by Colleen Fuller - Children's Director

Our 19 wonderful Junior Leaders serve faithfully in Kids Ministry. I’m passionate about supporting them, but it can be difficult to get to know each one in such a large group. What better way to connect than by going on camp together?

We spent a night camping at the amazing ‘Circles in the Forest’ in Childers. I was deeply encouraged by the commitment shown by the Junior Leaders and their families, with only two unable to attend. For some, it was their first camping experience.

Ray and Miriam came and cooked delicious BBQ’d traditional South African Boerewors rolls for dinner on Friday night, while Russ and I helped the kids put up tents in the dark. A six-man tent with no instructions is a little harder than you would think.

We enjoyed s’mores around the campfire and hot chocolate the next morning after a freezing night. I had warned the teenagers how cold it would be, but apparently weather advice from adults is optional—I’m guessing they’ll pack a few extra blankets next year!

Mark and Kathy Payne joined Russ and me as we ‘braved’ the camp. I was especially grateful when Mark offered to be our speaker and teacher. Guiding teenagers as they grow in faith and become responsible leaders can feel daunting, so Mark and Kathy’s support, maturity and wisdom were a great encouragement.

Mark led a full-day workshop that challenged the Junior Leaders to step outside their comfort zones. Working in small groups, they practised teaching Bible stories and applying them in children’s ministry.

One of the most meaningful moments was watching the Junior Leaders encourage one another.

My main takeaway was that the camp was simply too short. The Junior Leaders agreed that we should do this more often. It was wonderful to see genuine friendships forming, but even more rewarding to watch them grow spiritually.

King David was very old. He was so old that he didn’t even have the ability to keep himself warm.

In his old age, there was a scramble for his leadership. Who would be the next king?

In the first chapter of 1 Kings, it describes David’s decision to install his son Solomon to the throne. It was an important decision for the future of the nation. What moves me about this story is how much David still knows and trusts God. After a lifetime of leadership, he still credits God with the decision to anoint Solomon. Even though David made the decision, he credits God for it. And he worships him, even while he lay in weakness on his bed.

The ability to praise God like this when facing the end of life and surrounded by political tension, demonstrates a love and trust for God that cannot be faked. The simple fact of the story is that David clearly walked with God all his life. I trust it is our intention to do the same.

Brett

Proverbs 3:5 & 6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

I think I’m getting the hang of this.... kind of. It shouldn’t be that complex, and no one wants a long meeting, but there does seem to be a bit to cover. I’m commencing another agenda for an upcoming meeting. Thinking through all that needs to be included, making sure we tick the boxes for good governance.

I don’t mind it really. Some of us like structure. Some don’t. That’s what’s so good about being a body. Every member has a part to play. And the members of this body at HBBC, with all the gifts and talents that God has given us, are being led by an amazing group of gifted and Godly elders.

They’re meeting again tonight. A combined elders meeting. No written agenda needed for this meeting... from me anyway. This is a time for prayer, for discussion, for leaning in and listening. Yes, they will be making some decisions. Deciding to seek God’s will for HBBC.

Will you pray for them? Lifting them up to God and asking that He will give them wisdom and unity. That they will know the Holy Spirit’s leading and voice. Setting their own agendas aside and asking God to show them His.

Your Kingdom come! Your will be done Lord!

Together, in Him
Nicole

By Steve Meharg, QB Director of Local Mission

The Stats are in! God is doing a new thing.

Recently I was able to hear the latest statistics from Ruth Powell who works at the National Church Life Survey group. This group has carefully gathered all the latest information from all churches in Australia. As a person focused on church planting, I was eager to hear how things are progressing and what other denominations are doing in this space. Well, the results are in and it seems like God is moving powerfully in the space of Church planting.

In the last five years, the volume of church plants across all denominations has doubled! Since 2021 over 230 churches have been planted. Perhaps the most exciting statistic is that these church plants are growing and the majority of the growth is new Christians (62%). Church plants are recording an average of 16.1 new attendees per year and 9.9 of those are first-time commitments. We have known for a long time that one of the most effective ways to reach the unreached is through church planting and these statistics bear that out.

