Dear Friends,
I was remiss last Sunday! I forgot to pass on a special invitation from a friend of Lyle Hingley’s, at the Baha’i Community, to come together to pray for peace for our world.
As I mentioned last Sunday in the sermon, according to data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Project, there are 56 violent conflicts taking place in the world right now – the greatest number of violent conflicts since WW2. As International Relations expert Paul Poast explains, “We are not in a world war right now, but we are in a world of war.”
Can I encourage you then – if you are free – to join me at the ACT Baha’i Centre (18 Hickey Court, Weston) on Sunday, 14 January, 2pm to pray for peace.
Before that event at 2pm, however, there are several things taking place in and around our worship on Sunday, 14 January.
In our service we are (very sadly) farewelling Cecelia Aull who was our Office Manage (and interim Community Centre Manager) from 2019 to 2022 and Youth Leader from 2022 to 2023.
There have been a lot of changes in that time – staff changes, dramatic weather events (Cecelia was on the phone to Baptist Insurance before the 2020 hailstorm had even ended!), Covid and constantly changing Covid restrictions, new technologies and an overhaul of the Office Manager role, theological studies, getting married to Sam in semi-lockdown, the arrival of Annabelle and further staff and role changes. She has weathered all of that and we will miss her greatly! Please join us as we acknowledge her work among us and pray for her and Sam and Annabelle as they move to Melbourne.
After the service, everyone is invited to make their way to Brodburger Fyshwick for lunch. (Please note this is Brodburger Fyshwick, Building 3/1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick, NOT Brodburger at the Glassworks in Kingston!) You can get there on foot (it is a very comfortable 50 min walk) or by bike – or you can drive the long way around (all of 8 mins!) We will be assembling in the church courtyard at 11:20am to start the walk to Fyshwick.
Also, after the service, Penny and Ally Jackson will be gathering with the SMAD volunteers to prepare for the week of SMAD ahead – our annual programme for primary school; aged children from the Canberra region. This is an amazing – both exhilarating and exhausting event – so please keep Ally, Penny, Andrew, all the volunteers and all the children in your prayers this week. May they experience in ways that leave an unforgettable impression the love of God here at CBC!
Grace and peace to you all.
Belinda