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A (Sometimes) Quarterly Newsletter
A moment of personal honesty please! Are you finding it tough spiritually? Does God seem a little distant and Jesus un-real? Do you lack that fire for God that you once had? If your answer is yes, then it wouldn’t surprise me if at least one of three other things were also true for you. Either church attendance has not been the priority it used to be, or you’ve not been a regular part of a Bible study group or else you have not fostered your quiet moments with God in prayer and Bible reading. The three together are a good combination for growing healthy Christians. In this edition of the Chronicle I’d like us to focus on the last of these: a personal devotion to God expressed in a daily quiet time with God. Why have a quiet time? Put it this way. Can a couple have a good marriage if they spend no time together? Can friends grow in their relationship if they do not talk? Why then would your relationship with God be any different! How often should I have one? Well, how often should I talk to my wife/ husband/kids? The answer has to be as often as possible. We don’t find it a major problem to talk to close family every day, so a good rule of thumb is to have a ‘quiet time’ each day.
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Volume III, Issue No 5: June 2010 Often tiredness, busyness, forgetfulness, lack of routine and lack of devotion to God get in the way of a daily quiet time. So start afresh. Start small, say 5 minutes and build up over time. Link your ‘quiet time’ to a regular slot in your day when you can give God your best. For me it is first thing in the morning – I like the motto ‘No Bible. No breakfast.’
Do you know what the Murdochs are up to in India? Why did the Murdoch family go to India? And what are they doing over there? Page 3
Some tips for a good quiet time: ! 1.! Read the same Bible book(s) we are working through in church or in Bible study. You will get more out of it.
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! 2.! Keep a manila folder and put all your newsletters, church bulletins, emails from friends, and other prayer points in there. Then pray through them in your quiet time – throwing out the piece of paper after you’ve prayed it.
Do you know Shelly Rosalky? She’s been coming regularly to All Saints for the past 9 years... so how well do you know Shelly? Page 2
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! 3.! Keep a ‘little black book’ of some kind and jot down your prayer points as you have prayed them. ! 4.! Use a pre-written quiet time. Eg: the one at the back of each Briefing is excellent (www.matthiasmedia.com.au) ! 5.! When the mind wanders – immediately bring it back to task! ! 6.! Most importantly, work on having a soft and ready heart before God. Prepare yourself to grow in your faith as you encounter God in his word. There is nothing like time with God to help you grow in your faith. Enjoy!
Shelly Rosalky
Buying tickets for church... What do you think about paying for your seat in church? Blast from the past: 1904 Page 4
Antony Barraclough
What is a ‘Quiet Time’? This is simply Christian speak for the 5 to 25 minutes you spend with God in prayer and in Bible reading. If you have these two components you are having a conversation with God. How do I beat the usual things that stop me from having one?
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allsaintspetersham.org.au!
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The Chronicle (TC): Shelly, can you tell us a bit about your background and where you grew up? Shelly Rosalky (SR): I grew up in Minnesota (the Midwest part of the States on the Canadian border). Minnesota has at least 6 months of winter. Lots of snow with temps averaging -10 to -20C for several months. It is so cold that you can drive across lakes, go ice fishing, and get frostbitten within minutes in the cold. The summers though are extremely hot (about 3 months), very humid and temps over 30C. Lots and lots of mosquitos as well. Minnesota is a very outdoorsy state it has over 10,000 lakes so people spend lots of time being active, and therefore sport is very popular as well. (TC): Were you a very active sports person yourself? (SR): Growing up, I was never very sporty. I was on the cross country ski team, and always finished last. I was pretty chunky, and it wasn't until late in high school that I lost the weight through an eating disorder. I then kept the weight off and became a runner. All up, I have run 7 full Marathons. 