18th May 2022

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord! Our HOPE is IN Christ and we pray that you are all being restored to full health, energy and are traveling safely if you are still away or away again. God’s richest blessings to all our church family and mission partners near and far.

IMPORTANT REMINDER …… Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea (Annual Cancer Research Fundraiser)
Tomorrow or Today (depending when you open this) Thursday 19th May across the road from the HUB at the Bond Residence – No. 12 Augusta St . Come when you can & leave when you must between 9am – 7pm. Have a cuppa, make a donation! (Graeme will be at or around the HUB from 8.30 – 10am and again after 4.30pm, if you only have time to drop in a donation. Use an envelope and slip it under one of the HUB doors if he doesn’t seem to be there)

NO HOPE COLLEGE WORKSHOPS ON FRIDAY OR REPEAT TUESDAY’S UNTIL AT LEAST 3RD JUNE – DETAILS BELOW

The following is a brief update on all that we are working on together currently for your information and response ……. If you’d like a little more reading and context, PLEASE scroll down

SUNDAY 22nd MAY – LAST WEEK Julie kicked off our ‘INTIMACY’ month with some personal and scriptural reflections on ‘Intimacy with Father God’, building on some of the foundations that Graeme laid during his Mothers’ Day message. THIS WEEK David will steer the adventure in the direction of ‘Intimacy with Christ’s Body’, how we journey with each other in the sort of ONENESS typified by the relationship between God the Father and God the Son. IF YOU CAN, engage with us from 10am either face-to-face at the Augusta Street East Corrimal NSW HUB or via our Live-Stream if you can’t be physically present with us … (see our Facebook page link OR our YouTube Channel)

Brief Summary of Confirmed Upcoming Calendar Events so You Can Save Some Dates

Use our Contact Us page if you’d like to register for, or get more details about any of the following

  • Month of May Message Theme – ‘INTIMACY’ (Team)
    • 15th – ‘Intimacy with Father God’ (Now available on our YouTube Channel)
    • 22nd – ‘Intimacy with Christ’s Body’
    • 29th – ‘Intimacy with the Lost’
  • Women’s Monday Fortnightly Study and Prayer (Julie)
    • 30th May – 10.30am @ the HUB
  • General Bible Discussion (Beverley)
    • 25th May on the verandah at Judy’s place
    • 1st June on the verandah at Judy’s place
  • Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea (Annual Cancer Research Fundraiser)
    • Thursday 19th May across the road from the HUB at the Bond Residence – No. 12 Augusta St . Come when you can & leave when you must between 9am – 7pm. Have a cuppa, make a donation! (Graeme will be at or around the HUB from 8.30 – 10am an again after 4.30pm, if you only have time to drop in a donation. Use an envelope and slip it under one of the HUB doors if he doesn’t seem to be there)
  • Federal Election Day
    • 21st May at a convenient Polling Booth near you
  • Scripture Board PIE DRIVE 2022
    • We’ll make the menu and order form available SOON for your annual pie orders, which will be taken up until about 10th June. As usual, if you can’t navigate the online form when it’s available, just let Heather know what your order is and we’ll do a church order or three – the drive will wrap up with Pie Pick Up scheduled from June 20th.
  • Illawarra Prayer Breakfast and Day of Thanks 2022
    • Friday 27th May 6.30am – 8.30am @ Shellharbour Civic Centre – Graeme has booked a table for us. To help him play OUR part in this Kingdom space, deposit your $40 into the Church Account (see details right margin) and identify your deposit with your name & IPB, OR, give your money to Heather. ONLY TWO of these cheaper early bird tickets remain.
    • This year’s award of thanks is to TEACHERS in our schools. We are offering gifts of thanks to teachers at Corrimal East Public School and Corrimal High School …. More details soon about how you can be involved
  • Blokes Bi-Monthly Hang-Out and Mutual Ministry Time
    • Tuesday 31st May from 6pm @ Rowles’ Residence in Mangerton – Mick will graciously smoke some meat for dinner – bookings essential so RSVP to Andrew if you know his contact details OR via our Contact Us page
  • Scripture Board ‘COFFEE & DESSERT NIGHT 2022

