Sunday 1 st March 2015 We exist as Jesus’ followers to know, love and serve God in our world. Welcome….to Mill Park Baptist Church this morning for our family time together – of worship, celebration, teaching, and friendship. We hope you really enjoy this time, and we’re trusting and praying it’s deeply meaningful for you. If you are visiting or new with us here this morning, you’re extra welcome! You don’t need to do, say, or be anything to fit in! You’re welcome, just as you are! We'd love our visitors to drop by the Welcome Lounge, located in the foyer just outside the main auditorium door. Look out for our Information Desk where you'll find a welcome pack just for you, and someone to answer your questions. If you'd like to let us know you've visited, please fill out a visitors card (inside our welcome pack) and let us know if you'd like to attend an upcoming Newcomers Lunch. Thanks for spending time with us today ! From the Pastor A long time ago, during a particularly hard time in my life when my dad was dying, a friend of mine put me in touch with a monastery – the Holy Transfiguration Monastery (also known as the Community of the Transfiguration) in Geelong. When I contacted them, these people invited me to come and stay for a few days, which I did. I’ve become and stayed close friends with the people in this community since then. I’d trust these people for counsel, wisdom, and insight in my life more than I would most others. They have taught me volumes – in what they’ve said, but even more so through my observance of how they live and what they’ve done. More recently, I was introduced to Tarrawarra Abbey, a community of Cistercian monks in between Yarra Glen and Healesville. I’ve since made a practice of staying twice a year in the abbey guest house for a few days. While I’m there, by the kind invitation of the monks, I join in the daily rhythm of prayer that they follow, a daily rhythm in the Rule of St Benedict. It starts with the ‘Office of Vigils’ in the chapel at 4am, and finishes with the ‘Office of Compline’ at 8pm. It’s been fascinating, over these ten-or-more years, for me to learn about monasticism, and especially about the virtues of solitude, silence, contemplation, and kindness and hospitality. All along, though, I knew that I didn’t live in a monastic community, and I was pretty sure I never would. I wasn’t so sure it was possible to integrate into my life, say, the rule of St Benedict – even though I saw untold benefit and beauty in it. Bit by bit, though, I’ve come to see that the lessons I can learn from my involvement in these monastic communities are very relevant and practical. Gradually, with God’s help, I’ve built new nuances, disciplines, habits, and rhythms into my life – my life as a husband, dad, pastor, chaplain, and regular citizen. I see the pure benefit of these growths in my life, and I wouldn’t go back on them now for anyone or anything. Jake (my son) gave me a great little book for my birthday last year – it’s called Always we Begin Again: The Benedictine Way of Living, by John McQuiston II. It’s a short, contemporary translation of the Rule of St Benedict and a way of practising it today written by a successful and busy American lawyer. It’s easy to read: I’ve read it several times and now read just a few pages every day. I’m looking forward to our Benedict for Today series – for the five Sundays in March we’ll take an intensely pragmatic look into the rule of this sixth century saint and be amazed at how liveable it is today. And not just how liveable it is, but how beneficial it is to us. Ps. Geoff Shepherd Prayer Diary Dates FRIDAY MARCH 6 RIOT YOUTH (Secondary students) “Lord of the Rings” 7.00 - 10.00 WEDNESDAY MARCH 11 DIAMONDS (55+ years) Visit to CERES Brunswick Meet @ church 10.00am FRIDAY MARCH 20 CARAT COFFEE CLUB Third Place Café 286 Epping Road Wollert @ church 9.30am to carpool Or @ cafe at 10.00am FRIDAY MARCH 20 ZONE KIDS CLUB We’ve been praying for the Wake family, away in Africa. They were due in late last night so we’ll see them soon! Christina Matthews was with them for the first week of the trip with CBM too! Thanks be to God for their special encounters and times of prayer with women suffering from fistula. Pray for them now as they transition back. Remember Andries & Athelia Du Preez in your prayers! Andries