en Renewing the city by mutiplying Christlike disciples http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org © Copyright 2000 - 2008Church Community Builder. All Rights Reserved. http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=85 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=85&article_id=150 General Information This service is a relaxed friendly service. Most Sundays would see around 50 adults mostly in their 20's and early 30's attending (though of course we welcome people of all ages and stages of life!). Tea, coffee, hot chocolate are served in the Hall from 5:45pm onwards, and the service starts promptly at 6 pm and finishes by 7:30 pm. Venue Information: There is lots of parking on the streets around the church. We meet in the Memorial Hall. This is the large red brick building which opens directly onto Denham St. You enter up a set of steps, through two sets of double doors. If you have a pram which you don't want to carry up the stairs, you can go down the path on the left of the building, through a child-proof gate, into the courtyard, and enter the Hall through the side doors. There will be people at the front doors whose job is to make you feel welcome and to answer any questions you might have. What we do in a service: During this service we will do quite a lot of singing. Feel free to sing along if you know the tunes and feel comfortable doing it, or just stand or sit and enjoy the music. We will also do some praying. Again, feel free to participate actively or to sit quietly. You won’t be asked to speak, pray or sing in front of everyone. A central part of our service is listening to someone preach. If you have questions about the sermon, whoever preached would love to hear from you, either personally after the service or via the communication cards (see below). We also have communion together most weeks. You are welcome to take part in this, or to sit quietly and watch proceedings. Clear instructions will be given to help you know what to do during Communion. Children: If you have a child under 3 we have a room which is warm, quiet and well suited for feeding/changing/settling babies. Feel free to move there at any time in the service. To get to this room you go through the brown door that is on the front right hand side of the hall (when you are facing the stage). Other Practical Information: 1. Toilets - these are located behind the Hall (if you walked straight through the wall behind the stage you would get to them) If you can't walk through walls we suggest exiting one of the side doors and walking around the outside of the hall. 2. Money- during the singing of one of the songs we pass some bags around. These are one way in which regular members of the church support the church. As our guest there is no expectation that you will part with any of your money. 3. Communication cards - the yellow slip of paper you receive with our newsletter is our most important tool for keeping in touch with people. By filling this in and placing it in the bags that are passed around during the money collection, you will let us know you were visiting and enable us to keep in touch with you. You can also use this for feedback and prayer requests. 4. After the service there is more tea, coffee, hot chocolate as well as great food available. This is mostly free, though we do ask for a gold coin donation to cover the cost of the hot chocolate (you will soon realise why when you taste how amazing this is!) Our mission as a church is to make this wonderful city of Melbourne a more peaceful, just, hopeful city by filling it with people who love Jesus and live like Jesus. We would love you to visit us and join us on this great journey. Questions? If you have any questions or concerns please email the office and we would love to help you. Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:17:50 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=84 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=84&article_id=149 General Information This service is a relaxed family friendly service. Most Sundays would see around 50 adults and 30 children attending. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate are served in the Hall from 10:15 am onwards, and the service starts promptly at 10:30 am and finishes at 11:45 am. Venue Information: There is lots of parking on the streets around the church. We meet in the Memorial Hall. This is the large red brick building which opens directly onto Denham St. You enter up a set of steps, through two sets of double doors. If you have a pram which you don't want to carry up the stairs, you can go down the path on the left of the building, through a child-proof gate, into the courtyard, and enter the Hall through the side doors. There will be people at the front doors whose job is to make you feel welcome and to answer any questions you might have. What we do in a service: During this service we will do quite a lot of singing. Feel free to sing along if you know the tunes and feel comfortable doing it, or just stand or sit and enjoy the music. We will also do some praying. Again, feel free to participate actively or to sit quietly. You won’t be asked to speak, pray or sing in front of everyone. A central part of our service is listening to someone preach. If you have questions about the sermon, whoever preached would love to hear from you, either personally after the service or via the communication cards (see below). We also have communion once a month. You are welcome to take part in this, or to sit quietly and watch proceedings. Clear instructions will be given to help you know what to do during Communion. What to do with your children: We love kids, and we want you and your kids to have a great experience of church. Don't worry about your kids making a noise or getting restless - they will fit right in with all the other kids! We begin with some singing and praying for the first 15 minutes. Our children are with us for this time and we encourage them to get into the music, using percussion instruments or their voices. After this the children gather at the front of church and head out to Kid’s Church with our Kid’s Church leaders. Kid's Church runs in the Woodhall, which is on the other side of a small courtyard - you will be able to see where they are from inside the Memorial Hall. If your kids are over 3 they are welcome to join the others at Kid’s Church (we suggest you come out with them to see where they are and meet the Kid’s Church leaders. You can then rejoin the adults in the church). Kid’s Church finishes at 12 pm and we meet up with our kids in the Memorial Hall or courtyard. If you have a child under 3 we have a room which is warm, quiet and well suited for feeding/changing/settling babies. Feel free to move there at any time in the service. To get to this room you go through the brown door that is on the front right hand side of the hall (when you are facing the stage). More Useful Practical Information: 1. Toilets - these are located behind the Hall (if you walked straight through the wall behind the stage you would get to them) If you can't walk through walls we suggest exiting one of the side doors and walking around the outside of the hall. 2. Money- during the singing of one of the songs we pass some bags around. These are one way in which regular members of the church support the church. As our guest there is no expectation that you will part with any of your money. 3. Communication cards - the yellow slip of paper you receive with our newsletter is our most important tool for keeping in touch with people. By filling this in and placing it in the bags that are passed around during the money collection, you will let us know you were visiting and enable us to keep in touch with you. You can also use this for feedback and prayer requests. 4. After the service there is more tea, coffee, hot chocolate as well as great food available. This is mostly free, though we do ask for a gold coin donation to cover the cost of the hot chocolate (you will soon realise why when you taste how amazing this is!) Our mission as a church is to make this wonderful city of Melbourne a more peaceful, just, hopeful city by filling it with people who love Jesus and live like Jesus. We would love you to visit us and join us on this great journey. Questions? If you have any questions or concerns please email the office and we would love to help you. Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:17:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=83 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=83&article_id=148 Lots of people feel nervous when visiting a church for the first time. Hopefully you will find everything you need here to help you know what to expect when you turn up on a Sunday. We run 3 services on a Sunday. All our services are friendly and relaxed. Dress code for all our services is relaxed and casual - wear whatever you would normally wear to go down the street to get a coffee. To give you an idea, the clergy at our 10:30 and 6 pm services will wear smart casual clothes, and in summer at 6 pm this might tend more towards barefoot with shorts and t-shirts. Tue, 8 Jul 2008 19:33:46 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=96 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=96&article_id=75 A celebration of God's goodness and love with a community that is mostly (though not exclusively) people in their 20's and 30's If you are part of the team that helps with the running of the service, the roster is located here . Please check when you are on and mark off in your diary. If you are unable to fulfil your role, please organise in advance for someone else to cover your position. If you would like to be part of the team and are not currently serving, please contact Nat Clarke. The roster may look full, but there is always room for more people to use their gifts in helping us all to worship together. Tue, 6 May 2008 17:26:14 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=83 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=83&article_id=69 