5 Marathons in Minnesota, The New York City Marathon, and a Marathon in Sydney. I found after having kids though, it is a little easier going to the gym. I felt that was a much healthier approach to keeping the weight off. (TC): My goodness! That’s incredible! (SR): I am a massive Minnesota Vikings Fan too (American Football). Last year was almost their year. One game away from getting to the Super Bowl (I still cry thinking about it!), but Minnesota also has Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, and lots of college sport as well. (TC): So not a small town then…? (SR): The suburb I grew up in has about 25,000+ people and is only twenty minutes from the Capital. I graduated from high school in a class of 600 people. (TC): I don’t think there were that many people in my whole high school! So tell us about how you came to be a Christian... (SR): I suppose I’ve always been a Christian (sometimes more active than other times). My parents are Lutheran, and have always been very active in their church. I attended youth group, went to Sunday School, and had both of my kids baptised at their church. However, I did have a period of about 5 years when I didn't go to church. I had recently got married, spent 3 years living in New York, and didn't put as much emphasis on being a Christian. It was only after moving here to the Inner West and having my kids, that I felt I 2"
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really needed the connection back into the church. My husband is a non believer, so I wanted our kids to be brought up with the belief in Jesus. My husband Mark is fine that they go to church so that they have a belief in something. His parents left it up to him to decide what he wanted, and as a result, he did nothing. (TC): So how did you and Mark meet, and how did you come to be living here in Australia? (SR): I had previously spent a year of University on an exchange program in England and I wanted to go back there one last time, before I settled down and got a proper job. So I was backpacking by myself in Ireland when I met Mark with one of his friends and we hit it off straight away. We spent a week traveling together then went our separate ways. Two months later, Mark came to visit me in America for my sisters wedding. He asked me to come to Australia, and a month later, I came to Sydney. Seven months later, we married in Minnesota on one of the coldest dates ever, (windchills of -70F!). Apart from a short 3 year stint in New York, we’ve been in Australia ever since. (TC): Has it been hard to be separated from your family in America? (SR): Yes at times, it is very hard to be away from my family. Mark initially worked in travel, so I was lucky enough to go twice a year with my kids, both in summer, and at Christmas to visit my family and friends on free tickets. My parents have recently retired and just spent 5 weeks out here which was fantastic. I am very lucky to have amazing family and friends in both the States as well as Australia. The internet and cheap phone calls certainly has helped as well, but I have been extremely blessed to still have such strong relationships at home. (TC): So, how did you come to be at All Saints Petersham? (SR): Well, we just moved into the area a month before Michael was born. I started going to the All Saints Playgroup (now called Playtime) on Thursday mornings with my boys. It was there that I met some of the mums and after a period of about 6 months, I started to going to church at All Saints. Then, when Kate finished leading Playgroup, I took over for two years. It was a lot of fun and also lots of work, but most of my dearest friends have come from Playgroup. I have been going to All Saints for almost 9 years now. (TC): so you've been going to All Saints for almost 9 years, how has being part of the All Saints community shaped you as a Christian?
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Seconds With… Sally Hutchinson My earliest memory is…visiting my baby sister in hospital wearing my favourite yellow jumper and brown skirt. My mother tells me that she remembers I was wearing something completely different! I wish I had… better self control when it comes to chocolate and sweet stuff, especially when I'm in the kitchen and no one else is around. I wish I hadn’t… taken my sister's shiny bicycle bell off her bike and hidden it after she had fallen from her bike into waist high nettles. We're talking real mean English nettles that have a harsh sting. And no I didn't push her. It’s not fashionable but… I really like legwarmers and fingerless gloves. It doesn't get cold enough here in Sydney to wear either. My friends always tell me… I don't look my age. My kids always ask me... What’s for afternoon tea? I find a lot of joy in… doing one on one things with each of my children and hanging out with James, my husband Once upon a time I… used to be a painting conservator and work at the art gallery and the maritime museum. If my life was a book, the title would be… Cosy Moments in a Bleak World - it would be very Dickensian I teach SRE because… I love doing it! Jesus wanted children to have access to him and his love for me compels me to do it! (SR): All Saints has helped me feel good about being a Christian. I have met some very nice people who have encouraged me to be a part of the Christian community. (TC): I know you and Mark have your own business and you've seen some tough times recently, how has this impacted your faith in Jesus? (SR): When Mark and I were going through our rough period with the business, almost losing everything, I still had my faith. During that period, I was very blessed with support from my family and friends. People were truly kind to us and offered us lots of support, both spiritually as well as financially. With our first order that went to Target, I had so many friends give their time to help us get that order out, (at least 1,000 hours of free labour). The power of prayer and the kind hearted kept me going. My parents had their church praying for us as well. Those rough patches make you see what is really important in your life. (TC): Shelly, thankyou so much for sharing some of your story with us! (Shelly Attends the All Saints 10:15am congregation) allsaintspetersham.org.au
