We took these photos last Sunday... isn't it exciting! The building is really taking shape now - it will be fabulous to have our own space again for our children's programmes, Awesome Kids and Musikool Kids. Can't wait!
Offices to the right, and the Awesome & Musikool Kids' rooms to the left, with hall in behind.
Last week our Awesome Kids helped in an improvised dramatic retelling of the 'David and Goliath' story. There was much hilarity... actors and props being sourced at a moment's notice from within the congregation. A walking stick was used as a shepherd's crook, a belt and a screwed up bulletin used as slingshot and stone; and Rev Neti assisted Ella to 'grow taller' for her starring role as Goliath. Well done everyone!
Rev Neti assisted actress Ella to 'grow taller' for her role as GOLIATH.
Richard starred as 'David' and other actors and actresses were called in to play the other roles in the story of 'David and Goliath'.
Musikool Kids has an end of term fancy dress day on Friday 3 July.
In the past we have had lots of wonderful themes including Flight, Space, Animals, Fairy-tale or Nursery Rhyme Characters, Pirates & Princesses... what theme shall we have this term?
Send in your ideas by clicking on comments below, or contact me by email, phone, or chat in person at Musikool Kids! If we get lots of ideas we might have a vote to decide!
(You don't need to be signed in or have a google account or profile to make a comment, just click on Name/URL and type in your name, leave the URL box blank.)
This morning we were lucky to have a visit from Rev Alan Webster.
Rev Webster brought in a large piece of timber and we all wondered what on earth he was going to do with it. In no time, the timber had turned into a bridge, and Dylan volunteered to walk across it.
But, before he could, a number of others were required to help. Some reliable assistants were needed at each end, to make sure the bridge didn't tip up; strong people were needed to make sure the bridge didn't wobble; tall people were needed either side to help Dylan balance; people with a sharp eye were needed to look out for nails and other hazards - all worked together to help Dylan get from one side to the other, safely.
It was a little bit like our church. We need all sorts of people to help our church keep moving and growing. Whether we are small, tall, old or young - we are each called to do our bit, and God uses each one of us in different ways. And God is with us every step, every stumble, every cartwheel of the way!
And we sang, "God has the whole world in His hands, from the itsy tiny babies, to the grandmas and the grandpas; from the elephants and the buffaloes, to the runners and the gymnasts."
Before the service, I recorded a number of our parishioners giving messages to our children. I then played the messages to the Awesome Kids (audio only, no visual) and they tried to work out who was speaking. They did really well and knew almost all of the voices.
This morning was all about listening.
Our service began with an invisible minister! We could hear Neti, but we couldn't see him. We wondered if due to the earlier than usual start of today's service perhaps Neti was still in his pyjamas and that was why he was hiding in the kitchen!
But seriously... we explored what it is to listen for God's voice and that God talks to us in many different ways... but are we listening?
We can "listen" to God by reading and listening to stories from the Bible;
God will "speak" to us through others (our minister, Awesome Leaders, family members, friends and our church family;
God will "speak" to us through the Holy Spirit... for some of us this is like a 'thought' popping into our head... or a feeling deep inside our heart. It could be a message from God, or it could be your own thought, or it might just be a good idea. It is up to us to work out what is from God.
Last night Marcia and Fred hosted a family fish'n'chip tea at their home. It was a fantastic opportunity for young and old to get together and have FUN! Among members from our parish family were three friends from the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Fred entertained (and educated) his young audience with stories of what he got up to when he was a kid. The boys were captivated by Fred's tales of tearing downhill on "bitzer" bikes (overtaking cars!) and making gunpowder!
Thank you Fred, Marcia and family, for a wonderful evening. We look forward to many more!
This report from last week's Awesome Time comes from Sue... thanks Sue!
WOW!!! We had a
great morning this morning!!! :-)
FBI - Top Secret
The case - Who did their
homework?
Agent in charge - Carol
Barron - who delegated Agent Philomena - complete with bullet-proof vest,
handcuffs, and gun - to oversee the mission in her absence.
The mission -
interrogate suspects (using force if necessary) and gather evidence to find out
who has done their homework!
Our Awesome Kids did a
fantastic job of locating all of our suspects - even when they tried to escape
out the door!!!
The homework? What
is God's spirit saying to you?
We found out from our
suspects that God had called ALL of them to do various jobs - some were called
into big jobs, like ministry, others had jobs involving their talents, like
music, while others were called to help others, spread love, and be the best
kinds of people they could be. The Awesome Kids, when asked to sum up
what they had found out, said the one thing they all had in common was that
they were called by God - our suspects knew it was God because it felt right in
their hearts.
