A Minute with Tim
Pastor for 60+
Thursday 5 June, 2025
Throughout my life I have had a few people who I would class as prayer warriors - those who are disciplined, dedicated and willing to spend significant time in prayer, including coming before the Living God to intercede on behalf of myself and others.
These people have been a gift in my life and I am ever grateful for them. I am not embarrassed to write that I am not a prayer warrior and, in fact, there have been times I have struggled when it comes to praying even though I know that it is a lifeline for me and my faith .
It was these words of C.S. Lewis which were sent to me about prayer that have been a constant reminder and encouragement to me in recent years. They give hope and encouragement that there is no secret formula with prayer, and no matter how joyful or difficult life is going, just pray.
“I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.” C.S. Lewis
What I take from the these words is the encouragement to pray with simplicity (not perfection) yet reverence, and to trust in God’s provision and guidance through prayer.
Speak to God in prayer anywhere, anytime of the day, speaking anything on your mind - it is a life changer! Just pray.
Recently I have been swimming most mornings (it's not my favourite sport...but it's good for me). Going up and back in the pool has been one place I have found myself praying (not out loud!). Where might that place or those places be for you?
Recently I have been swimming most mornings (it's not my favourite sport...but it's good for me). Going up and back in the pool has been one place I have found myself praying (not out loud!). Where might that place or those places be for you?
1 John 5:14-15 reminds us that when we pray according to God's will, he hears you and I. "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”
1 John 5:14-15 (NLT).
I hope the words of John and C. S. Lewis encourage you in your prayer life and know that the Living God hears you and answers your prayers in his perfect way and in his perfect time.
Pastor Tim
Feature News
June Tax-Deductible Giving
Throughout May we've been praying for, giving to, and getting involved with Global Mission (check out the giving totals later in the newsletter).
In June, we turn our attention to local expressions of mission and ministry.
Throughout June, we invite you to be praying for and considering making a financial (and tax-deductible) contribution to Community Care and Karinya Counselling Centre.
We'll be hearing more about them in our Sunday services, and you can read more about them in their Spotlights below (including Monica's powerful story we heard in Sunday services about the impact Community Care has had on her life).
Give to Community Care
Give to Karinya Counselling
Church at Prayer Events
As part of our next Practicing the Way of Jesus series, we will be holding two Church at Prayer events, one of which will directly follow a 24hr prayer room.
The first Church at Prayer event will be held on Wednesday 25th June at 7.30pm in the West Auditorium. It will be a great chance to grow together in prayer in regards to some of the things we will be learning about in the Prayer series.
The second Church at Prayer will be held on Wednesday 9th July, from 7.30pm in the West Auditorium.
24 Hour Prayer
A few years ago, as a church, we ran a 24hr Prayer room, where people signed up to come onsite and pray with others for one hour, across a 24hr time period. It was a really powerful and encouraging experience for those who were able to be involved.
We are doing this again from 7pm on Tuesday 8th July, to 7pm Wednesday 9th July, with a Church at Prayer event directly afterwards.
We'll have more information in the weeks ahead, but we'd love you to think about when you might be able to sign up to spend one hour of your time praying with others.
What's coming up?
Next Event Saturday 21st June, 2-4pm, $15
At our next Lounge Room event for women, we'll be continuing to explore our 2025 theme 'Purpose', by interviewing four women about their journey of navigating their sense of 'purpose'.
We'll be hearing from Di Hawkins, Bec Beard, Jo-anne Danes and Teaha Cameron.
Come along to hear from them as well as to enjoy a 'high tea' and have some fun together.
Register via the button below by Sunday 15th June.
Register Now
No 5pm service this Sunday
This weekend there will be around 80 youth, young adults and volunteers camping in Warragul for State Youth Games. A Large number of our regular 5pm service volunteers will be away on the camp and therefore we will have no 5pm service this Sunday 9th June.
You will be able to attend our 9am or 11am services onsite that day, or you can watch online.
The 5pm service will be back up and running again on the 15th June. Please be praying for safety for those going on the camp, for good weather, and for attendees from our church and other churches to encounter Jesus this weekend.
A message from Micah (YA Pastor) "We invite you to commit to praying for our youth and young adults during the speaker sessions on Saturday and Sunday from 8:30-9:30 pm at SYG. Let’s pray for hearts to be awakened, for lives to be transformed, and for the light of Christ to shine brightly."
Farewell, Norm Tucker
A thanksgiving service for Norm Tucker will be held at 2.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 11th June in the SBC West Auditorium. John & Nic, Karen & Pete and the Tucker family would love for you to join us as we celebrate and remember his life.
You can watch the livestream via the link below or if you would like to watch on your TV at home, you can search 'Norman Tucker's Thanksgiving Service' in youTube.
