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24 Hour Prayer Event

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Dear friends of BCUC, As we re-engage with face-to-face ministry and open the church to individuals first, then to small groups and eventually gathering together as a congregation to worship, we feel the need to come to the Lord in prayer and fasting. We can make all the plans we want but Jesus is the foundation of everything worthwhile. We have this gift of re-shaping our future as a church at BCUC, as a community and for the world. Prayer is needed for decisions to be made, for giving thanks and for those still suffering around the world during this unprecedented crisis. It is also exciting that we are partnering with InVia church during this call to prayer (see below). We have much for which to be grateful – the SA and BCUC communities have responded and fared very well, but there are many decisions ahead of us to place before God, including when and how to come back together. Prayer is an integral link in the Christian spiritual life and is the key moment when we have communion with God. It needs us to quieten, open our hearts and call out to Him: STARTING Saturday 16th May @ 10amwe launch the 24 hour period with a YouTube live worship and preparation time. Click here to view the live event. ENDING Sunday 17th May @ 10amFinish with the weekly YouTube worship and live communion. How you can participate Connect with both the Saturday morning launch and the Sunday morning worship/communion services online.We have prepared a helpful guide to focus your prayer.  This can be downloaded here.Pray where you are, when you are able and feel moved to pray during the 24 hours.You might choose to commit to a 1-hour block (or a time-frame that best suits you).You could create a physical prayer space to assist in creating quietness and focus for your thoughts and prayers.Connect for group prayer at a special Zoom prayer meeting at 4pm Saturday 16th May.Consider using this for a time of prayer AND fasting. Whether that is total (but please take fluids) or maybe giving up 1 food/activity you particularly enjoy and seek each day. Benji and Ashlee will talk more about this on Saturday morning before we begin, but this is optional and won’t be the chief focus and goal of the 24 hours in prayer. Fasting can help bring focus and is a response to God’s grace and goodness rather than a way of ‘earning God’s favour’. For more information on fasting check out this page.Spend time listening to the Holy Spirit. Maybe God is saying something to you personally about who you are a child of God, what your passions are, what your commitments are to serving Jesus in the church and in the community, whether it is time to re-assess your service to best fit with your passions, the community needs, your giftings and the call of God for the church and yourself. Write down what God is saying and please email it to us so we know how God is speaking to a community that … Continue reading →

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The Church After Easter 11 April 2021The first Sunday after Easter is traditionally called ‘Low Sunday’ in contrast to what someone has called ‘the Church on steroids’ – the heightened joy and excitement of Easter Day, the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection the Sunday before. Our reading for this weekend’s worship from Acts 4:32-37 gives us a picture of the Church in Jerusalem, alive in Christ, expressing a wonderful unity in heart and mind, a fellowship in which believers didn’t claim possessions as their own but shared everything so that there were no needy members among them. Luke, the writer of Acts, has compiled a book that commends Christianity to the Gentile world. It proclaims the truth that Jesus is for everyone, not just those of Jewish descent. Luke chronicles how Jesus’ words to the disciples at his ascension came true. He said, ‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8) He shows his readers how in just 30 years, Christianity had spread from Jerusalem to Rome. What happened during this spread of Christianity is an exciting and inspiring story. However, how it happened gives us encouragement as the Church today. The entire story is driven by the work of the Holy Spirit to the point where someone has suggested that Luke’s writing we call ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ should more correctly be renamed ‘The Acts of the Holy Spirit’. We see churches being set up and growing wherever the good news of Jesus’ resurrection is being preached – and it’s not just the apostles doing the preaching. Others are also being gifted by the Holy Spirit to share the good news Jesus has brought to them. Over the next few Sundays, we’ll witness the Spirit at work in the early Church. How do you see the Spirit at work in our congregation today?Rob Williams   News Benji on Leave Benji, Nicole, and family are having a well earned break over the next few weeks.  Benji will return to BCUC on Monday April 26.  While Benji is away, if you need to speak to someone, please contact Stuart, Nirmal, or Rob as appropriate.  The Kid’s Programme will be run by Heather and Aradhana over the next two Sundays.  Sunday 10am Worship Livestreaming For a few weeks now, we have been livestreaming our Sunday 10am service on our YouTube channel (See the box on this page headed “Breakthru Worship”).  This will continue this week and into the foreseeable future.  These livestreams (which can also be watched later) will replace the “Breakthru” video services that Benji used to create each week.  The quality of the livestreams have improved over the weeks as we have gained experience and we welcome your feedback.  We are also looking for volunteers to operate the video stream on Sunday morning (no experience needed, just an ability to focus and multitask).    Easter Musical “I’m Only 33” On Good Friday and Easter, we premiered our Easter Musical titled “I’m Only 33” written and … Continue reading →

