APRIL 2011 – Volume 2 Issue 4 In this edition

1. Executive Director’s update

3. Conference Council update

4. Mission Division update

5. New MAPs

5. Christchurch earthquake appeal

6. Update from ACOM

7. Induction into the Silverdale CofC

8. Whitehill CofC helps flood victims

9. A Senior’s Moment

10. Roma CofC Heartlife project

11. Roma CofC Prodigal God series

12. GMP update: Japan tsunami appeal

13. CofC rebranding

14. Update from Churches of Christ Care

15. Kallangur ECC garden

16. Hervey Bay FDC ED award

17. Pathways: Continuous improvement

17. Care Housing stories

18. Bribie Island RV fete

18. Community Care Program

19. Renovations at Buckingham Gardens

20. Pray for school chaplains

20. Easterfest

21. CDF update

22. Events

23. GMP appeal form

24. Dates to remember

www.cofcqld.com.au

Executive Director update We have begun the process of documenting a strategic plan to guide our thinking and direction as Churches of Christ in Queensland over the next three to five years. As part of this process, Churches of Christ Care is developing its divisional plan as a Public Benevolent Institution to support the overall direction and strategic objectives for our Conference. A risk management framework and budget for 2011/2012 to support the achievement of the strategic plan is also being drafted. The aim is to present these and the draft Strategic Plan to the Board for consideration at its June meeting. The framework of our strategy was outlined at our AGM last November and incorporated the themes that were identified by Council from the Listening and Connect tours with churches and the various consultations with leaders around our state last year. DVD copies of the AGM presentation were made available to all churches and are still available from our Communications & Marketing Unit at Kenmore, for anyone wanting a copy. Later in this Networking edition are more details on how we are progressing the ideas outlined at the AGM, and how these form part of our strategies for supporting our local churches and initiating new communities of Christians in Queensland. These have been endorsed by our Council and Board. Our mission as Churches of Christ in Queensland is to bring the light of Christ into communities. As I move around the state and talk with community leaders, I have found they are very ready to talk about the areas of need and darkness within their communities, and are rapt that we as the church are willing to engage with them and explore how we might be able to help and contribute. Especially following the physical, psychological and spiritual devastation caused by the floods and cyclones, they "get" what we mean by "bringing the light of Christ into communities". In terms of identity and direction, the following sets out the foundations that are underpinning the discussions of our church and care leaders so far:

Our Identity: We are Churches of Christ in Queensland

Our identity, existence and purpose as an organisation is found in Jesus Christ as revealed in the scriptures.

Our Mission: Bringing the light of Christ into communities

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy; and the second is to love others as well as you love yourself. Everything else hangs off these two (Mark 12:28-34).

Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12).

Networking

Page 2

April 2011

Our Vision: Every community is uplifted

Our vision is for individuals, families and groups to experience a greater sense of wholeness, meaning, connectedness and healing; and that they experience the love of God and are empowered to love one another through the teachings and example of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our Foundational Principles: The church is essentially one

We are not the only Christians, and we should work together with others wherever practicable to advance the commandments to love God and one another – to build the Kingdom of God. Christians of all denominations are brothers and sisters and we should be united in our efforts. Our name was chosen to be inclusive – all gatherings of people who are seeking to understand and follow Jesus are Churches “of Christ”. Restoration of New Testament, uncluttered Christianity

Simple preaching, teaching and living out of the Gospel as revealed in the New Testament. Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; and where the scriptures are silent, we are silent. The Bible does not spell out in detail everything that we are supposed to think, do or be. The nature of Scripture is to open up the way. Local communities should discern whatever the best ways of loving God and their neighbours are for their place and time, understanding that others may do things differently elsewhere and in future. No creed but Christ. Ecclesiastical creeds, dogma and practices that are outside of the Scriptures are not to be used as divisive, excluding instruments. In essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; in all things grace. All welcome and equal as God's children

All who love the Lord are welcome at the Lord‟s table. We are a welcoming, non-judgemental movement. Everyone is on a journey and only God can judge hearts. God loves every one of us and anyone who is trying to follow Christ is part of Christ‟s Church. We believe in the priesthood of all believers and whilst certain people are set aside and endorsed by the wider body as ministry leaders according to their calling and gifts, all believers are able to contribute and be God's instruments. Churches of Christ in Queensland Flood Appeal update The Churches of Christ in Queensland‟s Flood Appeal has been an enormous success, and donations have been received from people all over Australia and the world. To date we have received more than $382,033 in donations. We have received many applications for assistance and so far we have distributed $362,660 to 85 families through our churches. Below is a list of our churches and the funds distributed to help their local communities.

I want to thank everyone who donated so generously to this cause; it really did bring the light of Christ into those flood affected communities.

Dean Phelan Executive Director

Flood appeal funds distribution list Grant Amount

Annerley Church of Christ 22,800

Avenell Heights Bundaberg Church of Christ 10,000

Caboolture Church of Christ 3,000

Camp Hill Church of Christ 10,000

Fernvale Church of Christ 11,000

Gatton Church of Christ 20,000

Gladstone Church of Christ 2,000

HumeRidge Church of Christ 27,660

Kingaroy Church of Christ 54,400

Leichhardt Church of Christ 10,000

Ma Ma Creek Church of Christ 1,000

Oasis Church of Christ 38,500

Pathways Collective 10,000

Springwood Church of Christ 10,500

Westside Church of Christ 75,600

Whitehill Church of Christ 56,200

Total funds distributed to churches as at 1 April 2011 $362,660

To support the Care Community Foundation Flood Appeal go to the Churches of Christ in Qld website www.cofcqld.com.au or you can phone our Communications & Marketing unit

on 1800 600 900. Thank you.

Networking

Page 3

April 2011

Conference Update

Official opening of Southport Church of Christ facilities

On the weekend of the 19-20 February, our Southport church was privileged to officially open their new and impressive facilities. Their Parkland Drive property was resumed by the State Government to build a $1.6b teaching hospital for the university. In a move of „like for like‟ the authorities built them a purpose designed plant for childcare, worship, youth and teaching needs. Built on university land, Southport Church of Christ is a magnificent facility that they are pleased to occupy and use for the proclamation of the gospel and service to the community.

Australian College of Ministries Review

In summary: our task force decided that Queensland will establish a local leadership unit with responsibility:

for leadership development across churches and care facilities; source and promote ACOM and CCTC and other appropriate providers in order to meet the leadership needs of Queensland churches

to work with ACOM to address curriculum and guidelines for contract lecturers to be serving Queensland

for recruitment of suitable people to train for ministry, certainly for CofC in Qld.

