From the Vicar 2008 Archive
Dec 14th, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. As we move deeper into this season of Advent, I wonder if your sense of expectation has been raised at all. It is so easy to be hard-nosed and cynical when surrounded by all the commercialism and frankly I think it’s good to be discerning about what is going on around us.
But what of the notion of Jesus returning as King and Judge of the World? As Christians our hope is for the future and the present and we have this task of working as partners with God for both time-frames. So we pray that God’s Kingdom will come and that His will be done now on Earth as in Heaven.
And if the presents under the tree mean anything, may they at least symbolise the Grace (undeserved gift) that God has given us in Jesus. But I wonder how we can each be agents of Grace ourselves, this Christmas? Is there someone you can tell the story of Jesus to? Is there someone you can demonstrate the love of God to?
At staff prayers the other day we read again the birth narrative of Jesus in Luke, chapter 2. When we stripped away all our cultural overlays, (Just what animals are mentioned? What kind of shelter was Jesus born in?), we were left with the simple fact of a struggling family and the birth of a child who was laid in an animal’s feeding trough, but who was none the less given the names Jesus (Saviour) and Immanuel (God with us). Such amazing expectations!
Somebody once asked me why so many people come to St Matt’s. I replied that we have see God at work and believe that Jesus makes a difference in people’s lives, in so many and varied ways. Friends, what I love about St Matt’s, is that we don’t just wait for Christmas or Easter or any other season to have great expectations about God. We know Him and love Him everyday and seek to live our lives demonstrating that love to others.
God will do great things amongst those who trust in and follow Jesus with their whole hearts, minds, words and actions. This Christmas, will you dare to trust in Him even more, will you raise your expectations higher for what God can and will accomplish?
God bless, Ian.
From Andy Dec 7th
Welcome to St Matthew's this week! A special welcome if you're visiting us or are here for the first time. It's great to have you with us. We're near the end of our series on Lifeshapes now - we've been looking at various shapes over the last month, which help us to remember some key aspects of Jesus' teaching. Each Sunday we have begun to explore each shape, and then on the following Wednesday (7.30pm in the hall), we have the opportunity to explore each shape in more depth, by watching a DVD and discussing it in small groups.
Last week Gordon got us thinking about developing as leaders, and developing others as leaders. This week, we're building on that, thinking about the kinds of leaders that each of us are called to be. That's right - that EACH of us are called to be. John Wimber always used to say, if you want to know whether you're a leader, look over your shoulder, and see if anyone is following you. Lots of us have people following us - pod members, friends, children, family members. And as we'll see today, Paul, when he wrote to the Ephesians, encouraged all of the believers, reminding them that they were ALL called and given gifts - and that these gifts were for the building up of the WHOLE church.
So basically - we need you! Enclosed in this notice sheet is a yellow questionnaire which will help you in thinking what kind of leader you are called to be. I really hope you get a chance to use this, and that you find it helpful. Do fill it in, and chat about it in your pod or with a good friend.
I'm reminded often at the moment, just what is possible for us as a mission-focused church, and as mission-focused pods and clusters, if each of us really does get stuck in and use our gifts to build one another up.
Thanks for being part of it!
God bless,
Andy
Nov 30th, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us today and a special welcome to friends and family of Liz Spiteri who is getting Baptised today!
As you know Baptism is a very ancient ritual which symbolises a new beginning – a kind of washing away of the old self and starting again all nice and clean. Baptism comes from an equally ancient Greek word which means to “overwhelm” and was often used to describe what happened to a ship caught in a storm and eventually sunk! So there is an emphasis of dying to the old life and living a new one. What a tall order!
In fact, I’m sure we all realise that humanly speaking, a truly new and clean life is impossible, especially when compared with the holiness and righteousness of God. Only Jesus Christ has ever been able to live such a life, without blemish. And yet he promises that everyone who puts their trust in him, and simply asks forgiveness for all the wrong things they’ve done in their life – will have that new, clean life.
It’s an amazing promise and one that millions of Christians over two thousand years have accepted gladly and lived their new lives with joy and become part of transforming communities of believers – just like ours here at St Matt’s.
So we welcome you today, Liz, and pray for God’s richest blessings on you as you continue to live your new life, following Jesus.
Meanwhile for the rest of us the work of transformation continues as we each do our best to follow Jesus. A number of us helped out at Tate Street Primary School Carnival amidst lousy weather (although we were very grateful for the rain, really!) Friday, a week ago, and we were thanked in the school newsletter this last week. It’s great to be able to serve our community in very practical ways and I encourage you all to keep asking the question, “What is the Lord saying to me about my community?” (“What is there about my community which needs transformation and in which I can be involved?”)
God bless, Ian.
Nov 23rd, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week at St Matt’s. We trust that what you experience amongst us will be Godly and help you in your walk with Jesus.
A special welcome today, to Chris & Jeni from Church Missionary Society (CMS) who will be telling us about their work in Eurasia. As a church we have supported the work of CMS for many years and most recently have focussed our support on Chris & Jeni but today is our first chance to meet them. It will be fascinating to hear the kind of work a modern-day, overseas missionary does!
Being Cluster Sunday, we are without the Families Cluster today and the Bush & Tucker Cluster will be whisking Chris & Jeni away for lunch and more info on their work. This is partly because Tim & Catherine Walker (Bush & Tucker Cluster leaders) are also hoping to be CMS missionaries (to Rwanda) and will have the opportunity to ply our guests for inside information!!!
We also remember that Cluster Sunday, as part of our spiritual discipline, is a non-music Sunday. This is to help us focus on Mission, the “Out” part of the Triangle Lifeshape we learnt about last week, as a whole church. We continue to ask the question of ourselves and our church, “What is the Lord saying to me/us, about our world and how He would like to see it transformed?”
Speaking of remembering – I failed last week at the Annual Meeting to remember to thank two “retiring” members of Vestry. Jeanette Clarkson & Kevin Johnson have both served on Vestry (church council / board) for a number of years and I can testify to their servant hearts, their willing contributions, and their determination to hear from God and make decisions on behalf of the whole church. Whilst I am sorry to lose them in this capacity I am also glad that will be released to serve in other ways. Thank you both, so much.
And just a small point of clarification, Ebony Shawcross has indeed finished up as Children’s Worker but she too will be staying with us and contributing in other ways when motherhood allows.
God bless, Ian.
From Margaret Nov 16th, 2008
A warm welcome to all who are worshipping here today. It is a joy and privilege to meet together to pray, praise God and hear his word. We extend an invitation to those who are visiting. Please join us for tea or coffee after the service. We would like to get to know you before you leave.
We praise God for answered prayer for those who are recovering from medical procedures. Please continue to pray for full recovery for all. Zoe and Alice are recovering but will remain in hospital for at least another ten days.
Lifeshapes – are you now familiar with the term? We are well on our way with looking at Christian growth from different perspectives. Many are grasping those kairos moments and after times of going through the process have been able to be held accountable to God and, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit have been able to act and move on. Last week and on Wednesday night we were challenged by God’s plan for us to have a balanced rhythm in our Christian life. Only by abiding in Christ and by pruning and growing can there be fruitfulness in our lives. Today we are continuing our Lifeshapes exploration by looking at balancing our relationships – UP, our relationship with God; IN, our relationships with other believers on the way; OUT, our relationships in our community – that is at home, at work, school or college, in our local community, far or near, wherever God has placed us. Come prayerfully to these explorations – we all have much to learn. There is no end to growing and developing in the Christian faith. Aren’t you glad the Lord hasn’t finished with you yet?
After a quick chat, cup of tea and coffee the Annual General Meeting will be held in the church at 12.00 noon. It is hoped that as many as possible will be able to stay and be part of the AGM. You will be able to ask questions on the reports that you have read. There is much to praise God for as we see the way he has guided St. Matthew’s over the past year. Your presence and support always encourage the Vicar, the Vestry and Leadership teams.
May you go into the new week blessed by God as you grow in discipleship.
Margaret Hagans
From Andy Nov 9th, 2008
Welcome everyone to today’s service and we hope you feel welcome, enjoy yourself and engage with God. Please do stay for our sausage sizzle after the service for a chance for all of us to get to know each other better.
We’ve heard a lot about change in the last few days – and witnessed some historical political changes. Whatever our political views, it is encouraging to see such a powerful and positive sign of racial reconciliation in the USA. Yet at the same time, you have to wonder whether any human being can live up to the high hopes and expectations the whole world is placing in Barack Obama right now. Either way, it’s important for us to pray for leaders and those in authority.
Change, and in particular, life-change is a central theme to our Lifeshapes course, which is in its second week now here at St Matthew’s. Lifeshapes are essentially simple ways of remembering and communicating key principles of Jesus’ teaching, so that we can apply them in our lives, and help others to apply them in their lives. So that we change, and keep being changed, and changing things around us.
As well as our sermons on Sunday’s looking at Lifeshapes, we have the opportunity each Wednesday (7.30pm, St Matthews) over the next two months, to come together and go deeper in the teaching and application of these principles to our lives. It really is worth being part of these evenings, and getting better equipped to help others grow and become disciples of Jesus.