View livestream
Tribe Updates
No Tribe This SundayThere is no Tribe this coming Sunday the 8th of June for the King's Birthday long weekend. We will return the following Sunday 15th of June.
A Message of ThanksTo all parents and carers of Tribe kids, thank-you so much for your patience with our team as we are adjusting our new check-out process. We have changed our process to provide better safety for our kids with less people moving in and out of the shared spaces. A few reminders:
Check-out now occurs in Room 2 and a leader will oversee this process and will either collect your child/ren for you (9am) or will guide you to your child's small group room (11am).
Collection of children is to occur once your service has ended, leaders need to be released, or we need to set up for the following service so prompt collection is a must.
Lastly every child must be checked in by an adult or older sibling who is not in Tribe, kids are not allowed to check themselves or their siblings in.
Any questions or suggestions around this please don't hesitate to get in touch. Gill Carne gcarne@sb.org.au
Cafe closed for long weekend
Just a reminder that the Café will not be open on King's birthday weekend, this Sunday 8th June. Many of our volunteers are involved with State Youth Games (which is fantastic), but it means we are unable to open.
Trial LunchesAs we haven’t had anyone apply for the cook position in the café kitchen, we are going to trial serving lunch on the 1st Sunday of each month for three months, starting 6th July. We would love you to plan to have lunch in the café, but ask that you are patient as we work out how best to make this run smoothly on the day. After three months we will re-assess how it is working. This isn’t to be a replacement for having a cook, the position is still available and open. If you’d like to explore or chat about the cook position, please be in contact with Tanya Grandin at tgrandin@sb.org.au
Welcome Youth Dimension
We're pleased to announce that Youth Dimension will be joining us onsite from this week while they are searching for more permanent office space. They will be using rooms in the West downstairs area Tues-Thur each week, and will be basing their internship program here. This is a great opportunity for us to partner in this tangible way with an organisation doing fantastic work with young people.
Upcoming Meeting
We are holding a church meeting to present the audited 2024 Financial Statements for both Syndal Baptist Church and Syndal Community Care Limited. Sunday 15th June 3pm-4pm Activity Centre The Financial Statements are available for download below, and we encourage you to submit questions in advance via the Question button.
Submit a Question
Do you have questions about a Christian response to the Israel-Gaza conflict?
Join others as they spend an evening with Rev Tim Costello exploring a Christian response to the Israel–Gaza conflict. The event will include a presentation from Tim, a Q&A session, and a time of prayer for those affected by the conflict.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
7.30-9.00 pm
Meeting Rooms 1-3
Free
Metta Missions Opportunties
Igniting Missional Hearts – Metta Mission & Community Ministry for Cambodia" Metta Mission & Community Ministry (a long-time mission organisation that the SBC Cantonese congregation has collaborated with since 2019) is a Christian mission organization that provides medical and social services to street children and vulnerable people in Cambodia. It actively promotes community development in rural areas, helping locals come to know Jesus and experience life transformations. Metta’s missionary Ms. Almond Leung along with a local co-worker, will be visiting Melbourne from 4 to 15 July. She will preach at the Cantonese congregation on Sunday 13 July and host a sharing session in English about Cambodia and Metta’s ministries prior to “Church at Prayer” on Wednesday 9 July.
We are also excited to share that the planning is underway for a short-term mission trip to Cambodia on 12 to 17 January 2026. Please pray and seek God’s guidance on whether He is calling you to be a part of this initiative. Details for both activities will be further announced. For inquiries, please contact Mike Riddell mriddell@sb.org.au.
Support Foodbank as they support others
Our Community Care Foodbank provides struggling locals with pantry items they need. Every month you are invited to purchase and donate certain items the Foodbank requires.
This month's items are:
Toothbrushes
Canned soup
Breakfast cereal (300-400g box)
Tea bags
You can drop your grocery items in the shopping trolley near the doors on High Street Road entrance, in the East Fellowship area for our Mandarin & Cantonese congregations or at the church office during the week between 9.30am-4.30pm.
We thankyou for your ongoing prayer and support of this vital ministry.
Next Sermon Series
On Sunday June 15th we launch into our second of the 'Practicing the Way of Jesus' series, which is a focus on the practice of prayer.
We're looking forward to growing as a church that prays.
Life Groups will be working through the group material, but if you're not in a Life Group, you can sign up for a Practice Group, which is like a short-term group which will journey through this specific series together.
Register below.
Join a Practice Group
Karinya Counselling Spotlight
KARINYA COUNSELLING CENTRE
With Mandy Wood, Director of Karinya Counselling Centre
Our mission is to help people transform their lives - by providing hope, deep listening, skills and guidance to enable each person to move from experiences of distress, pain or conflict to experiencing hope, resilience and greater wholeness within themselves.
What has been happening at Karinya recently?