We have requested ACOM prepare a three-year plan by 30 June 2011 that shows how the organisation will be financially viable going into the future. We support the critical review of the VocEd education stream and look forward to a more effective and financially viable model. We will continue to honour the MOU which commits our Queensland funding of $110,000 per calendar year to the 31 December 2011. Funding beyond this from Churches of Christ in Queensland will be contingent on the plans produced by ACOM in 2011 and appropriate implementation of the review recommendations. We have recommended to the ACOM board that any new principal be appointed on a three-year contract which coincides with the requested three-year plan.

Chair for March

For the month of March, I was unable to attend the Council meeting. Deputy Chair Greg Runge led the meeting and has conveyed to me the matters dealt with for your information and fuller understanding.

Chaplain for our March Council

Simon Ward, our Arana Hills senior minster, led us this month with his thoughts of support and challenge with the words “Be still and know that I am God” from Psalm 46. Thank you Simon.

“Summer of Sorrow” (Anna Bligh).

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”(NIV).

I have been asked a number of times recently, why is God giving us these floods, earthquakes and tsunamis?

God is not doing this to us. They come as a result of the fall of mankind under Adam and the subsequent negative ongoing effect on creation. While Adam was created in the image of God, we all have been born in the fallen image of Adam. We live and die with that and that‟s why Christ came. With that fall, all creation has been cast into a minor key. The whole of creation longs for the day it will be restored as spelt out in Romans 8.

The whole world is waiting for the time when the sons of God will be seen. The world was spoiled. It did not want to be spoiled, but God allowed it. And it hoped to be free like God's children when they are made great. We know that the whole world has been crying. It has had much pain until now.” World English NT.

Mission Division

The Mission Division exists to promote, equip, resource, support and bring into effect the mission of Churches of Christ in Queensland which is: Bringing the light of Christ into communities. Gerry Weatherall gave his extensive and inspiring report on what the Mission Division has been set up to do. We now have two cluster coordinators/facilitators known as Mission Action Partners (MAPS) who partner with the churches and care services to develop and implement mission strategies within a multidimensional cluster framework.

Bruce Armstrong, Council Chair, Conference President

Networking

Page 4

April 2011

Mission Division update

These last three months have been a very challenging and rewarding time as the Mission Division has started to take shape. I continually thank God for the opportunity to serve and for the wonderful team of people I now work with in Churches of Christ in Queensland. One of my roles as the Director of Mission has been to work with Desley Millwood, Group Manager of Communications and Geoff Risson our Senior Pastor for the Church and Ministry Support Group, to assess the requests from our churches for payments from our flood appeal to people who have suffered in recent disasters.

I have to tell you there has been more than one occasion when the tears have welled up as I read the story of what people have been through. We all go through difficult times in our lives but some of what has happened is just beyond my comprehension to appreciate. What has been very much emphasised to me again throughout all of this is that our mission is about people and their need to be loved and cared for; their need for healing, peace and wellbeing; and overarching all, their need for a personal and loving relationship with Jesus Christ. The Mission Division has been created to promote, equip, resource, support and bring into effect the mission of Churches of Christ in Queensland, which is Bringing the light of Christ into communities.

Now that‟s not a bad Mission Statement (at least those of us who wrote it think so) but what does it mean practically?

Well it means we are going to work in partnership with and on behalf of our churches and care services to determine such things as what mission activity God is calling us to do in our individual communities; how does the Mission Division best support churches in their ministries and in fulfilling their mission in the community in which they live; how do we best support children‟s and youth ministries, church plants and other local expressions of mission; how best do we develop leadership skills and identify our future leaders; and so on. Flowing from this is to decide how we all work together to implement mission in the most effective way. Simply put, how do we best demonstrate God‟s love, create more followers of Jesus and enable them to become effective disciples of Christ.

In the coming months, members of the Mission Action Team and myself will be meeting with our churches and leaders all over Queensland to discover the exciting things God is doing and to explore new opportunities for mission. We want to encourage you to keep up-to-date with what‟s happening by reading the regular updates and information on Mission Division development in Networking, and to be earnestly praying for us, our churches and all those who are involved in mission across our state.

In our Networking articles you will be introduced to our Mission Action Team, and in particular the Mission Action Partners, who will be working with our churches and care services to develop and implement mission strategies. We will also explain the exciting development of clusters and how churches, care services and others are getting together to cooperatively implement mission. Another important endeavour is to keep you well informed about the activities of the other three departments that make up the Mission Division; The Church and Ministry Support Group, The Leadership Development Team and our People and Performance department who provide corporate support, training and pastoral care services to our organisation. Each of these will be featured in the coming months.

Any analysis of Australian society today shows overwhelmingly the need for missional renewal in our churches. The decline of the established local church is real and we must heed the call to action. Ross Pelling, the church leader at the Southport church finishes his book, “A fresh approach to Aussie Church” with the words: “It is vital then that churches today hear afresh the words of Jesus when He says, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore to send out workers into the harvest field” (Matthew 9:37)”

I think he is right.

Gerry Weatherall, Director of Mission

Networking

Page 5

April 2011

The new Mission Action Partners

Jean Milligan - Mission Action Partner

I‟d like to introduce myself to you. I‟m Jean Milligan, and I‟ve recently taken on the role of Mission Action Partner for the south eastern region of Brisbane. I‟m committed to helping all Churches of Christ facilities in the region to work in closer accord with one another, and to identify ways they can shine the light of Christ into their local communities. I‟ve also begun meeting with the area‟s services, denominational leaders, and representatives of local, state and federal government. I‟m hopeful that together we can identify unmet needs which may result in the establishment of new caring initiatives in the region.

It‟s been wonderful meeting the staff at our facilities, and I‟m looking forward to getting to know more of “our people”, and working closely with them. I‟ve also been encouraged by the warm reception I‟ve received from members of the public who have a heart for their communities, and by their willingness to partner with me, and Churches of Christ in Queensland, in finding solutions which will make a positive difference to lives across the region.

Even if you‟re not located in the south eastern region of Brisbane but you have a passion for shining the light of Jesus into your community in practical ways, I‟d love to explore with you the possibilities of moving your dreams towards becoming realities.

