16th June 2022

Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to all our church family and mission partners living close by or elsewhere. Our love and prayers are with you whatever is happening for you at this time.

THIS SUNDAY 19th JUNE – Last week, Graeme shared vulnerably from his storehouse of life-lived, and in particular expanded on our ‘Intimacy’ themed messages by exploring with us, his experiences of brokenness and how Jesus, the living word, has helped and continues to help him find hope and strength. Worth a view if you’ve not caught up and the message starts about 47 minutes into the live-stream video. THIS WEEK Mick will share a word from heaven that God has laid on his heart in recent days, continuing to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and shape us for His purposes as we move into the season we are referring to as ‘The SEED of Sustainability’. We are thankful for safe travels recently for a number of our family and we are aware that there is a little more ‘getting a well earned’ break catch up opportunities being taken after the constraints of the last couple of years. So, we continue to pray for those who are away but IF YOU ARE IN THE VICINITY STILL, you are welcome to JOIN US face to face at the Augusta Street Hub, or ONLINE via our Live-Stream from 10am THIS and EVERY SUNDAY … (see our Facebook page link OR our YouTube Channel for online access).

The HOPE Project Mission Situation Reports (Sit-Reps)

ANNUAL PIE DRIVE for the Northern Illawarra Scripture Board – Thank you once again so much, to all who made an order. It’s been a record year for our involvement and we are grateful. The pies will be available for PICK UP (with your own bag please) FROM NORTHERN ILLAWARRA (BULLI) UNITING CHURCH CENTRE THIS MONDAY 20TH OR THURSDAY 23RD JUNE BETWEEN 4.30 AND 6PM. If you can’t get out to the centre for pick up for whatever reason, please contact Heather via our Contact Us page or the secretary email address, so she can help you work out pick up as there are a couple of options available IF WE KNOW YOUR SITUATION. THANK YOU!

‘SERVE 2 BLESS’ – We received a terrific sit-rep from Julie’s effort to follow God’s lead and preach last week at our sister church ‘The River of Life’ in Dapto. Thanks to May Housler, who continues offering mentorship to Julie and a point of kingdom reference for our church’s apostolic advisory group. ‘Serve2Bless’ is a word from heaven we received as a church a few years ago, and as an outworking of that we have sought to equip each other (HOPE College) for opportunities to serve kingdom-hearted brothers and sisters, and their churches in our region AND further afield in places like Sydney and West Wyalong in mid-western NSW. Music/Worship, Board membership, food-prep volunteering and consultancy have been key arenas of service recently and now we are moving into the preaching / speaking / testimony space. If you would like to be more involved at the sharp end of our efforts to bless the kingdom of heaven through service, we are shaping some leadership and support missionary training for the impending season so please express your interest and perhaps the focus of that interest to Heather via the secretary email address or our Contact Us page so we can add you to our potential service and mission team list, and we can explore in more detail with you, how we might develop this work with, in and through you.

HOPE College Semester TWO organization – We have sent the June edition of the HOPE College newsletter out with information about how we are producing and providing training and study content when we return for Semester TWO, the week commencing July 17th. Graeme has worked hard to listen, reflect, experiment and discern the most effective ways forward to enable the greatest engagement with the equipping subjects being offered. If you would like to be added to the list of email addresses to receive the regular ‘HOPE HERALD’ update, please use the secretary email address or our Contact Us page to let Heather, who is our College registrar, know. THANK YOU!

The Sanctuary Illawarra – Our southern hub church is starting to develop its God-shape. The 3pm Sunday online offerings are ON HOLD for the time being BUT you can still catch up with previous and current online messages via YouTube channel and via their Facebook page for all that’s happening and for updates as they come to hand. Things are starting to grow around the Thursday face to face opportunity so please pray for our ‘Backyard Missionaries’, Jono and Nicky – for God to work through their faithful service, for the Lord to move miraculously in the lives of those who are connecting with them from time to time AND PLEASE 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. WE’LL CATCH UP WITH THESE SAINTS AT A SUNDAY GATHERING SOON & FIND OUT THE LATEST

Please use our Contact Us page if you’d like to register for, or get more details for the following

  • Women’s Monday Fortnightly Study and Prayer (Julie) 27th June – 10.30am @ the HUB
  • General Bible Discussion (Beverley) 29th June on the verandah at Judy’s place
  • National Day of Thanksgiving presentation to TEACHERS in our schools. We are offering gifts of thanks to teachers at Corrimal East Public School and Corrimal High School as soon as we hear back from the schools and can organize a suitable time ….
  • The next Blokes Ministry Event – Date to be confirmed – Tuesday 9th August
  • The Wollongong ‘Keith Green 40th Anniversary’ Tribute Concert (for HOPE4Kids & Hope and Future Ministries) at City Diggers Saturday evening August 27 … Artists include Mark Matthews, Gordon Barr, Wayne Gardner, Graeme Hush, Kyle Barr and More … More Details released in this coming week.
  • Korimul Gang (Scout & Guide) Shows – Friday 9th or Saturday 10th or Sunday 11th September (IPAC Wollongong – TBC) for more details contact Rob or Sharon Sackett
  • TRIVIA – Northern Illawarra Scripture Board Fundraiser at C3 Thirroul on Saturday 10th September
  • Stay Tuned for impending updates about the HOPE College Podcast Station and Equipping Workshops.

