On Sunday June 26 we will be having our church family picnic.

We have the date, we have the time we just need an organisor. Contact Hamish if you would like to help out in this regard.

Here is a note from Ben and Amee Morris, a young couple from our church family.
Please pray for them and their short mission in Japan.

Helping out in Japan

Ben, Amee and Hayden (Amee’s brother) are heading over to Japan on the 21st of May for a week to partner with Christian Surfers Japan with the ongoing tsunami relief work. Here is a short video of what we are expecting to be involved with.

Practically the main purpose of the trip is to provide physical relief work to the affected communities of north-east Japan, but spiritually this is an awesome opportunity to be shining lamps of God’s love in a very open and needy environment. Please pray for this trip that God’s protection will be upon all, especially with nuclear complications, safety in travels and that God’s love will be abundantly overflowing to the Japanese people. Please also pray for our marriage as we will be apart during our time over there.

Thanks for your promised prayers, we really value being part of such a loving and faithful family of Christ.
Ben

Shocking news just in … Ronald McDonald (pictured), the mascot of the Golden Arches for the past 48 years is facing redundancy. It seems that McDonald’s Restaurants are up-scaling their image and a clown in red and yellow stripes will no longer do.

What may be a shrewd mind-set in the business world can spell disaster in the church. As a community of people keen to faithfully follow Jesus we must guard against any perception that the basis of our message must change in accord with public perception or current societal values.

We are not opposed to change. We understand the need to present the enduring truths and applications of the gospel in new and relevant ways. We understand the need to adapt to engage with our culture. But we cannot ignore or change the truth that salvation is found only in faith in Jesus and that living in thankful obedience to His Kingship means that we are at times at odds with our society’s values.

What images of the church could we update without impacting the truth and integrity of our message?
What things must stay?