Edition 43, March 2015
Connecting Christadelphian Young People
FROM THE EDITOR The Vine is published quarterly by the Sydney Christadelphian Young People (SCYP) COORDINATOR Georgia Muir EDITORIAL TEAM Georgia Muir, Isaac Pogson, Tobias Niven, Cameron Hillman, Verity Niven LAYOUT/DESIGN Cameron Hillman, Isaac Pogson MASTHEAD DESIGN Alisa Thompson CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS (in order of appearance) Kylie Shamwah, Will Patino, Amy Norwood, Phil Pooley, Richard Hillhouse, Tobias Niven and a lovely Nursing Home resident, Jacqui Gorman, Phil Pooley, Eleanor Pogson PHOTOGRAPHY Georgia Muir (pg5, 11, 14, 19, 21), Will Patino (pg6-9), Angie Hicks (pg11-13), Brad Harris (pg15), Laura McKinlay (pg17), freeimages.com (pg18), Phil Pooley (pg23), brookefraser.com (pg26), softballbenefitnj.com (pg27) COVER Cecelia Muir The Vine is published to the Glory of our Heavenly Father, through whom all things are made possible. Opinions expressed in The Vine are the authors' and are not neccessarily held by the Editorial Team or the SCYP. e: thevine@scyp.net w: scyp.net/thevine & issuu.com/scyp
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Hey everyone! I hope your 2015 has been pretty good so far! Uni has just started back for me, so I'm getting back into the swing of things after a nice and relaxing holiday break. Want to know some fun facts I learned this week? Buckingham Palace has 602 rooms, and the largest property in Australia is bigger than Belgium. Also, one time a guy tried to sell New Zealand on eBay, and it got to $3000 before the ad got taken down. Do you feel smarter now? Go forth and join a trivia team! In the meantime, enjoy some music at PiP while reading the fantastic articles we have for you this edition. If you've got anything you'd like to share with us or want to compliment Cameron on his layout skills, write to us at thevine@scyp.net – I'd love to hear from you! Stay cool! Georgia
vibe CONTENTS
edition 43 _ MARCH 2015 4
Modern Vibes
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God in Nature
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Adelaide Youth Conference 2015
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February Activity - Paddleboarding
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March Activity - Praise in the Park
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The Truth About Love
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A Word from the Older Generation
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Living Your Faith
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SCYP Carols 2014
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Bible Profiles: Noah and Jonah
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Music Reviews: Brutal Romantic
27 Grapevine
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Modern Vibes "Every eye shall see Him." Rev 1:7 Every eye? See Him? Problem? No problem. (Yawn.) Easy: TV? Nah. Skype? Yeh. Of course. However, Bible believers used to wonder how "every eye" would be able to see Jesus. And for Bible disbelievers, it was "evidence" of fantasy. Pure gold, if that is where you want to go. There have been earlier "fantasies" that have resolved into reality. Digging things up in the Middle East gave rise to Lectures like "Archaeology proves the Bible true", not heard so much these days. Because no-one has to labour that Nebuchadnezzar had a palace, or that Solomon had stables for horses. To be fair, Archaeology raises problems too. We are subjective creatures, with a tendency to go where our hearts want to go.
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Kylie Shamwah
which it was built and held together. For a while. The principle by which "every eye", (may), "see him" has been known for centuries, even millennia. You and a friend a world away can play chess by having a board each and sending letters stating where each have put your pieces. It would take a long while, but in stages your board would replicate your friend's. Except for where you knocked over your coffee of course, and they kept quiet about knocking over theirs. If only the messages could pass more quickly!
God is a good Way to go. Promises are attached to His Way.
As people started playing with electricity, (not recommended), they were surprised to find that disturbing any electrical circuit can disturb another circuit some distance away, even if they were not connected by wire. And the disturbance travels faster than sound. When put to practical use, people sitting by their "wireless" in Sydney could hear a singer in London before many in the live audience heard it. People marvelled. My fourth class teacher was astounded.