I hope all of us can take the opportunity in these next few weeks, to grapple with Jesus teaching, and seek to apply it to our own lives afresh, and help others to do the same. Discipleship is about learning and changing, and becoming more Christlike. That really is real change.
Andy Goodacre
Nov 2nd, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us today! Because there are so many new folk with us at the moment, it seems right to use name tags again for a time. Please dig out your old ones or feel free to make yourself a new one over the next couple of weeks as you come in through the doors.
Thanks to the M-pods who are taking up the mantle of “Welcomers-at-the-door”. This after many years of faithful service by many folk and most recently Georgie Charters, Bev Stoate & Bev Kerr. Of course we all know the importance of each one of us having a welcoming attitude and St Matt’s is well regarded as having friendly people. Let’s keep making it a priority to get alongside those who look a little lost or on their own unnecessarily. God’s welcome for God’s people!
It was a bit of a shock for some to hear about the impending sale of our pews. I want to assure you that the decision was an enthusiastically unanimous one by your elected representatives, the Vestry. The decision was based on a number of factors but the two overriding ones were:
That we want all our buildings to be well used, including our worship spaces. Flexible seating will help us and other, approved users; make use of the buildings that God has graciously bestowed on us, especially in terms of moving furniture around without causing injury to backs.
That our seating capacity will be increased by about 30% (roughly 70 seats).
As I write this our sample seat has not turned up yet, but again I want to reassure you that we will not be buying any replacement chairs that do not meet various criteria, for instance: stability/sturdiness, ease of getting in & out of them; aesthetic appearance, durability, etc.
We have had one really good bit of news this week about the pews – one buyer who as yet can’t be named, has indicated a desire to buy all our pews in one lot as it were, and use them in a worship setting. I’m sure it will come as a great relief to many of you they will continue to be used in the manner for which they were manufactured.
God bless, Ian.
Oct 19th, 2008
Welcome, everyone, to St Matt’s this week – it’s great to have you with us. If you’re visiting us please say G’day and stay for a cuppa after the service if you can.
We had a really constructive Vestry (church council) meeting last Monday, as usual. However, a quite unusual occurrence was that we formally met Pastor Gordon Lingard, who with his wife Judy has been worshipping with us for a couple of months with the hope of joining us and bringing their church with them! Gordon and Judy have been planting (starting) churches for many years, most recently through the Vineyard Association of Churches, and in Geelong, - All Saints Vineyard.
After grilling Gordon, Vestry decided unanimously, unreservedly and very excitedly that we would be thrilled to welcome them all (about 25) to St Matt’s.
The big question is how to make it work so that everyone feels like they belong and we all get to know each other, learn to appreciate each others’ gifts and abilities and most importantly join with each other in carrying out God’s mission by following Jesus together.
I have invited them (on your behalf) to continue meeting in their usual pattern at least for about six months while we work out further details. In practise, this means that every second Friday night, there will be a worship meeting in St Matt’s buildings. (Next one, 31st October). It will commence at about 6.30pm for bring and share meal, followed by worship for about an hour and then optional relocation to The Scottish Chiefs! (One of our favourite haunts!) Everyone will be welcome to attend (or not) the fortnightly Friday night worship and/or the Sunday morning worship as you feel led. But let’s all make an effort to involve each other as much as possible through this period of new (if totally unexpected!) life at St Matt’s.
Vestry has also been glad recently to receive a financial gift that will allow us (finally, after many years of sore backs and bottoms) to replace the current wooden pews with contemporary church chairs. We will take care to deal properly with the donation plaques from each pew, most of which were given through the generosity of visionary parishioners like yourselves in days gone by. (If you would like to purchase a pew for your BBQ area please see one of the Wardens.) The new seating flexibility will allow us to rethink our worship space and a small group from Vestry will be proposing further exciting changes (which hopefully will include increased seating capacity) in the next month or so.
Remember again the passage from Luke 19:11-27? It really feels as though v17, “because you have been trustworthy in a small matter, take charge of ten cities” and v26, “to everyone who has, more will be given” are words for us in this Season. I take great encouragement from this and trust you will too. None the less, you will probably want to chew this all over – please feel free to talk to me, any of the staff or vestry members if you have qualms or questions.
God bless, Ian.
Oct 12th, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. It’s good to be amongst God’s people – good to belong, good to have friends, good to learn more about God, good to be in mission together. It’s amazing isn’t it – we’re each saved personally by Jesus, each called to ministry (serving) but always in community. And our St Matts community is fantastic to belong to and I thank God for it (us/you) every day.
It was brilliant to travel up to Melbourne, (last Sunday for the Protest Rally at Parliament House), and not have to go alone. It was wonderful to be part of such a huge crowd of God’s wider family as well. Our joint identity in Jesus Christ is unique – and worth sharing!
As good as belonging is, departing is hard, and saying goodbye to Dorothy Helmore for the last time on Friday was especially hard. What a wonderful life – 94 years and over 60 of them here, belonging to St Matt’s. We will miss her but at least we can also celebrate her life with Jesus which goes on now for eternity free of the shackles of earthly life. Something to look forward to for all of us who trust in Jesus!
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am with our new staff, Andy & Margaret. What a delight, what freshness, what examples to us all of faith-filled lives. It’s a bit sobering to think of ourselves in that light but the truth is that all of us are examples to each other and to those we live amongst, play sport with, care for. What things are we good at that are worth copying? What things do we need to ask help from God’s Holy Spirit for?
We remain a community of followers of Jesus Christ committed to making disciples who make disciples. In other words, all of us are called to this ministry of helping others follow Jesus.
It’s good to be travelling with you. God bless, Ian.
From Rev. Andy, Oct 5th, 2008
Welcome to St Matthews this Sunday for our morning celebration. It's great to have you with us. If you're new please feel especially welcome to join us for coffee after the service – and please come and say hello too!
Over the last few weeks I've been thinking a bit about how Jesus called the first disciples in Luke 5. There are a few things there which connected with me in terms of our own mission and discipleship here in St Matts.
Simon Peter, James and John had been working hard fishing all night, trying to get a catch, but they caught nothing. They must have felt pretty frustrated and tired – I would! But as Jesus gets involved, as they listen to him and follow his directions the difference is overwhelming.
It's pretty easy as Christians to try hard and work hard and be busy - on our own. And it's pretty familiar to us as Christians – to me anyway – to feel frustrated and weary from time to time – and to feel like we're not making any difference.
My prayer over the last few weeks has been asking God to help me recognise the areas where he is at work, to see what he is doing, which opportunities he is opening up – and to get involved with him in those places – rather than just trying to work hard and try hard in my own strength.
Following Jesus, being in relationship with him, praying and spending time with him, and going where he is going will make all the difference in our own mission and discipleship, in our own lives and in our MPods and clusters.
"So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him."
(Luke 5:11).
Andy
From Rev. Andy, Sept 28th, 2008
Hi all,
Welcome
The Doulos has been in port here in Geelong since the 12th September and has been busy since then with school groups, business people, students, families and tourists all having a look round, browsing the book store, and enjoying a coffee in the international cafe. They have also been doing trips out into the community, visiting different churches and groups. A small team came and led our mid-week communion for the seniors fellowship on Wednesday, and it's great to have a different team of people with us this morning. Welcome to you!!
About the Doulos
"She has changed her name and occupation four times since her robust beginnings in 1914.
She obtained a face-lift and transplant after serving in both world wars.
In 1948, she left New York, destined to see the world.
Year after year, her name is etched in the Guinness Book of Records.
This August, she celebrated her 94th birthday in Sydney!
Two years younger than Titanic, active at an age when most ocean-going vessels are rusted scraps in the ship yard, Doulos continues to sail the seven seas bringing a message of knowledge, help and hope to the nations.
Originally built to transport fruit, Doulos has had a fruitful career carrying literature and aid to more than 100 countries. The world's oldest ocean-going passenger vessel serves as the globe's largest floating bookshop, maintaining a selection of 6,000 titles.
In 1999, Doulos sailed around Australia, attracting more than 200,000 visitors. Since then, she has toured 175 ports in 66 countries, splashing through waters along 3 continents. After nearly a decade, this "grand old lady" and her international crew, returns for her final Aussie tour."
The Worldwide Church
With this international flavour to our service this week, I'm reminded again of just how international our family of Jesus followers really is. There are Christians in so many diverse nations all around the world - from India to Australia, from Japan to South Africa, from Ecuador to Ukraine. It's exciting to remember that we all know and love the same Lord and Saviour, and that he truly is building his kingdom all over the world. Let use this morning's service as a real reminder of his church all over the world, especially those people who suffer simply because they follow Jesus - and as a reminder to be outward focussed, in our mission-pods here in Geelong, and in our thoughts, prayers and understanding of the worldwide church.
God bless,
Andy
From Rev. Maragaret, Sept 21st, 2008
Good morning, everyone. A warm welcome is extended to all who are worshipping with us today. If you are visiting please join us for tea or coffee after the service.