Church especially designed for kids. This starts when the kids and their leaders leave the 10:30 service. There is a creche for children from 18 month, and then a program for kids in primary school. Make sure you contact our Children's Minister, Amanda if you want to know anything more. Tue, 6 May 2008 17:26:14 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=82 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=82&article_id=144 Amanda joined the staff of Christ Church in November 2007. She and her family have been integral members of the 10:30 family service since it began in May 2004. Amanda will lead ministry to women and ministry to children in our community. She is an incredibly gifted organiser, a person with both the passion and the capacity to get a lot of things done in building up the Kingdom of God and His church here in Hawthorn. Email Amanda or call her on 0403020518 Tue, 6 May 2008 17:26:05 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=20 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=20&article_id=17 As I prepared to take up the role of Vicar at Christ Church, I was on a plane over the Pacific when I felt moved by God to write out my dream for Christ Church. This is not a slick, one line, corporate vision statement. Rather it attempts to capture the heart, or feel, or DNA of the church. It says more about our values than the specific size or shape of the church. Some of it you may not understand, but it is my fervent prayer that God will use this to light a fire in your heart and imagination that moves you to give yourself to the building of this kind of church. Imagine being part of ........... A church which unashamedly holds to the orthodox, historic evangelical faith, trusting in the authority of scripture, the faith expressed in the creeds, the priority of evangelism and the need for personal conversion and the centrality of the cross as the climax of the creator God's plan to redeem reality. A church which is emotionally, spiritually, relationally and sexually healthy. A church where we are emotionally self-aware, growing in our emotional and psychological wholeness, increasingly well differentiated at a personal, inter-personal and group level. A church where people are loved into greater wholeness, where bold love is the norm. Where reality is lived and the new reality incarnated. A church where we all grow more and more like Jesus in every area of our lives. A church that lives out the 'one another's of the bible. Where evangelism is the warp and woof of our being. Where God is expereinced as real, where we are a living proof of the truth of the bible and the God of the bible. A L'Abri for Melbourne. A place where both grief and joy, tears and laughter, loss and hope form the emotional texture of the our community. A place where people are healed, not just cured, but where the shalom of the creator rules. A place of peace. A place of grace, of hope, of lightness of being. A place of laughter and celebration, a place where no-one ever leaves unloved. A place where we learn to live like Christ in relating between men and women, especially in our sexual relating, in our marriages, for these are the core relationships of our culture and society, these relationships are profoundly person forming for the children of our time. A place where God's spirit is at work, in power, with signs and wonders, with miracles, healing, words of prophecy and knowledge that expose the hearts of unbelievers so that they come worship the one true God. A place where there is economic flourishing and entrepeneurship, where we have a biblical, reformational, worldview that sees all of life as to be lived coram Deo and to be redeemed and seen as the substance, or matter, of the kingdom. A place that is theologically robust, well informed, not blown about by every wind of doctrine. A place with a hard head and a soft heart, that has a well developed sense of self, individually and organisationally so that we can hold fast to what we believe, but tolerate difference in others. A place of passionate marriages, where each of us delight in the spouses of our youth, where it is the norm that year after year our marriages become more fulfilling, more satisfying, more Christ honouring and Christ reflecting, more sexually electric, more nourishing of others, and more relationships that embrace others into the love of the two in hospitatily, evangelism, parenting. A place where kids grow to love Jesus massively. Where they are parented by transformed parents, where the trend line of differentiation in our families over generations is up. A place where the community shares the burden of parenting, is a resource for parents, so the loneliness and stress of our suburban parenting models is redeemed, especially in the early years. A place where music and the arts flourish, where they are valued and esteemed as expressions of the divine creativity. A place where all are valued in Christ, not because of what they do, or what others think of what they do. A place where beauty is a sign of transcendance. A place of glory, where the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is seen to shine out to Melbourne. A place of music and dancing and ecstatic praise and worship and celebration. A place of equipping, where we all use our gifts to build the body, to build into each others lives, to share who we are so that together we might be far more than the sum of our parts. A place of profound preaching. A place of prayer and reverence, of laughter and lightness. A place of justice and compassion and righteous anger at wrong and evil. A place that is local and global, where we deeply connect with each other and with partner churches on each continent. A place where unborn children are safe and loved. A place that won't rest while others suffer and die, a place of passion and action for the poor. A place of realism and idealism, of pragmatism and conviction. A place where the small and the big matter. A place where we deeply, deeply connect with each other, where we name and turn from the sins of self-protection and fear. Where we are increasingly capable of self-validated intimacy, with God and with each other. A place of hospitality, where we are known and know, love and loved, held and hold. A place that is trinitarian, that lives out the reality that it is through other persons that we become persons, and that it is by being drawn into the personhood of the trinity that our full personhood is re-created in the image of Christ. A place where we use the best of the world's wisdom to work for the kingdom. A place of honesty. A place of reconciliation, where Mt 18 is practised. A place where we don't gossip or triangle people. A place where we can be brave, where boys can grow into men, and girls into women, different but equal. A place where there are rites of passage that help teenagers grow into passionate, Christlike adulthood. A place where failure is never final, where risks are taken for the kingdom, where we have the courage to dream, to believe, to give our all for the kingdom A place where youth is not worshipped, where the elderly are valued and evangelised. A place of influence for our city, yet a place of servanthood and humility. A place that has a theologia crucis as well as a theologia gloria. A place where people can come to drink the eschatalogical water of life that gushes up from us and flows down the hill bringing life to the streets, homes, familes, lives around us. A place of prayer, and deep spiritual passion. A place where we plant other churches, where we catalyse a church planting movement among young adults in Melbourne. A place rich in resources that is wise and strategic and generous and bears fruit a hundred fold for the kingdom. Sun, 4 May 2008 04:23:00 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=69 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=69&article_id=124 Trevor joined the staff of Christ Church in February 2007 after 11 years as Rector of the parish of Georges Hall, in Sydney. He is a gifted preacher, worship leader and pastor. His primary responsibilities include organising the 9 am and 10:30 am services, leading the worship ministry of the whole church and leading the wedding ministry of the church. If you would like to contact Trevor then email him here or phone him on 0402 589 383 Sun, 6 Apr 2008 03:39:10 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=75 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=75&article_id=131 Randle has worked in a number of roles in the IT industry before recently making the shift to join the Christ Church staff (mid 2006). He currently leads services, a small group and does anything else that falls in his path around the Church. He spends the rest of his time either wishing he was playing sport, playing sport, drinking coffee (a requirement for being on staff), hanging out with friends, listening to music or studying towards a Master of Divinity at Ridley College (in reality this takes up the most time). Send him an email to get in contact. Sun, 6 Apr 2008 03:36:57 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1&article_id=63 We are a community of people who want to work together with God to become more like Jesus and to help other's come to know Jesus. We want to have more of his courage, his compassion, his servant heart, his love of the poor, his power and authority, his tender gentleness and his intimacy with his Creator God. We are community that is made up of all kinds of people, young,old, families, singles, materially rich and materially poor. There is a place in our church family for anyone who wants to join us in figuring out what life is about and what becoming like Jesus might mean. Come and join us this Sunday, 9 am for a traditional Anglican service of Holy Communion (if this is for you, you will know what this means!), 10:30 for an inspirational time with kids and families, featuring an age-appropriate Kids Church and 6 pm for a celebration of God's goodness and love with a community that is