The most effective church plants (at reaching the unreached) have three aspects that seem to bring health. Firstly, they have a clear discipleship pathway from new Christian to volunteer leader.  Secondly, they are reaching young adults and have a focus on young people. Thirdly, the churches that run Alpha are seeing 40% more new Christians than those that don’t. Although overall church attendance has flatlined in the last decade, church planting seems to have a correlation with growth.

The Baptist denomination has moved from 4th largest to 3rd largest since 2001, and the ACC has moved from 5th, to second. The ACC have planted 22.4% (247) of new churches since 2011 and the Baptists account for 19.4% (218). Seventh day Adventists 126, then Anglican 120, then it drops by over half from there. Obviously, we are not in a race against other denominations, but this simply shows that denominations that plant churches are growing and denominations that don’t, are not.

I think the most exciting stat of this whole report is the escalation we are seeing in church planting. From 2019 to 2025 the number of new churches is growing. Clearly, God is inspiring this church planting movement across all churches.

As part of Vision 33 we believe God has called us to plant and revitalise 100 new churches. We are seeing new churches being planted already and there are several in the pipeline for 2027. The size of your church is not relevant in this discussion, we are seeing churches planted from small, medium and large churches. Next year we will be starting the first of our church planting learning communities. These learning communities will be useful for a church getting ready to plant or a church that is planting or has just planted! They will create a structure that will enable your team to hear about best practise and strategize next steps over a two-year period. The journey will be taken with other groups who are on a similar journey but at all different stages, which will facilitate peer learning and sharing wisdom.

I believe that God is calling us to respond to the needs of Queensland. Our State is growing rapidly and there is new openness to the Gospel, especially in the younger generations. Please contact me for more information and we can discuss your next steps.

When I was a young man, Baptist churches across Queensland would conclude their services with singing a benediction which came from the book of Jude. When you dwell on the words of this benediction, it is a wonderful affirmation that would send church people out into the world with the hope of God in their hearts. There are some beautiful truths here.

…Able to keep you from falling … God is with you. He is always with you. And because of that, he will guide, protect, and supply all our needs. As we trust him, he keeps us walking.

…Present you without fault … The saving work of God means that we can approach him with a clear conscience. We do not have to fear judgement and because of that we do not have to fear death. Death is no longer a great unknown, but rather a transition into glory.

…Glory to God … A reminder that God is sovereign over all the universe. Nothing is above him. He is over all things.

I am not advocating that we go back in time to sing this benediction in our services. But wouldn’t it be great if each of us had something like this to affirm every day. Perhaps as we prepared for the day ahead each morning.  Maybe as we finished the day, we could reflect on wonderful truths such as this.

Does your family have a spiritual motto?

Do you have a spiritual benediction?

I encourage you to think about it.

Brett

Conventional wisdom has often said that a person will apply themselves more to a task when they have a clear goal in mind.

This is true in a lot of areas of life.

A student will study more diligently when they are aiming for a certain career path. A family budget will be followed better when there is a clear savings goal. An athlete will train harder when they have their eyes on winning a certain competition.

Our future goals strengthen our present performance.

I think this is what Peter is talking about in these verses. His words give us a picture of the future reality, and at the same time a vision of our own future salvation. Knowing that everything around us is temporary, gives us the incentive to live life with eternity in mind.

It is not that the things in our life are unimportant, nor that we should be so heavenly minded that we become of little earthly use. What Peter is saying is that living for God in our life becomes easier when we keep heaven in mind as our main goal.

Think of what it means to prepare for heaven. Jesus talked about this in his sermon on the mount. Look forward to heaven and live your lives in preparation for that.

Brett

By Nicole Wilson

Yesterday marked Joanne Lambden’s last day in her role as Ministry Facilitator at HBBC, and the launch of her ‘retirement’.

From a career in Senior Management at FCRC, followed by her own Consulting Business, Jo joined the staff at HBBC in February 2015. With the rise of operational complexities, Jo’s position brought together a number of roles, previously carried out by both paid staff and volunteers, to release the Pastors of administrative compliance, and give an overall support to HBBC’s Board of Governance.

Initial years brought together systems, policies and procedures, IT upgrades, structures to WHS, Child Safety, development of a 10-year capital expenditure plan and much more.
The HR aspect of the position over that time saw around 47 recruitments of employees for both long & short term positions in many ministries, along with giving support to volunteer ministry leaders and volunteer management.

