Pod Article
Pod Article

POD 2018

Posted on By Hui DoggettIn Article

POD has kicked off the New Year with many new and exciting developments. The first being the launch of Seedlings for 2 to 4 year olds (see Anni’s article for info).

All our children are now included for the beginning of Celebration – a new approach to Children’s Ministry with an emphasis on being together as FAMILY and an opportunity for our young ones to grow in their faith through the example of their parents and church family.

Sprout (Years R to 3) and Thrive (Years 4 to 6) have started Term 2 with our new curriculum. This curriculum endeavours to teach Biblical truths in engaging and age appropriate ways. It also helps us to support families at home by providing children with weekly devotionals that relate to the lesson, along with information for parents about what we have been learning so you can carry on the conversation at home.

We hope that you will enjoy all of these new developments!

– Mel Lewis, POD Leader

 

 

“The greatest encouragement you can give your child for life has little to do with material security, but it is the confidence that GOD is GOOD and is HIS FATHER.”

For a long time now I had it on my heart to work with the little ones. Seeing how my own 3 year old son engages with the Bible stories we read at home reminded me that this age is so precious and we can’t miss the opportunity to start teaching our little ones how great God is, from early on.

Seedlings will be run alternate weeks at 10:30am for ages 2 – 4 (2 year old’s need to be with a parent). We will sing songs and listen to a Bible story, and there will be time for a lot of playing and painting. Oh, and by the way – no more biscuits and squash, our snack time is fruit and water! I am really excited about what God wants to do with our little ones and I’ll see you upstairs.

 

– Anni Garcia, Seedlings Leader

build a place for me to dwell
build a place for me to dwell

Build a place for me to dwell

Posted on By Hui DoggettIn Article

So. We are moving to a new location in Parkwood/Langley Park. At the moment the land is pretty desolate and barren – a footprint, a shell of what it will be. But it is ours. God has given it to us.

We own the land.

He has miraculously provided the place. After years of temporary housing, we are about to embark on making home, putting down roots and cultivating the land. Over the last year I have been asking Jesus, “what do you want us to build? What’s it meant to look like?” He whispered into my heart, “build a place for my Glory to dwell.”

Looking back in the Old Testament there were places built for His Glory – temples, sanctuaries etc. But now His Glory no longer dwells in physical places, through Christ He dwells in us, in our hearts as His bride, His church. I sense God is saying that although we physically journey up the road to Parkwood/Langley Park, it’s actually a spiritual journey that we are embarking on. He is preparing our hearts to be a ‘place for His Glory to dwell.’ He’s not looking for a beautiful building with all the ‘bells and whistles’ to reflect His Glory, He is looking for hearts fully surrendered and devoted to Him; a people ready to invade a space on the earth, allowing His light to shine, His manifold wisdom to be manifest; a beacon to the lost, carrying a message of hope to the broken. The world is desperate for the truth of the gospel message. It is desperate to hear the Good News of the Gospel! Are we ready to shout it?

Tony Fitzgerald, when he visited us recently, shared his observation of our times and it resonated with me. He felt that last time, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was primarily for the building up of the Church – signs, wonders and the charismatic movement; but this time he believes it will be an outpouring on the unsaved, and it will not happen inside our church buildings but outside amongst the lost, for the lost.

Father God is calling us to be a people set apart. Ready to serve Him unreservedly. Am I willing to pray for His Holy Spirit to cause an uncomfortable prodding in my heart and spirit? Can I, like David pray,

“Search me oh God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts? See if there is any offensive way in me?” – Psalm 139.

Am I willing to be weighed and measured by Jesus? Willing to give things up for the sake of gaining Christ? (Philippians 3:8).

“How will anyone know that You look favourably upon me, on me and Your people, if You don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all the other people on the earth.”- Exodus 33:16

Call to holiness

We are your leaders’, we are not the Holy Spirit. We encourage, but only the Holy Spirit convicts. He does not condemn us, but He convicts us, prods us and lovingly challenges us to get our lives right with Him and one another.

He is the radical fire who purges and removes the dross. We as your leaders are not called to put heavy, ungodly yokes on you, but to cheer you on in your pursuit of the things of God. We invite you to join us in consecrating our hearts and setting ourselves apart afresh for God’s purposes this year. Let me leave you with this beautiful promise from His word,

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” – Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)

Come Lord Jesus, give us tender, responsive hearts toward you and one another.
Amen

– Hazel Pattison