mostly (though not exclusively) people in their 20's and 30's . Any questions? email Mark Leach Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:14:42 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=9 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=9&article_id=15 Every member of our spiritual family has a significant and unique role to play in our church. However, some of the members are set apart from 'normal' jobs so that can give the majority of their time and energy to building the church in Hawthorn. The primary task of paid staff is to work with God to empower and equip every person to discover and play their unique part in building a community where we work with God to become more and more like Jesus and where more and more people come to know Jesus. Mark Leach Vicar Trevor Filewood Associate Vicar Randle BondStudent Minister Amanda Linke Women's and Children's Minister Nat Clarke Assistant Minister Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:19:02 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=15 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=15&article_id=9 Christ Church is one of the most beautiful historic churches in Melbourne, set on a hill with spectacular panoramic views over the Yarra river and the CBD. In addition to the ideal wedding venue, we also offer marriage preparation, wedding planning and advice and post-wedding care - all aimed at helping you build a strong, lasting and satisfying marriage. Use of the Church for weddings is $990 which includes conditional use of the PA equipment. To register your interest in getting married, please fill in the following on-line form: Register Now. Note that the date will be booked once a deposit of $150 is received. For more information contact the Associate Vicar, Trevor Filewood on 0402589383 Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:04:34 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=68 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=68&article_id=122 Nat joined the staff team of Christ Church in January 2007. He works at Christ Church 1.5 days a week. He organises our 6 pm worship services and leads our smallgroup ministry. Nat is a gifted communicator, with a passion for understanding and explaing the bible to anyone who is interested. He is a great worship leader and musician, a budding film maker and not bad on the tennis court. He has a slightly unhealthy obsession with a couple of American mega-church pastors, but this too will pass. In the rest of his time Nat leads the student ministry at Swinburn University of Technology (just down the road in Hawthorn). Part of Nat's role is to help connect the Swinburne Uni community with our church community. Nat is married to Annie (evidence that God truly loves Nat). Mon, 5 Nov 2007 03:14:40 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=2 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=2&article_id=136 We are a community who are united in a common set of values, a simple strategy and a common vision for what this looks like individually and as a community. Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:03:35 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=80 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=80&article_id=138 If you join our community, and we all work together on the strategy that God has given us, then the outcome should be that we become a church with the following characteristics... 1. Growing with new people of all ages finding Jesus 2.High levels of pastoral care provided through three geographically based pastorates and a network of smallgroups 3.High level of participation in ministry teams 4. .People regularly connecting with God through bible reading and journaling as part of their “Personal Discipleship Plan” (100) Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:00:55 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=79 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=79&article_id=137 If you join our community, and we all work together on the strategy that God has given us, then the outcome should be that you become a person who has the following characteristics.... Love - you receive the love of God in Christ and therefore they love God and love others Obey- you are obedient to God’s Word in all areas of your life Build - you are committed to building Christ’s body, the church Release - having received all you have from God, you release your resources (time, abilities and gifts, and money) for God’s purposes Renew - you work with God for the renewal of all things Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:57:53 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=78 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=78&article_id=135 We work together to.... 1. Bring the gospel to people in a way that meets their needs 2. Run services wherepeople areinspired by the presence of God 3 Grow pastorates and smallgroups where people canshare their lives together 4. Develop deep, passionate relationships with God 5. Develop relationships of great love within the community 6. Equip and empower people to use their spiritual gifts to multiply ministries that serve others 7. Develop structures that facilitate growth Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:51:39 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=77 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=77&article_id=134 As we work to renew the city by multiplying Christlike disciples, we are united in the following core values: 1. God glorifying 2. Christ centred 3. Spirit empowered 4. Bible based 5. Loving 6. Prayerful 7. MIssional Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:41:23 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=61 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=61&article_id=81 Being a member of Christ Church doesn't involve anything peculiar but it's about becoming a regular amongst the Church's activities. One of the best ways to get involved in Christ Church is to fill in a communication card (you will find these scattered along the pews). Simply fill in your details and an email address and we will send you an email once a week updating you on all the activities going on around the church. Sunday Services Christ Church offers three Sunday services to suit our communities needs. A traditional Holy Communion service at 9am, a Family Service at 10.30am and a 6pm service which is suited to those who are looking for something more laid back. Pastorates / Smallgroups But by far the best way to connect with the Christ Church community is to get involved Pastorates / Smallgroups. These groups offer a great chance to connect with other members of the community in a more intimate setting. Click on this link for further details. Tithing Another important step is financially contributing to Christ Church's vision. Aside from the Sunday collection we make use of EFT, of which details are below. Note that setting up a regular direct debit system greatly assists us as a Church to budget better. Bank Account Details (04/06/04) Commonwealth Bank of Australia Hawthorn Branch Account Name: Christ Church Hawthorn BSB: 063138 A/c number: 00901630 A trust fund for capital donations: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Hawthorn Branch Account Name: Christ Church Hawthorn BSB: 063138 A/C number: 10021628 Serving Finally we seek to have members of our church involved in the ministries the Church partakes in. We use a program known as the Three Colours of Ministry to best match a person's skills and spiritual gifts to roles within the Church. Speak to one of the staff in regards to finding out more about how to fit you, remodelling the Church if need be, into our ministries. We hold it in our vision that the church's members serve for at least 2 hours per week and spend a similar amount of time receiveing. The experience of many of our existing members is that serving releases the ability to get a great deal more out of church. Thu, 17 May 2007 23:54:04 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=10 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=10&article_id=72 As a church we believe that prayer is an integral part of becoming more Christlike. Prayer Ministry - Sunday 6:00pm We offer prayer ministry as part of our Sunday evening service, this is a great opportunity to pray for healing, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to become a Christian or for anything else that might be on your heart. Prayer via Communication Cards - All Services The church staff meet on a weekly basis to pray over any issues you may have written on your communication cards, these are simply put into the offertory bags at the end of the service and collected up, you can fill in your details on the other side or choose to remain anonymous. Its completely up to you. Prayer Meeting - Saturday 9.00 till 10.00am The Saturday morning prayer meeting is open to all everybody. Its a great way to start the weekend off, providing you with valuable time to come before God and pray for the church, renewal of the city or anything else that comes to mind. Contact Nat for further details. Wed, 9 May 2007 20:34:25 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=72 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=72&article_id=128 1. Decide whether you want to get married here (this might involve coming to see the church, meet with one of the ministers, check availability of dates – please contact the Rev Trevor Filewood (0402589383) or email to organise this). 2. Send us a $150 non-refundable deposit to secure your booking. Please make cheques out to: "Christ Church, Hawthorn" and post to: 2 Denham St Hawthorn, 3122 and include your details - or transfer direct to our bank acount (with your name included): Commonwealth Bank of Australia Hawthorn Branch Account Name: Christ Church Hawthorn BSB: 063138 A/c number: 10021628 3. Email, or phone the church office (98186077 or email, to confirm that you have paid the deposit. It is only at this stage that your booking will be entered into our database and thereby booked in. 4. Make a time to meet with Trevor to go through the paperwork required for the wedding and to discuss your marriage preparation plans. 