Lyndelle Peterson Director of Sabbath School & Stewardship

Transcription

1 Sydney

2

3 Dear Church Leaders, Thank you for your willingness to share the offering appeals with your local congregation. It is a wonderful and gratifying responsibility. How you present these readings could determine how effective they are. Here are some suggestions you may want to consider before you share: Pray: Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that God will use your words to speak to the hearts of the congregation. Practice: Read over the appeal at least three times to familiarise yourself with it. Find key words (underline or highlight them) to emphasise throughout the reading. Strive to share these readings with excellence. Preparation: There may be times when other materials are sent to your local church to distribute or present along with the appeal. Please use them accordingly, and determine how they can be used most effectively. Present With Passion: Read slowly and clearly. It is an amazing responsibility to lead out the worship in giving. Fill your heart with the thoughts presented, and God will do the rest. For more information, any videos or graphics for specific offerings make sure to check disciple.org.au or Sydney. adventist/stewardship May God richly bless you and speak through you as we take this journey together in Lyndelle Peterson Director of Sabbath School & Stewardship

4 JANUARY 5 Local Budget 12 Local Budget 19 Education Budget 26 SPD Strategy: Discipleship of Adventist Youth FEBRUARY 2 Local Budget 9 Local Budget 16 Disaster & Famine Relief: Administered by Union 23 Local Budget MARCH 2 School Evangelism 9 GC Adventist World Radio 16 Local Budget 23 Auburn School Scholarships 30 Local Budget APRIL 6 Local Budget 13 Hope Channel 20 Local Budget 27 Local Budget MAY 4 South Pacific Record 11 Local Budget 18 SPD Strategy: Comprehensive Health Ministry 25 Wahroonga School Scholarship JUNE 1 Local Budget 8 Pacific Adventist University 15 Local Budget 22 Macarthur School Scholarship 29 Local Budget

5 JULY 6 Local Budget 13 World Mission Budget 20 Local Budget 27 Union Global Partnership Project: Timor-Leste & Laos AUGUST 3 Local Budget 10 SPD Strategy: Comprehensive Media Evangelism 17 Local Budget 24 Union Offering: Digital Media 31 Hurstville School Scholarships SEPTEMBER 7 Local Budget 14 Annual Sacrifice: Unusual Opportunities 21 Hills School Scholarships 28 Local Budget OCTOBER 5 ADRA Project within Australia 12 Local Budget 19 MVAC School Scholarships 26 Local Budget NOVEMBER 2 Local Budget 9 World Mission Budget: Unusual Opportunities 16 Local Budget 23 School Evangelism 30 Local Budget DECEMBER 7 SPD Strategy: Mission to the Cities 14 Local Budget 21 Fund for Needy 28 Local Budget

6 Local Budget 05 JAN But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV) The New Year is always a great opportunity to reflect on the way God has faithfully provided for us. We are blessed with new opportunities for ministry, new opportunities to share Jesus and new opportunities to serve Him. Today our offering is going toward the work of faith building ministries in our local Church. Let s trust God to take what we return to bless the ministries of our local Church. Dear God, as we trust You to take these offerings for the ministries in our local Church to build up the faith of others, I pray that our faith in You will be strengthened also. But a New Year also comes with its challenges. Can we trust God to provide for us? Can we trust God amidst continuing health problems, sickness or family challenges? Sometimes the year may start fresh but our problems and struggles carry over. Jeremiah talks about the blessing of those who trust in God. He likens this trust to trees that are planted by water, not fearing drought, heat or that they won t bear fruit, because they are rooted in good soil by fresh streams. In the same way, those who are firmly planted in Jesus have nothing to fear. Erosion. The gradual destruction or reduction of something. Just like erosion can inhibit a trees ability to grow, strong roots in good soil can have the opposite effect. As we face a new year and new challenges we have an opportunity to show our trust in God by being faithful with our giving. Our offerings are an outward expression of our faith in Him, to provide for our needs, to care for our worries and to strengthen us through difficult times.

7 Local Budget The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Deuteronomy 28:13 (NIV) IF the biggest little word. When the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness came to an end, Moses, because of his own disobedience, was prohibited from crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. Before he handed the leadership over to Joshua, Moses gave the Israelites some final words of reprimand! Deuteronomy 28 has the whole sermon for us and if you read through Moses words you ll notice that everything hinged on one of the most powerful little words in the English language - IF. IF you obey God will make you the greatest nation. IF you obey your towns and fields will be blessed. IF you obey your children and flocks will be blessed... the Lord will conquer your enemies the Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do! IF you obey Despite Moses pleas, the Israelites spent the next 500+ years in and out of slavery because of their disobedience. Over and over they succumbed to the cultural pressures around them, and soon became just like the other nations in many ways. Following their exile in Babylon, some returned under Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild the nation and entered a period of great enthusiasm for the Law, which by the time of Christ had become quite legalistic. Meaning they didn t recognize the significance of the cross when it came Faithful obedience is just legalism without the gospel. Our offering this morning will contribute to the ongoing ministries of our Church. Dear God, it s our prayer that you will use what we give this morning to bless our community through the ministries of our Church. Amen. 12 JAN

8 Education 19 JAN The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. Proverbs 18:15 (NIV) The beginning of a new year for our Adventist Schools in Greater Sydney is always marked with anticipation, excitement and hope for what is to come. In the book Education, Ellen White states that students should be thinkers and not mere reflectors of other men s thoughts and our teachers today continue to work towards making this a reality! Adventist Education is a real beacon in our local community. By supporting the work of Education with our generosity we can play a vital part in seeing more lives eternally impacted by our Adventist Schools system. Dear God, thank you for the gift of education, bless our staff, students and administrators who are impacting the lives of young people across Sydney. Amen. Our schools were initially started to educate Adventist kids, and now we see them as missional opportunities to reach our communities. In this sense we ve been almost too successful, where some schools we have about 10% of our students being Adventist. We also know, that for some of our Adventist families, an Adventist education is beyond their financial means, so we ve decided in Greater Sydney with our 6 Education Offerings a year, one each for each of our 6 schools, we want to donate all proceeds to be put into our Scholarship fund to provide scholarships for Adventist kids. Previously, our offerings were used to buy library resources, playground equipment, etc. for our schools which is great, but we believe our offerings should really focus on students, and giving them an opportunity to come to our schools. Our offering today is for education and goes to support the work of our schools across Sydney. Take some time to think and prepare for the school scholarship offerings that will come up later in the year, it s a great opportunity to support Adventist kids in Adventist schools.

9 South Pacific Division Strategy: Discipleship of Adventist Youth Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) Do you remember receiving your first Bible? Perhaps it was at your Baptism or a gift from family or friends. Do you remember the excitement you felt, the fresh pages ready to be opened and explored? A Bible just of your own, to write personal thoughts and feelings in, or a Bible you could use to share promises with someone else! Across the South Pacific Division there are thousands of Adventist young people that are willing and ready to share their faith if they only had the resources. Today s offering will aid in resourcing youth groups right across the South Pacific Division to engage their friends with Bibles, reading guides and training that will empower them to reach the nearly 12 Million youth and young adults across the South Pacific who currently do not know Jesus as their personal Saviour and friend. This offering will help to purchase and distribute World Changer Bibles, and accompanying study guides to every student attending every Adventist school in the South Pacific, equipping them to share the gospel. 26 JAN Dear God, may the Bibles purchased with our offerings today have a powerful impact in seeing more young people come into a relationship with Jesus. Amen.

