|
|
News and updates - in date order.... (covering the past two years) (click on photos for enlarged shots). Older reports are archived here.
Stuff older than two years is retired to "older news" HCMF 2008 Activities ReportPrepared by Rev Max Dundas (Chairman of the Ministers' Fellowship) and presented at the AGM Feb 2009. 2008 has seen quite some growth from the previous year. The summary below is intended to document the year's program for our reflection and prayer and as a means of reminding us all of the range of ways in which we serve our Lord, each other and our Holroyd community. The most regular of our programs was the THURSDAY MORNING PRAYER TIME. Each Thursday @ 8am we met at Wentworthville Baptist Church , before removing to Pemulwuy Gloria Jean’s at around 9am. A group of 5+ met regularly. It was a time of prayer for our city (Holroyd Council, and local schools particularly), and churches, as well as offering personal support and encouragement. Perhaps the ‘largest’ ministry in which we shared is our SRE work. Our Holroyd Special Religious Education Board employs and supervises coordinators working one day a week in each of our five Holroyd State High Schools. This enables SRE classes and seminar ministry in each school as well as lunchtime meetings and student and staff contact. Our Board also employs a Primary Schools’ SRE Liaison Officer for 1 day a week serving individual church SRE ministry in State Primary Schools and assisting us with the ‘big picture’ of Holroyd Primary SRE. In recent years restructuring of the Board-level administration of HSRE has seen Brian Rensford move back a little from his ‘hands-on’ work in setting up the ministry and serving as inaugural chairman. Nathan Killick has accepted the responsibilities of chairman. Jamie Long has served in a role with regular monthly meetings with our Coordinators and Michelle Burns attends to most of the administrative responsibilities. Separate HSRE Board Reports from time to time update members and supporters on this ministry. Ministry to our City. A HCMF member again opened each fortnightly Holroyd City Council Meeting with a prayer and one of us addressed each of the 11 Holroyd Citizenship Ceremonies. These offer us a valuable opportunity to connect with Councillors and Council Officers, as well as new citizens in the district. We believe this has been a significant ministry in a year that has seen such dramatic change in Holroyd Council following the 2008 elections. As further component of our Civic ministry, we once again organised the annual Mayoral Prayer Dinner. In 2008 folk from over a dozen local churches met with some Councillors and Officers for the 31st annual prayer dinner at Merrylands RSL – this time involving an address from retiring HCC employee, Lucy Maguire, and prayers led by leaders from Holroyd churches. A number of individual churches maintained ministry to Holroyd’s aged population. Together we maintained a weekly presence at Cardinal Gilroy Village (c400 residents) in Merrylands and the Southern Cross Apartments in Greystanes (30 residents). Two RETREATS were again part of our 2008 program. In March, four of us shared 3 days together for fellowship, reflection and ‘peer-mentoring’ at Budgewoi. This was followed up with a single day at the Edmund Rice Retreat centre at Winbourne in October. 13 of us were able to share a morning devotional reflection and a discussion on ‘Exploring Salvation’ led by Fr Gerry Iverson. The goals of enriched fellowship were achieved in both, and similar programs are planned for 2009. The regular Combined Church Services for the year included: · the HSRE Commissioning Service hosted in 2008 by Rev Raj Gupta and the Toongabbie Anglicans (who maintain SRE at Pendle Hill High School under Chris Forder); · On March 7, the annual World Day of Prayer combined prayer service was hosted by Merrylands Baptist Church. The country under the microscope this year was Guyana, the ladies of MBC led by Rae Goth provided a well-run time of prayer and fellowship; · A Pentecost / Unity service was hosted by Holroyd New Life church on Sunday, May 4. · The final Combined Churches celebration service for 2008 was hosted by Wentworthville Baptists in November. Our regular bi-monthly HCMF meetings continued throughout the year providing opportunity for lunch fellowship, catching up, and attention to administrative and common interest themes. Invited guests at our meetings included:
A new initiative for the year saw Merrylands Baptists hosting a Holroyd Church Leaders’ Dinner. The goal was to offer a helpful lay leadership training experience while seeking to set up an environment for networking across our churches. Sam Sterland was asked to present on Holroyd population profile. HCMF’s annual Christmas meal together was again hosted by Gerry, Helen and Robert. A wonderful, popular time of fellowship. This was attended by a large number of ministers in early December. A HCMF Web page was again maintained by our secretary Brian Rensford, and regular mail outs served as an invaluable means of easily keeping in touch and publicising various programs of common interest. Brian’s maintenance of the Holroyd Christian churches contact database has also served us well. Brief Financial Summary – A surplus for the year of $476 came mostly from the Mayoral Prayer Dinner costs being subsidised by a kind donation from the Board of Management of Merrylands RSL. Cash reserves stand at nearly $7000 at year-end (31/1/09). More detail at the AGM. This HCMF annual meeting notes the significant contributions made by three