Who would deny now the existence of Ur of the Chaldees? Certainly not the soldiers now camped in the mound slumped from the mud bricks and bitumen1 from
It needed "valves" to put and take information into and out of these "interruptions". Valves have at least two filaments contained in a vacuum that are not connected to each other.
1 As the Bible said: "brick had they for stone, and slime had they for mortar". The mud bricks sank back into mud, and the "bitumen", in another form, powers your car. For now.
One filament senses the VIBE from the remote circuit, (the "transmitter"), the other one reacts to its neighbour and "closes" its circuit, allowing a current to flow in the "receiver", of which it is a part. By a number of such steps through valves, a weak signal is amplified. Problem: - The earth, ships, aeroplanes, tables and coffee cups, bump rattle and break fragile filaments. The huge breakthrough came when it was discovered that some natural materials that act like valves anyway can be manufactured and made exceedingly small. A current passing through them from "East" to "West" can turn on another current flowing from "North" to "South". It is these solid state transistors, printed into circuits on tiny plates, that enable you to put your phone in your pocket and jog, or for those with
other skills to blast a spaceperson into orbit and still hear him or her talk. And have their lights stay on. The screen on your device is like a chessboard. Someone else's "chessboard" can send millions of mvessages telling "your" screen where to put a dot and colour in the same relative space as it is on "theirs". It can paint in your face, and its movements. If "nobodies" like us can already see other "nobodies", (please do not take offence, remember of Whom we Speak), it is no wonder any longer that all will be able to see Jesus. And He is not even limited by the speed of light! There is no future in dismissing Bible vibes, called "stories", because they may seem impossible. They may simply be outside our experience.
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God in Nature Here in Australia, we live in a society that thrives on modern technology. Advertising is constantly bombarding us wherever we look, our ears are always filled with man made noise, our phone is always begging for our attention. We rarely switch off. Thankfully God has led me to something that not only allows me to momentarily escape the chaos of 21st century life, but also draws me closer to him on a daily basis.
"I was provided for in every way. On paper I was lacking nothing. Yet despite this, something was missing." provided for in every way. On paper I was lacking nothing. Yet despite this, something was missing. My relationship with God was what you would call quite good at the time. I read my bible regularly and prayed often. But there was a disconnect, a lack of inner joy. For a good part of that year I fought with depression something that doesn't discriminate and can affect anyone in any situation. It was scary, confusing and tough.
Photos by Will Patino
In 2012 I was a 25 years old, married to a wonderful woman, blessed with a solid job as an AC mechanic, we had a roof over our heads and plenty of food in our stomachs. We had travelled to some of the most beautiful places in the world and had a cute little chocolate Labrador puppy in the backyard. I was
Will Patino
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I began to draw much closer to God, closer than ever before. I realised how dependant I was and came to see I couldn't walk through life by my strength alone. I began to draw much closer to God, closer than ever before. I needed His grace. As life began to slowly brighten, I happened to download Instagram. At that point I was one of a rare few who wasn't using Facebook but something about Instagram appealed to me. A way of having an outlet without necessarily having to say anything. I wasn't necessarily into photography at the time but I soon found myself hooked. I would go into the backyard and take random photos on my iPhone. Eventually I pulled out our Canon DSLR from the cupboard and made my way down the beach to shoot a sunrise. My life hasn't been the same since. Fast forward to 2015 and I have just left my job of 8 years to be a landscape photographer full time. The art of photography has enriched my life in so many ways but most importantly it has strengthened my faith and relationship with God. I have always lived in Wollongong right by the sea but was never much of a beach person. I never really cared for nature at all. Now I rely on it like the air in my lungs. Through school and university, the theory of the Big Bang and Darwinian evolution is taught. It is widely accepted as the scientific explanation for the creation of the universe and that nothing here was created, nor has a real purpose. It is
