We acknowledge that we are powerless to change anyone's heart. But God is powerful and He can do anything!
Posted on July 26th, 2009
Hi everyone, thanks for partnering with us in prayer! Here are some much needed prayer points for COAST EC. Print friendly version here.
Posted on July 1st, 2009
Hi friends,
Thanks for taking an interest in this church plant and supporting us. We know that ‘unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain’. So please pray for the Lord to change many hearts!
You can read the prayer points below, or download a print friendly version.
Praise God for:
Ask God to:
Thanks people!
Posted on May 25th, 2009
Hey people,
We’ve been going for 7 weeks now! Here’s some recent news and praise/prayer points…
The core group (all 7 of us!) have been working hard at building relationships through the soccer club, mother’s group and work places. Please pray for us to shine brightly as we live for Jesus, and for wisdom and boldness to share the gospel.
We’re praising God that several local people have decided to join the church! So far 2 families, and about 8 others have said they’re keen to call Coast Evangelical their home church. Many people who’ve been coming along are people who’ve fallen out from going to church in the last 6 years or so. Pray that they’ll get through their past pain, rejoin fellowship, and make a fresh start of serving Jesus.
We’re building a kids church and youth group around the children who have started coming. The kids are keen to invite their mates, and the parents are going to start inviting other parents and kids from the local schools. Please pray for heaps of kids to get converted and for them to bring their families to church too.
Praise God that our Youth group (yrs5-6) started two weeks ago with 3 kids regularly coming. Pray that they’ll keep coming, growing in their faith in Jesus and that they’ll invite their mates. Pray for Evan and Alicia as they head up this ministry. We’re planning a mid year mission to yr5-6 kids (July 22-24 July) – pray for the young team from St Faiths Narrabeen who are coming to help us.
Please pray that we’d be able to start a second home group / bible study group soon. We’re trying to round up a core for that, and one of the new ladies who’s joined the church is praying about hosting.
I met with some pastors and the principal of the Great Lakes College to talk about getting High School Scripture started next year. The proposal has now gone to the school board / P & C. Please ask for God to open this door, and for Him to raise up gifted teachers to share Christ with the 1600 students at the College.
Also pray for Tom, Ali and Stu – that they’d get regular jobs soon (and stay positive and motivated to keep looking).
Give thanks for the generosity of God’s people who’ve made this ministry possible so far, and ask for God to keep providing the funds and resources we need.
Thanks for your prayers and support
Chris
(and the COAST EC team)
Posted on April 23rd, 2009
Praise God for a great launch! It was a great day and we couldn’t have hoped for a better start. We had our first public service on Easter Sunday – and we were amazed that 100 people showed up. 80 were people on holidays or friends who’d come to support us (thanks guys!), and 20 were locals (which we’re praising God for!). A number of locals have already contacted me saying they’re keen to call Coast Evangelical their home church and to partner with us in our mission.
Please pray for good follow-up of locals and that God would draw a large like-minded core group together, and that we’d work to see Jesus glorified in the region.
Pray for energy for the core team who are serving in multiple ministries on Sunday to make it all work. Logistically, we NEED MORE SOLDIERS to make the public meeting viable long term. But that said, everyone’s very encouraged and keen to work hard.
Please also pray for more jobs for our core team. Forster has high unemployment (over 10% and growing) so it’s been really hard for the team to get solid work. (Most jobs are by word of mouth, and when you’re from out of town, you’re also out of the loop). So far Evan has a part time job at ALDI, Tom has some casual nursing shifts, and Ali has had a few casual shifts at an outdoor rec centre. That is all the paid employment we have. Myself and Alicia (doing MTS) are paid staff (we’re trying to raise our own external support). My wife Sharon is at home with our new baby boy Caleb, and Stu is still looking for a job.
Please pray for an open door to the high school to teach Scripture. I’ve had a positive response from 3 other pastors in the area who would be keen to see it happen, and I have the job of writing the syllabus. We’re meeting with the principal on 29 April.
We’re also starting a youth group called Grommets – for kids in years 5 and 6. We are hoping to kick it off in the next few weeks, but have a lot of connecting (and praying!) to do. Please pray for a great start, and that we can build from a solid core.
Thanks for your prayers guys. Stand firm!
Chris
02 6555 4093
chris@coastec.net.au