The New Year will soon be upon us and with 2010 fast approaching a chance to turn over a new leaf is on the horizon. January is a time to reflect on the year that’s passed and to pen our goals for the coming 12 months. This Friday we will be getting together for a time of reflection and new year planning with our guest speaker Neekee. Let's learn how we can better number our days for the purposes of GOD more effectively and fruitful! Wishing you a new year that is filled with the Grace and Empowerment of God. Number 6:24-26
Monday, December 28, 2009
NEW YEAR BLESSING
OC 2010 PAYMENT METHOD
please ensure you speak to Joel Sim, the admin person of NG 3. Please note that all payments are to be done via units. You are to pay Joel your conference fees - either by cash on Friday during LG or on Sunday at church;
or electronically to the following account: BSB_344-032
ACC NO_149189-412
ACC NAME_KWAN WAY JOEL SIM
BANK_HSBC
DESCRIPTION_NAME-SUPER/EARLY BIRD (eg. Leann-SuperEarlyBird)
Please email to notify Joel after you transferred the money.
If you have registered yourself on the OC website before 25th of December, please make sure you have the registration money paid to Joel between 26th Dec 2009 - 8th Jan 2010, in order to stand qualified for Super Early Bird prices ($185). Once the period is passed, your price will increase to Early Bird prices ($200). Click here for the registration cost table. Please refer to the following post/website for more details about OC 2010:
JOURNEY MERCY BE WITH YOU
CALLING FOR FEEDBACK FOR BLOG
N G 3 B L O G.
If there is any other information that you like to see on our blogspot, such as a music player, calendar, count-down gadgets; etc;Or any articles or news about community work activities, current Christians persecution issues, etc;
Or just any area that we can improve or enhance the insights and knowledge of our NG 3 family members;
Or even what you don't like or don't need or even don't want to see on our site; Please feel free to email or speak to Leann/Joel the website administrators for any feedback, comments or requests. We love our blog and we even love it to become beneficial to you in every single way! So share your ideas with us anytime!WHAT HOPE LOOKS LIKE
I love visiting other countries to serve in missions work. But there are many times I've left a beautiful country overwhelmed by the needs of its people. People standing in line for medical care. Or children on a street corner selling candy, or worse - their bodies --so they could eat a meal. I've wept on the plane home, hiding my tears from other passengers behind the thin airline blanket.
Recently, however, I returned from a missions trip to Ecuador with Compassion International. Our travels to this country left me filled with hope! There are 52,000 children that are ministered to in 200 Compassion International projects across Ecuador.
I met Eric, a little guy who is 13, but looks seven. He was born with a syndrome that affects his motor skills, as well as his ability to communicate. Eric wasn't given a lot of hope. His mother has two other little guys, ten and six. Their home is nestled in a concrete cave honed out of rock and cinder block. I had to bend to enter the dark two-room habitat. Along one wall there is a small refrigerator, rusted by the years. A couple of cook pots sit by an open fireplace darkened by soot. Eric proudly showed me how he washes his clothes, beating his red shirt with a brush and suds.
Little Eric has had surgeries that allow him to run in his own makeshift fashion. His inability to communicate with words would lead you to believe he's not educated, but he is very intelligent. He and his brothers eat nutritious meals and receive schooling. And it's all because of Compassion International.
Later I met Jonathon, who became a Compassion International child at the age of five. He remembers proudly showing his first letter from his sponsor to his classroom. He held it high for the other children to see. "Jesus sent me someone who loves me," he said.
Next July, Jonathon will graduate from a university with a degree in physics. He wept as he tried to explain what Compassion International, and his sponsor, have done for him. A person he has never met gave him health, hope, and the opportunity to change the lives of many children. He plans to go back to his former project area as a teacher.
I often pray and ask Jesus how to spend my time, my finances, and my talents. But the funny thing is, I don't pray over the everyday expenditures that have very little lasting impact. I weigh them. I think about them. But pray about it? I don't. I believe I will start praying about my everyday expenditures, and asking God to reveal to me opportunities to invest in the things that really matter. As I boarded the plane for home, I declined the offered blanket. I didn't need to hide my tears - not this time. Instead I praised God for a renewed vision of hope: a child who wasn't supposed to live who can now run and read; a little girl waving her hand in the air to be called upon in class to quote a scripture; a young man wiping away tears as he expressed his desire to educate little ones facing the odds he once faced and overcame. I settled back in my seat and smiled, reveling in the beautiful pictures of God's hope in action.