Karinya loved providing the recent workshop on Attachment and Connection. Knowledge can be power: Learning about our unconscious patterns of acting or reacting in relationships can give us the knowledge and power to make changes, for the better.
Where have you seen God at work?
Recently working with someone who has been traumatized by an event and subsequent gossip through social media, to the extent that they have isolated at home for the past 18months. They are in a very stuck helpless place, and previous helps haven't worked. But with prayer, God is giving me insights on how to connect with them, and we are beginning to see them trust, relax and open up. This is a journey of trust - they trusting in me, and myself trusting in God's leading and enabling.
What challenges are you facing at Karinya at the moment?
Karinya welcomes anyone, regardless of faith, race or background. We have a large number of clients who do not know of faith in Jesus Christ. Our challenge is to keep our necessary professional boundaries but demonstrate God's love and character to them. We need to be careful and creative with our words and our actions.
What's coming up in your ministry?
On Wednesday evening, 23rd July we will hold another public workshop on "Letting go of resentment". It's going to be thought provoking and illuminating, so come along if this could be helpful in your life!
PRAY
Firstly, that Karinya counsellors continually abide in Christ, as their source and strength for their work, and secondly pray for more people to hear of us and seek the support they need.
CONNECT
Our website is karinyacounselling.com.auor feel free to contact me, for a chat or to come in and look at the Centre
SERVE
We would love a volunteer to help us develop social media posts, or marketing strategy, approx 2 hrs a week.
GIVE
There are a few ways you can support us:
Make tax-deductible donation to Karinya directly via sb.org.au/june or sb.org.au/give or the link below.
Collect your bottles and cash them in at the Victorian Container Deposit scheme dépôt - and nominate to donate to Karinya Counselling Centre
NOTE: All donations for Karinya Counselling need to be in our accounts by close of banking on 30th June for Tax Receipts in this financial year, so donations will need to be made a couple of days before this date to allow for transfer between banks.
Community Care Spotlight
COMMUNITY CARE
With Steve Nicholas, Pastor for Community Care
Syndal Baptist Community Care supports people in times of need, financial stress & through the various hardships of life. Our aim is to provide care, offering genuine support in a safe, warm and friendly environment. We provide friendship, connection & practical support through our Community Care ministries to the people of Monash & the surrounding suburbs. Our Mission is to provide practical care to those in need in our local community. We are called to love God and love others. We want to show God’s heart of love and serve people in our local Community.
What's been happening in your ministry recently?
A record number of 85 prayer quilts were made in 2024 with the Prayers and Squares ministry. People were prayed for, supported and gifted with prayer quilts. We assisted babies, teenagers, those dealing with cancer and others in aged care facilities. Many were provided with emotional, spiritual and practical support. A new group of COACH mentors have been trained ready to begin matching with participants.
In Foodbank a significant rise of new households attending Foodbank from 32 (2023) to 67 (2024) and we continue to see that trend in 2025. Many are facing financial stress due to the rising cost of living and are struggling to put food on the table for their families. Matrix coffee morning and lunches provide opportunities for people to connect and build friendships over a cuppa and some food. There is a real sense of community with some comments it has become like their family. In the last 12 months, a number of the Matrix community have started to come to a church service or attend church events like the women’s event “The Lounge Room” or Alpha. The number of people we support through subsidized counselling at Karinya has increased too. We continue to receive referrals for budgeting thorough our CAP money mentor program. The church community were once again very generous towards the Christmas appeal (2024) and as a result a record number of Christmas Hampers (150) were made for people in need in our local community who are doing it tough.
Where have you seen God at work?
A Foodbank guest who is on a pension recently shared with us that due to the higher costs of living as well as trying to cover all her medical bills means at times she can only afford only one meal a day. Coming to the Foodbank has allowed her to eat more regularly and she reflects that coming to Foodbank and Matrix she feels so cared for that it has impacted her life. She says, “Community Care is like a family - they love you no matter what”.
Another lady who has come to Community Care has had some major health issues, and has received a prayer quilt and says she cherishes the prayer quilt and feels the love and prayers of the people. She also attends Foodbank and Matrix – and said that people here are so caring that “it's become like her family” and that the “warmth and support is like nothing she has experienced before”. It reminds us that when we read the gospels that we often see Jesus making time and caring for 'the one' (Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus, the leper etc). Part of the mission of Jesus was to find and care for the broken, the struggling the hurting and he would gladly leave the 99 to go after the one. Jesus saw that everyone was important and of value. When we love as Jesus loves it can make a huge impact to individuals and the people around us.
What challenges have you been facing?
The sheer number of people needing assistance. We are seeing an increasing number of new people who are dealing with challenging circumstances. We need your ongoing prayers for wisdom as the best way to assist each person that comes to us.
What's coming up in your ministry?
