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Dear Members of the Darwin congregation,
I have followed your progress
as a new congregation with considerable interest. How we praise the Lord for what he has being doing in and through you. This is a birthday celebration for you, and therefore an excellent
time to look back and review. Have any difficulties come your way during the past year? Of course! Normal life has to face difficulties. Have you prayed about them, and
through them? Yes of course. You are Christian people, and that’s what Christian people do. Will you face difficulties during your second year? Of course. Can you
nevertheless move forward in unity? Yes you can, and through that grow from strength to strength. So what should I say to you? “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” (1
Timothy 4:16). “Love one another” (Jesus new commandment in John 13:34). And, now hear part of the final prayer of Jesus for you, before he was whisked off to his travesty of
a trial . . so they must be vitally important, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me, and have loved them.”
I look forward to visiting you during this year.
Robert Benn, Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Session and congregation of Castle Hill Presbyterian Church greet you on your first Anniversary. We
give thanks for the blessings you have received in the past year and encourage you to continue with the work you have commenced. The preacher who will conduct our services on Sunday assures us
he will include prayers of thanksgiving and encouragement in his service.
Joan Hood, Session Clerk, Castle Hill Presbyterian Church
Happy Birthday, Darwin Pres! I've been following developments from the
beginning, and praying for you. Have a great day, and a blessed year to follow. Sue Camden
May the Lord who has begun a good work among you bring it to completion in His time and way (Phil. 1.6).
Keith and Winifred Allen. (Minister Emeritus. Member Ballarat West Presbyterian Church.)
Greetings from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Hamilton Victoria. We
rejoice with you on your first anniversary and will take time at our service tomorrow 27th Jan to thank God for the growth of the work there in Darwin and to pray for ongoing growth and unity of the
congregation and its ministry. May the Lord establish you as as His planting in Darwin, that He may be glorified. May this prophecy in the Lord be fulfilled in
you; "And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations." Isaiah 61:4.
Grace,
Mercy and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. David & Isabel Schulz.
On behalf of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Western Australia extend sincere Christian
greetings to you all as you mark this significant milestone in the history of Darwin Presbyterian Church. Remember Proverbs 3:5,6 In Christ, Rt. Rev. S. M. Bonnington, Moderator
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We rejoice with you in your first anniversary. May the Lord
continue to bless you all and use you for His glory.
Alan and Ginny Every. Heidelberg Presbyterian Church
Happy 1st Anniversary to you & the congregation.
I still smile whenever I think of DPC !!! I still
remember wishing that there as a Pressy church in Darwin while we were travelling across there in 2004. When I made that comment to Peter Owen on our emails, he jokingly said be should start a
church plant!!
The rest we say is history. We spent a lot of time at the Casuarina shopping centre to keep cool so it's not hard to imagine where you are.
It encourages me that God is really blessing you there.
Please send our love to the congregation.
With love from Merle, Joven , Aaron, Sarah & Jenna Jaraba (Members Melton Presb Church)
To our dear friends in the LORD JESUS CHRIST in the Darwin congregation
How
we rejoice at the great things the Lord has done in bringing into existence your church over the last year! We have been so thrilled to learn of the growth and forward momentum of this new church
planting venture which in the hands of God has brought much spiritual blessing to the people of Darwin. We trust that in the years to come DPC will also become a centre for the advance of the patrol
and other ministry work of the Presbyterian Inland Mission throughout the Northern Territory and beyond!
Congratulations also to Rob and Jeanette who have laboured so much hard to bring the
vision to pass! ‘This is the LORD’S doing and its marvellous in our eyes’ - Stuart Bonnington, Superintendent of the PIM.
I send greetings from the Session and the Congregation of St John's Presbyterian Church, Bendigo, Victoria. We will be rejoicing with you
on Sunday January 27th and praising God for his faithfulness to you all thus far! May He continue to bless you abundantly!
Rev. Philip Burns
Dear Rob and friends at the DPC, Congratulations on the first anniversary and may the Lord continue to
bless you in 08. In the cool climes of Stanthorpe (Qld) we can even wear a light jumper in summer ... are blue singlets standard wear for DPC?
All the best, Greg
Fraser PS - Rob preached at my ordination 16 or so years ago.
To the Presbyterian Church in Darwin: May you all enjoy God’s grace, mercy and peace in
abundance. What a joy it is to know that God is building a body of His people in Darwin who are committed to the Gospel of His sovereign grace in Jesus Christ our Lord, learning to love one
another and bear faithful witness in the community. To God be the glory.