10 Local Church Budget 02 FEB Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4 (NIV) Ever tried using a vacuum cleaner without first plugging it in? What about a toaster or a kettle? Or maybe you ve been stuck with a dead phone battery because you didn t realise the charger wasn t plugged in overnight. When we give, we take ownership of our local church and we invest in what s happening within our community. Dear God, thank You that through our connection with Jesus we can see the fruit of ministry in our church. Take this money and use it for Your glory. Amen. (Consider sharing an illustration of a time when you ve forgotten to plug something in.) Connection is important. Jesus shared this parable with His disciples to illustrate how important it was for us to be connected to Him. Just like a grapevine, fruit tree or flowering plant, we can t bear fruit unless the branch is connected with the rest of the plant! Our offering today is to support the growing of fruit by providing for the ministries in our local church. When we are connected to Jesus giving becomes a joy because we understand the connection between our generosity and the fruit that can be produced in the lives of others. But we cannot feel a sense of generosity unless we are connected to the One from whom all blessings come!

11 Local Church Budget Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26 (NIV) Swallows can fly over 11,000 km without a chart, compass or radio beam and land at the place they left six months before. Spiders can make a silken rope, creating materials in their own chemical laboratory, very fine but strong enough for their own transport through the air. Beavers are engineers, constructing without the aid of tools, cement or precision instruments, bridges, tunnels, roadways, canals and dams that last for years. Bees, wasps and ants solve their housing problems by building well-ventilated, weatherproof, well-designed and practical apartment houses. Young squid travel by jet propulsion. They swim by pumping water through tubes along their thin, streamlined bodies. When pursued, they can gather great speed, and they always jet backwards. When they gets going fast enough, they can set their fins at an angle and take off into the air. Squid have been seen to fly as far as 55 metres with one takeoff, leaving foes far behind. God, in His wisdom, created each of these animals with the special abilities they need in order to live and thrive because He cares about their needs. How much more does He care and provide for us? Each day we can list the many different blessings that we encounter. As we worship through giving we have an opportunity to use God s provision for His glory. Today s offering will support the local ministry of our church; let s give an appreciation of how our Creator God supplies for all our needs. Dear God, thank You for the way that You take care of Your creation. Help us to trust You more. Amen. 09 FEB

12 Disaster & Famine Relief Administered by Union Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17 (NIV) Every year, disasters like the Australian drought and Indonesian tsunami leave thousands of children, women and men stranded. They often need safe shelter, enough food to eat, clean drinking water, physical safety and the ability to rebuild their lives. And they can t do this without our help. Today, by supporting this Disaster and Famine Relief Offering, you will enable ADRA to respond to disasters as soon as they happen. In Australia, your offering will help deliver emergency accommodation and crisis assistance to people in need, while overseas it will help provide food, shelter, medical help and other basic needs to those affected. 16 FEB Your gift today will also help communities in Australia and around the world prepare for disasters to prevent lives and livelihoods from being lost. Thank You, Lord, for being a God of grace and mercy. Please open our hearts today to those who need hope in times of distress. Amen.

13 Local Church Budget In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 (NIV) Living in a big city like Sydney with a fast-paced, high-tech society can make it difficult to find the time, space and energy to connect with nature. Everything we have, our homes, parks, workplaces, beaches, mountains, trees and fields comes from our Creator God. Our very lives, our health, our intellect come from His creative power. In the book Education, Ellen White writes, The world has had its great teachers, men of giant intellect and extensive research, men whose utterances have stimulated thought and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these men have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race; but there is One who stands higher than they. We can trace the line of the world s teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of our solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gleam of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world. Jesus is not only Creator He s also Lord of all. But is He Lord of my life? Every part of my life, not just the parts that I m willing to give? Each time we worship through giving we are proclaiming over and over that Jesus is Lord of our lives. Our offering today will help run the ministries of our local church. Let God use you as a blessing to the ministry in our church. Dear God, help us recognise today that You are Lord of all and ruler of our lives. Amen. 23 FEB

14 School Evangelism 02 MAR I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:35 (NIV) In Greater Sydney Conference we have six Adventist schools that make up our education system. A high percentage of those who attend our Adventist schools are from non-adventist homes. Jesus words in John 4:35 remind us to open our eyes to the opportunity that is around us to spread the gospel. School evangelism through your offering will grow and nurture parents and students into God s kingdom. Our Adventist schools are a field waiting to be harvested, and we are just desperate for resources to put behind the harvest. What better place to share Jesus than with the many non-christian parents that are happy to have their children learn maths, English, science and Bible in our schools, as well as hearing the gospel message on a daily basis? Today s offering will help to provide resources and opportunities for outreach in our schools through friendship evangelism, parenting workshops, Beyond DVDs, relationship building of parent networks and many other opportunities. Dear God, thank You for the way You are working evangelistically in our schools. May Adventist education continue to be a beacon in our communities. Amen.

15 Adventist World Radio How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:14 (NIV) Adventist World Radio is filling a unique role on the frontlines of church outreach. Radio waves carry the gospel to places where church workers would otherwise have a very difficult time entering, and people are listening! From North Africa and Sudan, to Bangladesh and China, people are hearing of God s love for the first time through Adventist World Radio programs, and they are responding with testimonies of transformed lives. One new believer in Ethiopia wrote, I found your station accidentally. After listening to your programs for the last two years, I started to go to church. My life is changing gradually. I would like to tell you that many people are listening to your programs. God bless you! Adventist World Radio programs can be heard in more than 100 languages through shortwave, local AM/FM radio, podcasts and social media. These broadcasts bypass harsh governments and hostile cultures, bringing hope directly into people s homes and hearts. But there are still millions of listeners who cannot hear the message of salvation in a language they can understand. *Regularly, the GC receives a portion of offerings received via the divisions and it redistributes the funds to mission projects and institutions. AWR is included in that list. Additional offerings for AWR may be given at any time in a marked envelope. With your help, Adventist World Radio can keep adding new languages and reach ever farther into untouched territories. Dear God, thank You for the many platforms through which we can reach the world for You! Amen. 09 MAR

16 Local Church Budget For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 (NIV) Do you ever feel like you don t have the capacity to give? Perhaps you re a student that has a limited income, a stay-at-home parent, a retiree on a pension, between jobs or a child that doesn t get pocket money. Adventists have many beliefs that are unique to us. One of those is systematic benevolence. Systematic benevolence is a system set up in the early days of Adventism by our pioneers. Early in the movement, itinerant preachers were struggling to put food on their tables as they travelled around spreading the Advent message. After much prayer and Bible study, a commission put together by J.N. Andrews in Battle Creek, Michigan recommended the practice of systematic benevolence based on 1 Cor. 16:1-2. This was especially important as the U.S. was about to go into an economic crisis that would greatly affect Adventist believers. 16 MAR Let s make a decision today to give systematically and regularly so that we can have a bigger impact for God through our church! Dear God, thank You for Your generosity to us. Help us to be faithful in our giving! Amen. The practice of systematic benevolence is putting aside a regular amount in proportion to what you receive. So each person gives in accordance with what they receive because stewardship is about the heart of the believer, not about money. This system allowed the early Adventist church to share the advent message with believers all over the world. Through a systematic process of giving we are able to do ministry on a greater scale than those early pioneers could have ever imagined. Our offering today will contribute to our local church ministry.

