A Prayer for the Olympics

Prayer for the Olympics:

Everlasting God, giver of joy and source of abundant life, we pray for all who are involved in the Beijing Olympic Games, : We pray for their safe-keeping and well-being; and as we celebrate the skill and resolve of those who compete we pray that, throughout the Games, there would be a striving for excellence, a spirit of humility and fair play, and a respect for others, and that all who wait on you may find their strength renewed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dr Who? No it's our Dr Dan

And now for something completely different....from the sublime to the ridiculous

Our own Dr. Dan Claughton is competing for Perth's most dreamy Doctor in a tongue in cheek competition with Em & Wippa at 92.9 FM

Click here to vote for him ...you will notice Dr. Alex Fergie too!

Click here to vote for Dan

Go Dr. Dan!

A call to pray for Aboriginal churches

Australian Christians have been called on to intervene – in prayer – as a crisis faces Aboriginal churches. The call coincides with the launch of One Land, One Saviour, a new book on ministry among Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land. The book is a collection of essays by 13 contributors, who between them represent more than 300 years service among Aboriginal people.
Its release comes at a significant time as recent developments have put Aboriginal issues back on the political agenda, and back in the public consciousness. “Part of the solution is a four-letter word – jobs” says co-editor Steve Etherington who has 30 years of experience in the Top End.
Mr Etherington says the drift of Aboriginal people to urban settings is accelerating and without employable skills, more demeaning dependency is the prospect....

Click here for full article

The Groote Eylandt Report

The Groote Eylandt Report

Following our Groote Eylandt Debrief, We are making available a PDF version of our report for your information, prayers, and action.

Click here for PDF version

Please pray for CMS involvement in Aboriginal missions in the top end

Gavin, Ian, Margaret, Wendy

Lambeth 2008: Success, Failure, or Mexican Standoff

The Lambeth 2008 Conference

It is a bit hard to tell how Lambeth 2008 went from the media commentary surrounding it. Some call it a success with the Archbishop of Canterbury calling for a moratorium on inappropriate practices in the Communion (especially directed to North America on one hand, and inappropriate intervention and oversight by conservatives on the other). Some call it a failure suggesting real difficulties and divisions where not seriously addressed. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. It seems more like a 'Mexican stand-0ff'. Conservative Anglican bishops will be more reluctant to accept the rhetoric because of what happened after Lambeth 1998. It seems hard to see revisionist Anglicans being deflected from their agendas.

Click here for a scan of different responses

We will have to wait and see what happens next in "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of Anglican politics.

GP

When too much Sport is barely enough

The 2008 Smith Lecture

The Smith Lecture is a pre-evangelistic opportunity to move your slightly sceptical friends toward giving the gospel a fair hearing. The lecture can provide a topic for further discussion between you and your guests. Consider going out to dinner together afterwards to talk with them further.

The Topic
"I love my sport. Australians love sport. Many of us live for sport-to watch, play and win-because sport seems to promise such great things. The question is how much does it deliver on the dream?" Dr David Rowbottom.

Our Speaker
Dr David Rowbottom has a doctorate in human movement and has worked with some of Australia's elite sports men and women. He is currently the senior pastor of Curtin Community Church.

Details

Thursday 21st August
Time: 5:30pm food & drinks
6:30-7:30pm lecture
Venue: Central Park Building Foyer & Theatrette
Cost: $25 (this doesn't appear on the invitation, so you have the option of paying for your guests).

RSVP: Monday 18th August

The Groote Eylandt Report!

Hello St.Matts friends,
This is a quick reminder that as part of the Global Gospel Focus
We are reporting on the Groote Eylandt Trip and opportunities that St. Matt's may have to partner with aboriginal ministries.

Monday 4th 7:45pm at Church

Here is the rough program:

7:45 Arrive
8:00 CMS 100 years of topend ministry
8:05 Ministry opportunities amongst top-end Aboriginals: Gavin
8:20 Challenges with God's Word and many languages: Ian
8:35 Reflections of the Groote Trip: Wendy
8:40 How can we partner in this ministry?
8:45 Question Time
8:55 Prayer time

Ian Malcolm, Wendy Morris, And Gavin Parsons will be sharing
See you there !
Gavin