Steve Drinkall – Mission Action Partner

The culture we live in is changing rapidly and as a result many people who once were strongly connected with churches find themselves rarely in attendance. There are also many people who do not identify as followers of Jesus but are interested in trying to make sense of where faith fits into their lives. The new „simple church cluster‟ which has been created by the Mission Division is seeking to connect with and minister to these groups of people. This new cluster is building on some of the ideas and events which have been supported by Churches of Christ over the last few years and they are doing a great job of experimenting with what church might look like outside the walls of a traditional building.

March has been a month of hosting a range of discussion forums right across South East Qld. These forums are run at local coffee shops and are entirely centred on trying to help people figure out what it means for them to live out their faith in our day and in our context. Almost 100 people attended these forums in March of which the vast majority do not regularly attend a traditional church. The coffee is always good and the discussion is sometimes frighteningly honest, but we are seeing God draw people to him as they wrestle with their questions. We have more forums planned in May and we ask that you pray for this ministry and consider either coming yourself or bringing along someone who you think needs to connect in a different way. You can find out more about our Postcard Forums by visiting www.postcardradio.com or by contacting Steve Drinkall direct at steve.drinkall@cofcqld.com.au.

Christchurch earthquake appeal

The recent devastating events in Christchurch have drawn the attention of the world, but now as the rebuilding process begins, it can be a time when those affected can feel forgotten by the outside world. The Associated Churches of Christ, Christian Churches New Zealand have set up an appeal which people can contribute to, to help those affected by this disaster. The Associated Churches of Christ, Christian Churches New Zealand are working closely with four churches in Christchurch to establish and manage this appeal. Money raised from this appeal will be put towards rebuilding people‟s lives and livelihoods. Please note this is not a tax deductible donation.

ACOM seeking a new Principal and Chief Executive Officer The Australian College of Ministries (ACOM) is one of Australia's largest Bible colleges, specialising in Christian leadership, theological education, discipleship and ministry training. They currently have an exciting and challenging opportunity for an innovative and dynamic leader to shape the future direction of ACOM. The Board of ACOM is seeking candidates capable of leading the organisation into its next phase of development. The successful applicant will need outstanding leadership, management, and entrepreneurial skills. For more information or to submit an application, contact Sandra Noel at PO Box 3561 Rhodes NSW 2138. Or email sandra.noel@freshhope.org.au, phone (02) 8719 2600. Applications close Friday 27 May 2011.

Name of the organisation – Associated Churches of Christ, Christian Churches New Zealand Address – 40 Saxton Road, Stoke, Nelson, New Zealand, 7011 Account number – 02-0704-0254543-00 Bank name – Bank of New Zealand Bank address – Trafalgar Street, Nelson, New Zealand, 7010 Bank Swift Code - BKNZNZ22 Reference - Christchurch Relief Fund

Networking

Page 6

April 2011

Building community and character at ACOM – the ACOM Personal Retreat 2011 Sadly, the survival rate in ministry is not high. All sorts of things conspire to take out Christian leaders – from moral issues, to stress and burnout, unrealistic expectations and interpersonal relationships. At ACOM we attempt to build good foundations from the start of people‟s training in ministry, to ensure that these issues can be minimised. So each year we gather our students at Mt Tamborine for our Personal Formation retreat, where they are put together with groups of other students that meet regularly throughout the year. Under the leadership of a trained formation director, these groups share their life stories, grow in spiritual maturity, focus on character, and grow in love for one another and God!

These groups are particularly important as all of our students are studying by distance. Although the advantage of our system is that it allows students to study “on-the-job” while in ministry, we have no regular student gatherings. However, experience has shown that the Personal Formation retreats, with the PF groups throughout the year, plus attending our three-day facilitations for each unit of study, do help students to build a healthy community with one another– without having to leave their communities back home.

Overall, our Personal Formation includes:

three complete units of study that are a core part of the Bachelor of Theology

meeting with PF groups, with a Formation Director

regular meetings with a mentor

reading through sessions that are provided for students online

completing reflective assessment.

If you‟d like to discover more about studies at ACOM, please contact us on 1800 672 692 or info@acom.edu.au.

Quotes from students:

PF Retreat was a time to come away from our busy lives and draw near to others who are walking on the discipleship journey. From the outset there was a sense of close community where students and facilitators were able to share, laugh and learn in a relaxed, open and informal way. Sharing our life stories together was the highlight of the retreat. It is a great privilege to be invited into the world of another person and to connect deeply with what he or she is going through. I look forward to the journey that our PF group will share together. Great food, wonderful fellowship, beautiful venue - can't wait for next year! - Jennifer Woodley, Highfields Church of Christ.

Once again I am very happy with the experience of the Personal Formation retreat. It‟s much more than a 'mandatory' part of PF. It should be a mandatory part of life. - Mark Payne, Tweed Heads Church of Christ.

For me personally it was quite challenging! It was a difficult thing to share my 'story' but afterwards I felt normal and accepted amongst my group (which I did NOT expect!).

Every year ACOM holds a Personal Formation retreat at Mt Tambourine, where students come together and share their life stories, and grow in spiritual maturity.

Networking

Page 7

April 2011

Physically I felt tired from it all, but the wonderful food that Randy and Ian cooked was a great way of making sure that I got out of bed. I absolutely loved the opportunity to meet and befriend others who love Christ as much as I do! I look forward to catching up with my group for the remainder of the year as well as attending my final PF camp. - Shannyn Biggs, Glasshouse Community Church.

I was really surprised at how powerful it was to share stories in the formation groups. The liberation of being transparent in the sharing of my own story, the insight into other people‟s lives and experiences and the community built within the group was really encouraging and unforgettable. - Brad Dewson, Christlife Church, Toowoomba.

Prepare and Enrich Prepare and Enrich have been used for many years by those working with couples planning to marry, couples wanting to strengthen their relationship and facing new challenges, and couples experiencing difficulties in their relationship. The inventories have a reputation for accuracy, reliability, sensitivity and relevance. The Prepare and Enrich customised version has been used to great effect for two years now. It is accessed via the internet and is customised to suit each couple. Training in the use of this new resource will be available at Brisbane Boy‟s College, Toowong on 2 and 3 June. For a registration form contact the trainer Graham Cole on 3309 3558 or at gcole@bbs.qld.edu.au.

A new induction to the Silverdale Church of Christ On Sunday 13 March 2011, Chris Downs was inducted into the ministry of the Silverdale Church of Christ, and around 88 people attended this special day.