As Ministry Facilitator, Jo also managed a number of events held at the church such as Garage Sales, Volunteer celebrations, Equip Training Day (Mar ‘19), Centenary Celebrations, Kindness Works Fundraisers (Dinner & Smashing Bumpkins), along with a community wide campaign where we closed our Sunday morning service to serve the city in ‘We For You’ (Jun ’19).

Jo actioned the commencement of COACH mentoring in Hervey Bay, followed by establishing our not-for-profit, Kindness Works, gaining DGR status, giving opportunities for us to both serve those struggling in our community, whilst providing an avenue to assist in raising funds to sustain these outreaches.

With some major property assignments, the roof replacement of our building (2019) and the new fire hydrant system over the last few years, Jo also arranged the refurbishment and endorsement of our church kitchen to commercial status, the planting of shade trees in the carpark and upgrades to the children’s playground. We also contracted Jo’s services out to Bayside Christian College when they were looking to establish a campus on our property.

2020 saw a constant watching of rulings for churches around COVID, along with a lot of cleaning regimes to be produced and carried out. Also, the establishment of a Combined Community Hotline for people to call if they needed someone to talk to during that time.

These few highlights were also carried out while Jo consistently organised agendas and minutes at both Board level (over 100 meetings), membership meetings and AGMs, continued to work through the daily operational obligations to keep us continuing to be a safe space for everyone to meet, have fellowship and grow in the Lord.

Not only has Jo carried out her position as an employee with wisdom, love and humility, her personal life reflects her passion to see people discipled in Christ as she personally disciples many and continues to serve voluntarily on the Kindness Works Board, and regularly at the Lounge.

Jo, we greatly appreciate the sacrifices you have made in serving HBBC over the years. We know that you are ultimately serving the God you love, to which we give Him all the glory.
We pray this next season of your life will bring even greater fruit as you continue to ‘remain in Him’, walking in obedience to His call on your life.

Proverbs 3: 5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

For more than 25 years, Julie Terry has been teaching and coordinating the Christian Religious Instruction (CRI) Program in our local State Primary Schools. Julie has a deep passion for helping children discover the teachings of the Bible and God’s plan and purpose for their lives.
A few facts about our local CRI program
The aim of Christian Religious Instruction in Queensland is to inform students about the basic beliefs of the Christian faith from a non-denominational perspective, using an approved curriculum.

• Under Queensland Government legislation dating back to 1910, religious instruction can be offered to students in Years 1–6 in Queensland State Schools for up to one hour per week.
• Parents must provide written consent for their children to participate.
• Two peak bodies support the implementation of CRI across Queensland – the Alliance for Christian Religious Education (ACRE) and the Queensland Christian Religious Instruction Network (QCRIN).
• Local CRI programs operate through cooperative arrangements involving local churches and Hervey Bay Christian Ministers’ Associations (HBCMA). Instructors from different denominations work together under the same guidelines and use the same curriculum.

CRI in Hervey Bay in 2026
This year, our local CRI program has operated in five primary schools, reaching more than 950 children from Years 1–6.

These children receive a 30-minute CRI lesson each week across 41 different classes, taught by a dedicated team of 15 volunteer instructors and assistants from seven different churches in Hervey Bay.

That is more children than attend our combined churches children's programs!

Unfortunately, more than 250 students at Yarrilee State School who have RI consent have not received lessons since 2021, due to a shortage of volunteer instructors.

Moving Forward
Under the guidance of Pastor Brett Wilson, the HBCMA has been exploring ways to strengthen and grow this vital ministry and move towards a new era of CRI oversight and delivery.

A CRI Committee has been established to oversee the process of moving towards a paid CRI model, where a Coordinator and key instructors would receive some remuneration. This model aims to provide greater consistency in the delivery of RI lessons, ensure fuller coverage of CRI classes and reduce the pressure on our existing volunteer team.

After 25 years as CRI Coordinator, Julie plans to step down in the near future. With this in mind, the Ministers Association is currently training a new recruit who is expected to take over the Coordinator’s role in early 2027.

