This April, as you prepare your heart and mind to celebrate Easter, we pray that you'll be encouraged and draw closer to our Saviour through this special devotion series "Before the Cross". Every week, we'll feature inspiring messages from BUV leaders and this week, you'll hear from Daniel Bullock, BUV Director of Mission & Ministries, who encourages us to be together on mission as Easter People.
Week 4: Easter People
Daniel Bullock, BUV Director of Mission & Ministries
Every year, Crossway LifeCare organises community Christmas dinners for their participants. These are people experiencing significant life challenges in their local area who have been referred to LifeCare's services which include domestic violence recovery, counseling, financial mentoring, and community mentoring.
This year, 174 participants in total attended two community Christmas dinners where they enjoyed performances from a live band, and participated in events such as the air guitar contest, face painting, nativity photo shoot (dress up in a nativity scene), craft table, bouncy castle, balloon artist. Box Hill Community Choir also performed at one of the dinner.
Our Crossway community donated many Christmas gifts for the families. Each family also received a gift voucher to help them get through the Christmas season.
"I didn't think my children and I were going to make it to the dinner on the day. We pushed ourselves to finally get there and we've just had such a wonderful time. This is my best Christmas ever! Thank you so much." – single parent from LifeCare's Women's Centre.
From a Community Mentoring mentor who attended with the person she is mentoring:
I want to say how good these LifeCare Christmas Dinners have been for the participants. It was very well organised with great attention to detail. The young woman who gave the Gospel talk was exceptional I felt. The meal was beautiful, the live band good and the service so willingly given by so many people.
From Matt Jones, LifeCare Community Team Leader:
We weren't just setting out to put on a couple of well-run events here. Our aim was to really engage with people, to meet them where they are at and to hopefully give them a real experience of peace, joy, hope and love this Christmas. We had 30 to 40 volunteers at each event, many who simply sat with and intentionally connected with people over the meal. It has been really encouraging to see and hear their overwhelmingly positive responses.
For many years Wodonga & District Baptist Church has been recording their sermons in both audio and video and making them available online. Since the COVID-19 meeting restrictions, Senior Pastor David Hodgens and team, like many other churches, have been pre-recording their worship services and the congregation is encouraged to watch at the usual service time on a Sunday. Small groups are meeting online and other expressions of contact include sms, email and phone calls during the week so that the church community remains connected to one another.
One concern has been for those who do not have internet access, particularly in relation to Sunday services. This is where the local Christian radio station comes in! Albury Wodonga’s own listener-supported Christian radio station, 98.5FM The Light, is now broadcasting Wodonga Baptist’s service each Sunday at 10.30am. “This is just one of the many stories where we have seen God’s hand at work. This is a hard time for everyone, however, we continue to be encouraged by the high level of engagement and the stories we hear on a regular basis. God has his plans. We may not know what they are, but we can see he is in control” said Church Administrator, Steve Stokes.
This April, as you prepare your heart and mind to celebrate Easter, we pray that you'll be encouraged and draw closer to our Saviour through this special devotion series "Before the Cross". Every week, we'll feature inspiring messages from BUV leaders and this week, you'll hear from Daniel Bullock, BUV Director of Mission & Ministries, who encourages us to be together on mission as Easter People.
Week 3: Easter People
Daniel Bullock, BUV Director of Mission & Ministries
It was a balmy summers evening at the gathering of the CAROLS IN THE PARK community event on December 14th 2019. The crowd slowly built up and by the end of the night was estimated to be about 6000 people. This was an amazing number when you consider that this represents about one third of the number of residents who live in North Balwyn! The carols committee, a sub group of the North Balwyn Interchurch Council, had a vision to lift the name of Jesus in their community.
North Balwyn Baptist Church has, for several decades, been the driving force behind this outreach program. As part of the set up on the day there were tents with food, face painting, a prayer tent, a charity tent, an outreach book tent and much more.
The program included soloists, choirs, a nativity scene procession, prayers, Bible readings and a short gospel message by Rev. Graeme Prentice of North Balwyn Baptist Church. The night ended with a fireworks display. There was a fantastic community feel as families of all ages and nationalities mingled, played, sang and worshipped Jesus together.
Some of the highlights included:
We are so grateful for those who sponsored the event. There was a time early on in the planning that we felt that we may have to cancel for this year. It has grown so much over the years that the burden of planning on a small volunteer group was getting too much. But thanks to the sponsors and renewed support of the local Churches we were able to employ an event planner that made it possible to proceed. We praise God for his provision and for the 1000’s gathered to celebrate the birth of our saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Written by:
Frank Rosenfeldt (Sec.) and Graeme Prentice (Pres.)