We are thankful to Bishop Philip Huggins who presided at communion and preached for the patronal day at St. Matthew’s last Sunday. The whole service, of worship, music, word and sacrament was one of joy. Our heartfelt thanks to Graham and Judy and their wonderful team who prepared the hall, the tables, the flowers, cooked and served an excellent meal and cleared up at the close of lunch. The conversation and friendliness around the tables were indications of the warmth of fellowship that is characteristic of St. Matthew’s
Some of our young people are going on travelling assignments over the next few weeks. Let us remember in prayer: Jessica Wallace who is going to minister to the young people of Yarrabah, an indigenous community near Cairns, on 24th Sept. for 1 week with a team from St. John’s Highton; and Jack Weaver who is now in Japan for three weeks furthering his Japanese studies.
From Monday to Wednesday this past week Ian, Andy, Rosemary & I attended the Northern & Western Regional Clergy Conference at Marysville. There was time to catch up with friends, time for worship, study and prayer. One of the most encouraging aspects for us was hearing Bishop Graham Cray of Maidstone, Kent, England speak about the Mission Shaped Church. He outlined the journey of many of the Church of England congregations and the community outreach of their clusters. His words were affirming of the missional approach we are taking through our M-Pods & Clusters. Ian & Andy spoke with him at length and as a consequence we continue our optimism as we look forward to the Spirit working at St. Matthew’s in the coming months and years.
The passage in Luke’s Gospel today is a challenge to discipleship. Many people believe in God, like the rich young man, but hesitate to commit, for commitment to discipleship is costly. We may have to question where our core identity lies or is anchored. It could be in possessions or elsewhere. As Christians our citizenship is in heaven, (Phil.3.20) and when we turn our eyes upon the glory and grace of Jesus the things of earth grow strangely dim.
Yours in Christ, Margaret.
Sept 14th, 2008
Welcome to everyone joining for worship this week as we celebrate St Matthew’s Day! St Matthew was chosen as our Patron Saint many years ago as you listen to the reading this week you will no doubt discover why. It should be another reason why it is so easy to have our focus on reaching out to people rather than expecting them to come to us.
We see Jesus actually at the home of a sinner and eating with his sinner friends. In other words, doing something very ordinary yet showing acceptance to those who might otherwise have been considered unacceptable. No wonder we find it right to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
Finding ordinary ways of reaching ordinary people has always been treasured at St Matt’s – and so we celebrate not only what Jesus has done for us but also what he’s going to do through us for other people.
It is our great pleasure to welcome the Rt Rev’d Philip Huggins, our regional bishop, to help us worship today. Philip symbolises our unity, belonging, authority and accountability to a wider expression of the church, the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne and also the Anglican Communion world-wide. He’s such a helpful reminder that we are not called into isolation as Christians or indeed even as a local church. We are glad that he is with us today and trust that we might be a blessing to him as much as he will no doubt be to us.
The three clergy on staff at St Matt’s will be joining Bp Philip and many others over the next three days at a clergy conference in Marysville. Whilst there we will be hearing from another Bishop, Graham Cray who is an expert on the style of church we are becoming as well as from our Archbishop, Philip Freier and others on the recent Lambeth Conference. Please pray for us as we enjoy time away together.
God bless, Ian.
Sept 7th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Well there’s great excitement around the town again as “our” footy team begins its finals campaign. Please join us in the hall (if you’re interested) for each game Geelong FC plays to watch all the action on the big screen. It’s a great time of fun and friendship – all good for us. Do feel free to invite your friends along but please let Graham Trevaskis know if you’re coming.
Next week (Sunday 14th) we are celebrating St Matthew’s Day and will be visited by our regional bishop, Philip Huggins who will preach and preside at communion. St Matthew’s Day is a time for thanking God for the example set by Matthew the disciple and for all that God is doing through His modern-day disciples at St Matt’s. What have you got to give thanks to God for? More good fun and fellowship J
On the preceding Saturday (13th) we will be holding our accompanying day of prayer & fasting. We invite you to join us by foregoing breakfast and lunch that day, then by meeting at the hall together between 2-4pm, after which you are welcome to break your fast at your pleasure. The reason we do this is to sharpen our focus on God for that day, asking Him to speak into various situations that we face, particularly as a church.
In this current season it will be appropriate to ask God: for his Spirit to move amongst the people who visit the Doulos - that many might be introduced to Jesus; for our involvement at Geelong High School and Tate Street Primary School – that our community would have appositive influence on their communities; for guidance for our M-Pods as they seek to move out into the community in general; for His intervention in the troubled spots of the world; for justice to be brought, etc. As we’ll see in our passage for this week, we may not always see the results of our prayers but we are still called to be faithful and actually pray, asking god for His help.
My thanks to the Munchkins M-Pod for their provision of the Welcome Lunch last week. It’s great to help new folk belong to our church and testimony to our welcoming attitude that folk come, feel welcome and stay. Well done everyone!
God bless, Ian.
Aug 31st, 2008 - From The Curate
Friends, it’s good to be with you. As this is the first ‘From the Vicar’ I’ve written, I thought I’d take the opportunity to say ‘Hi!’, and to thank you all for your efforts to make Liz, Olivia and me feel so welcome. Thanks especially to all who were involved in scrubbing, cleaning, sweeping, painting, mending etc.. in the vicarage. We appreciate it so much!
As you know, I’ve joined the team here at St Matthew’s as the assistant minister, and will be here for the next four years. I’m looking forward to getting to know lots of you, and to really getting stuck in with you as you seek to be a missional church. I really believe in doing church in the way you guys have been moving over the last couple of years – and am excited about the possibilities and all that God will do through us in the future.
It’s been exciting already getting involved with the chaplaincy at Geelong High School, just round the corner from our church. I’ve been made really welcome there by the principal and staff, and have enjoyed playing football (soccer!) with some of the teachers and kids at lunchtime already!
This week, on Wednesday, we will be in the school bright and early to run our first Father’s Day Breakfast there. Please do be praying for this event, especially for the kids and fathers who come, as well as for our developing links with GHS.
God bless,
Andy
Aug 24th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. For those who are visiting, this is the next of our “Cluster Sundays” where we focus on mission, or the outward relationships we are forming as individuals and as M-Pods & Clusters. We trust that through these relationships we will be able to introduce people to Jesus.
To help us focus we have been undertaking an unusual spiritual discipline of not having any music for our gathered worship on this Sunday each month. This has been quite hard for many of us as we love singing to the Lord here at St Matt’s. But many have found a new way into worship in the “quiet”, so there have been some unexpected benefits.
As I’m writing this I’m looking forward to our Staff &Vestry Vision Day on the 23rd August. We always hear from God, enjoy each other’s company and seriously consider where things are as a church. By the time you read this we will have done those things and will no doubt be bringing some fresh ideas to the coming year.
But I continue to be so thankful for the gifts God has given us to date. One of those things is the new office we have created out of the old kitchen in Hebron House. It’s not quite finished yet but in about two weeks you should take the opportunity to look and see what we’ve done. We’re moving Ebony Shawcross into that space along with all the Children’s Ministry Resources. That has freed up another office for Margaret Hagans to use and we’ve put another desk in there for Andy Goodacre to use while he’s over in the offices.
We’ve assembled a fantastic ministry team thanks to your courage and vision to financially support these initiatives. I can happily tell you that already, where seeds have faith have been planted over the years, (especially at Tate Street & Geelong High and Eden Park Nursing Home), there are now new, green, “shoots of life” sprouting in very exciting ways. I honestly believe that we will soon be in a season of harvest. I don’t say that lightly – nobody want to get their hopes up without just cause – but increasing evidence is there. Please keep praying that the Kingdom comes!
God bless, Ian.
Aug 17th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to St Matthew’s Church – where it’s all happening today!
There is great excitement in our midst as we welcome William James Walker into the family of believers in Jesus Christ through baptism. An extra welcome to all Will’s family and friends who are here to share this occasion with him. We can assure you of our prayers and other support for Will and his Mum & Dad as they grow together as a family.
In addition, we formally welcome the Rev Andy Goodacre with his family Liz & Olivia to Australia, Geelong and particularly, of course, to St Matt’s. We look forward to your ministry amongst us and are excited by the new opportunities for mission that your arrival brings. Once again I’d like to thank everyone who helped prepare the Vicarage for their habitation – it was cosy and warm and bright and clean (with all doors closing properly) and smelling of fresh coffee when they arrived Thursday a week ago.
And there’s more . . . . we also welcome the Rev Richard Bruce, the Diocesan Youth Ministry Facilitator, as he preaches to us today. Thankfully, Richard replaced me in that role (when I came to St Matt’s) and is making a stunningly brilliant contribution to the growth of our diocese, especially in terms of training young leaders for ministry.
A few of us have been reading Colossians again recently, where it says of Jesus, The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (17) He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Col 1:15-18 TNIV)
I can’t help but celebrate our oneness in Christ. From new babies, to 90 year-olds, from the UK to just round the corner, from St Matt’s to the wider church, what unites us is the head of our church, which is Jesus the Lord our God, through whom all things were made – everyone of us through him and for him – we follow Jesus!
God bless, Ian.
Aug 10th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. Please do make yourself known to us so that we can help you feel at home. Even though I won’t be present on Sunday, you’ll be in good hands with Jeanenne Thomas leading the service and Margaret Hagans preaching and presiding at the Lord’s Supper.
