“感谢神，因他有说不尽的恩赐！”- 哥林多后书9：15

 12月27日主日崇拜

• 早上10点崇拜：到教会或点击网上链接https://zoom.us/j/5172232020
• 讲道Grace Munro   腓利比书2:1-11​““上帝的礼物，我们的回应”

继他最伟大的礼物耶稣之后，上帝不断地给我们礼物。我们的回应是顺服他，让他在我们身上动工，把我们塑造成他所喜悦的样式。

 关怀小组：https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

 我们为以下恩典感谢主：

• 为那些曾经失业，但现在已经找到工作的人。
• 为那些曾经患病，目前正在康复的人；以及那些健康状况没有改善或亲属仍在病中的人所表现出的上帝赐予的力量。
• 尽管这一年充满挑战，但还是完成了中学学业的年轻人。
• 为我们在教会中看到的生命和能量，因为有许多人参与事工，确保人们得到鼓励和教导。
• 感谢我们在Zoom的帮助下在封锁期间的应对有方，以及过去几周再次团聚的喜悦。
• 为加入教会的新人，以及在这一年中决心跟随主的新信徒。
• 最近进行的维修工作，包括修剪教堂前面的树木，以及在厨房安装新炉灶(由两笔慷慨的特别捐款支付所有费用)。
• 感谢教会成员的慷慨，既满足了教会的需要，也资助了浸信会世界援助组织(Baptist World Aid Australia)。
• 最重要的是，为所有人收到的最伟大的礼物，耶稣，本周我们庆祝他的诞生。

 Balwyn浸信会在12月向浸信会世界援助组织(BWAA)捐款:

1.向教堂账户转账，注明AID

2.短信0425 707 386或发送电子邮件给Balwynbaptistchurch@gmail.com，提供姓名、地址、电话号码、电子邮件地址和项目选择(1.弱势儿童2.东非饥饿危机)。

10am SERVICE:  At the church, or Click https://zoom.us/j/5172232020

Preacher:   Kate Pocklington   Matthew 2:1-12 “FILLED WITH JOY”

The Magi, the Wise Men, were filled with joy, wonder and worship. We know the truth about Jesus too. Are we also filled with this same joy?

Regulations have eased: Masks are now voluntary, and we can fit more people into the church. However, we must maintain good social distancing and other precautions.

During the week:  Some groups have now concluded meeting for the Christmas break.   

Care groups:   https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

BALWYN BAPTIST GIVING TO BAPTIST WORLD AID (BWAA) IN DECEMBER

HOW TO GIVE

1. Transfer funds to the Church Bank Account, label your gift as “AID” (Or, place your gift in an envelope and write the following details)

AND

2. Send a text to Grace M, 0425 707 386, or anemail to balwynbaptistchurch@gmail.com, giving:

• Your name (Note: when you give your name, give the name which will appear on the bank statement and (if different) also the name you are known by in the church (e.g. Joyce Lin)
• Address
• Phone
• Email
• Amount given
• The project you want to support (1 or 2 below).

THE DEACONS HAVE CHOSEN TWO PROJECTS FOR US TO SUPPORT THIS DECEMBER

1. Support for vulnerable children, that is, children who are at risk of being trafficked, exploited, or married, by ensuring that their poor families can keep them safe, healthy and in school.
2. Clean water, hygiene training and emergency food for the hunger crisis in East Africa.

• 早上10点崇拜：到教会或网上链接 https://zoom.us/j/5172232020
• 讲道Grace Munro   列王记下4：8-37，21:8-21​“平安”

书念的女人，以及其他长期遭受痛苦的人，有时学会说“我的心灵得安宁”，即使“我的世界不好”。他们是和平的灯塔，对他人有积极的影响。

周间活动：所有小组继续在网上聚会。

关怀小组：https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

Balwyn浸信会在12月向浸信会世界援助组织(BWAA)捐款

每个月我们都会支持Gayle Hill在Rise@Carlton的事工，以及Kate Pocklington在大洋洲地区工的事工。这方面的资金是用我们日常的教会奉献支付的。

每年，我们都会支持两个浸信会组织：赠送给这些组织的礼物是“额外的”–就像圣诞节送给家人的礼物是我们在平常所做的“额外的”，“增加的”一样。

• 5月：GIA – Global Interaction（全球互动)，他们派人广传福音，帮助贫困、教育、缺水等实际需求。(今年，我们为一对在中亚工作的夫妇捐赠了1835元。)
• 12月：澳大利亚浸信会世界援助组织(BWAA)，他们为各类实际项目提供资金并实施监管。我们为BWAA做特别的圣诞奉献的时候又来了。

