It is a week before Christmas and the time of our Community Carols. Carol singing gives us such a wonderful opportunity. On a personal level singing has been proven to be good for our health, our mental well-being, even our immunity system. To sing with joy and hope the message of Christmas is so healthy for each of us. But carol singing is also good for us as a community. It unites us as a Christian community and provides an opportunity to invite friends, neighbours, work colleagues. In essence who are the people of peace, the people who are open to you that you can invite and encourage to hear the Christian message. Make no mistake someone coming to carols (or to church) does not make them a Christian. However inviting someone to carols (or church) provides an opportunity for you to share your life and faith with them. At Emmanuel we are on about growing disciples who grow disciples. This is you. If you come to Emmanuel we hope you are with us on the journey with Jesus. How do we help and encourage you to be a disciple who shares your faith and helps other people to know Jesus and to grow Jesus in their own life. Christmas is such a wonderful opportunity to understand the real reason about Christmas. The challenging part is to help people see past the decorations and distractions to the real meaning of Christmas. The message of God’s love and grace and forgiveness is hard to grasp when God is not a part of your normal everyday life. We have to get past the almost fairytale story of a baby in a manger with shepherds and wisemen to the truth behind the story. The truth of God’s love. And it becomes even more important for us who know the truth, to live it and celebrate it. Christmas is about celebrating God’s love. John 3:16 reminds us so powerfully of the true meaning of Christmas “16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Christmas is more than a baby born 2000 years ago its about Jesus and the Holy Spirit born in us each day. Let’s try and share the truth of Jesus with someone this Christmas.
Grace and Peace
Brian Hoole
As we continue to journey through advent towards Christmas together; drawing the calendar year to a close, the leadership team of Emmanuel would like to extend a big THANK YOU to Emmanuel. Over the last two years, we have had a number of times when we have had to rapidly respond to the changing situation and Emmanuel has risen to the challenge. It has been amazing to see how much people have stepped up in light of Covid, and in light of the change of staffing arrangements.
Time and time again, I am reminded that the church is the people, and the mission of the church is lived out by the people. I have been encouraged by the ways in which people have grown in their faith and have engaged with things like the church wide Bible Study and the prayer evening we had on the 7th of December. I have been encouraged as I watch the ways in which people take part in ministries such as Community Helping Hand, Worship Services, and our Youth and Children’s Ministries. Sometimes I find myself taken by surprise as I realise the many ways in which people live out their faith through their love for the people in their lives. I am inspired as I am reminded that sometimes all it takes is to ask someone out for a cup of coffee after church. The difficulty with being specific about what I see, is that I realise there are things that I don’t see, or that I miss. However, the fact remains that Emmanuel is a church filled with people who are living out their faith, and I look forward to seeing how we continue to grow as disciples of Jesus in 2022 and beyond.
Once again: thank you Emmanuel. Let’s step into next year with Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace in our hearts as we continue to be the church.
Grace and Peace
Dom Chan
Christmas is a beautiful time to remember how thankful and grateful we are. It is a great time of celebration as we prepare to celebrate both the birth of Jesus, and the truth that he will come again. A time when families get together. Join us for the prayer night this Tuesday either in person or online as we gather as a church family with our Father in heaven. Please don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this important event in the life ofour church. The last two years COVID has changed many lives and families and for most of us our family gatherings havebeen different. Those with families overseas are learning to skype and connect electronically. Its not the same but it a wayof connecting. COVID has also affected our church family and we would like to encourage our church family to re-connect with each other. Our relationships across the congregation have been affected by lock-downs, limited social events, social distancing, so we are hoping that these events, the family picnic, morning teas, carols etc will encourage us to mix together and provide opportunities to invite friends and others along. COVID has had other effects. Some people have lost employment, and though government assistance has helped families, many are struggling financially and our Community Helping Hand is one way that we seek to assist people. Yourcontinuing support financially or with time and skills enables this ministry to continue and people’s lives to be changed for the better. Thank you to Ros and Jo and the team. Through the hampers of hope and joy we have been able to reach to needy families who have sought assistance from our local school chaplains. Next week’s lunch for those who are a part of Community Helping hand sees us reaching out to those in our community. Others have suffered bereavements and our service of Solace next week provides a gentle, reflective way to honour those we have lost. This is also an opportunity to invite friends or others who are more on the edge of our church community. They are welcome as we gather andcelebrate. Take some time this Christmas to pray for those who are in need. For those refugees and those seeking asylum, for those in quarantine waiting for permission to go home, for those who live rough on the streets. Though we can not meet everyone’s needs we need to start somewhere and make a difference. Thank you to those members of our congregation who do just that. In this Advent/ Christmas season think about how you can enrich and bless the life of at least one other person. Share with them the truth of Emmanuel, meaning God with us this Christmas.
