The importance of seeking to speak the truth even when it is unpopular
Monthly Archives: September 2020
A New Identity
We live in a world where identity politics is rife. And at a personal level, many are struggling with their own identity: who exactly am I?
Whatever Happened to the separation of Church and State
When our community seems fractured and divided, how should you navigate politics and power?
Views from the Manse – Annie Watson
In 1850 or thereabouts John Watson and his wife Anne moved into the forest beside the Cudgee creek not far from Warrnambool. He was a stonemason and built ‘Haverhill’ house for his family. Over the years Annie presented him with nine children so the house was well filled and the couple had a tremendous impact on the area. John became a persuasive evangelist and, after being convinced of the need for adult Baptism formed the Cudgee Baptist Church.
But this is not about John Watson and his celebrated church where a revival in the 1860’s was so noteworthy that the Baptist Association sent the Rev William Poole to Warrnambool on a steamer to hold baptismal services at Cudgee and establish a church at Warrnambool.
No this is about his remarkable wife Annie.
She was a young wife when she arrived in Cudgee and lived there until her death in Nov 1906 aged 76 years and nine months.
She was greatly admired and respected by all. The women of the district were especially appreciative as she was their confidante, nurse and a midwife and for years delivered most of the children in the area.
She had nine children of her own and several of her descendants still live around Warrnambool.
Of the nine children I can only positively identify a couple and have not attempted to produce a complete genealogy. Most of the information comes from the gravestones in Warrnambool cemetery and these are not only old and hard to read but also have some confusing entries.
For example one headstone has an entry for a boy who died aged five that reads as if the woman entered below him was his wife.
On the headstone for John and Anne Watson we also have Grace Grant Watson who died on Jan 6th 1863 aged 3 years. Then in 1869 they had another daughter whom they also named Grace. She died in 1938 aged 69. At the time it was common to name a later child after one that died young but we would hesitate to do that today.
Although Annie had her own share of suffering it was in the care for others for which she is remembered.
Childbirth at the time was very dangerous. Births occurred naturally at home with no anaesthetics, no antiseptics, and no thought of surgical intervention. This resulted in a high mortality rate among both infants and mothers.
No doubt Annie had her share of sorrows with complications, miscarriages, stillbirths, and deaths but she also had the deep satisfaction of delivering dozens of healthy babies who grew up to be well and strong.
She shouldered an enormous responsibility and no doubt had an intense emotional response to the joys and sorrows of her calling.
By the time she died travel was becoming easier and with a local hospital being built in Warrnambool the possibility of accessing specialist support became a reality.
In 1871 the church presented John Watson with a buggy as a token of their esteem and one wonders if Annie ever used it to transport one of her charges to the Warrnambool hospital for some urgent medical assistance.
Source: BUV News
A growing ministry during the Pandemic
Some years ago, the Lord was calling me to pastor in our Arabic community, it took me years seeking God for His confirmation to my calling. Sometime in Mid-2017 and through Pastor Gayle Hill, I was introduced to North Baptist church in Craigieburn. My wife Martha and I started attending the church and seek God’s confirmation to His calling to start the Arabic ministrys at the church.
Launch of Arabic Service – Martha Kaldas; Ros Pritchard (North Church Secretary); Michelle Mitchell; Samy Kaldas
In June 2018, I was locally ordained to start my pastoral role in the church. It was a good journey with ups and downs, encouragements and support from God, the pastoral team, Elders and the Arabic brothers and sisters, God has established the ministry so rapidly with joy and success.
Early days of the Arabic Service at North Church, Craigieburn
Due to the closure of the of the rented facility at Craigieburn, God moved the Arabic Ministry to Mill Park Baptist Church (MPBC). With this move, our ministry expanded beyond North of Melbourne to North East of Melbourne. On 1st March 2020, just a couple of weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit us here in Victoria, the Arabic Ministries started at MPBC.
Through God and the support and prayers from the MPBC pastoral team, elders and senior pastor Geoff Shepherd, we are expanded our Arabic Ministry online and reaches more people than before the pandemic. Our Facebook and YouTube online Sunday Arabic service reaches almost 2000 to 3000 people weekly with almost 1,200 to 1,500 regularly watching the service, from Victoria, Australia, and other parts of the world.
Our ministry extends out from the main service on Sundays, through to prayers meetings every day. The ladies meet twice a week; Sunday school runs once a week; youth and young adults meet twice a week, and a bible study group meet once a week.
My wife Martha puts in huge efforts, praying, preparing for the ladies meeting, Sunday school and pastoral care for women. She resigned from her work a year ago to support me in our Arabic Ministries. The Lord has also appointed a lot of brothers and sisters in the Arabic congregation to get involved deeply on all these service. We are praying for God to grow us more to know and serve Him until He comes again.
We see the Covid19 pandemic as a very positive experience as it really grows the Arabic Ministries at MPBC beyond what we can imagine. One of the ladies recently requested that we keep the bible study meeting online as she cannot attend it on Fridays in the church – but she can attend it via zoom. She has never missed a zoom meeting and I am sure others have similar sentiments. I pray that once we are back to normal, we can still do the bible study at the church but also run the zoom meeting at the same time so any one can always join us.
We all see the positives of what God has allowed all of us to go through during this pandemic that we all sure it will pass on His great time, All praises to our Almighty God.