You Can Make a Difference
Each of us can play a part in supporting and growing this important ministry to the children of our city.

EncourageGoPrayGive
Julie encourages us to see CRI in our local schools as an extension of the Church’s ministry to the children of our city.
What a privilege it is for our churches to send people into our schools to share the good news of Jesus with the next generation.

Julie Terry
CRI Coordinator – Hervey Bay Christian Ministers Association
2026

The veil has been torn! The victory has been won! Making the way for us to be able to stand in the very presence of God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, accomplish all things through Christ!

What a blessing to be able to worship together, encourage one another, grow in life together…and pray together!!

God is moving in the hearts of men, women, young and old, even in our little (or not so little) community of Hervey Bay, as people draw near to Him.

He has called us to the place, at this time, to continue to be His witnesses, shining the light into our community.

As His church at HBBC, may we continue to be led by God each day, through our work, our school, our social connections and our church ministries, to keep Christ number one in our lives drawing on the Holy Spirit for His leading and power to see many people come to know Christ.

To this end, we would love you to join in prayer with us over a few of the happenings within the church at this time?

PRAISE

• Above all, for the sacrifice and redemption we have through Christ!!
• For the growing engagement of people within our church evangelising and discipling others in our community.
• For the sustaining of church ministries, only made possible by the many, many volunteers from our church family.
• For the giftings of our Pastors and Eldership in leading our church.
• For the vision and direction to plant a church in the Eastern suburbs of Hervey Bay
• For the completion of the fire hydrant system, without having to borrow any funding
• For the sustaining work of Kindness Works through EFC and COACH, reaching the vulnerable within Hervey Bay.
• For the beautiful property God has given us to be able to gather and worship together.

REQUESTS

• May we continue to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, in all things!
• For continued growth in our unity of mission, to multiply disciples of Jesus Christ that love God and serve others.
• For the process of appointing a Youth and Young Adult Pastor.
• For a blessing over all those who serve within our church ministries, including Kindness Works.
• For the nomination process and upcoming elections of our Elders.
• That God will raise up a team for the Church plant.
• That we will see God’s financial provision for the increased costs in maintaining (and improvements of) our property, enabling us to continue to be a place where people can discover the God who loves them.

Thank you for committing yourselves to being a part of the body of Christ here at HBBC, and joining us in prayer.

Nicole Wilson (Office Manager)

Which is more powerful, love or fear?

I would argue that true love usually will overcome fear. When love is our motive, it is very hard to oppose it. This is the whole concept behind Christian virtue. We live righteously because we love the One who has given us this righteousness.

In other words, you really cannot dictate true goodness. If I do kind deeds, refrain from bad things, and serve sacrificially all because I am afraid of being judged, missing out, or going to hell, then those actions will always be the bare minimum of my effort.

But if we do kind deeds, refrain from bad things, and serve sacrificially out of true love and devotion, then not only are those acts more powerful, but they will be full of joy as well.
Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey Him. This is not an ultimatum. It is not a threat. It is not a condition that He puts on accepting you. He is simply stating how love is seen in action.

This teaching is confirmed throughout the New Testament. As we express our love for God through our life, our heart for Him grows. This develops into a life that obeys Jesus as the most natural thing.

Brett

This week is our Global Week of Prayer. Our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world are praying as the Lord leads them.

Mark Payne has been leading people on a prayer walk from one side of Hervey Bay to the other, this week along the Esplanade. We are now down to Urangan in our prayer walk. Praying over the city and it's people as the Lord leads.

We hear frequently that prayer has power, but do we truly believe it? I think each of us can, at times, underestimate the power of prayer in our lives. I have heard it said to me once “If your prayers are not bigger than what you can accomplish, how will God get the glory?” This challenged me to think bigger than myself and to pray bolder prayers.

The prayer walk also encourages us to pray outside of our own lives and into the lives of others. There is something very special in interceding on behalf of other people, ministries and churches. There is nothing wrong with praying for ourselves, but the Lord doesn’t want us to stop there. He wants us to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ and for those who don’t yet believe in Him. Paul (Romans 9:1-4) expresses his deep desire for men and women to know Christ like him. He had a heart for the lost and prayed for them earnestly. Do we pray earnestly for those that don’t know Christ yet? Do we pray bold prayers of life transformation in their lives? I know this is a challenge to myself as well as all who read this devotion.