Brian
There are so many good things happening this week and so much to be thankful for. It is the end-of-year Boys and Girls Brigade Parade, which is a great opportunity to celebrate the partnership between the Emmanuel Congregation and Boys and Girls Brigade. This partnership is real and it is fruitful as witnessed by the young men and women that are currently, and those that have been in the past, blessed by the leadership and programs of the Brigades to grow and develop in faith. There are men and women in our congregation who owe some of their Christian growth and development to the energy and effort of their Brigade leaders. It is a tremendous opportunity today to celebrate that partnership. Today is also the beginning of Advent and the start of the church year. Advent is a time when we take seriously the desire to prepare well. The lead-up to Christmas and to the end of the year is always a busy time. There are lots of events and activities both within and outside the church. Advent is a time when amidst the hustle and bustle we take time to reflect on what Christmas is really about. Christmas is about the coming of Jesus and so we prepare ourselves by looking back and celebrating Jesus’ birth and also to look forward to celebrate Jesus coming again. Both are important as we think about what Christmas is about.
Amidst all of the celebrations that happen at this time of year let’s make sure that Jesus is in the middle of our celebrations. I encourage you to use our Advent devotional material. The Jesse tree material reflects on the people and events from Creation to Jesus birth following the genealogical line of Jesus family. It reminds us of God’s saving grace through the lives of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Ruth, Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah, Esther, Isaiah, Jonah, Habakkuk, Daniel, Micah, Zachariah, Mary and Joseph leading up to Jesus’ birth, reflecting on a different person each day. We have an event packed Advent season here at Emmanuel so please have a look at what is happening and how you can be a part of things.
It is hard to believe that we are in November already and that the end of the year is fast approaching. November means a few things for me. The most pressing one is preparation for the Advent and Christmas. How do we celebrate in a meaningful way the anticipation and expectation of both the coming of Jesus and his promise that he will come again. How do we get ready to inspire ourselves and others with the miraculous birth of Jesus. And its important to remember that Advent and Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus in the manger 2000+ years ago. It is also about preparing ourselves for Jesus coming again. In fact originally Advent was solely about preparing for Jesus coming again, and the focus on the first coming and the birth of Jesus only came later. The church is in a similar situation to Israel at the end of the Old Testament: in exile, waiting and hoping in prayerful expectation for the coming of the Messiah. Israel looked back to God’s past gracious actions on their behalf in leading them out of Egypt in the Exodus, and on this basis, they called for God once again to act for them. In the same way, the church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration, while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people. And so Advent is a balancing of those two themes of remembering Christ’s coming and anticipating he coming again. For the church we celebrate this season of Advent from late November till 24 December. The 25 December is the start of the Christmas season for the church. And as the song goes there are 12 days of Christmas with Christmas officially ending on 5 January. So amidst the hustle and bustle of the world celebrating ‘Christmas’ how do you ensure you have time and space to prepare for celebrating both the birth of Jesus but also his coming again? Do you actually think about Jesus coming again, and what difference would it make if you did? Jesus is coming again. What difference does it make? And what are you going to do about it?
Brian
It's really encouraging to be part of a church where prayer is such an important part of our culture and values. Many years ago we named 'Fervent Prayer' as a core value - part of our DNA - and this continues to be the case today. Our corporate prayer on Sunday is the tip of the iceberg. Small groups and prayer triplets are meeting every week. We read our Bibles and pray individually. We pray for and pray with each other in good times and difficult times. This is a simple but effective ministry in which we all share - to uphold each other in prayer, and uphold our neighbours in prayer too.
I'm struck this week by the pace of change. COVID rules and risks, energy transition, inflation, property prices - we live in crazy times. I'm sure it's overwhelming for many. How our world needs to know more than ever that there's an Almighty God who cares for them (Mt 6:26)! As we work through Paul's spiritual armour in Ephesians 6 as part of our current teaching series, we are reminded in v. 18 that an important part of sharing the Good News is prayer: "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
So, if you pray regularly and fervently, thank you. If you're part of a group that meets regularly for prayer, thank you. If you're part of leading and modelling prayer in our worship services, thank you. This is all important work. Please continue to pray for our church as we navigate change and transition. But above all pray for God's Kingdom to come a bit closer every day.
On 7 December (a Tuesday evening) we're planning to run a prayer meeting which is open to anyone who would like to attend. If you are part of a small group, please consider coming to the prayer meeting instead of your regular gathering that week. We want to continue highlighting that prayer is the engine room of the church. Dedicated events such as this raise the profile of prayer within our church and help us encourage each other.
