30th June
Youth Service - 29th June
Must have a real bee in my bonnet, 3 posts in less than a week :). I couldn't not post about the weekend though. What an awesome time we had seeing our young people and Lisa ministering so brilliantly in our 9 and 11 am services. They did such a great job and I was so proud of all of them. In our church we believe in "every" generation and it was so good seeing our youth standing up for Jesus in such a positive and mature way.
Here are a couple of facebook posts and an email that I think capture the excitement and significance of the weekend for us as a church.
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Facebook
Francis Pascal (Post on Lisa's wall)
Hey there, today was great. youve given a heap to this youth and we haven't been more alive than now and i know we can be more alive so it's scary and exiting. Yer i hope to as weel i believe God wants me to and i want to change peoples lives and what better way than using your mouth ha? Ye so thanks for being the core and weetbix of this youth and if you need some weetbix just ask if you know what i mean. lol thanks a lot we are greetly blessed.
Justin Merrigan (Post on Lisa's wall)
What can I possibly add to the so richly deserved comments added below? I can't - only that guys, each and every one of you, so amazing this morning. So natural and confident - but then it was all done with God's immense blessing! You ROCK!
Email
from Anthony Denman
Hi Guys
Yesterday was fantastic!
It was terrific to see Lisa, Mat and the youth team given the opportunity to lead in our Sunday service. They did a great job!
Thanks so much for the support you give our youth at Grace.
It is evident that Grace Church is a place where people are fully supported and encouraged by the senior leadership and others.
Pam and I are very encouraged and blessed to part of Grace Church.
Thanks so much for the role you both undertake at Grace; you are a blessing to many.
Blessings
Anthony
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God is good and we're getting there :)
All our love,
Dermot & Debra
Bruny Island early Tuesday morning
Elders Retreat
Well last Sunday Pastors Gus, Ron, John and myself headed off for 2 nights on Bruny Island. I try to take the Elders away twice a year to spend time praying and talking about the church and our future. It was a great time of sharing and waiting on God and as always, when you make time for God, He always shows up.
One of the things that we were discussing was the challenge that is in front of our church of continued growth. It's become apparent to me that growth, whilst often being a corporate experience, is something that we all need to experience individually. What that means for us as a church is that we all need to be growing if we're to see our church grow. Numerical growth is only one aspect of church growth and it is always effected by how much we're growing individually.
The next 6 months will be an awesome time for our church and for us all individually if we determine to continue growing as followers of Jesus and as loving human beings.
All our love,
Dermot & Debra
26th June - By His Wounds
Saw this great video on GodTube (thanks Lisa) and wanted to share it - enjoy
13th May - HONOR'S REWARD
by John Bevere
In 'Honor’s Reward', bestselling author John Bevere explains the paradox of how our greatest success comes from honouring others. Honour is a word and a concept that seems to be largely missing from our society. Contrary to popular modern thought, John Bevere says we can expect the best blessings and the ultimate reward from giving respect and showing deference to those around us. He outlines the relational aspects of this concept by explaining that honour should be a part of how we treat one another. By clearly defining what we expect from others and what they expect from us, we are able to begin giving honour to those in our lives. In his fresh and challenging style, John Bevere uses illustrations and biblical explanation to show how we should honour our God, and our parents, and all those in authority over us as well as those over whom we have authority. 'Honor’s Reward' illuminates the immediate and lasting benefits of this virtue.
click here to order the book online
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8th May 2008
Quick entry - saw this picture and had to post it
Dramatic ... a powerful lightning storm passes over the Chaiten volcano in a massive display of power / UPI
6th May 2008
Update from the Garden
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It's Autumn in the gardens and I'm constantly amazed at how quickly things change from week to week. It reminds me of the first few weeks of Spring. Both Spring and Autumn are transition seasons. They bridge winter and summer and help make the adjustment between the two seasons easier on the natural world. I'm reminded that in our lives there are times of rapid change followed by times where things just seem to stay the same for long periods of time.
There's an old saying that goes "Too much of a good thing is bad for you." I've come to the conclusion that for a life to be well rounded and full you need a bit of everything. "God works all things together for our good," Romans tells us. And in James it says to count it all joy when we face all sorts of trials and suffering because there's a reason behind them. If we learn to walk with God through them they can change our lives for the good.
< One of my favourite spots to sit and wait on Him |
The natural world doesn't struggle against seasonal changes but embraces them knowing that things won't stay the same forever. In God's economy the seasons of our lives change as well and our journey can be a whole lot more pleasant when we learn to accept His love and care for us and stop trying to bring about the change that only God can and does, in His perfect time.
11th March 2008
Grand Chancellor - Loving God Launch
Images - © Glen Turvey
18th February 2008
Grace Vision Weekend . . .
When talking about vision I could start by saying . . . (but I won't)
The Cause of the King – That none should perish
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Matthew 6:10 " … your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Everything we do as individuals in our service for God and as a church should flow out of the cause of the King.
His cause gives purpose and direction to our time on earth. It’s the greatest endeavour that we can be involved in and is the highest expression of our love for God.
