Do you know the feeling of Déjà vu?
This weekend is our AGM. However, if you were able to join us for our Congregational Meeting on December 10 last year, then this Sunday you have the feeling of Déjà vu!
Don’t deny that feeling, it is true!!
In order to complete the staffing for 2024 we needed to ensure our budget was correctly prepared for our December meeting. Therefore, the treasurers will be presenting just about an exact budget to one delivered (and accepted) in December. Consequently, we are expecting a short meeting on Sunday, and I will be chairing the meeting in a way that reflects this.
The only new piece of information on Sunday will be a short, mini-Vision-Sunday-type update on some
things we can expect for the next 10 months at Southern Cross and the early part of 2025.
So, do consider coming along, even with the short update at the end we expect the meeting to be
complete in around 30 minutes.
Finally, I pray you were encouraged by my honesty on Sunday around my challenge in seeing Christ as gain. Learning Philippians 3:8 off by heart last week was a great devotional aid for me in really considering what Christ means for me. I pray you might feel enthused to give memorising it a go to. Here I go at writing it off by heart! You can check your Bible to see if I got the word order right…
What is more,
I consider everything a loss.
Because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For whose sake I have lost all things,
I consider them garbage,
that I may gain Christ.
SP
P.S. Over the coming fortnight I will largely be in SEQ (often at Queensland Theological College in Brisbane). I will be working with my supervisor at QTC to write my exit thesis to complete my Masters of Theology. The question I have written to complete for my thesis is the following: Thomas Chalmers and the growth in affection for the missionary movement in early-mid 19th Century Scotland. Chalmers preached a sermon in Glasgow in 1819 titled “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection” and it has gone on to be quoted by a host of Christian leaders, even the late Tim Keller. Therefore, my interest is to see whether a strong affection for Christ (think Phil 3:8!), can lead to a growth in Christian missionary activity.