Dear God, You love the hungry, the poor, the hurting. Thank You for the opportunity to be Your hands and feet, whether in my own community, or around the world. I pray that I will invest my heart and life in those things that burn on Your heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Monday, December 21, 2009
HUGE THANK YOU FROM 3.1 GROUP
A huge thank-you to everyone who made the effort to get there early and offer such helping hands too. May we continue praying for the visitors in our midst to join us for LG/church with an intention to know Christ.
3.1 Girls
OC 2010 SUPER EARLY BIRD ENDS THIS FRI
please visit: http://oc2010.walkinhope.com/blog/?p=136 For Signing up of an adult before the end of the Super Early Bird on the Christmas Day (for $185), please go to http://adrianbudiman.com/oc2010/ immediately! A limited offer of $330 is extended to a family (2 adults) with an infant (1-3 yrs old). Wondering what happened in the past OC? Check out the pictures that tell a thousand words: http://ng3.walkinhope.com/gallery/OC2008/index.html Don't know anything about OC?
Speak to one of our LG members! You don't want to miss out...
PERSONAL WEEK
REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS
Adopt from Christiananswers.net
Monday, December 14, 2009
NG 3 WHITE CHRISTMAS IN A PARK
Theme_White Christmas in A Park
Dress Code_All white (or white top/pants/skirt only if do not have both)
Date_19/12/09 (Saturday)
Time_10.00 am sharp
Venue_Counihan Road, Seventeen Mile Rocks
Food_Christmas Lunch
Programs_Ice-breaker games, Sharing, Carol, Secret Santa gift-exchange Secret Santa method:
Please bring along a gift appropriate for your gender (for example Grace will bring a female appropriate gift, Don will bring a male appropriate gift) of up to $10 in value, with a written message for the recipient of the same gender. There will be a box for female gifts and a box for male gifts at the event. You will put your wrapped gift to the appropriate box and choose one for yourself. Food to bring:
Neekee & Stephanie: Roast Ham
Alex & Sharon: Roast Pork
Wei Hoong & Julie: Roast Turkey
Peter & Jojo: Roast Lamb
Daniel & Jaevis: Roast Beef
Don & Grace: Dessert
Suh Chyi & Su Reen & Su Giin: Fried Noodle
Joel & Leann: Salad and Cuttleries
Ronald & Hannah: Drinks and Snack
Jenny & Cathy: Chocolate and Cuttleries
Sara & Nicole: Pasta/ Rice The gift of Christmas isn't wrapped up in presents or parties. The gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God. As you follow Him, you put people first. You may spend less time in lines and more time serving others. You may spend less money on - and more time with - the people you love. You may lose yourself and you may find everything else that matters.
May we pass on His love on the day by making ourselves known to the new friends, speaking kind words to one another and sharing the love of Jesus Christ through our actions. Let Jesus become the centre of our celebration!
THE CELEBRATION OF TRUE LOVE, JOY & PEACE
Christmas Sunday Celebration Service: Date: 20th December 2009 (this Sunday)
9:10am Prayer Time
9:30am – Foyer Time
10:00am – Sunday Service
Venue: Steele Building, University of Queensland
C4K PERFORMANCE
For those who missed out on the performance on C4K day, below is a link to the wonderful dance performed by the Shekinah team in Hope Church, Brisbane:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=336541225022&ref=mf
RE-GIFTING CHRISTMAS
My extended family no longer buys presents for each individual person. At our large family gathering, we have a "white elephant" gift exchange. Instead of a separate gift for each person, we just bring one present each, usually something from around our house that is no longer wanted or needed. Many times a white elephant gift turns out to be a re-gift. The idea of re-gifting appeals to me, especially when sanctioned by the family!"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" Luke 2:10-11(NKJ)
This year I have pondered how to re-gift the joy found in the Christmas story that Jesus gives - "a great joy which will be to all people." I believe the best way is to display our joy in all circumstances, good and bad. We may not enjoy the situations we find ourselves in, but we can have joy. Our joy can issue forth from the fact that Jesus came to earth as an infant, ministered, died on the cross and resurrected from the grave. He did this as a gift for all of us.
