Author Archives: BCUC_Admin

A Message from Rev Benji Callen – February 17 2019

One of my favourite biblical images of growing in our faith and our relationship with Jesus is that of a tree. The prophet Jeremiah, when giving a message to the Isrealite people to hold onto God said this… “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.  They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 The very first Psalm reinforces this imagery. “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” (Psalm 1:1-3) One of my aims and hopes for my own Christian walk is to always be growing into something like the majestic River Red gums that line the creeks of Burnside rather than a prickly weed growing in a desert. I usually begin each year around this time spending some time quietly in prayer, usually in a National Park, asking God what do you want me to focus on this year? What do you want me learn? Speak Lord your servant is listening! Sometimes I get a clear focus very quickly, other times it takes a while to get clarity, but I trust that every year the Holy Spirit will reveal some theme for the growth or fruit to come from my discipleship tree. I wonder what area of your life is God prompting you to grow into this year? Your brother in Christ, Benji … Continue reading →

for the week of February 10th

BCUC Netball ClubFor youth and children around 8 years and up.  The deadline for nominations for players is Today.  The club is particularly looking for interested girls and boys to join their new under 8 team.  Trial sessions are on Sunday 3rd March.  See the new BCUCNC website for registration and further details :  https://burnsidecityucnetball.club, or contact Cathie Malyschko on 0413 737 023. BCUC CaresUniting Communities thanks BCUC for their continued generosity in donating food & toiletry items each month for families in need.  The needs continue. Suggested items include: Various toiletries eg shampoo, conditioner, soap, disposable shaving blades deodorant. Various Cereals,  pasta sauce, noodles, rice, tinned fish tinned food – spaghetti, soup, vegetables, ground coffee. tea bags. sugar, milo or hot chocolate powder, laundry powder, ziplock bags (sandwich size). Bulk items will be repackaged by Uniting Communities in order to be shared amongst families. Please hold in your prayers the individuals and families our church is seeking to support. Wednesday 9:30am Prayer GroupThe prayer group plus short bible study which meets Wednesday mornings at 9.30am resumed Feb 6th and new members are warmly welcomed.  We follow the lectio divina method of listening to God’s message in the Bible. Come along and see if this is a helpful method for you. The Blessings CourseThis 7 session course is based on the popular books, “The Grace Outpouring” and “The Way of Blessing”. It is God’s desire to bless – both people and situations, and we can be his agents. This inspiring and Bible-based study will be held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, 10am upstairs in the church.  We would love to have new people join us. Enquiries to Colette Williams. Seniors Second Sunday LunchTODAY, 12noon until 2.30pm. Come and join us for friendship, fun and food. Chicken & Salad plus a fruit platter. Please see Anita Wheaton for more information. Monday CommunionA communion service will be held Monday February 18th at 2pm in the Chapel.  All are invited. … Continue reading →

A Message from Rev Benji Callen – February 10 2019

What a joy and privilege it is to be serving as the minister here at Burnside City. I’m enjoying getting to know people’s stories and more about how we as a church operate. If you’re new to BCUC like me and my family, welcome! I am confident you will be met by a generous and loving congregation who are passionate about this place. Colette reminded me of a scripture during the week from Exodus 33:7-11 when Moses would go into the “tent of meeting” and inquire of the LORD. V11 says that “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” As I meet people, one of the question’s I have is how is your relationship with Jesus going? Would you be able to describe it in the same way as Moses, speaking to the LORD as one speaks to a friend? Is it growing and flourishing or is it stagnant? What helps you get closer to Jesus? Worship, preaching, prayer groups, house groups, serving, personal devotions, bible reading? In this week’s reading Jesus is about to call some of his disciples, he’s preaching to the crowds from a boat and he asks the local fisherman to go and fish out in deeper water. Although they expect to get nothing they find they catch more fish than can fill the local Barnacle Bills. Jesus has a tendency to layer spiritual meaning over practical things. What does is mean for us at BCUC to push out into “deeper water”? I wander how are we growing deeper in our relationship with Jesus? I’m certainly not Moses but would love to have that same deep intimacy with the creator of the universe. What about you? As it says in James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” As we begin a new season at BCUC what steps can we take individually and together to push out into deeper water and draw closer to God. Why not look up one of my favourite prayers from Ephesians 3:14b-21. Try and memorise this prayer during the week and use it for yourself, your family, someone at church and a friend or neighbour. … Continue reading →

