New Faces and Thoughts on Peace & Division
Welcome Emily! Congratulations to Linda and Mike!
As they settle as a family with a newborn our pastor Mike will be on leave for a few weeks. In the meantime some staff members and student ministers will share some encouragements and updates to you each week. You'll get to hear reflections from a range of people!
If you'd like to support the Doyles you can firstly pray for good sleep for all. Also pray that Josh will get used to not being the baby anymore.
If you'd also like to support them practically, please feel free to sign up to bring the family a meal here:
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Relief Fund Update & More on Returning to Church
Praise God! I am stunned - and massively encouraged to share that the relief fund has now raised over $38,000! And we've been able to already give relief of more than $6,000 in value.
Your gift is already making a difference.
If you know someone in our church community who is doing it tough - please let Jo-Ann know (jo-ann@stjamesberala.org.au).
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Relief Fund Update & Restarting Church
1. Coronavirus Relief Fund Update
I praise and thank God for his people, and how everyone has stepped up to love and care for people in our church.
Last week we launched our "Coronavirus Relief Fund" in order to help people in our church who are suffering hardship due to the virus.
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Coronavirus Crisis Relief Appeal
The results of the coronavirus has smashed Australia, smashed people in our local community, and smashed many people in our Church.
Since the lockdown started, several members of our church have been evicted. Several more have received eviction notices. We estimate 25% of those who were working have lost their jobs, been stood down, not had contracts renewed, or had a significant drop in income.
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A Time to Rest
The Corona lockdown has profoundly changed the rhythm of our lives. Kids are at home. Working from home. Perhaps a loss of job and income.
Which means — God has given us a unique opportunity to examine our habits, and perhaps reset our habits.
It may be your habits before the lockdown weren't great - or it may be your habits during lockdown aren't great. Or perhaps — it's just an opportunity to examine your habits and start again.
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Spiritual & Secular Leaders
On Sunday we looked at Malachi 2:1-16, where God blasted the Spiritual leaders of God's people. We saw that Jesus is the one true high priest, and when other leaders fail - Jesus doesn't.
A number of questions were raised about Secular and Spiritual Leaders. And that's what I want to briefly touch on today.
1. Secular Leadership
I had a friend who was doing a "Secular Leadership" course at a university, and in their class, the lecturer spoke about a new leadership trend in business leadership. The new trend was called "Servant Hearted Leadership".
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Spiritual Discipline and the Long Dark Night of the Soul
On Sunday we started the wonderful book of Malachi which starts with the wonderful words "I have always loved you", yet God's people replied with the question "Really? How have you loved us?”
The long dark night of the soul refers to a time in someone's life where they are facing a massive existential crisis. They may be questioning God's love and care for them. They may be questioning who they are. And certainly - they will be feeling very sad and distant from God. Sometimes this will occur for weeks, months or even years.
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The Love of God
Sometimes it feels like the love of God is a long way away.
Do you ever feel this way? I do.
As we read God's word - we discover that this feeling is one that is repeated again and again.
Sometimes God's kings feel this way. Sometimes it's God's prophets. Sometimes it's God's priests. And sometimes - it's God's people.
This week we are starting a new series on the book of Malachi, and its start is striking.
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Loving Each Other: The Elixir of Life & Emotions (Easter Edition)
What keeps us going when life is hard?
Today, as we think about loving each other, I want to talk about the elixir of life, the importance of emotions, and our Easter Family Bible Teaching.
1. The Elixir of Life: Hope
G. K. Chesterton once said, “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.”
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