17 Auburn School Scholarship Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lied down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV) There are two ways you can help: 1. Give! Remember that every donation above $2 is tax deductible. 2. Tell family and friends about the scholarships, and encourage them to apply for school starting Adventist Education has been operating in Auburn for over 100 years. The experience students gain at the school has left a lasting impression throughout the community and beyond, providing a well-rounded approach with a focus on God and Christ-like values and equipping students with life skills and the knowledge to be contributing members of society. This week s offering will go into our scholarship fund to provide scholarships to families that attend Sydney Adventist School Auburn, giving them an opportunity to participate fully in our schools. Success is achieved in inches, not miles, so every little cent counts. Together we can make a difference and empower our schools in Sydney. Dear God, thank You for Your divine provision. We don t take it for granted. Amen 23 MAR

18 Local Church Budget 30 MAR Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it... Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV) Each time we take part in the collection we are reflecting and recognising the generous image of God in which we are created. Dear God, remind us today that we are created in Your generous image. Amen. Genesis tells us that we are created in God s image. This is something unique to humanity! What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Do we have similar characteristics? Is it the capacity to love? The Creation account shows how a generous Creator God desired to lavish love and blessings upon His creation. Perhaps in the context of stewardship this also means being created in God s generous image. Perhaps the relationship between Adam and Eve was also an example of being created in God s image. He created us to live in relationship, just like God Himself lives in relationship. Through God s life-giving power, parents bring children into the world and learn to love them like God loves us. We learn to love our spouses, children, family, friends and coworkers, but above and beyond that, God calls us to love the stranger on the street, the difficult person, the unlovable. As a community of faith we are to be the love of God to those around us. Through the generous return of our offerings to the local church budget we are able to do this more effectively.

19 Local Church Budget So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV) Priorities. What takes up most of our time, thoughts and talents? For most of us it would be our work. We work to live, to survive, to keep a roof over our heads, to feed our families, to pay the bills. Jesus emphasised throughout His ministry that three things have supreme importance: loving God with all our hearts, loving our neighbours and seeking after God s kingdom. If this is our focus, God promises that all else will fall into place. Our Creator knows all about us; He knows what we need better than we know ourselves. Does this mean that things will go easy for us? That we can give up our jobs and just wait for God to provide? Jesus is our ultimate example, and His time on Earth was less than easy. But God does assure that those who seek His kingdom will ultimately get kingdom rewards, and we will have what we truly need salvation through Jesus. As we give to our local budget this morning, be reminded that God promises to provide for all our needs. 06 APR Dear God, may we not worry about tomorrow, but seek Your kingdom today and live by Your promises. Amen.

20 Hope Channel 13 APR He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15 (NIV) What if I told you that your offerings this morning would have a global impact? This is exactly what the media ministry of Hope Channel is currently achieving! Each year thousands of viewers all over the world experience life-changing journeys, from watching broadcasts to baptisms. There are currently 50+ Hope Channel affiliates around the world broadcasting in Your support for Hope Channel will provide much-needed resources for this global evangelistic media ministry. Dear God, thank You for the work of Hope Channel. We pray for its leaders, presenters, staff and viewers. Amen. more than 60 languages, and many individuals are coming into a saving relationship with Jesus because of the Hope Channel ministry. Just last spring, Pastor Mark Finley and his wife, Teenie, conducted Revelation of Hope evangelistic meetings in Mwanza, Tanzania. These meetings were broadcast by Hope Channel Tanzania to over 4,500 sites across the country. The impact of the meetings increased exponentially because they were able to increase their reach and as a result, more than 22,600 people were baptised! *Regularly, the GC receives a portion of offerings received via the divisions, and it redistributes the funds to mission projects and institutions. Hope Channel is included in that list. Additional offerings for Hope Channel may be given at any time in a marked envelope.

21 Local Church Budget For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV) What happened on the cross that Friday afternoon? It depends on whom you ask! The religious leaders would say that a rebel blasphemer got what He deserved. The Romans might say that they had never crucified someone like that before, but they needed to keep the peace. Onlookers might say a good man and famous teacher was killed. John, the disciple, may say he lost his Best Friend. Dr. Angel Rodríguez paints a profound picture: On that Friday afternoon, God reached deep down into His own heart and then down through the ages and placed an exquisite offering, that of His Only Begotten Son, as a gift to you and to me, on the cosmic offering plate the cross! Each time we give an offering we are reminded of the ultimate sacrifice. But our small contributions seem insignificant when compared to what Jesus gave up for us. However, our offerings are not insignificant; they have purpose, they enable more people to know of the great love that Jesus has for us, they remind us of His generous love and they help us keep our eyes on what s truly important in life. As we take time this Easter weekend to reflect on the greatest gift, the ultimate sacrifice, let s give generously in response to what God has done for us so that others may have the precious gift of salvation. Our offering today will support our local ministry, the on-theground work of spreading the gospel in our own backyard. Dear Lord, we thank You for Your goodness to us. May we not worry about tomorrow, but seek Your kingdom today, and live by Your promises. In Jesus name, Amen. 20 APR

22 Local Church Budget 27 APR And now, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NIV) Our offering today supports the expenses of the South Pacific Adventist Record, a valuable tool in keeping our far-reaching church family connected. Dear God, we ask that You continue to bless the work of the Adventist Record and that Your Holy Spirit will grow us stronger as a church each day. Amen As Paul writes to the Corinthian church he uses the Macedonian church as an example of generosity even in the midst of hardship. Tough financial times can often make it hard to give. The Macedonian church was only able to give generously in the midst of their poverty because they gave themselves first of all to the Lord God is not interested in our money; He is interested in our hearts. When we give ourselves to the Lord first we are making a declaration that He is the Lord of our life and that all we have is His; generosity is the outworking of that. As fallen humans we are selfish by nature. In order to be unselfish and give generously to God and others, we need to give ourselves to Jesus first. When we do that, we will become more like Him and be better stewards of His good gifts. The Macedonians figured that out, and so can we. Let us take time each day to give ourselves to God first, asking Him to make us more like Him.

23 South Pacific Record And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) ensure that we can continue to tell our stories, connect our family and share our hope. We are blessed to be part of a broader church community that spans across Sydney, Australia, the South Pacific and beyond. Did you know? Adventist Record is more than a magazine that informs, inspires and nurtures church members across the South Pacific. As well as the print magazine you ve always known and loved, Adventist Record is now a website that s updated daily, dynamic Facebook and Twitter pages and inspirational videos all to serve you in more ways and more places. Adventist Record has been spotted in diverse settings, from prisons in PNG to marketplaces in Solomon Islands to fruit stalls in Cook Islands, and of course the magazines find their way into churches all throughout our Pacific region. But all of this is only possible through your continued support. By giving to the Adventist Record offering you Our offering today supports the expenses of the South Pacific Adventist Record, a valuable tool in keeping church family connected. Dear God, we ask that You continue to bless the work of the Adventist Record and that Your Holy Spirit will grow us stronger as a church each day. Amen 04 MAY

24 Local Church Budget 11 MAY Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV) A story is told of two glasses filled with water from a large container. The water of one glass is used for a sip of water here, watering a pot of plants there, topping up the fish bowl, etc. This glass is emptied each time in these life-giving Our offering this morning contributes to our local church ministry expenses. Dear God, remind us today that our receiving capacity is directly linked to our giving capacity. Amen. ways and has its water replenished each time so it can keep on giving. The water in the other glass remains unused. It collects dust, insects and becomes stale and useless. It can never receive fresh water because it has never given any away. The moral of this story is that the more we give away, the more capacity we create for receiving and being useful. We were created in the generous image of our Creator God. Designed not just to consume the world that we live in but also to be stewards and caretakers of what we ve been given. Part of this responsibility is caring for those around us and giving generously so that others may get to experience the saving love of Jesus. Each time we give we are creating an opportunity for God to fill us once more with His generosity. Just like the glass of water, the more we give away, the more capacity we have to give.

25 South Pacific Division Strategy: Comprehensive Health Ministry Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases Psalm 103:2-3 (NIV) In December 2004 smoking was finally banned in all enclosed spaces, as research showed that three cigarettes a day could reduce one s life span by 10 years. Now sitting is the new smoking. The latest research shows that extended sitting without regular daily exercise could bring on an early death, especially to the 94% of inactive women who fit into this category, compared to 48% of inactive men in Australia. Sitting or lying down for too long increases your risk of chronic health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and cancers. Too much sitting can also be bad for your mental health. The risk of both anxiety and depression is higher in people that sit more. Sitting is the new smoking. The focus for our health week in 2019 is on regular exercise, which aims to encourage everyone to be more active every day. In this context we promote to you the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), Depression Recovery and the Live More Project as programs that focus on the importance of exercise and other important interventional strategies in reversing chronic disease and depression. If you want to live well and retire well, then you must reduce your sitting time. Your offering today will enable us to build on the resources that are desperately needed for promoting health, lifestyle and behaviour changes for better health. Dear God, You are the great healer, and we thank You for the gift of our bodies that we can use for ministry. Amen. 18 MAY

26 Wahroonga School Scholarship The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8 (NIV) The legacy of Adventist education has a broad reach throughout our communities: setting a benchmark on providing a holistic approach with a focus on God, equipping students with tools to thrive and flourish in an ever-changing world and adding value to society. This week s offering will go into our scholarship fund to provide scholarships to families that attend Wahroonga Adventist School, giving them an opportunity to fully participate in our schools. There are two ways you can help: 1. Give! Remember that every donation above $2 is tax deductible. 2. Tell family and friends about the scholarships, and encourage them to apply for school starting MAY Your generosity today will have a powerful impact on our Adventist schools in Sydney. The Bible encourages us to train up a child in the way he or she should go, so when they get older they will not Dear God, may You guide the staff and students of Wahroonga Adventist School and continue to bless them with wisdom. Amen

27 Local Church Budget In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NIV) There are typical verses that we tend to look for when we talk about stewardship. But true stewardship has its origin in creation. Not in the part where God gave Adam the job of taking care of the world, but even earlier than that. Stewardship really starts where the Bible tells us that, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. serve God and every time we give up our personal time or energy, we are worshipping God and declaring that He is the Creator of all and that all we have comes from Him. As we give today it s not just a matter of putting money in the offering bag, but a declaration and recognition that all we have comes from God and we desire to use all we ve been blessed with in service to Him. Why is this verse so important? Because it establishes the truth that God is the originator of everything we have. He is the Creator of the Earth that we live on, the bodies that carry us around and the food that nourishes us. All we have, all we are and all we will become are because God chose to create. Every time we give an offering, every time we use our talents and skills to Our offering today is for our local budget, to support the ministries and activities that work to connect our local community with our Creator God. Dear God, humble our hearts this morning as we prepare to give. Amen. 01 JUN

28 Pacific Adventist University 08 JUN God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Genesis 1:28 (NIV) After God created mankind He charged us with a directive to take care of the Earth and steward all that He had entrusted us with. Each time we have an opportunity to give an offering we are taking part in stewarding what has been entrusted to us. Let us take time each day to give ourselves to God first, asking Him to make us more like Him. Dear Lord, please make me more like You. Let me share Your good gifts with those around me. Amen. Three important sections of the university that are currently serviced by dirt roads: Pacific Adventist University farm sheds and equipment base Pacific Adventist University farm market. Every Sunday hundreds of people visit the onsite farmers markets to buy produce directly from the PAU farm. The farmers markets attract people who live in Port Moresby Pacific Adventist University Farm Village We wish to pave the roads connecting all these sections to facilitate the communication and flow of people, spruce up the appearance of the area and improve the quality of life of the staff living there. One thing that is not changing as Pacific Adventist University grows is the commitment to its vision, mission, and core values. The university will continue to prepare graduates who are equipped and willing to serve their community, their country, their church and their God.

29 Local Church Budget The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever. Genesis 3:21 (NIV) After creating the Earth and then entrusting it to the care of humankind, God presented humanity with the ultimate act of love; the choice to disobey. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil it showed that God had not created robots or slaves but free-thinking, choice-making humankind that could choose to disobey if they willed. In His mercy, however, God had a plan for humanity if they should decide that that choice was a mistake. This plan was the ultimate act of generosity God giving up His own Son so that humanity could have a second chance and be reconciled to Him. Each time we give, it reminds us of the ultimate gift, salvation to humanity. Each time we give we are also reminded of the impact our generosity can have to ensure that others hear about the saving love of Jesus Christ. The ministries of our local church will be receiving our offering today. This is important because it s through these different ministries that those who don t know Jesus have an opportunity to get to know what He sacrificed for them. As we reflect on how God planned the ultimate gift for us, let s be challenged to plan our giving in return. Dear God, thank You for the incredibly generous gift of salvation. Amen. 15 JUN

30 Macarthur School Scholarship 22 JUN So whether you eat or drink of whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) I love the individual care and attention that our child receives at Macarthur Adventist College. The school has such a supportive and encouraging environment, and our child is thriving there, says the parent of a primary student. The leadership of Macarthur Adventist College and staff have created a culture With our unique talents and gifts, may we prepare to honour the families without the means to attend our schools in Greater Sydney Conference. where students feel like they belong. The school offers a supportive environment where primary and high school students can thrive and experience personal growth, and education is grounded with a focus on God and Christ-like values. This week s offering will go into our scholarship fund to provide scholarships to students that attend Macarthur Adventist College, giving them an opportunity to participate fully in our schools. There are two ways you can help: 1. Give! Remember that every donation above $2 is tax deductible. 2. Tell family and friends about the scholarships, and encourage them to apply for school starting We thank You, Lord, for a glorious future that awaits us. Lead us as we support our schools. Amen

31 Local Church Budget For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5 (NIV) There is nothing in this world more wonderful than working for Jesus. This can be done vicariously, sustaining other workers with your prayers, offerings and words of encouragement. But even more wonderful is to become a soul-winner yourself. It can begin in church, within the four walls of the building. How about this for a starter: everyone is a greeter. Yes, we have officially appointed greeters, and they do a wonderful job. But it was never meant for the rest of us to fade into the woodwork. Each one of us should make a point of giving a friendly greeting to visitors and fellow members. We should be proactive and intentional. And, where possible, even invite them to our homes for a fellowship meal or sit with them in church. tool; it exists to draw the lost into our fellowship rather than being an exclusive club for members. Let us faithfully give our tithes and offerings, but let us also give of ourselves. Today s offering will support local ministries, but more important than the money given is the time, energy and talents of all our volunteers that make these ministries run so effectively. Let s pray for those who serve and ask God to reveal ways that we can give of ourselves to the local church. Dear God, thank You for the faithful service of our ministry volunteers. Amen. 29 JUN Instead of viewing church passively, we should think of it as an evangelistic

32 Local Church Budget Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38 (NIV) A story is told about two earthen vessels. One was shiny and new, the other old and cracked. They hung on either end of a wooden rod, carried over a man s shoulders. Every day he would collect water from the stream and walk up the pathway to his home. When he arrived at home, the new vessel was full of much water to be used for cooking and cleaning. The other was almost empty. Nevertheless, on the side of the pathway on which this older vessel had hung, there was a beautiful row of flowers that had sprung up on account of the watering received each day from the leaky vessel. This story shows the beauty created by giving, even from a place of brokenness. 06 JUL Our church exists for those who are in need, we have an opportunity to be a blessing by giving to our local budget this morning. Dear God, thank You that we are Yours, especially in our brokenness. Take our offerings this morning and use them for Your glory. Amen. There are weeks where we may feel too broken, to desperate, too tired, too worn out and weary to give. It may be our time is limited, our strength is limited, our finances are pressed and our bodies worn out. But God calls us to generosity, even from a place of brokenness. We are nothing without the sacrificial love of Jesus, who calls us out from brokenness and creates a new heart within us. Because of His love and sacrifice we are compelled to generosity so that others may experience the healing power of salvation that we have experienced. God can create beauty through giving, even from a place of brokenness.

33 World Mission Budget Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor 9:7 (NIV) Disinterested giving. it doesn t sound exciting, but it s one of the ways that we are able to be so successful in worldwide mission as a church. In addition to tithe, freewill offerings from members are essential in order to provide equitable support for the church s world work. Regularly, the GC receives a portion of our offerings via the divisions and redistributes the funds to mission entities. The World Mission Budget is on this list. It helps fund missionaries, hospitals, clinics, schools and churches. It also helps print literature and prepare broadcasts so that people who may otherwise never know of Jesus can hear or read about Him in their own languages. Disinterested giving is a term used when people give to the church and allow the organisation to distribute the offerings according to the worldwide needs. When offerings are given in a spirit of disinterested systematic benevolence, they nurture the sense of responsibility each member feels for the church s worldwide work, permit members to receive the blessing that regular and planned giving brings to the giver and ensure a steady flow of funds for all aspects of a balanced program. May we be faithful stewards and promise to sustain the Lord s work by giving with a spirit of disinterest! Dear God, we want to be good stewards. Help us to be faithful and regular in our giving. Amen 13 JUL

34 Local Church Budget 20 JUL Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 (NIV) I ll have one with the lot please! You ve probably been there before. You re at a restaurant and they ask if you d like an upsize, you re out for brunch and can t help but add a few sides to your meal or you re having a meal with family and you re offered seconds or thirds of your favourite dish. We all like to have and enjoy Please give generously as we give our all for God. Dear God, make us grateful and humble stewards today and always. Amen. more! We appreciate the little extras and love to enjoy everything that life has to offer. Jesus calls us to be generous with our lives not just giving a little, but giving the lot. He doesn t want just part of us. He wants every part of us. This becomes simple if we recognise that all we are and have comes from Him. Our offering today is to support the local ministries that operate here in our church. It is through these ministries that we encourage others to give God the lot. These ministries are instrumental and bringing those in our community into saving relationships with Jesus.

35 Union Global Partnership Project: By this time it was late into the day, so his disciples came to him. This is a remote place, they said, and it s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. But he answered, You give them something to eat. Mark 6:35-37 (NIV) mission fields. Funds raised from today s offering will support mission trips for Australian teams to assist with evangelistic programs, community health and wellbeing initiatives, building and service projects, children s ministries training and much more. Jesus famously stood before a crowd and said to his disciples, you feed them (Mark 6:37). The disciples, understandably, didn t know what to do! They had no money to buy food, so even if it had been available, they couldn t! But a young boy, perhaps overhearing the disciples discussion, gave his lunch, just five small barley loaves and two tiny fish. His small act of faith combined with the great power of Jesus meant that no one left hungry that day. In the same way, Jesus takes all that we are able to give and uses it to do amazing things for His glory. The Union Global Partnership Offering is a joint partnership, at the request of the General Conference, between established unions and developing : Please give generously to support the work of our Union Global Partnership. : Dear God, thank You for people who are committed to supporting the work in countries that have great need. Amen. 27 JUL

36 Local Church Budget 03 AUG Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. Matthew 19:21 (NIV) A rich young ruler came to Jesus, asking what he needed to do to gain eternal life. Jesus played on the young man s understanding. He knew the young man thought it was all about keeping the law. So Jesus suggested he do that. When the young man was unimpressed because he d kept What can each of us do, in our sphere of influence and in our neighborhood, to show that we care about the natural world and one another? Dear God, You are the Owner of all. Each time we give may we recommit our hearts to You once again. Amen. the law all his life, Jesus showed him the full expression of the law LOVE! Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. In that way, he d be investing his heart in Heaven. This teaching of Jesus reminds us of the verse where He also said, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21) The truth of the story is that Jesus doesn t need our money. He is the Creator of the universe. He is the Owner of everything. The reason He wants us to give is so that He can have our hearts, because what we treasure is where our hearts will reside. We come to church every Sabbath and give offerings, thinking that we have done a good thing for God. And we have. God uses our gifts to further the mission of the church. But does it occur to us that what Jesus really wants is our hearts?

37 South Pacific Division Strategy: Comprehensive Media Evangelism A Testimony When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore to send out workers into his harvest field. Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV) How can we send workers into the harvest if we can t physically go there? Media presents the church with significant opportunities to connect with our communities. Whether it be through broadcast media, social media, radio or print, these are all avenues by which we can share the good news of Jesus Christ with a large and unknown viewership as well as our neighbours and friends. media contacts. In 2018 the Discovery Centre enrolled close to 3,000 students and cared for 2,500 prayer requests. Your generous support will help the church with its mission of engaging, equipping and evangelising through media. The Adventist church blesses the world through many forms of outreach education, community services, radio and television and many more. Many of these outreach ministries receive support from our offerings. Let s give generously to the division offering today so that others can hear that Jesus loves them and is coming soon. 10 AUG This media evangelism offering will provide much-needed resources to support the production of short film clips for social media, the broadcast of Hope Channel and resources for the operation of the Hope Discovery Centre, which works directly with Dear God, thank You that through the offerings we give today searching souls will come to know Jesus. Amen.

