The GAA (the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia) met in Hurstville, Sydney, NSW from September 4-7, with Rev David Burke (NSW) inducted as Moderator-General for the next three years.
The business that comes to and is discussed by the GAA relates to matters that affect the whole church and not just the churches in individual states (which are determined by each State Assembly).
For a good sumarry of this year’s business, please follow this link here to an article on the page of the ‘Australian Presbyterian’ written by Rev Mark Powell (Hobart, TAS). You might find the decisions of interst, especially those surrounding the practise of ‘Welcome to Country’ in relation to regular Presbyterian worship.
We are looking forward to having Rev Hiralal Solanki and his wife Luxmi, come to us on Sunday September 10th to update us all the ongoing ministry of Indian Reformed Fellowship Australia and the spread of the gospel throughout that wide mission field!
The program is as follows;
4pm: Meet & greet over afternoon tea in the hall 4:30pm: Sharing God’s Word & the work of IRFA There will be a retiring offering received for the work of IRFA. All are welcome.
We had a wonderful night at the Eaglehawk Presbyterian Church on Friday July 21 with representatives from Wycliffe/SIL giving us the latest on the task of Bible translation around the world. The good news is that the number of languages who do not have any portion of Scripture translated into the ‘heart language’ of the people is dropping!
When we first started to take an interest in this matter over 12 months ago now, the number of languages was 2,014. Now it is in the order of…1,400! Thanks be to God.
This is very encouraging, but the task is not finished yet. Please join with us in praying for the number to be even lower and ask God to raise up and bless translation teams across the globe.
Last year’s dinner was one to remember. Such a great night of information and encouragement about the all-important task of translating God’s Word into the heart languages of people groups all over the world.
This year’s dinner is coming up! When: Friday July 21st, 6pm Where: Eaglehawk Presbyterian Church, 75A Victoria Street, Eaglehawk
I was surprised and a liitle saddened to hear of the passing of Rev Tim Keller this week, that, is, his passing from earth to heaven. Saddened for his family and church family, but not for him!
Keller’s impact upon New York and upon the world has been nothing less than outstanding and a glowing testimony to the gospel which is ‘the power of God for the salvation of all who believe’ (Romans 1:18).
Below is an excerpt from a lengthy blog post called ‘Moved to heaven’ in which the author (a friend and fellow worker of Tim’s, not only shares the news of his death, but also the value and the impact of his life (including all his sermons and books) that continues to impact the Kingdom of God
This is how the post begins…
“Timothy James Keller went to Heaven earlier this morning, May 19, 2023. The New York City pastor was one of the world’s most insightful presenters of the good news of God’s forgiveness, acceptance, and charge to change the world for the better. He was born on September 23, 1950, in Allentown, Pennsylvania and founded Redeemer Presbyterian Church of New York City in 1989.
Yesterday, at 5:45 pm, Thursday, Michael Keller announced, “Today, Dad is being discharged from the hospital to receive hospice care at home. Over the past few days, he has asked us to pray with him often. He expressed many times through prayer his desire to go home to be with Jesus. His family is very sad because we all wanted more time, but we know he has very little at this point.”
Two nights before this message came, Michael’s father prayed in a family prayer, “I’m thankful for all the people who’ve prayed for me over the years. I’m thankful for my family, that loves me. I’m thankful for the time God has given me, but I’m ready to see Jesus. I can’t wait to see Jesus. Send me home.”
Then, his son Michael wrote, “Dad waited until he was alone with Mom. She kissed him on the forehead and he breathed his last breath. We take comfort in some of his last words, ‘There is no downside for me leaving, not in the slightest.’ See you soon Dad.”
This morning (May 19) at 11:18, Redeemer Presbyterian Church’s leadership passed the word, “Tim Keller, passed away this morning at age 72, trusting in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.”
“All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him Lord of all.“
It would be interesting to know if Edward Perronet (1721-1792) wrote this much-loved hymn after being inspired by watching a coronation service in his day, although in the end it doesn’t really make much difference. The Scriptures are already full of coronations – just think of Samuel’s anointing of Saul (1 Samuel 10:1) and fairly soon after of David (1 Samuel 16:13) and you’ve got the fiirst two covered – on occasions hardly anything at all like the service now underway for Charles III – but that’s what they were. Both Saul and David were anointed Kings over God’s people.
The rest of the Old Testament reveals that there were many Kings of both Israel and Judah, from Solomon, (David’s son and heir) right down to Zedekiah. Not all of them were ‘good’ (in the sense that they loved and served the Lord God with all their heart) and many of them were intent on following their own will and disregarding God as much as He would allow them to. Yes, reading through the lives and deeds of the Kings of Israel and Judah leaves a lot to be desired. Where was the True King, so longed for and promised? Where was the One who would bring lasting peace and joy to the people of God?
It is with a sense of irony that we read in John’s gospel, “He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” (John 1:10). Nothing truer could be spoken. Though Jesus was that True King, He neither looked like nor lived like a King. With no royal carriage or palace or robes or even coronation ceremony, you could be almost understand why the people failed to see that He was a King at all. But He was and He was a King with a difference. These were His words to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36) and by this He reminded all in authority that their kingdoms will one day bow and give way to His. But not yet. His coronation service is still coming. And when it does, the glory and grandeur of it will be seen by all, not just by many. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us of this fact, that in the present, “we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him” (Hebrews 2:9) But when we see Him next there’ll be no doubt as to who will bear the crown of the Kingdom that will have no end.
History tells us that people from all over the world have done all sorts of strange things in order to achieve salvation. A German monk, named Martin Luther was one of those. But any effort to ‘save ourselves’ will be wasted.
Funnily enough, this is what the Pharisees said to Jesus while he was on the cross. ‘Come down now from the cross, save yourself and we will believe you’, they said. But Jesus didn’t come down. And he didn’t do that because He was busy saving us!
See, the bad news the Bible presents about us is that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23), but the good news the Bible also presents is that Jesus said he came “not to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) and all through his life he welcomed the less than perfect, even extending forgiveness to them.
If we do not know these things for ourselves, it will not be because He is not willing, but because we have not come to Him to receive them!
This Easter, take note that Jesus came to bring a salvation that can’t be earned… but can be received as a free gift. Have you done that?
After a 3 year ‘COVID-19 inspired’ break, the Men’s Fellowship has resumed meeting again. We plan to meet on the 3rd Saturday of the month for breakfast, fellowship and a study (currently on the excellent book, ‘Habits of Grace’ at 8:30am in our Church Hall. Contact us for more details.