It was my joy and privilege to share in the life of your church by conducting worship and preaching the word of
God for four Sundays last September. I thank God for the way you received God’s word and us as well. The hospitality we received in people’s homes was greatly appreciated.
May
the Lord strengthen your faith in His ability “ to do far above all we ask or imagine through Him who is mightily at work within us” .
Congratulations on your first anniversary.
Your brother in Christ, Paul Ridgewell ( And Gaylene too)
To the people of Darwin Presbyterian Church,
It is with
great delight and praise to God that I write to commend you as a congregation on your first birthday. God has been gracious to you in the provision of a minister and facilities and we
look forward to continued growth and witness to our Lord Jesus Christ in the far north of our continent.
Rev. Dr. Paul Logan, Clerk of Assembly, Presbyterian Church of Australia;
St Peter's Presbyterian Church, North Sydney
Praise God for the vision He gave to the PIM Committee to step forward in faith
and establish the Darwin Presbyterian Church. All things are possible with God and He has surely shown us that great things can happen when we trust Him
May God continue to bless you
and give you His wisdom and guidance as you lead His flock in Darwin for many years to come. Happy Anniversary.
Evelyn Mill (Presbyterian Inland Mission Committee member)
Thank you for the kind reminder of your first anniversary. I trust that the Lord will continue to grow you in
Him for the expansion of his kingdom and church in the greater Darwin area. We will be sure to pray for you in our local congregation this coming Sunday.
Kim Dale, Tamborine Mountain Presbyterian Church, Moderator PCQ
Thanks for the invite but I have an engagement somewhere
here in Drouin. Please pass on the following to the congregation:
Praise God for His many blessings. I share in giving thanks for the work being done in the Darwin Presbyterian Church
and pray that you will know God’s continued leading and enabling as you serve Him. Be assured of not only my prayers but also the prayers of the congregation of Drouin Presbyterian.
Even though distance separates us, we are one in the name of our Lord Jesus and we join with you in the gospel ministry that our Lord has called us to.
Mark Smith, Pastor - Drouin Presbyterian Church, Secretary, Presbyterian Inland Mission
Congratulations Rob and all at DPC. St Kilda/Balaclava will be praying with you next Sunday for your continued growth and witness. Wishing you every blessing,
Bob Thomas, Minister of St. Kilda PC, Former GAA Moderator, Former Interim Moderator of Darwin Presbyterian Church.
What wonderful news that the congregation is going from strength to strength. May the Lord bless you and keep
you.
With love in Jesus, Michael, Ruth, Sarah and Katie Sutcliffe. Townsville
Dear friends at DPC.
May I exhort you in the words of Jude, “to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints”.
Your example has been a great encouragement to me and on behalf of the Bible Society I pray God’s continued blessing as you seek to proclaim Christ in Darwin.
I hope to see you again soon.
In Christian fellowship,
Phil Zamagias, The Flying Bible Man, Bible Society, Darwin.
To my brothers and sisters in Christ,
I thank God and praise Him for His blessings as He has
built you up spiritually and also in numbers throughout 2007.My prayer is that you press in to further blessing in 2008. He will surely not let you down.
In Christian love. Alison Dines. (Peace Pres. Church. Deception Bay. QLD)
It doesn't seem like a year, praise God for the swift progress. I'm looking forward to hearing how the
Tassie evangelists went. I was encouraged by your last paragraph, most of us finish a letter with may God bless you (and he does) it's good to be properly oriented - we're saved to serve
Him. It's surprising how often I get it backwards, praise Him for his patience.
Kel and Co. (Kelvin, Amber, Jedd & Joel Matthews, Members Melton Presbyterian Church)
Hi Rob & Jeanette, and the Lord's people in Darwin. This greeting comes with
much love and fondest affection. Congratulations on your first anniversary may the Lord continue to bless you and keep you. With very fondest memories,
Jack & Wendy Knapp, (Jack is
former Superintendent of PIM, Former Moderator of GAA, and a supporter of the gospel work in Darwin for decades.)
Message from Peter Owen, ex minister of Melton Presbyterian Church (ended 31/12/07) now full
time at the Brimbank Presbyterian Church plant in the middle of the western suburbs of Melbourne.