Samy Kaldas
Associate Pastor (Arabic Ministires)
Mill Park Baptist Church
Views from the Manse – Annie Watson
In 1850 or thereabouts John Watson and his wife Anne moved into the forest beside the Cudgee creek not far from Warrnambool. He was a stonemason and built ‘Haverhill’ house for his family. Over the years Annie presented him with nine children so the house was well filled and the couple had a tremendous impact on the area. John became a persuasive evangelist and, after being convinced of the need for adult Baptism formed the Cudgee Baptist Church.
But this is not about John Watson and his celebrated church where a revival in the 1860’s was so noteworthy that the Baptist Association sent the Rev William Poole to Warrnambool on a steamer to hold baptismal services at Cudgee and establish a church at Warrnambool.
No this is about his remarkable wife Annie.
She was a young wife when she arrived in Cudgee and lived there until her death in Nov 1906 aged 76 years and nine months.
She was greatly admired and respected by all. The women of the district were especially appreciative as she was their confidante, nurse and a midwife and for years delivered most of the children in the area.
She had nine children of her own and several of her descendants still live around Warrnambool.
Of the nine children I can only positively identify a couple and have not attempted to produce a complete genealogy. Most of the information comes from the gravestones in Warrnambool cemetery and these are not only old and hard to read but also have some confusing entries.
For example one headstone has an entry for a boy who died aged five that reads as if the woman entered below him was his wife.
On the headstone for John and Anne Watson we also have Grace Grant Watson who died on Jan 6th 1863 aged 3 years. Then in 1869 they had another daughter whom they also named Grace. She died in 1938 aged 69. At the time it was common to name a later child after one that died young but we would hesitate to do that today.
Although Annie had her own share of suffering it was in the care for others for which she is remembered.
Childbirth at the time was very dangerous. Births occurred naturally at home with no anaesthetics, no antiseptics, and no thought of surgical intervention. This resulted in a high mortality rate among both infants and mothers.
No doubt Annie had her share of sorrows with complications, miscarriages, stillbirths, and deaths but she also had the deep satisfaction of delivering dozens of healthy babies who grew up to be well and strong.
She shouldered an enormous responsibility and no doubt had an intense emotional response to the joys and sorrows of her calling.
By the time she died travel was becoming easier and with a local hospital being built in Warrnambool the possibility of accessing specialist support became a reality.
In 1871 the church presented John Watson with a buggy as a token of their esteem and one wonders if Annie ever used it to transport one of her charges to the Warrnambool hospital for some urgent medical assistance.
A growing ministry during the Pandemic
Some years ago, the Lord was calling me to pastor in our Arabic community, it took me years seeking God for His confirmation to my calling. Sometime in Mid-2017 and through Pastor Gayle Hill, I was introduced to North Baptist church in Craigieburn. My wife Martha and I started attending the church and seek God’s confirmation to His calling to start the Arabic ministrys at the church.
Launch of Arabic Service – Martha Kaldas; Ros Pritchard (North Church Secretary); Michelle Mitchell; Samy Kaldas
In June 2018, I was locally ordained to start my pastoral role in the church. It was a good journey with ups and downs, encouragements and support from God, the pastoral team, Elders and the Arabic brothers and sisters, God has established the ministry so rapidly with joy and success.
Early days of the Arabic Service at North Church, Craigieburn
Due to the closure of the of the rented facility at Craigieburn, God moved the Arabic Ministry to Mill Park Baptist Church (MPBC). With this move, our ministry expanded beyond North of Melbourne to North East of Melbourne. On 1st March 2020, just a couple of weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit us here in Victoria, the Arabic Ministries started at MPBC.
Through God and the support and prayers from the MPBC pastoral team, elders and senior pastor Geoff Shepherd, we are expanded our Arabic Ministry online and reaches more people than before the pandemic. Our Facebook and YouTube online Sunday Arabic service reaches almost 2000 to 3000 people weekly with almost 1,200 to 1,500 regularly watching the service, from Victoria, Australia, and other parts of the world.
Our ministry extends out from the main service on Sundays, through to prayers meetings every day. The ladies meet twice a week; Sunday school runs once a week; youth and young adults meet twice a week, and a bible study group meet once a week.
My wife Martha puts in huge efforts, praying, preparing for the ladies meeting, Sunday school and pastoral care for women. She resigned from her work a year ago to support me in our Arabic Ministries. The Lord has also appointed a lot of brothers and sisters in the Arabic congregation to get involved deeply on all these service. We are praying for God to grow us more to know and serve Him until He comes again.
We see the Covid19 pandemic as a very positive experience as it really grows the Arabic Ministries at MPBC beyond what we can imagine. One of the ladies recently requested that we keep the bible study meeting online as she cannot attend it on Fridays in the church – but she can attend it via zoom. She has never missed a zoom meeting and I am sure others have similar sentiments. I pray that once we are back to normal, we can still do the bible study at the church but also run the zoom meeting at the same time so any one can always join us.
We all see the positives of what God has allowed all of us to go through during this pandemic that we all sure it will pass on His great time, All praises to our Almighty God.
Samy Kaldas
Associate Pastor (Arabic Ministires)
Mill Park Baptist Church
Source: BUV News
20-20 Vision
What is our role as ‘future leader-shapers’? What should be education’s aim? Surely we must go beyond giving hope of likely post-Covid employment after graduating.