The worship service was a positive and hope-full moment for the church, as they looked towards serving in their community under the pastoral leadership of Chris Downs. Chris and his wife Bronwyn, with their two daughters have come to the church from three years of serving in Kazakhstan with Global Interaction (Baptist Mission). Before this, Chris was a school teacher, teaching in country Queensland.

Whitehill Church of Christ helping flood victims Whitehill Church of Christ, in Raceview, Ipswich has been active in helping people recover from the floods. We have had many teams of people involved in clean-up and helping folk get back into their homes. Food and furniture have been donated and distributed, and grants have been applied for from the Churches of Christ in Queensland Flood Appeal, with over $45,000 distributed to flood affected church and community members. A number of our members also volunteered at the evacuation centre in Ipswich. Whitehill Church of Christ recently sponsored a community breakfast organised by East Ipswich Primary School and Family Radio 96.5. The school was hit hard by the January floods and subsequently 50 families have had to move out of the area. The free breakfast was for parents, students, friends and staff. The morning finished off with the Channel 7 chopper landing on the school oval and the event was featured on the news that night.

Principal Debbie Hansen is pictured here with Senior Pastor Darryl Seip.

Geoff Risson (left) welcoming Chris Downs (right) to the

ministry of the Church, with Ivan Kruger, elder of the church.

Networking

Page 8

April 2011

Westside Church of Christ – hands and feet of God

God has blessed us far and beyond anything we could have ever imagined during the recent flood crisis. We at Westside Church of Christ only have a limited amount of time and resources, but God has poured out his love towards us and blessed us, which has helped us to be his hands and his feet in our community. Here is a snapshot.

We had teams of people from Westside helping with the clean-up. We emailed our church folk each day with updates to let people know where help was needed. The amount of people willing to help after the flood was just amazing!

We have given out over 100 meals to families who have been affected by the floods. We have received meals from all over Brisbane – the north, south and east. Brig-O-doon Aged Care Services supplied us with meals each week in February, which was an enormous help.

We have given out over 80 “Baskets of Hope” - laundry baskets full of household items. Again,

we have received donations from all over Brisbane.

We have been able to bless families through the Westside Caring Fund. We have received donations from all over Australia!

We have had access to the Churches of Christ in Queensland Flood Appeal, and so far we have applied for 20 grants which have helped local families get their houses liveable again. This fund has been an enormous blessing to the flood affected families.

Four local hairdressers raised $850.00 for flood victims one Saturday morning at Westside Church of Christ, and flood victims were given free haircuts.

We have also received donations of new household goods which we have passed onto families in need.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us through this crisis. We could not have done all this without the help from our extended church family. We have been blessed to be a blessing!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Eph 3:20

Kerry Schulz – Westside Church of Christ

Pam Mitchell and Kerry Schulz with „Baskets of Hope.‟

Free haircuts were given out to families affected by floods.

Networking

Page 9

April 2011

A Senior’s Moment Convention From March 18-21, the seniors‟ convention A Seniors Moment took place in Toowoomba, and the response in numbers and involvement was overwhelming. With over 70 registrations, we were serving and speaking to more 100 people, at what was our first seniors‟ convention in Toowoomba for 15 years.

Three guest speakers dealing with fraud and financial planning drew a very positive response, and David Ratten from One Community Church in Victoria spoke on living a life of happiness, of significance, and of love. Our seven electives each ran twice, which gave our seniors ample choice from pyrography and scrapbooking to gardening.

The fun debate under John Eastwell was about seniors having access to modern communication techniques and was very funny. There was an abundance of wonderful food which was enjoyed over many discussions and laughs, and we also had registrations from Victoria, ACT, Miles, Kilcoy, Gilgandra and Redbank. We were able to host our 12 person medical team for lunch on Friday before farewelling them for their Watoto Uganda ministry.

We are now planning next year‟s regional convention.

A Seniors Moment took place in Toowoomba from March 18-21, and was a huge success. Popular workshops were the craft class (pictured above left) and the technology elective. Great food was provided and many laughs were had.

Networking

Page 10

April 2011

Roma Church of Christ: Heartlife project

The Roma Church of Christ is one step closer to completing their Heartlife Project, as a garage sale held last month raised $2000 for the project. The Heartlife project aims to transform two houses owned by the church into emergency accommodation to be used by families visiting the Roma Base Hospital. The garage sale was a huge success and on Saturday March 12, people bought books, furniture, bikes and videos, all of which were donated to the church for sale.

Pastor Myles Waldron said he was delighted with the response.

“This will be a great help to the Heartlife project,” Pastor Myles said.

The shoppers were provided with a morning tea, and a delivery service for large items. The Roma Church of Christ also recently held a working bee at the Heartlife units, where volunteers came to help get the units ready for people to use.

“We had 20 people plus children turn up which was great, and we were able to re-landscape and prepare the inside of the units for painting and floor coverings,” Myles said. “We are hoping to have the first people to stay in the accommodation just after Easter.”

Background

The Heartlife project began more than 10 years ago when Churches of Christ Care constructed two two-bedroom self contained units next to the Roma Churches of Christ, with the idea they would become part of an independent retirement village. This never happened for one reason or another, and in 2008 the Roma Church of Christ began to look for ways to use the accommodation. As research was conducted and church members met with the community, it became evident that there was a shortage of short-term, low cost accommodation for people travelling to Roma for medical services.

“As we looked into it further, we heard a story about a mother having to sleep in a car while her child received overnight medical attention from the hospital. Through the Heartlife project, family members coming to Roma to give birth or having to undergo serious treatment, can bring their families with them. This will hopefully bring them comfort, peace and much needed support at the right time.”

For further information or questions please do not hesitate to contact Myles Waldron of the Roma Church of Christ on 0429 774 039.

Top: The garage sale raised $2000 for the Heartlife Project. Middle: Shoppers were treated to a morning tea. Right: The last Heartlife working bee saw volunteers help get the units ready for use.

Networking

Page 11

April 2011

The Prodigal God series at Roma Church of Christ

The Prodigal God series has just begun at the Roma Church of Christ, and will be a 12-week series of discussions. To celebrate the start of this journey, participants from the church came together for a meal on 6 March, after the Sunday service. Church members Kent and Carrie (pictured middle left) were the servant leaders for the day, and prepared the table for the luncheon.

“The series will go for 12 weeks, and we meet after each Sunday service and then again in the evening to discuss and reflect on the Prodigal God book,” Pastor Myles said.