I can’t wait for next week when we get to welcome the Goodacres formally to our church community. Andy doesn’t start officially until Monday 11th August and Liz, at this stage is a full-time mum caring for Olivia who is soon to turn 1. Jeanenne has got all fired up about the welcome party so please do pay attention to notice on the opposite page about sausage sizzle and party attire! (There already seems to be good signs of grace for Andy with some involvement at Geelong High School which I find a tremendous encouragement, as will the chaplain, Jane Carrigg, and her support group chaired by our own Jan Whitehand. Some of these things take such a lot of time and patience to unfold – it’s so good to be in time of the unfolding, so to speak, after so much prayer and hard work.)
Jesus did teach us that the kingdom is like a seed planted, when we don’t see much of the growth going on until the plant breaks through the earth. Breakthrough is a god term for us to think about in the coming months. What kind of behind the scenes preparation do we need to do and pray about as we wait for the Kingdom to benefit by the fruit of our labours. Do we still trust in God that He will bring the things he’s promised to us, to happen?
I wonder if we asked our dear friend Bob Lethbridge, (turning 90 on Tuesday – congratulations Bob!), about all the things he’s prayed about and hoped for – for himself, our church, the world – how much would be about waiting on God and trusting him?
Personally, I think we’re entering into a time when we really do see some harvest and I thank God for the privilege to serve at St Matt’s. You are a great people and adventurous people.
God bless you all,
Ian.
Aug 3rd, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us today, and especially a warm welcome to the team from the Doulos! We look forward to hearing about your lives and work on the ship and in preparation for the visit in September.
There’s great excitement around the church this week as the Goodacre’s arrive on Thursday. It seems a long time since we met Andy back in April. Thank-you to all those who helped prepare the Vicarage – it looks fantastic!
In addition, work is nearly complete on the new office for Children’s Ministry and so at long last the “Old Kitchen” has been refurbished and will once again be put to creative use. It is good when we’re able to make productive use of the facilities & equipment with which we’ve been endowed.
There has been and will be a flurry of activity with new staff around but let us never forget that all of us are called to serve and all of us are ministers in that sense. Who can you serve: at home, work, school, church, club? As we’ll hear today perhaps the greatest service we can do for anyone is introduce them to Jesus or even restore someone to Jesus. In a very real sense, even if we have no more specific sense of call than that, each of us shares that same vital call – to make disciples who make disciples.
I keep being thrilled that I am part of a church that has that call as its major focus – it’s so demonstrably close to God’s own heart, mission and purpose – something He’ll never give up on and which we must also always persevere with. The long haul, the faithfulness, the hope for God’s transforming miracles in the lives of those he’s searching for – the lost.
Let’s keep going, bolstered by new staff and new initiatives but most of all motivated by the love that God has shown us and called us to share.
God bless, Ian.
July 27th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to this very special week in the life of St Matt’s. If you are visiting today you are very welcome and we hope you will be able to meet with Jesus in our midst and also get the sense that He is going before us out into the community.
Today is our next “Cluster Sunday”. Again, in discipline, we will have no music as we sharpen our focus on the mission to go out into the streets and lanes with God’s invitation to come to the banquet of heaven.
What that means in practical terms for today is, many of us are going out in groups to observe to community God has placed us in; to really notice what people are doing, and to ask God to show us what we can do, what He wants done, to transform different areas. It will mean different things to different people and we trust that God himself, will help us discern exactly what He wants us to see.
So, the service today will be shorter, only about an hour, and will be very focussed on acknowledging how great our God is, how wonderful of Him to send Jesus to save us, and how amazing that He empowers us by His Holy Spirit to carry on the work of introducing people to Jesus which we know in many cases will lead to transformed lives.
After the service, please feel free and welcome to join one of the M-Pods:
Bookworms: Bookshop crawl in and around Queenscliff, carpooling from church (see Kerry Cardell)
Munchkins, Jigsaw & Men in the Kitchen: Lunch/coffee in town (see Marlene Holloway, Lesley & Dick Spurr)
God Pod: lunch at Bended Elbow (see Jeanenne Thomas)
Stand-ins: Wander the Market at the Showgrounds (see Jack Black)
Young Families: Creative afternoon in church hall, 4:30-6:30pm. BYO food to share (Contact Jon Taylor 5229 3059)
Calic’s: TBA (See Roy Calic)
For those not going out, there will be morning tea available after the service.
There will be reporting back next week, when the advance guard of the Doulos will also be joining us.
God bless,
Ian.
July 20th, 2008 - From The Treasurer
With a little over 2 months of our church financial year to go, I am writing to keep you up-to-date with the financial situation of our church.
So where are we at with regard to the finances of our church?
Firstly, we have been extremely blessed by the generous support of St Matthew’s people. This is a blessing not to be quickly glossed over, but something to be deeply thankful for and something to celebrate.
As mentioned in my last note to you, we are on track to meet our financial commitments for this year. This has been the result of more generous giving than last year, conservative expenditure and the changes to our staffing.
As has always been the case at St Matt’s, the challenge remains to ensure that our giving matches the plans that have been put in place. With a full compliment of staff from August 08 and the usual inflation indexation we must increase our giving to match. This means an additional $3000 per month or a 14% increase. This may sound like a big ask but when you consider that our giving has increased 10% from last year it starts to sound more achievable. To put another perspective on how collectively we can work to meet a goal - if 100 families each gave an extra $7 per week, then we would meet the additional giving target.
As we know, so much is possible with faith!
In closing, I ask that you continue to pray for our church finances, assess your level of giving, and be thankful for God’s generous provision to us.
Dave Doig
Treasurer
July 13th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. It’s great to have you with us and if you’re here for the first time, we look forward to meeting you properly after the service. Please join us for a cuppa out in the hall at that time.
Well, Holiday Club is over for another year. What an amazing job by Ebony and all the volunteer helpers. Despite significant set-backs, (like no electricity for much of the week), kids had fun and the gospel was proclaimed. What a privilege we have to help people follow Jesus in this way. Maybe there are other ways we can bless the Tate Street Primary School community? What is the Lord saying to you about that?
This really is a great church to belong to with many people willing to pitch in and help when required. We’ve been very blessed with the way Bec Rowse and many other singers and musicians have shouldered responsibility fore making music to help our worship.
I continue to find it a strange experience, once a month, when we worship without music. (We are doing this deliberately as we think through what it means to be church out in the community in “Clusters”). I find it a challenge to my understanding of what worship means and what church means. But I also find that, (like fasting for example), it helps to focus my thoughts and prayers. Personally, I’m very glad that it’s only for a season as I love musical worship. None the less, it’s much more important for us to listen and explore what God is trying to say (and show us) as we prepare to really impact our wider community with gospel relationships.
So that is the purpose of the next “Cluster Sunday” – 27th July. Next week I’ll have more details about various options for going out with one of the M-Pods as they survey what goes on around Geelong on a Sunday morning. After the service that Sunday everyone will have the option of joining an M-Pod for the beginning of this next stage in the adventure.
I know some people are a bit nervous about this! Join the club! But a long time ago God asked me to “make safe places from which people could do risky things” – in this case, no one is doing anything risky other than going out with a group of Christian friends for coffee, a walk, maybe a visit to a market, etc. not too big a risk really J but in any case, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Tim 1:7) We go in love and in His power.
God bless, Ian.
July 6th, 2008 - From The Associate Minister
Ahoy all those at St. Matts!
We are the Pirates who don’t do anything, but we are coming aboard at Tate Street Primary School tomorrow 7th July, 9.30 am. We are looking forward to meeting Commodore Ebony and her pirate team, as well as all the boys and girls. Please remember us all in your prayers each day.
It will be an exciting time for all involved. St. Matt’s extends a warm appreciation to Ebony, for the inspirational work she has put in to this great adventure and to the team of workers, who have been preparing and praying. We pray God’s blessing on this mission undertaken in the name of the lord Jesus. It is an overwhelming commission for this team of disciples yet they will find the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be sufficient for the mission they are undertaking.
Mission is an integral part of the ministry of all members of St. Matt’s. All who have committed to the Lord Jesus have been authorised by him to go into the world, and while we are going, we are commissioned to make more disciples. Your world may be far from home, or near to home. Wherever we are, every encounter is significant and we are called to reach out in friendship and acceptance, to show the love of Christ that transcends all boundaries, whether ethnic, gender, religious, political, age, personality of even our moods! We show the love of God in our behaviour and attitude whether at work or at home with the family, in the shops, playing bowls or golf, even when driving! As we are going making disciples, the lord Jesus has promised to be with us, even to the end of the age.
We remember Ian and Julie, Jack and Gemma on holiday and we know that they will have been proud of Jack’s performance with the Christian College band at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday. May they have a time of rest and refreshment and we look forward to their return.
A warm welcome is extended to those who may be visitors joining us in worship this morning. We hope you will be able to join us for a cup of tea or coffee after the service.
May God bless you and give you His peace, Margaret.
June 29th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome everyone! Here we are with half the year gone – how are you going with all your goals for the year?