So as a church leadership we ask ourselves this question constantly – “Will what I’m doing draw people closer to Jesus?” The ministry of reconciliation which the apostle Paul said we all have, is in a nutshell, bringing people closer to Jesus be they saved or unsaved. It’s very simple but our expression of it is as diverse as the number of people involved.
Ephesians 4 reading from verse 11 through to verse 16 is a wonderful passage of scripture that talks about the church and how it’s meant to function. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
The church was meant by God to be the best place for a Christian to grow and to demonstrate to the world the truth about God’s existence and His love for mankind! It was meant to function in such a way that it aids your growth and helps you find your purpose in life, your reason for living. But to do that it needs you to do something. In fact if you don’t do this then the church will never be all that God intended it to be. The church needs you to actively pursue your destiny in God and fulfill it. As you fulfill your life’s purpose you add to everything that God is doing on the earth through his body, the church and the church becomes all that God intended it to be – to you and to the world.
Here’s the truth, unless you discover your God given destiny, your God given purpose in life and fulfill it, the church will have no chance of being all that it could be or should be. Because you’re part of the church. It might be almost all that it could be but it won’t be all that it could be if you’re not all that you can be. The church is a reflection of its parts – that’s you and I.
We have a saying in our church – “Our church is as good as I get!” What that means is that I have an impact on my church whether I think I do or not. The church isn’t a building made of stone the bible tells us. Rather it is made of you and I in community, filled with God’s Spirit. If I want our church to be more loving, then I need to become more loving. If I think the church needs to be more evangelistic, then I need to be more evangelistic. If I feel that the church needs to reach out to young pregnant teenagers then it could be that God is stirring me up to reach out to young pregnant teenagers.
Our role as pastors and leaders at Grace is to create an environment that helps you to find your God given purpose and fulfill it. You see when that happens, then the church is seen for what it was meant to be. To that end we design programs to train and equip. We run services that give you an opportunity to meet with God and other people. It’s why we have specific ministries to children, young mums, youth, women, men, young adults and over 50”s not to mention creative and life coaching. We work hard on creating a culture where the individual is valued and where excellence in all we do for God and others is encouraged. At the same time we promote authenticity in our relationships and constantly stress openness and honesty in all that we’re involved with. We have no time for criticism however we have all the time in the world for people who want to be a part of reaching a lost and hurting world – who have ideas of how together we can do that better. We believe in preaching to the good in people rather than the bad but are not afraid to call sin, sin and we’re passionate about seeing people set free just as Jesus promised.
So what type of church does God want Grace to look like? He wants our church to be shaped by men and women, boys and girls who are discovering their identity and fulfilling their unique destiny whilst learning to live in loving community with each other. He wants us individually and corporately to carry on Jesus’ mandate to the world.
What will our church look like by the end of the year? I’m not sure because there’ll be a lot more people coming and joining us and they’ll all be adding their unique shape to the mix, but I do know this. Grace will continue to be a place of hope and health, a place where people are given an opportunity to meet with God, a place where the very best is believed of everyone and where forgiveness and love is freely offered. Grace will be a place that is constantly changing, where lives are being put back together, where justice, truth and grace are unashamedly pursued. A place that will challenge you to change and grow and become all that God has planned for you. It will be a spacious place, full of life, freedom and fun, a place where God is honoured and followed hard after, a place where people learn to live together in unity and love, where they won’t be afraid to be real with each other. It will be a place where people will see God and in seeing God know that there is hope for their lives and their families.
Grace will be God’s body on earth! That’s our vision for our church, that’s God’s vision for his body.
All our love,
Dermot & Debra
4th February 2008
Graceworks Launch Weekend . . .
Well holidays are well and truly behind us and the new year is motoring along nicely. I love the saying "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life!" Being the Pastor of Grace has got to be the best job I've ever had and last weekend just helped cement that thought in my heart.
We had an awesome time with Grant and Cath on Friday evening and Saturday morning at the Henry Jones and then at both of our services on Sunday. It was so good to hear that we're going in the right direction and their encouragement to us as a church was such a blessing.
Throughout the month of February we'll be looking at where God is leading us individually and corporately and casting vision for our future. 2008 is going to be GREAT! For you and our church. Let this year be a year where you press into faith more than you ever have before and let's see what God can do in and through us.
Below is listed in point form my message from Friday night.
All our love,
Dermot & Debra
Graceworks Retreat 2008
We are on a journey - the cause of the King - that none should perish - thy kingdom come thy will be done.
Our church is as good as I get
What will our church look like in the future? That depends on who is involved.
What limit's us? Our capacity.
Or capacity reflects our experience. Increase my capacity and my experience of God and life increases.
How do I increase my capacity?
Some people think that capacity is all about working harder. It isn't.
- Know your life purpose
- Exercise faith – be a person of great faith
- Commit to the long haul – eternal perspective
- Love extravagantly – be children of your Father
- Persevere – never, never, never give up.
- Be as honest as you can with yourself and others
- Never stop growing and learning -
- Determine to take risks and live your life with no regrets.