5. Complete and return to the Church office the "Notice of Intention to Marry" form. Please note, that when you return this, you will need to bring with you the original or a certified copy of your birth certificates (or passports if you were not born in Australia). If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to give us a call. Thanks for the great privilege you have given us of being able to serve you at this wonderful moment in your lives. We look forward to working with you to ensure that your marriage gets off the best of all possible starts. Sun, 29 Apr 2007 22:53:42 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=71 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=71&article_id=132 To view these photos in a larger format, please follow this link: Christ Church Hawthorn Photos (alternate site) Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:36:15 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=71 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=71&article_id=127 Error: Embedded data could not be displayed. Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:34:56 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=4 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=4&article_id=31 We believe that God speaks to us through His authoritative Word, the bible, and that He speaks to us through His people who have teaching gifts. Therefore we believe that what happens Sunday by Sunday in our large church meetings, and weeknight by weeknight in our house church, or little church meetings, is that the infinite, personal Creator of the Universe speaks to us, revealing Himself to us so that we can love Him more and become more like His Son, Jesus. You can subscribe to our podcast and view our sermons here. http://www.christchurchfamily.org/podcast/ All sermons are in mp3 format. Therefore, if you don't have a program that can play these files, we recommend iTunes, whether you are using a PC or a mac. Wed, 4 Apr 2007 01:08:50 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=16 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=16&article_id=26 Mark has served as the Vicar of Christ Church since May 2004. Prior to that he spent nearly 8 years on the staff of St Hilary's, Kew. At St Hilary's Mark led the 7 pm congregation, the youth and young adult ministry and worked with the Vicar and Executive to provide overall leadership to the church. Mark grew up in Africa - Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He studied Medicine in Cape Town, before deciding to move to Sydney to study theology as preparation for ordained ministry. Mark serves on the board of a couple of Christian ministries, Celebrate Messiah and Leadership Network Australia Mark has a great passion to multiply leaders for the local church, and for the past 8 years has developed and run the Minsitry Training Program, which is an innovative, experiential learning community aimed at recruiting and equipping future church planters and church leaders. Mark is fascinated with leadership and organisations, and has recently completed a Masters of Organisation Dynamics at RMIT. His research topic was "Hope and Dependence in a Local Church". Äs part of the church's mission of working for the renewal of all things he is developing an organisational and leadership consultancy whose mission is to "transform leaders who transform organisations". He is married to Margo, and they have two children, Oliver and Freya. This all sounds terribly serious, which is not entirely true of Mark. If you would like to contact Mark then email him here. Mon, 19 Mar 2007 06:57:13 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=48 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=48&article_id=100 Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:08:13 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=48 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=48&article_id=66 If you would like to make use of any of the facilities at Christ Church Hawthorn please complete the Building Use Application Form. Mon, 12 Jun 2006 21:03:42 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14&article_id=103 Zepti - web search engine Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:00:43 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=72 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=72&article_id=61 Simon has a real heart for China and has traveled there a number of times recently. Thu, 23 Mar 2006 16:30:36 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=21 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=21&article_id=49 Uncouth Group is the youth ministry of Christ Church Hawthorn & Hawthorn West Baptist Church. Held regularly on alternating Thursday & Friday nights at Hawthorn West Baptist. For more info and to find out what\'s happening this week visit the Uncouth Website - www.hwbc.org.au/uncouth/ Wed, 15 Feb 2006 22:38:24 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=72 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=72&article_id=59 Meg Jackson as part of her role at the Oaktree Foundation spent time touring through Ghana speaking with many of the people of that country. She shares the story of one such encounter. Grandma's story We were set up in the batik making area. It was an open structure - a roof and raised floor with large tables and vats for the hot wax. Dave fiddled with the camera. Beth learnt how to use the boom and we artistically set up some of the brilliant coloured cloth behind the interview chair. Interviewing the Trokosi women on camera was proving to be challenging - and understandably so. Why would you want to open your heart and the horrendous experiences that had scarred your soul to a complete stranger? Beth had found a young girl whose grandmother was a Trokosi who wanted to share her story. This girl suffered from severe bow legs and she made her way slowly and painfully up the steps to talk to us. She barely reached my chest height. I gently walked her to the chair and carefully explained to her what the equipment was and as Dave snuck away I began to ask her questions. She told us the tragic story of her grandmother - how she came to be in the shrine, the horrific treatment and conditions in which she existed and the abuse she had endured. I felt my face begin to tighten as I listened and my heart felt heavy. Eventually I asked her whether she had ever met her grandmother. "Yes," she replied. There was a pause. Then more mumbled Ewe spilled out of the young girl's mouth. Turning to me, the interpreter said, "She's here. She means she's here at the centre. I'm certain she's saying her grandmother is here at Adidome." "Do you think we could meet her?" I asked. The girl nodded and looked beyond where I was sitting. I turned. There, standing patiently, wisely, as if she had always been waiting was an old, wizened woman. She was dressed in the Adidome smock - small red and white checks. Her frame moved fragilely inside, she was bones, clad with skin. A light fuzz of hair surrounded her head and small white bone earrings hung on either side of her face. It was grandma. I walked through my remaining questions with the small girl, two generations removed then led her quietly from the chair, thanking her for her honesty, tenacity and willingness to share. The afternoon sky had begun to turn golden and the last shafts of light splashed in across the floor and chair. And grandma's face. I knelt beside her and she nodded, hands clasped in her lap as I explained why I wanted to talk with her. Her feet shuffled the chair into the light and then I created the interviewer's chasm and sat next to the camera. Through question and answer we heard this woman's story. My heart grew heavy in my chest as I listened. My mouth fumbled over words I did not want to say. Questions I did not want to ask. My eyes threatened to betray me and I forced them to retain their tears. I held tightly to my notebook - sometimes with both hands. It was smeared with dust and the paper was warped with moisture and heat. Scrawled across the pages in smudged biro were "questions for ex-Trokosi". When I'd sat with Dylan deciding on questions, my theoretical understanding had not permitted the implication of each request for information to hit me. Now, in the reality of this woman's answers I'd been thrown across the room and woken up. "I was married. And just in my early twenties. My husband and I didn't get along. We argued a lot and he used to beat me. One day we were fighting and the priest of the shrine came to intervene. While he was sorting everything out, his hat was knocked off his head. He blamed me for this. In fact, this was the reason that I was sent to the shrine." And so, for nothing more than the slightest of aberrations, this young woman was taken to the shrine. Normally Trokosi are young virgin girls but in this case no distinction was made. Grandma was considered a sacrifice good enough. "They took me to the shrine. I was stripped of my clothes and just given a piece of ceremonial cloth to cover my body. I was forced with other girls into a small room where they lit a fire and we were made to inhale smoke. This continued the following morning. I remember not being able to breath." Many Trokosi recount stories of being stripped bare when they enter or before entering the shrine. Often all of their jewellery is also removed. Physical exertion and abuse are not uncommon stories. "I was put to work in the fields of the priest. Everyday we would go and work on his farm. It was hard and we weren't paid anything. I also wasn't given food. Actually many girls died from starvation. I would have to scrounge anything I could to eat. "It wasn't long before I was obliged to have sex with the fetish priest. I would be required to spend three consecutive nights with him. That's how it was. One day I refused. As punishment