“We have had a great response so far, and it is encouraging to see how many people from our church are participating. It is open to anyone from our church who is interested.”

The Roma Church of Christ has begun the Prodigal God series at their church. The program kicked off with a luncheon, where people gathered after the Sunday service and enjoyed good food and great company.

Networking

Page 12

April 2011

Join forces to help flood victims The Queensland Reconstruction Authority has just established the Join Forces program. If you are involved with, or know of a local community group or club that has been affected by the floods or cyclones, please encourage them to sign up to the program.

The „Join Forces‟ website connects flood and cyclone-affected sporting clubs, community groups and other not-for-profits with corporate and private sponsors who can help them with the huge task of rebuilding and getting their club or group up and running again.

Please forward this information and help our local community groups Join Forces. Join now at www.qldreconstruction.org.au/joining-forces

Global Mission Partners – Japan earthquake appeal

On Friday 11 March a massive earthquake (9.0 magnitude) rocked northern Japan, triggering a tsunami that swept across the country with waves of up to 10 metres reaching over 10 kilometres inland.

The death toll is above 11000 and more than 16000 people are listed as missing. Around 4.4 million households in north-eastern Japan were left without electricity and 1.4 million without water; and 300,000 have been evacuated nation-wide.

As many as 3,400 buildings were destroyed or badly damaged. Electrical generators were taken down, and there are four nuclear reactors in jeopardy. People of faith wonder what God is doing, yet they know most clearly that tragedy is a call to action.

UnitingWorld‟s National Director, Kerry Enright, has been in contact with the leadership of the United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ) to offer support. The UCCJ was the original protestant church in Japan. Church of Christ congregations were part of its formation. It is still one of the largest protestant churches with a membership of approximately 195,000.

The UCCJ has begun the processes of offering assistance in amongst the devastation. It has established an Emergency Committee, with four members of that committee currently in Sendai laying the groundwork for sending teams of volunteers that will provide:

food and water

medical support

safe shelter

pastoral and counselling services.

They have already ascertained that the main student centre of the UCCJ in Sendai has not been damaged and there is clean water available. Their plan is to establish the centre as the main hub for the relief effort. The team is currently visiting 10 other UCCJ churches in the area plus a number of schools. These are being assessed for suitability as relief centres for areas most drastically affected in the Tohoku District of which Sendai is the major city.

Today the UCCJ leaders formally asked for the financial support of the Uniting Church in Australia (through their aid and development agency – UnitingWorld).

COCOA is partnering with UnitingWorld enabling Churches of Christ to support the relief work of UCCJ.

Gifts are NOT tax-deductible and can be sent direct to the GMP office via cheques/credit card by post; credit card by phone or direct bank transfer.

Networking

Page 13

April 2011

Communications and marketing update

Churches of Christ Care rebranding

Last year, Churches of Christ in Queensland underwent a restructure to incorporate our divisions and our churches into one organisation. In line with this we developed new branding and marketing materials for Churches of Christ in Queensland including new letterhead, business card, templates and other stationary items. The next phase in moving forward as an organisation has been the rebranding of Churches of Christ Care. The new Churches of Christ Care branding and logos reflect the closer relationship across the whole organisation, and will continue onto our corporate websites and in new promotional materials. This will be phased in over the coming months across all Churches of Christ Care services.

Consistent branding elements are available for churches

Churches of Christ churches can implement and promote our brand on letterhead, business cards, websites and signage. The branding has been developed in strict accordance with the branding of Churches of Christ in Queensland and Churches of Christ Care overall, as one organisation.

Right: Churches of Christ in

Queensland banner

Churches of Christ Care‟s banners, letterhead and on the new Churches of Christ Care

website.

The new concepts for churches include general stationery - business cards,

letterhead, and also website.

Networking

Page 14

April 2011

Update from Churches of Christ Care

Merger with Vic/Tas Aged Care on track

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with many of the clients, staff and volunteers of Churches of Christ Community Care in Melbourne. I attended meetings alongside Tracey Hurst, General Manager.

The purpose of these meetings was to discuss the merger between our Aged Care operations and to introduce folk to Churches of Christ in Queensland and Churches of Christ Care.

The response from those that attended these meetings was very positive. Our colleagues and their clients in Victoria were grateful at the prospect of sustaining Churches of Christ‟s aged care ministry in that state. They were also excited by the potential of introducing new and different services into Victoria and Tasmania, and working alongside local churches to make a difference in local communities.

Many of our support service staff (e.g. Workforce Services, Finance and Communications & Marketing) are currently working hard to ensure a smooth transition of aged care services on 1 July 2011. We look forward to welcoming the Victoria/Tasmania Retirement Living and Aged Care services (all currently based in Melbourne) into our fold and to working with the Conference of Victoria/Tasmania to bring the light of Christ into their communities.

David Swain Director, Churches of Christ Care Churches of Christ Care Fact Sheet

• Churches of Christ Care is a division of Churches of Christ in Qld – it is a not-for-profit organisation with PBI status.

• Churches of Christ Care provides a range of care services to vulnerable persons at different stages of their life journey.

• Established in 1930, today Churches of Christ Care operates 137 services with the support of more than 2,800 staff and over 700 volunteers.

• The care services are active in the areas of early childhood services, child protection, social and affordable housing, retirement living, community aged care, and residential aged care.

• Churches of Christ Care is one of Queensland‟s leading providers of high quality, accredited child care services, and operates 20 licensed and accredited services for children from birth to 16 years.

• Our Care Pathways programs provide foster/kinship care, respite care, assessment and intervention services, and residential and semi-independent care, to over 3,000 children and young people under child protection orders, each year.

• We are one of the largest non-government providers of child protection services in Queensland. • Over 500 dedicated and compassionate foster carers work closely with Care Pathways staff to provide a vital

safety net to these children and young people who have often come from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. • Churches of Christ Care manages over 500 tenancies across South-East Queensland through our program, Care

Housing. We are one of the largest not-for-profit housing providers in Queensland and have over 30 years experience in property and tenancy management.

• Care Housing provides a range of rental housing options for individuals and families who are: -earning low incomes discriminated against in the private housing market; homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

• Care Housing provides crisis housing, transitional housing and long term housing. • Our Home Assist Secure programs provide information and referral, home security and subsidised assistance for

eligible clients in the community who are 60 years and over or who have a disability. • Churches of Christ Care manages five Home Assist Secure programs in the following areas: Gold Coast,

Warwick, Redcliffe, Western Suburbs of Brisbane and Blackall. The programs, funded by the Queensland Government, aims to enhance the independence of people who are 60 years of age and over plus younger people with a moderate to severe disability who may be at risk.

