A Church of Action - Not Just Words

 

Every year Anglicare's Emergency Relief programme provides financial and food assistance to an estimated 20,000 socially excluded families and individuals who struggle to get by on low income.

Now in its 10th year, Anglicare's Toys ‘n’ Tucker programme is a way in which communities can actively provide gifts of toys and food to be distributed to the families who come to the service for support. 

Nigel Beckman attends Menai Anglican Church.  He and his Growth Group became involved in the Scheme 5 years ago because they wanted to help those less fortunate at Christmas time. 

Nigel and his team have also discovered many other benefits from being involved in the scheme.  Nigel says, “It has been a wonderful out-reach opportunity and shown the local community that Menai Anglican is a church of action not just words”. The collection area covers Barden Ridge, Menai Road and over to the Woodlands Estate – so our church makes contact with approximately 2,200 homes.

In addition, it provides a great opportunity for absolutely anyone in the church community to get involved and serve God no matter their age, ability or which service they attend.

The scheme also provides Menai Anglican Church with a way to identify and help those in the local area who are themselves struggling.

This year, there were almost 180 people involved in the collection.  Between them, they collected over 300 boxes plus miscellaneous toys.  The best collection year so far for the church.

 

There is a lot of work involved in organizing the food drive.  Initially fliers are prepared and these are delivered by the congregation.  The actual collection takes place from Monday 4^th to Monday 11^th November. Because of the fliers many people are prepared with food by their door. It is heart warming when people have been shopping specifically for Anglicare and have a box or bag all ready. It also offers a great opportunity to hand over information brochures about Playtime groups at church and the Christmas service times.

One little girl donated her own tricycle because she wanted someone less fortunate than her to have a bike for Christmas.

All the donated items are boxed up at church and then Anglicare collect them and take the boxes to the Anglicare Mt. Druitt warehouse.  The items are then made into Christmas hampers and toy parcels for families in Sydney and Wollongong who would otherwise go without.

The Menai Anglican Church / Anglicare Food Drive is a wonderful example of how a small idea from a Growth Group can make a huge difference to the local community and beyond.  Thank you to everyone involved in this year’s scheme.  Please pray for Nigel and his group – may they be a guiding light to the rest of the church community.  Please also pray for the Anglicare teams – may they bring a little joy and support to those in need this Christmastime.

 

How Much Did Your T Shirt Cost?

 















Aussies wear T-shirts.  We wear them at the beach, or around the house, or under a shirt when we go out. We like to have something funny written on the front, or an arty design. Or just plain white.

So we buy lots of them. And we like to pick up a bargain. 

So how much did your last T-shirt cost?

To save money, most of our clothes are made overseas, where labour is much cheaper than in Australia. That helps make them cheap.

But did you know that, over the past 8 years, more than 1,800 garment workers in Bangladesh have died in building collapses, in factory fires, or other "preventable circumstances"?

It turns out that shoddy practices and unsafe working conditions are another reason why our T-shirts are so cheap. We get cheap clothes and garment workers pay with their lives.

But there is an alternative.

There is now an international accord, "a multinational stakeholder agreement where companies commit to extensive and systematic assessment of worker safety and conditions within the Bangladesh garment industry".

Rather than boycott clothing made in Bangladesh, which will only increase poverty, this accord means companies will work together to support positive change.

Katies, Target and Cotton On have all signed the accord. K-Mart is offering compensation for families affected by the most recent fire.

Woolworths, which owns Big W, had deferred action to sign the accord, but in latest news, has finally signed up.

Change won't be instant, but if you think unsafe and unfair working conditions are too high a price to pay for cheap clothing, then keep your eyes open for more news on which clothing companies are supporting positive change.

The Justice and Mercy Team at our church will be doing more research to give you the best information we can. And if you would like to help with some internet research on this matter, please let us know.

Eric & Carolyn Hatfield from the Justice and Mercy Team at Menai Anglican Church

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly. Micah 6:8

Information from Canberra Times (http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/where-life-is-cheap-what-cost-a- tshirt-20131014-2vikj.html) and Sydney Morning Herald (http://www.smh.com.au/national/woolworths-signs-up-to-bangladesh-safety- accord-20131017-2vq3l.html). Photo: MorgueFile (http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/661931).