BWAA是做什么的？

以下是BWAA做的一些事情(这些只是例子，还有更多)：

• 在中东地区的紧急救济和支持(居住在黎巴嫩的叙利亚难民)。
• 清洁水源、卫生培训和紧急食品以应对东非饥饿危机。
• 通过确保他们的家庭安全来保护面临被贩卖、剥削或结婚风险的儿童。
• 应对灾害：提供水、住所、食物和医疗用品。
• 研究编写道德指南，帮助确保生活在贫穷国家的工人得到良好待遇。

执事们决定我们将在今年十二月支持以下两个项目：

• 支持弱势儿童，即那些面临被贩卖、剥削或结婚风险的儿童，确保他们的贫困家庭能够保证他们安全、健康和上学。
• 为东非饥饿危机提供清洁水、卫生培训和紧急食品。

我们将会很快提供如何奉献的详细信息。

• 10am ONLINE SERVICE:Click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/480278172

Preacher:  Geoff Ryall       Psalm 91:1-16    “A Psalm for a Pandemic”

Let us be people who dwell (i.e., take up permanent residence) in the shadow of the Almighty and not the shadow of the pandemic!

During the week:

• Conversational English, Shalom and Mustard Seed are taking 3 weeks off for school holidays. Some other care groups are taking 1 week off, others are continuing on. Contact the leader.
• If you would like to join a Care Group, contact gracemunro8@gmail.com, 0425 707 386.

Care groups on the web:   https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

Care Groups:

Today we highlight the Bible Study,  Shalom, led by Bill Washington on Friday evenings at 7.45pm, following Conversational English. The group has been going for around 6-7 years.

This group is in English. As well as doing a Bible Study, it can help some of the more experienced Conversational English students in developing their language skills.

Each week they have a Bible Reading, and a discussion about it. They are open to discuss any questions people may have.  At present there are only 4-5 members, so if you would like to join, contact Bill.

TIME FOR REPORTS

Leaders of all groups, don’t forget we need your reports in by 5 October. Thank you Yang for being the first one to report!

FINANCES

It was encouraging to see the offering figures for August, $7,865, which is $315 better than budgeted. JobKeeper and a Covid subsidy totalled $4,405, were a great help. We received 3 month’s rent in advance for the Manse. Expenses were less than budget in August, though this was largely due to delays in finalising some maintenance matters. So there was a surplus of $7,971 in August.

Joyce Lin and Wei Li are preparing a revised budget which will see some significant changes to the budget we accepted in May:

• because we are not meeting in the church, utilities expenses are lower,
• various much-needed maintenance work is being done,
• the reduction of rent to 10% from groups using the church building,
• JobKeeper continuing.
• a budget offering figure of $7,500 every month

This revised budget will be presented at the October 18 Annual Church Meeting.

• 早上10点网上崇拜：点击链接https://us02web.zoom.us/j/480278172
• 讲道谭军       马太福音 1：18-25   “为什么要有父亲?为什么是约瑟?”

为什么神要让一位父亲出现在耶稣的生活中呢?为什么约瑟会成为耶稣的父亲?神安排约瑟做耶稣的父亲怎样影响我们对父亲的看法？

周间小组活动：

• 如果你想参加小组请联系Grace，电子邮箱 gracemunro8@gmail.com， 手机 0425 707 386.

关怀小组: https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

查经小组:

今天我们来介绍“寻求者”小组。这个小组成立于2013年，周三上午活动。过去几年它由6到8名姐妹组成，今年有些新成员参加。这个小组的特点是它是中西合璧的。成员里既有老基督徒，又有新信徒。老信徒感受新信徒的热忱，新信徒学习老信徒所经历的信心之旅。

这个团契的中心是查经，帮助成员提高对圣经的理解以增强信心。过去一年学习的重点是旧约的前面几部：创世纪，出埃及记，申命记，现在在学约书亚记。

这个小组已经满额（目前有十六人参加），无法再接受新成员。我们期待有感动的弟兄姐妹发起一个新的小组，来满足大家对学习圣经的渴望。

提交年度报告：

我们将为10月18日举行的教会年度大会准备一本报告。请以下活动的负责人提交总结过去一年的活动和对未来的憧憬的报告并于10月5日前将报告用电子邮件发送到balwynbaptistchurch@gmail.com。

• 查经小组组长（一到两段话)
• 教会维修
• 英语会话
• 秘书
• 牧师
• 祷告
• 行政
• 财务
• 音乐团队
• 视频音频
• 翻译小组
• 儿童和青少年事工
• 跨文化事工
• 乒乓球
• 其他没有列出的

我会给各项活动的负责人发邮件，你们可以先开始准备起来。

• 10am ONLINE SERVICE:Click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/480278172

Preacher:  Jun Tan        Matthew 1:18-25    “Why a Father? Why Joseph?”