for not living up to my duty as a bride of the gods, I was made to kneel in shards of glass from broken bottles. After that I didn't refuse any more. Other girls who refused were beaten." The hard labour and forced sexual intercourse are realities that many Trokosi describe as part of their experience in the shrine. The Trokosi women must also care for any children they bear as a result of their encounters with the priest. Often these children are brought up in the shrine and may in fact replace their mothers. "One day I fell very ill. I couldn't be treated at the shrine so I was sent away to receive medical help outside of my village. But during this time I came to realise that the walls of fear that had kept me in weren't real. In fact the god's that the fetish priest, my family and my village worshipped held no power over me. I wasn't going to die if I left the shrine. That is because I found Jesus Christ as Lord. "So I ran away. "I was shunned by my family and the village. I still live, many years later, apart from them. They have continued to seek out a girl from my family to replace me in the shrine. But they have not been successful! The women of my family are Christian. We are rejected and our village continues to practice Trokosi, but we live in the freedom of Jesus Christ." I don't really remember the last questions I asked Grandma. I do remember biting my numb lip and feeling that my words didn't do her justice. How could I possibly thank this woman for sharing her testimony? I remember watching her walk down the steps from the batik platform and walk through the grass in the fading light back towards the vocational training centre. I too, walked down those steps, but at the bottom I stopped. Some of the team were discussing the interview, but Beth and I were standing apart from them. Lost. Then I wept. Those kind of uncontrollable tears, when you make no noise and your body is wracked with pain for another. Pain that is not your own and you're powerless to take it away. How could anyone express such hatred for another human being? How could anyone have experience what she had and still walk with dignity? Christ knows. Trokosi is an ancient traditional religious practice peculiar to the Ewe tribe in Ghana, Benin and Togo. It is a form of ritual servitude where generally young innocent virgin girls are sent to a fetish shrine to atone for the sins or crime of a family member. Families believe that if they do not send a girl as a sacrifice, that misfortune will befall them, in particular death. They become a bride of the gods and domestic slave of the priest. The Trokosi are routinely subjected to physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Through the work of International Needs (IN) approximately 3500 Trokosi have been released. IN supports villages that have liberated Trokosi and in particular runs a Vocational Training Centre for ex-Trokosi and other women affected by the practice to be trained in practical skills and counselled for reintegration into their communities. The Oaktree Foundation is partnering with IN to advocate for the release of the remaining 3000 women in slavery and to financially support the training centre. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=72 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=72&article_id=54 Our most recent missionary, Beck, is serving in Cambodia. Working as a primary school teacher at the International School in Phnom Penn, she teaches the children of other missionaries working in the city. She was back recently to share her experiences and encourage our community to get involved in missions (and also to get married to a ruddy New Zealander affectionately known as "Malks") If you want to hear more about what Beck is doing in Cambodia check out her blog - beckscambodia.blogspot.com Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=73 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=73&article_id=55 In 2003/04 we were blessed to have Russell Hill a member of Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio (Texas) spend a year with our church. Best remembered for "One Minute of Russell", a segment where he'd interview someone from our church to help everyone get to know them better, Rus was a great help with the administration of the church. The opportunity is available for a member of Christ Church to go back for a similar exchange to work with the church in San Antonio. For more information talk to Mark. If you want to find out more about Christ Episcopal Church visit their site -www.cecsa.org Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=50 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=50&article_id=68 Your privacy is important to us. This statement outlines the Parish's policy on how the Parish and its associated functions including opportunity shops, youth groups, Sunday schools and other related operations are to use and manage personal information provided to or collected by it. The Parish respects and values the personal information entrusted to it. Consequently, it will abide by the spirit and principles of the Privacy legislation. Christ Church Hawthorn recognises it's obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) . 1. What kind of personal information does the Parish collect? How is it collected? The Parish collects personal information, including sensitive information about parishioners. The primary purpose of collecting this information is to provide spiritual and pastoral care, including administration of the sacraments. Information may be required to allow the Parish to meet some of its legal obligations, to provide care for children while they are under its supervision, and to discharge its duty of care. If you are a member of the Parish or otherwise use its services, the information may also be used to solicit donations and/or request your services as a volunteer from time to time. The Parish also collects and holds personal information, including sensitive information, and may collect health information including information about: Children and their parents and/or guardians. This information may be related to the spiritual and pastoral care of children, including administration of the sacraments. Adults receiving sacraments or pastoral care or acting as Eucharistic assistants. Job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors. Members of religious congregations who are undertaking work in the Parish. Individuals for the purposes of Fundraising. 1.1 Personal information you provide. The Parish will generally collect personal information held about an individual in one of the following ways: forms completed either by the person or by a parent/guardian, face to face meetings, interviews, telephone calls. 1.2 Personal information provided by other people . In some circumstances the Parish may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, e.g. a reference about an applicant for a position. Personal information collected from children may be disclosed to their parents or guardians. Parents or guardians may seek access to personal information collected about them and their son/daughter as specified in part 5.3 of this Policy. 1.3 Exception in relation to employee records . This policy does not apply in relation to the treatment of an employee record, where the information is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the Parish and the employee. These records are specifically exempt from the application of the Commonwealth Privacy Act. 2. How will the Parish use the personal information you provide? The Parish will use personal information you provide for: the provision of religious services to its community (the primary purpose),or such other secondary purposes as are related to the primary purpose, or any other purpose to which you have consented. The Parish will use health information for the primary purpose that you provide it for, and not for any other secondary purpose, unless one of the exceptions in the National Privacy Principles applies. 2.1 Children and their parents and/or guardians. The Parish's primary purpose of collection of information about children and their parents and/or guardians is to enable it to provide spiritual and pastoral care, including administration of the sacraments, to children of the faithful. Information may also need to be collected if the Parish offers play groups or social/sporting facilities. The purposes for which the Parish uses personal information of children and their parents and/or guardians include: Keeping parents and/or guardians informed about matters relating to the child's spiritual life Day to day administration Seeking donations Satisfying the Parish's legal obligations and allowing the Parish to discharge its duty of care. In some cases where the Parish requests personal information about a child or parent and/or guardian and the information is not obtained, the child may not be able to receive the sacrament or be enrolled in the Parish program for which the information was requested. Where the Parish is collecting information of this kind, it will issue a copy of its standard collection notice. 2.2 Adults The Parish's primary purpose of collection is to enable it to provide spiritual and pastoral care, including administration of the sacraments, to adult parishioners. Information is used for purposes similar to those relating to children. Where the Parish is collecting information of this kind, it will issue a copy of its standard collection notice. 2.3 Job applicants, staff members, members of religious congregations, volunteers and contractors . The primary purpose of collection is to assess the suitability of the person or persons for a particular role in the Parish and, if successful, employ or engage the person or persons concerned. The purposes for which the Parish uses this information include: Administering the person's employment or contract. Insurance requirements. the Parish's legal obligations. 