is in serious and debilitating pain after a workplace injury and this has been ongoing for four years now; Athelia’s father passed away recently in South Africa. Carlton Coble is recovering from a foot injury at the moment. Pray for Carlton as he heals, and also for safety for Emmy Coble who is travelling with family members. Thanks for your prayers for Bryan Keef and Jandrei Nava last week. Both Bryan and Jandrei are home from hospital and recovering well from their respective surgery and procedure. Please be praying for Geoffrey Burn who has a few upcoming hospital appointments this week. In church the last two Sundays and at our Annual General Meeting last week we mentioned the need we have in several areas of service – in particular in Kids’ Church and in RIOT Youth. Many people at the AGM raised their hands in a commitment to pray daily over these needs. We’d love all our church family praying with us on this! Church Camp is coming...... When - 24-26 April 2015 (Anzac Day weekend – Friday evening to after Sunday lunch) (Primary Students) Where - Upper Plenty Conference Centre (40 mins drive from MPBC) “Messy Games” Cost: From 7.00 - 8.30pm WEDNESDAY MARCH 25 KIDS HOPE MENTOR TRAINING Here at MPBC from 9.00am - 3.00pm $85 per adult (Year 7 +) $75 per primary child $ 0 per pre-schoolers (free). NOTE: Family Cap of $320 applies - this would cover Mum & Dad plus any kids still at primary or secondary school. Any young adults at work or uni living at home would pay an additional $85. watch out for the forms and more information coming soon! KID'S HOPE MENTOR TRAINING will be held here on Wednesday 25th March 9:00-3:00. Would you like to find out more about being a mentor? Speak to David Dyer, Jo Bishop, Pauline Longley, Margaret Brown, Sheryl Parker or Lauren Grimes. To include something in the Memo for next week, please email [email protected] or phone/SMS Lisa Walton on 0432 726 816 before Wednesday evening. News & Updates MEMBERS’ MEETINGS Thanks to all those who helped make our Quarterly Members’ and Annual General Meetings go quickly, smoothly, and happily last Sunday! We had lots of celebration together, thanking people and teams. We learned that we didn’t quite meet our budget for weekly offerings last year, and all felt the challenge to achieve it this year. We also approved Jono Prout as a new Board member and, specifically, as our Treasurer, and approved Andrew Sexton, Ina Leung, Steve Matthews & Bryson Shearwood to continue serving on our Board. Our next Quarterly Members’ Meeting is set for Sunday 19th April – please keep the date free in your diary! PROPERTY & FACILITIES We’re “maxxed out” @ MPBC now, with all our extra people from the last couple of years! Our Leadership Group, in the midst of trying to discern the best way ahead, is mixing around our Cultiv8 Groups now – we’d love to have all our church family praying with us. We don’t want to assume that the only thing we can do is to “build on” – we’re asking God to show us what he wants us to do! We’re inviting our whole church family (from the youngest to the oldest and everywhere in between) to get together on Sunday 22nd March, from 6.00-7.30pm, here at the church, so we can worship, pray, and seek God’s face together about this question! FAITH PROMISE OFFERINGS We’re collecting our FPO’s today! Read the insert in The Memo or check with a member of the Pastoral Team or Missions Support Group for more details. If you haven’t come prepared today, you’re welcome to step into the program in the coming weeks! We’re shooting for more people participating and more $ to be given than ever before this year! ELDERS We welcome Esther Cathie as a new Elder on our team! Thanks to all those who helped us – our Elders considered the feedback we received and unanimously approved Esther’s appointment. Please pray for our Elders – Esther, and Pauline Longley, Murray Parker, Stewart Henderson, Bryan Keef & Ps. Geoff Shepherd as they meet this Wednesday evening (4th March). Our Elders are the leadership body of all other leadership bodies within the church, responsible for the spiritual well-being and oversight of the church, the accountability and welfare of the Pastoral Team, and the well-being of the church family. This leads to the church operating in a healthy spiritual environment, its Pastors being well