Will you join us this week wherever you are in praying for those around you to know the Lord and everything else God may lead in you?

James

The Bible has a lot to say about the value of godly fathers. Dads play a crucial role within their families and within community. The Bible instructs them to take responsibility for their wives and their children. This is a spiritual calling but also a spiritual blessing. When King David was organising the operation of the tabernacle, he set up ministry teams within family groups. This gave the fathers of these families key roles and responsibilities.

The men of our culture have received a bit of a battering of late. But God has a very different view of how important they are. We need to first be thankful for our own dads. Even though no dad is perfect, they took care of us. We need to pray for dads. They carry enormous responsibility spiritually. And we should seek to build up young men well who will one day be dads. Let us hold this vision of good dads closely to our hearts as we celebrate this Father’s Day.

Brett

We are consistently seeing God’s work in our midst, hearing the Good News stories of lives being transformed not only in our midst, but in His church at large. Last Sunday’s member’s meeting strengthened our hearts again confirming that God continues to call us and empower us to work with Him on mission. This is exciting.

Church Plant

The primary focus of the meeting was to consider a church plant. We were encouraged hearing from Steve Meharg, (QB Director of Local Mission) on other church plants throughout Queensland, the focus on reaching out in mission, and the amount of people seeking God in these church plants. Discussion continued in groups, with a large majority voting for us to take the next steps to see a church plant commence in Urangan next year.

We will be looking to start a Sunday afternoon outreach to children, followed by a service. We will be continuing a consultation with the Salvation Army to use their facilities for this and will seek to raise up a pastor from within our church, along with 30 – 40 others to commence the church. Please join us in praying that we will know God’s will each step of the way in this set up phase.

Youth & Young Adult Pastor

An application for this position has been received from Andrew (Andy) Wilson. Being a nephew to Brett, James has taken on the role as the chair of the call-committee. James shared the process so far from interview to reference checks, now leading to the next stage of the process of inviting Andy and his family for a weekend.

Andy and his family will join us on the weekend of the 11th – 13th of September, to meet the elders, Youth and YA leaders and preach at our morning service. Again, please join us in praying for that God will lead us as we consider if Andy is the right person to fill this position.

Elder Nominations

Nominations are now open for 4 eldership positions which will become vacant at our Annual Meeting in November. After prayerful consideration, members can collect a nomination form from the church office or Connection Point desk and, once signed by the person being nominated and two nominees, all being church members, please return in a confidential envelope addressed the selection committee.

Introducing HBBC’s New Creche Coordinator,  Lucinda Mehlert. 

Hi, I’m Lucinda. I’m a wife to Andrew, a mum of two young children, and your new Creche Coordinator.

Although we’re a relatively new family here, I’ve spent plenty of time in the creche and at playgroups, and I chose to take on this role because I genuinely care about the wellbeing of new parents and their children.

This is especially close to my heart because, four years ago, I lost my mum to terminal cancer when I was just four months postpartum. That season taught me how much the right support and genuine connection can mean to a young family, and it’s something I hope to help create for others.

To all the parents, I hope to meet you and your beautiful children soon. If you’re returning to the service, I’m very happy to work with you to gradually help your child feel comfortable staying with our wonderful volunteers.

And finally, if you’d like to give the gift of a little break to some sleep-deprived parents, or if you simply enjoy looking after little ones as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you.
Email Lucinda

Lucinda

Jesus takes the word ‘ransom’ from the military context of prisoner exchange.

In war, one army could release the prisoners in exchange for their own soldiers being returned. This is what Jesus’ sacrifice was able to do. Spiritually speaking we were all captives. We were held prisoner by our own sin, by our own desires, by the law, by Satan, by the world. God pays a price, the death of His own Son, to release us from this captivity.

Because of what Jesus has done, we can be released from bondage to worship God freely with a clear conscience.

The purpose of Jesus coming was not just to teach morals or to set a good example. He came to save. We will never be able to truly understand Jesus as teacher until we understand Him as Saviour.

It is by His ransom that we have access to God. It is by His work that we are saved. It is by His resurrection that we can have the hope of salvation. This is a most beautiful gift. We worship, we serve, we follow because Jesus has made a way for us to do that.

