Turning a New Leaf in Christ

“New Year” doesn’t stay new forever, unlike turning a new leaf in Christ. When does the year stop being new?

Do you display more outward tradition than inward growth? Are you a source of spiritual nourishment or just ornamental in your faith?

Read the first sermon I delivered at Oamaru Baptist Church on 16 January 2022, as part of the pulpit roster.

➔ CLICK TO READ MORE

Thank you for filling out our Task Roster

We got our Task Rosker up and running last Sunday. Thanks to all who responded to Bevan’s appeal.

Feel free to jot your name down for any tasks that don’t have a volunteer yet. You might want to pair up with someone who serves the Lord’s Supper, welcomes people, or gathers the offering.

We also have a lineup of volunteers who have offered to mow our lawns. Thank you!

Fellowship lunch on 25th January

Join us for a joyful celebration as we honour our students returning to school in February! We’re hosting a fellowship lunch on Sunday, January 25th.

We would love for you to be a part of it. Please bring a dish to share so we can enjoy a delicious meal together. Come, connect, and celebrate our students! Watch out for more details!

TEE Life of Christ Meetings Resume this week

We are back to our TEE (Tools to Equip and Empower) meetings.

• Group 2, composed of Marjorie and Tony, took up Life of Christ Book 2, Unit 1, on Friday.
• Group 1 will take up Unit 9 of the Life of Christ Book 2 on Sunday, 18th January at 1:00 PM.

We invite others to join the Life of Christ Discipleship Course. Feel free to approach the pastor. Thanks!

Invitation for Baptism

We invite those who believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord to publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ through believer’s baptism (immersion). Please see the pastor or any of the elders, Tony or Rodney, for further information.

Jesus commanded his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). Therefore, baptism is a way of obeying Christ’s command, both for the person being baptised and for the minister performing the baptism.

The Baptist Church believes that believer’s immersion is the only scriptural form of baptism.

Opportunity to support

We learned that Juscar and Johanna travelled to the Philippines last December to attend the burial and wake of Juscar’s mum. They arrived safely back in New Zealand on 31st December 2025.

May I invite anyone who wants to participate in the Filipino tradition of giving “abuloy” (donation) to a bereaved family. This is voluntary. It is our token of solidarity with Juscar, Merly and the whole family. Please feel free to donate any amount to Juscar R Alegado’s account: 01-0964-0094574-00

Thank you very much. May God bless you all!

Christmas 2025 in Retrospect

From festive highlights to heartfelt farewells and inspiring faith stories, this update celebrates community, gratitude, and new beginnings!

Foundation Sunday 2025 Message

We have published Peter Rodwell’s message during our 17 August Foundation Sunday sermon for your reading and reflection.

Please take the time to read it by clicking the button below.

Working Bee on August 30!

As we welcome the spring season, please join us for the working bee on 30th August from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

Bring weeding and cutting tools, wheelbarrow, shovel, paint rollers/brush, etc.

Our working bee is also a team-building opportunity and a chance for fellowship. Tea will be served.

September Task Roster – Opportunity to Serve

We are thankful for your joining OBC. We invite you to join our task roster.

Joining this roster is not just a commitment; it’s a chance for you to actively engage in worship and service, contributing to the vibrant life of our church community.

Please write your name on the roster sheet on the table in our tea area.

If you have any questions about the tasks that interest you or need further details, don’t hesitate to contact Bevan, Jonan, or anyone else for help. Your involvement makes a difference—thank you!

Join the church task roster, where the only qualification is availability.

Prayer Meeting Schedule

The church’s prayer meeting schedule is held on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Thursday of the month.

The Elders have designated the 1st Thursday of each month as their meeting and prayer.

The rest of the month’s Thursdays, from 3:00 to 4:00, are scheduled for the church’s prayer meeting.

OSBA Hui ā Tau (AGM) and Forum Day

Who is this day for?

Anyone who is part of our Baptist family in the region is welcome to attend – it’s not just for pastors or elders. It provides an excellent opportunity to learn more and connect with fellow Baptists, share ideas, and reflect on our collective mission.

May I encourage anyone available to come and participate? We can travel as a group to Alexandra.

Our attendance will enable us to understand our church context, both regionally and nationally, and potentially get involved, as well as meet some new and like-minded people. 

RSVP HERE by Monday, 8 September, so that we can cater appropriately and ensure we have a quorum in place.

Guest

Dr. Paul Jones, Principal, Carey Baptist College 

The newly appointed Principal of Carey, Paul, is keen to get to know people, hear from us all, and understand what we believe are the unique needs of our region and churches. Paul is very relatable, approachable, a great communicator and an all-around nice guy!

Click here for more info on Paul, his research interests and teaching areas. 

Giving

We are deeply thankful for your unwavering support of the ministries entrusted to us by the Lord God.

Your giving is not only appreciated but also crucial in advancing God’s mission and amplifying the impact of His work entrusted to us. Thank you for being a vital part of this journey.

If you want to set up automatic payments for regular giving or make a one-time donation via online banking, please use the Oamaru Baptist Church account number at ANZ: 06-0941-0015036-00.