How Are We Tracking? - Survey Results

Somebody once wisely said, “If you aim at nothing that’s exactly what you’ll hit.”

A year or so ago now our staff and parish council put together a number of goals for us to work towards over the next few years to keep us focussed on the main game.

We knew that we had 2 major priorities in line with our vision to “Introduce Jesus and Change Lives”- that of helping our members to grow in their faith and to reach out with the good news that Jesus is our rescuer. 

To that end we came up with some goals based around the results of the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) that we took part in back in 2011.

The good news is that we’ve been making some progress and we ought to give thanks to God for it.

One of the most encouraging areas is in the growth of the percentage of people who say that they have “experienced much growth through our church in the past 12 months.”  There has been a significant 9% increase over the NCLS back in 2011.  Furthermore 98% of all those surveyed said that they had grown spiritually in the past 12 months. Praise God!

We’ve also seen growth in the number of our members who are inviting people to church [4% increase] and growth in the numbers of those involved with some sort of ministry leadership [7-8% increase]. 

We have maintained our level of growth group membership and this is the only area of the survey where we haven’t moved forward. 

Another pleasing aspect is that of those who have joined us in the past 2 years 28% weren’t attending another church before they joined. Although we are happy to welcome people who are transferring from another church - maybe out of our area - the real kingdom growth is with those who are coming to church for the first time or after a long gap. There is much rejoicing in heaven over that!

In the past two and half years we have grown by 25% and now average 677 people in church each week. As to our finances we have now had a couple of months of reaching our budget and although we still have a shortfall to make up things are looking much better.

All in all this is all great cause for thanksgiving to God for answering our prayers and honouring our commitment to Him. We are getting on with our mission together.

Bruce Dingwall

Senior Minister

Living Out Your Faith

One of the great things about being on staff here at Menai Anglican Church is that you get to hear some great stories about people living out their faith by introducing Jesus and changing lives.

I received an email during the week from Peter Jarvis who comes to our 10am service and got permission to share it with you for your encouragement.

“Morning Bruce, Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed yesterday’s message from James.

It was really ‘on the money’ and contained loads of practical examples that both Gail and I discussed on our way to a family function yesterday.

I can’t wait to discuss it with the guys from Bible Study tonight.

I am currently talking to two younger women about my faith and what they their views are about God, eternity and faith etc.

One lady (about 44 years old) is a high ranking Union leader who has hard-line socialistic views. The other has worked in DOC's and is now in the education system. Her views are more humanistic.

Both are cynical about what they refer to as ‘the church’ and have a very worldly perception of Christianity.  

The Union lady came to me recently and complained about a business owner (who claimed to be a Christian), who treated his workers pretty badly. I gave her some practical extracts from the bible to discuss with this Boss that would hopefully make him think about his actions toward his staff. I mentioned that I’d be happy to have a chat with him if she thought it might help. 

She has also helped me find work for a young Brother who was out of work so I know she has a kind spirit and a warm heart.

I think your sermon from James would be a great ‘eye opener’ for both these women and provide another way for me to start up the conversation with them again.

I recently sent them the article (from Southern Cross) that outlined a Christian perspective to the asylum seekers topic. Both ladies were impressed and found it interesting.

I’m hoping to do the same with your sermon from Sunday by downloading it and giving it to them both. The lady who heads up the Union will definitely relate to James’s forthright instruction on how we are to treat ‘everyone’ equally."

It’s great to hear of the members of Menai Anglican Church sharing their faith in a gentle, confident and forthright way. I love the idea of passing on articles that might challenge and enlighten people. Thanks Peter for the encouragement and the challenge!

Bruce Dingwall

Senior Minister

Women's Hot Topic Evening - Why Envy?

When I was first asked to speak on envy, I had never really thought about it before.  I didn’t even think I’d been effected by it..... until I started to think seriously about what envy was and how it showed itself in our lives.  As it turned out “envy” was and is EVERYWHERE - even shops and perfumes have the name “envy”! 