2.4 Fundraising. One specific purpose of collecting information is for raising funds now and into the future. This information is also used for accounting purposes, including complying with taxation requirements. Where the Parish is collecting information of this kind, it will issue a copy of its standard collection notice. 3. To whom might the Parish disclose personal information? Subject to the Privacy Act, the Parish may disclose personal information held about an individual to: Another Parish Government departments Medical practitioners People providing services to the Parish Recipients of Parish publications Parents and/or guardians Anyone you authorise the Parish to disclose information to. The Parish from time to time discloses personal and sensitive information to others for administration purposes. This includes other Parishes, the Diocese, medical practitioners and people providing services to Parish school(s), including volunteers. Information received from members of the Parish or those who use its services may be used to solicit donations and other forms of support from them. The Parish may occasionally use diocesan personnel to assist in this process, and in the course of this, information may be made available to those people. We will not disclose your personal information to other third parties for fundraising purposes without obtaining your prior consent. The Parish will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without: obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); and the Parish taking reasonable steps to ensure that the person to whom it is sending the personal information will hold or use the personal information in a way which is consistent with the National Privacy Principles, and that the Parish otherwise complies with National Privacy Principle Number 9. 4. How does the Parish treat sensitive information? In the Parish context, sensitive information could mean information relating to a person's parentage, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences or criminal record. Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purposes for which it was provided, or for a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law. 5. Management and security of personal information Parish staff are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals. 5.1 Updating personal information The Parish endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete, and up to date. A person may seek, and are encouraged, to update their personal information held by the Parish by primarily accessing their data through their login at the Christ Church Hawthorn website (http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org) or by contacting the Parish at any time. The Parish has procedures in place to ensure that it conducts reviews of the personal information that it holds to ensure that the personal information it has collected or proposes using or disclosing is actually complete and up to date. The National Privacy principles require the Parish not to store personal information longer than necessary. 5.2 Security of Personal Information The Parish has in place steps to protect the personal information the Parish holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods which as a minimum standard includes storing paper records in locked cabinets and pass worded access rights to computers which contain computerised records of personal information. The Parish will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify personal information if it does not need it for any purpose for which it may have been used or disclosed. 5.3 You have the right to check what personal information the Parish holds about you Under the Privacy Act, and with some exceptions, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information that the Parish holds about them, and to advise the Parish of any perceived inaccuracy. Children will generally have access to their personal information through their parents and/or guardians. To make a request to access any information the Parish holds about you or your child, please contact your Parish and request that we send you a 'Request for Personal Information Form - Content Only', which must be completed before the Parish can give access to you to personal, sensitive or health information. The Parish may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. The Parish may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying your application and locating, retrieving, reviewing and copying any material requested. There are exceptions as to when a Parish may provide you with access to personal information. It will depend upon the circumstances surrounding your request as to whether the Parish can disclose that personal information to you. As such, each request for access to personal information will be assessed on a case by case basis. The Parish will not charge you for applying to lodge a request for access, but if it does provide the personal information there may be a charge associated with the Parish complying with that request. If the Parish denies you with access to personal information, you will be given reasons for that denial. 5.4 Consent and right of access to the personal information of children The Parish respects every parent and/or guardian's right to make decisions concerning their children's religious upbringing and care. Generally, the Parish will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to personal information of a child to the parent and/or guardian. The Parish will treat consent given by a parent and/or guardian as consent given on behalf of the child, and notices to parents and/or guardians will act as notices given to the child. 6. Identifiers The Parish does not adopt Commonwealth identifiers, such as Medicare numbers, to identify an individual. 7. Anonymity If you make arrangements with the Parish, you have the option of not identifying yourself whenever it is lawful and practicable that you not have to do so. 8. Sensitive Information The Parish will not collect sensitive information about you unless you consent or it is required by law. Parishes do not normally collect health information, but in the event that they do so, it will only be in accordance with its obligations under the Privacy Act. 9. Enquiries If you would like further information about the way the Parish manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Parish on (03) 9818 6077. Appendix I - Communication Cards (previously known as green cards) The Communication Cards (CC's) that are collected at the end of each Sunday service are only retained whilst the information is applicable. The CC's are only transmitted by those taking the collection and then viewed and discussed by the staff. The highest importance is placed on the privacy of this process and any information on the CC is under the guidelines listed above. The contact and profile information, that entered on the front of the CC, is stored in a database for future reference whilst any personal requests and details, on the back of the CC, are only viewed and discussed by the staff. After appropriate action is taken with that information the CC's are destroyed. Appendix II - Email Christ Church makes use of email to communicate with it's community and adheres to the Spam Act 2003 (Cwth). The Spam Act has three steps of application; Consent, Identify and Unsubscribe. Consent is given through the form of "Inferred Consent" from information taken from Communication Cards and other transactions of personal information in Church life. In all transmissions made by email, Christ Church will clearly identify that the message is from Christ Church and will give a short explaination as to how to unsubscribe from the mailing list. Please note that emails sent to Christ Church through the address office@christchurchhawthorn.org are viewable by all staff whilst those sent to the personal addresses, denoted by a staff members name @christchurchhawthorn.org, are maintained by their respective owner but they are subject to viewing by other staff members from time to time for administration purposes. All staff are aware the significance of our parishoner's privacy. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29&article_id=44 In February we spent two weeks looking at how we as a church are to work with God to accomplish His purposes for us, and specifically how we were going to work with Him to become more passionate in our love of Him. We then continued a series called "Renovation of the Heart" based on a book of that name by Dallas Willard, a professor of philosophy from California. This series is continuing through March and April. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=33 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=33&article_id=42 Renovation of the Heart The Heart in the System of Human Life Lk 10:25-28 The Heart Directs the Life The heart is the CEO of the corporation of your life The human heart, will or spirit is the executive centre of human life. This is where decision and choices are made for the whole person. "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control" Prov 25:28 Human good and evil are matters of the heart. It is the heart, Mk 7:21 and spirit, John 4:23 that God looks at, 1 Sam 16:7, Ks 66:2 in relating to humankind, and in allowing us to relate to him, 2 Chron 15:4, Jer 29:13, Heb 11:6 Ps 16:7-9 6 Basic Parts of a Human Life 1. Thought (images, concepts, judgments, inferences) 2. Feeling (sensation, emotion) 3. Choice (will, decision, character) 4. The body (action, interaction with the physical world) 5. A social context (personal relations to others) 6. Our soul (the factor that integrates all of the above) The ideal of the spiritual life in Christian understanding is where all of the essential parts of the human self are effectively organised around God, as they are restored and sustained by Him. Spiritual formation in Christ is the process leading to that ideal. The human self is then fully integrated under God. Thought: Thought is that which enables our will or spirit to range far beyond the boundaries of our immediate environment Feeling: Feeling inclines us towards or away from things that come before our minds in thought. Connection between thought and feeling is so intimate that the mind is usually treated as consisting of thought and feeling together Will/Spirit/Heart Broadly part of the same aspect of the person. Volition or choice is the exercise of will, the capacity of the person to originate things and events, to do things that would otherwise not be done. Freedom and creativity are really two aspects of the same things, which is the power to do good or evil. A free action has many conditions, but the conditions do not make the action. Our actsion are the result of our inner consent to the conditions, as we respond to various situations. This response is our unique contribution to reality. It is ours, it is us, as nothing else is. Without the inner consent there is no sin, for only that 'yes' is just us. Temptation is the thought plus the inclination to sin, possibly manifested by lingering over the thought or seeking it out. Sin itself is when we inwardly consent to the temptation. It is above all the spirit or will, that must be reached, cared for, and transformed in spiritual formation. The human will is primarily what must be given a godly nature, and this must then expand its governance over the entire person. The importance of choosing what we feel: We speak of feelings as if they were imposed from the outside and irresistible. People nearly always act on their feelings, and the will is then left at the mercy of circumstances that evoke feelings. But we are in fact very active in inviting, allowing and handling our feelings. Choosing within limits what we feel is crucial to the practical methods of spiritual formation. Life must be organised by the will/heart if it is to be organised at all Body The body is the focal point of our presence in the physical world. The body is where our will has its primary energy source or strength. The body is where we can defy God for a time. It is the body from which we live. Our choices, settle into character, are imprinted on or ingrained into our body in its social context, where they then occur more or less automatically, without our having to think about what we are doing. Gal 5:17 Spiritual formation is essentially a bodily process Social Context 1 John 4:20. We only live as we should when we are in a right relation with God and others. The Soul That dimension of the person which integrates all of the other dimensions so that they form one life. The biblical view and understanding is that soul is a term that refers to the whole person in its most profound aspect. Order of Dominance/Authority Life away from God: Body ??" soul ??" mind ??" (thought and feeling) ??" Spirit/Heart ??" God Life under God God ??" Spirit/Heart ??" Mind (thought and feeling) ??" Soul ??" Body Rom 8:5-7 Spiritual Transformation 3 keys to AA's 12 steps: honesty, surrender, community Combined with: Vision, Intention, Means 12 Steps to Transformation into Increasing Christlikeness Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28&article_id=36 16 things to pray for: For God to exalt his name in the world Mt 6:9 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name" For God to extend his kingdom in the world Mt 6:10 "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven For the fullness of the Holy Spirit Lk 11:13 "if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy SPirit to those who ask him!" cf Eph 3:19, Acts 4:31, Eph 5:18-19 For God to save unbelievers Rom 10:1 "brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved" For God to heal James 5:13-15 "Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. God to give us strategic wisdom James 1:5 "if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all people generously without reproach, and it will be given to you" For unity and harmony in the ranks Jn 17:20-21 "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. For God to help us know Him better Col 1:10 "we have not ceased to pray for you to be increasing in the knowledge of God For God to help us understand the love of Christ Eph 3:14, 18 "that you may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge" For God to give a deeper sense of assured hope Eph 1:16, 18 "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers...that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you" For God to give strength and endurance Col 1:11 "we have not ceased to pray for you to be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy" That God might preserve our faith Lk 22:32 "I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." That we might not fall into temptation Mt 6:13 "lead us not into temptation" For God to complete our resolves and enable us to do good works 2 Thess 1:11 "to this end we always pray for you, that our God may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power" For God to forgive our sins Mt 6:12 "forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" For God to protect us from the evil one Mt 6:13 "deliver us from evil" Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28&article_id=37 Renovation of the Heart 1: Spiritual Formation Most of us are not terribly Christlike, and we find the descriptions of Jn 7:38, Eph 3:17-19, 1 Pet 1:8, 1:22, 2:1, 15, 5:17 alien to us. Spiritual formation in Christ is an orderly process. We must accept the ways he has chosen to work with us. These are clearly laid out in the bible. Mt 11:28-30 a way of inner transformation which proves that pulling his load and carrying his burden with him is easy and light. The difficultly of entering into the divine world and its life is due to our failure to understand that the way in is the way of inner transformation and our failure to take the small steps that quietly and certainly lead to it. Introduction: Priming the Pump Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never again be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. – JESUS OF NAZARETH (John 4:14, PAR) The Word of God—in the form of Scripture and the very presence of Christ—is used to prime the pump (our heart). We take Christ down deep into the center of our being and there discover an internal spring of "living water"—the Spirit of God himself, bubbling up through our thoughts, emotions, will, behavior, and social interactions. When this process of spiritual formation—Jesus in, Jesus back out—is active in the life of the believer, he or she is no longer thirsty—"being driven and ruled by unsatisfied desires" (p. 9)—and instead is awash in the transforming presence of God. Christian spiritual formation, as we will discover, is the process of priming and pumping. According to Dallas, it requires three things: faith in an unseen reservoir, effort of activities that put us in a position to receive, and the grace of limitless supply. Spiritual formation is not just formation of the spirit (human spirit and soul), but also by the Spirit (the Word and Spirit of Christ) entering into the depths of our being and then gushing back out. 1. We Live from the Inside Out "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." PROVERBS 4:23 "How we live in the world now and in the future is, almost totally, a result of what we have become in the depths of our being – in our spirit, will or heart. That is where we understand our world and interpret reality. From there we make our choices, act and react, try to change the world. We live from our depths, and we understand little what is there." We imagine that most of what we experience in life is from outside. Avoids responsibility. What happens in the world to a large degree derives from the collective choices that human beings have made. The situations in which we find ourselves are rarely as important as our responses to them. Mt 15: But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 2. Spiritual formation happens to everyone "Spiritual formation, without regard to any specific religious context or tradition, is the process by which the human spirit or will is given a definite 'form' or character. It is a process that happens to everyone." Oscar Wilde: by the age of forty everyone has the face they deserve. What is in our hearts matters more than anything else for who we become and what becomes of us. "We can say, in a preliminary manner, that spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself." What is within is astonishingly complex and subtle, even devious, it has a life of its own. Who truly understands the workings of their own hearts, their own inner world? What we really think, how we really feel and what we really would do in various situations may be totally unknown to ourselves or even to those familiar with us. 3. The Need for Spiritual Formation Jer 17:9 Lk 11:39-44 Rom 3:10-18 Intelligent people recognize that their well-being lies in being in harmony with God and what God is doing. God is not mean, but he is dangerous. Prov 9:10, Jn 17:3 – knowledge is always experiential engagement with what is known. Jn 17:3 – grace of constant, close interaction with God that Jesus brings into the lives of those who seek and find him. Prov 3:5-8. Not God We are all in serious trouble. Denial is primary device humans use to deal with their own wrongness. Rom 1. Augustine: God being God clearly offends human pride. Our natural tendency is to make ourselves god in practice. In a world apart from God, the power of denial is absolutely essential if life is to proceed. The human body becomes the primary focus for the person who does not live honestly and interactively with God "their god is their stomach" Philippians . And since bodily enjoyment is what is most desired, God abandons them to their pursuit of every pleasurable sensation they can wrong out of the body, primarily sexual, for that usually gives the greatest 'kick' and degenerating into perversion and violence. Eph 4:17-19. This is the natural progression in the flight from God. The drive to self-gratification leads to a life without boundaries, where nothing is forbidden, if one can get away with it. Why is replaced with why not? And it