May the Lord God abundantly bless you and lovingly watch over you.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you. Psalm 118:26

How Jesus’s Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem Can Be Our True Victory

Was Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem truly triumphant? The crowd expected him to claim his kingship and overthrow the Roman government, but this did not happen.

In celebration of Palm Sunday, I want to share this brief reflection. ➔ CLICK TO READ MORE

Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday Schedule

We will hold a Good Friday Service on 18 April at 3:00 PM. We will celebrate the last seven statements of Jesus Christ on the cross.

The Resurrection Sunday will be held on the regular Sunday time at 10:00 AM.

Share your “Resurrection” Stories

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15-31-32)

On 20 April, Resurrection Sunday, I invite you to share your “resurrection” story. As many of you might remember from previous celebrations, we share stories about how God has revived, revitalised, or renewed our lives. Please share in three to five minutes. Thank you!

Be a Part of Our Task Roster

OBC needs your participation in the task roster. Join our task roster.

Please actively engage in our worship and service community and brighten our church community. Please write your name on the roster sheet at the tea service area.

If you have any questions about the tasks that interest you or need further details, don’t hesitate to contact Bevan, our pastor, or anyone else for help. Your involvement makes a difference—thank you!

Join the church task roster, where the only qualification is availability.

An evening of music and testimony with Jules Riding

On 7th May, at 7:00 PM, Jules Riding, an NZ Christian singer doing a South Island tour, will share his music and testimony at the OBC auditorium.

He titles this event “Finding God in the Wilderness, ” a mix of songs and the Word. Your koha or donations are appreciated.

The wheelchairs have arrived

As announced last Sunday, two new wheelchairs have been purchased, and they arrived this week for use this Sunday.

The arrival of these wheelchairs means that one or two more from Sandringham House could attend our worship service.

For those who want to contribute towards these items, please write “wheelchair” as the reference.

Giving

We are truly grateful for your unwavering support of the ministries entrusted to us by the Lord God. Your generous contributions play a vital role in furthering the mission and deepening the impact of His work. Thank you for being an essential part of the church’s journey.

If you want to set up automatic payments for regular giving or make a one-time donation via online banking, please use the Oamaru Baptist Church account number at ANZ: 06-0941-0015036-00.

May the Lord God abundantly bless you and lovingly watch over you.

Alec’s Testimony

I’m pleased to share Alec’s testimony to boost our faith in God. He probably shared this many years ago, and a few might remember.

Regardless, Alec’s testimony is refreshing. He assures us that the Lord looks after you when you are faithful. ➔ CLICK TO READ MORE

Power through Corporate Prayer

I am sharing Allan Taylor’s article “Accessing God’s Power through Corporate Prayer,” which he presented at the national Hui last November. Allan is the President of the Baptist Union of New Zealand.

Reading Allan’s article this week reminded me that we must heighten our prayer life as a church. OBC is in the reorganisation phase. Let’s be aware that our “enemy” (satan) will try to sow disunity and confusion, disrupt relationships, and many schemes to hinder us from reaching our goals. ➔ CLICK TO READ MORE

1st Quarter 2025 Organisational Plans

On 24 January, I sent an email with the subject “AGM and Eldership” with two attached documents, namely: (1) OBC Letter January 2025 from Rachel and (2) OBC Elder’s Charter 2025.

The letter mentions that the Annual General Meeting will be on Sunday, 9 March 2025, at 11:30 AM in the OBC Auditorium.

A few key areas will be discussed to assist the church’s transition into a new stage.

1. Presentation of the draft new OBC Constitution.
2. Nomination of OBC elders. Rachel’s letter explains the procedure for nominating a candidate for Elder.

Please inform Jonan or Bevan if you haven’t received a copy of that email or your device doesn’t have a PDF viewer. Two sets of printed copies are on the Tea Room table. We can print more if needed.

Church Bulletin

• Youth Weekly Meeting resumes on Thursday, 6 February, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.
  
• Weekly Prayer Meeting continues every Thursday, 1:30-2:30 PM.
  
• Abundant Life Discipleship Group will take up “Lesson 15 – Members of the Local Church” on Sunday, 1:00-2:30 PM at the OBC Tea Room.
  
• Watch out! We will start The Life of Christ Discipleship Course in March 2025. We will provide more information next week.

Be a Part of our Task Roster

OBC needs your participation in the task roster. Join our task roster.

Please actively engage in our worship and service community and brighten our church community. Please write your name on the rostering sheet on the table next to our tea area.

If you have any questions about the tasks that interest you or need further details, don’t hesitate to contact Bevan, our pastor, or anyone else for help. Your involvement makes a difference—thank you!

Join the church task roster where the only qualification is availability.

Website Management Training

We want to train people to manage our website and assist in creating and publishing content for the church website and social media channels.

Please approach Jonan or Bevan if you are interested.

Happy 2025! Please take the time to read a couple of inspirational posts that Mary and Marcia authored, respectively.

A Prayer for the New Year

BY MARY MASON

Heavenly Father, thank you for extending my days so that I could be here today with these others who love you and reverence your Holy name. We welcome this New Year not knowing what lies ahead, but you know. ➔ CLICK TO READ MORE

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Who Am I?