The Northern Lights
just by pure chance that we are here, evolved from primordial slime. As Christians we believe in creation, we believe in a universal purpose and reason for the way everything is and I think nature testifies to that truth. Paul himself declares in Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Some people often ask for evidence for Gods existence, and we ourselves may have prayed for a 'sign' from God that He is really there. Paul says we have no excuse, the proof of God is all around us. We just have to open our eyes and hearts to see. That's what photography has done for me, it has 7
Cathedral Rock Cave
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opened my eyes to see the world like never before. There is a deep, inner peace and satisfaction that comes from spending time out amongst creation. Turning aside from the Xbox or iPhone and losing yourself under the shade of a canopy of ancient trees or bathing in morning light inside a sea cave at dawn. There is healing in God's creation, when we choose to spend time with the work of His hands. David says in Psalm 19:1-4 "The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they reveal
Wollongong Lighthouse
Bermagui Horse Head
knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words, no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
"...there is a deep, inner peace and satisfaction that comes from spending time out amongst creation." I think now more than ever it is important for us to embrace nature and escape life's conventional distractions. Even if it is just for 15 minutes a day. The way the sun rises each day in perfect harmony, the ocean rages with unfathomable energy, stars shine like diamonds and trees grow mighty like skyscrapers. This life is no accident, there is clearly a grand designer behind this intricately delicate universe. He is speaking to us, we just have to choose to look and listen. Once you begin to see, you won't look at life any other way. 9
Adelaide Youth - a week in the life of Amy Norwood Conference one Touch down in Adelaide. We (Miki, Malachi, Rebecca and I) were met at the airport and guided to our chartered chariot (aka bus). Other Sydneysiders and Melbournites joined us and we headed off to Flinders University where the fun began!
soccer. It was hard to concentrate on the ball however because everyone was so focused on knocking over their friends! That night the musical, "To stay or not to stay" (based on the story of Ruth) was performed. It was an engaging and hilarious end to the day.
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With a bit of 'zesty zumba' to start the day, I was feeling refreshed and ready for action. Tim Morgan (UK) led our first talk about Solomon – wisdom, wealth and women. Jona Lawson (Aus) started his series of talks on Jesus, the ultimate king. 'The Royal Tournament" was held that afternoon. Wearing our team colours, we competed against other teams, playing Human Foosball, Capture the Crown and other kingrelated games. We finished the day off with a massive, brain-bending game of Trivial Pursuit and a classical music cafÊ night with a thoughtful meditation.
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Tuesday's early morning 'youthful yoga' was a relaxing start to the day. Jona and Tim continued their interesting studies, which were followed up by two variety sessions. My first session was the hilarious Bubble Soccer, where 10 people had to wriggle into individual plastic blow-up bubbles and attempt to play 10
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Slept in this morning and successfully missed the 'loud, lively line dancing' at 6am, but managed to wake in time for my daytrip bus. My friends and I raced around Adelaide finding clues (it's much smaller than Sydney!) to win "The Amazing Race". That night we enjoyed a very entertaining game show called the "Night of All Knights" hosted by Henry Saxon.
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'Zesty zumba' at 6am.. again? I slept in! Two more great morning study sessions then two more variety sessions in the afternoon. More bubble soccer for me! J That night everyone dressed in their finest (or worst..) for the "Royale Carnivale" Dinner Banquet. Everyone from King Neptune and Ariel, Rapunzel and Flynn, a ruler to a few peasants and Princess Leia (x2) came. The majestic Queen Hannah also attended. Medieval dancing and a jumping castle kept the royal crew amused until it was time again for meditation and bed.
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6am alarms went off around the campus for 'Youthful yoga'. I slept through mine.. Two study sessions were presented to a halfasleep audience, but we woke up in time for an afternoon in the sun at the aquatic centre. This was our last night of conference, and we spent it 'flying around the world' in praise. It was a great night.
