“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
- Luke chapter 22, verse 19
Follow Jesus with us via the the Bible App; Set Open Road as 'My Church' to get updates.
Ahoy Open Road!
Did you know that the average Aussie adult spends 42-49 HOURS on screens each week!
If you think about it from a spiritual angle, while some of the content we all consume may be quite uplifting and inspiring, that's up to 49hrs where someone else is shaping your mind and heart.
As a church family, one approach is to make every church event "amazing" so that Jesus' message becomes a priority in our heart and minds. However, it's hard for an hour long service to compete with 49 hours of (increasingly-personalised) education and entertainment!
Instead, our simple rhythms (Know, Invite, Gather) exist to help you take control of your heart and mind back from our online algorithms.
This week, take time to get to KNOW Jesus. Rest in his presence. Tell him what's on your heart. Ask for his help. Read his words in the Scripture. It's Bible month, why not read (or re-read) one of the gospels [see below] and fill your mind and heart with God's words not mankinds?
This month, take time to INVITE others into your life for a FEAST of some kind! It could be a BYO BBQ at Moffat, a homecooked meal, or a slow morning tea this weekend.
This Sunday, schedule time to GATHER to encourage and be encouraged. This Sunday you may be the one giving the encouragement or receiving it. Either way, you're part of fulfilling God's call to us as we await his loving, victorious return.
Each one of these rhythms are designed to help you become Fully Alive in Jesus. At risk of sounding blunt, I want to remind you that adding more screen time will not make you more fully alive! However, adding more time with Jesus, your 'neighbours' and your church family this Sunday will!
Much love, see you Sunday!
Dan
Keen to FEAST?
Each term this year we've focused on one of the three skills Jesus taught his followers in the Sermon on the Mount: give, pray, fast.
To round the year off we are adding in one that Jesus modelled to his followers and said that we'd share with him in eternity - feasting!
If you want to be encouraged to take seriously the enjoyment of life, do yourself a favour and check out a short, simple book: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: A Gospel Call to Bold Enjoyment by Ray Ortlund
November is Bible Month!
This week, YouVersion is promoting November BIBLE MONTH!
The goal is that you take time to read the Bible every day for 30 days! So, download the YouVersion Bible App, find your Bible, or hit REPLY if you'd like me to get one for you.
If you're looking for a guided reading plan, you can check out some of YouVersions Australian reading plans, or keep it simple by trying:
- Read a chapter of Proverbs each day for the month
- Read a Psalm each day and pray what you've read in your own words.
- Read one of the gospels in full throughout November.
Much love, and see you Sunday,
Dan
Learning to Follow Jesus
This Sunday Dan Hill shares about one of the most practiced traditions in Christian history, remembering Jesus in taking the "Lord's Supper". What did Jesus tell us to do and why?
“19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 20 And likewise the cup aft er they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.””
- Luke 22:19-20
Coming Up
November - Home + Moffat
Mondays - Young Adults - Marcello + Mariela 0428 986 423
Tuesdays - 5am RPM (Run, Prayer, Men) - Ryan
Fridays - 6am Men's Prayer - Fred 0431 437 080
Nov 15 Sunday Gatherings: Home + Beach Baptisms
Nov 22 Sunday Gatherings: Home + Beach
Nov 29 Sunday Gatherings: Home + Beach
December - Home + Moffat
Mondays - Young Adults - Marcello + Mariela 0428 986 423
Tuesdays - 5am RPM (Run, Prayer, Men) - Ryan
Fridays - 6am Men's Prayer - Fred 0431 437 080
Dec 06 Sunday Gatherings: Home + Tent Worship + Communion
Dec 13 Sunday Gatherings: Home + Beach
Dec 20 Sunday Gatherings: Home + Beach Baptisms
Dec 24 Christmas Eve: TBC
Dec 25 Christmas Day: TBC
Dec 27 Sunday Gatherings: TBC
Our Mission
To help people find and follow Jesus.
Our Vision
Fully Alive through faith in Jesus. To see this vision come to life, we developed FAM, our Fully Alive Model. Ideally, you can work through FAM with someone else.
Our Rhythms
Get to Know Jesus: how are you getting to know Jesus this week?
Invite people into your life: who can you intentionally open up your life to?
Gather and get involved: who can you connect, listen, share, or pray with this weekend?
Giving Up, In, and Out
Our church encourages people to set aside money each week/month to meet the needs of our church, community and beyond. We follow the same simple pattern of giving that we encourage each other individually: UP, IN, and OUT.
Giving UP
As a church, we give 2.5% to our denomination to support what's happening in churches like ours statewide and show appreciation for all the support they provide. We encourage each follower to consider giving "up" to support their local church - in this case, ours :)
Giving IN
We encourage you to be alert for personal/family needs within our church. If you know someone with genuine needs that you can't meet yourself, please REPLY now.
Giving OUT
We encourage people to be generous not just in/around our church family, but also to those serving beyond us.
"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." - Proverbs 19:17
Last month's giving: $14,947
Last month's expenses: $10,227
Balance: $65,068
If you would like to support what we are doing and our giving to those in need, you can get started giving to Open Road to meet the needs of our church or get in touch with any questions you may have.
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Updates: View a list of all our weekly updates.
