Dear Friends,
Welcome to 2018 – what privileges we have and what opportunities as well. May God who gives bread not stone and fish not snakes greatly bless you.
- Today we welcome James West to St Thomas’ to lead our music at 10am and 5pm. What a brave man he is and how much we will support and encourage him. James is a graduate of the Conservatorium of Music, is engaged to Hayley and will help us praise God in song.
- We also welcome two student ministers – Serena Lui who will serve at 5pm in 2018 as she completes a first year at Moore College. Then Rob Brown (and Alice with Jonty and Pippa) will serve at 10am as he has his last year at Moore College. Please do your bit to welcome and care for these people as you are able.
- Luke Shooter – no stranger to us – begins full-time from today and will focus on the 10am congregation while keeping his interest in 5pm and Lights. Good news!
- For 2018 we don’t have any MTS apprentices but we are very thankful that Ian Watts has come from MTS to do one year helping Ali with Children’s Ministry.
- Please help us as we begin the year and try to update out records and groups.
– If you would like to join or change your Discipleship Group this year please write your name on the board at the back of church.
– Check the Prayer Diary (10am) to see you are there and details are correct. Families with the youngest child over 18 will not show children. - February things
– On Feb 1 (next Thursday) Gavin Perkins is inducted into the Parish of Bowral
– On Feb 12 Cornhill begins 2018 with Peter Ryan leading the work. Two mornings to revolutionise your faith.
– On Feb 13 Women on Tuesday begins with a series of 8 threading through the Old Testament
– On Feb 24 we are planning a (Saturday) Men’s Breakfast with Richard Borgonon (from England) whose faith notes are reaching tens of thousands in many countries
– On Feb 28 we are having our first Prayer Meeting. We have moved these to the last Wednesday every second month. - We often pray for the Lord to intervene in world needs – and we probably forget we have asked…but He does not! I was interested to see recently that:
– Every day those in extreme poverty fall by 217,000
– Every day 300,000 gain access to a supply of fresh water
– Every day 325,000 people gain access to electricity (and the potential for radio ministry)
– Natural disasters caused about 370,000 deaths each year (50 years ago), about 72,000 deaths (10 years ago) and 10,000 deaths in 2017 - A new preaching roster will be out soon – please pray for our gatherings and our going out to serve.
In fellowship,
Simon Manchester