Blackwood Church Of Christ

Blackwood Church of Christ are offering an opportunity for a guided spiritual retreat led by Churches of Christ spiritual director Keith Ridge. This retreat will be from March 12th-14th at a beach house retreat run by the Christian Brothers at Middleton.

If you can find the time for a full 2 days retreat then we highly recommend you book in. However if you are a busy person or prefer to sleep at home we have organized day visit options. Come just for Saturday or just for the day sessions. Accomodation is limited to 7 people and the retreat is only open to a maximum of 12. So get in quick if you want to come along. Further details available and booking form at the link below. Download the form and send it in. Forms required to be in by March 5th

Spiritual retreat

This Sunday we are privileged to be visited by Jon Owen and 3 young Aboriginal dancers from Mt. Druitt, Sydney.

Jon Owen works with Urban Neighbours Of Hope, along with his wife Lisa and their children, in Mt.Druitt, Sydney. Jon and Lisa have been with UNOH for more than 10 years sharing their home with their neighbours. They moved from Melbourne in 2007 to begin the UNOH chapter in Sydney.

UNOH are a Christian organization endorsed by Churches of Christ as part of our extended mission focus. UNOH are committed to neighbourhood transformation through sharing their lives with their neighbours in some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Australia and Bangkok.

Jon will be speaking this Sunday at our 10am service and Jar Jum will share with us traditional dance. Come and learn something of our Australian heritage this Australia Day weekend and understand the depths of Australian culture and traditions. We will take up an offering to support their work.

For those who are interested in how they can financially support the recvery effort after the Haiti earthquake, you can offer your support through the Churches Of Christ Overseas Aid appeal. This is organized by our Churches of Christ mission partnership Global Mission Partners (GMP).

Please go to the GMP website to read the full story and find out how you can help.

It was sad to see that just a few days after the tragedy our major newspapers had shoved this story to a half page on page 20. When 9/11 happened it made front page for 2 weeks. Let’s show the people of Haiti, the poorest nation on earth that they will not be forgotten.

Shalom
Mark Riessen, Minister

Letter to church leaders
5th January 2010

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.
(Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
(Matthew 5:9)

To all church leaders

During the last meeting of the National Council of Churches in Australia (of which Churches of Christ are members), a concern was expressed by a representative of the Mar Thoma Church regarding the recent attacks against Indian nationals in Australia - particularly in the larger metropolitan regions. The NCCA wrote to its church members in December, urging us to bring this matter “to the attention of the appropriate leaders in your church who are in a position to support the students and communities who might be affected by mistreatment”. It is to this purpose, and in the wake of further violence, that I write to you now.

Can I urge you to do what you can in your local settings to show compassion to Indian nationals (and any other groups who may feel threatened)? As local church leaders, you will know what this will best look like for your church community:

* It may include something as simple as a shared meal.
* It may include lobbying local, State or Federal government representatives to enact measures that increase the safety of your local community.
* It may include arranging a service (on Sunday, or midweek) that focuses on the role of the church in society as peacemakers, and inviting representatives of the Indian community in your area to attend, or
* It may include meeting and listening to representatives of the Indian community, and offering ongoing opportunities to listen and counsel.

We all know that fear is a difficult emotion to quell. Those who feel it need our compassion. They need our reassurance. Fear can lead to irrational thoughts and actions that can inflame the sense of persecution, whether it exists or not. The above verses would be good ones for us to dwell on – they remind us of the church’s role of compassion and it’s role as a peacemaker. Compassion was a key aspect of Jesus’ character and one – if we are to truly be Churches of Christ –we would do well to model.

Let us not underestimate our ability to bring peace of mind to those who may be living in fear and anxiety.

I pray every blessing on your endeavours.

In Him

Craig Brown
Federal Coordinator of Churches of Christ in Australia

We’ve had such an amazing time through December at each of our worship services with great music and lots of participation from our young people. This Sunday we meet at 10am for our final Sunday service before Christmas so why not come and join us?

Then we will have the following services during the week:

Christmas Eve 11:30pm
This is a half hour reflective service for the whole family with candle lighting and a couple of quiet songs to see in Christmas Day together.

Christmas Day 9am
A 30-40 minutes celebration family oriented service with a brief message and lots of Christmas singing.

Our final service for the year will be 2 days following Christmas on Sunday 27th at 10am.

Hope to see you over the coming week

Have a great Christmas!