20211017 English Bulletin

Vision: Building a Church after God's Own Heart SUNDAY 17th October WELCOME TO CAMBERWELL METHODIST CHURCH We are a faith community that is growing in our love for Jesus, who died for our sins, and is raised from the death. We are called to follow Jesus, and to make disciple of all nations. If you would like to know more about God, Jesus, or our church or the bible, please use [email protected] / Minister-in-Charge Rev. James Kong 0413 953 238 / English Pastor (Part Time) Ps. Allan Quah 0402 675 219 to Get in Touch. 58 Cooloongatta Road, Camberwell, VIC 3124 • Tel: (03) 9889 0702 • www.cmca-camberwell.org.au

Silent Prayer ORDER OF WORSHIP Call to Worship Adoration & Praise (17 October 2021) Prayer Responsive Reading <Be Still in the Presence of the Lord> The Lord’s Prayer Welcome/Notices Psalm 41:1-13 Offering Intercessory Prayer 409 <Have Thine Own Way, Lord> Scripture Reading 1 Peter 1:13-2:3 Proclamation of the Word Standing Firm with Hope Chorus of Response Benediction Ministry Roster 17/10/2021 Preacher Ps Allan Quah Worship Leader Rev. James Kong Song Leader Jennifer Yap Backup - Pianist Jason Ting Keyboardist - Accompaniment - Cajon - Bible Reader - Multimedia Damian Seow Live Stream/PA Gerald Wong Ushers - Floral - HC Prep - Preacher LP Chris Ting Ministry Roster 24/10/2021 Song Leader Felicia Teng Worship Leader Rev. James Kong Pianist Adeline See Backup - Accompaniment - Keyboardist - Bible Reader - Cajon - Live Stream/PA Jonathan Liew Multimedia Wesley Chew Floral - Ushers - HC Prep - 2

“God looks for those whose hearts are prepared to be intercessors before Him ...Intercessors can be the only ones standing between an individual or a nation and God’s wrath.” Henry Blackaby Weekly Praying for the Church 1. Pray for coming back to church to 2. P ray for LCEC 2021 and English working worship Committee that they may work together to reach out to families, our 2.1 Pray for ongoing streaming work to young people, and our community. be effective, and glorifying God; Please pray for the search of suirtable new pastor for English Congregation. 2.2 Pray for wisdom to discern how to allow congregation to come back to 3. P ray for Annual Conference continue worship with limited seat capacity due to be faithful in leading all churches in to social distancing; Australia, that we may work together to bring the gospel to the those who are 2.3 Pray for the small groups, and lost, and discipled to be fisher of men fellowships continue to connect with and women. each other, and reach out to other; 4. Pray for Jimmy Kong (Chemo & 2.4 Pray for God’s break through in radiation therapy treatment), Ken Hii, all that church is doing so that we Clarence Yek, Mdm. Lu (Mrs. Kong’s may experience renewal in the life of mum), Su Sing (Leong’s brother); community and ministry. Christina (Boon Koh’s sister, Canada), Flora (Singapore), Ben (USA) and Uncle Hii. Thank you all for upholding them in prayer. 3

“God looks for those whose hearts are prepared to be intercessors before Him ...Intercessors can be the only ones standing between an individual or a nation and God’s wrath.” Henry Blackaby Weekly Praying for the Church 5. P ray for our church family continue to 6. P ray for spiritual awakening experience living God in each of these household at Camberwell Methodist 1.1 your plead with the Lord to be Church. We pray for deeper relationship merciful to us and graciously draw us among the family members, deeper back to Himself and His ways. Ask Him to relationship between husband and show us unfailing love and grant us His wife, and deeper relationship between salvation that we may rejoice in Him. parents and children. I cannot stress more than saying this is the time, God 1.2 restore us again, O God our is at work through and in our families. Saviour...Will you not revive us again, Let us not look else where but instead that your people may rejoice in you? look within our daily relationship and Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and our family. God is right there with us. grant us your salvation (Psalm 85:4,6-7); Seek Him first and His kingdom, all these things shall be added to you. 1.3 Thank God that He is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Cry out to Him for an outpouring and mighty working of the Holy Spirit in our day. 1.4 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. (Luke 11:13) 4