BY MARCIA SHARPE

Who am I…? Who am I to give Hope to people affected by cancer? When I can barely manage the common cold? Or a bruise on my shin?

➔ CLICK TO READ MORE

Important 1st Quarter 2025 Organisational Plans

We thank our Lord God Almighty for re-growing BC in the past two-plus years. As we move towards reorganising in the first quarter of 2025, let us take note of the following:

• Install new members on 19 January 2025. Please approach Bevan or Jonan if you wish to become a member. Any person who confesses faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who has been Baptised (by immersion) as a believer, who shows evidence of following Christ in the newness of life and who is willing to uphold the commitments as outlined in the Members’ Pledge may apply to become a Church member.
  
  
• Please think and pray about two or three members we will nominate to the Eldership between now and mid-February 2025. We will publish more details about this.
  
  
• We are looking at reframing our Constitution and By-Laws to fit the present church’s context and situation in February 2025.
  
  
• We will hold our annual general meeting (AGM) Pastor’s 2025. The annual reports, namely the Pastor’s report, the Leadership Team’s report, and the Financial report will be available in February.

Let us pray for these 1st Quarter 2025 plans. Thank you.

Be a Part of our Task Roster

OBC is your church, and we warmly invite you to join our task roster.

Joining this roster is not just a commitment; it’s a chance for you to actively engage in worship and service, contributing to the vibrant life of our church community.

Please write your name on the rostering sheet on the table next to our tea area.

If you have any questions about the tasks that interest you or need further details, don’t hesitate to contact Bevan, our pastor, or anyone else for help. Your involvement makes a difference—thank you!

Join the church task roster where the only qualification is availability.

“Abundant Life” Bible Study 19 January at 1:00 PM

We are still at it! We will tackle Lesson 15 of our “Abundant Life” study session on Sunday, 19 January, at 1:00 PM.

Please come with your workbook (Lesson 15) filled out and be ready to participate in our learning session.

OBC is building a dynamic discipleship culture. Everyone is invited to join. Let us learn about God through His word.

Online Writing and Website Management Seminars

I am launching two training seminars for interested persons: Online Writing and Website Management. These seminars aim to develop people who can assist in publishing content for the church’s website.

The seminars are open to everyone interested. Please come to me to be enrolled. Then, we will meet to decide on the seminar date in January 2025.

The Drums Started Playing

You wouldn’t have missed this incident if you had been at last Sunday’s worship service.

We were singing our closing song, “Power of Your Love”, when suddenly we heard the drums playing, accompanying the musicians in near-perfect tempo.

Asher, who will be turning three in May, picked up the drumsticks and started playing the drums. May the Lord prosper Asher’s gifts and all the other children as they grow.

One day, children were brought to Jesus, hoping he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom comprises people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left. (Matthew 19:13-15)

We thank the Lord for blessing OBC with children.

Weekly Youth Meeting

Our youth group meets every Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Please ask Tom or Bevan for more information. Invite young people you know to join.

Join the Tasks Roster

The tasks roster is an opportunity for us to participate in the function and operation of our church in the areas of worship and service. Please feel free to write your name on the rostering sheet on the table beside our tea area.

Don’t hesitate to ask Bevan, the pastor, or anyone else about the tasks you are interested in or if you need further information. Thank you!

Join the church tasks roster where the only qualification is availability.

Learning How to Use the Faith-Wisdom Tool

I am recruiting people with pastoral ministry gifts to attend the orientation/training on using the Faith-Wisdom Tool. As I introduced last year, it is a simple tool that can create a profound understanding of faith and wisdom as an individual, a church, and a community.

We need this for a sustainable pastoral care ministry for OBC.

Abundant Life Bible Study Sessions

Let us resume our Bible study sessions using the Abundant Life of Christ workbook on Sunday, 21 April 2024, at 1:00 PM. Please answer Lesson 10 on your manual and be ready to share and discuss.

OSBA EVENTS AND TRAINING

I receive Rachel’s Regional Leader Roundup each month, which features news, events, and training happening in the Otago and Southland Baptist Association (OSBA). Sharing the event and training below.

Regional Hui 202423-25 May (Thurs to Saturday mid-PM)
River Ridge Retreat, Catlins
Options to stay on or offsite.

This is an opportunity for pastors, elders, and ministry leaders to come together to listen to God and others, reflect, learn, dream, worship, and pray, strengthen relationships and connections, envision together for the region, have some fun, and take a couple of days off from the usual activity.

*Registrations are now open, and a separate communication has been sent with all details.

Child Protection (under 18) Training – FREE
1 May; 10am-12noon. Register Here

Several of our region’s people attended the first training option in February. There is still time to sign up for the second webinar, which will provide the up-to-date version of the Baptist Union Child Protection Policy, which was written in consultation with Child Matters. Once the training has been completed, you will receive the editable template policy document. Register Here

OSBA plans to conduct further training for those involved with under-18s, focused on awareness, actions, protections, etc. Watch this space.