Dearest family and friends
Our love and thoughts and prayers are very much with you. You are precious to us. love Mark and Monica
Dear friends and family who pray,
Please join us, + Mark and Monica Short and Helen and Russell Bielenberg, on the 20th January at 8pm for half an hour for prayer for our beautiful nation and precious diocese. We will be praying for all affected by the fires and/or drought – both for the ongoing emergency and the recovery processes. There are two ways you can join us:
1. electronically – through a Zoom internet meeting. To join the meeting please click on the
following link:
https://adcg.zoom.us/j/171454448…
2. face to face – depending on numbers there will one (possibly two) small groups meeting in homes in the ACT at the same time. The groups will join the zoom meeting. Please email Mark at mark.short@anglicancg.org.au if you are interested in attending one of these groups. Also please feel free to form your own small group in your own locality.
Alternatively, if you cannot make the meeting or find you due to technical issues cannot connect to the meeting, please pray at a convenient time by yourselves. We very much value your prayers!
We are encouraged in Philippians 4:6 to not be anxious about anything but to make our requests known to God in prayer. This current bushfire emergency has been a time of worry for many but as a Diocesan family we have the privilege of bringing our concerns to our God who hears and answers prayer. Recently Bishop Mark met by videoconference with leaders from many Parishes in bushfire affected areas. Those who were able to be present shared the prayer points which you will find below in this email. We encourage you to use them in public and private intercessions. In general please pray:
1. That God will be merciful in preserving life
2. For the conditions needed to extinguish the fires and heal the land, flora and fauna
3. For those called to respond to human need in various ways and in unity – including churches, agencies such as Anglicare, schools, volunteers, the different services and organisations such as the fire brigade and hospitals
4. For our witness to the Lord Jesus in a season of uncertainty and that people will know during difficulty the comfort of God’s love through Jesus. That people will come to faith or grow in faith.
5. For our nation to work together harmoniously on the longer-term issues impacting our climate, natural systems and communities
6. For an abundance of acts of love, faith, hope, grace, peace, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, self-control and patience throughout this difficult time
7. For all of our political leaders – Federal, State and Local and in all political parties – as they respond to the fires, drought and the environmental issues. Pray they have the strength to deal with the pressure of their role. That they lead justly with mercy, grace and humility. Pray for the safety of all politicians including our Prime Minister and the opposition leader and their families and all dear to them. Pray that all of our politicians feel supported during this stressful period, that they know God’s love, wisdom and strength during this time.
8. For people grieving. For those dealing with anxiety. For people worried about the smoke. That all hurting can move gently through their emotions, for example – anger and bitterness, and that they receive much care and kindness from those around them. Help them to know God’s hope and love during this difficult time.
Could you please help us let people know about this prayer time? Please forward the details to those around you.
Yours in Jesus,
+Mark Short
List of Resources
Bible verse
Helen Bielenberg would like to share this Bible Verse with us all, a BCA publication reminded her of the verse:
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
Further prayer requests we have received from our brothers and sisters:
Bega
- For the housing needed and land to locate the emergency housing
- For dealing with people’s shock
- For people who have flashbacks to previous trauma events which can exacerbate the current trauma
- For people with pre-existing or new illnesses exacerbated by fires mentally and physically
- For some people hosting family, friends and/or others
- For people unable to address their own loss and grief
- For the reconnection of basic services such as power and water and the need for information on the appropriate contact person and services
- For clergy connecting with Bega community and the community connecting to others in the community
Sapphire Coast (Merimbula & Eden)
- Thanks for the way clubs, Anglicare, Red Cross and others have come together to support those in need and the situation
- Thanks for the marine rescues/ transfers
- Thanks for all the volunteers from the church and other community organisations who are subject to high expectations and long working hours
- For rest and recovery for the volunteers who are now on the edge due to workload and long hours worked
- For physical strength for volunteers for much of the work involves lifting heavy loads (crates and boxes) and fire fighting is physically demanding
- For the aged care facilities staff, volunteers and residents who are accommodating not only their own clients but the residents from other facilities that were evacuated
- For clear skies as fear arises from continually looking out at smoke and red skies
- For counselling resources to deal with trauma
Batemans Bay
- Thanks for life and safety
· For wisdom and strength for the clergy and church leaders who need to stand firm and look safe and confident, not radiating anxiety when that is what they may feel inside. For their resilience in the short, medium and long term.
· Pray for all leaders in local communities during this time.