North Balwyn Baptist Church
Earlier on in the year, the BUV informed our church leadership about the ongoing hardships the local businesses in the East Gippsland region were experiencing, due to the devastating bushfires. Hearing about this truly broke our hearts, and we all felt we needed to help these communities out in a small way. So, a group of approximately 20 people from our congregation took the opportunity to travel to the East Gippsland region during the March long weekend (before the current COVID-19 restrictions came into place), visiting the local cafes, restaurants and accommodation sites to assist them financially.
Our first stop on Saturday was brunch in Bairnsdale where we split into two groups to ‘The Old Grain Store’ and ‘Metung Hotel’. There, we were advised that one of the towns hit hardest financially was a town called Bruthen. So we decided to visit this town. When we arrived there, some of us had lunch at 'Bull Ant Brewery' and some had afternoon tea at ‘Bruthen Bakery’. The staff there really appreciated our efforts to come down here to help them out in this time of need.
In the afternoon, we all checked into our motels at Lakes Entrance, splitting our accommodation arrangements over several different businesses. Our next stop was to go see the bushfire affected sites in the area. Although we were very saddened by witnessing the remains of many burnt down trees, the new sprouts emerging from the trees gave a sense of hope that the bushland will recover and be fruitful once again. Our last stop for the day was Lakes Pizza, where we had a delicious dinner.
On Sunday we started off by attending the Lake Entrance Baptist Church service. We were warmly welcomed by Pastor Michael & the church congregation. After the service we shared tea and coffee with leaders and members of the church. It was amazing to hear from one leader of the church that in the midst of all the damages and hardship caused by the bush fires, they are still praying and asking for God’s guidance to plant a church in Orbost, one of the bushfire affected areas. We are glad that we helped the church community by contributing our tithes and offerings.
After church we decided to go to Orbost to have lunch where once again we split in to two groups for two different cafes. We then visited another bushfire affected area in Orbost. It was devastating to see how the bushfires have affected the whole area and the environment.
After the visit to Orbost, we returned to Lakes Entrance. That evening, as a church family we all had a great time over dinner at “Nick’s Café and Authentic Thai Restaurant”. We stayed one more evening before heading home on Monday .Throughout the whole visit we were encouraged and amazed of the church’s faith in God and the spirit of rebuilding the bushfire affected areas again.
In 2016 we celebrated and acknowledged the service of Cath Solomon to the Indigenous people of Gippsland and her work over many years with the Baptist Union of Victoria.
A service of recognition and thanks was held at Lakes Entrance Baptist Church with family and friends from the Gippsland area and beyond attending to Acknowledge ‘Aunty Cath’s’ faithful and fruitful service.
This April, as you prepare your heart and mind to celebrate Easter, we pray that you'll be encouraged and draw closer to our Saviour through this special devotion series "Before the Cross". Every week, we'll feature inspiring messages from BUV leaders and this week, you'll hear from Daniel Bullock, BUV Director of Mission & Ministries, who encourages us to be together on mission as Easter People.
Week 2: Easter People
Daniel Bullock, BUV Director of Mission & Ministries
On a warm summer morning, we meet Pastor Glenn Koh at a ‘building site’. The café down the road is open, but we decide to chat amongst the clamour of hammers and screw drivers, overlooking unfinished surfaces and frequently needing to pause until the saw has done its job. It is the site of Pathway Baptist Church(PBC). It is the site of growth and the evidence of a church that is flourishing together as family. The noise doesn’t deter him. He is an enthusiastic man with kind and wise eyes.
Glenn speaks purposefully with excitement, “I always encourage people to be part of a building project in their church life because you can see God at work.” He is buoyed by the faith of the people around him who are hopeful for the ways that the new PBC extension building will minister to the Bulleen community. This is where Glenn has put down roots and has committed to cultivating the soil. A place completely unknown to Glenn in his formative years, and even unexpected in his adult years.