However, what disturbed me most as I read and talked with people, was that most of us didn’t really think it was big deal - after all, it didn’t really hurt others....... or did it?

Envy is the source of almost every other sin, it destroys other people’s lives as well as our own, it skews our thinking and decision making in destructive ways.  For these reasons, I love speaking on “envy”- it challenges me to take a long hard look at myself, and reminds me that God gives us hope to turn our lives and thinking around, and an antidote to this most secret of sins.

I hope and pray that as women leave the evening at Menai Anglican Church, they will be challenged and given hope as I have been.

By Ainsley Poulos  

Ainsley is married to Archie and has three kids, 4 chickens, 2 rabbits and a guinea pig. She loves teaching God's word in an engaging way and helping women come to see how it speaks to every area of their lives.  Ainsley helps run EQUIP Women’s Ministries and chairs EQUIP ministry wives- a conference encouraging the wives of ministers.

In her spare time, she works as a speech pathologist (http://www.eastsidespeech.com.au/about/our-people)

WOMEN’S HOT TOPIC EVENING AT MENAI ANGLICAN CHURCH

WEDNESDAY 28 AUGUST 7.30pm – 9.30pm

Getting weird for the sake of art

People say many things about artistic ministry in the church. But they don’t often mention the fact that it involves being kind of weird in everyday life. Makes you contemplate doing strange and awkward things.

Experiments with furniture for inside/out artwork

It’s a Saturday morning and I’m wheeling an unbalanced trolley laden with ten metres of Astro Turf down one overstuffed Bunnings aisle. As I wrestle the awkwardly heavy roll of black and green into a checkout there are stares, smiles, small chuckles. “ Well well, that’s a lot of synthetic grass, what are you going to do with it?” I pause for a second, there’s no conversation stopper like when you answer back “it’s for church”. No more questions asked. I often wonder if this should be phrased differently to create a conversation opportunity instead of an awkward pause… 

But the weirdness of buying ten metres of turf is mild compared to many of the everyday strange things that pursuit of art for church can bring….

Standing on the barely-stable wire fence of a vineyard in Camden at 6.45am on a Friday morning wondering if anyone (or that police car that keeps going back and forth) might see if you trespassed (just a little bit) to get closer to that grapevine for a better video shot…. 

or talking someone into running along a mangrove bank in the rain for half an hour, back and forth with little wings leukoplasted to their feet….

stopping to “borrow” some  tall grass from the side of the road because it looks just like it could be from a beautiful field…

carrying the contents of your house outside and arranging it in a tree just for a photograph….

or driving around in a car laden with a tool shop, a haberdashery, an art store and the leftovers of that roadside grass packed in so tightly it falls out every time you try to add in a grocery bag or two.

The pursuit of art-making for church makes every day an opportunity for weird and random acts of creativity. And sometimes it creates a conversation worth having too.

These past few weeks the creative team have been, among other weird and wonderful things, diving into the book of James to prepare for MenaiAnglican Church’s new series- Inside/ Out.

But what does astro-turf, boxes, lampstands and couches have to do with living inside out, being people of integrity, living as the new creation where our new heart and renewed mind and the spirit at work in our lives produce the fruit of our faith expressed in good works? 

Well first, the box. 

The brown box, filled and closed, has no integrity, no markers on the outside of what lies beneath. It could be a fruit bowl or a chimpanzee inside, we really can’t know for sure. A bit like us, at times we have the ability to present ourselves to the world as something other than we are, we can pay lip-service to our beliefs and live lives that fail to step out the changed person God is working out inside of us.

Over the course of the series we will be revealing items of living room furniture (the stuff that’s inside) being brought outside these boxes. House furnishings (like our faith) are significant contents that you can't see are in a house when you are standing outside it.  

Bringing them outside seems dangerous, risky even. Things might get ruined, broken or damaged, plus it looks pretty weird (maybe even weirder than a shop assistant finding those leftover eagle feathers stuck to the bottom of your green bags at the coles checkout), people might say something!

