Members of the Dongara / Mingenew vestry and church committees

4 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF NORTH WEST AUSTRALIAPO Box 2783, Geraldton WA 6531. Ph (08) 9921 7277 email reception@anglicandnwa.org

September 2012 No. 89

For Valentine’s Day this year I gave my wife the most romantic present possible; a life in Port Hedland. It was on that day we arrived in town and our ministry began. Things began slowly but as we have gotten to know the people of the town we have been given numerous opportunities to serve our God.

As the Assistant Minister I have been given the privilege of teaching the Bible in a number of different contexts, including preaching on Sundays and leading Bible studies throughout the week. The highlight of the past six months though, has been evangelism training and coordinating our recent church camp. Both have been great times of leading people as we grow in Christ.

As well as looking after me and our daughter Lydia, my wife Jo has been blessed to be involved in the mid-week ladies Bible study and is getting to know other mums in town. Not everything has been easy.

Please pray that we would continue to make friends in town with whom we can share the gospel. Please also pray for our building project. We don’t have a permanent place to live, to freely engage in hospitality ministry, until that project is complete. That being said though, we are enjoying our time up here. No one ever mentioned Port Hedland’s beautiful side; the people are great, the scenery grows on you and Jo and I both enjoy seeking to proclaim Jesus in this context.

Frank Nicol

The Nicols in Port Hedland

Above: Frank, Jo & Lydia Nicol

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDSThe Diocese of North West Australia is a safe place for all.

If you have a complaint or a question about sexual abuse or inappropriate behaviour please contact the

Director of Professional Standards: Tracie Chambers-Clark (JP) Ph (08) 9325 7455

Email tchambers-clark@perth.anglican.org

Website:www.anglicandnwa.org

Left: “Just Start Talking” Evangelism Training

Bishop Gary, his wife Christine and 14 year old Lindsay have undertaken their first Pilbara road trip to meet

and encourage clergy families and parish members at Carnarvon, Exmouth, Karratha, Port Hedland, Newman and Tom Price/Paraburdoo. Gary has also travelled to coastal parishes north of Geraldton; had a flying trip to the Kimberley to meet with clergy families and parishioners at Kununurra and Broome before attending an Aboriginal Convention at Fitzroy Crossing and visited mining camps in the Pilbara with FIFO Chaplain Rod Williams.

Dongara and Mingenew Vestry and Church Committees met in July to look at growth and vision for the Church in Dongara and Mingenew. The discussions were aided by the book “The Trellis and the Vine” by Marshall & Payne. The vine is the work of disciple-making and Christian growth; the trellis is the structure (programming, events, etc.) that allow for continued growth. One outcome of the meeting is that we have begun looking at ways that our Church community can reach out to younger people.

The ‘Combined Churches of Dongara’ had an outreach event involving the whole family on Sunday 29th July. Around 50 people attended and Robert Stubbs, Minister-in-Charge of Dongara/Mingenew parish spoke about “Jesus in the 21st Century”, reminding people that God’s love never changes.

Exmouth, Carnarvon and Shark Bay parishes have each been blessed by the ministry of Rev Neil & Lynette Matheson of Kiama NSW. After spending six months in Exmouth 2011, they returned to serve as locum tenens in Exmouth while the Edwards family was on leave; in Carnarvon while the Fyffes had a long awaited holiday in Europe; and are presently in Shark Bay until November.

Shark Bay congregation is enjoying the winter

months when grey nomads head north in their caravans to escape the cold - they are warmly welcomed by the church. The Rev Philip and Kathy Knife will arrive in the Parish in November and will stay for two years.

Karratha’s annual FeNaClNG Festival on August 4-5, attracted 25,000 visitors. The ‘Anglican Family Food Stall’ run by Karratha Anglican church sold 1500 hamburgers, lots of Christian books and made good contact with townspeople and visitors.

Network NewsBy Jocelyn Ross

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2

From the BishopBoots, Dust and Wickham

3

Boots, Dust and WickhamSchool holidays usually find students wanting to rest and relax. But a group

from Penrith Anglican College put their hands up to go on the Dusty Boots trip to Wickham from 12th-19th July. The Dusty Boots Programme is organised through Bush Church Aid for young people to go into rural areas and assist BCA workers. This was a follow up trip to Dusty Boots 2010 and so it was dubbed by Richard Goscombe: “Dusty Boots 2: The Sequel”.