G'day Darwin,
Wow, isn't our God so gracious. What a thrill to hear of the first
birthday of Darwin Presy - hasn't that come around quickly. We love you Darwin - our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. We still miss Rob, Jeanette, the boys and Mollie terribly (sigh!).
However, we continue to plead with our King that He'll bless you all and His new precious congregation. He's answering our prayers, isn't He. Thank you King Jesus. Just as the human body
can't operate without the head and likewise each part is attached to and dependent the other parts of the body - so are we one together in Christ. United to each other by his Spirit and our
common faith in Jesus the head of the Church. Though we're not there with you, we stand with you in prayer and support, in Christ. Praise God, happy birthday and KEEEEP on in Gospel ministry.
Good on ya Darwin. WOO WHOOO !!
Your brother in Christ - (with a joyful tear in my eye) Peter Owen
Please bring the greetings of the Staff, elders, and Congregation of the Creek Road
Presbyterian Church to the Darwin congregation and its leadership wishing you every blessing and encouragement in the Lord and urging everyone to remember lesson of “the mustard
seed”. May the Lord grant you an outpouring of His Spirit and effectiveness of His Word that soon the place in which you meet will not contain the numbers of those who are coming to know
Jesus as Saviour and Lord. We will pray for you this Sunday as a congregation in our worship services.
Regards, Peter Barson Minister, Creek Rd Presbyterian Church, Brisbane. GAA business
convener, PIM committee member.
Congratulations to the Darwin Presbyterian Church on this anniversary.
Darwin is ripe for harvest and the labourers are few. It is good to have another Bible based church in our city. My prayer is that you will be blessed as you reach out with the gospel. May God empower you in your Christian witness.
Bruce Southwell (Darwin Christian Minister’s Association Chairperson)
Thank you for all your news Rob, and
every blessing for the year to come. Keep on in the gospel, and the seed will bear fruit.
Peter Barnes, Minister, Revesby Presbyterian Church
Thanks for you news. Great to hear your first anniversary is to be a celebration of God's goodness to you
and your congregation.
God Bless you. Wally Rakete. Manurewa, South Auckland
We are excited to hear your good news from Darwin – many congratulations from us on reaching your first
anniversary. We will continue to remember you in prayer and the good news from there will encourage our own congregation as well.
May God continue to bless you all in the coming year.
ALAN.
(Conjoint) Professor Alan D. Hewson, Session Clerk, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church – Newcastle.
It is very good to hear how God is working in the "Topend". A Gospel witness
that is very much needed.
The presence of the Church and the "perfume" of the Gospel would seem to have a moderating effect on Pioneering Towns such as Darwin and hopefully
prepare the ground for future population growth in that City and the expansion of Gods Kingdom still further.
May God bless your Church even more and make your light shine even more brightly
for His Glory.......
God Bless, Robert Phillips, Member, Melton Presbyterian Church
Dear Rob and the congregation at Darwin P.C.
What a delight it has been for us at the
Terrigal Presbyterian Church to share your walk [ and growth ] in the Lord. We regularly pray for you – especially that God will continue to open doors of ministry for you to proclaim the
salvation of Jesus Christ.
May you continue to know His blessings in 2008 and beyond.
Regards from Rev Glenn Samuel and the congregation at the Terrigal Presbyterian Church
Thanks for the privilege to write something.
I was one of those
requested by the PIM Committee to, with you and Mark, investigate the possibility of establishing a Presbyterian presence in Darwin. After those few days, I returned with one overwhelming
conviction in my heart: this is from God. Then the Spirit of God stirred us to press on, almost like Joshua and Caleb, with our eyes focussed on the promise of Christ to be with his
Church, and not on the problems which could have been ahead. At different meetings of committees of the church I stressed the point, even when some opposed it vehemently (probably based on past
experience).
Christ is still faithful. One year on, and his Spirit has given growth – all for the glory of the Name of the Father.
We might be the church 1628 km away, but
only last Lord’s Day, during our pastoral prayers from the pulpit, we remembered God’s people gathered in Darwin. With you we pray for more growth – numerically and
spiritually – for a suitable place for worship and for a more permanent pastor’s residence. Keep fighting the good fight and make a difference in Darwin for the sake of the
Gospel of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Warmest greetings, Rudi Schwartz (St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Townsville, Moderator of Mt Isa Presbyterian Church & PIM Committee member)
What a wonderful answer to prayer all of you in Darwin are, It seems only
yesterday that Rob and Jeanette were setting off from Melton. Well done on your first ( of many) anniversary.