38 Local Church Budget In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV) As good stewards, we prepare ourselves and others for eternity. Here are some ways in which we can do that in aspects of our Christian life: 17 AUG If God is Creator and Owner of all, we recognise that we are dependent on His sustaining power. We could lose everything in a moment and be fully reliant on Him. This helps us keep things in perspective and our priorities right. We are here as stewards of God s good gifts to build God s kingdom. We are channels of His good gifts. If you would like to make a promise to the Lord today, join me in this prayer: Dear God, we commit ourselves to You today. We promise to put You first in every aspect of our lives. Help us to be faithful. Amen. 1. SET APART the first moments of each day to commune with the Lord through PRAYER; 2. IMPROVE my RELATIONSHIPS: growing in faithfulness, forgiveness and loving by principle. 3. ESTABLISH one new HEALTHFUL HABIT to better serve the Lord with my mind and body. 4. OFFER one day (or evening) each week to WORK for God, spreading the good news to others through Bible studies, small groups, etc., 5. KEEP the SABBATH, preparing for it accordingly on Friday, keeping its limits, right thoughts and activities. 6. FAITHFULLY RETURN the Lord s TITHE (10 percent of my income). 7. DEDICATE a regular percentage, of my own choice, of my income as a freewill OFFERING to the Lord.

39 Australian Union Digital Media By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35 (NIV) Not all preachers have to stand behind a pulpit. Back in 1844, Leonard Hastings, a potato farmer, preached powerful sermons about his belief in Jesus and His soon return. Word got around that Leonard wasn t digging up his potatoes because he believed that Jesus was coming. Everyone knew that if the potatoes weren t harvested, they would rot in the ground. his neighbours as well as his love for Jesus. (Kids View, April 2014) What we do or don t do is, in fact, a silent sermon to everyone around us, telling others what we believe. What silent sermons are we preaching by our giving or our withholding? Our offering today is for the Union and Youth Digital Media. When Jesus didn t return on October 22, the neighbours had a good laugh at Leonard Hastings, wondering what his family would be eating. Hastings potatoes were left in the ground until November. When he finally did harvest them, he found they were some of the best that he d ever grown. A potato disease came to the area that year, affecting nearly all the potatoes that had been dug at harvest time. Leonard was blessed to have a large supply of potatoes for his family, and he was able to share his potatoes with Generosity is a great blessing, and our giving acts as a witness to those around us about how God s love has impacted our lives. Dear God, please bless these offerings. May our giving be a powerful sermon to those who need to hear it. Amen. 24 AUG

40 Hurstville School Scholarship 31 AUG For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) The caring nature of Hurstville Adventist School community enables my child to flourish to her full potential. My child is consistently challenged in her learning and each day, she comes home from school with a big smile on her face, says a parent of a year-3 student. Your sponsorship will enhance the scholarship program in our schools around Greater Sydney Conference. Lord, we keep our sights on eternity, and we commit Hurstville Adventist School in Your hands. Amen The theme Nurture for today, learning for tomorrow and character for eternity is exemplified by our staff at Hurstville Adventist School. Building a supportive and caring environment where students feel loved and can uncover their full potential. Hurstville Adventist School is built upon firm Adventist beliefs that are focused on Christ. This week s offering will go into our scholarship fund to provide scholarships to families whose students attend Hurstville Adventist School, giving them an opportunity to take part fully in our Greater Sydney Conference Schools. There are two ways you can help: 1. Give! Remember that every donation above $2 is tax deductible. 2. Tell family and friends about the scholarships, and encourage them to apply for school starting Robust faith requires robust action; it takes courage to give to bless others. Thank you for taking that step of faith in sowing into other people s lives.

41 Local Church Budget Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 (NIV) The pioneers of the early Advent movement had lived through the Great Disappointment of expecting Jesus to return in 1844, yet they still remained excited and enthusiastic about sharing with the world the soon coming of Jesus. The problem was that though their enthusiasm was great, their resources were limited. There was no worldwide church or network of tithe- and offering-paying stewards yet. The group was still small, and their missionary efforts depended very much on individual generosity. They took their responsibility so seriously that at certain times, among other ways of saving, they d skip one meal per day and use the money saved for the mission! I wonder whether we, today, could be counted upon to give at those levels of personal sacrifice. There is no mandate to skip meals; the point is that they were 100% dedicated to sharing the gospel and the message for the times with the world. Do we feel a similar sense of urgency and investment to the spread of the gospel? They were so close to the action that they couldn t help but feel a burden to do something, to share something, to give up something so that the work of Jesus could go forward. Today our offering is going to stay close to the action by supporting our local budget. Dear God, renew a sense of enthusiasm for Your work in our community. Amen. 07 SEP

42 Annual Sacrifice: Unusual Opportunities 14 SEP And don t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Hebrews 13:16 (NLT) Today s offering is the Annual Sacrifice Offering. When you hear the word sacrifice you might think of animal sacrifice in the Old Testament or burnt offerings. But the word sacrifice has many meanings. Yes, surrendering a possession or animal as an offering is the most popular definition, but it can also mean the act of giving Give as generously as you can to the Annual Sacrifice Offering, and help Global Mission send workers to carry hope in Jesus to unreached people. Dear Lord, help us give up the things of Earth so that others may have eternal life. Amen. up something valued for the sake of something else, regarded as more important or worthy. That s how this offering got its name: giving up something of value for the sake of those who don t know Jesus. This offering started when the Adventist church s overseas mission program was about to be shut down because there wasn t enough money to keep it running. Adventist members sacrificed to keep it going. While the financial challenges aren t as dire today, we still have a tremendous mission challenge. Only one third of the world s population is Christian, meaning that two thirds of the earth still doesn t know Jesus. Jesus gave His life for the sake of those who are yet to know Him. We have to ask ourselves what we are willing to give up for the millions that don t know Jesus.

43 Hills School Scholarship No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 (NIV) We are extremely happy that our son has been given the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful school in building a solid foundation for his future, says a parent of a junior school student at Hills Adventist College. High-rise buildings in Sydney s central business district need firm foundations to be structurally sound. In the same way, Hills Adventist College has proven itself for building depth and character for students past and present. Hills Adventist College offers a supportive environment where students on campuses in junior and high school can succeed and experience growth in a competitive market. The school was founded with a focus on God and Christ-centred beliefs. This week s offering will go into our scholarship fund to provide scholarships to students that attend Hills Adventist College, giving them an opportunity to participate fully in our schools. 1. Give! Remember that every donation above $2 is tax deductible. 2. Tell family and friends about the scholarships, and encourage them to apply for school starting It is one thing to say believe and quite another to act on what you believe as though it is already true. The Bible frequently talks about a fight of faith. May we band together and give with big hearts to help finance our scholarship program in Greater Sydney Conference. Lord, thank You for our staff at Hills Adventist College. May You strengthen their resolve in You. 21 SEP There are two ways you can help:

44 Local Church Budget 28 SEP Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV) It s easy to get our priorities mixed up. We think that we survive because we work hard; that we live stress-free and happy lives through our own efforts. We try to be good citizens and help others, but our first responsibility is to take care of our families. Why not determine in advance how you can make sure your affairs are in order, to the glory of God? Dear Lord, may we learn to put all our trust in You. Amen Recently, there was drought in South Africa, and the people of Cape Town were under severe water restrictions. There was talk of Day Zero, when the dams would be empty and the water supply would be turned off. Everyone was making preparations: waterstorage tanks were set up; people stockpiled water. When the water ran out, everyone would be in the same predicament! Crises have a way of levelling the playing field. It doesn t matter who you are, how much you re worth, or what you do, everyone is on the same level in a crisis. Suddenly, we realise how dependent we are on God. Fortunately, it rained in Cape Town. God sent His sustaining blessings. Each time we give we recognise our reliance on God to supply all our needs. When we give, we create our own level playing field. Let us develop our trust in God alone through our generosity this morning.