Living on the outside the stuff that is being transformed on the inside looks kind of weird too, it’s risky, it puts our contents on display, it demands consistency, integrity, resolve and so much more.

It is also something weirdly attractive to other people though- a couch on a lawn- don't you want to sit on it? doesn't the strangeness of it seem kind of wonderful?…so it is, we thought, with living inside/out, it is a strange kind of wonderful thing that shines a light on who Jesus really is, the crazy changes he has really made in us and is making in us, day by day, that set us apart. 

And that completes the story of why astroturf, boxes and living room furniture will be gracing our stage for the next 8 weeks. 

We hope you enjoy!

Volunteering at Menai Anglican Church Kids Club (MAK Club)

Hi, 

My name is Joshua and I have been serving as a volunteer for Menai Anglican Kids Club (MAK Club) since it started several years ago. I have always wanted to serve in ways that matter most to God. The Bible clearly states that children are a blessing from God (Matthew 18:2-6). Being part of the MAK Club Team gives me the opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives and in a very positive way too. When I serve in children’s ministry (MAK Club) and teach children about the great love God has for them I also have the chance to indirectly influence the future generations that are to come. I also love seeing the children learn about God's love and existence in 3 high impact fun filled days. It is also a great encouragement to me when I see the amount of people who come together and volunteer their time to help make MAK Club a memorable experience for all the children who attend.

I have found that working with children has taught me patience and this is a wonderful ‘fruit of the spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23) gift to have when you are surrounded by many excited and squealing children.

Joshua Mendez 

Are you are interested in volunteering for MAK Club?  This year it will take place from 25 - 27 September.   Call 9541 0990 or email office@menaianglican.org if you can help.

A Family Reunion

On Monday I attended a family reunion; it was the funeral of Rev. Allan Whittham the first minister of  Whalan/Mt Druitt Anglican Church.

Why a family reunion?

I learned as a child that church is not a building but a family. With all of our extended relatives still in England (my parents were 10 pound poms) the church was my family; Uncle Herbie and Aunty Marie, Aunty Irene and Uncle Jim…in fact they were all my Uncles and Aunts and we lived life together with them and their children. Together we grew in faith, prayed, read God’s word, had fights and resolved them, ate and really were an extended family. This is church and we never missed a Sunday.

At this church my parents came to faith in Jesus (with the help of the Billy Graham Crusade) and raised us to know Jesus too.  I was transported back as I choked back the tears seeing faces of those who I knew as a child now grey and elderly but still strong for Jesus. I remembered the songs I used to mime as I looked up at the faces of my parents who loved to sing the old hymns; too young to read but not too young to participate.

As I drove home I reflected…what will our children recall about Menai Anglican 30 years from now? Will it be that our church is where their extended family gather; the family of God? Will they remember us as the place where families grew together as they prayed, followed God’s word and supported each other to serve Christ?   

This happens when we make our gatherings a priority, as many people (not only children) ‘belong’ to the community of God before they belong to Jesus. ‘Belonging’ develops only when children are present at church every week; making and developing friendships based on our faith in Jesus. Our children will grow in Christ when we see church as family. It is said ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and likewise ‘it takes the church family to raise a child of Christ’.

Church: our weekly family reunion and definitely too good to miss! 

Mary Pickford, Children's Minister

What Being In A Growth Group Means For Me

I have been a part of a Growth Group/Bible Study group now, either as a member or a leader, for nearly 30 years.  I have been in many varied groups, from mixed young adults, to men only, to mixed groups. Currently I am co-leading, with Karen, a mixed group of adults – some married, some single.

I have seen so many things happen over those years, not the least of which is the way God has moved and shaken me up to mould me into the person I am today.

Growth Group participation is a given for me as a Christian, I simply cannot do things on my own and what better way to do it then with a group of people who share the same values and reason for living that I do.

So, here are some of the benefits of being in a Growth Group that I see, in no particular order:

Supper. In business they say the best discussions are had around the coffee machine, so never underestimate that time where we socialise beforehand with a cuppa and a biscuit; mind you it seems to only be the men who eat up!! We meet about 15 minutes before the more formal time and it’s a great way to chat and catch up with what’s been happening during the week gone and helps build the relationships, particularly for any new members.