Lately I’ve been reflecting on the passing of time and wondering what I’ll be pleased about achieving at the end of my life. I think it’s true that most of us want to make sure that our lives count for something.
One of the great aspects of being a Christian is that we know God loves us for who we are, no matter what we’ve achieved. His gift of eternal life is based solely on what Jesus Christ has done for us rather than anything we could do for him.
None the less, God does call us into a response of loving service. That service is as varied as there are people and each of us needs to work out what it is that God is calling us to, specifically. But he also calls us corporately at the very least to make disciples, to do acts of mercy & justice and to love him with every fibre of our being.
We had an amazingly “robust” discussion of this at M-Pod leaders meeting the other night as we discussed next steps for the development of Clusters (or mid-sized communities). One thing we were all agreed upon was the need to help us all find ways of expressing and increasing our outward relationships which we are all developing with those “People of Peace” who wish to learn more about Jesus.
To this end, next Cluster Sunday, 27th July, there will be opportunities for everyone associated with our church to join an M-Pod or Cluster, after the regular service, in an outward excursion, of which there will be about 5 options. The purpose will be to go with a group from church to just “watch and see” what other people are doing at that time on Sundays. It will be good to be asking, “What is the Lord saying to me?”, at the same time. This will be an open invitation, not compulsory, however the service before-hand will be very much focussed on preparing ourselves for the activities that follow. I imagine one group might go to a coffee place in Westfield, another might go to one of the Sunday markets, no doubt the families cluster will be doing whatever their usual thing is for that day, maybe a local footy match. There will be more details to follow in the coming weeks. I find it very exciting and I ask you to pray for the four or five M-Pods that take up the opportunity and for each one of us to find a way to be involved.
Exciting times, God bless,
Ian.
June 22nd, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. If you’re here for the first time today, you missed a cracker-jack service last week run by the RE team and a stunning sermon by Nola Stacey exhorting all of us to aim for “beautiful feet”; as those who bring the message of God’s love for all people through Jesus. Whether it’s as a CRE teacher, school chaplain, or in our everyday, ordinary lives there are so many ways to communicate God’s message of love and salvation – how beautiful are your feet this week?
This week we’re having the third of our “Cluster” Sundays. There will be no music as we use the time to again think through how to form Mission-shaped Communities or in other words, how to be church out in the community rather than just when we gather Sunday by Sunday.
I’m hoping that more and more of us will be asking the question, “What is the Lord saying to me/us?” That is, what is it in the world that we see or just know needs to be transformed by God and that we can (as individuals and in our mid-sized, Christian communities) be involved in taking the good news of Jesus Christ to – rather than expect them to come to us.
Perhaps there is already an M-Pod with a mission focus you’re interested in or maybe you’d like to start your own? Here’s a list – if you’re interested in joining an existing M-Pod, please let the office staff know and we’ll make the connection happen for you. If you want to start a new one, please make a time to talk with me about it.
M-Pod/Cluster |
Mission Focus |
Sugar n Spice |
Teenage girls |
Men in the Kitchen |
Cooking |
X-pod |
Teenage boys |
Open our eyes |
Closeness with God |
Munchkins |
Prison fellowship |
Calics |
Practical Outreach |
Men in the Kitchen |
Cooking |
Men’s Breakfasts |
Reaching men |
Bookworms |
Reading books |
Jigsaw |
General |
299 |
General Biblestudy |
Stand Ins |
Alpha |
Senior’s |
Scrabble |
Johnsons |
General |
KYB |
Bible Study |
God Pod |
General |
God bless, Ian.
June 15th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. If you are visiting you are especially welcome – please do make yourself known to those around you – any of us will be glad to help you feel at home.
I know you’ll all agree with me, already, how blessed we are to have Margaret Hagans on board with us. Personally, my load already seems lighter and it’s good to have another professional colleague. We are already being challenged by what the Lord is saying to us about how she spends her time and it could be that both ends of the age spectrum will have the benefit of her experience and care.
There are many encouragements at the moment. James did such an excellent job with the sermon last week – we are grateful to God for the gifts he has given James and that we are the beneficiaries for the time being. (As always, an audio copy of the sermons can be ordered through Rich, in the office or they can be downloaded in MP3 format from our website.)
I’ve also just had another very encouraging “Cluster” meeting with the leaders of our Youth Pods. It’s amazing that 18 months ago we had nothing; now we have two youth groups totalling about 14 young people! Not only that, but they are clearly discipling the young people well with requests coming from the kids as to how they can help with Holiday Club, how they should pray, etc. Anthea, Abby & Rich – great job!
Work is apace on the “Old Kitchen” transforming it into the new “children’s resource room” (Ebony’s office). Our preliminary thanks to Keith Stacey for applying his unique set of gifts to that project.
I’ve been reading 1 Peter a bit lately, and I’m reminded of verse 10 of chapter 4, which says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” It’s a pretty clear instruction, isn’t it? The above are brilliant examples of just some of the wonderful ways St Matt’s people use the gifts God has given them. Are you using your gifts? Do you think you may have a gift that is not being used? M-Pods are great places to test your gifts out but if you’re not in one of those (why not ?????) then by all means I’d love to talk with you about other ways of putting that verse into practise.
Meanwhile, we are being served today by yet another group using their gifts as we celebrate RE Sunday this year. Such a strong part of St Matt’s life which clearly reaches out to the wider community. I commend all our CRE teachers and school-chaplains to you for prayer and other means of support. (We are always glad to be able to support chaplaincy and CRE each year as part of St Matt’s mission giving.)
God bless, Ian.
June 1st, 2008 - From The Vicar
Ahoy, me `arties! Welcome to St Matt’s and please climb the crows nest for a Cap’n Cook at the page opposite – Holiday Club “Pirates” approaches fast on the windward side – arrgh! (sorry!)
Today is a momentous one in the life of St Matt’s as we welcome the Rev’d Margaret Hagans to join our community, in particular in her role, on staff, as Associate Minister with special responsibility for Seniors’ Ministry.
In the ebb and flow of parish life today we also farewell our wonderful Margie and Peter Matthews, as they venture into Missional waters – all the way to Melton! There is no way I can do them justice in this short note other than to say they will be keenly missed for a thousand ways of help, encouragement, and life-giving sacrifice as they have served God amongst us here over so many years.
Everyone is invited to stay for a big morning tea to celebrate the beginnings of two important adventures. Obviously we wish them well and pray for God’s blessing on their future. Do take time after the service today to say “hello” to Margaret and goodbye to Peter & Margie (and please sign the gift we have for them!)
God bless, Ian.
May 25th , 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this week. Being the fourth Sunday of the month, two things are different for us as we gather together. Most of you will know that the Families Cluster go “out” this weekend every month as a consequence there are not so many children around as normal. But also at the moment we are without musicians for this week of the month which we are embracing as a discipline to think and pray through what Clusters going “out” might mean for the rest of us.
There are many people who don’t normally get thanked publicly but who regularly “put themselves out there” for the sake of each of us. My profound thanks to each of you who serves on the roster in whatever capacity. The Helpful Hints (from the back of the roster) are printed here so that we might uphold you in prayer as you serve us.
Be mindful of children: It is vitally important when leading from the front in our services that we maintain an awareness of all the ages that are present. We want everyone to feel welcome including the language we use and the manner we adopt.
Reading: Please use the New International Version of the bible. (NIV) this aids with consistency between the readings on the overhead screen and the bibles in the seats. Please do adjust the Microphone to your own mouth-height before commencing. An appropriate introduction is, “the reading today comes from the book of _______, chapter ___, beginning at verse ____.” It is our custom to conclude the reading with, “This is the word of the Lord – thanks be to God”.
Overhead Projector: Please arrive 30min. before commencement of service to build schedule and liaise with service leader and preacher for any additions or adjustments. Please change to each next screen as we commence the last half of the last line.
Intercessions (prayers): If requiring a response from congregation, please instruct clearly before you commence and practice once with congregation. We now have a small selection of responses on overhead. Please use one of these if you wish to have responses.
Communion Cup: Please wipe inside and outside lip of cup and turn the cup after each person has been served.
Bins: If on Morning Tea duty would you please put the rubbish bins and either recycling or green rubbish bin out at the kerbside for collection.
Again, my thanks to all those who already do this. If you think you can handle one of these tasks, please speak to me and/or give your name into the office.
God bless, Ian.
May 18th , 2008 - From The Treasurer
- The overall level of income that we have received to date is slightly better than budgeted figures to support the current and planned staffing levels for this year. This can be seen in the chart above.
- In 5 of the 7 months so far this year we have exceeded the level of giving compared to last year. This regular giving from our congregation can give us confidence to ‘stay the course’ set by our vision.
- Our expenditure to date is below what we budgeted at the beginning of the church financial year. This is the result of conservative budgeting and the changes to staffing levels.
- Reserves have been drawn upon only to a limited degree at this point.
God Bless
David Doig
Treasurer
May 11th , 2008 - From The Vicar
Happy Mother’s Day!
I had the happy opportunity to visit with Rod King during the week. He is doing very well, although his veins could do with your prayer support – he’s had so many injections they’re beginning to protest! Ros also sounded well but tired – we all know that constant hospital visiting wears you out – so prayer for her in that regard would also be welcome.