45 ADRA Project within Australia Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) Did you know that your support of ADRA helps people right here in Australia? It is thanks to your offerings and the commitment of passionate volunteers that ADRA community centres, op shops, refuges, food pantries and community meals programs can help Australians in need. People just like Jonathan. Three years ago, Jonathan was homeless, hungry and struggling to provide for his three boys. But thanks to Vive Café, an ADRA community meals program, Jonathan and his boys received much-needed food, clothes and support to get back on their feet. They escaped the clutches of homelessness, reclaimed their dignity and found God and their very own church family. Today, your freewill offering can help other Australians finding it tough to get back on their feet. Please give generously. Dear Lord, You know our needs so well. Thank You for caring for our needs and the needs of those living in our communities. Amen. 05 OCT

46 Local Church Budget 12 OCT Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:28-29 (NIV) God is everlasting. He is eternal and has unlimited power. His supply of strength does not run out, His resources are endless. He gives and gives without growing tired. Most importantly, His Our offering collection today will contribute to the ministry of our local church. Dear God, help us to remember Your everlasting nature. May we reflect it in our giving this morning. Amen. desire is to give generously, to share His power and grace and mercy on a daily basis. All we need is to ask. How deeply we need the strength and power of God, yet we try to do all in our own power. Every time we give to an offering or pay our tithe we are declaring not our own strength or power, but God s. When we give it is an act of worship to our God, a symbol of His eternal nature and limitless resources. What we give is just a small portion of what our generous God has entrusted us with. As you worship this morning, take time to reflect on the greatness of the God that we serve. The local church is the mouthpiece through which our communities get to know and understand that eternal, all-powerful nature of our wonderful Creator God. As we give today, we are unleashing potential for others to come into a saving relationship with Jesus.

47 MVAC School Scholarships In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (NIV) The process of receiving and giving systematic instruction is the definition of education; however, Adventist education has gone over and above that. Providing a holistic approach with a focus on God, equipping children and young adults to become better individuals and adding value to society. There are two ways you can help: 1. Give! Remember that every donation above $2 is tax deductible. 2. Tell family and friends about the scholarships, and encourage them to apply for school starting It s more blessed to give than to receive, and we have an opportunity to be a blessing to our schools in Sydney. This week s offering will go into our scholarship fund to provide scholarships to families that attend Mountain View Adventist College, giving them an opportunity to come to our schools. Lord, be with the teachers and students at Mountain View Adventist College as they continue to grow and flourish under Your leadership. Amen. 19 OCT

48 Local Church Budget 26 OCT One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV) Many people believe and teach that when we return our tithe and give offerings that only spiritual blessings will result. Others believe and teach that if you give, you will get in return. But is this the right attitude to have when we give? When we Let us hold onto the promise of Proverbs 11 this morning as we return life-giving offerings to our local budget collection. Dear God, thank You that You give both spiritual and physical blessings when we are faithful. Amen. give we should do so with a sense of expectancy that God will provide all we need and that it is from His eternal resources that material and spiritual increase comes! What we never know is when or how the Lord may choose to provide. But as we faithful give and trust in His timing we will be richly rewarded! Ellen G. White in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2, p. 240, says, When Christians are controlled by the principles of heaven, they will dispense with one hand while the other gains. This is the only rational and healthy position a Christian can occupy while having and still making money. As we give, remember the impact of what we are returning for ministry, and let s pray that many will be able to experience the blessings of stewardship this morning.

49 Local Church Budget Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Jonah 2:9 (NIV) You may have heard the old adage money equals power. People who have money are perceived as powerful people, and poor people are considered weak and powerless. Yet Jesus had a powerful message and influence despite being poor and essentially homeless. may give if put under pressure, and the more they are pressed, the more they will give. But some delight in giving, they give of their own accord and without any persuasion or pressure. The Bible describes these as cheerful givers. Let s ask God to make us cheerful givers today. Money is powerful, but it can have great impact if used for good. May we be like the honeycomb, giving not because of pressure or persuasion, but out of an overflowing of good stuff! If it s true that money is power, then, like power, it can be used for good or for evil. When we are faithful in our giving, we are empowering the church to do its appointed work. When we are not, the opposite is true. A witty person once said, There are three kinds of givers the flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. To get anything out of the flint, you must hammer it, and then you only get chips and sparks. To get anything out of the sponge, you must squeeze it, and the more you squeeze, the more you will get. But the honeycomb just overflows with its own sweetness. Some are closefisted and struggle to give, others Today we have the opportunity to contribute to the local budget of our church. Dear God, take our offering this morning and use it for Your glory. Help us to become faithful and cheerful in the way that we give. Amen. 02 NOV

50 World Mission Budget: Unusual Opportunities offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. Romans 6:13 (NIV) From time to time situations develop that create mission opportunities to which the church could respond quickly if funds were immediately available. These opportunities might disappear if we had to wait for months or years to raise funds. The Unusual Opportunities Fund is used for these unique opportunities. For the past several years this offering has averaged more than US$700,000, portions of which have been used for television stations in Norway and Ebola education in West Africa. 09 NOV We can have a part in responding to these urgent opportunities by participating regularly in the giving of freewill offerings. Dear God, thank You for the privilege of helping those in need of hearing about You. Amen. *Regularly, the GC receives a portion of our offerings via the divisions and redistributes the funds to mission entities. The World Mission Budget (Unusual Opportunities) is on this list. Additional offerings may be given at any time to the World Mission Budget (Unusual Opportunities) in a marked envelope.

51 Local Church Budget... you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5 (NIV) What is the church? If you were to ask the average person on the street, What is the church? they might reply, It s a building where Christians meet for worship services. But we as Christians know that the church is much more than a building it is a gathering of people. 1 Peter 2:5 says that we are living stones being built into a spiritual building. The Holy Spirit lives inside us. We are literally God s temple. There are different types of buildings and different types of building materials: foundation stones, windows, shingles and other parts that each have unique functions and purposes. Shingles don t make good windows, and windows don t make good foundations, but in their roles, they are indispensable. Paul related this in 1 Corinthians 12, using the metaphor of the body, each part with a different, important role. What would this building be without all of its valuable parts? What if you were missing body parts? You would be less able to function. The same with the church, which is made up of people. Without everyone doing their parts, we would not be able to function. And just as arms or legs get weak and atrophy without exercise, so individual Christians grow weak without using their gifts. Each ministry, every volunteer plays an important role in building our church. Today, we have the opportunity to contribute to the body of the church as we collect an offering for our local church budget. Dear God, thank You that we have the church, a place to come and meet together, worship You and be inspired as we reach out to others. Amen. 16 NOV

52 Schools Evangelism He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15 (NIV) We are privileged as a denomination that we have an education system. This is an ideal environment where Adventist and non-adventist students learn about God, Creation, redemption and grace along with academic subjects. What the teachers do in our schools is not just teaching, but ministry. There are a high percentage of students in our Adventist schools who are not from the Adventist faith. This provides opportunity for Adventist students, teachers and staff to live Jesus each and every day to these children. What a great way to share the good news of Jesus Christ, not only in the school setting, but also as schools serve the local community. Your generous gift will enable gatherings and events to meet heartfelt needs of individuals and families. 23 NOV Through your offering today, you will be helping to expand the kingdom of God in our Adventist Schools and their local communities. Dear God, please bless this offering so that it may be used to reach families in our schools and surrounding community. Amen.