Why did God insist on there being a father figure in Jesus’ life? Why was Joseph Jesus’ father? How does God’s insistence on having Joseph affect our view of fathers?

During the week:

• If you would like to join a Care Group, contact gracemunro8@gmail.com, 0425 707 386.

 Care groups:   https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

Care Groups:

Today we highlight “Seekers”.  This Bible Study group has been running since 2013, on Wednesday morning. For several years, it comprised 6-8 women, but this year has had new members join. The group is diverse, with a mix of Caucasians and Chinese, which is one of its strengths. Some members have been Christians for decades, while others are new in their faith. This means that people can learn from one another – the long-term members learn from the enthusiasm of the new believers, and the new believers learn from those who have walked the journey for a long time.

The focus of this group is Bible Study, with a view to helping people grow in their understanding of the Bible and strengthening their faith.  In the past 12 months, the focus has been on the early books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy and now Joshua.

With the numbers now attending, this group (16 have been in attendance recently) cannot easily take on new members. It would be good if someone else was prepared to start a new group, as people seem to be hungry to learn more of the Bible.

TIME FOR REPORTS

The Church’s Annual Meeting will take place on October 18, and we will prepare a book of reports for that meeting. To do so, we need to receive from all leaders in the church a brief report on the year’s activities and their dreams for the future.  Reports will be needed by 5 October at latest, sent to balwynbaptistchurch@gmail.com. We need reports from the following groups:

• Care Group Leaders (just a paragraph or two)
• Maintenance
• Conversational English
• Secretary
• Pastor
• Prayer
• Administration
• Finances
• Music team
• Audio Visual
• Translation team
• Kids4God and Teens4God
• Cross-cultural Mission
• Tabletennis
• And any other groups I have missed!

I will email the leaders of each group, but you can make a start now!

• 早上10点网上崇拜：点击链接https://us02web.zoom.us/j/480278172
• 讲道谭军       路加福音 6：46-49   “带上你的十字架……和铁铲”

想经历真正的基督的医治，我们要深入挖掘我们所声明的信仰和我们所活出的信仰之间的鸿沟，以帮助我们把每天的生活建立在基督话语的磐石上。

周间活动：

• 查经学习和关怀小组活动将照常在线上进行。如果你想参加请联系Grace，电子邮箱 gracemunro8@gmail.com， 手机 0425 707 386.

关怀小组: https://balwynbaptist.org.au/ministries/care-groups/

关怀小组:

今天我们来介绍“以斯帖姐妹团契”。这个团契的目标是帮助姐妹们共同分享学习圣经故事。这个团契使用中文，每两周聚会一次，周六晚上活动。

这个小组有26个姐妹，每次大概有12人在线上聚会。聚会的方式是先读一段经文然后讨论，不仅仅是读懂故事更是要把原理应用到生活中。上周她们学习了妓女喇合的故事，她接待了约书亚派出的探子，在约书亚记第二章。

这个团契的一个使命是互相支持和代祷。带领者是Grace Tsui，如果你想参加，请跟Grace联系。

“ALWAYS LOVE” -永不止息的爱

上周日崇拜后Kate Pocklington推荐的那本书“Always Love”的价格是35元。

网站 – https://www.alwayslovebook.com/

你可以在下面的网站和链接买到这本书：

• amazon.com.au– https://www.amazon.com.au/Always-Love-Timeless-Story-Heart/dp/1999607953/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=always+love&qid=1598615117&sr=8-1
• Book Depository – https://www.bookdepository.com/Always-Love-Sara-Lubbers/9781999607951?ref=grid-view&qid=1598146357789&sr=1-7

以下是Kate为这本书写的推荐：

“Sara Lubbers 在Always Love这本书中做了件伟大的工作，她选择了圣经中的主要故事并将它们互相交织在一起，用生动的语言，震撼且有创意地展现神的真相。对寻求神的年轻读者，以及所有年龄层的带着探索的精神并喜爱圣经描绘的人，这本书是无价之宝。.”

– Dr. Kate Pocklington- 服务于领袖培训和建立事工