Accountability. Sometimes in life we need other people to keep us on track and spur us on to accomplish our goals. A Growth group is perfect for doing that. We can be honest with each other and share our worries and concerns in a confidential environment without judgement but in a way that enables us to be accountable to someone who cares.  

Social Events. Once a term we strive to have a meal together. Occasionally we study the Bible as well as eat, but mostly we just enjoy a meal and a chat together and share conversation. It’s another great way to get to know each other better.

Studying the Bible and hearing different perspectives. We spend about 45 minutes to read and study the Bible, varying the way we study it, from following along with the current sermon series in Church to using Life Guide study notes on books of the Bible or topical subjects or characters.

I like the idea of hearing other people’s point of view. Our group is a diverse mix of so many different people who are Christians – e.g. age, gender, office workers, work from home people, some have degrees; some run their own business, some are crafty, some excel at hospitality. We are all at different stages of our journey. The one thing that is not different is we are united by our love for the Lord and a desire to grow closer to Him each day.

It is refreshing to hear a different point of view on a scripture I have read numerous times before. That is one way we grow as Christians.

Encouragement. Another primary reason I go to Bible study each week is for the encouragement I receive from the people in our group.

Sharing personal struggles and seeking advice. Over the course of the years, I have shared our stories of loss, our fears, temptations, and weaknesses. Sometimes a member of the group might offer a helpful suggestion, and sometimes there is no answer. That's when we are able to support each other, and love each other through times of struggle, to pray together, and encourage one another as best we can. There aren't always answers, but knowing you’re being held up in prayer can go a long way to calming fears.

Praying for each other. Usually after studying the Bible we spend about 30 minutes writing down and sharing our prayer requests and of course praying for each other, usually in groups of 3-5 people. We stress the importance of confidentiality that what’s shared in the group stays in the group. We also encourage everyone in the group to use these in their personal daily prayer time; it helps to know others are praying for you.

Celebrating life's many blessings. Over the years there are so many great things that happen to us and our Growth Group experiences many of these together. Our groups have been: a source of encouragement, support, Godly counsel, and friendship that can never be replaced.

Outreach Focus. One of the key things I love about our group is that we want to grow and serve God and see how He wants to use us. Some years ago we felt led to head up the Anglicare Food Drive collection in the Barden Ridge area on behalf of our church. We listened to the call to action and as a result we have been blessed to see God work so powerfully each year. So many contacts have been made in the community, so much help from so many people in our Church, and every year we seem to hear more touching stories. It’s fantastic to see so many other groups and individuals share our vision.   

Growth groups are a sure way to get to know others in our church community more intimately. We are a large church and there is no way you can get to know every person. But you can get to know every person in your group, well. And we can support each other and share each others’ burdens in a group. We don’t always do that perfectly because none of us is perfect. But we can do the best we can with the gifts that God gives us in the intimate nature of our groups.

Nigel Beckman

To Brand or Not to Brand?

Menai Anglican Church......St Paul’s Anglican Church Menai........Menai Anglican........St Paul’s Menai, whatever you choose to call our church, the name is not what people in our community associate with. 

People go to church and continue to come to this church, for the people, the Bible-based worship and the friendship, not the name, not the brand, not the building. A sense of community is what we all hunger for. Humans are not designed to be solitary. As people begin to seek God it can be a daunting and uncomfortable process to first set foot into a church and be greeted by people they may not know.

So why do we need a brand, a logo, an identity and why don’t we just concentrate on getting our worship right and our hearts in the right place to be able to genuinely welcome newcomers and to reach out into our community about the Good News of the Gospel message?

We live in a material world (as Madonna sings) and in this material world we are surrounded..... no bombarded..... by brands, logos and identities, all day every day. It is so common that we sometimes fail to even notice the branding. Railway stations are easily identified around the world by simple branding, as are airports and other landmarks. We don’t identify these as brands, but rather location identities to help us find our way around.