cared for as they work for the church, and its people being well cared for. CHURCH PROPERTY DAY Thanks to all those who helped us yesterday at our Property Day! We’re entirely dependent on our church family to maintain, clean, and upkeep our great facilities. We’ll be together again on Saturday 16th May to do the same – keep the date free! DIAMONDS! Don’t forget Wednesday MARCH 11 is our SOW Whittlesea Council Sustainability Visit to CERES the environment park in Brunswick. Please meet at the church at 10.00 for 10.15 departure in the council bus. We will have time to look at the nursery and shop, bring or buy lunch and have a tour before leaving at 2.00. All folk 55 + or thereabouts are welcome. For more details contact Pauline 0405 605 011 Colin Buchanan LIVE In Concert hosted by Northside Christian College Support band WIREBIRD 4pm to 7pm This Friday March 6th $5 per child, $10 adults or $20 family A family fun event, including face painting, balloon sculpturing and a jumping castle. A variety of hot and cold foods and drinks are available for purchase Venue Northside Christian College 31 McLeans Road Bundoora, VIC 3083 Contact Details: College Reception: 03 9467 2499 Purchase tickets online at http://ncc.vic.edu.au/ COFFEE AT CUBE About 12 people enjoyed coffee and chat at Cube the café in Plenty. On March 20 we plan to visit Third Place Café @ 286 Epping Rd Wollert. We will have coffee there at 10.00am but if you would like to car pool we can meet at the church at 9.30. Please let Pauline know if you want to travel together. Pauline 0405 605 011 MPBC...“to be a radically prayerful church, overflowing with the Holy Spirit.” Mill Park Baptist Church meets on Sunday at 10am for worship ACTIVE CARE TEAM David Dyer Linda Dyer Kath Huppert Kathryn Jensen Rachael Mott Brent Mudie Debbie Mudie Sonja Schryvers and for prayer 9.45am (front of auditorium) on Wednesday mornings 10am - 12pm for prayer (come when you can, go as needed) 11 Morang Drive, Mill Park, 3082 Ph: 9436 8797 www.millparkbaptistchurch.org.au [email protected] “Like” us on Facebook : www.facebook.com/millparkbaps 9717 2990 0409 240 639 [email protected] Office days – Mon, Wed, Thurs. Off-site preparation day – Tuesdays Day off – Fridays Available otherwise on Sat & Sun ASSOCIATE PASTOR (YOUTH) Ps. Matt Withers Rosters CULTIV8 GROUPS ON DOOR GREETING 8/3/2015: Nelson 15/3/2015: Romano 22/3/2015: Longley MORNING TEA Today: M & M Tsekoutanis, V Mason 8/3/2015: Y Ouchie, M Pozzebon, G Prout 15/3/2015: D & L Dyer, S Loveday 22/3/2015: K Batten-Ernest, C Grimes, C Parker 0410 308 799 [email protected] Office days – Wed, Thurs, Fri. Days off – Sat, Mon, Tues. Available otherwise – Sun ASSOCIATE PASTOR (CARE & CONNECT) Ps. Kathryn Jensen 0438 370 363 [email protected] Office days – Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri. Days off – Tue, Sat. Available otherwise – Sun. ASSOCIATE PASTOR (CHILDREN & YOUNG FAMILIES) Ps. Kathy Adams Esther Cathie 9717 8574 Stewart Henderson 9434 7901 Bryan Keef 9712 2759 Pauline Longley 9437 6515 Murray Parker 9404 4589 BOARD MEMBERS Chris Grimes 9401 4223 (Chairman) Leanne Kelso 9431 0569 (Secretary) Today: Parker SENIOR PASTOR Ps. Geoff Shepherd ELDERS birthdays Mar 1 Mar 4 Mar 6 Mar 7 Fungai Katiyo Carolyn Vincent Noel Floresca Olivia Katiyo Sushila Lal Bronwyn Sexton Ina Leung 9497 1878 Steve Matthews 9408 8029 Taryn Nelson 9009 0463 Jono Prout 0425 754 035 (Treasurer) Andrew Sexton 9717 2290 Bryson Shearwood 0419 880 737 MINISTRY LEADERS 3 Up Jo Bishop Caring Hands (Craft) Helen Skerry Creative Ministries Shaun Creek Cultiv8 Groups Ps Kathryn Jensen Diamonds (55+) Pauline Longley Hospitality Vicki Mason Kids’ Church Tim & Kathryn Stokes Kids Hope David Dyer Little Cherubs Cheryl-Lee Longley Mission Support Group Sheryl Parker Active Care Team David Dyer Playgroup Kathryn Stokes (enrolments) Riot Youth Ps Matt Withers 0437 426 611 Welcome Team Ps Kathryn Jensen [email protected] Office days – Wed & Thurs. Available otherwise – Sun Women's Embrace Linda Romano CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR Leanne Kelso 9436 8797 0431 475 548 [email protected] Office days - Mon to Thurs. 9 am - 4pm Young Adults Ps Matt Withers Zone Steve Nelson MILL PARK COMMUNITY CARE (Professional Counselling) 0405 197 192
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