Will you decide with me to re-gift the promise of Christmas joy when days become stressful because of holiday schedules? Let's give joy when we can't purchase the "perfect" gift because of budget restraints. Let's share Jesus' joy and offer to help our neighbors, our churches, and our communities.
The wonderful thing about re-gifting the joy of the season is that you still get to keep your joy! Let the world know the truth about Christmas. It's not about the Christmas tree, the food, the festivities or the gifts - it's about Jesus being born as the world's Savior. It's about what the angels declared over 2000 years ago, "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11, NKJ).
It's a gift we should give year round to everyone in this stress-filled world, because, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8, NIV).
Will you re-gift the joy found in the true meaning of Christmas both now and throughout this coming year?
Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of joy this Christmas season. Teach me to re-gift this joy to the people who You bring across my path. Also, remind me to re-gift Your joy every day, not only at the Christmas season. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Monday, December 7, 2009
CORPORATE PRAYER IS NOT AN OPTION
You are needed in the corporate prayer of the church to be a part of the faith community in shaking God's hands to move and magnify in the Body of Christ. Join us this Tuesday at Princess Theatre at 7.30 pm
- not only for your own benefits - but also for the heart of God.
NG 3 CHRISTMAS PARTY
Dress Code_All white (or white top/pants/skirt only if do not have both)
Nature_Outdoor park party
Date_19/12/09 (Saturday)
Time_10.00 am sharp
Venue_Counihan Road, Seventeen Mile Rocks
Food_Christmas Lunch
Please RSVP for yourself and your invited friends to your small group leader by 13th December (Sunday).
Please bring along a gift appropriate for your gender (for example Grace will bring a female appropriate gift, Don will bring a male appropriate gift) of up to $10 in value, with a written message for the recipient of the same gender. There will be a box for female gifts and a box for male gifts at the event. You will put your wrapped gift to the appropriate box and choose one for yourself.
PLAN FOR NEW YEAR
HONOURING ONE ANOTHER
They didn't even seem to see her. She was left feeling like a small fish in a big sea. "How am I ever going to meet anyone, let alone make a friend?" she thought to herself, as she uncomfortably poured herself a cup of coffee in the foyer of a church.
Recently, I had a conversation with Margaret and she reminisced with me about the time she felt so alone in that foyer full of women. She made me giggle when she revealed how she entertained herself during those lonely times by wearing the same outfit on purpose for weeks in a row. She was convinced that it just didn't matter because no one would remember her anyway. Although Margaret felt alone and invisible, she was not. Jesus said, "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Luke 12:6-7, NIV). Not only did God see her that day, but He knew what kind of hair day she was having!
I know how Margaret felt. As I attended my first PTA meeting, I looked around the room and didn't know a soul. I noticed I wasn't the only one by myself. There were other women who appeared not to know anyone either. Many were sitting alone, pretending to be at ease, yet not looking upward or outward; just awkwardly tending to their refreshments. Everyone else was talking and laughing in groups of two's and three's, unaware that there were isolated women in the room.
How do we become so involved with ourselves that we forget about others who might be new or lonely? I think about Margaret's story and I wonder, "Am I so caught up with what's going on with me that I forget it's not all about me?" Perhaps meetings, Bible studies or holiday parties aren't all about the girlfriends I already know, but about reaching out to someone who is searching for a welcoming friend.
I've been challenging myself to look beyond my familiar circle, and I want to invite you to do the same. Wherever you go, look around the room and find someone who is by herself. Walk up to her and say hello. Ask some questions about how long she's been coming and how you might help her feel connected and welcomed in that particular situation. You may just be the one that helps her realize she's not invisible - she's noticed - by God and by you.
Dear Lord, I pray as I go about my business that you will help me to become more aware of others. I pray that I seek out those who feel uncomfortable or who might be new. Help me step outside myself and approach someone who needs to be noticed. I pray I realize it's not all about me. In Jesus' Name, Amen. © 2009 by Shari Braendel. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries