reCharge NEWS February 2024
Being Human Webinar
What does it mean to be human?
In this webinar, Karl Faase is being joined by Jo Frost to look at the question, What does it mean to be human. Jo Frost is Author of the book and video series, ‘Being Human’ and will grapple with the idea of what it is to view the world through the Being Human lens. She will consider questions such as What is Jesus on about when he offers us ‘life to the full’? And look at the cultural stories are shaping our identity. Also, what makes humanity unique and what is the invitation that God extends?
On Tuesday, 12 March 2024 at 7pm
Trauma Recovery Course
Reboot Trauma Recovery
This three-day, faith-based course is focused on healing from trauma. While aimed at Service-related trauma, REBOOT courses are being offered to the wider community suffering from all forms of trauma. This includes victims of crime, DV, childhood trauma, disability, grief and ongoing illness.
One veteran on average dies by suicide every 2 weeks, making suicide amongst our service community is at an epidemic.
Free to attend. Childcare is not available. For more info contact Andy & Zoe Cullen: 0420 462 845 or email: info@rebootau.org
From Wednesday 13, March to Friday, 15 March
9am to 2pm
(Graduation Ceremony on Friday night, 6pm – 8pm)
At Wrest Point Hotel Hobart, Drysdale Room – 410 Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay
Heartlands Summer 2024 – out now
By Women, for Women
Heartlands is the quarterly email for EmpowHer – a network of Tasmanian women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.
New College Roadshow
Frank W Boreham College launch
The Frank W Boreham College will be launched on 5 March at Hobart Baptist Church. It will provide ministry and theological education, training, and reflection for our pastors, leaders, and members across Tasmania. Realising this exciting vision means Tasmanian Baptists now have the capacity to provide qualified training within the State.
The new college is made possible by a partnership with both Kairos and Whitley.
David will visit the state in early March and travel to all three regions to discuss what further theological education can look like, from diploma to doctorate. He will explain the Kairos subscription-based education model of learning. This model surrounds each student with a team of mentors who, along with the student, determine the student’s education and formation pathway.
The following informal evenings are open to anyone.
- Wednesday 6 March 7.30pm at Hobart Baptist Church
Hosted by Stephen Baxter, 0417 313 273
- Thursday 7 March 7.30pm at Newstead Baptist Church
Hosted by Dan Hutchison, 0457 765 907
- Friday 8 March 7.30pm at Burnie Baptist Church
Hosted by Matty Coppin, 9484 064 490
Please contact Stephen, Dan, or Matty, ASAP if you plan to attend.
Have you thought of Mentoring?
Fostering Hope Info Session for Mentoring
Interested in being a mentor for a child growing up in foster care?
Do you know someone in your church community who would be a great mentor?
Fostering Hope is a Tasmanian Christian organisation caring for children growing up in out-of-home care (foster and kinship care) and currently has children waiting for mentors.
Mentoring online information session: Tuesday, 27 February at 12:00pm.
This short movie explains how mentoring can make a difference and could be perfect to show at your Sunday service or small group meeting.
The Mentoring Program is for children growing up in care. The program recruits, trains, screens and then matches Christian mentors with a child.
For children growing up in care, there are lots of adults in their life who are paid to be there. Mentors are someone who chooses to turn up and be there for a child regardless of what’s gone on for them. It is powerful for both the child and the mentor.
Every relationship is designed around the child and mentor. The regular time commitment is dependent on the mentor’s availability.
Upcoming training days are Saturday, 2 March in Launceston and Saturday, 16 March in Hobart.
Register online here or email mentoring@fosteringhope.net.au if you have questions.
City Prayer
Church Together Prayer Meetings for Hobart
Church Together invites all Christians to attend their monthly prayer meetings for the city in 2024.
Upcoming Church Together prayer meetings for 2024:
– 28 February at Hobart City Church of Christ (8 Goulburn St, Hobart)
– 27 March at Hobart Baptist Church (282 Elizabeth St, Nth Hobart)
Arrive at 7.15am for a 7.30am start. Finishes at 8.30am.
Prayer meetings will continue throughout 2024 on the last Wednesday of the month. Contact Sharyn Hill on 0409 855 880 or email info@churchtogethertasmania.com
Workshop for churches on CYSOF
New Child and Youth Safe Organisation Framework legislation
Olive Road and Fostering Hope are running a workshop on Child and Youth Safe Organisation Framework (CYSOF) legislation.
The workshop is on Thursday, the 14 March 2024 at the Grace Centre, Rokeby, from 9.30pm to 2.30pm.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for attendees to grapple with the new CYSOF legislation and to share resources and ideas to develop the required policies and processes that will ensure ongoing compliance with the new Framework.
Anyone from not-for-profit organisations and churches in Hobart would benefit from this workshop to gain a better understanding of the new legislation.
Time will be given to the new Reportable Conduct Scheme and new strict timeframes on reporting to the regulator. The workshop will also focus on how organisations or churches might comply with the ten Child and Youth Safe Standards.
If you, or someone within your organisation or church, are keen to attend, or if a weekend or evening session would suit better, contact Mary Blake, Exec. Officer, Fostering Hope on m. 0423 365 988 or email mary@fosteringhope.net.au.
There’s more information about the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework here
Gaza Crisis Update
From Baptist World Aid Australia
Around 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced since the war started three months ago, when Hamas launched a terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Israel.
