From the

Coalface

NORTHLAKES—A church for everyone

4th September 2011

The NORTHLAKES Salvation Army Community Church

A Father's Day message: Watching you, Dad by David Wills

There is no question that none of us are born with an inherent desire to live generously. In fact, one of the first words that all my children learned was, "Mine!"...with an exclamation point! We don't have to learn to be greedy. We have to learn to be generous, and we do so by watching others. Like the old ad-age says, 'It's caught, not just taught."

So Dads and Grand-dads, as we experience Father's Day and the receiving of love, cards, and hugs from those around us, let's remember that we are being watched. We have a great opportunity to help those around us live generously as they see us doing so.

Though you might not be a country music fan, you have to admit it often describes real life. For exam-ple, consider this part of a recent song by Rodney Atkins:

We got back home and I went to the barn I bowed my head and I prayed real hard Said, "Lord, please help me help my stupid self."

Just this side of bedtime later that night Turnin' on my son's Scooby-Doo nightlight. He crawled out of bed and he got down on his knees. He closed his little eyes, folded his little hands Spoke to God like he was talkin' to a friend. And I said, "Son, now where'd you learn to pray like that?"

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. As we watch Him, He will change us. And as we are changed and live ever more generously, our family will be watching...and they, in turn, will live generously as well!

Chorus: He said, "I've been watching you, Dad ain't that cool? I'm your buckaroo, I want to be like you. And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are. We like fixin' things and holding momma's hand Yeah, we're just alike, hey, ain't we Dad? I want to do everything you do; so I've been watching you.

And he said, "And when I'm big, I'll still know what to do."

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PRAYER CHANGES

EVERYTHING!

Come and join together to pray this week...

Monday 6.30am

Tuesday 6.30pm

Wednesday 6.30pm

Thursday 5.30pm

Friday 6.30am

Every day at the Church House

EXCEPT Tuesday—at Chadban’s home 5 Glider Court Charlestown

Before church next Sunday at 8.45am

Northlakes

Salvos

are now on

Twitter

follow us

@NorthlakesSA

Newsletter entries

and enquiries

0423 033 318 or fiona.stig@spcc.nsw.edu.au

Can you help? Wanted: Volunteer/s

Pushing a trolley for an older lady on a scooter, helping her with the shopping.

Once a fortnight, Tues or Weds approx. 1 and 1/2 hours At: Jesmond Woolworths

Fortnightly =1x a month for 2 volunteers,

1x every 3 months for 6 volunteers

Please see or contact Cameron Smith to help 0400 531 434

Thank you in advance!

Staying Married Longer An international study conducted by the University of Western Sydney has revealed that the divorce rate in Australia has dropped for the first time in twenty years. The research highlighted three trends: Australians are getting married more often, staying married longer and getting divorced less frequently. This seems to point to a new attitude to marriage and relationships. It seems that the childhood experiences of the current generation who suffered through their parents divorce has led to a greater commitment to making their own marriages work. The experiment of drifting in and out of numerous relationships has proved to be unsatisfactory and now couples are discovering the satisfaction of long term relationships. This should be no surprise to us. We are designed to live in relationships and the best relationships are those which have proven the test of time and are based on deep love rather than the temporal nature of desire and attraction. I believe that personal faith can help this process. Knowing that we are loved by God, despite our failings, will help us love our partners.

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Scar by Missy Higgins Missy Higgins album "The Sound of White" has sold well in the Australian market in recent years. The first single released from the album was the song "Scar." The song is an honest reflection on the hard experi-ences of life and the way they leave an imprint or scar on us. The key line of the song says: "And so that I do remember to never go that far, could you leave me with a scar." Higgins herself, in speaking about the song, said "It's also about realising you've trusted the wrong people and finding a way to benefit from the scars they've left behind." Scars both physically and emotionally are the remnants of painful experiences that have the potential to change us for better or for worse. Higgins has grasped a great truth in this wonderfully simple song - will we grow from our scars or will they cripple us? Jesus knows all about scars – His own on the cross and ours. Take your scars to Jesus in prayer and open yourself to your Heavenly Father for healing and for growth.

SHIRLEY & MARCY

A mother was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbour if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her. She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, the neighbour and her little girl set out following be-hind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbour girl he knew. She did this for the whole week.

As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy 's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy , 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?' Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.' The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?' 'That's just Shirley Goodnest ,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy ...' ' Shirley Goodnest ? Who is she and why is she following us? 'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mum makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, ' Shirley Goodnest (surely goodness ) and Marcy (mercy) shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Forgiving Ourselves Read Psalm 51:3-4 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. (NLT) It has been said that the hardest person of all to forgive is our own self. Forgiv-ing others who have wronged us is hard enough; forgiving ourselves for having wronged others is much harder. Yet can we ever be in a position of having to forgive ourselves? We forgive those who wrong us, and it is not clear if we do wrong ourselves when we wound others. We certainly feel bad about it; we have in some way inflicted some hurt on ourselves. But we have not intentionally done violence to ourselves. Perhaps a better way of phrasing the problem is to accept that it is sometimes very hard to believe that God has forgiven us. After all, as the Psalmist reminds us, he is the one whom we ultimately wrong when we rebel against him. When we say we have trouble forgiving ourselves, it may be we are really hav-ing trouble embracing the forgiveness of God. He is the one who needs to do the forgiving, not us. And if he has forgiven us, who are we to cling to our wretchedness? If he has forgotten our sin, who are we to chew over it like a dog gnawing a bone? While it sounds rather harsh, perhaps an ongoing failure to 'forgive ourselves' is a form of perverse pride. My sins are so bad that even God has thrown up his hands in horror! I am especially bad. Which is not so. God has offered us the gift of his acceptance. We are invited to accept the acceptance.

SHARE A PRAYER

Check out our website

www.northlakessalvos.com.au

For Our Church Family at Northlakes &

Beyond Ashleigh as she faces personal trials in her teenage years. Pray for safety and placement in a good safe school. Pray peace over the whole family during this time.

Tracey and family as they face family troubles. Pray blessing over them all and may they find the love of Jesus in their lives.

Louise’s dad with cancer. For comfort and peace during this difficult time

Eden, that his walk with God will be strong and he will hold fast to the love of Christ

Tara, Jaiden and Hailee as they settle back in together.

Relief from starvation and safety for the people of Somalia

Comfort for the families who have lost loved ones in accidents this week

EPIC Youth and RAVE Kids

Sunday school teachers and Youth Leaders

Northlakes Salvation Army Page 4

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

Wishing you all a fantastic day and a

blessed year ahead!

Love from all your

Northlakes Family

For the Salvo’s India Central Territory—Please pray for our outreach evangelism—we have started extension work in nine districts where there is no Salvation Army, Pray for the nine officer couples who have come forward to begin this work, Please pray for new candidates. Pray for the Home for the Aged at Nidubrolu where we have a building but insufficient funds. Pray for the Community College where underprivi-leged youth are given accredited technical training recognised by the government. Pray for the Self Help Groups. Pray for the Local Offic-ers Council who provide support for the Self-Support System. Pray for the cultivation of the spiritual life of the officers and soldiers.

Port Stephens Corps, NSW—Majors Colin & Pam Robinson

Program Administration, THQ—Lt. Colonel Miriam Gluyas, Major Colin Daines, Adrian Distan, Robyn Evans and Team

mySALVOS Coordinator, THQ—Major Colin Daines

Social Justice, THQ—Robyn Evans

Indigenous Ministry, NSW—Adrian Kistan

Property Department, THQ—Peter Alward, Major Peter Davey and Team

Queanbeyan Corps, NSW—Majors Peter & Debbie Hindle

Calendar Dates:

5th-8th: South Queensland Division Women’s camp

9th-10th: 2020 Leadership Summit (each division to hold separate events)

9th-11th: Candidates Weekend

LORD, thou hast

heard the desire of

the humble: thous

wilt prepare their

heart, thou wilt

cause thine

ear to hear: Psalms 10:17KJV

SEPTEMBER Noami Ryan 2

Sam Hawkins 4

Ross Hughes 5

Natalie Baker 6

Zane Hubbard 6

Ethan Crump 7

Simeon Price 8

Stephen Hannaford 8

Elisha McCabe 10

Mark Resevsky 10

Lorelle Chapman 10

Megan Vile 10

Tina Price 10

Matisse Elliott 11

Jane Evans 12

Melinda Baker 12

Errol Maclachlan 13

Lauren Hubbard-Green 13

Kerrie Burnett 15

Michelle McCabe 16

Jason Roberts 16

Wendy Vile 18

Rita McDermott 22

Lachlan Robertson 24

Jye Hazell-Bland 24

Cody Chapman 26

Don Lyall 30

Go For It! With God all things are possible. Matthew

19:26 Go for it!

He's got you covered... and then

some!