The Pastors’ Pen

Welcome to The Pastors’ Pen. A written update for life at Southern Cross.

Tomorrow, our prayer is that our leaders from SCPC and the church family as a whole would join us at Lismore High School, as Southern Cross is hosting the Northern Rivers Presbytery Breaking the Silence training day from 3pm-6pm.

This training occurs every three years and is crucial for us to protect our mission to grow followers of Jesus.

Abuse in the church is surely the fastest way to destroy Christ’s name, his bride, the church for whom he died, and his precious brothers and sisters for whom he died. Would you come? We pray you will.

Then, in two weeks, on 27th February, we will have our Annual General Meeting (AGM). A large portion of this meeting is to confirm the budget for 2022, but having prepared it for our congregational meeting in November last year, we expect this should be a clear and concise meeting.

Members of the church family are welcome this coming Wednesday, 16th February, to join the Committee of Management (COM) from 7:30-8pm to ask questions about the 2022 budget as we prepare for the AGM on 27th February.

This week has been an interesting one as I have been reflecting on how we grow the church. We know abuse will destroy it. Generosity with our time, gifts and money can assist it. But the proven tool for growing followers of Jesus is God’s trustworthy and faithful word.

Are you spending time listening to God? Has 2022 seen you connected with our living God?

Even though it’s February, it is never too late to recommit to opening your life to God’s living word. Come along to our Equip on Tuesday 22nd February as we spend time thinking about God’s word in our life and taking the rush out of it. God’s word is powerful. It grows the church. Listen to this from Hebrews chapter 4:

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Posted in Pastors Post

Sunday Gatherings for April 24, 2022

On Sunday Brent Faulkner will be speaking across all our gatherings on 2 Timothy 1:15-2:7 about running the race of the Christian life. 

We welcome anyone who is able to join us! If you aren’t in a Gospel Community or are a visitor,
we welcome you to the time that suits you best.

Park Ave 9:15am Gathering (morning tea to follow)
Coutts, Griffiths & Maxwell Gospel Communities

Park Ave 10:45am Gathering (light lunch to follow)
Henderson, Herd, Kemsley & Playsted Gospel Communities

SCG 9am Gathering
Invercauld House (dining room)

Posted in General

The Pastors’ Pen


Welcome to The Pastors’ Pen, an update for life at Southern Cross.
 
You will note this week’s again is in written form. As pastors, we are committed to keeping you informed about life at Southern Cross and, when appropriate or required, we will do a video recording of The Pastors’ Post.
 
Sadly, Betsy Cunningham, our Equip and Lounge Room speaker for this term has had to decline her visit due to a recent change in employment. We are, however, excited to say that Liz Young, a brethren leader from the district, and John Bradshaw, an elder from St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Grafton, will join us for Equip One. The theme of our first Equip for the year is ‘Intimate: taking the rush out of our relationship with Christ’. John will stay overnight in Lismore, ready for The Lounge Room the next day. John is a recently retired medical doctor and will share his experiences working in that field and how he lives for Jesus and shares him today in his retirement. Sadly, I will miss both Equip and The Lounge Room due to Reach Australia training in Sydney that I need to attend as part of our consultancy with Reach Australia in 2022 and 2023.
 
However, can I encourage retirees to get along to The Lounge Room and suggest you all to make the most of the Equip training. Surely there is no greater training that we could participate in than growing in our intimacy with Christ!
 
Finally, for the sake of Christ’s name and honour in our city Lismore, can I plead with you to consider joining us for Breaking the Silence Training. This training is so crucial to our mission to grow followers of Jesus. How can we grow Christ’s church if abuse is present in it? What a horrible tragedy. Do you love God? Do you love his people? Do you love the people of this world? Then consider joining us next Saturday 12th February at Lismore High School for Safe Church Training through the Conduct Protocol Unit of the Presbyterian Church in NSW.
 
For Jesus loves kids, youth, young adults and even the oldies. Remember this precious verse from Jesus’ lips in Matthew chapter 19 and verses 13 and 14:
 
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

SP
Posted in Pastors Post

Introductory Study: 1 Corinthians 1-9

Our Gospel Community Leadership Groups (GCLGs) will meet this Thursday 3rd Feb at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start at Park Ave. DNAs will return the following week. For your own personal preparation, here is an introductory study for 1 Corinthians.

Posted in General