St John’s Weekly Bulletin – Sunday 22 July 2018

Blessings for this week,

Mark

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The Parish Council is pleased to provide an update on the Heritage Restorations project at St John’s Cooks Hill.

You will recall in mid 2017 the Parish successfully raised $55,000 under the One K Project to match dollar for dollar Heritage Council funding to the same amount. Heritage approved the grant at St John’s for restoration and preservation work on the Church building and the Hall. The Hall was built originally for use as school rooms and was also used for divine service until the Church was completed. The first service in the school was likely to have been on the 19th July 1857 with the school opening the next day the 20th. The construction of the Church began September 1856 and it was consecrated 20th February 1860.

The Parish have faithfully maintained these building ever since and in 2017 there was an immediate and remarkable response to the Parish Councils call for special giving from the congregation to ensure the preservation of the buildings now suffering from rising damp and failing roof structures.

Contemporary Heritage provided a Conservation Management Plan prior to the fund raising and Heritage grant and were later engaged to develop a scope of works and design along with engineers Northrop for the re-roofing of the Hall, the replacement of gutters and downpipes in both the Hall and Church connecting to replacement in ground storm water pipes as well as sub soil agricultural pipe drainage systems.

Over the last six weeks the plans have been finalised and we are pleased to advise that documents have been sent this week to Newcastle City Council for a Development Application and to Heritage Council of NSW for Section 60 approval for our proposed work on these important heritage listed buildings.

As well tenders have been sought from roofing and drainage contractors and several of these quotes are already at hand. While the approval process is under way, which may take six weeks or more, we aim to assess the quotes and appoint our contractors so they are ready to start once we have the formal go ahead. Contractors are being advised we expect the works to be completed prior to Christmas so that we are within the deadline early next year for the Heritage grant.

The Parish Council again thanks all who have helped through their generous donations to make this preservation work possible and also thanks all those who help in many other ways to maintain our wonderful and welcoming community and our campus.

This bulletin was emailed to members of the parish on Thursday 19 July 2018 – if you would like to join the Weekly Bulletin email list, please call the church office on 02 4927 5399 and we will happily arrange this.

The Australian Prayer Network (APN) will be running a Foundation Level course on prayer at St John’s on the 24th and 25th of August, presented by Pastor Mathew Bolte (www.ausprayernet.org.au). The school commences at 7:00pm on Friday night and continues from 9.00am till 4.00pm on Saturday. The School will run as follows:

Fri 24th August 2018 7:00pm – 9:30pm

Session 1 How prayer works

Session 2 Intercession: A lifestyle

Sat 25th August 2018 9:00am – 4:00pm

Session 3 Understanding the DNA of your

community

Session 4 Spiritual authority the key to breakthrough

Lunch: BYO Lunch, tea & coffee provided

Session 5 How to lead a Spirit lead prayer meeting

Session 6 How to hear God’s voice

Should you have any questions or wish to register please contact Fr. Ken on ken.youman@gmail.com/0438 281 379 or Mark on markthornton@saintjohns.com.au/0403901348.

All donations can be placed in the basket at the entrance to the Church.

Our keynote speaker will be the Reverend Dr John Capper who will be speaking on ‘Evangelism and Apologetics’. We will also hear from Sally Bathgate who will present on ‘Tea and Threads’, plus a presentation by CEY on ‘Hearing the Voices and Views of our Children’.

This Year RSVP is via online booking which can be found at the following link: http://www.ticketebo.com.au/diocesanconvention2018. Online booking and payment is required by Sunday 5th of August. Further details and hard copies of the invitation will be available at Church.

After each of our services at St John’s we undertake a time of intentional prayer. This is a safe, welcoming and gentle time where we as a community offer prayer for those who need it in our midst. If you would like to be prayed over, or would like a member of our community to hold you in prayer during this time, please contact Fr. Ken Youman.

Fr. Ken has produced the first ‘Locum’s Letter’, which will be the first in a number of regular updates on important activities being undertaken at St John’s through this transition period. Hard copies of this letter, and future editions, will be available at Church.

We ask that you please pray for Adelaide, Pierce, Verity, Laura, and Nathanael, as they continue to care for Adelaide through this very difficult time. We invite you to pray for her oncologist as they decide on a suitable form of radiation treatment, that her doctors are able to source the best possible advice and information on treatment both locally and overseas, but especially pray for Adelaide as she undergoes this treatment, for strength and resilience so that the treatments can occur without delay. Please keep the Tonkin family in your prayers as we lift them up as a community.

There are also a few important ways you might be able to assist the Tonkin family as they care for Adelaide.

Meals

One way is to assist with the preparation of meals. The family have set up a large cooler box for the delivery of meals at the front of their home and would greatly appreciate anyone who is able to assist with preparing and bring meals for the family. There is currently a roster for meals and if you would like to assist in this way please give Mark or Ken your email address so you can be added to the meal roster.

Clothing

Any donations of suitable clothing would also be greatly appreciated. Specifically Boys size 3 winter and/or summer and girls size 6 winter/summer.

Toys

Like wise, the Tonkins would also appreciate any donations of toys, craft sets, puzzles or other similar items that the family can enjoy. As Adelaide is largely confined to the home during her treatment, anything that you might otherwise give to a local thrift shop would greatly be appreciated to keep spirits up and keep boredom at bay! Should you have any such items of good quality to donate please contact Mark or Ken.

The family have asked only for hand-me-down items, that would otherwise be donated, rather than new items that need to be bought. We will endeavor to provide updates when they become available.””