When Jesus came into the world, he came into our world. God had always been ‘out there’; different; holy. But then God, the extraordinary, became ordinary.
The early church tried to understand how God could become human, and how to describe the composition of the body of Christ. They concluded it was a mystery, but that it was absolutely true and absolutely necessary. If Jesus was not fully God and fully human we could not be saved from our sin. Only God could atone for sin, and only a man could represent us.
When we try to understand someone, we may talk about ’putting ourselves in their shoes’. This is essential for relationships to work successfully– it means we can sympathise; it makes patience possible. At Christmas, God ‘put himself in our shoes’ to such an extraordinary extent, that he can now save us from our most pressing problem- death and judgment. When God crossed the universe and entered our world, he was able to sympathise with our weakness (this was the role of the priest in the Old Testament– Jesus is the eternal great High Priest).
So as we head into Christmas, my prayer is that you will put your trust in Jesus as the one who is able to help us. Whatever hurt, burden or pain you feel, God does understand and will fix it all up one day.
I also pray that you will be like God– ‘put yourself in other people’s shoes’; showing understanding and compassion for those who are lost; extending patience and consideration to others; and reaching out to those most in need.
Yours in Christ, Andrew.
Christmas Carols are coming to Malabar again!
Date:
Saturday, 6th December 2007
Location:
Pioneers Park, Franklin St, Malabar
Time:
5:00pm – Family Fun from
7.30pm – Carols & Kids Talk on the Meaning of Christmas
Special this year:
Items from Dallas Watts (Australian Opera)
Other highlights include:
Sausage Sizzle • Face Painting • Parachute • Kids Games
Kid’s Animal Farm • Dept Correctional Services Band • Jumping Castle
Join us for a wonderful evening of music and Christmas fun
for the whole family!
In wet weather the carols will be held at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Franklin St, Malabar
Come join us for a 3 day after school Kids Craft Club!
Date:
Wednesday 29th – Friday 31st October
Time: 3:15pm – 5:30pm
Fantastic craft, choruses, games, story time and snacks.
Enquiries: Rev. Andrew Moore
Phone: 9311 2055
I’ve been a bit busier this week with a big meeting in the city. The synod of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney is in session. ‘Synod’ means ‘assembly’. The synod consists of the bishops, senior ministers, and two lay representatives from each Anglican parish in Sydney. It is chaired by our archbishop, Peter Jensen.
About 1000 people gather for 5 days. There are important elections (for school boards, regional councils, standing committee, and even the archbishop when the time comes!). There are debates and important decisions about how the churches are to be administered and how money is to be allocated.
Each year I have been, there seems to be a theme. Last year it was education and training. This year it is Connect 09.
In reflecting on the week, I am deeply grateful to God for our diocese. In particular, we have some extraordinary men and women that lead us. They are passionate about the truth, godly in character and urgent about evangelism. The level of debate and the courtesy shown to those who disagree was wonderful. Please make sure you read or listen to Peter Jensen’s Presidential address- I have never heard Peter so passionate. He called each and every one of us to have the need of the world on our heart as we head into 2009. Rather than adopting the values of the world around us (free choice, tolerance, and hard work in order to give me choice), we ought to pray for the 3 great Biblical virtues of faith, hope and love.
Please continue to pray for synod which concludes on Tuesday. (Andrew).
Reunion & Celebration Dinner
20th September 2008 6:30pm @ Maroubra Seals Club
3 course meal: $35 adult / $25 pensioner and student
Thanksgiving Service & Lunch
21st September 2008 10:00am @ St Mark’s Anglican Church
Jumping Castle, Kids’ Activities
RSVP: September 7th Phone: 9311 0309
It’s official– Simon Chaplin is joining us full-time next year!. We all know and love Simon and so will recognise that this is a blessing from God. Parish Council has been quietly praying that this might be possible for some time.
Simon will have oversight of the children and youth at St Mark’s. This will include being responsible for our Kid’s spot at 10 am, Kid’s church, Kid’s Plus and Youth group, and the recruitment and training of leaders (meeting one to one with leaders). And we have many more ideas that Simon will help us with, for example a holiday camp for High Schoolers; a third service on Sunday afternoons (a family service with a light meal for the kids, which would be different to anything else we are doing, and aim to reach Rugby League and Nipper families); and Connect 09, involving a major door knocking campaign and everything else that goes with it. It will be truly excellent to have Simon to help in all these areas, to contact and connect with newcomers and start up new ministry groups, as we believe this is the strategy by which we will grow.
It is a significant expense employing any staff, and involves a certain amount of faith, yet parish council came to a unanimous decision to employ Simon. We have received some financial assistance towards this (a special reducing grant from South Sydney Regional Council), however we are seeking an increase in offertories as well. Most important is that we have a strong finish in 2008. Please review your giving now and give generously to this vital and strategic work! We have a $6,000 deficit which has crept up on us, and if we all take responsibility for it we can close the gap today. I am convinced more and more every day that our world needs to know about Jesus, and I am grieved at the ignorance of our Lord in our schools, workplaces, and media. I do see this as a beautiful answer to prayer– Jesus himself said- “the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest”. We are not a big church, but we have the almighty God on our side who is more willing to answer our prayers and bless than we are to ask. Praise God for this news and support it with all your heart. In His service, Andrew.