The HOPE Project Mission Sit-reps and Training Updates

  • HOPE COLLEGE Presents ….. ‘Winter Workshops’ 2022 – last week we sent details about possible weekly Friday workshops, repeated for those who can’t do Friday mornings – on the Tuesday following each Friday in teh early evening.
    • GRAEME NEEDS YOUR HELPFUL RESPONSES
      • He hasn’t heard enough information from potential starters to make the weekly teaching a good use of time – and GOOD use of time, effort and resources is something we are deeply committed to.
      • People seem INTERESTED BUT NOT COMMITTED so, Graeme IS NOT STARTING THE WORKSHOPS THIS WEEK (Friday 20th) BUT WILL START THEM ON JUNE 3rd IF THERE IS ENOUGH BUY-IN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
      • If you’d like Graeme to provide alternatives to a series of face-to-face weekly workshops, PLEASE TALK WITH HIM ABOUT THIS ASAP.
      • For those who are still either completing or considering doing ONE or MORE of the assessment tasks for the Base Camp Intensive on 30th April, PLEASE SUBMIT THESE TO Graeme BY NOT LATER THAN MIDNIGHT FRIDAY MAY 27TH (to be fair to those who have submitted some or all tasks already) THANK YOU!
  • REGISTER YOUR QUESTION OR INTEREST IN OUR TRAINING PROGRAM BY EMAILING the Secretary if you know the email address OR use the College Contact Page, OR by JOINING Graeme on Tuesdays weekly between 9.15am and 10.30am to talk about all things College either AT THE HUB or online via HIS ZOOM ROOM LINK, during the same Tuesday time period, OR by booking a chat with Graeme some other convenient time via his appointment web site HERE. It helps Graeme if he knows you want to chat BUT nevertheless he will do his best to be in person AND online Tuesday mornings.
  • As you can tell from the above, we are committed to equipping followers of Jesus for particular functions across the whole of the mission effort, so PLEASE talk with us so we can work out the BEST options for YOUR circumstances.
  • We’ll be announcing more opportunities to gather the harvest around the word we’ve received from heaven soon.
  • The Sanctuary Illawarra – Our southern hub church continues to plough and sow with online and face-to-face engagement opportunities. Stay tuned to their their YouTube channel and or Facebook page for updates as they come to hand. Pray for these ‘Backyard Missionaries’ AND give The Sanctuary connection details to anyone you know in the Southern Illawarra that would benefit from the ministry of this Targeted Mission HUB, particularly with regard to their ‘Soul Recovery ALL Addictions’ weekly meeting 8pm Monday’s at Central Church Hall, 4 Fitzwilliam Street Port Kembla.
  • Heaven’s Embassy, Christ’s Ambassadors’, Hosts, Carers and more …… – Father God has blessed us with a wonderful facilitating leadership team, a bunch of people keen to serve, nurture, disciple and support our church family in order to ensure we can pursue well, this mission God has called us to. The team is maturing well and between now and the end of June we will be sharpening our ministry engagement and entry points; training up welcoming hosts, pastoral carers and more as a crucial ‘Heaven’s Embassy’ strategy, designed primarily to ‘strengthen our stakes so we can lengthen our ropes (Isaiah 54)’ during this season we have recognized as the ‘seed of sustainability’. At the recent HOPE College Introductory Workshop, Graeme described the ‘Heaven’s Embassy’ Revelation that we here at Corrimal Community Church are praying and working for Jesus to build, as follows ……
    • ‘Heaven’s Embassy’ is a revelation we received as a church, that helps us describe what we’d like our HUB, HQ or Base Camp to look and act like, i.e., a place (the hearts of a bunch of Jesus followers) that provide a safe place, a refuge for citizens seeking something that looks like heaven).  E.g. the Australian Embassy, is ACTUALLY Australia inside its boundaries on whatever piece of land in whatever country it is situated. Heaven’s Embassy therefore should represent all of heaven – that is, people should actually engage with heaven whenever they encounter us.’
    • My unswerving belief is that in order to be shaped more like a ‘Heaven’s Embassy’ our regular meetings should be more authentically the gathering of a mission company, designed to nurture and care for soldiers so they can be either supported in long-term discipleship and care, encouraged to continue supporting other disciples, and/or restored to the front line as soon as they are ready. This is what a Base Camp does and in every climbing endeavour, there are TWO Base Camps, one back at HQ or ‘home’ and the other at the base of or gateway to, the mission field. We NEED both and so we are asking for God’s help every day so that Jesus helps us build both – His church. (GH – 2022)
  • As such, the Management Team and Senior Minister’s Group are working to refine Graeme’s schedule to maximize his time leading the church into its mission both in kingdom collaboration responsibilities, as well as equipping and discipling IN NEW Harvest fields, and you can probably see from the above news update, that this is shaping up, and Graeme’s schedule is shifting focus appropriately.
    • What we are talking about is our serving people, sharing the responsibility for ensuring that what we have attained IN Christ is consolidated whilst remaining a launching pad for what God wants to do next. To achieve consolidation, we will make it easier to book appointments with all of our key leaders soon, but for now, this link is the best way to book time with Graeme as his time is becoming more refined by the purpose and need. So …. open the link, choose a date (little calendar picture top right), click on an available time (these will be obvious), fill in your name and contact stuff, and in the content box note a venue and a reason for the meeting (some are listed or you could use your own). Submit and Graeme gets an email and a process to confirm with you. The link is now visible at the bottom of any personal email you receive from him AND it exists as a QR Code on the back of his business card, a number of which are available on the reception desk or you could ask Heather or one of her fabulous Hub Hosts for help. Scan the code on the business card and his appointment options open up.
    • This process will enable Graeme to better respond to any needs AND direct some people to other Leaders that will be able to help more effectively and time sensitively than he can, when that’s required.