Most churches, whether they seek to have a brand/logo/identity or not, do in fact have a cross somewhere on the building. This identifies them as churches to people who pass by. The cross is a symbol of Jesus sacrifice for us and it has been used on churches for many years. The cross is a powerful symbol or icon and means a great deal to a Christian. This is our branding, whether we like to admit it or not.

Almost from the start, in 1982, when the first flyers were circulated to the few houses in the Menai/Illawong/Alfords Point area advising of a ‘New Church’ starting up, we sought to have an identity. Something people could associate with us and recognise us by. We moved from Rob Barrie’s house in Hall Drive, to Bangor Community Centre, to Bangor Primary School, as we grew and outgrew facilities. Finally we settled in Barden Ridge (or Lucas Heights) on our current site. Our signage out the front was typical Anglican style. Even today, our blue and white Menai Anglican Church sign carries the traditional logo or branding of the Sydney Anglican Churches.

Under the guidance of Rob Barrie we developed a vision for the church in the 1990’s which, was simply, “Menai for Christ”. Around the same time we started using a logo for the church which reflected this vision. This logo was:

 
This logo was used by the church on newsletters, letterheads and other communications, both internal and external for several years. The incorporation of the ‘t’ into a cross was a reference to our Christian faith.

After the construction of our new extensions at Barden Ridge, the church building became a symbol or logo for our church. This is still used in many of our ministries. 
 
The next stage in our logo or branding became the use of the stained glass imagery. This has become the standard in our current website and our current electronic news items. In this version of our ‘branding’ the abbreviation of our name from Menai Anglican Church to MAC found its origins
This branding looks like this:
 
As we move into our new branding for our church, (which has evolved from the work of a representative group of parishioners) there has been a great deal of thought and prayer involved in finding an image that truly represents what we stand for. Our new vision for our church is
‘Introducing Jesus : Changing Lives’

We needed an image that presents Jesus to our members and our community in a way that is approachable, welcoming and easily recognised. The making up a cross from a wide variety of colours is, in some way, symbolic of how we all come to the cross from different places and backgrounds, but the cross is what binds us together.
Our new logo is:

I started asking why do we need a church logo. The fact is that we have always had one and it is important for us to recognise the importance of having a symbol of our church which people in our community can identify and relate to.

A church logo, although not an end in and of itself, is a powerful means to assisting a church’s vision. As Kent Shaffer of Church Relevance puts it, “A great church logo in and of itself does not create great church branding. But it does give a church the foundation needed to build a solid brand.”
Our new logo is a positive, colourful and contemporary symbol of our cross and the people who come together under it. As we move forward this symbol will become a positive image in our
community, if we are prepared to embrace the vision and believe we can make a difference by “Introducing Jesus and Changing Lives”.

Ian Johnson

Generosity

The New Testament has lots to say about how we handle our wealth.  One of the striking aspects for me is that we're told that giving should be a joyful exercise [2 Corinthians 9:7].  How does that work?

Well, when we are generous with our wealth a number of great things happen.  

Firstly, our generosity brings praise to God [2 Corinthians 9:12-13].  I guess that real sacrificial giving, such as the Macedonians exhibited, is so rare that it will point people to the God who inspired it and to his gracious character [2 Corinthians 8:8-9].  

And then Jesus tells us that our generosity frees us from the strangle-hold that our money often has on us [Matthew 6:19-24].  It helps us to learn tot rust God [Matthew 6:25-34] and if that doesn't make you joyful, nothing will.  

Furthermore the Bible is clear that God blesses the generous. Not that he will make us money-rich but he will bless us [2 Corinthian 9:6, 10-11].  And who could not be pleased that their giving contributed to people being introduced to Jesus and getting their lives changed [2 Corinthians 9:13]!  

There is no better investment in existence than that, and we don't have to pay for the advice, there is no brokerage fee and the market is never going to collapse.  The bottom line is that our generosity is for our own good.  It brings joy and blessing if our heart is in God. 

