Easter 2024

Bonython, Ben8 Mar, 2024General0 comments

During March, our Easter Series will find its theme from Revelation 21 where Jesus declares that He is making all things new. Revelation 21 is New Creation forged by the death and resurrection of Jesus. This statement is true now, and we witness the Holy Spirit at work, making all things new! Easter is an opportunity to draw near to the Lord, and a unique time that has opportunity to witness and share about Jesus to family and friends.

Our two Easter Weekend services, Good Friday at 9.30a and Resurrection Sunday at 10.00a are designed as ‘invite’ services. This means people who attend Stirling Family Church for the first time will experience ‘intentional welcome’ as our gatherings are somewhat curated with first time people in mind.

Easter also offers us the opportunity of Lent. While we do not strictly follow the traditional season of Lent, the concept of Lent is a worthy of our time and focus. On Sunday 3 March, we will make available a Lent Devotional that aims to unify our focus on Jesus with an intentional season of making more time and space to reflect and gaze upon the One who came to save us!

And as part of this season, we are holding two Easter Evenings on 17 and 24 March, which offer an focused hour of intentional reflection.

Easter Evenings are an opportunity to invite family and friends to pause from the normal Sunday night routine, and focus on Jesus, and how He is making all things new!

This Easter, may we be Spirit Led and stir up our first love for Jesus, and be transformed from glory to glory; as we glorify and worship Jesus, our Lord and Saviour

February - Statements of Vision and How we describe ourselves

Bonython, Ben22 Feb, 2024General

This series outlines how we describe ourselves as a gathered and called group of believers who follow Jesus here at Stirling Family Church.

Statements of Vision help us to be unified, and to run together. Statements of vision help us to see the bigger picture, while managing the everyday moments. Statements of Vision give guidance to manage conflict in a way that honours the long term - in other words, we can say no and yes with conviction and confidence and respect. Statements of Vision help us to keep the important things in priority with the urgent matters that arise. Statements of Vision help us to protect the peace and blessing of shared unity, reduce our desire to seek other calling and remain content and excited by what the Lord has called Stirling Family Church into.

February is all about how we describe ourselves as Christ-Centered, Spirit Led and People Focused. May we be more fully aware of what these descriptors mean, and may we live up and into them, that by following the example of Jesus, we might love one another, and serve His cause.

February is about seeing the forest....and the trees!

Rest - not what we think, definately what we need...

Bonython, Ben10 Jan, 2024General

What is rest?

Is it relaxing? Holidays?

Is rest doing nothing? or sleeping?

What is rest? Is rest different for you when compared to another?

Why does someone say gardening is restful, when it is tiring?

Why does another say they feel restful when you think how after knowing what they are or have been doing?

How can Jesus rest, and sleep, on the boat during a storm? That doesnt make sense! Jim Varsos shared this lovely gem:

There is a word Greeks use for rest, ἡσυχία – hesikhia – meaning stillness, rest, quietness, a state of inner peace and tranquillity.

Hesikhia emphasises the importance of silence and solitude as a means of fostering spiritual growth and connection with the divine. We see this when Jesus was asleep in the boat during the storm.

This will most certainly keep us awake and we will need God’s rest to carry us through.

Rest is quality, but also a quantity. Rest is tangible, and yet intangible. Rest is a science, and also an art.

Rest is personal, also shared. Rest can be given, and received. Rest can be subjective, and be objective. Rest can be a journey, and the destination.

Could I create more rhythm in this post, and in my life, around rest - probably...

But the question remains, what is Rest?

Great question...because if i cannot grasp true rest, then what I think I need to do to feel rested is not really going to sustain or satisfy.

This January, we will look for wisdom in the Bible and see what it says abour rest knowing its probably not what we think it is, but definitely what we need!

Christmas at StirlingFamilyChurch

Bonython, Ben25 Nov, 2023General

With Christmas here, we will consider the power of promise, and that is the promise of a saviour, Jesus.

Promises have power even before you see the promise fulfilled.

Think about a child who is promised they will receive something...Before the promise is given, there is a sense of anxiousness and expressed desire to show let the parent know that they really want or need something. But in that emotion and reality, the child receives a promise, that what was desired will be given in due course...Promise has power - power to bring peace, power to bring anticipation, power to bring joy...

This Christmas, we will focus on how the promise of Jesus brings us hope, peace and joy!

Join us for Advent Devotion on Sunday evening, and our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day gatherings as we celebrate and worship Jesus.