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next for the program? CM: Sure. There are two main agenda items for the program: 1) Growth. We need to expand the supply of Microfinance services to more clients, and to improve the richness of the microfinance product set. 2) Complimentary services. While MF is both effective and efficient and
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side of things. Wilma, what about the family? WM: We’ve been in Hyderabad for 5 months, and it has gone by so quickly! We were so blessed with a 'soft landing', arriving into a furnished house with Christian house staff to help us settle. The culture shock was still very real and we’ve all had some lonely and
faith. TC: And are you still looking into employment opportunities Wilma? WM: I’ve been trying to get my head around education in India, but In January this year the Murdoch family set off from All next semester I’ll start working 2 Saints and from Australia to go days a week at the children's school. to India. The Murdoch family I hope to use the other days for gives us the run down on why volunteering - I’ve been involved in they went and what they’re the women’s ministry at Pearl City, doing. and just spent a couple of days at uniquely flexible in the hands of homesick moments, but God allowed The Chronicle (TC): Chris, can Chandrakal orphanage for HIV you tell us “Why India?” clients, it is not a panacea. For us to fit in quickly, and get on with positive children... There are almost instance, it doesn't help if a family work. We’re especially thankful for Chris Murdoch (CM): Prior to too many things to choose to be our new church family, Pearl City 2010, I’d been traveling to India for member falls ill and there are no involved with! Church. It has been different to a bit over 3 years as part of my work medical services. It doesn't help if TC: Sounds exciting and busy... to establish a Microfinance program women can afford education for their worship with 450 other people & children, but the teacher is always sing praises with a 8 piece rock band. WM: It is. And it’s only now that which now serves about a million we find ourselves asking God if it’s absent from school. We want to But the teaching has been so solid, poor Indian women and, indirectly, will is for us to stay longer. attract specialist complimentary and the people are so keen to study another 3 million family members. Certainly we still miss home - and services providers to the scripture and share testimonies. We TC: Microfinance sounds alot we really miss family and friends are learning so much, and certainly like a miniature bank… What is Microfinance client base. Microfinance? all being stretched and shaped in our but we know the work we are doing TC: OK, so what’s your part in is important for the kingdom of God, faith. CM: Well, in short, Microfinance is all this? and the relationships we have here the provision of financial services to CM: Well, the work I’m doing is to TC: That’s great to hear. Have poor people. It is used often in ways build relationships and alliance you been doing much exploring now are so special, it will be hard to leave... that help them to: in the last 5 months? structures for the specialist service TC: So, what can All Saints do • start a small business or expand providers and then find and allocate WM: Well, we’ve been seeing & to support the Murdoch's? an existing one, structured capital to CM: Well, for starters, you can keep support the delivery of • manage volatility of income and up the great work, particularly in services. expenses, or manage crises like the youth ministry (we plan to come getting sick, TC: And how’s it back to All Saints and the youth going? • afford important but large ministry here will be a great asset for expenses like house repairs, dowry CM: So far, the our kids. We want to see All Saints and other wedding costs, thriving when we return!). festivals etc, You can come and visit. Learn about • afford education expenses for India and the program . The poor of children the world need more voices to speak In India this most often takes for them. the form of a small loan. You can keep in touch. learning as much as we TC: Sounds like money put can about this amazing indiamurdochs@gmail.com to good use... You can pray for us: country, and so far it’s CM: Yeah, Microfinance is a • to keep our sense of humour and been fantastic! In very effective poverty family connection strong, February we went south alleviation tool. India for amongst everything that is to Trichy, & visited instance, has over 900 million changing to keep safe and well, microfinance clients, people out of 1.13 billion that • to