turns out that sensuality cannot be satisfied. What is left is the relentless drive, the desperate need, to simply feel, to feel something. Being Lost The condition of lostness is not the same as the outcome to which it leads. We are going to wind up in the wrong place because we are lost, not the other way around. The lost in Christian terms are precisely those who mistake themselves for God We are our own gods, and our god can't help us. We may know we are lost or we may not, most drivers are lost long before they know they are. Being lost means being in the wrong place and therefore being useless The lost are those who mistake themselves for God. Phil 3:9, Rom 16:18 Calvin: the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves. Thus no-one chooses in the abstract to go to hell, or even to be the kind of person who belongs there. But their orientation toward self leads them to become the kind of person for whom away-from-God is the only place for which they are suited. It is a place which they would, in the end, choose for themselves, rather than humble themselves before God and accept who he is. The ultimate lost person is the person who cannot want God, who cannot want God to be God. Of course wanting God to be God is very different from wanting God to help me! 4. The Way Forward Everyone must be active in the process of their own salvation and transformation into Christlikeness. If through well-directed and unrelenting action we effectually receive the grace of God, we certainly will be changed toward inward Christlikeness. The transformation of our outer life will follow suit, Lk 6:43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. A reasonable response might be that these local congregations would be entirely devoted to the spiritual formation of those in attendance – to the 'renovation of the heart'. Eph 4:10-16 – spiritual formation in Christlikeness is the exclusive primary goal of the local congregation. Jesus sent out apprentices to make apprentices from all ethnic groups - Jesus objective was eventually to bring all humanity under the direction of his wisdom, goodness and power, as part of God's eternal plan for the universe. A revolution of character, starts from the inside out. The mission was to bring the presence of the kingdom and its king into every corner of human life by simply living in the kingdom with him. Churches, local assemblies of apprentices of Jesus, resulted. Genuine transformation of the whole person into the goodness and power seen in Jesus remains the necessary goal of human life. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28&article_id=34 Christlike Praying 1. Pray like Christ 2. Abide in Christ 1. Pray Like Christ Pray.... .......regularly .......privately .......sincerely .......specifically 2. Abide in Christ Jn 15:7 "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." .......the secret to answered prayer Ps 37:4 "delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" 1 Jn 5:14 "this is the confidence we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." "If prayer is not for gratifying natural desires but for Christ-exalting fruit-bearing, the major challenge in praying is to become the kind of person who is not dominated by natural desires, but by spiritual fruit-bearing desires....the key to praying with power is to become the kind of persons who do not use God for our ends but are utterly devoted to being used for his ends" How to want to want what Christ wants: I - incline my heart to You, Ps 119:36 O - open the eyes of heart, Eph 1:18, Ps 119:18 U - unite my heart, Ps 86:11 S- satisfy my heart, Ps 19:14 Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14&article_id=10 When you come to enter your address make sure you put your street number and name in the field marked 'street'. Do not put your number or name in the field marked 'place'. I think this is where you put 'home' or 'work', but I am not sure yet. The field 'area' helps us to place people geographically. Select an option that fits you best. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14&article_id=7 We are using the latest in web based Church Information Management Systems. However, as this is so new, and is a US product, when you log-in, please follow the following US conventions when entering data: 1. Dates - enter these Month Day Year (not Day Month Year) 2. Phone numbers - enter 3 digits in the area code field and 7 in the local number field. eg Australian convention is 03 98174513. On our database this would be 039 8174513. The same convention applies for mobile numbers, so 0411518408 becomes 041 1518408 3. States - these are given 2 letter abbreviations, below all the US states on the pull down menu. These are VC, WE, SA, QL, TA Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:12 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=73 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=73&article_id=56 At Christ Church we believe in forming long term links with other churches and organisations around the world. We believe that missions in the 21st Century is a two way transaction and are seeking to establish relationships beyond borders. It's about learning from the experiences of Christians and Churches around the world in preaching the Gospel. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:11 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=31 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=31&article_id=39 Christ Church Vision and Values and strategy Our primary task: working with God to transform people into increasing Christlikeness What is our and what is God's work? Eph 4 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Mt 28: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." 1 Cor 35 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. Mk 4 26 He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain??"first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. Phil 3 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed??"not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence??"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. God's Work ??" bringing about growth Only God can change the human heart ??" Rom 2 circumcision of the heart, Ezek 11, heart of stone into heart of flesh, only God can make us regenerate, to give us the desire even to want to want to follow Jesus. Ezek 1119 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Rom 2 28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. Phil 1 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Our Work ??" creating the conditions that will maximise the growth God brings about Two levels of work: the work I will do, my responsibility for my heart, and the work we will do, our responsibility for our corporate heart. There are positive feedback loops between these sets of decisions and actions. Individually My work = build a healthy heart prime the pump of my heart/prepare the soil of my heart ??" moment by moment be surrendering my heart to Jesus, inviting Him in, using the means He has provided for taking Him in: Word, Body, Prayer, spiritual disciplines, IOUS etc. Share the gospel with friends Together Our work = build a healthy church prepare the soil of our church so that God can cause spiritual growth, the life of Christ to flow from us. Prepare the reservoir of our church to contain the life of the spirit. Conclusion Rom 12 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord NCD background and data Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:11 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=32 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=32&article_id=40 Is the spiritual life of our church characterised by prayer, enthusiasm and boldness, by a passionate intensity? Key scripture: "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:11-12 Work lots, feel lots for Christ don't be lazy ??" do lots of work for God, cf 1 Cor 15:58 Do lot's of work for Christ passionately. Work for Christ with feeling. Feel lots in doing. Be as pragmatic as a businessman. And be as passionate as a poet??"or a lover. Don't say: I'm practical, not passionate. Aim to be more passionate. Don't say: I'm passionate, not practical. Aim to be more practical. When Jonathan Edwards was still a young man he wrote seventy resolutions. I think the sixth resolution captures the meaning of Paul's words, "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit.” Edwards wrote: "Resolved: To live with all my might while I live.” Jesus speaks terrible words of warning to those who settle in with lukewarm affections for him. Revelation 3:15-16, "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” The great commandment is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). And God promises to be found by us when we see him with earnestness rather than half-heartedness.Jeremiah 29:13-14, "You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:13-14). He is saying: when it comes to serving Christ, half-heartedness, lukewarmness, laziness, sluggishness, slothfulness are utterly inappropriate. Being saved by Jesus Christ is the greatest thing in the world. It means having eternal life. You cannot die. You will live forever in overwhelming joy. Nothing can separate you from Christ. Everything works for your good. All your troubles and sorrows produce an eternal weight of glory. Not to be passionate about this is a sign of serious blindness or emotional disability. The Process: Pray, listen, reflect, prioritise, set goals, develop action plan (Vestry retreat on 26 Feb), work together to implement this plan What are some factors, in your experience, that might be limiting our health in this area? Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:11 MST http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28 http://www.christchurchhawthorn.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=28&article_id=35 Follow the links on the left hand side of the page to the month in which the sermon was preached. Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:27:11 MST