Weekly Pastoral Prayer Update (designed so you can spread points for prayer out over 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 with gratitude for those involved with staging and hosting recent regional combined prayer events; 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 thank you for the catalyst to our Pillar of ‘PREPARE’ that Brian and Nola’s ministry with us brought recently. We are now working towards the FIRST PHASE of the time we are referring to as ‘The SEED of Sustainability’ (2022-23) so a strategic plane for the 2nd half of 2022 will be released for prayer and response at the end of June. PLEASE PRAY AS WE PREPARE (Pre-Prayer)
  • 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) – we will endeavour to seek updates on all of the following, particularly those points that we’ve been praying for these last few weeks.
    • We pray for Gary and his stomach health. This is a long term battle for Gary and we thank God for his victory in this area of Gary’s life.
    • Kylie’s daughter Rachel, who reached out to Graeme after his call for prayer last Sunday. Rachel is making some big decisions about her future, including work and a potentially BIG move. Please pray for wisdom and clarity for Rachel.
    • We continue to pray for little Oliver who is the grandson of close friends of the Fisher’s. We praise God that latest reports have Oliver doing better and being allowed to go home. We continue to pray that he and his family, experience more of heaven daily.
    • Our June’s hip replacement surgery went well and she is now being cared for by her family. She is seeking prayer for a quick and effective rehabilitation and expresses her sincere thanks and gratitude for the prayers and care of our church family!
    • June also asks for prayer for Bailey, a 10 year old boy who is a friend of the family who has had health issues from birth. We pray God’s mercy and healing power for Bailey and his family.
    • Jono’s Dad Richard – we praise you Lord for answered prayer and we ask for your continued peace and protection as Richard prepares for a pacemaker to be inserted.
    • For Jono and Nicky as they continue to work out life and church planting with Jono’s new employment and Nicky changing employers in her field of work. Particularly as they have been dogged by the flu these past few days.
    • We pray in particular for Jono’s grandson’s Ezreal and Elijah who have also contracted this flu. Pray for quick healing and renewed energy for Jono and the boys, and also his daughter and the boys’ Mum Hannah.
    • For Dylan who is in the Hyratt’s sphere of pastoral care. Dylan is struggling with his ankles and legs and was feeling insecure last week in St George Hospital. Pray for peace and healing.
    • For 2 and a half year old William who is the son of Jono’s work mate Dan, rushed to hospital last week with Pneumonia. Praying for God to bring a miracle of healing to this little boy.
    • 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.
    • Christine is also asking for prayer for hers and our friend Treena who has been very unwell this week.
    • Maggie asks us to pray for the daughter of a friend in Qld who was rushed to hospital this week in need of intravenous antibiotics for a compromised immune system. We pray God’s healing peace and power for her AND ….
    • Our Evelyn who is recovering from a fall at home, having had a pin inserted in her left leg. Currently in Bulli Hospital for rehab. Please pray for complete and speedy recovery.
    • We continue praying for Gwen who is recovering at home (and misses us) and her son Jason who has had Covid recently.
  • 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 work tirelessly to provide affordable groceries to people trying to make ends meet across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven. We pray for our support team who work with the hamper truck on Thursday mornings.
    • 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 and Hamish 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 and cold weather snaps up and down the east coast.
    • 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, Maree and Jacki and their families.
    • We pray healing for Maggie, Alex and Carol, and quite a few others in our family who are each dealing with a variety of ongoing health issues currently, including the growing number experiencing cold and flu symptoms.
    • We continue to pray for Harry, Joy and Greg, Tom, Elsie and Carolyn’s family, and for Kylie and her family and friend’s needs.
    • We pray for complete healing from recent COVID symptoms for John, Beverley, Nick, Diana, Christian, Jason and others affected across our network; including Karen’s parents Peter and Eileen in the Brisbane area.
    • 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 ask you Lord to bring healing and increasing peace to Graeme’s ministry colleague Wayne Crockford (whom some will have met) who has had a difficult week with health and broader circumstantial issues.
    • We pray thanks to God for the work of the Northern Illawarra Scripture Board and for answered prayer. We pray that we are empowered to play our part in this kingdom advancing work as it increases across the northern Illawarra churches network. Graeme asks us to pray for this Monday’s board meeting that he will be absent from the chair for. He asks us to pray for the team under the leadership of scripture board lifer, David Green for the meeting.
    • 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 hepatitis and monkey pox outbreaks 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, and those working closely with those affected.
    • Please pray for the people who are hungry and helpless. Pray for the church (under persecution in many of these countries mentioned below) 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 senseless violent attacks on people in Togo and Ghana, 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 (particularly for recent savage attacks on churches), India, Iran, the Sudan 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
Graeme for The Team