Nathan
It is hard to believe that we are in November already and that the end of the year is fast approaching. November means a few things for me. The most pressing one is preparation for the Advent and Christmas. How do we celebrate in a meaningful way the anticipation and expectation of both the coming of Jesus and his promise that he will come again. How do we get ready to inspire ourselves and others with the miraculous birth of Jesus. And its important to remember that Advent and Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus in the manger 2000+ years ago. It is also about preparing ourselves for Jesus coming again. In fact originally Advent was solely about preparing for Jesus coming again, and the focus on the first coming and the birth of Jesus only came later. The church is in a similar situation to Israel at the end of the Old Testament: in exile, waiting and hoping in prayerful expectation for the coming of the Messiah. Israel looked back to God’s past gracious actions on their behalf in leading them out of Egypt in the Exodus, and on this basis, they called for God once again to act for them. In the same way, the church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people. And so Advent is a balancing of those two themes of remembering Christ’s coming and anticipating he coming again. To balance the two elements of remembrance and anticipation, the first two Sundays in Advent look forward to Christ’s second coming, and the last two Sundays look backward to remember Christ’s first coming. Over the course of the four weeks, Scripture readings move from passages about Christ’s return in judgment to Old Testament passages about the expectation of the coming Messiah to New Testament passages about the announcements of Christ’s arrival. For the church we celebrate thi season of Advent from late November till 24 December. The 25 December is the start of the Christmas season for the church. And as the song goes there are 12 days of Christmas with Christmas officially ending on 5 January. So amidst the hustle and bustle of the world celebrating ‘Christmas’ how do you ensure you have time and space to prepare for celebrating both the birth of Jesus but also his coming again? Doi you actually think about the second coming, and what difference would it make if you did?
Yours in Christ
Brian
Front and centre
This week in worship we welcome Chappy Anna, and Chappy Sarah who work as Chaplains in local schools in Enoggera and Everton Park, where they live out their faith by bringing hope to students and families each day. The SU QLD website says “chaplains, or ‘chappies’, provide spiritual and emotional support to school communities. They are in the prevention and support business: helping students find a better way to deal with issues ranging from family breakdown and loneliness to drug abuse, depression, and anxiety. They provide a listening ear and a caring presence for children and young people in crisis, and those who just need a friend.”
On top of this, they also: feed children through weekly breaky clubs, lunchtime banana discos and food hampers; facilitate programs that help give students a voice and build their resilience; bring laughter to the school community by running lunchtime trivia and games sessions, and facilitating dress up and crazy sock days; show communities how to love each other through positive affirmation walls and gratitude chalk walks; and support staff and parents who are finding it tough to keep going with all of life’s pressures. Chaplains have a unique opportunity to be in schools and support the community through all these ways and more. I like to think of them as “being Jesus with skin on”, a real-life person, who shows the love of Jesus by walking and talking and living with real people in real situations every day.
I was incredibly encouraged and supported by the chaplain who worked at my high school, 20 years ago. Myself, and some of my friends went through pretty hard times during high school and having someone that was available and willing to walk beside and support us was a great. I think the support that I received from my school chaplain then, assisted to form my passion to help others today. I am also blessed by the chaplains that work at my children’s schools, and the ways they help me be a better parent by being part of my village, and supporting me and my family.
Chaplains don’t work alone though; they need to be, and are, supported and encouraged by their own village. The LCC (Local Chaplaincy Committee) is part of that village and helps the chaplain financially through fundraising and budgeting; physically by helping plan, prepare and run events and programs; and emotionally by being there to say, “you’re doing a great job”, give a hug of encouragement or pray when things are good, and bad. Working with others to support chaplains reminds me of the body of Christ and the different parts that we all play. When we step in and do the things that we can (like counting or donating money, flipping pancakes, washing up and shopping for food) we allow Chaplains to be able to focus on the things that they are good and gifted at.
Thank you to our school chaplains and thank you to those in our community who give up their time to support them in their roles. I consider myself blessed to get to support the work of chaplains in local schools, and I encourage you to think about how you might be able to help too.
God Bless,
Jess
Front and Centre
For a while now I've been trying to understand what it means to lean into and emphasize the relational nature of our Christian Faith. It's something that repositions the way I think about God, and challenges me to consider how I can live out my faith in a way that reflects this understanding, while not compromising on the truth of who God is. On Sunday, one of the phrases that Peter James used in his sermon was "Bring Jesus with you" as he explored what prayer can be. As I used my imagination to continue this idea into everyday life I asked myself "How would I describe Jesus if I was asked to describe him without using his name or explicitly stating his identity?" "How would I excitedly talk about 'my friend'?" Below is what I thought of
My friend
He's great with kids, He always has time for them
He surprises people you know? Sometimes, when people THINK they KNOW he helps them see what they are missing
I'm amazed by his wisdom, he sees things as they are, and sees things as they could be
He has time and energy for people, even when they think they don't deserve it
In all things, he points towards the Kingdom of God
He's patient, He's kind, And he loves
He's the kind of friend who would put his life on the line for someone who doesn't even know how he is
What I've written is an incomplete picture of Jesus, because his Triune identity is central to who he is. I'm not saying we should ignore Jesus' divinity. However, for me, it's helpful as an exercise to describe Jesus' character without using his name and choose to focus on his characteristics that might help people relate to Him. It helps me to realise what it is that I think is important when I share who Jesus is with others. It's helpful because it helps me answer "how can I shine the light of Jesus as I share my life with people?" It's helpful because it helps me to feel closer to Jesus and helps me to "bring Jesus with me" as I build relationships and grow disciples who grow disciples. If you were to talk about Jesus the way you would talk about a friend, how would you do it? Feel free to email me your thoughts
Grace and Peace
Dom Chan
Worship Pastor