WOW! Only into our second week and each of us is feeling God's hand upon us in a very special way. Part of the wonder of God is that He knows each of us individually and where we are at. What amazes us that through the teaching of His Word, through one person speaking, everyone can receive a personal revelation from God. We have countless testimonies of this happening already. Students are peeling back so much of who they are so that the God of all reality can be their reality and together we can walk in that reality of GRACE, LOVE and UNITY. A huge thanks to Dave Sharman, our Director, who has been teaching from the book of Ephesians this week - mate! God has used you mightily!
I guess the other big news this week is that Keith Walters, the former student who designed the i58 website is coming here to upgrade the website. He only has a few days to spend with us but we hope he will not only achieve his goal but also enjoy some good hang out time with all the new students!! Thanks Keith for your amazing gift to us - and for flying in all the way from Texas!!
Last Sunday was our first SN@C of the new season and it went off with real passion as the team introduced the new students, played some crazy games and led us into a great message of GRACE. This combined with great worship meant that everyone there was well and truly fed and went home blessed! That's the way we like it. Thanks to all the local community who support us and be part of this amazing time together!
This week the theme of the SN@C is 'gossip' and it is viewed from the context of community - looking at what builds it and what tears it down. What an awesome reminder to all of us about our responsibility, not just to ourselves but to the wider community for the building up of the body of Christ - can't wait to see their presentation. If you can, come and join us and, as we say each week, BRING A FRIEND!
Well, it may be Friday, but there's so much to look forward to this weekend. Tomorrow night we are taking a bus load of people to Hillsong to hear their evening service and, as usual, enjoy a meal at Mackers on the way home! Some of the students are going into MacArthur to watch a movie and do some shopping. Oh, and tonight, I have a bunch of guys coming over for a dinner. Tim, our Greek Masterchef and I have come up with a menu and this arvo we'll be putting it all together. Love it!!
So, as I close, I wish you all a GREAT weekend and hope to hear from some of you either in the comments or on our i58 page on facebook! Why not check out our new photos!!!
God bless,
STEVE aka WOODSEY
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BACK IN ACTION
One of the most exciting days for the staff at Torchbearers Australia is the day the students arrive. For some of them it is returning home, (after already completing one semester with us), and for others it is a whole new adventure about to begin.
During any break we have the time to relax and refresh and in a way, that only makes us more excited to greet our new family and start our journey of doing life together in this beautiful place that God has blessed us with.
So, they're here!! They all arrived safe and sound and have come from all over the globe; America, Canada, (of course), England, Germany and many different parts of Australia. And for the first time in over eight years we have more guys than girls!! What amazing times are in store for all of us as we learn to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ!
Already the students have been given lectures by our Principal, the Rev. Neil Bernard, on Christ in Hebrews, as well as having been given a great grounding in the ways we operate here. To break this up a bit we all went out as a family on Wednesday night to HANG DOG which is an indoor rock climbing centre in Woolongong. We all loved it; some preferred to traverse, belay, or talk but most loved the climbing itself, whether it was straight up or going round various ledges or just 'hanging out' in the bat cave, (excuse the pun!!). And let's not forget the great conversations that were going on in the bus - even though we were a little tired going there we were certainly fired up on the way back!
Last night we split the guys and the girls to have our regular Thursday night prayer groups. Here we bond with our own gender, have a focus and then pray and the guys then split into prayer triplets. It was a great time to get to know each other better AND pray together and for each other. For the staff this is a way of life but for our students this is the start of establishing healthy spiritual habits that may last a lifetime.
So today, Friday we finish the first week with the guys going camping and the girls have a 'fun night in' doing whatever it is that girls do!! The guys will be sitting around a great fire, eating some terrific food - one of the Aussie students is half Greek so we'll be eating Greek food par excellence - and looking at the stars as we share stories and just enjoy the GREAT Aussie outback.
So we are back in action and God is very much working in our lives already. Our first SN@C is on Sunday and already our first team is roaring to go with a programme that will get us getting to know each other with lots of fun and hearing a GREAT message on grace.
How good is that for a first week at Torchbearers Australia! Wish you were here? Just get in touch and join us for what will undoubtedly be another GREAT semester!
Good bless,
STEVE, aka Woodsey
During any break we have the time to relax and refresh and in a way, that only makes us more excited to greet our new family and start our journey of doing life together in this beautiful place that God has blessed us with.
So, they're here!! They all arrived safe and sound and have come from all over the globe; America, Canada, (of course), England, Germany and many different parts of Australia. And for the first time in over eight years we have more guys than girls!! What amazing times are in store for all of us as we learn to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ!
Already the students have been given lectures by our Principal, the Rev. Neil Bernard, on Christ in Hebrews, as well as having been given a great grounding in the ways we operate here. To break this up a bit we all went out as a family on Wednesday night to HANG DOG which is an indoor rock climbing centre in Woolongong. We all loved it; some preferred to traverse, belay, or talk but most loved the climbing itself, whether it was straight up or going round various ledges or just 'hanging out' in the bat cave, (excuse the pun!!). And let's not forget the great conversations that were going on in the bus - even though we were a little tired going there we were certainly fired up on the way back!
Last night we split the guys and the girls to have our regular Thursday night prayer groups. Here we bond with our own gender, have a focus and then pray and the guys then split into prayer triplets. It was a great time to get to know each other better AND pray together and for each other. For the staff this is a way of life but for our students this is the start of establishing healthy spiritual habits that may last a lifetime.
So today, Friday we finish the first week with the guys going camping and the girls have a 'fun night in' doing whatever it is that girls do!! The guys will be sitting around a great fire, eating some terrific food - one of the Aussie students is half Greek so we'll be eating Greek food par excellence - and looking at the stars as we share stories and just enjoy the GREAT Aussie outback.
So we are back in action and God is very much working in our lives already. Our first SN@C is on Sunday and already our first team is roaring to go with a programme that will get us getting to know each other with lots of fun and hearing a GREAT message on grace.
How good is that for a first week at Torchbearers Australia! Wish you were here? Just get in touch and join us for what will undoubtedly be another GREAT semester!
Good bless,
STEVE, aka Woodsey
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