2008 October » Southern Cross Presbyterian Church

The last weekend in October is usually reserved for male things such as Indy or spring gardening… but this year we are calling all women for the SCPC Women’s Retreat.

2009 is nearly upon us, dare I say it; and what better way is there to get a jump on the year ahead than by taking some time out. It’ll be a time to unwind away from the kids, work, washing and a chance to get out of the house.

This is a great time for women teaching each other, encouraging each other, enjoying time with each other, equipping each other for Connect 09, and of course eating…

It will be a great time looking at God’s Word and learning how we can be better christian women! The men have been challenged a lot lately and now it’s our turn.

How can we respond to the challenges in God’s Word and how will that manifest itself in CONNECT 09? We’ll hear from ladies within our church family about what a mission year means for them, in respect to their home, work, and ministry/church life.

The retreat gives us a great chance to catch up with ladies from the different services as well a meet some you don’t know. While the location and times show no overnight escape, and the fact that we aren’t even getting out of Lismore – it is still a retreat!

The Retreat is on October 24-25. With the Friday night festivities running from 7 to 9.30pm and 9am-3pm on Saturday.

Both days will be at the Park Ave buildings in Lismore. A sign up sheet is ready up the back of church on Sundays for you to add your name to it. This is for catering purposes. Friday night dessert and Saturday lunch is provided, but please bring along something to share for morning tea.

So please mark it in your diaries.

Look forward to catching up with you there!

Nicky Pryor

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

Please pray for barriers to the gospel to be torn down in Lismore. Please pray:

For many people resentful towards Christianity after hurtful experiences with the church. Please pray that the love displayed by Christians in our town would adorn the gospel and soften the hearts of many hurting people.
For those turning to atheism in reaction to the idea that it brings freedom from the oppression of religion. We pray that many people would see that atheism in fact brings more bondage, and that true freedom is found in Jesus.
That the many misconceptions and stereotypes people in our town hold towards Christianity will be shattered by the bold witness and loving lives of Christians in our town. Pray that people in Lismore would base their decision about God on facts, and that they would choose to trust in him.
For Christian witness that’s both faithful to God’s Word and relevant to the culture of Lismore and it’s many subcultures. Pray that people would hear the gospel in ways they can easily understand and relate to.

Global

Praying for Orissa, India

Orissa State is the ninth largest state in India. The population is about 37 million. About 95% are Hindus. About 2 % are Christian.

Over recent years, there have been many brutal attacks on Christians.

Our own fellow Presbyterian minister Rev Richard Wilson has just been appointed Pastoral Coordinator full time with Indian Reformed Fellowship—Australia, and writes:

“Could I ask you to pray . . . India is yet again at a crossroads that is probably as significant as the turbulent years of the blood letting of Independence in 1947.”

December 2007 that left a swathe of destruction and many thousands of Christians displaced. Hindu folk have been urged via mobile phone messages to burn the homes and churches of Christians.

Numerous Christians have been burnt, beaten, raped and slashed with swords. The violence has spread and 50,000 Christians are estimated to have fled their homes ahead of violent religious cleansing, and are now displaced across Orissa, with many hiding in dense jungle.

Hundreds of churches have been vandalised, looted and torched as have thousands of Christian homes.
We have been urged to pray:

that God will be a shield around his children, protecting them from violence, and intervening to bring it to an end, pushing back the enemy.
that the Holy Spirit will ‘lift the head’ of every terrified, displaced, grief-stricken, confused believer, filling their hearts and minds with peace through an assurance of his eternal love and presence, and giving them comfort and hope despite their circumstances.
that God will draw each frightened believer to Himself in prayer, and then answer their prayers so that faith may be enlarged and be ratified, and that knowledge of his perfect love will drive out their fears, and that He will be glorified in them.
that the Almighty Sovereign God will save his people and bless them once again.

Pete Thompson spoke to us about how sinners turn to God not because of us but in spite of us. Yet God still chooses to use us and allow us to share in the wonder of his saving work.

Bible Reading: Jonah 1-4

Outline:

intro: against the odds
1. the sailors: a great miracle
2. the Ninevites: an even greater miracle
3. these are the days of miracle and wonder
conclusion: not because we have to but because we get to

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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

Please pray for everyday evangelism and witness from people in our church

For evangelists with the courage, insight and love to be taking hold of opportunities for making conversations about the gospel in simple, clear and culturally relevant ways. Pray that these evangelists would adorn their words with transformed lives.
For a growing hunger in people’s lives to share the good news with friends, neighbours and colleagues.
That even amongst many people who struggle to evangelise, that many would be ready with an appropriate answer to questions about the hope they have, and lives that prompt those questions.
That people would show the love of Jesus in the way they treat others, and that the people of this town truly would see something different about us.
That many people in Lismore would have hearts prepared and softened to respond to the gospel with trust and worship.

Global

Praying for India

Bihar is one of the poorest states in India and currently there are 2million people who are homeless because of increasing floods waters. In recent days, people have been killed as riots broke out, due to lack of food and medicines.

In Orissa, monsoon rains triggered flooding, which killed at least 17 people and affected more than 2.4 million others. In the midst of this natural disaster, the persecution against Christians continues unabated. On September 25, attackers rampaged through six villages, killing one man and injuring a second, who is now in the hospital. One church and 109 homes were destroyed in the rampage.

Prayer Points:

For the relief efforts in states affected by the floods. May relief, food and medicines reach those in desperate need.
For those Christian relief workers going into these areas, may opportunities arise for the truth of Christ to be proclaimed to those in need.
For peace in Orissa amongst Maoists, Hindus and Christians. May the hearts of the persecutors be softened to the gospel and may Christians stand firm on the truth and live out the love of Christ.
For the government. May the government officials have compassion upon those who are suffering and may they provide the assistance and relief for the poor and homeless in those regions.
Pray for God’s mercy upon those people, that through these situations, may people come to know Jesus.

As we gear up for a year focussed on mission, praying for the opportunities we have to share the message of Jesus is a great place to start. On Sunday we heard from Liz (AM church) and Jasmine (PM church) about the weekly prayer meeting that has recently commenced – it takes place each Thursday from 7am in the Park Ave building. The purpose of the meeting is that as we grow in our prayer for mission we will hopefully start growing in our action in mission.

So what happens at this weekly prayer meeting? At the start of our time together we hear from God’s Word and spend a couple of minutes in quiet confession and praise to God – reflecting on the Bible passage we’ve just heard; we pray for the personal opportunities we have to share the Gospel in our community – for those we have contact with in our day to day life as well as the opportunities that exist through the various ministries of our church; and we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ overseas who are standing firm in persecution and hardship.

Both Liz and Jasmine reminded us of the great privilege we have as God’s people to talk to Him in prayer, and that we can place full confidence in the fact that God both hears and answers our prayers. Without prayer our labor in the Lord really is in vain – God is the one that’s in control of everything and the only one who makes gospel mission fruitful.

So set your alarm clock a little earlier (perhaps that means setting your alarm time to AM if you’re a Uni student!) and join us each Thursday from 7am in the Park Ave building and let’s get geared up for mission together!