• Churches of Christ Care operates 13 retirement villages throughout Queensland, many in prime locations such as Bribie Island and the Gold Coast. Our villages offer residents care, support, independence, companionship and peace of mind. Almost all of our retirement villages are co-located on the same site as a residential aged care facility, and a variety of community care programs are available to provide additional support for residents if and when they need it.

Networking

Page 15

April 2011

• Our aged care services range from transitional care and in-home support to residential accommodation for seniors with low and high care needs. Our services operate across urban, rural and remote Queensland, and in some locations we are the only providers of aged care in the town.

• All our residential aged care facilities are accredited by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency, and we are committed to providing ongoing education, training and development for all staff.

• Our community aged care programs are designed to give elderly people the support they need to stay in their own homes safely and securely for as long as possible. Our services included community aged care packages, home and community care, a healthy ageing program, older people‟s action program, and day respite.

Churches of Christ in Queensland Today, there are over 70 churches together with our 137 caring, community and support services that assist families, children, the elderly and people in need across the state from Cairns to the Gold Coast and from the outback to the coast. Churches of Christ in Queensland is a group of mainstream Christian churches which has been an active part of the Queensland community for over 100 years. We are a significant presence within Queensland with over 200 services in more than 100 communities, touching tens of thousands of lives each year.

Kallangur community garden

Since the development of the area surrounding the Kallangur Community Early Childhood Centre, there has been a large section of land at the front of the centre that has been unused, except as extra parking space. A number of unsuccessful attempts were made to access grants to develop the site, and staff had numerous discussions about what the space could be used for, and in a way that didn‟t impact on the centre‟s budget. “At our Support and Advisory Team (SATS) meetings in 2010, we discussed our dreams of developing the site into an indigenous garden, one that children would be able to become involved in the development of, and use the produce from,” service manager Jeanette Brennan said. “This would enhance the children‟s health through physical activity and hopefully encourage life long healthy eating habits. It would also provide an opportunity to enhance their development through problem solving, hypothesising, identifying, sharing, socialising, numeracy and literacy skills. The project would also acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, and provide further opportunity to respect and value the culture of our elders.” Staff attended workshops on school gardens and „bush tucker,‟ planting along with their own research in these areas. This provided valuable feedback as to what and where they were heading with the project Following on from the SATS meeting, a representative from the Pine Rivers Church of Christ was able to put the centre in contact with someone who was currently developing a community garden with another church in the area. Following contact, he visited the centre and identified that the area was sufficient to develop into a community garden. He has given them further ideas as to how to access other grant opportunities, including ones that he will follow through with. “We also had a visit from a church member who operates a nursery, who offered valuable advice on how to best access materials and in the basic layout of the garden,” Jeanette continued. “A community garden would be an asset to the area. Excess produce would be donated to the local church that operates the food bank for this area.” With this thought, it further encouraged staff to keep moving forward with the hope that this project would one day come to fruition. “Following up on suggestions from our church member, staff approached tradesman in the local estate and asked if the unneeded soil from excavations could be brought over to the centre,” Jeanette explained.

Networking

Page 16

April 2011

“Fifty cubic metres later we had the soil we needed at no cost. Our community garden worker has accessed some fence panels, and staff have accessed some second-hand panels that match the existing fence line of the centre, mostly at zero cost. When the church saw the soil had arrived, they offered their machinery to spread the soil and to dig the fence post holes for us. We had a special tree donated at our 25th anniversary late in 2010 and this will take pride of place in the centre of the garden. A spiral pathway will lead from the existing play space into the garden, ending at the tree. “This project will provide an excellent educational environment for children attending the centre. It will have relaxation areas (cosy corners) to sit and read a story, and art installations that will acknowledge and respect the diversity of our community, including our indigenous heritage.”

Hervey Bay Family Day Care receives Executive Director award

In March this year, Hervey Bay Family Day Care was recognised for their exceptional work, with a Churches of Christ in Queensland Executive Director‟s „Excellence in Service‟ Award. When she put in her nomination form, Service Manager Bev Keleher chose the theme of „embracing change‟. Here is an exert from her application: Our carers have embraced enormous change. They have gone from being „day care mums‟ to professional child educators. Most of our carers have undertaken formal study to receive a Certificate III in Child Care. Some are in their 50s and 60s and have never studied before. Many are going on to achieve their diploma in child care. All their study is done externally and in their own time. Our staff have contributed to the service‟s success by leading the change. They encourage, support and mentor the carers at every opportunity. They often work after hours to accommodate the needs of the carers and families in care. Most of our in-service training is provided on weekends or at night time so that carers may attend. One exceptional achievement was a conference, based around the government‟s Early Years Learning Framework, that was organised by our staff, primarily for our carers. We decided to open the conference up to all child care professionals across our region. We ended up having nearly 130 people attend from areas ranging from Brisbane to Charters Towers - a great way to show the professionalism of staff who work for Churches of Christ Care. All this was achieved by our small dedicated team whilst carrying out their normal duties... I can honestly say that in my working life, I have never before worked with a team who have such a passion for embracing change and helping to improve the lives of others.

Pathways and continuous improvement

Colleen Power joined the team as the Care Pathways Project Worker in September 2010, to enhance the delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, families, communities and staff. Colleen came to the organisation with a wealth of experience including being married with five children and the carer for her mum. Colleen was born and grew up in Bowen, north Queensland and moved to Brisbane in 2001. She is an Aboriginal woman from the Birrigubba language group in north Queensland.

“Prior to my current job with Care Pathways, I worked as the Child Protection Worker with the Beenleigh Recognised Entity, where I advocated and made recommendations for indigenous families who came into contact with the child protection system,” Colleen said.

Dean Phelan, Child, Youth and Family Care General Manager Jane Carter, and Early Childhood Operations Manager Cathy Kennedy visited the Hervey Bay Family

Day Care service to present the award to staff.

Networking

Page 17

April 2011

“Prior to this I worked predominately in the education, employment and training fields in the private, community and government sectors.

My roles included developing and managing the employment and training of indigenous people, and providing mentoring throughout their journey.

“I have strong links to my home community and continue to be informed of the progress for better economic and sustainable programs for indigenous people in the area.