Dr Bruce Ellis, Gisborne, Vic (Member Melton Presbyterian Church).
God works in mysterious ways.
I just happened to be browsing the web (St
Andrew’s Canberra is updating its website and I am helping the webmaster by looking at various Presbyterian websites). When I came to Darwin – and have perused your web often –
thought I should wish your Church HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY for the 21st January.
I certainly will place Darwin
Church on our prayer listing (St Andrew’s, Canberra) this week giving Almighty God thanks for the past year and seeking blessings for the coming year. I will seek the good health and
strength of you both and those who work with you in spreading the Gospel message.
God Bless from 'little' Fay, Fay McCurdy, Canberra Presbytery Rep for PIM
We are delighted to be able to send our warmest greeting to the DPC on
the occasion of your first anniversary! We have prayed for you throughout the year as a congregation, and followed developments with keen interest. May your celebration of the Lord's
goodness and faithfulness during this time bring praise to His glory. Psalm 122.1 - 'I rejoiced with those who said to me, Let us go to the House of the Lord.'
Riverside/Glengarry Presbyterian Churches, Tas. Norman Shellard (Minister)
It is a real pleasure to send a word of encouragement to our brothers and sisters as you celebrate the first
year of DPC.
It was a real thrill and encouragement to us personally to worship with you in September and experience first hand the Lord's blessing and leading of your fellowship. You are in
our prayers and it has been a joy to share with others we meet and minister to about DPC. May the Lord continue the good work He has begun as He builds you into a spiritual house -- 1 Peter 2: 4
& 5"
Love & God bless Ross & Ruby Brightwell.(The Basin, Melbourne)
Its very encouraging to realize that you are celebrating your First Anniversary this weekend and
to appreciate the fact that we were there for part of that year to enjoy fellowship with you and the members and adherents of the Congregation. We really enjoyed our time with you. Its been great to
be able to pass the word around that there is a very active Presbyterian Church in Darwin. Would you please give our greetings and encouragement to all who remember us and pass on our best
wishes for future growth. We really feel that God is at work there through His Holy Spirit and we will continue to pray for you all.
"Psalm 95...v1 Come let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before Him with
thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. 3. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. 5.
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. 6. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for He is our God and we are the people of His
pasture, the flock under His care."
Our best wishes to you all and Blessings from the Father on high on all that you do in His name.
Regards Kay & Barry Hilberts. Members of Wauchope Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia.
Our prayers are with you on Sunday at the first year anniversary celebration of the Darwin Presbyterian
Church, May the Lord be with You and your family and the Darwin People, as you continue to serve the lord and worship Him with all your heart.
We are excited with you, how the Lord works in the
hearts of the Darwin People, and may the blessing continue for the year 2008 and thereafter.
God bless, love from Carl and Renate (Members Melton Presbyterian Church).
Congratulations on your first anniversary. Praise the Lord for all He has done in the last year
and pray that the work will continue to grow.
Love from, Jeannette McPhail, Hallifax, England. (Long time family friend and Rob’s Teacher in Std 3.)
My mum in UK and I have been praying regularly for you and the new church God is establishing
in Darwin in such a marvellous way. We rejoice with you all in praise of our dear Lord for all His provisions during this past year.
We will, of course, continue to pray and support your ministry
in the coming year, and look forward to reading your next newsletter.(I send copies to mum, which she loves to get) Have been praying for the team from Tassie and so glad God heard prayers for a
really fruitful visit.
Love to all, Jenny Sharman. (Member, Melton Presbyterian Church).
It was great to be a part of the fellowship during five of the first twelve
months. We continue to remember you all in our prayers.
Martin, Truman, Levi, and Bennett de Pyle (ex Darwinites – former Chaplain 2CAV)
Greetings from Singapore.
May God continue to bless the work of the church in Darwin. A church that
has Christ at it's centre is a church going places in God's kingdom. May the Darwin church continue to seek God's wisdom,and that each member recognises his or her gifts and their
role in building up the body if Christ,and to encourage one another as they serve God in their different ways.
1 Corinthians chapter 2 verses 1-16, esp v9 ''No eye has seen,no
ear has heard,no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.''
Yours in Christ Peter and Glenyce Jellis (Peter was an elder at Melton Presb Church)
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