· For clergy, chaplains, staff, volunteers and all involved to have time for self-care so they can continue their roles in the medium to longer term
· For calm in the evacuation centres which are physically safe but noisy, busy places
· In the longer term for additional disaster recovery chaplains
· For recognition that (given the scale of the fires both in land covered and intensity) the trauma will go on for years
· To successfully reassure people that the church will continue to be there with them in the years to come
· For good communication with parish out centres eg nursing homes especially where those residents have been evacuated then returned
· For the combined churches working together and for a resource/administration person who can coordinate that coming together
· For warehousing space for the reception points to receive goods and forklifts etc to move goods around easily
· For effective communication networks such as between different arms of the diocese.
· For clergy access to the outer church centres if possible as it is likely that access to those areas is restricted to residents only
· For improved phone communications
Moruya
- For rain
· For housing for parishioners who have lost everything
· For St Peter’s Anglican School Broulee where the administration building was destroyed by fire. (Thanks, that the schools electronic backup records are available and physical records are being recovered)
· For more chaplains to assist in fire-affected areas
· For calm, cooperation and reconciling communication as differing views are shared on a range of fire and disaster-related issues
· For addressing the loss of parish income from visitors (holiday homeowners and tourists) which would normally be received at churches regular services at this time of the year
· In the future for resources for liturgy dealing with fires and disasters
· For longer-term planning for mechanisms to deal with the loss of electricity
· For all business owners and employees who have lost their income during this period
Narooma/Bodalla and Cobargo/Bermagui
- Thanks for an experienced evacuation centre manager flown into Narooma and this arrangement working so well
· For good management of the resources received
· For loss of tourism income to the area and the consequent likely flow-on impact to businesses
· For continuing school enrolments at both St Peter’s Anglican School and Sapphire Coast Anglican College in the light of the loss of income for businesses, housing loss etc and the possible impact on the capacity of parents to pay fees and provide student study needs
· For God’s grace in this context
· For the south coast community and Archdeacon Carol Wagner’s as Carol prepares to depart the region and to be consecrated as our Assistant Bishop. This mutual loss will be more deeply felt on both sides in the current circumstances
· For safety for all in the Cobargo region as trees still smoulder and unexpectedly drop branches especially making driving in this area hazardous
· For relief from the constraints on transport due to fuel shortages
For the dispersed Cobargo community because of evacuations
· For the many people who have stepped into the breach who are undertaking roles which they feel they have not really been trained for
· For permanent housing in Cobargo. Housing rentals are largely intermittent as much of the housing availability is seasonal with holiday rentals
· Thanks to the RFS and all other services
· For mental health/first aid courses for parishioners to assist them in helpful conversations with people impacted by the trauma
· Thanks for the Anglicare volunteers
· For Facebook which has been an amazingly resilient option
Tumut
- For patience as the community waits to see what happens when the fires die down
· For reconnection of power and water to areas and for dealing with the fear that this may take some months
· For parishioners who are also members of the RFS and for all the firefighters who are so very tired
· For Batlow due to the general state of anxiety in the parish
· For those in Tumbaruma on farms who have no power and water
Adelong/ Tarcutta
- For support for people from the parish who are fighting fires
· For the Adelong folk who have returned home to have peace to re-settle back in
· For firefighters to keep strong in what they are doing and for them to be able to continue to stay calm
Cooma
- For farmers defending properties in various parts of parish
· For Adaminaby area as the Dunn’s Road fire is still close to the town
· For opportunities to assist evacuees if the need to do so arises
Berridale/Snowy Mtns/ Jindabyne
· Thank God for the cooler days
· Thanks that the town is ready to respond cooperatively if the need arises. There is an active community ready to stop spot fires if needed
· For the snow resort/s badly impacted
Southern Monaro (Bombala; Delagate)
- For a parishioner who organized a prayer meeting despite his own health difficulties
· For the precautionary measures the town has been able to undertake
Wagga Wagga
- For wisdom for the parish to know how best to support those in need in the parish and surrounding areas and at The Riverina Anglican College (TRAC)
· For wisdom on how to deal with the Wagga Wagga community’s general state of anxiety and how to have a Christian response to the fires
· Give thanks for the Diocese family for its prayer and support of those affected by the bushfires.
Further information
Here is a link to Bishop Mark’s pastoral letter
https://anglicancg.org.au/…/u…/Fires-Pastoral-Letter-One.pdf
Here is a link to Bishop’s Mark pastoral video
Thank you for praying; we deeply value your support. God bless you
+ Mark and Monica, Helen and Russell.
