Southern Cross Presbyterian Church

Personal opportunities: It’s a really great thing to be praying for ministries that reach out to our community with the gospel. But perhaps the first thing we should be praying about regarding our local mission is the opportunities for gospel witness in our own lives and situations. Who can you be reaching out to with the gospel in your own life, and how? Pray for these opportunities.

Local

The Bible Talks is a Christian group at southern cross university. The focus is on promoting Jesus Christ. This involves a weekly meeting  for students to invite their friends so they can hear about Jesus and check out the truth for themselves, and small bible groups where students are encouraged in how to promote the gospel through their entire lives.

• Pray for the many students who live day in day out without knowing Jesus and that saving life of knowing God he brings.
• Pray that Christian students would be excited about the love of Jesus and be eager to build friendships with unbelievers and share the good news with them.

Global

Global Economic Climate

In recent days, the global financial markets have faced dark times. Governments around the world rally to resolve the crisis and are faced with the possibility that if nothing is rectified soon, a second great depression may develop. Many are asking questions as to how this will affect the poorest countries around the world and appeals have gone out to the governments to not neglect their commitments to financial aid and  assistance.

Prayer Points:

• That at this time, Christians may hold fast to the Truth and not despair but see the treasures of heaven
• That people may question the hope and security they have in money, challenged to  give up their idol of money and turn to the true hope, the one and only God.
• That governments may continue to have compassion on those in poverty around the world and continue to provide aid and resources to those.

On Sunday, Katharine Crosslé shared with SCPC a bit about the changes that are happening in TBT.   One of these changes is that she will be employed by the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES), and not SCPC, as Wade is.  This means that TBT fundraising is now done a little differently.  To help clarify the changes, here are a few facts about AFES and TBT:

• Who are AFES?… The Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students co-ordinates over 40 Christian groups (just like TBT) on uni campuses all around Australia.  They employ people (like Katharine) to serve Jesus and the students on campus, and to train the students in serving and proclaiming Christ at uni.

• If you’re an existing supporter of TBT… we would love it if you would continue in partnership with TBT’s gospel ministry.  To do this, you can fill out one of the green AFES Financial Response Forms (dating the direct debit to begin on 01/01/09), and then in January, cancel your existing direct debit to the old TBT account.

• If you’re thinking about supporting TBT… The TBT ministry is expanding – Katharine is the first TBT female staffworker, and in 2010, Akos Balogh will come on board to oversee TBT’s ministry.  An expanded ministry requires more funds – and we’d love as many who are able to join us in TBT’s ministry by giving financially.  As we shared on Sunday, many people giving just $10 or $20 a week will go a long way to supporting the TBT staff and ministry.

• If you’ve decided to support TBT financially… it’d be a great help if you could fill out one of the green AFES Financial Response Forms and either post it to AFES, or put it in the Everything box at church.  AFES requires that Katharine has 75% of her finances pledged before she can start work on campus in January – so these green forms are crucial to getting TBT off the ground in 2009!  Alternatively, you can give online to TBT (www.afes.org.au/_donate)

• If you’d like to pray for TBT… For more details, chat to Nicky Pryor or grab one of Katharine’s fliers from the welcoming desk.

Useful links…
AFES:  www.afes.org.au
Give online to TBT: www.afes.org.au/_donate
(select “Southern Cross University”)

Thank you for your partnership in the gospel!

Personal opportunities: It’s a really great thing to be praying for ministries that reach out to our community with the gospel. But perhaps the first thing we should be praying about regarding our local mission is the opportunities for gospel witness in our own lives and situations. Who can you be reaching out to with the gospel in your own life, and how? Pray for these opportunities.

Local

Friday night youth is a ministry at our church that seeks to reach out to high school students in Lismore with the gospel. There is an averages of 40 kids, with half a dozen non-Christian kids coming along each week. Please pray:

• that the young people would continue to grow in their relationship with God, through reading the Word and that they would live out their faith at school.
• that the leaders will continue to build relationships with the youth and to encourage and spur them on in serving the Lord.
• that the Christian students doing the HSC would hold firm to the hope they have in Christ and that this time would strengthen and deepen their faith.

Global

three more Christians murdered in Orissa

INDIA – Two more Christians were killed in Orissa state after Hindu extremists set fire to nearly 400 homes last week. A local Christian, who wished to remain unnamed, told Compass Direct News that after killing the two men, the assailants massacred cattle belonging to village Christians and burned Christian-owned houses. During this attack, Lalji Nayak and 14 others were wounded. Nayak died from axe wounds and his wife received a serious head injury from an axe blow just below the ear after a Hindu extremist mob attacked their village.  Read more about the violence in Orissa and also seek justice on behalf of persecuted Christians in Orissa.

Prayer points:

• pray for the Christians in Orissa state, whose houses were set on fire; pray for their homes and churches to be either repaired or rebuilt as needed.
• pray for Nayak’s widow, Mandaki, to recover from her head injury.
• pray for the violence to cease in Orissa state.