May we truly know this gospel.

Brett

It is human nature to call on God only when things are beyond our control. When our need is great and we lack the resources to fix the problem, we instinctively cry out to God who has supernatural resources to help us in our time of need. But if we are comfortable. If we have all we need. If everything is under control, we tend not to reach out to God as much. Think for example how different your prayer time is when you are in a stressful season of work compared with relaxing on holidays.

When it comes to the gospel, many will not see the need for salvation because they do not understand their spiritual condition. If the gospel offers salvation from sin and you do not think you are a sinner then the gospel has little attraction. If the gospel offers salvation from judgement but you feel you are a good person and will not be judged, then the gospel has no purpose, or in some cases can even sound offensive.

The simple truth is that the natural destiny for all humans is horrific. It is eternal separation from God for everyone tainted with sin. It is only in this context that the gospel of Jesus Christ makes sense. The need is indeed great whether we feel it or not. That is why Jesus died.

Brett

What does it mean to be a member of HBBC?
Membership at HBBC is an opportunity to contribute to the future growth of our church and have your voice included in meaningful discussions that shape the way we make decisions.

Holding membership doesn’t mean your salvation is ‘more acceptable’, nor does it mean that you renounce past involvements in other Christian churches, but rather that you agree with our Core Doctrines, and wish to intentionally play an active role in the governance of our church.

What’s involved?
Members play an important role in the life of our church and it is something that should be taken seriously.  Our members have the responsibilities of setting an example by caring for others, giving financially to support our church and its ministries, and serving where they can according to their gifting and ability.

Members will also be invited to attend members meetings held throughout the year and they will have the opportunity to vote on important decisions such as budgets, pastoral calls, and special projects as they arise.

How do I become a member?
We encourage those new to our church to attend at least 6 months before applying to ensure plenty of time to settle into our church family.
 
People interested in membership will need to submit an application and walk through our Membership Journey with a representative of our church leadership team.
 
The Membership Journey may involve up to three sessions covering the purpose of membership within the Baptist Church model, expectations of membership, and what church governance means.  This is also a great opportunity for applicants to ask questions, get to know us better as a Church, and for us to get to know you.

Once applicants have completed this process, a recommendation is taken to the Elders for approval of the application.  From there, the names of applicants are published for two weeks in Refresh, giving existing members an opportunity to raise any relevant concerns before the appointment of new members.
 
Once the two-week notification period has been completed, we will contact the applicant to inform them of the outcome of their membership application and to organise a suitable time to publicly welcome them into membership.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please complete our application form.

This week our nation counted its people in the national census. Numbers tell us a lot of things. Governments make decisions based on numbers. But even with God, there are important numbers, seven days, twelve tribes, twelve apostles. Numbers are often symbols of meaning.

When it comes to those who belong to the kingdom of God, we often think of numbers. How many people in the world are Christians? How many people attend church? How many newcomers did we have this year? And so on.

Then we read this verse, “a great multitude that no one could count.” I find it interesting that a God who often speaks through numbers, now indicates a crowd of people so vast that no one could count them. It turns out that the identity of this crowd are all the people who lost their lives in the great tribulation. Think on that for a minute. Martyrs form only a small percentage of the Christian movement, but even that small percentage is too big to count. That means that when all things come to an end there will be a lot of people in the kingdom.

We should not despair of the evil in the world, nor get discouraged when it feels like we are the minority. Christ will build his church, and the number of those who end up in His kingdom is vast. You are part of that vast group. Be encouraged.

Brett

Reflections from the Christmas in July Morning Tea

From Heather:
It’s hard in a big church to meet and form friendships. I felt lead by the Holy Spirit to get more over 60s together. I was so happy when our Bible study group wanted to get Young at Heart started. Friday's Young at Heart get together, really helped people to feel a part of God's family. I think it could go longer than 2 hours as it felt too quick. Maybe 2 1/2 or 3 hrs. I have had so many people thanking our Life Group and saying how much they enjoyed it.

From Terry:
To me it was crystal clear, THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS LEADING THE MORNING. THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT.

