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