Bruce Dingwall, Senior Minister

12 Ways You Can Support Young Christian Parents

Our second baby suffered from chronic reflux and colic to the point where, at just few weeks old, his oesophagus was ulcerated. He slept for 40 minutes every four hours and screamed for most of the other three hours and 20 minutes until we all collapsed from exhaustion late each night. Needless to say, these were the toughest months of our lives personally and as parents. We’d only been Christians for a few years and I can say unequivocally that we would not have survived without the practical and spiritual support of a few godly women from our church.

Times of crisis for young parents, however, are not the only times the Church should offer help and support. If you’re a Christian parent with older children and teens, you’ll no doubt remember what it was like to be sleep-deprived and financially-pressured as you tried to navigate parenthood for the first time. But mentoring, supporting and loving less experienced parents in your church goes beyond giving sound advice. In fact, most young parents would probably say that advice was all they got!

How do we, as fellow Christian parents, offer practical and spiritual support to other parents in our church communities? Here are some suggestions.

Spiritual and Emotional Support

1. Offer encouragement. When you’re struggling with fatigue or feeling overwhelmed, there’s nothing more helpful than words of encouragement. ‘You’re doing so well with your little boy. He’s such a delight.’ ‘Good on you for making it to church today. I remember how hard it is to get out the door with a baby.’ ‘I love the sound of your little ones singing, laughing and saying “Amen”.’

2. Be genuinely interested. It’s easy to say ‘How are you going?’ to people as you pass, without stopping to find out the real answer. It may take a few times to get a real response, but showing genuine interest over time will mean that you’ll be able to identify where best you can support and serve a fellow parent.

3. Offer advice only when invited. When your baby is not sleeping or feeding well, when your pre-schooler hits and bites, or when your older child is hyperactive, there’s a myriad of well-intended but ultimately unhelpful advice. Even if you think you might have the answer to their problem, hold back and perhaps ask, ‘Would you like some ideas that could help?’. This will give them the opportunity to say ‘no, thanks’. Don’t be judgmental: begin your advice with ‘It might be helpful to try …’ rather than ‘You should have done …’.

4. Be honest and empathise. Don’t say you know how they feel if you really don’t. Sometimes just listening and then praying for God’s wisdom with them can be a wonderful relief for parents trying to sort through the issues themselves. Resist the urge to say ‘Oh I had the same thing when my kids were young …’, and then divert the conversation to a diatribe of your own experiences! Be open to sharing your mistakes too. Sometimes our churches can look like they are full of perfect parents who have their act together, rather than ordinary people with real struggles, who sometimes fail.

5. Point people in the right direction. If you can see that a young mother is depressed or their husband is not coping, encourage them to seek professional help. Your church may have a pastoral worker or counsellor, but if it doesn’t, offer to help with the baby while the mum or dad sees their family doctor or a psychologist. Be gracious but not pushy. Many women with Postnatal Depression feel like they should be able to cope without help and find admitting that they can’t cope means they are a failure as a mum.[1] Follow up to see how they are managing and ask for ways you can practically help and pray for them.

6. Be a positive role model. We can learn a lot from more experienced Christian parents just by seeing what they do with their own children. We’ve personally adopted quite a few practices from respected friends with older children - everything from pocket money chores and bedtime routines, to how to teach our children to pray and understand the Bible. Be careful of gossip and voicing criticism of other parents or their children; not only is it unhelpful and unbiblical, it fails to present church as a place of grace and acceptance.

Practical Help

In researching this article, I asked many mums and dads what practical support would be most helpful to them as new parents. The following points may help in formulating support networks for parents in your church.

7. Be available. It’s not always convenient when we have our own family commitments, but the desperate call for help doesn’t always come at convenient times. I remember being courageous (and desperate enough) to phone a lady from church at 6pm one night when I felt I could no longer cope with a screaming baby. It’s better for desperate parents to call a support person at these times rather than harm or leave their child alone. Of course, in less stressful circumstances, being available to help out with babysitting for doctor’s appointments or just to give mum and dad a few hours’ break can be a real blessing.