From Dave:
Iris is a lovely nonagenerian who sat at our table at Young @ Heart. She gave Bri a big hug on Sunday and told us she had found 2 new friends. I think Heather's raison d'être for Young @ Heart was accomplished for Iris.

From Allan:
Given all the comments from our Life Group members who have shared, my greatest encouragement is the fact that we as a group were single minded in sharing the vision of developing a fellowship event. We/they all worked together with a single purpose, and that, I believe is exactly how the body of Christ should operate with each sharing from within their own gifting.

By Heather Dickfos

What a great privilege to serve God alongside Debbie and Kym, with Dr Vern (from Kilcoy) and Rhondy (national Midwife) as part of the Anguganak Healthy Motherhood project team in PNG for 2 weeks.

When Debbie asked me, in June, to join them on this shorter trip I jumped at the chance  The container that had been sent in Feb still hadn’t landed in Wewak, and she wasn’t sure if we could get to Anguganak by MAF flights, but with a lot of prayer and faith that God was going before us we set off.  

The container arrived a few days before we got there, the MAF flights never eventuated, however, God was certainly in all our transport and ministry arrangements. Always have a plan and then being prepared for things to be quite different is a good way to go.

One of the things that was wonderful to be part of, was to see the love and respect for Debbie and Kym as they have served over more than 10 years in this area.  They were welcomed as longtime friends everywhere we went. God is working to bring Christians together to see His word spread as we worked with the amazing Sister Cathy from the Convent, Rotary with the container, met missionaries from Samaritan aviation and national leaders of Christian Brethren Churches.

To feel Gods hand in what you are involved in, whether it was rearranging travel plans again, shopping for items to add to Baby bundles, teaching Days for Girls, seeing the progress on the new Maternity ward, being bought to tears by the beautiful singing of the high school students during their devotions or bouncing around in the back of a Troupe carrier for a few hours is a humbling and amazing experience.

It was remarkable to learn of Gods work in this area and how the Anguganak Health Service, School and Bible School came about so many years ago and read the story of Dr John Sturt and his family, the missionary who began the work there, and those who came after him to keep it going as a place to serve and bring others to know of his great love. Dr John Strut passed away, only the day after we left Anguganak, in New Zealand at age 97.

Thanks Debbie, Kym, Vern and Rhondy for allowing me to part of your service in PNG.

To anyone reading if you are prompted to serve and get a chance just jump in and be willing God will do the rest.

The observance of the Sabbath Day has seen an interesting history down through the ages.

In Jesus’ day there were some very strict rules about the Sabbath. These rules were often used to cast judgement on people who would break them. Even in church history, there were times where your standing as a Christian was greatly affected by what you did or didn’t do on the Sabbath.

There have even been arguments over which day is the Sabbath. This has resulted in much of the modern evangelical church ignoring it almost completely. But we cannot escape the fact that there is clear teaching on the Sabbath in the Bible.

Jesus sheds light here on reminding us that the Sabbath was put in place for the benefit of people. We should not ignore this. The observance of Sabbath, when not used as a legalistic measuring stick, is a beautiful rhythm of pause and reflection. When we set aside one day in seven to rest and focus on God, it helps to re-set us. Otherwise we will be in danger of one day blending into another until we end up in this never-ending mess of activity.

We do not wish to be legalistic about the Sabbath, but it would be wrong to ignore it. Set it aside for God. Make it holy and different. Then we will discover why God put it in place.

Brett

Jesus tells a number of parables where stewards have been entrusted with responsibility and then rewarded, or punished, according to their faithfulness. It is a sober reminder that we as followers of Jesus have all been given a trust.

In the first instance, God trusts us with spiritual gifts. The Bible asserts that we each have been given something from the Holy Spirit that allows us to serve (Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:7). We must be faithful in using these gifts to build up the kingdom of God.

But there is another gift as well. We carry a treasure of knowledge. It is the knowledge of how to gain eternal life through the Lord Jesus. We dare not lock this treasure away but be faithful with it. It is a great honour to think that our witness could lead someone to eternal life. But it is also a sobering reality to imagine that someone could be lost to eternity because we stayed quiet.

“Those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” Do not let your faith dissolve into some kind of spectator sport. But rise up and use what God has given to you to honour Him.

