HOME MISSION AND CHURCH EXTENSION
PRAYER CALENDAR 2017
Home Mission Prayer Letter 2017
Balranald
The Balranald congregation is being served pastorally by Dennis Rayson, a part-time home missionary from the Finley congregation. The Manse was fully renovated a few years ago, and the Rayon’s have since beautified it with gardens and attractive grounds.
Batemans Bay
The tiny congregation at Batemans Bay continue to enjoy local ministry and there is some current evidences of newfound progress in the gospel. Over 50 people attended the Christmas Day service there – a first! Please continue to pray that this work will grow would be heard in heaven.
Bega
During 2015 and 2016 the Bega congregation rejoiced in the ministry of Jim and Vivienne Mobbs but it was not able to achieve financial viability, the Mobbs family had to return to Dapto because of the special needs of one of their children, and the congregation has now resolved to close Please continue to pray for all those involved and they will continue to receive good and biblical support.
Bombala
In spite of the extraordinary efforts of the Session Clerk, Mrs Glad Hurley, the Bombala congregation has been closed, it is reflecting the decline of the town with urbanisation and depopulation. Please continue to pray for the people of Bombala and that revitalisation will come.
Bonnyrigg
Joseph Park took up a chaplaincy position in 2016 and is currently working through a proposal (initiated through Bonnyrigg) that the ministry there be exercised under the oversight of Gracepoint with Edwin Kwok being responsible for Chinese-speaking ministry and Eugene Hor being responsible for English-speaking ministry. This is currently being trialled and is proving very satisfactory.
Como
Thank God for the ongoing, faithful ministry of the Rev. Graham Flick and his wife, Marianne. Como is unusually located on a peninsula in the Georges River and is hard to access even by car. Please pray for this work to grow through strong, relational influences.
Grenfell
In Grenfell, the Rev. William Morrow (with Leonie) is exercising a very rare ministry with faithfulness to God and strong acceptance by the members of both the Presbyterian and Uniting congregations in that town. Please pray for effective witness to the Gospel in the wider community.
Narrabri
The Rev. Sam Smith, with his wife, Shelley, are doing an excellent job in serving the Narrabri congregation, Sam being the first ordained minister to be called or appointed there for over a decade. Please pray that Financial support will be forthcoming.
Queanbeyan
The Queanbeyan home mission station is now under the pastoral oversight of the Rev. Peter Gobbo of Tuggeranong. Having faced a very serious prospect of closure two years ago, the congregation is now being restored but there is a very, very long way to go. Please pray for all involved.
Temora
Praise God for graduating student Derick and Anna Yu having been guided to go to Temora and give thanks for the support and love they have received. Pray that they will always be faithful.
Terrigal
The Rev. Colin Spragg is the Moderator of the Terrigal congregation. Colin is now assisted by Dan Presland, a final year student for the ministry. Terrigal is undergoing revitalisation but the work is slow and demanding. Please pray for wisdom for Colin and Alison, with Dan and Aimee as they seek to discern God’s will for the ongoing leadership of, and ministry to, the congregation. Please pray, particularly, for Dan’s ministry and for financing two pastor’s is difficult for a country congregation.
Upper Hunter
The congregations at Muswellbrook and Scone have progressively declined Over several years and, in about 2014, services in Muswellbrook with the congregation being joined with services at Scone. Sadly, the Scone congregation has also declined further and there is talk of it closing in the near future. That will leave Singleton alone as the only remaining congregation in the Upper Hunter home mission station and its survival would have to be regarded as doubtful. Please pray for focused strategic activity aimed at the expansion of the congregation by evangelism and gospel growth.
Windsor
The Hawkesbury Districts congregation at Windsor continues to remain small in spite of the prayerful efforts of the pastor (Bob Thurlow), the elders and many members. Please pray that God will break through whatever hinders the growth of this church and bring revival.
Woodford
Woodford was separated from Springwood-Winmalee and the Rev. Carl Grande is now free to concentrate his endeavours on Woodford alone. Some good progress has been made, continue to pray for this parish.
VACANT CHARGES
The following churches are now without settled ministers and, in some cases, the vacancy is excessively extended.
These are Byron Bay, Caringbah, Corowa, Goulburn, Manly, Moree, Mullumbimby, Rose Bay, and Tocumwal- Finley. Please continue to pray for these Parishes as they work towards being able to call a minister.
CHURCH PLANTING
Albury
“Fresh Start” church planted by Paul Sheeley from Albury. M & M is supporting this church, now in its third year. (The Albury Session is now planning to establish its fourth congregation.)
Auburn
Rev. Tim Lee has been appointed by M&M to plant a new congregation at Auburn. Public meetings started on 5/2/17. M&M is supporting this congregation in 2017.
Green Square
After years of planning and preliminary work, Jeremy and Kezia Tan are now actively striving to establish a new congregation in what will be the most densely populated area in Australia. M&M is assisting with this work in 2017.
Homebush Bay
The Cornerstone congregation launched its newest congregation last year – at Homebush Bay. The Ministry and Mission Committee is supporting this work.
Hornsby
The Hornsby Presbyterian Church held its first public meeting on 5/2/17 when a host of visitors attended, some to check out a potential new spiritual home and others just to encourage the people involved in this dynamic plant. M&M is supporting this work in 2017.
Petersham
Danny and Helena Ford continue their efforts, under the Ashfield Session, to re-establish a congregation at Petersham. Danny works part-time as a hospital chaplain while the new congregation is being developed. M&M is supporting this plant for 2017.
Rozelle
The Chapel Hill congregation at Rozelle has made such progress that the Ministry and Mission Committee is not assisting with finances in 2017. Michael and Amy Nhieu have done a very stable and reliable work to date. Please pray for them as the work of establishing the new church proceeds.
Scots
After the closure of the Scots congregation at Wynyard by the Presbytery of Sydney last year, work is underway to launch a new congregation in September 2017 under the leadership of the Rev. Craig Tucker, formerly of Western Blacktown and Drummoyne. The location of the Scots property and the peculiar constraints of the building make this to be an extremely expensive church plant. Please pray that this undertaking will have prayerful and financial assistance.
Southern Cross (East Lismore)
is in the process of planting another congregation in Goonellabah. It’s early days for this work, pray for this new endeavour.