for the week of February 3rd

mainly musicwill start on February 4th, tomorrow from 10.00am-11.30am. The programme is action packed with half an hour of singing, rhymes  and dancing for children. Morning tea & playtime follow. mainly music is held on Mondays during school term.  If you know a parent, grandparent or carer with children between 0-5 years, suggest that they join in mainly music. There is information about mainly music at www.mainlymusic.org.au, our BCUC web site, or phone Chris Lake. It’s great way to start the week! Australia Day Honours 2019In the Australia Day awards one of our BCUC members, Ann Buchan,  was awarded an OAM for service to medicine as a neurological physiotherapist. Congratulations Ann! Wednesday 9:30am Prayer GroupThe prayer group plus short bible study which meets Wednesday mornings at 9.30am resumes Feb 6th and new members are warmly welcomed.  We follow the lectio divina method of listening to God’s message in the Bible. Come along and see if this is a helpful method for you. The Blessings CourseThis 7 session course is based on the popular books, “The Grace Outpouring” and “The Way of Blessing”. It is God’s desire to bless – both people and situations, and we can be his agents. This inspiring and Bible-based study will be held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, 10am upstairs in the church.  We would love to have new people join us. Enquiries to Colette Williams. BCUC Saturday Friendship ClubThe first meeting for 2019 will be the traditional Mystery Bus Trip on Saturday February 16th leaving the Burnside City Council car park, promptly at 6-00 pm. The cost will be $25.  A booking slip will be inserted in the 2019 programme,  available from this Sunday. Please pay Peter Foord before Sun 10th Feb. by placing money and booking slip inside a named envelope.  Limited seating so be early. Seniors Second Sunday LunchNext Sunday February 10th, 12noon until 2.30pm. Come and join us for friendship, fun and food. Chicken & Salad plus a fruit platter. Please see Anita Wheaton for more information. … Continue reading →

A Message from Rev Rob Williams – February 3 2019

LOVE IS ………  The thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians is probably the favourite wedding text of all time – and with good reason.  A wife came into a counsellor’s office full of hatred toward her husband. “I don’t only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me,” she cried. The counsellor suggested an unusual plan “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.” With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!” And she did it with enthusiasm, acting “as if.” For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn’t return, the counsellor ‘phoned her. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?” “Divorce?” she exclaimed. “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise, as often repeated deeds.  In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbour – act as if you do. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love them. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking them more. If you do them a good turn, you will find yourself disliking them less.” …… THE GREATEST … Continue reading →

for the week of January 27th

Induction Service – Rev Dr. Benji Callen Friday 1st February,  7:00pm at BCUC Informal supper following.  All are invited to welcome Benji, Nicole and family. The Blessings Course This 7 session course is based on the popular books, “The Grace Outpouring” and “The Way of Blessing”. It is God’s desire to bless – both people and situations, and we can be his agents. This inspiring and Bible-based study will be held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, 10am upstairs in the church.  We would love to have new people join us. Enquiries to Colette Williams. Hizbiz The Hizbiz new year will begin at BCUC on Tuesday Jan 29th at 6 pm with a fish and chips meal ($10) followed by “Hidden Figures”, a true background story about the launch into orbit of John Glenn.  To help plan catering please contact Leigh Duffett or Rex King. BCUC Saturday Friendship Club The first meeting for 2019 will be the traditional Mystery Bus Trip on Saturday February 16th leaving the Burnside City Council car park, promptly at 6-00 pm. The cost will be $25.  A booking slip will be inserted in the 2019 programme,  available from this Sunday. Please pay Peter Foord before Sun 10th Feb. by placing money and booking slip inside a named envelope.  Limited seating so be early. World Leprosy Day Event to be held at Knightsbridge Baptist Church, 455 Glynburn Road, Leabrook on February 10th at 2.20 p.m.  Dr. Famkima Darlong will tell a powerful story of individuals’ lives changed, families reconciled, and children set free from stigma, fear and disadvantage. BICC Prayer Breakfast Burnside Interchurch Council is having a prayer breakfast at St David’s Anglican Church on Saturday February 2nd at 7.30am.  Please come and join in an excellent breakfast and a friendly chat.  Then pray for the work of the Council – especially its Schools Ministry – and the needs of our community and the world. Old Calendars can be left at the reception desk for Di Croft to use to decorate shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. … Continue reading →

