22nd April, 2022

To ALL our church family, locally in the Illawarra, elsewhere and online in this nation and beyond,

We hope and pray that your Easter was full of worthwhile reflection on our Lord’s work, his life and his death for our sake. We also hope and pray that you found time to be refreshed and re-energized for the 2nd third of 2022.

The following is a brief update on all that we are working on together currently for your information and response …….

SUNDAY 24TH APRIL – For the final weekend of the Easter-Anzac Day break we still have quite a number of our church family traveling. We are looking forward to gathering as a ‘company of the committed’ this Sunday with those of you who are in the vicinity and with any guests (which we’ve had a steady stream of lately). THIS WEEK we will use a chunk of our time together to meditate on the meaning of ANZAC in the context of Christ’s sacrifice at the Augusta Street East Corrimal NSW HUB from 10am in the room AND live-stream (see our Facebook page and our YouTube Channel)

COLLEGE INTENSIVE ALIGNED WITH BRIAN MEDWAY VISIT – We have recently confirmed that Graeme’s earthly boss and mentor Brian Medway will drop in for a brief introductory visit NEXT WEEKEND for and on behalf of HOPE College and this will coincide with our Sunday 1st May 2022 gathering. Brian is the Chair of the Crosslink Christian Network (now international), a key player in working for oneness across God’s kingdom, a renowned truth communicator, and a person that Graeme describes as having the deepest love of God in a human being that he knows of or has ever known, a pretty good and down to earth bloke and a ‘no name’ apostle. Please be in prayer as we do the preparation required for such an event.

Here are a few ‘unconfirmed’ details for our time over next weekend and please keep your ears close to the ground as we firm things up over the next couple of days.

  • Saturday 30th April – BEFORE Brian arrives, Graeme will conduct an introductory workshop intensive for anyone desiring to be a more effective ‘backyard missionary’. He will present FOUR quick overviews of core training material between 9.30am and 1.30pm @ the HUB.
  • 9.30 – 10.20am = Building ‘Heaven’s Embassy’ for advancing God’s Kingdom
  • 10.30 – 11.20am = ‘Reproducing no name disciples who reproduce no name disciples’
  • 11.40am – 12.30pm = ‘The Nehemiah Factor’ – its importance to ‘The HOPE Project’
  • 12.40 – 1.30pm = Know YOUR Part (Christ’s FULLNESS expressed in EVERY part)

We will be recording the workshop sessions for engagement AFTER Saturday 30th via a provided link, and we will let you know how that will all work, but if you can join us in the room next Saturday, it would be helpful to know sooner than later. Thank you!

NB: PLEASE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN ATTENDING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, OR YOUR PREFERENCE TO ENGAGE THE RECORDINGS AFTER THE WORKSHOP ASAP BY EMAILING THE SECRETARY OR VIA OUR Contact Us page

  • Sunday 1st May –
    • 10am Gathering – Graeme will talk with Brian about being agents of kingdom advance, what apostolic relationships look like and how that relates to fullness IN Christ, and the priority of discipling disciples who disciple.
    • 11.30am Morning Tea Q&A – we will have a cuppa with Brian so we can ask any questions
    • 12pm Lunch, Q&A and Final Meeting – Lunch will be provided for those who’d like to stay on or join us for our final couple of hours with Brian. BOOKING LUNCH WITH HEATHER IS ESSENTIAL not later than Friday week the 29th April COB. Thank you!
    • All done by 2.30pm
  • THERE WILL BE A CONFIRMATION OF MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS ….

BIBLE STUDIES / GROUPS / EMERGING HOPE COMMUNITIES

  • Monday’s fortnightly 10.30am at the Augusta Street HUB – The next meeting of the ladies Bible Study and Prophetic Activation is DUE to be Monday 2nd May at the HUB. Contact Julie Padwick for details or to register your interest, via her mobile if you know it OR let us know you’d like to contact her via our Contact Us page and we’ll pass your enquiry on to Julie.
  • 1st and 3rd Wednesday’s of each month – 10am on Judy’s Verandah in East Corrimal – The next meeting of this relaxed bible discussion will be Wednesday 4th May. For more information contact Beverley Boots directly if you know her mobile OR let us know you’d like to contact her via our website’s Contact Us page and we’ll pass on your enquiry to Beverley.
  • STAY TUNED-IN HERE, FOR DETAILS AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE ABOUT SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE AND CHAT, PLANNED FOR AFTER EASTER …… We are moving into a pro-active and intentional phase, producing simple resources to enable easier harvest gathering and discipling – that we will refer to as HOPE Communities. More very soon ……
  • Blokes Bi-Monthly Hang Out and Mutual Ministry Time – Blokes are inviting their mates to this terrific time of sharing a meal and inspiring, even challenging fellowship bi-monthly. The next gathering for our Men’s Ministry Group will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 31st May at the Rowles Residence in Mangerton. For more information as it comes to hand, contact Andrew Fisher directly if you know his contact details, OTHERWISE let us know you’d like to contact him via a message to our website’s Contact Us page and we’ll pass on your enquiry to him.

THE SANCTUARY ILLAWARRA – Our southern hub church plant has been having a well earned break and time of reflection over Easter. Stay tuned to their their YouTube channel and or Facebook page for updates as they come to hand.

WEEKLY PASTORAL PRAYER UPDATE – We’ll get back to reporting more widely next week but for now just a reminder to pray for MANY of our church family who are and have been traveling and getting some R&R, particularly Julie and Gary still traveling in North QLD for a couple of weekends to support their daughter Jemma through some things (please be in prayer for Jemma); for June and her friend Mim; for Beverley and Ken’s daughter Rachael who is doing it fairly tough between her home in Northern NSW and the Gold Coast Hospital where she works – please pray for her circumstances to sort and be relieved. For Christine seeking prayer for wisdom and strength for her and her two sisters and the aged care consultants helping them care for their Mum in her own home, also for her family members who have been inundated with water during recent rains and their daughter with a broken arm. For John and Margaret mourning a close friend – we thank you Lord for answers to prayer with Glen’s quadruple by-pass surgery going well. Finally for now, we are praying for Eric, Cathryn, Andrew and the families associated with the Shea’s (members of CCC for a season a few years back) mourning the loss of June this week who succumbed to Parkinson’s Disease. June’s memorial will be at 10am THIS Friday 29th April at Parsons in Wollongong. More next week ….

Please keep praying for all of the wonderful people connected with our church family as we stand together during this new season of the battle for souls. We thank God for His encouragement, His healing touch and His mercy, grace and protection.

Of course if you have any thing you feel confident to ask us to SHARE in prayer for, please call, send a text or email Gary Padwick if you know his contact details, otherwise via our Contact Us page. We can help connect you and Gary will faithfully engage our network (even as he can whilst away – please be patient).

Love & blessings
Graeme
On behalf of the Team