I am a Justice of the Peace and I have a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment (TAA Qualification), delivering programs in the social services, government and cultural awareness areas. I am currently completing a Certificate IV in Child Protection.”

During the six months with Churches of Christ Care, Colleen has been integral in forming a project advisory team, made up of interested staff across Care Pathways. She has also be instrumental in developing cultural awareness training for staff and foster carers, which focuses on understanding the cultural matters within the child protection context. She has assisted with a literature review relating to best practices for out-of-home care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as the development of a Care Pathways Reconciliation Action Plan.

Care Housing Recently, a number of residents from our Care Housing program on the Gold Coast wrote letters to Churches of Christ Care, expressing their happiness and thanks at being able to live in the Care Housing apartments - pictured.

Here are two letters of thanks we received:

Moving from one house to another or one town or country to another is a big event in someone‟s life

and raises many doubts. The doubts about moving we had however were all dispelled when re-locating into a unit of Care Housing on the Gold Coast. Care Housing not only provided personable and efficient staff to make our move enjoyable, but also placed us in a beautiful, tastefully decorated modern dwelling that has all the features of a home I would buy if I could. My family and I are still in shock that we have been so lucky!

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Care Housing and staff for the wonderful apartment. I feel very fortunate that I have been given this great opportunity. I have found the staff to be more than helpful and willing to give of their time and effort in ensuring everything is up to a high standard, and quick and prompt in having any repairs needed attended to. In saying this I would like to thank all the Churches of Christ Care staff involved for all they have done, making my transition into long-term housing such a pleasurable experience.

Thank-you Churches of Christ Care.

Networking

Page 18

April 2011

Bribie Island Retirement Village Fete The Bribie Island Retirement Village‟s annual village fete is always a fun packed day, with many residents, staff and family members getting involved and contributing towards this being a successful day. The fete is held in May each year, and this year it is being coordinated by the Fete Committee consisting of volunteer residents.

Retirement Village coordinator Karen Tibbits, who will oversee and support the fete, said the Fete Committee was established in the village to plan and manage the event.

“The members on the committee are residents living in the village, with many other residents‟ also attending meetings and helping out on an informal basis,” Ms Tibbits said.

“Residents are always encouraged to join the Fete Committee or become a volunteer on the day.”

The months leading up to the fete are a very busy time for all – with lots of residents making jams, creating craft items, sewing, collecting bric-a-brac and books, propagating plants to sell on the day, collecting donated raffle prizes, selling raffle tickets within the village and out in the community, and generally helping with the overall organising of the event.

“In addition to the residents‟ stalls we also invite a selection of stallholders from the community to join in,” Ms Tibbits continued.

“At the fete last year we had stalls such as health and massage, artificial plants and flowers, mobility scooters, coaching services and much more. This year we will have continuous entertainment, fire truck displays, food stalls, a vintage display, and a jumping castle for the kids along with face painting, Jazz the Clown and lots more.

“Last year we raised $9,000, and the residents decided to use this money towards beautifying the pond that is overlooked from the Clubhouse deck. This year we‟re hoping to raise even more to cover expenses needed for the completion of the pond restoration project.”

The public are invited to donate towards this fundraising cause – whether it is bric-a-brac for the stall holders to sell, prizes that can be raffled or a monetary donation. The village greatly appreciates any support or contributions, and donations can be dropped off to Karen Tibbits at Churches of Christ Care‟s Bribie Island Retirement Village. The Bribie Island Retirement Village fete will take place on 7 May and is open to the public from 8.00am to 12.00noon. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Supporting people in their own homes Churches of Christ Care provides community aged care assistance for older people in the community who require help at home. The Community Care Program is offered all over the state, and is delivered from our aged care services across many locations.

Community Care Programs offer Community Aged Care Packages (CACP), and many now provide Extended Aged Care at Home packages (EACH) - personalised and tailored assistance to support older people to remain in their home.

Joan‟s husband Ron has been part of the Bribie Island Community Care Program for two years, and Joan said she could not speak highly enough of the program.

“We have benefited from the program in multiple ways,” Joan said.

“As Ron‟s full time carer, the CACP not only helped Ron to remain at home for longer, but also gave me some respite.

Bribie Island retirement village coordinator Karen Tibbits (centre front) with the Bribie Island Retirement Village Fete Committee.

Networking

Page 19

April 2011

“Initially, the carers from the program came for an hour every morning, but they were always very obliging if I needed them in the afternoon as well, or if I needed them to pop in on a Saturday morning. I found them very companionable.

“When you are in aged care you become isolated. We were at home 24 hours a day, so having them come to the house was so helpful and gave us interaction with people. I could talk to them about aged care too; if I had a question about caring for Ron they would always be able to help.”

Joan said she received help with daily housework and cleaning, and with maintaining Ron‟s hygiene.

“The girls from the program were just lovely, we shared so much and they almost became part of the family,” Joan said.

“If it wasn‟t for the Community Care Program, there is definitely no way I could have kept Ron at home with me for as long as I have. He would have gone into high care a long time ago, so I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done. I would not hesitate in getting a CACP for myself if I ever needed it.”

The Community Care Program can be delivered to people living in both retirement village units or in their own home. For more information visit the Churches of Christ Care website at www.care.cofc.com.au.

Renovations at Buckingham Gardens Over the past nine months, Buckingham Gardens Aged Care Services has been undergoing renovations. Much work has been undertaken to update and renovate the facility, and residents have expressed their happiness at the results of the renovations.

“We have had the whole facility painted both inside and out which has modernised its appearance, and has resulted in a very homelike atmosphere,” Director of Nursing Pauline Jones said.

“The building had not been painted for several years and the colours were outdated, so we chose neutral, warm colours to modernise it.

“We have replaced the kitchens in each of the five houses as they too had been outdated and were in need of attention. All the new kitchens were designed with the residents‟ needs in mind, and now they are very much like the kitchens that were in their own homes. Extra sinks have been put into our secure unit benches to enable residents to wash up if they wish.

“The staff also now have built-in work stations that are not a part of the kitchen area.

“Residents have all said how much they like the renovations, and some of the comments have been “Very well finished,” “It is working very well, looks good,” “Very nice, so large,” “The floor is beautiful and it is well organised,” and “One of the best kitchens I have seen.”

Top: The newly renovated kitchen at Buckingham Gardens Aged Care Services and below: The staff now have built in workstations that are not part of the kitchen area.