Brett

There are many biblical metaphors of the church. The church as a family, the church as a building, the church as a vine, the church as an army, but one of the most powerful metaphors is the church as a body. Simply put, the church is made up of different parts that form one body together. God’s design for salvation is not only that we go to heaven when we die, but that we are being built together into a kingdom, and this kingdom is bonded spiritually. We rely on each other. As we exercise our giftings and abilities in unity, we can produce much more for the glory of God than we could otherwise achieve alone. I sometimes like to think of the church as a kind of jigsaw puzzle, each piece is important.

Some might say “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” And whilst that is theologically true, what that statement overlooks is our place in the body of Christ. It is not so much what you need to be a Christian but more, what do you bring? For some, the word fellowship means little more than friendship, a gathering, somewhere to belong. But the way the Bible uses the word fellowship is more like partnership. We commit to one another for the purpose of a common vision. This is true fellowship and what the church is all about.

Brett

By Colleen Fuller

I love my “job” as Children’s Director. One of the great joys I see in the life of our church is the way Playgroup creates space for families to feel welcomed, known and supported. It is a relaxed and friendly place where parents, carers and children can come as they are, enjoy time together, and begin building meaningful connections with others.

For many families, Playgroup is more than a weekly activity. It can be a first point of friendship if they are new to Hervey Bay, a place of encouragement for those who are new to parenting, or a gentle doorway into the wider church community. Our spacious indoor and outdoor areas give children room to explore and play, while adults have time to talk, laugh, share stories and realise they are not alone.

It has been encouraging to hear local families describe Playgroup as warm, friendly and welcoming. We have even seen it recommended on community Facebook pages, which tells us that people are experiencing a genuine connection when they come.

At the heart of Playgroup is a wonderful team of volunteers. They greet people warmly, notice new faces, help families settle in, listen with care, and create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable returning. I am especially thankful for the parents from our church who attend, build friendships with community families, and invite their own friends along. These natural relationships are one of the reasons Playgroup has such a meaningful place in our church’s ministry.

One parent enjoyed Playgroup so much that she continued coming as a volunteer even after her children had started school. That kind of commitment says a lot about the sense of belonging and purpose that can grow through this ministry.

Another beautiful thing has been seeing some parents from Playgroup begin coming to church and attending a Life Group. It is such a privilege to watch relationships grow naturally and to see families finding deeper connection within our church community.

Playgroup also gives us opportunities to offer practical care and gentle support. When families need extra help, we can connect them with appropriate support pathways, including our church COACH program and other professional services in the community. Sometimes that support is as simple as a conversation over morning tea; at other times, it becomes a deeper expression of care.

We have seen this in very real ways. When one young parent received a cancer diagnosis, the Playgroup community responded with prayer, meals and practical help. Moments like this show the depth of connection that can grow when people are given a safe and welcoming place to belong.

This is why I would love to invite more people to consider being involved. Playgroup is a simple but powerful way to bless families in our community. You do not need to have all the answers or a special qualification to make a difference. A warm smile, a listening ear, a willingness to help set up and pack away, pray for families, or simply be a friendly presence can mean so much.

If you are looking for a practical, welcoming and meaningful way to serve in Playgroup, I would love you to come and chat to me or email me at colleen@hbbc.com.au.
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Mark 1 captures the story of amazing miracles. Jesus spent the whole day healing in Capernaum, then Mark describes the whole town coming out to observe. There is no greater description of revival than this. And yet Jesus left it all behind to go on to other towns. Why did He not stay and enjoy the revival? There were many more needs. He could have really established Himself.  

But early in the morning, during a time of godly solitude, Jesus found clarity. He often went away on his own to spend time with the Father. This is a discipline that far too many Christians overlook.

At the core of our being we are social creatures. God designed us this way. We really do need each other and we are much stronger in community than we are alone. Loneliness is a real problem for many. Solitary confinement is the worst punishment. And yet there is a Godly solitude. The spiritual discipline of solitude is not as much a ‘getting away from people’ as it is a quiet time without distraction where we can spend time with God. This is where we gain clarity.

When was the last time you were by yourself for an extended period of time, where your purpose was to pray and spend time with God? I want to encourage you to plan such a time and walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Brett