With the lockdown just announced by the Victorian State Government from midnight tonight for 7 days, we’ll not be able to meet on Sunday May 30 (this may extend beyond next week – depending on restrictions) This means that our celebrations for Jean’s Spicer’s retirement will be put on hold until we are free to meet together again. Please be much in prayer for this whole situation… especially the stopping of this most recent outbreak…
However, we will be on the radio, Life 105.1 FM at 9:30am. Philip will be preaching on Psalm 86. This will be followed by our Zoom morning tea (10:30am) and prayer meeting (11am). If you would like to join with us for these, please contact us.
Rhys and Rhondda are no strangers to us at St John’s. They are ‘veteran’ missionaries in Uganda with Pioneers and APWM and we are looking forward to their visit to us on Wednesday June 9th. Rhondda will be speaking at an afternoon meeting in our hall at 1:30pm, and then both Rhys and Rhondda will be speaking at the same venue at 7:30pm.
Come and hear the latest! There will be an offering for their support at both meetings.
‘Welcome Wednesdays’ (or as some call it ‘Wacky’ Wednesdays) is up and running once more.
We meet in the Upper Room (just the meeting room off the Hall) from 10am-1pm for a cuppa, conversation, craft (bring your own), laughter and friendship.
You are most welcome to drop in and say ‘hi’ – even stay for the whole morning – and make it a regular event! We look forward to seeing you there!
David John Anderson d.16.06.1915 aged 18 William James Blake d.18.09.1918 aged 23 William Ferguson Buchan d.1.07.1916 aged 23 John James Hindley d. 6.05.1919 aged 28 William Love d. 31.08.1918 aged 43 Angus Mackay d.19.08.1916 aged 19 Archibald McAlpine d. 2.10.1916 aged 31 Thomas Menzies d. 9.09.1915 aged 45 Walter Harold Reynell d.11.11.1917 aged 21 Richard Bertram Taylor d. 28.04.1918 aged 21
One of the most obvious features about living in this world is the fast pace of living! Life is lived at such a rush and any kind of delay can easily lead to outbursts of anger of frustration. Something somewhere is terribly wrong! In the midst of all the rush, deep down we still know that our busyness does not completely drown out the fact that we are burdened by sin, feelings of guilt and much fear. We enjoy many things in this world, but inwardly we yearn for true rest and peace.
In the midst of all this, the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28 are so inviting. He said, ‘Come unto Me, all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Here He is, calling us to come to Him, to trust in Him and find rest in Him. He does not wish to add to our burden but wants to lessen it by coming to Him. And He can do that because He gave His life for us and received it back again from God the Father at that first Easter so long ago!
This invitation of Jesus deserves a response. You will not hear words like this from anyone else in this world! No one else can promise rest for your soul and deliver on that promise.
As Easter comes around once again, why don’t you stop and take some time to consider where your life is heading and think over what Jesus promised? And if you intend on doing that, then these words of John Mason from the seventeenth century may also help. He wrote; ‘Come as you are; come poor, come needy, come naked, come empty, come wretched, only come, only believe; His heart is free, His arms are open; ‘tis His joy and His crown to receive you. If you are willing, He never was otherwise.’
Join us on Good Friday April 2nd at 9:30am as we remember the Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for His people. We’ll be thinking about Mark 15:1-15 and sharing some morning tea afterwards.
It’s not hard to see that this year we call 2021 is unfolding pretty much like the year that came before it…2020. There’s uncertainty everywhere. Uncertainty about COVID-19 and its new strains. Uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccines. Uncertainty about the economy. Uncertainty and unrest in many nations on a political and social level.
But within all this, there’s some things that are certain. Some things that we may have confidence in. And these things that are certain lead us to hope and ‘hope’ says the Apostle Paul, ‘does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us’. (Romans 5:5)
To start off our Thursday night Zoom Home Group for 2021, we will spend the next 6 weeks examining the Ligonier MInistries teaching series ‘A Time for Confidence’
Here’s the blurb about the series form the Ligonier website;
“As members of a society that is quickly abandoning its Christian past, followers of Christ often feel disoriented or even frightened. When human leaders and political advocates fail us, doubts arise and the road to compromise beckons. In this series, Dr. Stephen J. Nichols points to the almighty God as the source and ground of our confidence. Though the whole world may shake around us, His kingdom is unshakable. This is a time for confidence.”
The series will cover the following topics
A time for confidence
Confidence in God
Confidence in the Bible
Confidence in Christ
Confidence in the Gospel
Confidence in Hope
You are welcome to come and join us on Thursday nights via Zoom to share in prayer, fellowship and the video of this study series followed by discussion questions, but you’ll need to contact us for the Zoom link! Or join us in the Church Hall on Wednesday afternoons from 1:30pm!
Bendigo Presbyterian will be meeting in person this week, 21 February. Our radio service podcast will also continue on 105.1 Life FM from 9.30am. Please continue to pray for those who are sick, vulnerable and our medical workers and leaders, and the roll out of vaccines, asking that the virus will continue to be contained.
In line with recently released directions from the Vic Govt, we are pleased to announce that we can allow 120 people to come to our 10:30am services on Sunday mornings, although masks are again mandatory! However, if you are feeling unwell, have been in contact with someone who is a confirmed case of COVID-19 or have been directed to self-isolate, please do not attend.