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Some enjoyed 'loud, lively line dancing' at 6am, while most others enjoyed a welldeserved sleep in. After the memorial
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meeting presented by Tim Morgan it was time for us to say our goodbyes to all our friends. That is, until postconference.. Which is a whole other story!
Highlights? Refreshing old friendships and making new ones, the studies on 'Who is your king?', playing cards, the variety sessions, racing around Adelaide and the Dinner Banquet. Thank you Adelaide for organizing such an awesome and amazing week! 11
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February Activity -
Paddleboarding @ Cronulla and Bundeena
March Activity - Praise in the Park
Welcome to PRAISE in the PARK 2015!
PRAISE in the PARK (PiP) is an annual Praise and Worship Festival celebrating the future hope God has promised for this Earth. It is run especially for the Burwood Community to provide an afternoon of inspiring music, awesome fun and the opportunity to meet some great new people.
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PRAISE in the PARK is hosted by a local Christian Youth Group called SCYP (Sydney Christadelphian Young People). It is a 100% volunteer based organization of everyday people who love God and want to give something back to our Community. SCYP also hold regular Worship Sessions, Bible Study Classes and Social Activities. One of the Churches we meet at is located just around the corner at 84 Shaftesbury Rd, Burwood (Shaftesbury Rd Christadelphians).
Whilst PRAISE in the PARK features Christian based music and a Christian message, we are not here to try and convince you to take on our beliefs or join our Church. We are genuinely motivated by wanting to give something back to our Community. Wherever you’re at on your life journey, we’d like you to really enjoy PRAISE in the PARK with us. Whether you’re thing is a great coffee, fresh donuts, sno cones, fairy floss, perhaps you have some kids who’d love the Petting Zoo, Jumping Castle, Ball Pit, Face Painting, Puppet Show or Balloon Animals, whether you love live music, whatever it is – this afternoon is happily from us FOR YOU! We would like you to know this though – whilst we in Australia are free, safe and relatively wealthy we despair that so many others around the world suffer from famine, disease, poverty and lack of opportunity. We do believe that there is a better plan for this earth – an earth that is free, without oppression, without suffering, without pain and even without death… A place and time of peace, contentment, care for others and opportunity for all. So again, please ENJOY PRAISE in the PARK, but if you too feel there may be something more to life please come and have a chat! We’d love to share our ideas with you and listen to yours in return. Thank you for being at PRAISE in the PARK today! This is the ninth year we’ve had the pleasure of hosting
this event and it wouldn’t be what it is without our amazing audience! We hope you have an AWESOME time and that PRAISE in the PARK has brightened your day, your week or even your year! If you’d like any more information about this event, who we are, the groups performing or any other details please come and have a chat with one of our amazing volunteers. Alternatively, check our website, like our Facebook page or even give us a call! Thank you again for being at PRAISE in the PARK! Blessings, Phil Pooley Events Director 0408 440 111
praiseinthepark.org.au | facebook.com/scyp.praise | instagram.com/praise_inthe_park 15
About
The Brain and Sex God's design for sex involves 2 people – a husband and wife who have made a lifelong commitment to each other; the 2 have become 1; they love and respect each other; they will be separated only by death. He intended for the relationship between a husband and wife to be the most intimate of all human relationships. Our brains were designed – structurally and chemically - to maximize intimacy with our spouse through sexual experiences if we follow the designers recommendation. If not, we risk compromising what might have otherwise been a great relationship. Structurally, our brains are made up of billions of neurons that are joined together by synapses (more than all the internet connections in the world). As we experience new things we create synaptic pathways – habits, patterns of thinking, skills – like the familiar way we tie our shoes, the ability to recite a poem or play music, or the skill of riding a bike without needing to think too much about it. The more we repeat something, the more entrenched those synaptic pathways become. Neurochemistry and Sex The signals in our brains travel through a soup of chemicals that can influence our thinking. Three neurochemicals related to sex are:
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Love dopamine our reward for risky behaviour. Our brains are flooded with dopamine when we do something exciting or intense. This produces feelings of excitement and wellbeing, and promotes a desire to repeat the activity.