Weekly Pastoral Prayer Update (designed to spread points for prayer out for the week)

  • Firstly, we are THANKFUL for all the answered prayers that often go unnoticed. Thank you, Lord, for Your faithfulness.
  • Secondly, each and EVERY week we pray for each other and our brothers and sisters representing the Illawarra region’s body of Christ through other local churches who meet around us. And as Jesus prayed 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. We know this is a season when we will need to be combat ready and so we pray for each other that we would stand firm in the victory Christ won for us … AND that the Lord will add daily, those who are BEING SAVED! We particularly pray for the upcoming Illawarra Prayer Breakfast, that the churches of the Illawarra might be ‘In ONE-ness accord’.
  • Thirdly each week we pray for the New Season of Mission Effort – we pray for the continued outworking of the 2021 commissioning as your servants work out with you, each calling, metron and scope of mission. (see also mission prayer points) – We thank you for the catalyst to our Pillar of ‘PREPARE’ that Brian and Nola’s ministry with us brought recently.
  • Fourthly, here following are the MOST RECENT prayer requests that we have been given permission to share across our praying network … (please talk directly with the source of the request if you want more info)
    • June is scheduled for a hip replacement on Tuesday 24th May. She is asking for prayer for a quick and effective rehabilitation. Her son and our mate Craig Blanch – for good medical test results and June’s friend Mim for her recovery after an accident and subsequent surgery recently. June has asked to convey her deepest gratitude for the prayers of our faithful, praying church family.
    • Gary and Julie – we praise you Lord for Your healing work in their lives, for things that impacted them recently and for longer term health needs. We continue to pray also for their daughter Jemma recovering from surgery.
    • Jono’s Dad Richard – we praise you Lord for answered prayer and we continue to uphold Richard and his whole family. For Jono’s physical health at this time, particularly as he engages a new part-time work schedule to complement his church planting work.
    • Jono’s friends Steve and Kiz, particularly as Steve’s Mum is in the twilight of her life.
    • 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. It was lovely to share personally with Christine on Sunday.
    • Julie B sends her love to the church family and asks for prayer for her Mum (a little frustrated with her dependence on others) and her sister recovering from long -covid. Julie asks us to pray also for all people to experience peace in these troubled times.
    • Emma has asked us to pray for her kids Keo, Sonny and in particular Kalani who is struggling with some stuff currently. Pray for enduring peace and wisdom for Em and Tim as they work things out for their family.
  • Please Keep Praying for these Brothers and sisters and situations –
    • We continue praying for Murray and Julie and the Food for Life Community Care team as they think strategically about ways to streamline travel between pick up locations etc.
    • We pray for the people doing it tough that our Food for Life volunteers come across weekly when they serve hampers off the truck; in particular we pray for Mich Grey at this time.
    • We continue to petition our Lord Jesus for Heaven’s answers to the needs of so many who have lost significantly in these floods up and down the east coast.