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Happy Christmas from BCUC What a year this has been. Thank you all for staying with us and being part of God’s loving family together, always encouraging, and never giving up hope. As I look back on 2020 at BCUC I see God’s sustaining love throughout. I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I am glad that there have been many times when I have seen this Christ-like love expressed at BCUC. The staff at BCUC wish to extend our thanks to you and our blessings for Christmas and the New Year. Our fantastic Christmas Eve service will help a weary world rejoice with the joy that only Jesus can bring. On Christmas Day follow the star of hope to a place of worship. May we all  “come let us adore Him”. Let the light of the risen Christ shine in your hearts, actions and words this Christmas. The richest blessings to you all. Your brother in ChristBenji  … Continue reading →

A Message from Rev Benji Callen – June 16 2019

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Having an Attitude of Gratitude –  If you have ever been involved in kids ministry and helping young people learn how to pray, usually the first and most flowing prayers they have are prayers of thanksgiving. “Thank you God for my family, for friends, for food, for people in the church, for my pets, for my teacher, for your love and that you made us.” If you were to go to a counsellor today they often prescribe a diet of thankfulness. Write a list each day for some of the small and big things you can be thankful for. Being thankful as we grow up seems to be harder for some. Yet an attitude of gratitude lifts us beyond ourselves, acknowledges God’s graceful presence in our lives, takes us out of our sense of entitlement or being ‘owed’ something from the world and helps us find joy. Paul writing to the church in Thessalonica encouraged them to “Give thanks in all circumstances”, whether in times of persecution and suffering or times of peace.  I once ran a youth group night looking at giving thanks no matter what. I split the group in two and asked them to stop and give thanks to God every five minutes. One group went to the youth room to play video games, air hockey and have fun for 30 minutes. The other group had to sort ‘hundreds-and-thousands’ (or sprinkles) into colour groups… and that’s it. I then asked how easy it was to give thanks. The group having fun generally forgot to stop and give thanks to God unless I reminded them, the other group were full of thanks. Right now at BCUC I think we are generally in a season of good news and anticipation. As we embark on a three-week stewardship program “Thanks-Giving-Service” I wanted to begin with thanks. Give thanks for what God has provided for the past financial year, give thanks for the people He has placed in your life, the love he has shown and the faith that has grown. I want to personally give thanks on behalf of the leadership of Burnside City for your sacrificial giving to our church over the last year and much more. Many give generously with their treasure, talent and time. This church would not be a beacon for the Gospel and a place of discipleship without these significant contributions. Thank you. For all you have done both noticed and unnoticed, BCUC is richer for it and we thank you for helping us shine the light of Christ to a community that needs it. I encourage you this week to find someone, even during morning tea at church to say thank you to. … Continue reading →

BCUC Saturday Friendship Club – 17 March 7.15 PM

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For the meeting of the Saturday Friendship Club on the 17th March, the club has been fortunate to obtain as a speaker, Prof Stephen Lincoln. He will be speaking about “Climate Change and Future Energy” Stephen is part of Adelaide’s Environment Institute and is well versed in matters of climate change and energy production, having written over 300 hundred papers. I have heard him speak and he gives in layman’s terms, very enlightening and unbiased views about energy options and the effects of climate change throughout the world. We are indeed privileged to have obtained this calibre of speaker. We hope you can come along. Usual basket supper. PLEASE NOTE THE NEW MEETING TIME – 7.15 PM FOR A 7.30 PM START. … Continue reading →

A message from Matthew December 17

The challenge of last week was to think of and to invite someone to one of our Christmas Services so that they too can hear the good news that Jesus Christ has come into the world to bring us joy. How did you go? Have you invited someone? Did they say yes? In the Gospel according to Luke we are given an example to follow. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,     and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:8-18 NIV) The Good News of the birth of Jesus is still cause for great joy for all people and all who hear this good news will be amazed. Before you invite anyone else to come and share this great joy, I ask you to stop and think – am I taking this good news for granted in my own life? Do I really understand that this good news has turned my life upside-down? Do I believe that Jesus still has the power to miraculously change lives today? The shepherds heard the Good News, they experienced it for themselves and then they spread the word. We are compelled to do the same.   … Continue reading →

A message from Matthew December 17

The challenge of last week was to think of and to invite someone to one of our Christmas Services so that they too can hear the good news that Jesus Christ has come into the world to bring us joy. How did you go? Have you invited someone? Did they say yes? In the Gospel according to Luke we are given an example to follow. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,     and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:8-18 NIV) The Good News of the birth of Jesus is still cause for great joy for all people and all who hear this good news will be amazed. Before you invite anyone else to come and share this great joy, I ask you to stop and think – am I taking this good news for granted in my own life? Do I really understand that this good news has turned my life upside-down? Do I believe that Jesus still has the power to miraculously change lives today? The shepherds heard the Good News, they experienced it for themselves and then they spread the word. We are compelled to do the same.   … Continue reading →

BICC Shine Choir Concert

Sunday 20th October, 2pm @ BCUC. We have been fortunate to obtain the Shine Choir for a concert at Burnside City UC. The choir will sing a range of lively music, with some sing-a-longs. Adults $10; Families $20. Proceeds towards Christian Pastoral Support Workers in local schools. Visit the Shine Choir’s youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/shinechoir … Continue reading →