brothers who are leaving the Holroyd ministry area. Their input has been valuable and we wish them all God’s richest blessing as they go from our district. · Jamie and Kirsten Long leave Pendle Hill Baptist Church following a 12 year ministry of significant stabilization and growth for that church and a strong commitment to SRE ministry. Jamie led our Festival of Hope, combined ministry over its three years and for this last year served as Board Coordinator and mentor for our SRE coordinators. They leave Holroyd for Wyong. · Robert Riedling leaves for Blacktown South parish after four years of successful and faithful ministry as assistant minister at Greystanes Catholic Church. Robert’s commitment to our weekly prayer and coffee time and our regular HCMF meetings has been a special blessing and encouragement. · Warren and Jeanette Moore - after over 40 years at Sth Wentworthville Baptist Church, youth leaders Warren and Jeanette have taken a fulltime appointment at Cardiff Heights Baptist Church. When viewed as a whole, this is a most significant ministry we share together. It is made possible as we catch and maintain the vision of the Holroyd Christian Church and its responsibility to serve our community, and the wider world, at least in part, by demonstrating LOVE (Jn 13:35). HCMF 2007 Activities Report:Presented to the Annual Meeting February 19th 2008 Our fellowship has been a little more active this year than in other more recent years. The summary below is intended to document the year's program for our reflection and prayer and as a means of reminding us all of the range of ways in which we serve each other. The most regular of our programs was the THURSDAY MORNING PRAYER TIME. Each Thursday @ 8am we met at Wentworthville Baptist Church, then retiring to Pemulwuy Gloria Jean’s at around 9am. A group of 6 from a spread of denominations, met regularly, often one or two extras join in. It was a time of prayer for our city and churches as well as offering personal support and encouragement. Perhaps the ‘largest’ ministry in which we shared is our SRE work. Our Holroyd Special Religious Education Board employs and supervises coordinators working one day a week in each of our Holroyd State High Schools. This enables SRE classes and seminar ministry in each school as well as lunchtime meetings and student and staff contact. Our Board also employs a Primary SRE Liaison Officer for 1 day a week with responsibilities for serving individual church SRE ministry in State Primary Schools and assisting us with the ‘big picture’ of Holroyd Primary SRE. Prayer and thought is being given to a restructuring the Board level administration of HSRE as Brian Rensford moves back a little from his very active ‘hands on’ work in setting up the ministry and serving as inaugural chairman. Jamie Long is now serving in a role with regular monthly meetings with our Coordinators, Michelle Burns attends to most of the administrative responsibilities and Nathan Killick has expressed interest in serving in the chair following a period of familiarisation with the ministry. Separate HSRE Board Reports from time to time update members on this ministry. Ministry to our City. A HCMF member again opened each fortnightly Holroyd City Council Meeting with a prayer and one of us attended each of the 11 Holroyd City Citizenship Ceremonies. Our invitation to bring a short occasional address at these ceremonies, along with our regular Council Meeting appearance offers us a valuable opportunity to connect with Councillors and Council Officers. It also feeds into our regular Thursday prayers for Holroyd City. A further component of our Civic ministry found us once again organising the annual Mayoral Prayer Dinner (last Tuesday each August.) This last year folk from over a dozen local churches met with some Councillors and Officers for a dinner at Merrylands RSL involving an address from Phil Glendenning from the Edmund Rice Institute and prayers led by leaders from Holroyd churches. Special recognition was offered to Cr Alan Ezzy APM for his serving the Dinner over its 30 years history. A collection of data was formed as a 'history' of the 30 years of Dinners. A number of individual churches maintained ministry to Holroyd’s aged population. Together we maintained a weekly presence at Southern Cross Homes in Merrylands and the Southern Cross Apartments in Greystanes. Two RETREATS were added to our program over 2007. In March 5 of us shared three days together for fellowship, reflection and ‘peer-mentoring’ at Budgewoi. This was followed up with a single day at the Edmund Rice Retreat centre at Winbourne in October (nine of us were able to attend). The goals of enriched fellowship were achieved in both and similar programs are planned for 2008. [Budgewoi 31/3-2/4] The regular Combined Church Services for the year included the HSRE Commissioning Service hosted by Holroyd New Life Church on Feb 25th at which the newest Coordinator, Boyette Zapata brought God's word. A late Pentecost Service hosted by Our Lady Queen of Peace on May 20th allowed Fr Robert to preach, and at a third service hosted by Pendle Hill Baptist on November 18th Rev Jamie Long was the occasional preacher. Our regular bi-monthly HCMF meetings continued throughout the year providing opportunity for lunch fellowship, catching up, and attention to administrative and common interest themes. A HCMF Web page was again maintained by our secretary Brian, and regular mail outs served as an invaluable means of easily keeping in touch and publicising various programs of common interest.
|