Then we watched a short
video clip about Hannah Taylor. When she was 5 she saw a homeless person
in the street. This worried her. When she was 6 she decided she had
to do something about it, and started trying to raise money to help the
homeless. When she was 8, the ladybug foundation was started, which
raises money to help charities that are helping the homeless - $30,000 had
already been raised! Now, Hannah is 19, and the foundation has raised
over $3,000,000!
Upstairs, we made some
ladybug jars. Hannah used hers to raise money. We talked about what
we could use ours for.. One of the suggestions was to use it as a lolly
jar - and for each lolly we ate, we could give one away. We also talked
about what we could do to help God - maybe we could sit with someone who is alone
at school, or invite someone over to play a game with us, or maybe we can just
share a smile with someone who looks sad.
Thanks Monica, for this update on the progress of the build.
Our new church is looking great! You can see the worship space, foyer and lounge rooms (which will be used for Awesome Kids and Musikool Kids) taking shape. Exciting!
This morning we talked about waiting, and about waiting to be chosen. Most of us have had times when we were waiting and hoping to be chosen for special things or important jobs... like class leader, road patroller, teacher's helper, speaker in assembly, or for a part in a play.
After careful consideration and a bit of waiting... Jillian chose some people to help her with this morning's drama. Richard was a young Chinese boy, Ping and I was the Emperor. Others were chosen to play the 'young people'. The story of Ping and the Empty Pot (Jillian's version) showed a different way of how someone was chosen for a special job.
In the bible story today we learnt that Jesus uses average, ordinary, un-famous disciples (like us) to do important work... such as spreading the Love of God in the world.
We painted pots and planted in them a mystery bulb... we shall have to wait to see what grows!
On Mothers' Day our Awesome Kids made cards and bead necklaces and bracelets, which they presented to their mums in church.
In this
week’s story from the bible, Jesus calls his followers his friends. There are
no grades of friendship, no rules, everyone is in. It’s that simple. That is the message; the
community of faith is a shelter and a home for everyone, no questions asked.
Jesus wants
us to live in his love and share God’s love and friendship with other people.
In the bible
stories there is lots of ‘inviting’. What are the ways people invite others? Perhaps
a fancy invitation to a wedding, or a birthday party might appear in your
letterbox.
What about
other ways? A phone call to come and play with me? A verbal invitation to come
and sit with me? Would you like to dance with me?
What is
similar about all invitations is that they reach out to a person to be sure
they are included.
To be a
good inviter you need to pay attention to people who need to be included and to
people you want to include.
Being a
good inviter is one way we love others as Jesus asked us to.
Jesus’s
friends remembered Jesus talking about what it meant to be a true friend. Jesus
knew that when people are true friends who love and care for each other they
are connected in a special way. When we share God’s love we help to create a
huge web of friendship that includes Jesus, his friends and followers, and each
of us.
We also heard one of my favourite stories from the wonderful Joy Cowley, The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate. This is a modern-day parable about friendship, accepting people and caring for one another.
It is a fun, feel-good story and the illustrations in this book are just beautiful.
So, the next time you are looking for someone to sit next to or play with at school, just remember to be a good 'inviter' and you can find surprising friends in unexpected places. Be like Jesus and pay attention to people who need to be included.
What does
the Bible, Pharrell Williams and joy germs have in common?
Does anyone
know?
Carol had this to share last Sunday, during Awesome Time.
Who knows who
Pharrell Williams is?
His song
“Happy” is a great hit and there are lots of different videos on YouTube and
here is one that I particularly like…
It was made
in Ethiopia and this week’s story in the Bible is about a happy Ethiopian. This is how it goes…
Philip was
one of Jesus’ followers and one day he felt that God was asking him to start
walking down the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.
So he set out- not sure why he
was going.
Philip
noticed a cloud of dust coming down the road and saw it was a horse pulling a
chariot. In the chariot was the driver
and a person wearing fine clothes who was obviously an important person. This person was reading a scroll as he was
riding along.
Philip
watched the chariot get closer and closer and somehow he knew that this man was
the reason that God had told him to go to this place. Philip began running along beside the chariot
and called out to the man, “Hello friend!”
The chariot stopped and Philip introduced himself.
The man
explained that he was an official from the court of the Queen of Ethiopia. Philip knew that Ethiopia was very far away
and wondered why this important man had come all the way to Jerusalem.