Dopamine leads a married couple to get hooked on sex with each other. In a healthy marriage this clever chemical means sex will never be boring or mundane. Dopamine doesn't know right from wrong so it will still reward us with good feelings for poor choices. This can lead us to become hooked on unwise sexual behaviour.
oxytocin
RISKS / BENEFITS
Truth
Richard Hillhouse
promotes attachment and trust. Females produce more oxytocin than males and it leads them to "bond" with babies and others. 4 main triggers are childbirth, breastfeeding, sex and intimate touch. It's like cement in the brain that bonds a woman to the person that triggers the release of Oxytocin. Oxytocin triggered by sex and physical touch will lead her to develop a deeper level of trust and connection with her husband than any other adult. Oxytocin doesn't discern right from wrong so we may stay in a bad relationship because of the bonding that has developed through sex or intimate touch.
RISKS / BENEFITS
the
vasopressin BENEFITS / RISKS
the monogamy molecule. This is kind of a male equivalent to Oxytocin that promotes bonding with the woman we experience intimacy with. Vasopressin helps men to commit to a lifelong relationship with their wife by producing a strong sense of connectedness when the chemical is released during sexual contact. Inappropriate physical contact will lead to feelings of connectedness and bonding with the wrong person. The Bad News When it comes to sex, there are consequences of getting it wrong. •
We were not created to experience other people's ideas and fantasies about sex through movies, music and porn. It plays havoc with our synaptic pathways and sabotages our own sexual experience by associating it with guilt, shame, selfishness, domination, helplessness, etc.
•
We were not created to make and break, make and break, make and break intimate bonds with multiple people through sexual contact. Evidence shows that this cycle damages our brain's ability to maintain a long term commitment. We
form synaptic pathways that predispose us to short term relationships – like sticky tape that loses stickiness. •
Poor choices become normalized in our brains and we are desensitised to risky behaviour. We are then more likely to carry that behaviour into our marriage.
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Our brains don't cope well. Sexually active teens are 3 times more likely to be depressed than virgin teens. Severe clinical depression is 2 times more frequent among porn users. Sexually active boys are 7 times more likely to have attempted suicide than virgin boys.
The Good News God knows what is best for us. Sex, done God's way, is thrilling and satisfying. It cements bonds of lifelong attachment and trust. It creates great memories and healthy habits. It leads two people to become one. Fact: married couples report higher levels of sexual satisfaction than people who have had multiple partners.
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A Word from the Older Tobias NIven and a Lovely Generation Nursing Home Resident What is your religion/belief? Christian; no addition to or taken from.
What made you become a Christian? I was born that. At 5 years old, I was sent off to Sunday school. I had a 3-mile hike to go, but my mother sent us along. A smack in the backside, if we didn't get going.
How long have you been a Christian? All my life. I've never known anything else.
How has your faith grown over the years? You just live by belief and action. Follow your actions through. Do good, when you can and if you can't find anyone to do a good turn to, then just keep on believing.
What makes you depend on God? He's never let me down in my life. One night, when I was working, a man stood over me with a tomohawk, but I stayed calm, trusted in God and left completely unscathed.
What things have made you turn to God for help? Everything. Never do anything without His approval. Never just think, 'well I can make it on my own', well you can't.You've got to rely on God for everything. 18
How do you see God? Where do you see God? All around you. Everywhere. You can't live without him. Don't try it. You see it in the birth of a little calf; you see it in the birth of a little sheep. Everything. You see it in the reproduction of those animals. And even little babies, they're miracles. Just having a baby is a miracle. I see Him everywhere.
Do you have any life stories or lessons about faith? The birth of a baby, every time you deliver a little baby, squirming little thing, little fingernails, so tiny but everything is perfect and wonderful. And only God can make them, we can't make them.
