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 August 2014 |
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Welcome to the Vineyard!
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Thanks for reading our newsletter! This edition is mainly about our National Conference coming up from the Monday 29th September to Thursday 2nd October. There are so many new and exciting things happening at this year’s conference… brunch discussion groups, young adults activities (as well as the usual primary and youth activities), workshops applicable to both "congregational-model" churches and "missional community” churches and lots more. And we have three great topics: Welcoming God’s Presence Welcoming God’s People Welcoming God’s Purpose Even if you aren’t a part of a Vineyard Church, we would love you to come along! The annual Vineyard Conference is for all people. ( Click on the photo above to go to the conference web page or go to www.vineyard.org.au) |
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Welcoming God’s Presence, People, and Purpose
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 The themes we are focusing on each day at the conference are so vitally important to us in the Vineyard.We long for the presence of God. Not because it is about us…it’s about him! We love Him, and want to be present with Him whenever we can. Let’s never cease to be a people who desire and seek the presence of God for us personally and corporately. Please pray that God will meet with us powerfully at the conference and in our churches.Also we want to welcome people of all types, shapes and sizes. We believe we have much to offer so many people. Yet Vineyard Churches in Australia continue to be a well-kept secret. Like Peter and John in Acts 3, let’s declare “No, look at us!” We have something you need. And we need Vineyard churches of all kinds to reach people of all types. Congregational style churches, missional communities, home churches are all church models we can employ to reach people. It doesn’t matter what your church looks like as long as it is committed to the vital functions of worship, community and mission. As we move on as a Movement it is imperative that we are strategic. We are not a club, or a charity, or a social phenomenon, we are the church of Jesus Christ, come to save and care for people! Let’s give our all to that call, and be deliberate, purposeful and strategic about being the church of God in a way that works hand-in-hand with being a Spirit-led and empowered Movement. These two don’t contradict each other. At the conference we will spend time looking at how we can be more deliberate about achieving Kingdom outcomes. Again, I hope we can see you there, Peter
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A Whole New World...
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 John and Naomi Bujeya, the new pastors at Westgate Vineyard Church (Williamstown, Vic.) write… It’s been just over a month now since Nay, Zoe, Abigail and myself made the move from the awesomeness that is Vineyard Pine Rivers to join the equally awesome folks at Westgate Vineyard. So far, to say we are enjoying our new church family, the new home, schools etc for us and our girls would be an understatement. We could never have imagined the smoothness with which we have encountered in the move. God’s hand has truly been leading and making provision for us the whole way. In particular we want to acknowledge and thank our wonderful new church family at Westgate. You have made this major move seem far less major and very natural in so many ways…thank you.
Sure we are missing our family and friends in Queensland (maybe the weather a bit too) but what we have gained here we feel is equal to what we left behind as we try to follow Jesus’ lead for our lives. It really is a whole new world down here though. When I say footy it means a completely different game; we are getting used to this thing called "dressing in layers”; we are trying to keep warm instead of cool and I have to wear shoes as a result! These are all very new things for us.
Yet the similarities are there too. The hearts of the people at Westgate is truly inspiring. There is an outstanding hunger for God here that is epitomised by a hunger for worship and the Word of God which leads to a great desire to experience His Presence. This is not just for Sunday at Westgate but rather flavours every aspect of people lives through the way they relate to each other and the world around them. We thank Peter and Kathy for such a solid foundation that they have built here at Westgate that really makes our job of leading it to the next phase of life so much easier. We are still excited and growing in excitement about being here and being part of all that God has planned for us all at Westgate Vineyard…it is an honour and a privilege to serve here.
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Looking for Cheap Conference Accommodation?
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Although a number of activities for our National Conference in Caloundra are based at the Breakfree Grand Pacific, you don’t have to stay there! It is great value at BGP, but here are some other alternatives that are even cheaper: Caloundra City Bacpackers Ph. 07 54997655 From $30 per night Caloundra Suncourt Motel Ph. 07 54911011 From $120 per night for 2 people Caloundra Big 4 Holiday Park Ph. 07 5491 1564 From $53 per person per night (2 people min)
Don’t forget the Conference Early Bird Registration ends 27th August
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Global Vineyard News...
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 David and Anita Ruis were commissioned as the new National Directors for Vineyard Canada on the last weekend of July. It is an exciting time for the Canadian Vineyards as they enter into a new phase of life.Please pray for David and Anita and the Canadian Vineyard.In July 2015 the USA Vineyard Movement will be hosting a Global Vineyard Celebration, inviting people from all over the world to come and celebrate what God is doing in and through the Vineyard around the world. Why not check it out, and come along for a wonderful time? Please pray for the Vineyard Churches of Brazil who are seeing some wonderful growth and church planting at present. There are wonderful stories of many churches being planted, literally along the Amazon River by Vineyard church planters and evangelists as they travel up and down the river. Please pray also for the Vineyard pastors in Kampala, Eva and Edward and their church. They returned home from the African Vineyard conference and found the government had sold their church, school and slum homes etc (without compensation) and destroyed their property.
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