Adventure… Excitement… Mystery…
Date:
Tuesday 15th – Friday 18th July, 2008
Location:
St Marks Anglican Church, Malabar
Time:
9:00 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $5/Family per day or $15/Family for all 4 days
Ages: Kindy – Year 6
Places are limited, so don’t miss out!
Download the registration form (PDF 2.5Mb)
On May 2nd 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar (Burma) causing terrible devastation.
Reports indicate that up to 100, 000 people may have lost their lives, and many more are at risk of hunger and disease. Cyclone Nargis has destroyed thousands of homes and wiped out many of Burma’s rice-growing regions.
In reponse to the devastating situation, the Archbishop has launched an Emergency Burma Cyclone Appeal. Working through local Churches in Burma, your support of this appeal will provide much needed emergency relief and ongoing development assistance to effected communities.
Pray for the people of Burma, the coordination of relief efforts, and gaining access to those desperately waiting for assistance.
To support the appeal, call 1800 653 903 (toll free) or download and send the completed form with with your tax deductible gift to:
The Appeals Unit
PO Box 1416
Parramatta NSW 2124
St Mark’s Combined House party is coming! As most of you know it is a great time to get away in order to meditate over God’s word and have fellowship with one another.
Date:
24-27 April, 2008 Anzac Day Long Weekend
Location:
Waterslea COnference Centre
Guest Speaker:
Bishop Yong Chen Fah & Kingsley Box
See Jimmy or Jeff to register.
Download the Rego Form »
Christmas Carols are coming to Malabar again!
Date:
Saturday, 8th December 2007
Location:
Pioneers Park, Franklin St, Malabar
Time:
4:30pm – Family Fun from
7.15pm – Carols & Kids Talk on the Meaning of Christmas
Highlights this year include:
Sausage Sizzle • Face Painting • Parachute • Kids Games
Kid’s Animal Farm • Dept Correctional Services Band • Jumping Castle
Professional cooking demonstration, degustation and some food for thought between courses.
Date:
Friday 28 September, 2007
Location:
St Mark’s Anglican Church, Malabar
Time: 7pm
Speaker: Archie Poulos
RSVP: Church office (9311 0309) by Friday 14th September.
Cost: $15
Date:
Saturday 11 August, 2007
Location:
St Mark’s Anglican Church, Malabar
Time: 1:30pm for 2pm
Speaker: Toni Linden
RSVP: Church office (9311 0309) by Sunday 5th August.
Cost: Church Members $5, guests free of charge.
Afternoon tea will be provided.
Please note that there will be no organised crèche available.
Date:
Tuesday 10th – Friday 13th July, 2007
Location:
St Marks Anglican Church, Malabar
Time:
9:30 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $5/Family per day or $15/Family for all 4 days
Ages: Kindy – Year 6
Come explore with us through games, music, crafts and Bible talks!
Registration closes Tuesday 3rd July. Places are limited, so don’t miss out!
Download the registration form (PDF 2.3Mb)
10 am Kid’s talk and interviews, and Christian parenting talk from Ephesians 5-6. Come along and bring your mum!
Come hear Dr Greg Clarke on Richard Dawkins and the arguments for and against Christian Belief.
Thursday 14th June @ 7:30pm at St Marks Malabar
[Dr Greg Clarke directs a Christian studies project at New College, University of New South Wales.]
St Marks Malabar is hosting a Big Morning Tea to raise money for The Cancer Council Australia.
Date: 27 May 2007
Time: 8:45am church or 10am church
Everyone is welcome!
It’s only a week away before the launch of Kids Plus @ St Mark’s Malabar.
Kids Plus will be held every Friday from 3:15 to 5pm (except for school holidays). This is for Kindergarten to Year 6 kids.
The theme for this term is “Click OK”. The kids will click, search and byte their way through the life of Jesus.
For more information about Kids Plus, contact Liza.
If you live close to Malabar you should soon be receiving in your letterbox, an invitation to our church!
It’s an invitation to come and hear Dr Greg Clarke on Thursday 14th June, and Dr Peter Jensen on Sunday 17th June.
Last night on the ABC’s Compass programme, Richard Dawkins “The root of all evil?” was aired. In it, Dawkins criticised belief in God, particularly the God of the Bible. Is he right? How scientific are his methods of scrutiny and investigation? Is what he attacked, the real God of the Bible, or has he missed the point?
Greg Clarke is an author and speaker, and runs an apologetic course at New College, UNSW, and will help us answer some of these questions.
On the 17th June, Peter Jensen, will explain to us what Jesus said about life and death, and what God has done in Jeus to rescue us from our greatest problem.
We would love to see you at St Marks on these special days.
Date:
Saturday May 12, 2007
Location:
Sydney Convention Centre, Darling Harbour
Time:
EQUIP Daylight (9:30 am – 3:30pm).
Topic: UNCOMPRIMISED – this year we will be continuing with James, looking at James 3:1 – 4:12.
Electives:
A. Better than gossip
B. Lost for words
C. Stress relief
D. The essential mum
Cost: $40 (includes morning tea)
See Yoke to register