All that’s going on around Camberwell Methodist Church COMMUNITY WATCH Welcome conduct the funeral). Children under 12 months old are not counted towards this cap We welcome everyone who join our worship service. Weddings (indoor and outdoor): Not permitted unless May the peace of God be with you! If you are a new end of life or for deportation reasons. Involves only friend to the church, please introduce yourself. 5 people (including the two people being married, celebrant, two witnesses) (Extracted from 210926 - Restrictions Table of Restrictions_1) Mandatory Vaccinations for Authorised Providers and STATEWIDE RESTRICTIONS FROM 11.59PM TUESDAY 28 Authorised Workers SEPTEMBER 2021 The Victorian Government has announced 80% National Plan: Phase A For Metropolitan mandatory vaccination requirements for all Melbourne and Mitchell Shire Curfew in Metropolitan authorised providers and authorised workers (APAW) Melbourne only: From 9pm to 5am, a person is not who are not working from home. All workers – in permitted to leave their home except for limited Melbourne and regional Victoria – on the Authorised reasons Intra-state travel: Travel limit of 15km from Worker list who cannot work at home will require place of primary residence, Private gatherings: Not their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Friday, 15 permitted, intimate partner visits / single person October. From 26 November 2021, the requirement bubble permitted will increase to having had two doses or a medical Public gatherings: exception. • P ermitted for personal training for up to two people • A uthorised workers: Any person who performs work plus the trainer that is essential for the continued operation of: • Public gathering for social interaction for up to two • ….. • faith leaders broadcasting services and ceremonies people from separate households • Public gathering of up to five people from two at places of worship, with the minimum number of people required for the broadcast to occur (no households if all persons aged 18 years or older more than 5 people) ; …… have received two vaccine doses (https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/ Face coverings: authorisedprovider-and-authorised-worker-list) • m ust be carried at all times • must be worn indoors As such, there will not be any physical worship and outdoors by Victorians aged 12 years or over service at the church for Sunday (17/10, 24/10). All except if at home, or when visiting an intimate services (9AM Chinese & 11AM English) will be live partner’s place of residence or if an exception streamed (YouTube) from the church. All fellowships, applies small groups, and Sunday Schools will be conducted • recommend primary school age children wear on the online platform until further notice. Please masks indoors and outdoors, except at home or if observe the restrictions, uphold, and care for our an exception applies brothers & sisters in prayer and in love. Do keep • e xception for food and drink limited so that face yourselves update-to-date of the latest government’s coverings can only be removed to eat and to drink announcement on the COVID-19 situation in Victoria. non-alcoholic beverages We will keep you informed through Facebook Group Religious gatherings and ceremonies: No in-person Camberwell MC Online and WhatsApp groups gatherings permitted. Broadcast permitted with regularly. maximum five people Funerals (indoor and outdoor): Permitted with no more than 10 people (and those workers necessary to 5