This year’s team consisted of 20 Year 11 students; four staff members (including Beth Hazell, BCA Dusty Boots coordinator); Tony, Kelly & Lauren McKechnie (who had been on three previous trips); Derrick & Pam Wasley

(from Mingenew Church) and Rob & Jenny Stubbs (Dongara/BCA Dusty Boots coordinators). The students, who were from Sarah’s year group when she’d lived in Penrith, were glad to renew friendships with the Goscombe family.

The programme included:• Friday: visiting Cape Lambert, Cossack, Roebourne, Port Samson

then out to Mingullathando (5 mile) to hear about the local community and feast on kangaroo tail and stew for lunch.

• Saturday and Sunday: Children’s programme of sports, games, craft, drama plus a talk. This was concluded on Sunday night with ‘BBQ Church in the Park’.

• Monday and Tuesday: maintenance on the Roebourne Church - clearing outside the Church as well as scraping away all the loose paint from inside in preparation for the restoration, plus cleaning pews and furniture.

• After spending a night camped out in the bush, the Dusty Boots team returned to Sydney on Thursday 19th July – a very full and busy week was over!

The students said they thought that… ”they were going to change the community, but instead they were the ones who had been changed!”

Jenny Stubbs

On Saturday 28th July, St John’s Ladies Guild transformed the Dongara Sea Rescue Hall into an English Tea Room. About 70 women attended and welcomed Christine Nelson to our town.

Christine spoke to the women about perseverance - the perseverance shown in the Olympics; shown by the survivors of the Batavia and demonstrated

by so many people as they struggle with personal problems and health issues. Then she reminded us of the perseverance spoken of in the in Hebrews 12:1-3 ... “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him he endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart!”

Following the talk, the ladies enjoyed listening to Christine’s musical talent as she played her flute. ‘High Tea’ was then served, with many tantalising small treats, fruit punch and a variety of flavoured teas.

Friendships were renewed and formed. Many of the women had never attended a Church function before and now a few of them have been encouraged to come to Church. It was a great outreach event that will surely be repeated in the coming years.

Jenny Stubbs

“High Tea” in Dongara

What a joy it’s been to travel through much of the vastness of the north-west. As I write I am mindful of the 3,000km road trip visiting Pilbara churches that we’re embarking upon tomorrow. Our diocese encompasses such a mixture of landscapes, peoples and needs. One of the areas of challenge from recent trips is that of revitalising ministry to our Aboriginal brothers and sisters. Please pray as we look to our heavenly Father to give us wis-dom for a way ahead. One step we’re hoping will occur in 2013, is a worker to serve the Aboriginal community in Broome.

Another opportunity of ministry that I have seen first hand is mining chaplaincy. The Fortescue company have provided for chaplains to work in their mines and port facilities. This enables chaplains to serve amongst people who are often away from homes and families for four weeks at a time. What a unique chance to bring the gospel to men and women, especially those who feel the pressure of life in a mining camp.

Friends, as you may know, our resources are few so we’re very thankful for your support – particularly for your regular prayers, and for those who have been able to give towards the ministry of the diocese. We continue to review and reorder our limited resources to enhance gospel growth throughout the north-west. As a result we’re hoping to have a new graduate working in Karratha in 2013 and hopefully a minister in the Kalbarri parish. These are exciting developments, but the needs and opportunities are more than we can meet. So if you would like to invest in gospel work in the remote areas of the north-west we would love to hear from you. Have you considered coming across and living here? Are you able to financially support the work? Please keep praying for us.

As Paul writes to the Philippian Christianshe speaks of thanks, prayer and fellowship in the gospel (1:3-6). As I write this network letter we in the north-west are thankful for your prayers and fellowship in gospel work. May God continue to

bless and keep you as you serve our Lord in whatever circumstance he has placed you. And with Paul we can be confident,that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).

Yours in Christ,Gary

Rob & Jenny Stubbs, Dusty Boots coordinators

Bishop Gary Nelson