What has been helpful in keeping your faith alive throughout your life? Just everything, I can't be without God. My family and friends have very much helped me along the way. And we have never had any disagreements in the family. You just shut your mouth and keep going. I have never faulted my faith; He's always been there. He's always done for me, even when I didn't know. There are many stories when I worked in the hospital. I just stood my ground, because I knew that I was right and when you know you're right you just stick in there. You don't start faltering because of what people think. God's never let me down in my life and I've loved him and I think I love
him more than life itself. I could never have gone through life without him. And out on the farm, well you know what life on the farm is like. You can't live without Him. Every little lamb that's born, every little living thing shows He is there. Once when I was on the farm, I heard pattering of little feet on the roof and I thought "What is it?" Do know what I had in my roof? A koala... a koala had born her baby up in my roof. That little darling thing chose me for comfort and safety. So, it stayed there and I saw him through his little years and then there were others after that. When my husband sold the property and we had to move I just took one big breath, and got on with life. God's never let me down once in all my years and there's been plenty of them.
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Living Your Faith When I was asked to write a short article on this topic many ideas were racing through my mind. I prayed for God's help and I hope the few ideas I share with you will be of real benefit.
find the Truth, but God sought me out when He knew I was sincerely searching. He put people and opportunities on my path that would bring my search to fruition.
I write as a 72 year old widow, who has had many ups and downs in her life, (but I was once fresh and young and full of energy like you are today).
So I can assure you I have found the pearl of great price that no-one can take away from me. God is very REAL to me. My Saviour is very DEAR to me – no doubts, no wavering. I long for Christ's return and the establishment of God's Kingdom on the Earth.
As some of you will know, I did not have the privilege of being born into a Christadelphian family. I had to search long and hard to
L I V
ove is the basis of our life in God and His Son. "We love because He first loved us."
" am not alone. God is with me, as long as I am with Him."
ictory can only come to those who live life to the full, whatever mistakes may be made along the way. Mistakes are how we learn and develop (unless we are really stupid!) You cannot be victorious by standing on the sidelines.
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nformation Revolution! It's wonderful, isn't it? ‌So much instantly at your fingertips. But it is also fraught with dangers, especially social media, like Facebook.
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1. Use it wisely 2. Beware of its dangers 3. Check how much time and attention it is taking up 4. Value face to face interactions and close relationships o-one is perfect. Don't get downhearted. We will all make mistakes. That's why God's Word tells us about real people, warts and all, like David. ive to God the best effort you can. He does not deserve second best, but, remember you are not in competition with anyone else!
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ou need to think for yourself. You are responsible for the decisions you make. Don't just follow the mob. Do you have enough guts to swim against the tide?
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pen up to god in prayer. He wants real communication with you, not what you think He wants to hear.
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are not the centre of the Universe! Forget yourself sometimes. Look outwards to others who may need your help and attention.
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emember that you belong to a family. Be an active person in your ecclesia and you will gain great support and encouragement.
F A I
riends are invaluable. But remember, to have good friends you must be a good friend! pathy is a killer! Don't just float along. This is the time for real passion and commitment. Sleepers awake! Christ's return is very near!
nfluences. There are many winds of influence blowing over the world today – in the world outside and our own ecclesial world. Many are for good. Many more are for evil. Be careful who and what you are being influenced by. Who are you mixing with? Whom do you admire? What are you reading? What are you listening to?
