Welcome to the Pastors’ Post, an update for life at Southern Cross.
Happy December! Wednesday 1st December kick-started our sprint to the finish line and the end of 2021. Tonight the Youth of Southern Cross head to Ballina with a trip to the beach for their annual Christmas party, then tomorrow our Year 12 graduates head off to Coffs Harbour for their schoolies program until Tuesday. Please pray for our BiG Year 12 cohort, as they transition from school into life in the BiG wide world. It can be an anxious time for them. Pray that they might know the Lord is near and commit to seek first Christ’s kingdom.
This Sunday, our 9:45am gathering will continue at the Lismore Showgrounds. NSW Health’s Covid isolation motorhomes have caused quite a stir in local media since their arrival on the showgrounds last weekend. The show society have aimed to make it clear that these motorhomes are in isolation and use their own amenities within the fenced area. If you don’t feel comfortable to join us this weekend at the showgrounds, you can head to the website and join Southern Cross Goonellabah on Zoom at 9am.
Then next Sunday 12th December, Celebration Sunday will take place at the Lismore Showgrounds, beginning slightly earlier at 9am with the goal to beat the heat with the earlier start time.
Finally, our Christmas season starts Sunday 19th December with Carols at City Hall. There are two mirrored programs: one beginning at 5pm and then it will be repeated again at 7pm. You should have received a link via email this week. If you haven’t we will aim to include the link, in this post.
Me and one of the young adults in our Gospel Community did a race to see who could log in first on our phones using that link from City Hall. With some ‘hmmms’ and ‘what do we do here?’, we did make it. One tricker section is where we’re asked for a ‘donate’ with an illuminated button. To bypass that section, you can click on the words “Go to the next step”. Then we both made it through and booked, though I did book for 10 at the 5pm, instead of 5 for my family! It’s a good reminder though for me, I’ve got five people to invite. I have since invited a family of five, I simply texted them the link that I had received in the email. You might like to do that also. Now we are in December, get your invites out in a very speedy fashion so you can share the love of God this Christmas.
Then our Christmas Day gathering will be at Lismore High School at 9:45am. Southern Cross Goonellabah won’t meet Christmas Day, Saturday 25th December OR Boxing Day, Sunday 26th December, but rather join in at Lismore High on both days.
Then January 2nd, we will be back with a 9am Sunday gathering with Southern Cross Goonellabah and 9:45am and 6pm at Lismore High School.
Let me finish with a word to our graduating Year 12’s:
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but set an example for the believers in speech,
in conduct,
in love,
in faith
and in purity.
I think one of my favourite memories of 2021 has been seeing a host of Year 12’s looking back at me on a Sunday night, eagerly feeding on the word of God. Just because you are young, don’t think your presence in our church family has not caused a great deal of encouragement to me personally, and to other members of our church family, as you have been an example to many in our church family.
Thanks for tuning into the Pastors’ Post.