It’s not easy to understand how God’s love is consistent with his wrath, his judgment, his sovereignty.  Does God love people who persistently reject him?  Does he love us even when we disobey him?  Does he love even people who are destined for his condemnation?

And it’s not easy to love like we are commanded to.  How should we love people who have hurt us or hurt others?  How should we love people who claim to be Christians and yet refuse to listen to God’s word?  How should we love a terrorist like Osama bin Laden?  How should we love when we just don’t feel any love in our hearts?

Every year our weekend away is our key connecting event: where we get to know one another more deeply as we get to know God more deeply.  This year at our weekend away we move beyond a sentimental view of love.  We will wrestle with God’s word and urge one another to grasp the wonder of God’s love, and in response to live lives of love!

Make sure you are part of what promises to be a wonderful weekend.

Registration form

Directions & what to bring

Video of site

Thursday, 19th May from 7.45pm

The night will be held at the McIntyres, 63 Ferndale St Killarney Vale

Ring Wendy McIntyre on 43324013 for any further info.

Registration forms are available here. Just one for you and your family. Put your payment in a suitably identified envelope and place it in a collection bag at church on Sunday. Alternatively, you could do an internet bank transfer as explained on the form. Then place your form in the collection bag or post it to the church office.

Dates

8:30 congregation,  10-12th September

(for more info & to register see Kylie & Sel TeWani)

10:30 congregation,  18-19th September

(for more info & to register see Stewart Kingsland)

If you can’t make your congregation’s weekend come along to the other one.

Place

WEC Centre at Morriset… a great site for the whole family with plenty of activities for the kids!

Purpose

Our weekends away are designed to help us continue to do two very important things before God. Firstly, grow in our love for another as we spend time getting to know and serving one another. Secondly, grow in our faith as we listen to God’s Word. We have an excellent opportunity to do this over a whole weekend as we explore a topic from the Bible more deeply.

Topic

This year, Michael will give 4 talks from the Bible on the topic  ‘God’s Comfort in a Broken World’.

We live in a world that is far from perfect. We’re all affected in one way or another by the falleness of God’s creation. Depression, anxiety, anger, pain are all commonplace in our society and also among Christians. How do we deal with these issues in our own lives? How can we equip one another to be used by God to help those who suffer in these areas? Over the weekend we will look at the sure comfort and help we can draw from God and His word.  It should be no surprise to you that God offers real hope and light !

Looking forward to a great weekend together!

4 Cottesloe Rd, Jilliby, (off Dickson Rd)

Rugby Union game Wallabies Vs All Blacks on the big screen from 7.30pm.

Optional sleep over in shed, bring your own gear.

Cost: $5.00 plus drinks (gold coin)

Feel free to bring a mate.

Saturday 24th July at 6.00pm.

Hear Made speak about her experiences in Bali and demonstrate some of her special cooking secrets.

Enjoy connecting with others in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Cost: $3 per person.

Our Lovely Guest Speaker and Chef  -  Mrs Made Hunt.

12 hard truths Andrew learned during his Connect09 experience

Probably the most significant way people connect in church life is through attending church on Sundays and commitment to Bible Study groups. Other ministries that encourage connecting are:

• Fostering hospitality amongst church members.
• Newcomers’ suppers – every month an opportunity for newcomers to hear more about our church and decide whether they would like to continue on at The Lakes.
• New Member’s Lunch – every couple of months there is an opportunity for people who have decided to make The Lakes their church home to come and find out about opportunities to be involved and serve.
• Our Church Directory, weekly prayer email and website are also key ways we seek to help our members to be informed and connect with one another.

There are also great opportunities for connecting through regular activities of BOBBS, WISE & SKI:

• BOBBS is our men’s ministry and provides opportunities for men to come to know Christ, one another, and be encouraged to be better fathers, husbands, leaders, workers and sons.
• WISE is our regular women’s get together There are also other women’s events which take place during the year.
• SKI is open to men, women and kids to get to know one another during the regular outings.

Connecting goals for 2010:

1. We want every person who visits our church to be offered appropriate avenues for further connecting into church life.
2. For anyone who chooses to move on from The Lakes we want to provide them with an opportunity to connect into another church fellowship.

Weekends Away

The weekend away is our key connecting activity each year. We encourage everyone to come along and be involved. Each of our congregations has their own weekend away.

• 30th April – 2 May: Church @ 5 weekend
• 10 – 12 September: 8.30am congregation weekend
• 17 – 19 September: 10.30am congregation weekend

Both morning congregation weekends are at the WEC Campsite at Morriset

This Sunday we continue our summer series looking at our church goals.  This week we consider our goal of connecting God’s people into fellowship with one another.

To find out more about our church goals click here or go to the “Our Aims” section of our website.

Good News Week (GNW) is a 5 day kids holiday program Monday 4th -Friday 8th January, run by the Lakes church. GNW caters for kids of all ages.

MINIMITES  (Yr K-2) : ‘Where are we?’ – Come and join us in the library as books come to life! We will be meeting lots of exciting characters who will tell us all about Jesus and the things he did as we find our way through the book of luke.

KEENITES (Yr 3-6): ‘Get ready for a blast…’ – Join Dr. ka Boom and the Professor in the laboratory as we bring the perfect person to life…Jesus! Watch out for the explosions!

TEENS (Yr 7-12): ‘And so where’s Jesus?’ – What’s your real identity and how do you find it? Join us this week for the search.

Kids are welcome to come for one day or the whole week. The program runs from 9-11:30 each day and the cost is $4/child/day (or max $10/family/day). All the kid’s programs are coordinated by qualified children’s workers with a support team of trained volunteers. There is a mix of games, craft, puppets, teaching from the Bible and morning tea.

You can pre-register your child by downloading the form, completing it and handing in the collection bags on Sunday. Otherwise, you can register on the day.

During the week we also have an Adults Tent ‘The Watering Hole’, for parents, grandparents and friends to be spoilt while their children are participating in their program (creche and preschool tent also available for parents remaining on site). Tea and coffee and plenty of yummies will be served for a small donation. We will also hear from a number of different speakers on issues that relate to us, our family and community.

Here’s the program:

MONDAY: ‘Wrestling with Crocodiles’ – When raising kids feels like a fight to the death!
TUESDAY: ‘Crossing the Nullarbor’ – Surviving rocky relationships
WEDNESDAY: ‘Under the Southern Cross’ – Bush Tucker and the Great outdoors
THURSDAY: ‘I love To Have A Beer With Duncan’ – Reflections on mateship and the Australian spirit
FRIDAY: ‘The Great Aussie BBQ’ – Celebrate our great nation and enjoy a BBQ feast.

Good News Week concludes with church on Sunday 10th at Berkeley Vale High School and a Family Fun Day afterwards. It should be a lot of fun and we hope you can join us!

GNW2010 promo – short from The Lakes on Vimeo.

GNW2010 promo – main from The Lakes on Vimeo.

LOST Team Interviews from The Lakes on Vimeo.