Abbotsford Anglican

Our Blast Off Service has launched our year together with its usual energy.

Paulo encouraged us to adopt the prayer of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:9-10.

Paulo encouraged us to act in three ways
1. to pray, "Jesus is not going to answer a prayer that we are not praying."
2. to draw near to one another in loving service expecting God to answer our prayer
3. to open the Bible together this is how we will learn to approve of what is most excellent.

Make this your prayer in 2013!
Listen to the sermon here.

If you haven't been to church for a while you will be pleasantly surprised.

Follow the drama of Cecil the sheep as he gets lost and then found.

All are welcome to this fun morning service.
Especially designed for the kids the whole family will have a great morning.

St Andrew's 9.30am Sunday 4th November

Hey I have been having a great time going through our Genesis Series lately. Here is one of my favourite moments...

"In the beginning, God ..." Genesis 1:1

The Bible starts right away with God. God is the subject of the very first sentence of the whole Bible. The word for God there in Hebrew is the word Elohim, it means the Almighty, the all powerful one. And that’s who The Bible starts with. It starts with that God and it starts with him at the centre of it all.

And some people find that really, really, irritating. This beginning annoys many people and frustrates many people because we want it to start elsewhere. We want it to start with us and our questions, we want it to start with ideas of philosophy and a proof for the existence of God. But that’s not where it starts. “In the beginning God”, God simply is. He isn’t interested in justifying himself or proving himself. He is just there. Its not he that needs to deal with us and come to terms with us, its us that need to deal with him and need to come to terms with him. He is not some object we get to sit and evaluate and determine the probabilities of whether he exists or not. He just is.

The picture here is that God alone is God, there are not lots of gods battling it out, struggling for control in some spiritual chaotic battlefield, which we as humans are at the whim of. No, there is one God and he is God alone.

Although what is interesting here right from this start is the hint that there is also more to God than just his one-ness. There are these hints at his three-ness as well as his oneness. So for example the word for God, Elohim, in the Hebrew is plural. But all the verbs in this passage associated with God are in the Hebrew singular. This is of course is deliberate in the providence of God something is being hinted at here.

Also, when God comes to make humanity, what does God say? 'Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness."

And then when God makes mankind what does he make? He makes, not ONE, but TWO. Indicating there is a diversity in this ONENESS.

This is something that will become more clear to us when we come face to face with Jesus. Jesus reveals clearly once and for all what is true, the ONE GOD has this unique plurality. One God in three persons. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Here are these eternal relationships of love, The Father loves the Son and gives all things to him, and the Son loves the father and delights to do his will, and the Spirit loves the Father and the Son and loves to illuminate and make the Father and the Son known.

The universe begins with this God. The universe begins not because God is lonely or needs something. Rather the universe begins out of the overflow of God’s eternal love and delight. And what will be revealed is that God’s purpose in doing this is, not to lord it over us, but to share the eternal life and joy that he himself experiences. You know when you are having a great time, what is some thing you often express? - isn't it, "oh I wish so and so was here"? Good things are meant to be shared. And God is a loving and sharing God. That is how the universe begins. Not a choatic violent battle. But an overflow of love and a desire to share.

God is.
And God is the loving ruler of the world.

I have been loving the recent Genesis series. Here is one of my most favourite moments...

Growing Great Readers
Alison May will draw on her wonderful gifts and her years of experience and fill your head with loads of practical and helpful ideas. Alison will help you think about how to make the most of reading with your kids. Including:

·       What to read and what to do when you read

·       How to help your child grow a passion for reading and learning.

·       Helping kids understand their social worlds through reading

·       How to help your children become reading ready for school

·       The value of making your own books

And much more!

where St Andrew's Anglican Church
when 7.30pm Thursday 14th June
cost FREE
please book here to confirm your place

Alison May has been a speech pathologist for 21 years and is passionate about children’s education. After completing her Masters she has worked in the Public, Catholic & Independent schools sectors, has run a teaching unit for Sydney University and lectured at Macquarie University and The University of Western Sydney. She has also worked for the Department of Education in Learning Support Professional Development programs. She is very sought after and much loved in her private practice. Alison is married to a vet, Todd, and has three children. She dreams about spare time.

A fun morning for all the family and especially the kids as we look at a classic story from the Bible in this service with a difference. Followed by a great morning tea!

Join us on Sunday 9.30am 27th May.
For more information email here or
contact details here

"When I Survey the Wonderous Cross
on which the Prince of Glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss
and pour contempt on all my pride."

Please join us for our Easter Services
Good Friday 9.30am includes the Lord's Supper
Easter Sunday 9.30am

A warm Welcome awaits you at this special event.

Of course, you’re always welcome on any Sunday of the year. However, on Back to Church Sunday we do our best to make it as easy as possible.

Kim came to last year’s Back to Church Sunday. She writes: “I was quite excited about seeing the postcard from the Anglican Church, welcoming people ‘Back to Church’. I had often thought I would like to attend church and bring my children along but was unsure how to go about it. Receiving this offer was great as I didn't really know what to do, who to speak to, or in general just the way the service works. So it was a great start. Paulo and other parish members made us feel very welcome, and Jo from Kids Church has been absolutely brilliant.”

What to expect

We will be celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus on Christmas Eve at 11pm and on Christmas Day at the earlier than usual time of 9am.

Of course kids always have a special place with us at
St Andrew’s and our Christmas Day service will have something special for them.

I hope you will be able to join us.