maintain a servant heart and local sites & temples live on less than $2 per day. build effective relationships with which was both relationships and development of the Therefore, Microfinance is also very key Indian leaders, challenging and rewarding. We’ve complimentary services is going efficient, because it uses structured for God’s guidance in making a • also spent time in Darjeling and extremely well. We have met and capital… decision about our future in India, soon we’ll go to Missourie for 3 connected with so many committed Thank God for the ease of our • TC: I have no idea what that weeks of Hindi language school. Christians who have experience and settlement. means... But it’s not all tourism, we do have expertise. The healthcare work is And you can pray for India. CM: Well, $1 donated to support the particularly exciting and every week our daily routine in Hyderabad. The Pray that God's Kingdom would • program can be leveraged to around we manage to feel the hand of God children are now on holidays after a come in all its richness. And that $6 invested in the field, and this $6 very busy semester at the on the ambitious work we are doing Indian women would no longer can be recycled as loans are repaid. International school of Hyderabad. – and dare I say it - although it’s not have to decide between paying for The loss due to default is very low; good to mix church and politics, it is They’ve worked hard making friends medicine for a sick child or feeding much less than credit card losses in amazing to have both the support of and coping with really hot weather. the rest of their family. Australia for example. Callum misses sporting competitions the church and the Andra Pradesh TC: I’m not sure I fully like at home, and Isobel misses ballet TC: Thanks for your time, and government with our big vision for understand that either, but it and friends, but they are doing for the work you’re doing in healthcare improvements! sounds very productive! What's TC: Ok, well that’s the work really well, and growing in their India in the name of Jesus.
The Murdochs in India
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Find us online:
allsaintspetersham.org.au
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K e e p a lo o k o u t f or t he se t h ing s .. . Pupil Free Fun Day! All Saints is running its second Pupil Free Fun Day on Monday July 27th from 9:00am - 3:30pm. The Pupil Free Fun day is a daylong camp for kids in kindy to year 6 at primary school. If you want to register your child or children download a registration form from http://bit.ly/pupil_free
All Saints Church Camp It’s been a while since All Saints has had a church camp (5 years to be exact!) but the church camp is now back on the calendar for 2010! So pull out your 2010 planner and mark down July 30th August 1st. Church camps are a great way to build and consolidate community! You can grab a registration form from Chris Daniel, Mike Dicker, or from the front table at the church entrance
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www.quagmus.blogspot.com
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Blast from the Past... 1904
Outreach Poster - June 2010
ch at the time was £720, the The annual revenue of the chur e fourths of that sum. In offertory providing nearly thre a meeting of the parishioners November it was resolved in steps at once to enlarge the that it was necessary to take to committee accepted a tender church. Soon afterwards the e) spir and er tow e of the complete the building (exclusiv completed in the following e wer s ition add The for .£2,750. year. Requisitions being
Find out more: www.thatposter.org
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made for rental sittings in the church, the matter was referred to the Bishop, who advised that a portion of the seats not exceeding one-half of the accommodation provided in the church be let at £1 per sitting per annum, and that the remainder of
Across 5. Number of books in the NT 7. The name of the All Saints kid's club. 8. The name of the All Saints youth group. 9. The country that the Murdochs have temporarily moved to. 10. The price for renting a church pew in 1904 12. Number of local schools where we teach SRE. 13. Another name for the Lord's Supper.
Down 1. The book of the bible we're going through in June-August 2. The country that Shelly Rosalky is from. 3. Another name for Quiet Times. 4. What date does the 2010 church camp begin? 6. Another name for Bible Study Groups. 11. Longest book in the bible.
the church be free. Also that the rented and free seats should be alternate. This advice was acted upon.
WHO ARE THE CHURCH STAFF?!
Senior Minister Antony Barraclough 0413 933 838
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Administrator Chris Daniel 9569 4735
……… Student Ministers …….. David Al Blowes Green 0425 262 060 0407 861 585
Year 13 Charles Cleworth 0430 392 434
Find us online:
Youth Minister Michael Dicker 0400 308 112
If you have ideas for the next issue of The Chronicle or feedback on this issue, em ail the editor, we’d love your fe edback and commen ts! michael@allsai ntspetersham.o rg.au allsaintspetersham.org.au