We put these in each week to remind you of the ways you can practically pray for our fellow members of F5 and our wider community.
- Those who are unwell or going through difficult times. Especially: Gordon, John, Alison and Robert, Grant and Denise, Roger, Rebekah, Phileppa (surgery on knee)
- Pray for all members of our State and Federal governments that they will make wise decisions. Pray for refugees, our national health system which needs serious changes
- For those impacted by fires throughout Australia and for safety for emergency service workers and firemen in all these areas. For those who have lost family members, homes, livestock.
- For those who are homeless and hungry and for those who provide services to them including Anglicare and Baptist Care.
- Sally and the Binda Parish churches, Gill with the Marulan church and with her duties in Goulburn, Kenneth and Karen at Collector. Pray also for other clergy in our local churches. Pray for the selection for new clergy in Goulburn
- For Robyn and Paul as they pastor F5 and F10.
- For the work in Kisoro
- Little Sheep and 3D Kids team members, the children and their families.
- Weekly activities of F5 Refresh Ministries (see below)
- Pray for Mick and Jen, for the SRE teachers and schools of this region. Pray esp for Pat, Helen and Anne. Pray for favour in the schools and continued financial support of SRE.
- For Mick and Ange,Sarah and Ben and Gill and Rocky Hill Church.
- Pray for Geraldine as she leads the Ladies Bible Study
- Pray for Deb as she does our admin
- For the pastoral care workers in our hospitals, especially Fai and Caroline
- Pray for Bishop Mark Short, for Archdeacon Carol Wagner, to be consecrated Assistant Bishop in February, and for Bishop Trevor and Ruth as they adjust to retirement.
Time of Prayer – from Bishop Mark Short
Lord of all days and years, and time and eternity, You made this land and have blessed us with its riches and beauty. You are a refuge to all who seek your shelter, our strong defence in trial and tribulation. Send rain we pray to extinguish flames and heal our land. Mercifully protect life and property. Give help and hope to our neighbours assailed by fire. Comfort and provide for those who grieve. Uphold those who suffer loss, Give peace and hope to those bewildered and broken-hearted.
We thank you for men and women of courage and selflessness.
We thank you for brave communities of care and support, We thank you for those who share your comfort and hope, We thank you for those at a distance giving and praying.
Lord, you sent your Son so that we would know your power to save, your presence with your people in this world of turmoil, and your promise to renew the whole creation. Please help us to humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and to turn from our wicked ways and turn our hearts to you, that we may have faith for this day and hope for eternity.
We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
We urgently need donations of non-perishable food and toiletries to support our crisis services in bushfire affected areas.
We understand the…re has been some mixed messaging because the RFS can no longer take donated goods. However, we need donations more than ever because of the drastic increase in need across our regions.
Donations needed most in Canberra (30 Scotts Crossing, Civic) and Goulburn (130 Cowper Street) for prompt distribution to the South Coast but can also be accepted at our offices in Wagga Wagga and Albury. We can only accept donations during business hours.
Items needed:
Non-Perishable Food – cereals, pasta, rice, pasta sauces and meal bases, snacks (muesli bars, corn thins, snack bars, biscuits), instant noodles, tea, coffee, spreads (vegemite, peanut butter, honey), tinned soups, tinned vegetables and allergy friendly options (gluten free, dairy free, nut free).
Toiletries – toothbrushes, toothpaste, tissues, soap, toilet paper, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, paper towel, laundry powder, female hygiene products.
Baby Needs – baby formula, baby nappies (larger sizes preferred), wipes, creams, baby food and snacks.
Fresh produce or items that need refrigeration cannot be accepted. We are also unable to accept donations of new or secondhand clothing or furniture at this time.
Thank you for helping us support families facing severe hardship
or an alternative to the above
| Monday | 10am – 12.00 | F10 | In Recess |
| Wednesday | 9.30am – 11.00am
3.30pm – 5.00pm |
Little Sheep
3D Kids |
In Recess
|
| Thursday | 10am-12.00
|
Meeting in the Mall for coffee and donuts | In Recess |
| Friday | 2.00-4.00pm | Bible Study for Women | 13 Wright Place
(Geraldine 0450230194) |
| Sunday | 5.00pm
5.00pm |
F5 Service
Rocky Hill Church |
Christ Church, 130 Addison St
East Goulburn School May Street entrance |