Afterward I went on to join the Eastern Region Ministry conference where I was speaking on “Clusters” or mid-sized, mission-shaped communities. You can imagine the reaction to the idea we’ve been gathering too much on Sunday for church!
But that’s not really what I’m saying. What we need to find are ways to be church out in the community. We should not stop meeting together for worship and instruction but I do believe God is calling us to be creative and find imaginative ways of going out to people instead of expecting them to come into us.
Let me say quite clearly – I am committed to making sure there is something worshipful on each and every Sunday at our buildings (unless it’s an exceptional circumstance, like Easter just gone), and for some time I’m sure that will involve most of us, most of the time. But what we’re giving room to is more opportunity for clusters to form and go out, on Sundays in some cases (eg the families cluster) and reach people we would otherwise have no means or time for reaching. What is God saying to you about this? Is it your cricket club? Your community gardeners? Your computer swap-meeters? Is it Sunday market attenders or stall-holders? Is it Tate Street primary school or Geelong High? Is it young alcohol-abusers in the centre of town? Is it environmental interest groups?
Where do people meet on Sundays? How can we create community that influences them or helps them belong to God’s people? Who else agrees with you on these issues?
And for those who just feel as though they’ll never be able to physically go out – how can you be involved? Prayer? Finance? Babysitting? Meals?
Plenty of food for thought. God bless, Ian.
May 4th , 2008 - From The Vicar
Welcome to everyone “gorging” themselves this morning on corporate worship! For those who weren’t here last week, the Vicar was heard to say during his sermon that for too long we’ve been “pigging-out” on celebration-level worship when even Jesus only went to temple three times a year, if that!
Well, that’s all very well, but what now? Is it even remotely possible that all the rest of “Christendom” is and has been wrong for all these years?
The weekly gathering has been very effective as a means for teaching the scriptures, maintaining orthodoxy, rallying Christians to just causes, challenging for righteous living, marshalling intercessory prayer, receiving the sacraments, etc.
But as we discovered last week, (and have been thinking about for a couple of years, at least), we probably haven’t been all that effective at reaching the thousands of folk who don’t yet know how much God loves them and wants them to be part of his kingdom. So we’ve got a lot to think about to try and discern how we can be church out amongst the people. Please pray for everyone in leadership as we work through this issue but also please keep praying for yourselves. It is always hard to contemplate change, especially when we don’t quite understand the full implications long-term. But I am very confident that god is leading us in this and that all we are doing are the natural consequences of following Jesus. Jesus spent a balanced amount of time with his heavenly Father, with his friends and with those whom he wanted to see come in the Kingdom. As Jesus is “the same, yesterday today and forever”, the he must still be doing that and we want to be where Jesus is – don’t we? If anyone wants to catch up on last week’s sermon it is available on the church website or by letting Richard, (in the office – you can use the slips of paper in the pews to notify him), know.
So to that end, perhaps you really would consider our next corporate fast, this coming Saturday, 10th May? Just miss out brekkie and lunch, and then, if possible, join us in the hall for a time of gathered prayer from 2pm-4pm. When you feel the occasional hunger pang; why not use that as a reminder to pray to God? You might like to ask the question, “what would you have me do, lord?” Please do come with any “words” or scriptures from the lord, to share with the rest of us.
God bless, Ian.
April 27th, 2008 - From The Vicar
Hello my friends – it’s good to be back Down Under! Welcome also to anyone visiting with us this morning. We love meeting and including new people in what we are doing as a church community and we hope you can join us as we seek to live out balanced relationships – Upwards with God, Inwards with each other and Outwards with those who have not yet met Jesus.
I’ve just been in America for two weeks and have had an amazing time. I spent the first six days with Mike and Sally Breen in Phoenix, Arizona, from The Order of Mission (TOM) and Mike is also the author of Lifeshapes (UP/IN/OUT being the triangle shape). I have asked Mike to speak into my life and hold me accountable for the way I live and lead, so he is, in effect, my mentor.
The second week I journeyed with Mike to Pittsburgh to help with a church consultation and conference on Clusters or mid-sized, mission-shaped communities. The church concerned is St Philip’s Episcopal Church in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. It’s a church of about 450 regular attenders and has been implementing Clusters for about 3 years. We were also joined by another Anglican vicar from St Andrew’s, Chorleywood (London) who has a church of about 1400 attenders and who have been implementing Clusters for about 5 years.
Both churches started with greater numbers than us and both started developing Clusters before small groups but Chorleywood look like they may well adopt our model of M-Pods for their small groups. We have been working the other way around, starting with gaining a missional focus for small groups, hence the name Mission Pods (or M-Pods for short). Everyone was very impressed with what we’ve been able to do in a relatively short time, and considering Mike now suggests that any church adopting this missional model needs to expect 3-7 years of transition time, we are well on track. I also learned an enormous and am tremendously encouraged by seeing other churches working towards the same goals. While we were there the bishop of Pittsburgh, Rt Rev’d Bob Duncan came and warmly endorsed the model claiming it was the way forward for his diocese. I also learnt that the Alpha network of churches in and around London are also moving the same way – so it’s good to be on the cutting edge of a worldwide movement – without even realizing it!
Today I will speak more on Clusters during the service. They are the natural next step in our development from being an attractional church (we expect people to come to us) to a missional church (we share the blessing of God by going out to where people are). Today will be about the theory of Clusters and the following two I hope will be about showcasing what we are doing and what we could do.
It’s also the first of three, “4th Sundays” where we will have no music to sing along to. We’re doing this as a discipline to hear from God. I believe that he wants to show us what we can achieve in and through Clusters and this will help us focus our minds on what He wants for us and from us.
God bless, Ian.
April 20th, 2008 - From The Vicar's Warden
This morning we devote our celebration to prayer for Geelong, our allocated day being the 20th, and falling on a Sunday this month. It seems fitting that we gather together in prayer for our city, and we appreciate the work Margie and Jack have done to make this happen.
Over the past few months we have had a series of teaching on the Lord’s Prayer, and in 1 Samuel, we have been encouraged to bring our deepest longings to God in simplicity and faith. Jesus said, “My house shall be a house of prayer.” Matt 21:13, quoting from Isaiah 56:7+8, where it says “My house shall be called a house of prayer for the nations” and “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.” Friends, we are some of those who were spoken of so many years ago! Not only us, but many yet to be gathered. Our deepest longings are often for those we love and live near; how we long to see them come to Jesus and be saved.
Our God given mission is ‘By the year 2010 we will have 500 missionally engaged people following Jesus and belonging in M-Pods, clusters and celebrations within St Matthew’s Community.”
Ian at present, is with Mike Breen in Phoenix, finding out more about clusters and how to implement them here. I am sure that when he returns we will hear lots more about them, and begin to see what this means to enable us to move further into seeing our mission statement fulfilled, and many being saved. Matt 21:15 “The children were shouting in the temple area “Hosanna to the Son of David .. from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.”
Jesus delighted in the praises of the children, who recognised him as the promised Messiah. We pray that many will come to recognise him in the days ahead, for the children are the future of the church!
As we join with the churches of Geelong in covering this city with prayer, may God pour out his Spirit on us, and may we find the deep longings of our hearts satisfied.
Let us remember the prayer of Eli “ God has heard you, Go in peace, may he grant the desire of your heart, in Jesus name Amen.”
With Love
Jeanenne
Vicar’s Warden
April 13th, 2008
Welcome, everyone, to St Matt’s!
I’m writing this the afternoon prior to flying off to America to spend time with Mike Breen (Lifeshapes author). He will be helping me process some of the things God seems to be saying to me and teaching me more about leadership. I am very blessed to have him available like this as a mentor. I will be with him in Phoenix, Arizona until Sunday and then we will be flying to Pittsburgh to visit the leadership team at St Philip’s, Moon Township www.stphilipsonline.org . St Philip’s is also investigating/implementing Clusters and Mike will be teaching on that topic whilst there. So that’s what I’m doing, hopefully along with a game of golf or two!
Our special guests this week have included the Rev’s Stephen Brown and Andrew Grills, both from St John’s Highton. I know the Mid-week communion folk will have had fun with Stephen (who was one of my mentoree’s in my previous job overseeing youth ministry in the Diocese) and I’m equally sure the Sunday congregation will appreciate Andrew’s gracious offerings. Andrew will be finishing at St John’s at the end of this year and taking up a position as Chaplain in the Australian Army. (If you ask him after the service, I’m sure he would have interesting perspectives on Army life and Australia’s involvement on the world stage.)
Meanwhile, we have another delightful dilemma to deal with. Margaret Hagans will be joining us soon and we need to make office space available for her. So we’ve decided to finally complete the transformation of the old kitchen in Hebron House into a Children’s Ministry resource room, which will accommodate Ebony Shawcross and all the bits and bobs that get stored for just the right occasion – like dress-up costumes and shoe boxes . . . . However, this will require some expenditure which we did not budget for. (We weren’t expecting a Seniors Pastor until the end of the year but God has had other plans!) We estimate that something in the order of $5000 will be required, once new plaster, storage cupboards, heating/air-conditioning, etc, are installed. Fortunately we still have new carpet left over from the hall. The Wardens and I would be very grateful if anyone felt able to make a financial offering to the project, over and above your normal tithe. Any such contributions can be made in all the usual methods: a specially marked envelope in the offering bowl or bank/electronic deposit similarly marked. Thank you in anticipation.
