Offices in Sydney. The aim was to hear about what's happening in womens' ministry around the PCA and collect ideas for Flourish. It turned out that the day was also a taster for what we can expect at Flourish.

David Jones gave a wonderful study from Romans 16. He talked about the women who were part of Paul's ministry circle and are mentioned in that chapter. But his big point was not about women, but about God's people working together for the sake of the kingdom.

We then heard from each state about some of the recent developments in womens' ministry. Three points came through very clearly: each state is quite different in structures and issues; there is growing momentum in the four eastern states (and the ACT), and SA and WA where the Presbyterian church is small women's ministry has less energy. If was great for all of us to hear about what it happening in each state and the challenges.

Carmelina Read gave a great overview of what she thinks are the current developments and challenges in women's ministry. She talked about a growing desire among Christian women for serious Bible teaching and training - and a trend away from big events as a focus of ministry in churches , finding ways for women to train, helping men and women work together in staff teams and the need for an emphasis on all-member ministry for women (and men). All of this left us with lots of think and talk about.

I gave a summary of some of the theological debates about women and church life . I might give a longer version of that in another post.

We divided the consultation into groups and a committee member in each group listened as people talked about their concerns and insights and what they'd like covered at Flourish. We ended with a wide ranging list with lots of stimulating ideas.

The day finished with prayer.

Now the committee is sorting through all those ideas and working on a program and publicity for Flourish.

More news soon.

Looking forward seeing you...

I am looking forward to seeing those who are coming to our Flourish Women's Ministries Consultation Day on Saturday in Sydney.

It will be great to have the day together to hear from others about what's happening in other parts of the country, and to have the chance to catch up and encourage each other. I am praying that it will be a wonderful day of exchanging ideas and supporting one another as we minister to those around us in our own context.

There will also be a chance to hear from God's word as we listen to our Moderator General David Jones and to hear others speak about the Biblical implications of Women's Ministry. We'll have some time to unpack all of that and to look at some key questions.

So Sydney...here we come!

A New Year's Resolution

Having just come back down to reality after the blissful days between Christmas and New Year, yesterday we were somewhat back into a routine...one that does involved watching the cricket mind you! I was spending some time meeting up with a friend to read the Bible. As we were reading I was struck by the beauty and joy that is found in Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in Chapter 3 and verse 16-19.

Ephesians 3:16-19

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I thought what could be more wonderful than these words as a prayer for the New Year? If only we would make a resolution to be more prayerful and to spend more time reading God's word...how much richer and more fulfilling our lives would be.

Connections and Ginger Snaps

Yesterday I made a batch of Jen's Ginger Snaps.  The kids cheered.   They love these biscuits (or should I say cookies?) and I love making them - they help me remember.

In November 1999, my husband and I moved from steamy Brisbane to wintery Bozeman, Montana USA.  We had found out about 10 days prior to leaving that twin boys were to arrive in March 2000, to say that our heads were spinning would be mild.  It was quite a move.

When we arrived, finding a church was one of the challenging tasks before us.  We went along to a couple of different churches, but it was difficult.  Then we came upon Gallatin Valley Presbyterian Church.  Home.

For the next two years these warm, loving people took us into their hearts and their homes.  Listening as a new mother cried and asked and wondered about this amazing job of bringing up two tiny boys.  Throwing the grandest Baby Shower I have ever attended for a women they had known for about 4 weeks.  Teaching the Bible with their mouths and their hands and their arms and allowing me to do the same.  Telling me truths about motherhood that I have passed on many, many times.  And my friend Jennifer gave me her Ginger Snap recipe.

So, as I make Jen's Ginger Snaps in steamy Brisbane - I am back in wintery Bozeman.  I love the fact that while it has been 10 years since we've been together, I can know that as I wait to see those wonderful women in Heaven, we can all munch Ginger Snaps that we've made for the people we love.

Women's Ministry Consultation

CONSULTATION ON WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

Feb 4th 2012

Presbyterian Church Offices
168 Chalmers St, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010

We hope to have a room full of women and men who are leaders, formal or otherwise, within the Presbyterian Church and who want to see women growing and active within the PCA.

The aim of the Consultation is to

• get an up-to-date sense of where Women’s Ministries are at throughout the PCA;
• Identify key issues still requiring attention;
• Hear news from each state regarding Women’s Minstries;
• Discuss aims and agendas for our upcoming Flourish Conference in July 2012.
  The day will be tightly structured to gain maximum input and sharing opportunity but will also provide an opportunity for networking and detailed discussion.
  0. 
     
  1. If this is something that you or someone from your church my be interested in please indicate your desire to attend by early December 2011 by email to John McClean jmcclean@ptcsydney.org (Chairman) or by post to PO Box 89, Ferny Hill, QLD, 4055.
     
  2. Please include a brief description of your involvement and/or interest in women’s ministries within the Presbyterian Church as well as a paragraph detailing what you believe you could bring to the Consultation. Please also feel free to suggest others who you believe may be of value to the Consultation.
  3. Refreshments and lunch will be provided and there will be no charge for the day, however, we are hoping that most delegates receive sponsorship for travel through their relevant committee or church. Limited funds to assist with travel will be available. Please indicate if you will require assistance with this.
     We look forward to a time of enriching and thought-provoking discussion with some clear aims and working goals to come out of the Consultation.

  
  

  • John McClean
  • Andrea Pryde
  • Cecelia Orford
  • Mairi Girigis
  • Margaret Thatcher
  • Rachel Bain

Brilliant Book Club Book...

This term I have been in a book club which has read and discussed Tim Keller's book, The Prodigal God Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (We also watched a 6 series DVD which went hand in hand with the book.)

It was a really great read and I was so challenged and inspired by it. Keller's book looks at the Parable from Luke's Gospel in chapter 15 in a whole new light. It was something I had never even thought about despite having read the parable so many times. Even the title of the book was something new to get my head around. In the initial pages Tim supplies us with the definition

prod-i-gal- adjective

1.recklessly extravagant
2.having spent everything

Thinking of God as prodigal was a totally new theme for me, but yet so obvious when you think about all that God has done to redeem us his people. Part of the introduction reads like this:

This short book is meant to lay out the essentials of the Christian message, the gospel. It can, therefore, serve as an introduction to the Christian faith for those who are unfamiliar with its teachings or who have been away from them for some time.

Even so it continues on to describe how it is also such a 'Fresh Apprehension of the Christian message that they (Christian believers) feel themselves to have been essentially "re-converted". This book, then, is written to both curious outsiders and established insiders of the faith.'

The parts of the book which really resonated with me were those which dealt with themes of 'Redefining Lostness', 'The True Elder Brother', and in particular the paradigm of home which is described as 'The Feast of the Father'. Keller goes on to say that if we can see ourselves as already being seated at the 'Homecoming Feast of God' then it will radically effect the way that we view our lives now and how we use our time and resources.

But enough or I will give it all away. Needless to say I can heartily recommend it to you, your friends, and your church.