Annual Congregational Meeting [9/3/2010] When: 21 March 2010, After Morning Service

Pray and prepare for this annual meeting in order for all to give thanks to the Lord for His blessings in the past year and seek His will for the one we have.

The Lord's Supper [5/3/2010] The Lord's Supper will be administered in both services on 7 March. Also Preparatory Service is on 5 March, Friday, commencing at 7:30pm in Church.

Dedication/Commitment Sunday [26/2/2010] Sunday, 28th Feb, is our Church's Dedication/Commitment Sunday. We thank God for teachers, leaders and all other servants of the Lord in His Church and ask Him to empower them with various spiritual gifts as they serve Him and all brothers and sisters in the Lord. Please pray for all who are faithfully in service.

Moderator General's Email Regarding Helping Haiti [22/1/2010] Our people are asking what might be done to help in respect to the terrible devastation, loss of life, and suffering of so many in Haiti, especially in Port au Prince.

I am presently researching this with other leaders, and hope to give you suggested guidelines within a few days.

The last edition of Operation World indicates that the Christian population of Haiti is around 95%.  That could translate to somewhere in the vicinity of 10 million folk who call themselves Christian . . of many 'varieties', but with a strong percentage in the Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal churches.

Among others, I am communicating with the Presbyterian Church in America to see if we can cooperate with them in our effort to help, and expect further communications with them tomorrow.

Dr Ligon Duncan from the Presbyterian Church in America (Jackson Mississippi), who was our visitor/teacher to the P C Victoria last year (150th Anniversary in April) wrote today, "The PCAustralia is more like us, or we are more like them, than any other world presbyterian body.  All that to say, we ought to try to partner with them on this."

More before too long, and meanwhile we pray for the gracious ministry of our God through His people to suffering brothers and sisters.

Yours serving Christ and His people,

Robert Benn
Moderator General of the PCA

Moderator General's Email Regarding Helping Haiti-Update [22/1/2010] Yesterday I indicated to you that I would offer advice to the church in respect to helping the people of Haiti.

Since then I have been speaking to the Clerk of the GAA Dr Paul Logan, who has concurred in sending out this letter of information to you.

During the past 2 days, I have been in email and phone communication with the Presbyterian Church in America (in the past, we have many points of contact with this church, and now with the present and immediate past-moderator, and the department which is in charge of responding to disaster situations).

The MNA (Mission to North America) Disaster Response Director is sending an assessing team to Port au Prince on 26th January for a week, to meet with the two pastors of the Presbyterian Church in America who are resident and ministering there, and will with these men on site determine the best ways to help.  The two locals are Pastor Dony St. Germain, a Haitian national and MNA staff member who heads up the outreach to Haiti and Pastor Brian Kelso, another MNA staff member, who is assisting with this effort.

Sherry Lanier of MNA Disaster Response Office writes:  "We would truly appreciate your partnership with us . . as the needs are so great.  In regards to funds that are received, MNA Disaster Response charges no fees for any services rendered, which means that 100% of all funds received go directly to the designated area, in this case Haiti . . we are in this for the long haul."

PCA's MNA Disaster Response Office have set up a website through which you will be given plenty of information (www.pca-mna.org) . . . and within that website there is a site for Online Contributions: https://processor.pcanet.org/mna/donationsII/donation.cfm?MinistryTypeID=48

I made a point of sending off a contribution using this site, and received back immediate confirmation of reception of the donation, and then another from a representative in the Disaster Response office to tell me that the monies had been received. 

You will notice in the Online Contributions form that you need to identify the State and Zip.  Just disregard that, and put your Australian address in the boxes immediately above the 'State' one, and it will get through.

We are aware that some of you may have contributed through the likes of World Vision or Red Cross.  That's good.  Thank you.  But here is another way to contribute, and that through a closely linked Presbyterian Church with which we are continuing to forge close links.  I'm glad last year's moderator Dr Ligon Duncan stated, "The PCAustralia is more like us, or we are more like them, than any other world presbyterian body."  And I'm glad that we have received such a warm reception from this Presbyterian Church "on the spot" to our partnering with them in serving the saints of God.  Remember over 90% of the people of Haiti identify themselves as Christians.

Thank you dear ministers of our church for passing on this information, and for encouraging our people to "care for widows and orphans", etc.

Yours because His,

Robert Benn
Moderator General of the PCA

Farewell the Schwartz Family [6/1/2010] After many years with us at St Andrews, the Schwartz family are looking forward to facing a new challenge as Andre starts a new theological training at the Queensland Theological College (Qld Presbyterian Church Theological Hall) in Brisbane. May God's grace and blessings in Jesus be upon them abundantly.

Sermon Recordings [25/4/2009] Recent sermon recordings have be uploaded on to our Church Website (www.standrewstownsville.org.au)

If you want to listen go to Library-Sermons and click on the sermon you want.

CD copies are still available at cost please  contact Peter Birch 4774 5371 

 

A Good Book to Read [25/9/2008] "THIS LITTLE CHURCH STAYED HOME"

Written by Gary E. Gilley, an American Baptist pastor, it has a subtitle, "A Faithful Church in Deceptive Times." This book is only 178 pages thick, easy to read, but contains a deep spiritual warning to all Christians who live in this 'deceptive times' of 21 century - a time in a postmodern world. The first chapter draws a picture of a world that is in postmodern thinking, followed by three more chapters - "The Church's Mandate" (Ch. 2), "The Scriptures" (Ch. 3), and "Pressing Challenges" (Ch. 4).

The last chapter talks about the challenge of "Mysticism" which is truly relevant to all in our age. It also explains what "the Emergent Church" means and its true face which is another face of liberalism disguised and packaged in this secular culture of our postmodern age.

Strongly recommend to read if you haven't. This book will expand your spiritual eyesight to add more wisdom to guard you, your family and all in Christ's Church!

Kwangho

Bible Study on Sunday Morning [8/9/2008] We've started studying the Word of God on the subject of "Predestination - Is it a curse or a great blessing?" The second study material has been distributed for the class on this coming Sunday morning.

Everyone's welcomed! For more details, contact Kwangho (4728 6938 / 0407 135 351). or Peter (4771 2460/0413 288 778)