Why? Odds are, they’ll come! From 2022 research, asked if they would go to church this Easter if a close friend or family member invited them, 42% of Aussies said YES. A further 19% of those surveyed said they were unsure. Only 3 in 10 said they would not go to an Easter service if invited! So…. Invite!!

How?

Trust. Don’t dread inviting someone. Don’t be scared. The fear we feel may be self-centred—how I’m going to look, how I’m going to feel when my friend turns me down. What if we shift the focus to the friend who could potentially reap eternal benefits, all because you took one small chance?

Pray. God is in control. Not you.

Chill. You might be the one doing the asking but it’s the Holy Spirit who softens hearts and creates faith. So whatever happens after this, don’t take it personally—and don’t take too much credit for it. You are God’s instrument, and he often gives us the privilege of taking part in leading someone else to him. But he is the one who works in that person’s heart.

Talk. It doesn’t matter what you say. Just ask your friend / family if they would come to church at Easter with you (important they know they’ll be with you). And listen to the person you invite. Be kind, compassionate and interested in them and their response. When you take the time to do these things, most people will appreciate your manner, even if they say no.

Why bother? The current mentality is “I believe what I believe, you believe what you believe, and we’ll agree to disagree.” Therefore, inviting someone to church often comes off as arrogant—one person suggesting another person is wrong or somehow lacking. Can’t have that, can we?.....Except, what if you really are the one who’s right? And your friend’s wrongness means he’ll go to hell?

Friends don’t let friends go to hell.

Jesus is the only way. It really does matter. When you invite someone to church, do it out of concern for that person’s soul, and for the glory of God.

I am pleased to announce we have our new parish council with our newest warden appointed as the Rectors warden, Craig Bennett. Craig has been a member of our 8am service for over 2 years where he has served. Craig joins David Broker, Nick Bailey whom we elected at our AGM as Wardens. Together the wardens and the Rector make up the new parish council.

The goal of parish council is to develop spaces and finances for gospel proclamation so that as a church we might glorify God, Growing together and seeing People grow deep in their Love and trust in Jesus in ever increasing numbers. We are already amazed at what God has done amongst us and look forward to a big year ahead.

As a church we have a big year ahead with a Big Vision to grow. While all our wardens are responsible for the overall role of finances and buildings (generally speaking), we have divided up different part of the role in order to achieve the best outcomes.

David Broker has been appointed Treasurer. David continues in this role from last year. He continues to develop what are doing for us to stay up to date with compliance. Every month David presents parish council with electronic profit and loss statements and balance sheets. He aims to is to bring both clarity and transparency to our finances. If you have a question in regards to finances, David would be glad to hear from you.

Nick Bailey has taken on the role of Building and Maintenance. As you could imagine with so many buildings and some of them heritage listed, there is a lot to do in this area. Building on from the work of Graham Thomas, Nick will update and work with a maintenance register which helps us see everything we need to be doing and the impact it has on ministry if we don’t. There is a lot to consider in weighing up what gets done first with a limited budget. Nick has been quick to get his head around things and is forming a plan of attack.

Craig Bennett has taken on the role of Ministry warden. His role is to see buildings are fit for purpose and everything that is needed is in place. His role is everything from making sure are buildings are safe with annual inspections that are required, to making sure we record our required statistics each Sunday. Craig looks after things like licensing out our hall and buildings, as well as making sure there is cleaning supplies and a roster of people to help.

We catch up weekly via ZOOM and each month have an official parish council meeting. At the parish council meeting we take minutes and all decision made are noted. We want to be transparent because parish council is part of the body of Christ together. If you ever want to look at minutes of parish council, please speak to Craig Bennett who will provide them on request.

Dear Church Family,

KYCK is just around the corner. As our youth approach KYCK in April and the WAY team with church family prepares for this important time, I am reflecting with thankfulness and anticipation about the role KYCK plays in our ministry to our youth.

There is something that you just can’t replicate on the weekly schedule, when you break the rhythms of life to go away to gather around God’s word for an extended time. Ask any of the teens at church and they will tell you KYCK has shaped their faith. KYCK is not a mystical experience, but teens benefit as they see the fruit of the gospel in the many hundreds gathered together and as they encounter God’s word consistently over the weekend without the usual distractions of life clawing for their attention.

KYCK is not some sacred, magic event, but God has been pleased to use it to save many hundreds of teens (if not many more). God will do as he pleases but he uses his people proclaiming his good news to bring his salvation. So I invite you to partner with the WAY team and our teens to see Jesus honoured. I invite you to pray that God would use this time to see our teens come to faith and own their faith.

I invite you as well to partner financially. Helping a teen come up the mountain enables them to encounter the gospel in this set apart weekend.

In Christ,

Alex

I am looking forward to our new series in Leviticus. Now, “looking forward” you might think is a little of an overstatement.

In mentioning this to a person from another church, their response was, Boring! In fact there was passion behind his statement, it was more like, BOOORIING!

He was wondering if we really wanted to grow God’s Kingdom. Leviticus is filled with strange laws that a ghastly and cringe worthy to our modern sensitivities. Who would want to come and hear a sermon series on Leviticus?

Well in answering that, ‘I do, and I believe you will too’.

Let me tell you why it’s important we preach through Leviticus.

1. Firstly because it is in the bible. We believe: 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2Ti 3:16-17 NIV)

We want to preach all of scripture, not just the easy bits or the bits that we like. Preaching the whole bible forces us to think hard, about what God has to say to us.

2. But secondly, Leviticus is a good part of the bible to preach. It has some important things for us to hear and dwell on.

Leviticus helps us understand the dilemma of God being Holy, and us unholy. The reality where that which is holy cannot be in contact with that which is unholy – or unclean.

Leviticus speaks of God’s grace. It is here God first officially set up the idea of a substitute for you, taking the penalty that was yours. And this was so that we can approach God.

It therefore helps us understand God’s love for us and his determination to see us come to him.

Leviticus brings colour and depth to the work of Christ. It brings depth to our worship him of him now. Leviticus is fundamental in understanding how we might build God’s church and what our worship of God might look like.

I pray Leviticus will refresh us all in the work of Christ on the cross as we approach Easter.

On Sunday, we look forward to the next in our series about Church, looking at the area of Membership:

Growing Together Towards Jesus.

At St Johns, we want to warmly welcome all (the new, the not-so-new and the one who’s been here a while).

We want to welcome well (representing the abundant welcome we have received from God).

We want to connect newcomers into the body of Christ here at St Johns, each one an integral and valued part of it. 

No one gets left behind - we want to look after one another at every point along the way, spurring one another on towards love and good deeds; showing care and concern for one another in the joys and trials of life, with a view to maturity in Christ.

We serve with intention and pray that an ever-growing number of us know that we truly belong to God, and know that we truly belong to believers in the body with whom we regularly and deeply commune.    All for God’s glory.   

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34-35).