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ime is an important thing to think about. Draw aside for one week and take stock. Get a buddy and each keep a record of how much time you are spending on different activities in your life. Be honest! Get together and share notes. You may be surprised. Do you need to work out a different balance? "
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appy is the person whose strength is in the LORD, in whose heart are the highways to ZION!" (Psalm 84:5)
I wish you all great joy and valuable fellowship as you travel together towards the promised Kingdom, encouraging and strengthening each other. Keep your sense of humour and have fun. From a fellow traveller, Sister Jacqui Gorman 21
SCYP CAROLS It is said by many (or at least by me) that SCYP Carols is the BEST event on the Annual SCYP Calendar. Perhaps there is a little hype associated with this claim, but all jokes aside there is truly something special about our annual Carols event. Unbeknown to many, SCYP Carols is the longest running SCYP Activity (aside from the Classes) on our Calendar. It was held the very first year that SCYP was formed (in the late 70's) and has run every year since. The event was originally held at the Christadelphian Convalescent and Rest Home in Strathfield and moved over to the Padstow Facility (Southhaven) when it began operating in 1992. In recent years (as Christadelphian Aged Care have expanded their facilities), our Carols Activity has grown with SCYP hosting events at the Southhaven Hostel, Southhaven Nursing Home, Casa Mia (Padstow) and Ashburn House (Gladesville). This year we held two events at three Aged Care Facilities. The first was on Tuesday 16th December at Padstow. We began at Casa Mia at 6pm, moving onto Southhaven Nursing Home at 6:45pm and concluding at the Southhaven Hostel at 7:30pm. It was an absolutely awesome event attended by more than 40 22
Phil Pooley
young people. It was also great to see a number of parents (and even a grandparent) attend and join with us in singing and celebrating Christmas with the older folk. A visit from Santa Claus kept everyone on their toes and the older folk loved joining us in keeping the rhythm with a variety of percussion instruments. We were blessed to have Nita Lawrie leading us with her usual flair on the Piano, accompanied by Shel Smith on flute. Our evening concluded through enjoying some further time together in sharing a BBQ Supper at the home of the Johnson Family. We thank them for their incredible hospitality and a great evening of joy and laughter.
The second event was held on Saturday 20th December at Ashburn House. Whilst a smaller group of young people attended, the singing was still awesome! This was also boosted by a few particularly talented older folk in the audience (one dear attendee sang descants for the entire performance). Santa again MC'd and Nita Lawrie shook the cobwebs out of the baby grand piano in the Ashburn theatre. Whatever your stance on Christmas, SCYP Carols is an incredible highlight in our year. The joy that can be shared with the older folk as they sing the traditional Carols they
2014 )(:)(: know so well, the timeless story of the birth of our saviour, and the joy in belting out Christmas Favourites like Good King Wenceslas or the 12 Days of Christmas – it is an event you will get far more out of than you put in.
energy of the youth. With all that we are blessed with, what better way to the lift the spirits of the older folk and share with them the true meaning of Christmas – "peace on earth and goodwill to all."
There is nothing more inspiring to older folk then seeing the passion and
Thank you so much to all who attended and contributed!
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Bible Profiles
THEIR STORY •
ABOUT THEM
•
Warned of God's plan to cleanse the world of all life He built an ark to save his family and the animals of creation
Tobias Niven
•
•
A prophet of God who rejected God's request to preach repentance to the Great City of Nineveh Taught through being swallowed by a big fish and commanded again to preach to Nineveh, to which he complied
Gen 6:9-10 • Righteous man • Blameless • Walked with God • Had 3 sons: Shem, Ham and Japeth 2 Peter 2:5 • Preacher of rightousness Preached and built the Ark for almost 100 years
Gen 6:11 • Corrupt in God's eyes • Full of violence Matthew 24:38 • People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage Great contrast to the life Noah lived
Jonah 1:2 • The Great City of Nineveh • Extreme wickedness
SOCIETY
TO WHICH THEY WERE TO
PREACH •
Jonah had to be dragged back from death to do what God had asked of him
SUMMARY
Gen 6:22 • Noah did everything just as God commanded him 24
2 Kings 14:25 • Son of Amittai • Prophet from Gath Hepher • Told to preach to Nineveh Jonah 1:9 • Hebrew • Worshipped God, the Creator • Very effective preacher (in the "fire and brimstone" style)
NOAH &
jonah RESPONDING
LESSONS FOR
INDIVIDUALS
2 Peter 2:5 • Noah stood up for God and was active in proclaiming or preaching or living a life that showed his love for God • Trying to get society to change • Noah preached to them, trying to convert them to live righteously • Noah saved his family •
• •
TO GOD'S CALL TO PREACH TO THE UNRIGHTEOUS Jonah 1:3 • Jonah rejected God's request to try and convert Nineveh from wickedness • Jonah ran away, in the opposite direction to what God had asked him • Jonah wanted Nineveh to be destroyed
Patiently, actively and consistently did what God asked and as a result he and his family were saved because he did God's will Prayerful Noah and his family saved through the baptism of water.