53 Local Church Budget Then he said to them, So give back to Caesar what is Caesar s, and to God what is God s. Matthew 22:21 (NIV) The Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus. They asked Him whether He thought they should pay taxes to Caesar. Would Jesus show affinity for the Roman rulers? Jesus responds by asking them to show Him a coin, a Denarius. On it was an image of the emperor. Jesus suggested that they give to the government what was required and give to God what belonged to God. They couldn t argue with that! But tithes and offerings should be different; they are an act of worship. They are not a tax. They are a way of showing that God comes first in our lives and that we trust in God, not our own means. All throughout the Bible we have promises from God that He will sustain those who trust in Him. We can never out-give God because He has already given all for us. He has given us everything. As we give to our local budget offering this morning, we support the ministries right here in this church. We have the opportunity through our offerings to help others come into saving relationships with Jesus. Let s hold onto the promises of Scripture that God will sustain us as we give generously. Let s worship God by putting Him first in every part of our lives. Dear God, help us to cultivate generous hearts and trust You with all we have. Amen. 30 NOV

54 South Pacific Division Strategy: Mission to the Cities 07 DEC Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV) God, through Jeremiah, encouraged the exiled Israelites to contribute to their new community and pray for its inhabitants. Jeremiah recognised the mission field that is the city. Cities are a challenging part of the Adventist mission to the world. There Our offering today will provide grants for projects and church plants that are targeting our big cities in the South Pacific Division. Dear God, we ask that You pour out Your Spirit onto our big cities so many may know You. Amen. are 43 cities have more than a million people and no Adventist congregation, and countless other cities have little or no Adventist presence. We must go where people are and show them Jesus love in practical ways. We are told, There is no change in the messages that God has sent in the past. The work in the cities is the essential work for this time. When the cities are worked as God would have them, the result will be the setting in operation of a mighty movement such as we have not yet witnessed (MM 304). When Ellen White wrote this in 1910, New York City was the largest city in America. Today, Sydney is larger than New York was when she wrote this. More people move into Sydney and Melbourne every year than the entire Adventist membership of Australia and New Zealand. What you contribute today will have a larger impact than just our local community. Pray for our church as we spread the message of Jesus in these challenging areas.

55 Local Church Budget Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. Isaiah 60:6 (NIV) At this time of the year we focus and reflect on the birth of Jesus. Across Sydney, Nativity plays are performed and enjoyed. Why? Because it is a captivating story! The Son of God being born as a vulnerable human baby boy. There are many important characters surrounding Jesus in the story, and the magi are some of the most interesting. While the Bible doesn t tell us how many there were, we know they brought three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Archaeologists have discovered that these gifts were fit for a king even a god. Ancient inscriptions indicate King Seleucius II Callinicus offered the same gifts to the god Apollo at the temple in Miletus, and Isaiah spoke about foreign kings bringing these gifts as a way of proclaiming the praise of the Lord. was to die, as myrrh was traditionally used as embalming fluid. Whatever the case, it challenges us today as to how we view our King. Not just any king, but the one who was willing to die for the salvation of His people. Our offering today benefits our local church budget for the operation of facilities and ministries in our church. What we offer to God this morning is a reflection of our heart for Him. Whatever we may give, let it remind us that our heart is the most valuable gift we can give to Jesus. With grateful hearts for all that Jesus has done for us, what are we bringing to offer Him today? Dear God, thank You for Your greatest gift in Jesus. Amen. 14 DEC The magi recognised Jesus as a king. They may even have had insight that He

56 Fund for the Needy 21 DEC There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. Deuteronomy 15:11 (NIV) The Lord required His people to be generous to the poor. The reasoning behind the instruction was the reminder that it was the Lord who was giving them the land; therefore, they were to share what they had. The reality is that as long as this world continues to turn, there will be those less fortunate who need our help. Ask God to help you be openhanded with your offering this morning as we bring much need relief to those under personal and financial stress. The important principle in this passage is that the land comes from God; we are not owners but caretakers, therefore we are to be openhanded with what we ve been entrusted with in order to alleviate the burden and stress of those in need. The Greater Sydney Conference runs a charity that gives us the opportunity to provide for those in need. The aim of the Fund for Needy Persons (FFNP) is to restore independence by helping people back on their feet again. Funds are used to help resolve crisis caused by accommodation problems, abuse, unemployment, illness or death. The charity is maintained by the generosity of members who give regularly and when the annual offering is collected. This festive season as we reflect on all we are blessed with, take a moment to consider those in need this Christmas. Dear God, as we celebrate this Christmas, help us be generous with our loved ones and those in need. Amen.

57 Local Church Budget New Year Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) Happy New Year! will ring out across Sydney in a couple of days. But a hopeful greeting may not cut it; we need something more. Listen to the promise made to Joshua 3,000 years ago. As Joshua was about to lead God s people into the Promised Land, he had every reason to be afraid. He was aware of the dangers. He needed God s encouragement. with every part of me? Is there more that I can give to Him? Have I trusted God with the difficult times and the easy times? Have I been faithful with my finances, tithes and offerings? Did our church reach into the community and share Jesus? Now is an opportunity to recommit and reconnect! As we enter the New Year we may face challenges, but these are just opportunities to trust God more. In the same way, we need God s encouragement. A new year brings questions: Will my health hold? Will my marriage last? Will I keep my job? Will I get into the right school? Will the economy improve? The Creator of the universe says, Don t be afraid; don t be discouraged. What happens this coming year is not left to chance. God is in charge, and He promises to stay close if we let Him. The key is to trust Him with our lives, families, jobs, homes, faith and finances. As 2019 draws to its close, take a few moments to reflect on the past and peek into the future. Have I really trusted God As we take a collection this morning for our local budget, let s recommit ourselves to putting our full trust in God. Dear God, help us to claim the promise given to Joshua that You will be with us wherever we go. Amen. 28 DEC

58

59

60 Indian Ocean Timor Sea Gulf of Carpentaria Northern Australian Conference Coral Sea Western Australian Conference South Queensland Conference AUSTRALIAN UNION CONFERENCE (AUC) South Australian Conference North New South Wales Conference South New South Wales Conference Victorian Conference Greater Sydney Conference Bass Strait Tasmanian Conference Sydney Greater Sydney Conference 185 Fox Valley Road, Wahroonga 2076 Telephone: (02) sydney.adventist.org.au