Harvest Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is our yearly Harvest Thanksgiving Service.  Whether you are a farmer, fisherman or neither  is irrelevant because harvest thanksgiving is about relying on God's provision.  Abraham had to rely on God for a son. He learned the hard way to trust that God will provide.

Genesis 22:7-8 NLTse
 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together

One tough lesson that God has taught me over the years is that he will always provide for my needs.
Every time  I begin to think "I don't know how I can afford to...." God says trust me!

ME "God I don't know if I can afford to quit my job and study full-time"
God "Trust me!"
Result: God is faithful and we have all we need.

Me "God I don't know if I can afford to work as an intern for no money"
God "Trust me!"
Result: God is faithful and we have all we need.

Me "God I don't know if I can afford to sell my new house and move to the country"
God "Trust me!"
Result: God is faithful and we have all we need.

Me "God I don't know how we can afford as a church to buy our own property"
God "Trust me"
Result: God is faithful and we have all we need.

It takes faith to trust in God's provision but the more we trust him, the more he comes through. The more he comes through for us the more we know we can trust him.

God's provision is hard because it requires faith from us.
If it does not require faith then is it God's provision?

Matthew 6:33 NLTse
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Opening Service

We the Copper Coast Baptist Church are a young church - we began as a congregation in 2007.  However, the history of a church comes not just from the present group of people but all those who have gone before them to pave the way.

The first Baptist Church in the Copper Coast held its first service in January 1865 so this year we celebrate 150 years of a Baptist presence in the Copper Coast.

Last year was the 100th anniversary of this building and Graham Burgan, Pastor of the Kadina Church of Christ has kindly given us a gift to represent that event. The commemorative trowel which was presented by the builders “Chandlers and Co” to celebrate the laying of the foundation stone.

We as a church have come a long way since our early beginnings 8 years ago. We began by meeting in homes, other churches and school premises within the community. We have faced obstacles and difficulties but we have grown stronger as we rely on God and his direction and provision for us as his followers.

One year ago we as the Copper Coast Baptist Church had no indication that we would be here today. We had no savings and no assets (other than our people). We had a block of land that belonged to the Baptist Churches of South Australia through a legacy from Minlaton Baptist Church but we had no funds to build on it.  God has certainly performed a miracle in 2014.  

This building could not have come about for us had it not been for the legacy of the Minlaton, Peterborough and Jamestown Baptist Churches.  Demographics may have shifted away from these towns but the legacy of these faithful congregations will live on in the work of the Copper Coast Baptist Church.  The Baptist mission statement is “Together in Mission” and we are a testament to that statement.

We also wish to thank Baptist Financial Services and Greg Thomas for all his help in securing the finances to fit out the building. We are very grateful for their ministry support.

We now have a place to call home and to serve the community from. This building is our home base but it is only a building, it is a tool for serving God in the community and we look forward to all the new ways in which we will participate in the community in the Copper Coast. 

                                                Mayor Paul Thomas speaking at the opening service

                                                                    More Pictures here

New Year 2015

Today is the first day of a new year.  A day when people tend to make resolutions that they struggle to keep.  I don't have anything I want to quit or anything that if I am honest I could commit to doing for a whole year.  So this year I resolve to do 1 thing! To be fair I am cheating because I do this one already but it is the only resolution I will keep!

I will listen to God!!!!!

That sounds simple doesn't it? Well ..... Yes and NO.
When we just add "God told me" to whatever we want to do then it is easy.  If we truly choose to do what is asked of us it is tough - just ask Adam (he failed), Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, Jonah (he failed first but gave in and did it God's way), Moses ("go to Pharaoh?  and say what?") And there are so many more examples.

So here is my resolution

I will quieten myself to hear His still small voice!

I will take time to discern where He is guiding me.

I will take time to discern what He wants me to do in ministry this year.

I will take time to ask for His leading in all the major aspects of my life.

I will seek confirmation of His leading  from His word, from wise elders and from my family.

I will accept His choices for me and follow them no matter the cost.

Who is in?

Who will join me and make this a year of the unbroken resolution? Let us together seek God and do that which is hard, uncomfortable and right.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all,

This is not always a happy time of year for everyone, some of us may have lost loved ones or experienced family break downs. The news is seldom happy and mankind seems to always be at war. The world is broken and messy.

Jesus was born into a world in turmoil - occupation by foreign forces , a  narcissistic king ruling the people and poverty, fear and hopelessness was common place. Jesus knows what pain is like, Mary and Joseph knew what gossip felt like, the shepherds understood the struggle to survive and the wise men knew how difficult it was to wait patiently for God’s leading.

Into this broken messy world came Jesus, Emmanuel “God with us”. God entered our pain, he lived it and he experienced it. He knows our struggles and pain and hurt. Our God is not some distant engineer tinkering with his machine. He is Emmanuel! “God is with us” and wants to guide us in our daily lives. 

I pray that no matter the situation you find yourself in this Christmas, that you find a way to experience “Emmanuel” God with us, the God of hope, joy, love and of restoration (peace).

God is restoring this broken up world one person at a time.

May the God of Peace and Restoration bless you this Christmas. 

Pastor Markus Schmid

Christmas and pain

Here is a link to another Great post by Melinda Cousins on Christmas.

Some questions about......

Grief

I recently read this article 10-things-you-should-say-to-a-grieving-person I beleive we all need to be better at this. So please take the time to read the article and the companion piece 10 things you should say to a grieving person .

Almost there!

The renovations on our new building are progressing very well and we are on schedule to be ready for our first service. This Sunday 23 November is our last service in the Cornerstone Stadium. Sunday 30 November we will begin meeting in our new premises at 65 Owen Terrace Wallaroo.  We would love to see you there feel free to pop in for a visit. We will have an official opening in February 2015 so stay tuned for details.