Mr & Mrs Dethlefs

 

Lizzie & Thomas' Wedding

LIZZIE & THOMAS' WEDDING
Saturday 8th July 2006
St Thomas' Church North Sydney

Bridal Party in from left to right:
Ian Hoy, Arianne Solomons, Katherine Perry, Thomas & Lizzie Dethlefs, Jason Perini, Hayley Neal, Mel Border, Andrew Hana, & Huw Jones.

A cold 3:30am start was to ensure the bridesmaids and Lizzie were at the hairdressers for hair and makeup and that all of us would be done in time for the 9am walk down the aisle.

It was a great day and a true privelege to share the early morning with Lizzie and the other bridesmaids plus her beautiful parents Judy and Roger. It was truely a fantastic day, a little cold but so much fun! It was so exciting to see Lizzie and Thomas' make promises to each other. They are both such godly, friendly, vibrant and loving people and God has been so kind in giving each of them to each other.

I am really looking forward to being in fellowship with them at evening church over the next few years and getting to know them as a married couple and see them grow together in their love and knowledge of Jesus.


This photo is of me loosing balance and almost falling with my champagne & orange, bouquet, and salmon sandwich in my mouth
- the demands of the photographer! grrr...

Meeting with People

The third week I came to Matthias I met a young girl newcomer to evening church and that week following started meeting up with her forntighly since.

We started going through Two Ways to Live together in the first few times we met together - sipping Max Brenner Hot Chocolates in Centennial Park. Over these weeks she realised she wasn't a Christian and has since become a follower of Christ. Praise God.

As it got colder we still got our hot chocolate (I go for the Java Dark Orange) and we sit in the church hall going through Just for Starters... It is a really helpful tool to use with new or non Christians, it provides you with good questions to stimulate coversation on important issues: Knowing God, Salvation, Prayer, Meeting with God's people etc..

Last time we met we went through the topic on prayer which I think was the most encouraging session - We came to the questions:

What have you brought to God in prayer? She realised she doesn't bring things before him and found great comfort that she could bring any request before him, even one of ther anxieties she is facing at present and also as she has slowly been realising she has 'used' God, praying or reading the bible when she feels she needs him- in case of emergency type thing. She realised that there is so much to be thankful to God for and the great access with have to God and she was challenge to use it.

It is so exciting to see God at work in this young girl. How the word is shaping her and how she is keen to find out more about this God who has saved her.

Please pray for her as I try and think how best to include into the family here at Matthias. Pray that God would give her the confidence to join a Prayer and Bible Group and that she may attend a course of at Night Train (Evening Church training term).

I must go... I have a appointment at Max Brenner's! :)

MTS/ AIM Preaching Conference

The Preaching Conference last week was great... I learnt heaps and was really taken aback by the clarity and faithfulness of the teaching from Murray Capill and David Jones - they have such passion to proclaim the glory of God.

David Jones did a masterful job on preaching from two Psalms and spoke with so much vigour - making it so clear what the Psalm was all about and how clear it pointed forward to Christ. Really helpful in thinking how I prepare bible studies.

We looked also at the preaching of Martyn Lloyd Jones and how remarkable he was in keeping his congregation with him on a 13 year journey through the book of Romans. Now that is a paced sermon series!!

Murray spoke about Preaching to the Heart - Backwards, Upwards and Inwards to move the people we pastor forward in their faith and walk with Christ. So take them back to the word of God and the cross of Christ, take them up to the glory of God and take them in to their own sinful heart. He gave really helpful pointers on how to address all types of Christians in preaching and ensuring non-Christians also are catered for.

And Richard Gibson took as through a part of Acts in the afternoons - where I was particular challenged by the pain of ministry that he spoke about - from the pain when a person you have been meeting with completley rejects the gospel to the pain of saying goodbye to a faithful partner of the gospel for the sake of the kingdom.

I also went to a seminar for women by Claire Smith and a seminar on John by Bill Sallier - both were good - helpful again and encourgaing.

By the end of the two day conference my brain was sore from taking in so much in and not just intellectually but also working out how to apply lots that I learnt to my ministry and also to my own life and godliness.

Holiday Photos

Holiday Photos