A Message from Rev Trevor Klar – January 27 2019

Body of life   In my final week here at BCUC it is apt that the Corinthians reading is about the body. As a minister I have always known my task is to help the church be healthy as the Body of Christ. This does not happen when I am successful. It happens when I do things that allow the Spirit freedom to work in the lives of the congregation members. If I preach well and you say nice things I feel good. If through the door my preaching opens, one or more people go deeper in their relationship with Jesus, then something important has happened. As the body of Christ in this place, all are called to go deeper in Christ, all are called to deeper discipleship, all are called to deeper service, and all are called to share in the glorious liberty of the children of God. The Holy Spirt is at work in the people of the congregation, and that is where the church is, so the measure of the church is not the minister/pastor but the spirituality and discipleship of the members. I like Benji and I hope you will also. Remember though, that he is not responsible for the success of the church, YOU are. He is not the Saviour, there is only one, Jesus Christ. So do not put too many expectations on Benji, let him be what he is, a man committed to serving Jesus as he follows his call. And you should also seek to follow your call as disciples and give the Spirit free reign in your lives and the life of this congregation. In grace Trevor Klar … Continue reading →

for the week of January 20th

Induction Service – Rev Dr. Benji Callen Friday 1st February,  7:00pm at BCUC Informal supper following All are invited to welcome Benji and his family. Please wear your name badge. HizbizThe Hizbiz new year will begin at BCUC on Tuesday 29th Jan @ 6 pm with a fish and chips meal ($10) followed by “Hidden Figures”, a true background story about the launch into orbit of John Glenn.  To help plan catering please contact Leigh Duffett or Rex King. Dr Jon’s PantryAfter much picking and pitting, ADELAIDE HILLS CHERRY CONSERVE is in the Pantry – come and get your annual treat ! Old Calendarscan be left at the reception desk for Di Croft to use to decorate shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. KCO is ComingKids Camp Out (KCO) is a Uniting Church camp for 7 year olds to Year 7’s. On 23rd and 24th March 2019 hundreds of campers, junior leaders and leaders will gather at Adare Caravan and Camping at Victor Harbor for a fun filled 24 hours of stories, games, crafts, Bible studies, food, fellowship and some sleeping. Make a note in your diary and let your friends know so they can join us for a fabulous time. In 2019 there will be no cost for campers and helpers so let’s bring as many children as possible. More information will be available soon.  This year we are looking for a coordinator, so if you would like to be part of the KCO leadership team speak to Gaynor Strapp. … Continue reading →

A Day of Mourning – January 20 2019

In July last year, the national Assembly of the Uniting Church, agreed to mark the Sunday before Australia Day as a Day of Mourning in which Uniting Church congregations across Australia reflect on the effect that the arrival and settlement of Europeans has had on Australia’s First Peoples and our identity as a nation. As the President of the Assembly, Rev Dr Deirdre Palmer explains: “Remembering our history is an important part of our journey toward reconciliation as First and Second Peoples. Our declaration of a Day of Mourning allows us to stand together in remembering the truth of our history, and honouring the culture of Australia’s First Peoples, their families and the next generations. I will be joining Uniting Church members in lamenting, saying sorry and asking for forgiveness, for the past and current impacts of colonisation and dispossession of Australia’s First Peoples. As the Uniting Church we affirm that ours is “a destiny together” acknowledging the wrongs of the past and the present and committing ourselves to take action to bring about a more just Australia. As the Uniting Church we hear Jesus calling us into the light of reconciliation. I pray that our Church and our nation will continue on this journey of confession, forgiveness and working toward justice and healing” The full text of the President’s remarks can be found at https://assembly.uca.org.au/day-of-mourning … Continue reading →