Phil Eagling Newsletter   August 2005

Volume 6, Issue 3 August 2005

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

I am writing to you just after having a week on my back. Last week Eddie and I had to dig up some dirt for the form work for the gardens at the front of the church. I forgot how much I need to watch what I do with my back.

So please can you pray for the further ongoing recovery of my back problem.

The good news is that our church car park will be finished soon, praise God. We wanted to thank those churches who have helped get us to the near completion of the car park.

Just recently on Saturday the 30th of July we had a Christmas in July dinner at the church. You will see some of the photo's in the newsletter. It was a great time of outreach and fun. There were people at this event that have never attended before. The good reaction we received from this event is seen in newcomers to church.

I have always asked the question how can we encourage people to attend church. The answer is not as clear cut as we would like it to be. I know that most of you who are reading this article can understand what I am saying.

We have learned and are still learning about how God can open up the hearts of those who He would have come. We see that the Christmas in July event has shown us that it is not clear cut on how people see the church. Being able to show people that those who attend church can be funny, and have good clean fun, has certainly shown those who come that we are not boring. See photo's of the past.

The young people that attended the night have shown us that they want good clean fun because they have responded by attending church. Praise God!

Please pray for the following young people. Tina, Kelly, Matthew, Aaron, Denise. These young people are certainly searching for answers. They need your prayers and specifically the prayer that God would open up their hearts, and that they would respond to Him.

The youth of the church is most definitely a continued prayer concern. We are praying that God would indeed open up this ministry even more, and that the Sunday school as well as the youth ministries may become a strong movement. We need you to pray that God willing we will see more leaders for these ministries.

Also we have discussed the possibility of trying to bring someone over as a youth minister. This is still in the early stages of planning, but we would like to see what God could do in calling maybe a young couple. Please pray about this possibility. That God would make it a reality. God knows Best!

Speaking of ministry opportunities, as you all know we are planning, God willing, to come over to you all next year in May, 2006. Maybe there might be someone you know or maybe even you yourself, can come over to Australia and fill in for us as we visit with our supporters for three months. As I said in our last newsletter our first speaking engagement is in May the 7th 2006. So if you are interested and could possibly meet our need by filling in for us please let our forwarding agent know, and he will get in contact with us. The details for doing so are in this newsletter in the address section.

On the subject of our coming over to you all, we will, in no doubt have some needs when we get there. If it is at all possible, could you please consider the need for transport that we will have once there. We need a loan of a car for at least three months. We also will need to work out soon when we can come and speak, and be with you, at your church. So please start thinking about when, and give our forwarding agent at least two to three times that we could come and be with you. Also camps? VBS?

Please pray for some friends of ours who we met through Savannah. Savannah made friends with young Chantelle. He mother's name is Kathy and her father's name is Geoff. Kathy is blind, and Sharon has a connection with her because Sharon's father is blind. We have come to appreciate that friendship. We are glad that hey attended the Christmas in July and they have said they want to come to church. So friendship evangelism is truly what is needed. Please pray for that family. Sharon has certainly been trying to win her friend Kath, and it is showing.

Have any of you ever thought of coming down under to visit with us. Please consider this. We would love for you to come here and see what we are trying to do.

Please continue to pray us.

God bless,
Phil

Sharon's Desk

Hi again, I pray that you are all well. The weather here is certainly making us believe that you cannot truly predict the weather as the weather people can say with conviction. We have had days here where the sun is out and you think summer is here when it should not be, and then there have been days where there is a crisp coolness and then there are days like today, just plain cold.

I have been busy of late, what with the church and the ladies group, and my school work, and the family responsibilities. It just does not get any busier. You know what the fact is life is about being busy. I guess the question remains is how and what takes up our time.

I could easily just say hey what I really need is a break where I just don't have to think about what has to come next. Do you ever feel that way?

Well I do know this, I can't do it on my own. I need strength and an ongoing stamina to keep going. More importantly I need an inner strength. That is something I have learned more than anything in the last couple of years. I need a strength from a place that I cannot produce or have to produce. I know that God allows me to go through certain things just so that I ask Him for the answer to that. Or I ask Him for the strength to deal with this or that.

I guess what I am trying to say is this, I need your prayers. I have felt rundown, and need some strength from God. The strength that I don't have to produce. The strength that says all I have to do is rely on, and in Him.

I like that verse in Philippians' 3:14 that says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It is not Sharon who does the strengthening, it is God. I cannot produce something in my strength. I need more than anything else, a God who brings and produces strength for me, and He does!

On a personal note, please pray for Kath a friend of mine who has had to have surgery recently on her sinuses. She is blind and this makes this surgery very important as it has a lot to do with the use of smell. She needs this sense.

Please pray for Philip as he has had an old back problem flair up due to his forgetfulness that he has a bad back in the process of trying to help Eddie at the church.

Please pray for the ladies of the church that God would indeed help them to invite their friends to our next meeting. That there would renewed courage to speak to our friends about Christ.

Well another three months have flown by, and we are looking forward, God willing to next year, bye for now,

love,
Sharon.

Savannah's Learning Page

Savannah’s learning page

Gday again from down under. I hope that you all are good. I am going well, apart from getting three teeth pulled just recently because of either two reasons.

My daddy said that maybe mummy and he have indulged me too much with the lollies (candy), or that I have inherited bad teeth from one or the other side of the family.

You know what my mummy said, she said that it was most probably my daddy being wrapped around my finger to give me the chocolates and lollies. I don't understand what that means, but mummy said that most of the dads over there would understand.

Did you know that I am now six years old. Boy am I getting old or what? It just seems like yesterday that I was bouncing on my daddies knee and singing the old songs. It's funny you know my daddy told me to say this but when he was saying it he had a tear in his eyes. What's up with that? I know, nothing.

Did you know that recently I have walked up at the end of the sermon just when daddy has finished preaching and turned on the overhead projector. This has made me feel like I am helping my daddy out. He has not said anything about it, but he does not have to say anything. He just has a little tear in his eye when I do it.

My mummy told me that daddy used to do the same thing when he was same age as me. I guess he must remember the old days.

I guess that there are some things that were done in the past that were considered good. Well my mummy told me that is so just recently when we went to watch an old movie. My mummy said that they don't make them like they used to. I said to her I don't understand that, and mummy said that one day I might say the same thing.

Hey kids do you know that right now it is just starting to turn into spring weather here?

Although winter has certainly not left us completely. Did you know that in most schools in Australia the students have to wear a school uniform. My daddy said most of you don't have to wear a school uniform. I was wearing a skirt to school the other day, but today I had to wear long pants and a wooly jumper (sweater).

That leads me to my joke, what do you get when you cross a sheep with a kangaroo? A wooly jumper! Ha ha.

You know, kangaroos jump right, and sheep have wool.

Hey kids could you please pray for a friend of mine. Her name is Jecenta. He mummies name is Kath, she is a friend of my mum's. Well Jecenta has the chicken pox.

Also please pray for Jecenta's mum as she has had to have an operation.

Also please pray for my friend Chantelle, who is also Kath's daughter. She has had to have surgery, and has had some trouble at school because she is what my daddy called unsettled. So please pray for them. And also my friend Abigail. She has been crying at school. My mummy said that there must be some trouble at home. I guess the only thing that I can do and you as well is pray for the family and Abigail.

My daddy needs your prayer too. He has had a bad back last week. I helped get him drinks and some food and also the phone when it rang. He needs your prayers too.

I need to go now, I have a lot to do. I am reading now and have some homework.

your little Aussie mate,
Savannah

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