- Happy New Year! We hope January was a joyful month for you! We enjoyed scorching temperatures, looking at our backyard through the window, and copious amounts of swimming lessons! Now we are settled into the year ahead. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
- Pray for those who have lost jobs in the economic downturn. Newman has not suffered too much because it appears BHP are pressing on with production. But we do know of some contractors who no longer have work. It has made people a little jittery though. The boom was thought to be unstoppable, and job security was assumed, but those attitudes have shifted.
- Pray for our church for 2009. We did not suffer the same rate of turnover that we normally do at the end of the year, which means we can move forward with plans and vision a little quicker than usual. We are in a month of vision planning for 2009. Each Sunday, Matt is preaching on an aspect of our mission, and then the congregation gets into discussion groups. At the end of the month, we will have our AGM and formulate our vision. We have quite a number of people who have joined us from the Baptist Church, so pray that they will settle in well.
- Pray for those who have left the Baptist Church, but not come across to the Anglican. If there is any town where it is difficult to be a Christian without the support of Christian fellowship, this is it.
- Pray for Andrew (35), a geology student, in Newman for student work placement with BHP. He came along to church wanting to know more about God. Matthew got together with him to do bible study once a week. He put his trust in Jesus last week. Praise the Lord! He wants to be baptised before leaving Newman to return to Adelaide at the end of February. Please pray for him, and that he will find a church to disciple him in the faith at home.
- Pray for Matthew as High School Chaplain. The new principal seems to have in mind some changes to Matthew's role. Pray that it will be negotiated well and to God's glory.
- We also have two new Christian teachers in town this year. Pray for them.
- Pray for the three pregnant women in our congregation. Myrna has gone to Perth to await the birth of bub #2, Martelize is due in April with her first baby. She will be going to Brisbane to give birth, and Naomi. Please pray for the safety of all the pregnant women in Newman. Martelize has had a few scares, and was sent by the Flying Doctors to Perth for a week recently. Update: Myrna & Graeme are the proud parents of a little girl, Emilia Francis, born 11th Feb. Mother & Bub doing well. Praise the Lord.
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