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• • • •
Jonah was brought to his knees to acknowledge God's position and righteousness in trying to save Nineveh Jonah initially didn't do God's will and only reluctantly replied God gives second chances God brings trials upon people to direct them in the path he wants people to go Saved from the baptism of death (3 days and 3 nights)
LESSONS FOR
US
The lesson is to be more like Noah than Jonah, wanting to do God's will and seeking to be righteous and desiring salvation for all. 25
MUSIC REVIEWS
Brooke Fraser Brutal Romantic (2014) WORDS BY ELEANOR POGSON
If at first you're expecting this album to sound like something by Brooke Fraser - then you may be sorely (or otherwise) surprised. Brooke Fraser's revamped style is truly different to her earlier albums of mostly low key pop/alternative genres. Once you've listened to her songs properly it becomes easy to note Brooke's flare and talent, and most importantly her voice, throughout all the songs. Also, once you've experienced all the songs in the album, surprisingly, it seems natural that she has progressed to a more 'techno' based sound. Fraser takes us out of the normal love story pop music themes, to life realities - even her 'struggle' with celebrity-fan relationships (re. Psychosocial). Her lyrics throughout the album are very enigmatic but Brooke hasn't lost the ability to match the music with the lyrics (or vice versa) despite the new sound. You'll find yourself listening to the songs over and over whether because of the catchy tunes or a desire to understand the lyrics properly - which is not at all a bad thing. Fraser's lyrics challenge you to explore what she is saying and by wading through her poetic lines you might just get there. 26
The album has a good variety of fast tempo songs and melodic tunes, from Psychosocial to New Years Eve, all made wonderful by Brooke Fraser's beautiful voice. It is definitely an album worth recommending to any young fan (I stress young as I realise it does not quite appeal as much to an "older" audience). It is a well spent 37 minutes of music or a great background filler.
BAPTISMS Meshael Lawrie (Moorebank) Daniel Mansfield (Punchbowl) Brandon Wilson (Blue Mountains) Laura Joseph (Newcastle) Luke Pearce (VIC) Emma Forester (QLD) Matt Gibbs (UK)
The Softball Benefit was birthed in New Jersey in 2008 after a young woman was inspired to use her talents in softball for good works. Since its inception, the Benefit aims to help others with financial hardships. The Benefit spans the course of a weekend, with Softball games, food, and fellowship. While fun is had by all, the expressed purpose of the event is to raise money for a family or individual in need.
ENGAGEMENTS Georgia Muir and Isaac Pogson Monica Bourne and Zack Castles Nikki Harris and Simon Murton Sophie Tuttici and David Mogg Jordan Kitto and Cassie Hennig Josh Crawford and Rebekah McGrath Katie Morgan and Jamin Riley Breanna Riley and Gavin Stokes THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO... the Schofield family, with the loss of Jared the Nicholls family, with the loss of Jonathan
Paul commands us in Galatians "bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ". Assisting those with financial hardships is just one small way to lighten a heavy load. Christadelphians and community members from all over come together with their prayers, support, donations, time, and energy. More information is available at the website and we appreciate all the help we can receive! See: softballbenefitnj.com 27
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