At the age of seven, Glenn was selling newspapers on the streets of Singapore. Every secondary school holiday, he sold biscuits door-to-door. One particular day he started with his usual line. “I am selling biscuits to help finance my own education.” However, the potential customer immediately responded with, “You wait! You wait!” Glenn stood at the door as the man fetched his own son from within the house. Using Glenn as an example and a moral lesson, he said, “Look at this boy! He has to work!” A packet of biscuits would sell for $3.20, which would earn Glenn 40 cents, but this man handed over ten dollars and said, “I don’t want your biscuits. You keep the ten dollars.” As Glenn recounts the story from his childhood, he laughs, “I will always remember this. I met so many customers, but I only remember him because he was so kind to me. Kindness always leaves a deep impression in people’s lives.” Kindness, as was shown to him is now a mark of his own life and ministry.
Glenn’s buoyant outlook belies a tough childhood. At just 10 months of age, Glenn’s father passed away, leaving his mother, without a welfare safety net, to care for him and his five older siblings. Tragically, his mother passed away when Glenn was nine years old. His older sisters, still teenagers themselves, raised him and his three brothers, while holding the family of six siblings together. In his young years, Glenn’s was exposed to the gospel through church people singing in his housing estate. But, it was through a friend’s invitation to a Scripture Union Camp that fifteen-year-old Glenn first experienced a Christian community. His curiosity at their kindness led him to explore faith more deeply and within six months he had decided to follow Jesus. “If my friend didn’t bring me to church, I might be a drug addict. I was surrounded with good people from a young age and that helped me understand how the Church was such a good environment for me and set me on the right path.”
Soon after his decision to follow Christ, Glenn attended a mission conference. More than 35 years on, Glenn recalls with clarity the challenge delivered to the conference delegates. “The God we worship is worthy to be made known.” This challenge moved Glenn onto the next step of obedience. By his mid-twenties, Glenn was serving through Operation Mobilisation in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan. Although not knowing it at the time, these two precious years were preparing Glenn for the challenges of cross-cultural ministry that would imbue him as a pastor in Melbourne.
With the support of his home church in Singapore, Glenn began studies at the Bible College of Victoria (now Melbourne School of Theology) in 1996. He then continued in post-graduate studies at Ridley College. His original plan was to return to Singapore, however, Glenn became a youth pastor at Evangelical Community Church in Blackburn South, a role he held for six years. Then, in 2007, Glenn established Sonlife Community Church, which amalgamated with Bulleen Baptist in 2016 to become Pathway Baptist Church – two culturally distinct congregations which have become one family.
Glenn reflects on his life of living in different cultures. While serving with OM, “food wise, there were no challenges. I could sleep anywhere, I could talk to anybody. My OM cross-cultural experience prepared me as a pastor.” However, being Singaporean in Australia, there are deeper and more challenging cultural distinctives. Australians have very firm personal boundaries. But, Asian culture doesn’t say, “It’s your day off, I won’t call you!” Glenn is well suited to this pastoral work, as he is imminently relaxed and prepared to give time to those who need it.
However, this begs the question, how does he find rest and rejuvenation when always on call? Glenn pulls out his watch to reveal his answer. That morning he walked for two hours. In fact, he walks for two hours every morning. On hot days he will head out early. The rain doesn’t deter him. There are no excuses. While walking he spends one-on-one time with God. He listens to sermons, listens to music, formulates sermons. His daily discipline helps him to remain vital in his work. He acknowledges that his leadership of twelve years in the church is at times a struggle, and commitment to the work can be tough. But, he is keen to rebuild an old adage. He says with conviction, “The grass is greener where you water it. Stay put, grow roots and cultivate.”
Glenn is passionate about sowing seeds of the gospel and kindness in people’s lives. But, there are also times Glenn has been able to reap. Recently he baptized an 86-year-old lady. “I cannot imagine getting credit just because I preached one right message. Can you imagine how many people ahead of me have sown seeds in her life?” In this own life, Glenn is keen to acknowledge the kindness that has been sown in his life – those who have gone beyond what is expected. The ones who have taken on the role of nurturer, extended an invitation, given generously and supported his learning.
The diverse family at Pathway is partly a reflection of its pastor. However, for all the training and varied experiences that have helped to shape Glenn, he is quick to acknowledge what draws together God’s people in Bulleen. “We have a 102-year-old and teenagers in our congregation. It is important to always go back to God’s word. Preach God’s word. It is timeless. We don’t have to contextualize until we lose the distinctive truth, as truth is always relevant.” Pastor Glenn is leading his congregation to sow the gospel – a timeless gospel transcending cultures and generations. As he sits amongst the unfinished walls and delights in the progress around him, he offers encouragement to all who are in the midst of this gospel work. “Sow seeds and God will do the work.”