Networking

Page 20

April 2011

Scripture Union Queensland’s National Day of Prayer for School Chaplains To help school chaplains across Queensland, Scripture Union Queensland is holding a National Day of Prayer for School Chaplains on Sunday 1 May.

As many of you already know, there is a current High Court Challenge that threatens the constitutional right of the federal government to fund School Chaplaincy. If this challenge is successful, it will severely curtail school chaplaincy services across the nation.

The High Court has set down 10-12 May for the hearing, which is why we have set Sunday 1 May as the date for the National Day of Prayer for School Chaplains.

In joining with Scripture Union Queensland on 1 May, your church will be praying with thousands of others across this nation so that government funding will continue for this vital program in our schools. We also want to pray that those who oppose School Chaplaincy for ideological reasons will not have their way.

Your church can register for a complimentary Church Prayer Day Pack to be sent out over the coming weeks, which includes the following helpful resources:

powerpoint slides and/or DVD to show on your church screen

"Save Our Chaplains" Statement of Support forms to hand out to your congregation

advertisement artwork for inserting into your church bulletin or newsletter.

To register for this pack simply go to https://brownbox.wufoo.com/forms/national-day-of-prayer-for-school-chaplains as soon as you can.

To help provide accurate information about the High Court challenge and the benefits of School Chaplaincy, Scripture Union Queensland has produced a web site: www.scriptureunion.org.au

Previously known as the Australian Gospel Music Festival, Easterfest is a three-day music festival held in Toowoomba. Churches of Christ in Queensland is sponsoring the event, which offers the organisation brand awareness foremost, with the opportunity to promote our youth and family programs in the area.

Part of our sponsorship package is that the organisation will have a full page advertisement in the program guide, a 30-second TV advertisement playing in various locations throughout the festival and a two-minute presentation on Stage.

Churches are welcome to be involved. HumeRidge, Toowoomba North and Highfields along with ACOM, SYG (State Youth Games) and NYMC (National Youth Ministry Convention will be represented.

Easterfest is the largest festival in Toowoomba and claims to be the largest drug and alcohol free festival in Australia. For more information, visit the website at www.easterfest.com.au.

If you would like to join us to promote your church activities please contact Churches of Christ in Qld Communications & Marketing on 1800 193 438.

Networking

Page 21

April 2011

Home Loans

Investment Lending

Commercial & Equipment Finance

Construction loans Centenary Home Loans (CHL) is your dedicated lending service provider and was set up by Churches of Christ in Queensland almost 10 years ago. Our purpose is to provide staff, families and friends with a professional brokerage service that can source outstanding loans and provide unmatched service and advice for all our clients. One of the most tangible benefits of CHL is the fact that at no extra cost each loan helps Churches of Christ reach out and do more in our communities.

Why just let the bank profit from your loan? Use CHL and let your loan impact God‟s Kingdom. As a fully accredited member of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) you can rest assured our advice and service is professional, personal and market leading. For some essential information about lending, as well as the benefits of an MFAA accredited broker, go to www.essentialsofborrowing.com.au For more information on Centenary Home Loans call 1300 659 644 or email info@centenaryhomeloans.org.au. We want to assist as many people as we possibly can. Through listening to your specific goals and requirements we believe we can help you navigate the sometimes confusing process of getting finance that is tailored to you. We look forward to hearing from you.

For more information on Centenary Development Foundation phone (local call) 1300 659 644* Phone: (07) 3327 1628 Fax: (07) 3378 1334 Email: info@cdf.org.au or go to www.cdf.org.au.

The Centenary Development Foundation team (l-r):

Jason Gor, Eric King, Mike Armstrong, John Austin and

Kay Rademacher.

Networking

Page 22

April 2011

Receive email alerts for Networking Receive an email alert when the latest Networking goes live on the Churches of Christ in Queensland website. All you need to do is visit our website and subscribe to Networking through the home page form (pictured left). You will receive a monthly email alert when Networking goes live, as well as any special email bulletins throughout the year. The new Churches of Christ in Queensland website has the search for a church function and lists all key contact information for all Churches of Christ in Queensland. You can also learn more about our community programs and visit community program specific websites. So stay in touch, visit www.cofcqld.com.au and subscribe to Networking.

Inspire Women’s Conference Being a woman today carries deeply significant and personal aspects for many women. Some women feel trapped in cultural and traditional roles; others wear identity masks to work out on the treadmill of performance; some are ensnared in crippling expectations and loss of personal direction. Some have found and live within unconditional love and acceptance, a place where they can truly and unashamedly belong in the midst of today's world. How can we be women today, women who are of great worth, precious and highly valued no matter who we are and what circumstances surround us?

From left to right: guest speaker and presenters: Emma Baxter, Jenny House, Janette Phelan, Tanya McKenna.

Networking

Page 23

April 2011

Networking

Page 24

April 2011

Networking – Conference News Networking is published monthly. To submit an article for the next edition, email

communications@cofcqld.com.au by 20th of each month. Churches of Christ in Queensland

PO Box 508 Kenmore QLD 4069

Phone: 1800 193 438 www.cofcqld.com.au

Dates to remember:

April 1-10

22-24

22-25

NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK

EASTER

EASTERFEST

May 9-15

15

21

30-1 Jun

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILIES

INSPIRE WOMEN’S CONFERENCE – CALOUNDRA

BRISBANE REGIONAL GATHERING – MINSTERS & LEADERS – MT ALFORD LOGDE

June 4-13

11-13

QUEENSLAND WEEK

STATE YOUTH GAMES

July 31-6 Aug

15-17

FOSTER & KINSHIP CARER WEEK

WOMEN’S WINTER WARM-UP WEEKEND – SIGNIFICANT WOMAN (CAMP SOMERSET)

August 1-17

12

13

18

19-21

20-28

NATIONAL HOMELESS PERSONS’ WEEK

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH

SEASONS CONFERENCE – HUMERIDGE CHURCH OF CHRIST

FRESH HORIZONS CONFERENCE - CALOUNDRA

SUNSHINE COAST SENIORS CONVENTION - CALOUNDRA

SENIORS WEEK

September 4-11 CHILD PROTECTION WEEK

October 16-22

5-8

28-29

ANTI-POVERTY WEEK

NATIONAL YOUTH MINISTRY CONVENTION

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

November 6

13

TBC

GRANDPARENTS DAY

CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN QUEENSLAND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

CARERS WEEK