    • Please pray for God’s will to be done in and through the upcoming election and not the will of lobbying people with agendas that only interpret what God should do. Let us pray for a holy and righteous outcome in this federal election. Let’s prayerfully hold governing authorities to a heavenly standard and an integrity that flows from living out and seeking God’s kingdom rule of human hearts and not the rule of the kingdom of this world (Romans 13 and 14)
    • 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.
    • We pray for Dot and her family, Gwen, Jason, Maree and Jacki and their families.
    • We pray healing for Maggie, Alex and Carol, who are each dealing with a variety of ongoing health issues currently.
    • We continue to pray for Harry, Joy and Greg, Elsie and Carolyn’s family, and for Kylie and her family and friends’ needs.
    • We pray for complete healing from COVID symptoms for John, Beverley, Nick, Diana, Christian, and others affected across our network.
    • Grant Wilson (Kiama Baptist Minister) whom Graeme saw recently. He is now back at home in Kiama and has started a minor regime of work. Pray for his continued good recovery, his family and the church as they deal with challenges in this time of transition. Grant has asked to pray that he has more grace for the long haul.
    • We pray thanks to God for the work of the Northern Illawarra Scripture Board and for answered prayer in the aftermath of the 9th May meeting, where significant changes in teaching and preparations for a couple of big fund raisers were discussed and worked up as a plan. We pray that we are empowered to play our part in this kingdom advancing work as it increases across the northern Illawarra churches network. Pray for Leanne (Bulli HS teacher who has minor health issues at present but needs to get back to Bulli ASAP.
    • We pray both thanks to you God and ask for exceeding abundant blessings on all the new people who are determining whether or not to partner with us in the mission You have called us to.
    • We also pray with thankfulness for the wonderful and consistent giving and investment that our family and partners offer to enable this mission to thrive.
  • The World needs our Faithful Prayers –
    • We continue to pray for people in the Ukraine and Russia, for peace, for unity, for a sense of purpose together for the future, instead of the divide and the misdirection that seems evident currently. LORD HAVE MERCY!
    • We pray for this hepatitis outbreak around the world and ask for You intervention Lord, bringing about a speedy restoration of health. LORD HAVE MERCY on those affected and those working out what’s happening.
    • We pray for anyone who is in peril in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Please pray for the people who are hungry and helpless. Pray for the church (under persecution) that they along with World Aid organizations will be able to be God’s effective hands and feet in that desperate scenario.
    • Pray for the people in many other countries who are dealing with political, religious and military unrest and or are being subjected to violence and persecution; in particular this week we pray for Kenya, Myanmar, Papua (Indonesia), Eritrea, Burkina-Faso (particularly in the East where Jihadists seem hell bent on eradicating Christian facilitated education), Algeria and Indonesia, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
    • PLEASE add any concern you have for our world HERE and pray LORD HAVE MERCY!
  • 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 prayer-network.
  • Thank you for continuing to uphold each other and the lives and circumstances of our partners everywhere in life-empowering prayer.

Love & blessings
The CCC HOPE Communications Team