People are sheltering in overcrowded school buildings, churches, and medical centres; some are even pitching tents on the street. This has left families vulnerable as winter hits, with temperatures dropping down to 10 degrees at night.
Gaza is also experiencing a healthcare crisis.
Baptist World Aid Partners in the region are distributing aid to families, including medical items, medicines, hygiene kits, mattresses and blankets, and food packages. They are also continuing to provide medical supplies and other essentials to families in the West Bank and Lebanon, where civil unrest and violent attacks are rising.
Here is a lament written late last year as preparation to pray for protection and relief for families in the Middle East.
If you’d like to consider giving, visit Baptist World Aid here.
New Pastor Welcome
Matu Christian Church welcome Rev Kosen
Rev. Maddy Svoboda from Summerhill Baptist welcomed Mr Kosen to Matu Christian Church on Sunday, 4 February.
Matu Christian Church meet every Sunday afternoon at Newstead Baptist Church at 2pm.
Free One-Day Workshop
S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y approach to family violence
The Anglican Diocese of Tasmania is offering a free one-day workshop for Church Leaders and Pastoral Carers. The S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y approach to domestic violence is a guide for churches that offers a theologically-informed lens on domestic violence and how individual churches can create safe spaces for women and children who have experienced domestic violence.
The intention and prayer of the workshop is that Tasmanian churches reflect God’s care for the abused and vulnerable and that churches be places of safety.
The S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y training can be taken either an person or online and is open to church leaders and pastoral carers from any denomination for use within the local church context. All training materials will be available to those who attend.
The workshop is on Saturday, 17 February 2024 at Wellspring Anglican Church, Hobart or online on Saturday, 2 March 2024.
Both workshops run from 9:30am to 3pm and include:
– Comprehensive information relating to domestic violence
– Tactics used by abusers
– Impact of family violence on children: brain development, trauma etc.
– Spiritual abuse and misuse of scripture to justify or maintain coercive control
– Potential theological blockages to reporting domestic abuse
– Theology and Biblical messages of love, justice, respect & equality
– Exploring what Sanctuary might look like in your church.
Ann Herbert is facilitating the workshops. An experienced facilitator and Elder at Citywide Baptist Church, Ann leads Citywide Baptist’s Sanctuary Care ministry. She has previously managed the Social Policy Unit in the Tasmanian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet and oversaw implementation of a wide range of social policies, including the Tasmanian Government’s Family Violence Action Plan.
Register here or for more information contact Kristy Crouch on 0403 957 106 or email kristy.crouch@gmail.com
Tasmanian Baptist Calendar 2024
| EVENT | DATE |
|---|---|
| Tasmanian Baptist Council | 24 February |
| Pastors and Leaders Muster (Hobart) | 5-6 March |
| Launch of Frank W. Boreham College | 5 March |
| Roadshow (North) | 7 March |
| Roadshow (Northwest) | 8 March |
| Mid-Year Assembly | 11 May |
| Tasmanian Baptist Council | 15 June |
| Pastors and Leaders Muster, Family-friendly (Devonport) | 9-11 July |
| Tasmanian Baptist Council | 7 September |
| Pastors and Leaders Muster (Launceston) | 10-11 September |
| Annual Assembly | 19 October |
| Tasmanian Baptist Council | 16 November |
Foundations Course
Burnie Baptist hosts one week discipleship course in January
On Sunday 21 January, Burnie Baptist church welcomed people from all over the world as they hosted a one-week discipleship course called “Foundations.” Along with Burnie Baptist, four other Tasmanian Baptist Churches, as well as students from India, Indonesia, Japan, Brazil and Canada, joined the ‘whole-of-life’ discipleship course, which is run as either a one week intensive or 10 week course (one night a week, plus two Saturdays). The strongly Bible-based course concluded with a highly successful community festival. Afterwards, feedback from participants was very positive. Some participants, who had been in the church for many years, said that Foundations gave them a new way of seeing both faith and mission.
Watch our video of participant reflections here. As a result, both Citywide Baptist and Burnie Baptist are hoping to run 10-week version of the course later this year.
SU Schools Sunday in February
Encouraging students and school staff
Schools Sunday in February is an excellent way to encourage Christian students and school staff members at the beginning of the year. It’s an opportunity to remember that God goes with students and teachers everyday as they attend school. The day provides churches with an opportunity to set aside time during a Sunday service in February to focus on schools and support young people and the local school community. Scripture Union runs the initiative and also provides resources to support churches as they celebrate the day. Resources are available on the SU website or in their PDF Resource Pack. Additionally, the pack provides different ideas for either a complete intergenerational Sunday service or a short segment within a regular service. Churches can choose a date early in the school year to celebrate and encourage students and school staff members.
Position Vacant
Youth and Children’s worker wanted
Citywide Baptist (Mornington/Lenah Valley) are searching for a Youth and Children’s worker with the ability to think outside the box, lead teams and mentor young people. Click here for details.
Read More ReCharge
ReCharge News February 2024
- ReCharge News March 2024
- From ‘Curious Outsider’ to LifeWay Pastor by Morgan Read
- The Turning of the Tide? by Andrew Turner
- Ode To The Shepherd by Frans Ammerlaan
- Intercultural Australian Baptists by Geoff Maddock
- Aboriginal Sunday 2024 by Paul Dare
- Bringing Hope to a Broken World by Stephen L. Baxter, Mission Director
- DOWNLOAD Recent (PDF) Issues of ReCharge
reCharge news February 2024