Next week, the service will have an overall focus on Prayer for Geelong. As it is the 20th, and that is our prescribed day of prayer for Geelong, we thought it appropriate to so commit the service.
One quick but important event to acknowledge – a couple of weeks back Ruby & Grant Murray celebrated their 50th Wedding anniversary! What a great testimony and encouragement to us all – we all know how hard relationships are and we pray God continues to bless them in the years to come.
God bless, Ian
April 6th, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this morning. It’s great to have visitors amongst us, wonderful to have some “new” folk joining us and even better to belong to each other so that we can meet and encourage one another.
We had a very encouraging time at Vestry (church council) on Monday night. There’s a growing sense of commitment to the Vision we believe God has given us and to persisting despite the occasional set-backs. Andy Goodacre joined us and it felt very much as though he belonged. We have high hopes for a fruitful new season of ministry facilitated by the new staff God is adding to our number of existing, wonderful staff.
The Vestry began a process of listening to God with specific regard to our current musical “crisis”. The use of the word crisis is often taken in a negative way but the word actually comes from the ancient Greek word for “decision”. So it really means that a “turning-point” has been reached at which a decision must be made. However, the only decision we have made at this point is not to rush our decision!
The reason for this is that we really do believe that God wants to show us something. The question I believe God is asking us to consider, as a prompt, is, “What would you do if you had no music?” In order to really consider this, I’m convinced that we need to experience it firsthand. Therefore, I’m, not rushing to fill all the musical vacancies each Sunday. So, rather than be dismayed, it’s important for us to give time, experience and prayer to the reality. I suspect we’ll discover new creativity & freedom but I have no idea what that will work out like. We are committed to the idea that God does indeed want us to sing and have music as part of gathered worship but we are going to treat this next period as a kind of musical fast as we dedicate this time to hearing from God about music and about Sunday gatherings.
At this stage, my hope is that the only “musical interruption” will be on the 4th Sunday of each month. That is, there will be no music on that Sunday, each month, at least for the next roster, (about three Sundays in total). After that, who knows – I’m sure God does! Hopefully you all know how much this pains me personally. I love music and see it as essential to worship – however, I love God more and wish to lead us in right paths as we discern His will. We remain very grateful to those musicians and singers who continue to give their service to us willingly.
The first of these Sundays will be 27th April, my first back after time on retreat in the USA. I will be spending much time in through and prayer about this situation and look forward to sharing insights with you on that day.
God bless, Ian.
March 30th, 2008
Welcome to everyone! If you’re visiting today, you join ‘us regulars” back at St Matt’s after our visit, last Sunday, out to Moolap Baptist Church to celebrate Easter. What an amazing occasion! What a time in church history when different denominations can finally come together again to worship our God and especially our Risen Lord Jesus! Those who went from both churches (320 at least), were part of a huge blessing. Our thanks have been sent to our hosts for being so gracious and welcoming. It’s a wonderful experience to have 320 people responding to liturgy with such enthusiasm! Already we have been requested to return the favour . . . . I wonder how we will do that? No doubt if God continues to lead the way in this he will also provide a suitable occasion & venue! Obedience leads to wonderful adventures.
Speaking of which, it’s my great pleasure to inform you of a few more adventurers who have come or are coming our way. Firstly, Andy Goodacre is visiting with us today from England via Germany, (where he will be continuing to work until the end of June, by which time he will be an ordained, Anglican Deacon). We are hoping that he, his wife, Liz and daughter, Olivia, will then join us in September as our new Curate, with special responsibility for overseeing Youth and Young Adults ministry. We will be seeing the Bishop, Director of Theological Education and Vice-Principal of Ridley College on Tuesday to sort through some details. Please continue to pray for Andy and his family as they prepare to join us in ministry here.
Secondly, although not present today, we have been joined by James, Jane, Willoughby & Angus Duff. James is a Geelong boy and ordination candidate for the Diocese of Melbourne hoping to be ordained at the end of 2009. He is completing an informal placement with us at the request of the Diocese and they have all moved from St John’s Highton to be with us. They are also very high quality people as you will all discover over the next year. James will be leading some services and preaching occasionally.
I am very grateful to St John’s for continuing to give us good people and help us out from time to time with clergy to cover my occasional absences. This is going to happen again in the near future as I will again be going to stay with Mike and Sally Breen, in Phoenix, Arizona, for two weeks, from 8th to 22nd April. This is an enormous privilege for me to spend quality time being mentored by this international leader. Part of the time will also be spent in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, accompanying Mike as he facilitates a conference on Clusters.
The one very sad note today is that Jason & Andrea Vernon have decided to leave us and this will be their final Sunday. We are none the less very grateful for their ministry to us and willingness to learn & serve. Their departure, coinciding with the Parkins’, leaves an unexpected and huge hole in music ministry; about which I’m asking your urgent prayers as we seek God for answers to this new dilemma. More about that in coming weeks . . . .
God bless, Ian.
March 16th, 2008
Hello everyone and welcome to St Matt’s! If it’s your first time here or if you still consider yourself to be new, please do make yourself known.
Today is the last in our Lenten (the run up to Easter) series on aspects of the Lord’s Prayer. It has been good to focus in depth on each phrase but I must admit to missing having our regular bible readings – and preaching on one verse is always a challenge! You can order the series on CD via the office or download directly from our website.
It’s also the beginning of a long week for the Parkins, who not only leave us but leave the country next week! Please continue to pray for them not only to survive the packers (!) but that God will soon provide all that they need once back in the UK. We will thank them formally over lunch today, after the service, but I also need to go on record again here about how wonderful they’ve been and instrumental in helping us get to where we currently are as a church. We will miss their friendship, their teaching, their accents (!), their insights and (for me most especially) their determination to listen to God and follow Jesus in all that they do. At the service on Good Friday we will “pray them off” asking God’s blessing for their future.
So it’s a busy week. Today is the last day you can sign up for the Christian Passover (all ages welcome), which I’m really looking forward to on Thursday night. We are all going to learn a lot about the context in which the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion) originated.
I’m also really looking forward to our joint service with Moolap Baptist church on Easter Day. Even though it’s a bit last minute and a bit unusual, it is a great opportunity to witness to Christian Unity on the greatest day in the Christian Calendar. Jesus is risen and the barrier-free Kingdom of God will be expressed, even if just between two churches, a true sign that really are all God’s children. To make it easier we have put up a list of those wanting rides and those who can offer rides – the two groups just need to meet in the car-park here at 9.30am. It’ll be wonderful to have a packed celebration down at Moolap. Head down Bellarine Hwy, through the lights at Moolap Station Rd, then look out for the giant golf ball on the right. The church entrance is just there. (The building is the former Silver Horseshoe reception place).
Our Good Friday service (10am) also promises to be a wonderful time for all ages with a suitably quiet and reflective mood. Looking forward to seeing you at all our Easter events!
God bless, Ian.
March 9th, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us today. I feel constrained to write in response to the discussion about abortion in this month’s TMA.
Some years ago I was touring the battle fields of the Somme with a friend. The greatest sadness of the day was the thousands of graves of, to me, unknown young men who gave their lives in that conflict (WW1). The greatest joy of that day was to read at the base of many of the nameless gravestones, “Known unto God”.
One of the things I treasure most is being known by God and the invitation the Father offers to each of us to know him, in return, through Jesus. For example, John 14:7 Jesus says, “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well." (TNIV) To me, that’s like a bookend to Psalm 139 where we learn, “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. . . . For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.”
“Knowing” in the bible is often about the closest possible level of intimacy, a “belonging” to each other in an inextricable way. Being known physically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually – completely. God knows us completely, loves us completely and wants us to have the chance to reciprocate that knowledge and love. He’s known us forever and wants us to know him forever.
I can’t see how that changes anywhere in the life-cycle of any human being. We must advocate for what God wants for every individual, no matter their stage of life. He wants them to know him. Let’s keep finding ways to point people to Jesus – so that they can come to really know God.
God bless, Ian.
March 2nd, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us today and especially to the families and friends of Felix Nixon and Joshua DeGoldi. Felix and Joshua are being initiated into the Christian family today by being Baptised with water, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, just as we read Jesus commanded us to make disciples in the bible, (Matthew 28:16-20). It’s a big day for them as they begin a life-long journey of discovering what it means to follow Jesus. As a church family, we will pray for them and undertake to support them in this task, which is all of ours.
As part of our journey of discovery, we have an excellent opportunity to explore the roots of the Lord’s Supper within a Jewish Passover, on Thursday, 20th March. Gavin Brown, a member of our congregation and Messianic Jew, (meaning his race is Jewish and he believes that Jesus is the Messiah, as we non-Jewish-Christians do), will take us through parts of a traditional Passover meal and explain some of the symbols and the way they point to Jesus Christ himself. Whilst this is not a quiet time of reflection, as occasionally observed in the past, (there will be considerable opportunity for that the following day, Good Friday), you will be deeply struck by the way God moves and anticipates all that he would ask Jesus to do.
