Phil Eagling Newsletter   December 2003

Volume 4, Issue 6 December 19 2003

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ.

I pray that this year has brought you all much fruit in the Lord.

This year in Thornton has shown us that the Lord is working. We have experienced both challenges and blessings. The times of blessing have outweighed the times of heartache. It is very interesting though that we cannot expect that the times of joy will be without those times of heartache.

Jesus told his disciples that "in this world you will have trouble". But praise God we have seen God at work.

Throughout this year we have learned more about how much we need more of God in our lives. We have learned that it does only take a spark to get a fire going. We have seen this in the fact that when God spoke into the heart of Mitchell Grob, that there were others who also made a decision to follow Christ. The spark of the gospel was lit, and others have and are responding to it, Praise God!

Throughout this year we have learned that we need to be constantly relying on God to change the person, and break them out of their comfort zones.

Throughout this year we have seen attitudes change, and people begin to see what it means to be a Christian. We have had new people come to church. They have said that the word being preached has brought them back to their first love. Praise God!

I have learned more about what I am not and more about what God wants me to be.

In case some of you don’t know, the church here is still not recognized as a church yet because it has to finish off some projects in order for the local council to approve it‘s existence. This is where you can help us. We need up to $8,000 US dollars in order to finish it. Please prayerfully consider this. Some of that figure will go to building an office in the church. Of which I need. Through all our supporters this amount can be achieved. If you need more information please let us know.

Throughout this year, we have learned that the prayers of those who support us are being answered. So thank you!

On the subject of prayer we have some prayer concerns. Our friend Fay Treadwell that you all have prayed for this year is still in need of healing. The doctors have found another brain tumor.

Also please be in prayer for Nigel. Nigel is close to being baptized. December?

Also please keep praying for Peter Hipwell. He has expressed to me that he wants to be baptized, but he has said that he is worried about what his sister has done. His sister was baptized in another church years ago, and she did not get the proper follow up and now she has fallen away. Please pray for Peter.

Also pray for Denise Schimmings, close to decision. Pray for the men’s group starting next year. This new men’s group will be for the training up of new leaders and also an outreach into the community. So please pray for this new group and idea.

As you celebrate this Christmas, and the New Year, may you be fruitful in service,

God bless,

Philip

Sharon's Desk

Hello everyone,

it is incredible, we are already into the last month of the year. What a year we have had. The challenges and blessings we have received this year have helped to mold and shape us into stronger people for the Lord.

We are again thankful to you all for your continued support and prayers. Without your partnership we would find it hard to be as focused as we are, so thank you once again.

As I said above we have had our challenges and blessings, but they are all worth it.

This year has brought us some blessings as I said above. One of those blessings is found in the women’s group that I started at the beginning of this year.

Out of this group there have been at least two new families coming to church. These families are beginning to become involved in the church, helping where they can.

Also this year has brought about a change in the church. We have seen changes in the area of the worship and the youth group and Sunday school.

Philip tells me that he is going to see if an adult Sunday school can work. He said that he is going to try and start one in the New Year. Please pray about this for us, as he is going to start a men’s group. What he did say was that he wanted to get the core group of men to take this group on themselves so he could be a participant and not the only leader of it. So please pray for that as well.

If some of you did not know this Philip and I wrote two articles for the September issue of Horizons magazine, found just outside of Johnson Bible college, Knoxville TN. These articles may help some of you understand some more about Australia and what we go through in the ministry here.

On a family note, Savannah is growing well. She has attended a preschool this year two days a week, and next year she will be going three days a week. We had the choice of putting her into her first year of school next year, but we felt that she would be still to young to attend as her birthday is in July.

I have had some health problems this year, but they were nothing compared to some of our friends, especially our friend Fay Treadwell. As Philip has asked you, please continue to pray for her.

By the way if some of you have not thought about it yet, Australia is a good destination for a holiday as well as to come and see what we are doing here. Next year we are having several of our supporters come over, why not think about it yourself. We would also love to hear from any of you, even send us an email.

I pray that you have a great Christmas.

God Bless,

Sharon.

Savannah's Learning Page

Gday my china plates (little friends) how are you?

I am going really well. I have had so much fun lately with the sun becoming hotter down here through the day. I have had fun at the beach as well as swimming in some the pools in the church friends homes.

Did you know that just recently there was a show on the TV that my daddy loved to watch called rugby union. He said that it was good to watch, but I am not sure because as I have told you all before daddy liked to yell at the TV and the referee. I know I have said this before but I don’t understand why daddy yells at the TV it must be that they can hear him or something. Who knows?

I guess all those mummies and daddies who again watch American football understand what I am saying.

Did you know kids that I will be having a Christmas Eve service here, and it will be really hot, and we might even have BBQ before that night starts with all the people we have invited to come. It sounds like it will be a great time.

My Mummy said that this year we are trying to have more people to come to church, in order for them to experience the real meaning of Christmas. I said what is that Mummy? Mummy said that the real meaning of Christmas is remembering the birth of our Savior. The real meaning of Christmas is about sharing the gift of Jesus.

Kids I guess you like opening presents, right? I wonder if the present of Jesus is going to be your best present this year? I know that daddy is going to be talking to the children at church about the greatest present ever given, that is Jesus Christ. What will that be for you this Christmas?

I asked my mummy if my Grandma and two grandfathers were coming to be with us this Christmas, she said that her daddy was coming but my daddies parents could not come. My mummy said that maybe we can be with them next year. My daddy just said that it will be the right time to go up to them next year.

Anyway, my mummy said that Christmas is about extended family as well, because God’s family is large and spreads all over the world. I guess that’s why my daddy says you are up over the other side of the world, but that is okay because he said that you still care about us down here and you still pray for us down here.

What is this Christmas going to really bring you and I?

Daddy said that he would like to see more people respond to the message of the reason for Christmas. I guess that is what I want, to see Christmas bring more people to the reason for it.

God bless,
love you,

Savannah.

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