The man explained
to Philip that he had gone to Jerusalem to worship. He said he was reading the works of the
prophet of Isaiah and said that he didn’t really understand them. So Philip climbed up on the chariot and for
the next few hours they talked together.
Philip told the Ethiopian man about how God’s love was shown in a
special way when Jesus taught and healed and cared for people.
The
Ethiopian was very interested in the news about Jesus and God’s love. “I want to be a follower of Jesus too,” he
said. He told the driver to stop and
they were beside a river. He asked
Philip, “What’s to stop me from being baptised right now?” So they went down to the river and Philip
baptised the Ethiopian man. When the man
came out of the water he felt the love of God inside him and all around
him.
Then the
Ethiopian man was in a hurry to get back to Ethiopia – his home country. He wanted to tell his friends and family
about the good news of God’s love in Jesus.
This
Ethiopian was really happy and began spreading the joy of God’s love to the
people in Ethiopia – and Philip went on to another place called Caesarea and so
the message of God’s love for everyone was spreading many new places.
So there is
the link – the Ethiopian was so happy he was being a joy germ and spreading the
good news of God’s love to Ethiopia and Philip was being a joy germ and
spreading the good news of God’s love to Caesarea.
Thanks to Sue for this week's Awesome Kids' update:
Who doesn’t love to be loved? It makes me feel very happy and special
to know that someone loves me. God’s love is extra special – he loved me
before I was even born! And regardless of what I do or say – NOTHING I
could do could ever stop God from loving me. So now I really need to
share what I know about God, so that everyone else can know that very special
love for themselves.
On Sunday, our Awesome Kids made JOY GERMS. These special little critters were created to spread joy. They had a message attached: 'God Loves You'.
The poppy reminds us of sacrifices made – both past and present. Poppies were the first flowers that grew in the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium during World War One and are a symbol of remembrance and hope.
Our Awesome Kids made felt poppies to wear and enjoyed some scrumptious Anzac biscuits.
Check out Hamish's amazing creation!
All experts at sewing on buttons now!
Mmmmm... Anzac biscuits with a difference - chocolate! Thanks Aunty Bee!
This Sunday we will be celebrating Earth Day. Join our Awesome Kids for some fun discussion and activities on conservation and looking after our amazing planet!
This morning our Awesome Kids made paper cranes. The origami crane has become an international symbol of PEACE. Some of our children made doves - which are also a peace symbol.
In our story from the Bible today, Jesus made a surprise visit to his friends and said, "Peace be with you."
On Easter Sunday we transformed some plain, ordinary hats into unbelievably fabulous creations. Milliners in the making, all of us!
This was followed by an Easter Egg Hunt in the garden outside.
Do you like surprises? I do! On Easter Sunday we had quite a few surprises. I will post some photos in the next day or so, of some surprising hats which went through quite amazing transformations, but in the meantime read about one of our surprises in church:
First, I scoured the congregation for someone dressed in their Easter best (it was Mr Mardon), and brought him up the front. He looked very dapper in his black and charcoal striped shirt, and shiny grey tie.
I had the congregation shut their eyes (except for the children) and something rather unbelievable happened. When the adults opened their eyes, the eye-witnesses (the Awesome Kids) tried to convince the adults that I had cut Mr Mardon's tie in half. Of course, they wouldn't believe that - as if I would do such a thing! It sounded ridiculous! Outrageous! UNBELIEVABLE!
We shared the Easter story from the bible. God is proven the most powerful being in the universe.
On Friday the bad
guys thought they had won. They had killed Jesus and sealed his dead body
in a guarded tomb. On Easter Sunday, Jesus totally surprised them and blasted
out of that tomb proving that God and God’s ways are the most powerful power in
the universe. It is the ultimate good guys beat the guys story. It
might sound pretty unbelievable, but WE know the truth.
And the tie?
Now, back to Mr Mardon. Had I cut his tie in half? It sounds pretty unbelievable, really. And yet... when Mr Mardon turned around, the truth was revealed...
Blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet believe.
Musikool Kids has an end of term fancy dress day on Friday 3 July.
This morning we talked about waiting, and about waiting to be chosen. Most of us have had times when we were waiting and hoping to be chosen for special things or important jobs... like class leader, road patroller, teacher's helper, speaker in assembly, or for a part in a play.
After careful consideration and a bit of waiting... Jillian chose some people to help her with this morning's drama. Richard was a young Chinese boy, Ping and I was the Emperor. Others were chosen to play the 'young people'. The story of Ping and the Empty Pot (Jillian's version) showed a different way of how someone was chosen for a special job.