All that’s going on around Camberwell Methodist Church COMMUNITY WATCH Prayer Meeting Thursday (21/10) 7:30PM Proverb Challenge and Personal Testimony Prayer Meeting to be led Ps. Allan Quah by via zoom. Due to the inability to access the previous email Let us serve one another through prayer. address, please resend your submission to chookai@ gmail.com We also encourage you all to write your Pastoral Needs personal testimony and send to the email address. If you have any pastoral needs, please do not The Christmas Ensemble Ministry hesitate to seek Rev. James Kong (0413 953 238), Ps. Allan Quah (0402 675 219) or local preachers: Lina The Christmas Ensemble ministry are now inviting Lim, Chris Ting, or Joo Soo Lim. If you need the pastor anyone who can play an instrument or who enjoy to pray for you, do approach Rev. James Kong or Ps. singing to express your interest to join them for this Allan Quah after the service. year’s ensemble for our Christmas Day service. Of course, this ministry will be subject to COVID Family Devotion restrictions. If you’re interested in joining this ministry, please speak to Sarah for details. We encourage families to start a regular family devotion each week. It is our main thing for our church because we will grow stronger, closer, and more love for God and one another. Let us not waste this time of being together…. explore every opportunity to play, to read, to do something together, to pray and to sing together. Offering detail Description Abbreviations Bank reference Thank you once again for brothers Tithing TITHE C9/E11 C9 TITHE Paul WONG and sisters who faithfully support the ministry of the church through General GEN C9/E11 C9 GEN Paul WONG finance, prayers, and participation. May God bless you. Here is the Thanksgiving TKS C9/E11 C9 TKS Paul WONG bank detail for your reference: Account name: Chinese Methodist Mission MIS C9/E11 C9 MIS Paul WONG Church in Australia Camberwell; BANK: ANZ; BSB: 013 225; Account Theological student THE C9/E11 C9 THE Paul WONG Number: 4939 79025. Offering $2649.20 (03/10-08/10/2021) Special SPE C9/E11 C9 SPE Paul WONG Others OTH C9/E11 C9 OTH Paul WONG Building fund C9/E11 C9 Camberwell mc Paul WONG, E11 Mercy mc Paul WONG…...... 6

Devotion Week 41: 17th October 2021 Theme: Open before the Lord Bible verses: (Psalm 26: 2-3) 2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me; Test my heart and my mind. 3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, And I walk in your faithfulness. As David endured unfair treatment despite his doing what was right, He cried out to God in the verses of Psalm 26. As we read, we will uncover some resolutions David made which kept him (and will keep us) from slipping into bitterness and resentment during times of mistreatment. Resolved: I will be open before the Lord (26:2). In three different ways David invites the Lord to assess his inner being: \"Examine . . . try . . . test.\" 1) Examine, it is clearly portrayed in Psalm 139:23–24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. The psalmist is asking God to \"make an examination\" of his inner being, to \"scrutinize\" him through and through. 2) Try, as portrayed in Deuteronomy 8:2. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. God put the Israelites to an intensive forty-year test so that the real condition of their hearts might be exposed. The Lord didn't do this so He would know the condition of their hearts, but so they would be able to examine their own motives and intentions . . . and then repent! 3) The third term, rendered \"test\" in verse 2. Thirty-two times it is used in the Old Testament, it appears in verb form; twenty-two of those times it is linked with the activity of refining gold or silver to remove impurities. Do you grasp the principle? When wrong comes your way, be open before the Lord. Invite Him (1) to make an internal search and examination of your life for the purpose of determining your character, (2) to undertake an intensive, in-depth process of revealing to you the real condition of your heart, and (3) to refine you, and in the process, to remove any impurities. To maintain your close fellowship with God, openly welcome His divine surgery on your innermost being. Decide to accept the wrong that comes your way as an opportunity to become increasingly more transparent and pure before the Lord. Ask Him for insight—for a full disclosure of your inner person. Resolved: I will remember His love and continue to obey His word. David wrote, \"For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness\" (Psalm 26:3). That statement implies two very subtle yet common temptations that occur when mistreatment comes our way: first, to doubt God's love; and second, to drift into disobedience. David declares, “your steadfast love is before my eyes.\" He resolved to view anything that comes before him through the filter of God's lovingkindness. Then, he resolves to walk in God's truth. Do you see this? Clearly, David's eyes are on the Lord's love for him and his guide is the Lord's truth. Are you aware of the best proof of love? It is obedience. Our Lord reminds us of that in John 14:15, 21, 23: 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” 21 “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. If you are confident that God really loves you, you will neither doubt nor drift in your response. Instead, you will find great delight in pleasing Him. There is nothing quite like love to motivate us from within.” Reflections: If you are confident that God really loves you, you will neither doubt nor drift in your response. Instead, you will find great delight in pleasing Him. There is nothing quite like love to motivate us from within. Let’s pray. 7