Sunday 30th November

Hi everyone,
The last few months I started meeting with a person to do Bible study on Sunday morning. God is amazing - let me explain. He has had a stroke and is originally Mandarin speaking. A friend of mine met him on the streets of Surry hills and brought him to the Thursday group. Anyway he could not make Thursdays but wanted to goto the Mandarin service. He has been attending this regularly for the past at least year. He then said he wanted to have Bible study. I said don't you want me to get someone who speaks Mandarin. He said NO. The stroke has obviously damaged part of his brain and as such he can understand Mandarin but can now only read and speak English. Before the stroke he was fully conversant in Mandarin and could also read Chinese.
Anyway we started meeting on Sundays I invited a couple of people who are from the Thursday group, who I though would not be too intimidated by Church. In the past it has been myself, the stroke efffected man and rarely one other.
Last Sunday 5 attended the group.
One lady who comes regurlarly to the Thursday group decided to come to our Church for the first time on Sunday she also attended the Bible study. I am actually not as actively trying to grow this group as I would the Thursday group. It is very nice to have a couple of people to do Bible study with and they respond differently and ask questions which they do not normally ask on Thursday as Thursday numbers including helpers is probably around the 14-15. This number of people of course changes the dynamics.
Please pray that God will give me wisdom about those attending on Sunday and He will form the group that He wants to be there.
Thanks Michael

October SHUM

Thanks to the October Shum team for participating. I hope you found it a learning and challenging experience. It was great to have you there. Special thanks to Helen and Anglea who particpated in response to my plea for more helpers for the month of October.
Please continue to keep SHUM and the Thursday group in your prayers.
Thanks
Michael

Thursday 27th October

Hi all,
Today 10 people attended Bible discussion. This was not included helpers Derek, Ann and my wife Lisa who cooked lunch. Bible discussion today was well participated by people, praise God. We also had a time of silence in remembrance of Celia.
After todays discussion I went to visit Carmen in the nursing home. One of the guys from the group also came along with Derek. Carmens cousin was there so we met and chatted with him as well inviting him to our Church and Thursdays group.
Please continue to pray from the group that God will transform lives and be in control of people's growth in Him.
Thanks
Michael

Monday 25th October

Today we had the funeral of Celia at CPC. I was fortunate enough to be able to have a friend Debbie as our pianist at such short notice. Thanks Debbie.
The funeral was reasonably well attended and all things went well in a funeral sense. Near the end of the service I invited people to share or pray. A number of people came forward and eventually I needed to intervene as , of course this cannot continue forever. We served coffee and biscuits in the Church hall and most stayed for this.
The family appreciated the service and I and others appreciated them having the service in Sydney as Celia has been taken back to Newcastle to be buried.
She was a dear sister and I shall miss her presence.
However I know that she is being looked after much better where she is now.
Thanks for your prayers
Michael

Thursday 20th October 2011

Today 10 people attended Bible discussion. This was not including helpers which were many. 4 wonderful ladies from Bobin Head Church provided a fantastic lunch which all people were amazed at. This also included desert, WOW!. Thank you ladies.
We had a brief study today and spent time praying for Celia's family and sharing about her. I took a photo of the group and the group signed cards for another lady who is still in hospital and a sympathy card for Celia's family.
Please continue to pray for the group and that God will work in them to continue to transform their lives.
Thanks Michael

Wednesday October 19th 2011

Today a dear friend and sister passed away in the early hours of the morning. She had been a consistent particpant in the Thursday Bible discussions before being taken ill.
Please pray for her grieveing family. She will be dearly missed.
She has now gone home to be with the Lord who has kept her faithful through many years and trials.
'Blessed be the name of the Lord'
Michael

Sunday 16th October

Hi all,
On Sunday I was called into hospital to see a woman who had been regularly coming to Thursday meetings until she began having heart problems. Since then she has been in and out of hospital last week she went to see her doctor for her heart and in the process of visiting the doctor broke her hip. Hence she went back into hospital but with her bad heart it looks like she is unlikely to recover from the operation. On Sunday her son called me in as they were turning off life support to her. All her family was there and obviously were upset I stayed there for some time and prayed for them and prayed with her. She is now on morphine only and receiving palliative care.
Please pray for her and especially her family as this could possibly be a prolonged process. She is a faithful woman that God has kept in his flock for many years. She has a good knowledge of the Bible and I and others will miss her greatly. She enjoyed Thursdays and the camps at our Church and was looking forward to return to another camp until illness took control.
God bless her and keep her. I think this week will be a tough week.
Please pray for her and her family
Thanks
Michael

Thursday 13th October

Hi all,

Thanks for your prayers

Thursday went well with Derek leading the study which gave me a much appreciated and needed breather. Attendance was good with 16 people attending. This did not include the helpers I had today which I was grateful for. Ann and another friend of mine from another church came to visit which was very encouraging to me. Thanks Debbie!

Two people could not stay for the study today. One of the two is regular and the other I have also known for a long time but does not come often on Thursday but says they will be back next week.

The person who can be a handful during discussion was reasonably co operative but if you could continue to pray for him each week that would be great.

I also a visited a lady who most of the Thursday group knows. She is in hospital. I visited her yesterday she is not doing very well. Another two ladies who regular came on Thursdays are both not well and are both still in hospital. One has a bad heart but has now also broken her hip. Please pray for the three of them.

Thanks again

Michael

Church Camp 2011

Hi all,

Thank you for your prayers for the weekend.

As expected two people pulled out from coming on the Friday we were to leave for the Church camp. However in hind site this was a blessing in disguise. As the weekend proved to be very full and tiring with the 5 people I did manage to get there.

Overall the weekend went reasonably well. However there were many tense moments and one bad situation did develop. As used to dealing with these problems as I am something will always develop which I had not thought of before , as was the case the past weekend.

God was gracious with the organising people of the camp being very understanding and helpful to the people whom I brought along.

God also provided people qat the camp like my wife , Derek and a few others to make the group feel welcome.

For me again it is a reminder that matching our actions to our belief is always hard. The challenge to love unconditionally and continuously is even harder.

The camp and weekend is over and whilst a lot of effort has transpired the task to continue to witness, encourage and teach people about Jesus continues.

Please continue to pray for the group on Thursdays and the people we meet with and interact with on Tuesday nights

Thanks Michael

Thursday 6th October

Hi all,

Thanks for your prayers.Today 10 people attended Bible discussion not including myself and helper Derrick.

The Bible discussion went reasonably smoothly with people participating.

Please pray for one guy who normally attends and can be disruptive to the group. He was not there today pray that God might work in him to help him to be not so disruptive and disagreeable. However this is part of the response the gospel brings. Please pray that I will have presence of mind and wisdom to deal with these situations.

Pray also for the Church camp which I am taking 6 people hopefully tomorrow to the camp.

My car broke down this afternoon and so I had to stay at Church for quite a while waiting for the NRMA. During that time I met a couple of other guys on the street one of whom was supposedly coming to the camp as well but now is no longer coming as I have found out. Please pray for him he needs a lot of prayer.

Please pray for this weekend as I endeavour to take people from the Thursday group to the camp and hopefully integrate them into a chinese upper middle class environment.

Thanks Michael