8. In-church services. Crèche and cry room rosters can be the hardest to get people to volunteer for. It is hard to get to church with one or more children (particularly after a sleepless night), but when you spend the service rocking an unsettled baby, it can all seem too hard. If you see a parent standing at the back of the church or outside rocking a pram, why not offer to take baby for a walk while they listen to the message? Offer to read a book to a toddler sitting next to mum, or to hold her baby while she gets herself a coffee and catches up with friends after the service. Don’t give noisy children and their parent sour looks of disapproval during the service—we want families to feel wanted and comfortable enough to make the effort to attend church.

9. Bible Study and playtime groups. If you’re a parent of school-aged kids and don't work fulltime, consider helping out for a few hours each week with the playtime group or Bible study groups attended by young parents. It may be the only time that week these parents get to read their Bible and study God’s word, or just connect with other parents. Playtime groups are often open to non-Christians, so you’ll be doing evangelism as well!
10. Don’t ignore the dads. Few Christians dispute the wisdom and benefits of mentoring. Titus 2:3–5 specifically targets women’s relationships with one another. But it also applies to men who could support and encourage other dads in your church community. Try meeting him for coffee before work to talk and pray together. A quick text to follow up or a phone call might be all that’s needed to make a guy feel like someone cares. The same suggestions on advice and listening above also apply to men!

11. Dinner and date nights. Many churches already have a food roster for people who are sick or in need. Consider offering this ministry to new parents in the first few weeks, but think about what is most helpful about this provision: delivering the meal hot and ready to eat at a time agreed that afternoon; heat’n’eat meals for dads running to and from the hospital; adding plain extras for fussy toddlers and pre-schoolers who only eat sausages or chicken nuggets! The best meals I remember during this time included cheese and biscuits as an entrée and chocolates for coffee afterwards: indulgences we couldn’t afford at the time! If you have responsible teenagers, encourage them to babysit older children free of charge, so that parents can have a restaurant dinner locally or go for coffee and dessert once baby is fed and sleeping.

12. Clothes and kit for loan or to keep. Not everyone is financially equipped to buy the necessities of a new baby (particularly unexpected ones like single mums or single-income families). Even the loan of a capsule or baby seat while you’re not using them can be a real blessing. It can be as simple as advertising the need in the church newsletter and being the contact person to facilitate the exchange.

As Christians, we need to show God’s love to everyone in our church community and beyond. With our own experience as parents, we can easily identify and relate to the trials and joys of those following behind. Let’s use those life lessons and God-given gifts to build a strong network of support for all parents - one that differentiates us in a positive way from the secular playtime and mother’s groups available outside.

Reproduced from the Growing Faith Website http://growingfaith.com.au with the kind permission of the author - Julie Firmstone.  Julie Firmstone is a member of Menai Anglican Church and the Assistant Director of Publishing at Youthworks Media.

CampOne - The Best Week of My Life

 

If Camp One were to be described in one word I don't even think the word amazing would be appropriate. The prayers of church community have definitely affected the record number of people at camp as well as its outcome.

Praise God that those prayers were heard and answered!

Camp One was jam packed with great activities ranging from intense soccer matches to mind boggling riddles. There was something for everyone to enjoy and free-time sessions were a must!

The leaders of camp welcomed everyone with open arms and happily answered any questions we had. They were more than just leaders; they were people who we call friends and role models of Christ.

Damo's and Deac’s talks really helped to both introduce Christ and to grow Christians in their faith. The talks challenged us to be the light and salt of the world, to pursue reconciliation quickly, to let the gospel be our motivation for illumination, and to not worry about our lives, because God's love controls every second of it.

Camp was a time where relationships were made and strengthened. Where year groups were brought together to become a loving Christ centered community. And a time where the lost were found in Christ.

In conclusion I think it would be appropriate to share my best experience at camp, which was undoubtedly the last night. The more the night went on, the more amazing it became. 

Seeing the Year 12 version of Everything by Lifehouse, hearing Sarah's emotional testimony, Damo's amazing talk on worrying, and the extended worship where everyone embraced each other in unity as we sung praise to our awesome God.

But the moment that cut me down to tears of happiness was when a friend I held close to my heart met God and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour.   This is reason why Camp One produced the best week of my entire life.

Mekael Barnes