I’m really looking forward to learning more in the context of fellowship, food and fun with my friends. Please join us if you can and bring some of your friends. I’m certain you will find considerable interest, even amongst those who may not normally come to church. You need to book! There is a sheet in the hall after the service today. (Anyone interested in helping with the food preparation should contact our Domestic Services Manager, Graham Trevaskis ph: 52582093)
The format for the evening is approximately as follows:
6.30 Arrive Dips, Dinner
7.00 Start Service (Seder)
Bickies, etc. 8.00
8.45 Continue Service
9.30 Dessert
For those who want to continue the fun & fellowship – the footy will be on the big screen, after all the serious stuff is finished, at about 9.45. You will miss the first quarter or so - you may need to set your VCR at home!
And finally, after much hinting and teasing, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of a new, Assistant Minister (with special responsibility for Seniors), to commence on Wednesday, 28th May 2008. The Rev’d Margaret Hagans comes to us most recently from the parish of St Peter’s Ocean Grove with All Saints, Barwon Heads. She has a long and distinguished career as a teacher & coordinator of Christian Education and is also a qualified counsellor. Margaret will work at St Matt’s 4 days per week and will oversee, support and develop all aspects of ministry to those with Seniors Cards (!) She will have a particular brief for the Mid-week service. Margaret is married to Marvin and also works as part-time chaplain to the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. I can’t wait for her to start!
In addition, we are in serious negotiation for another Assistant Minister to join us in September. Andy Goodacre is due to be ordained by the Bishop of Guildford, UK, in late June. Andy has experience in ministering to Youth & Young Adults (especially university students) and is currently ministering in Marburg, Germany. Whilst fluent in three or four languages he is actually English. Andy is married to Liz and they have a small daughter, Olivia, who is six months old. Any arrangement like this requires considerable organisation and therefore I’m asking you to please pray that: dialogue between the dioceses of Melbourne & Guildford go smoothly; a transfer of academic credit can be sorted out between Ridley College, Melbourne & St John’s College, Nottingham; a Religious Worker’s Visa will be obtained; their departure from Marburg & saying goodbye to family and friends in the UK will be a time of blessing amidst inevitable sadness.
Thank you & God bless, Ian.
February 24th, 2008
Welcome to all those worshipping with us today. We hope you will meet with God – and introduce yourselves to us!
We experienced a real moment of healing last week as we celebrated the saying sorry to the stolen generations of aboriginal people by federal parliament. It was a shock to many present to hear that for a significant period in our history, official policy was the eradication and or absorption of the indigenous race from Australia. Everything is easier and clearer with hindsight but we must be on our guard not to let anything like that happen again.
We watched a video from YouTube of a man called Bob Randall who himself was stolen as a child from his family about 150 kms from Uluru (Ayers Rock), when a policeman came to their camp and because he was who he was, took him away. In the early 1970’s, Bob’s song “Brown Skin Baby” became an anthem for the aboriginal people.
Here are the words from the song we listened to last week:
As a young preacher I used to ride, a quiet pony round the country side.
In a native camp I’ll never forget, a young black mother, her cheeks all wet“My brown skin baby they take him away”
Between her sobs I heard her say, “Police been, taken my baby away.
From white man boss that baby I have, why he let them take baby away?”“My brown skin baby they take him away”
To a children’s home a baby came, with new clothes on and a new name.
Day and night he would always say, “Oh Mummy, Mummy why they take me away?”The child grew up and had to go, from the mission home that he loved so.
To find his mother he tried in vain, upon this earth they never met again.“My brown skin baby they take him away”
Let us be people who work against injustice in whatever form it takes.
God bless, Ian.
February 17th, 2008
Welcome to everyone worshipping with us this morning. Especially we welcome today, Ebony Shawcross, our new Children’s Minister. We look forward to her ministry amongst us, and especially with our children, this year. Ebony will be working two days a week for us whilst she completes her Primary teaching Degree at Deakin. Ebony and her husband Rich (sometimes known as the voice at the end of the church phone) join our church all the way from the other side of the Barwon River at St John’s Highton, where they have both been heavily involved in youth ministry for some years.
Also today we continue our series on the sixth Lifeshape – the Hexagon, which reminds us of the six phrases of the Lord’s Prayer. I’m grateful to Jo Parkins for so helpfully reminding us of the Father’s character last week – that he loves us, always has time for us and unlike our earthly fathers, (no matter how hard they try), is absolutely perfect, all the time. It continues to amaze me that the One who made heaven and earth wants us to know him just as closely as His Son, Jesus knows him.
This week we’ll be thinking of the Father’s Kingdom – how we see and experience it now and how we can expect it in the future.
It may seem a bit odd not to have a formal bible reading over these six weeks in the run up to Easter, (don’t forget you can find the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6: 9-13), but there are times when it’s good to meditate on just small sections of scripture – especially one like this which is so fundamental to helping us in our Christian walk. How fascinating that after seeing all the miracles Jesus did and hearing all the words he said, the one recorded thing the disciples asked to be taught by this greatest of teachers, was how to pray! Perhaps these six weeks might make the basis on which all of us, as modern-day disciples, build our lives on praying the way Jesus taught.
We had our first day of prayer & fasting last Saturday – I wonder how many people made it to 4pm without eating? About 17 people gathered in the hall between 2 & 4pm for prayer and we had a great time of intercession for our church and it’s development over the coming year. (then we enjoyed pancakes and strawberries magnificently prepared by Graham T & Joy R). Please do pray for the ministry areas you are concerned about. Pray for many people to come to know & follow Jesus. Pray for provision, for guidance, for deliverance, for forgiveness - and for His Kingdom to come!
God bless, Ian.
February 10th, 2008
- The budgeted income to sustain our operations over the year.
- The actual level of income when one off donations has been factored in. This figure represents all the money that we receive. However, one off donations received cannot be relied upon to indicate future levels of giving.
- The actual level of income when one off donations is removed. This figure represents our regular income each month, is relatively constant and a good indicator of future income.
- The overall level of income that we have received to date is above our working budget figures. However, a large one-off donation has enabled us to achieve this figure. Without this one-off donation, our regular giving is well below budgeted figures. Should this trend continue, our current plans will be affected.
- Our expenditure is below budget. This is because some budgeted increases eg. in utilities costs have not yet flowed through.
- Give the ‘first fruits’ of your income to God
- Give generously and as you are able
- Give consistently
- Give gladly
David Doig
Hon Treasurer
February 3rd, 2008
Welcome back everyone who’s been away and welcome to those who are visiting. You’ve joined us as we recommence our “normal” pattern of worship for the year and it’s turning out to be a much bigger year, already, than anyone expected.
The biggest changes are a direct result of strategic staffing decisions made by me and the Wardens. Inevitably, some decisions will be popular right from the outset and others take more time to get used to. Whenever anybody leaves our church, from whatever role, there is always some measure of grief and loss. In this note I want to assure you that no decisions have been taken lightly or hurriedly but with great consideration and always after prayer. This is the wonderful dilemma of discerning God’s will – always a noble pursuit, not always the result we might choose. This is also the burden of leadership. Some might say it’s hard enough to discern God’s will for one’s own life, let alone a whole community!
Circumstances were thrust upon us over the Christmas period which meant we had to review our whole staffing structure. In essence, we asked some pretty straight forward questions: What are our ministry needs, according to our Vision? What level of staffing is required to meet these needs? Who can we ask to fill these ministry positions? How can we finance them?
Thankfully, the stability of the Vicar, the Pastoral Care co-ordinators, the Prayer Ministry Co-ordinator and Op-Shop Liaison meant that we didn’t have to think too long about each of those positions. Jon Taylor’s availability to remain leading the Families Cluster was also a relief. The rest was more complicated. We knew that we had about half-time ministry needs for each of Children’s, Youth, Young Adults & Seniors. But we also realised that there was a clear need for a trained and ordained person to be around as a second-in-command.
Unfortunately Matt Parkins, as good as he is, at this stage of his ministry career is unable to fill those requirements and as he & Jo had already indicated that this would be their last year, pragmatics militated against a prolonged stay. This was a very painful realisation and we are all feeling the loss as we prepare for their departure somewhat earlier than expected.
In the midst of this, as mentioned last week, God has already provided: a new Children’s Worker – Ebony Shawcross who commences at the end of February; a new Domestic Services Manager – Graham Trevaskis, (co-ordinating cleaning & catering); as a consequence of Ebony’s arrival, her husband Rich (from the office) will be able to continue to develop the X-Pod for teenage boys. And I can assure you we are working very hard to secure people for both Senior’s and Young Adults to join us later in the year.
So discerning the will of God is one step. Following it is another. Living with the consequences is yet another and dealing with the accompanying emotions still more of a challenge. When Jesus says, “come, follow me”, he clearly didn’t mean in a chauffeur driven limo! But we all know that God doesn’t lead us astray, has our best interests at heart and can see the path ahead, even if we can’t. Let’s keep trusting Him!
God bless, Ian.