We are currently onboarding a new group of COACH mentors. Please pray for wisdom and great connection as we begin matching with participants. We are also seeing a number of new people from the social housing building near the church coming to us for assistance; please pray for further connections and wisdom in the best way to support them. Each ministry area continues to grow and we expect that will continue into the future.
PRAY
Please continue to pray for God’s wisdom and his guidance every day for the people we help. That people will see Jesus through what we do.
CONNECT
Please contact Karen Cheung on 98039144 or communitycare@sb.org.au for more information.
SERVE
There are many opportunities to serve in Community Care, if you have a heart of compassion for people and a heart for God; please contact Karen Cheung on 98039144 or communitycare@sb.org.au for more information.
GIVE
You can make a tax-deductible donation to Community Care via the button below.
NOTE: All donations for Syndal Community Care need to be in our accounts by close of banking on 30th June for Tax Receipts in this financial year, so donations will need to be made a couple of days before this date to allow for transfer between banks.
What's been happening?
Thanks for your generosity!
Throughout May, we were focusing on global mission, with an invitation to pray, give and go.
We invited the SBC community to prayerfully consider making tax-deductible donations to support the work being done by Baptist Mission Australia through projects in South Asia and South East Asia.
Our total giving target was $45,000.
We're so pleased to be able to share that a total of
$55,427
has been given so far to these projects.
We want to say thank you to all who have given to support this work.
It's not too late to make a donation, and you can do so via the button below.
Give Now
Karinya Workshop
The recent Karinya workshop on Attachment and Connection was well attended, with 20 participants. Some were couples looking to improve their ways of relating, and some were wanting to reflect on family relationships. Presenter Dave Williams described how the bonds we form with our parents or caregivers early in life form the basis for our future relationships as adults. There are patterns of relating and communicating to others which we might hold subconsciously. There was an online quiz that participants could take to determine which patterns they might hold. This elicited some laughs, and some 'knowing' looks between couples. Hopefully it provided some 'a-ha' moments too, that can now help participants make changes where they want their relationship to be different. there was lots of chatter in the room during activities, and participants all said they would like to know more sometime. Looks like we need to plan a Part B event!
Man Alive Action Night!
30 SBC guys were part of the most recent Man Alive event at the Morack Golf Driving Range. There was not only some great and hilarious golf swings but great connections amoungst one another. After 1 hour on the driving range guys enjoyed a catch up and drink together while handing out awards for both good and not so good golf!
Recycling Win
You may have noticed over the last couple of years at our larger events a more concerted effort to recycle as many drink containers as possible. The Creation Care team are pleased to report our best ever results at Easter this year, with 24% of plastic containers, 69% of cans, and 44% of liquid paper board containers making their way to recycling instead of landfill. We were also able to save over 250 coffee cups from going into general waste. This led to an overall significant reduction in waste from the event. Thanks to everyone for assisting in separating waste and caring for our environment in this way. Hopefully this trend can continue and we all appreciate this path to our lovely environment.
Share a story
Has God been doing something significant in your life or the life of someone you know?
Our community is encouraged and God is honoured when we share good news about what's been going on. But we can't share what we don't know! So, if you've got something to share, click the button below and tell us about it!
Congregation Spotlight
Mandarin Congregation
With Lu Chen, Pastor for the Mandarin Congregation
WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN YOUR CONGREGATION RECENTLY?We've been inviting new friends to Alpha, running Alpha and preparing for the new church wide-series on prayer. Life Groups and fellowships are doing well in inviting and encouraging people to keep practicing the way of Jesus.
WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN GOD WORKING?
We see God working in the lives of our new friends who are being transformed through the gospel class into willing followers of Jesus.
The current alpha will finish in 5 weeks and hopefully some more new friends will open theirs hearts to the Lord.
We see God working in the lives of our new friends who are being transformed through the gospel class into willing followers of Jesus.
The current alpha will finish in 5 weeks and hopefully some more new friends will open theirs hearts to the Lord.
HOW CAN WE BE PRAYING FOR YOUR CONGREGATION?Please pray for the hearts of these new friends who are attending Alpha course.
Green Tip of the Month
Green news: Did you know? SBC has solar panels on the roof of the church. Alongside negotiated energy rates, they contribute to a saving of about $900 per month. While a battery for energy storage isn’t yet a viable option, the panels provide around 75% of the church daytime usage. Now, that is good green news.
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Giving Update
Week ending: 2/6/2025
Weekly target: $48,627
This week actual: $54,731 (113% of budget)
Year to date actual: $941,781 (88% of budget)
Sunday Service Information
This Sunday
Series: Stand-Alone Messages
Sermon: Fruitful
Preacher: Chris Danes
What does it mean to live a 'fruitful' life? What are the things we need to do, and what are the things we need to avoid? Join us this week as Chris Danes helps us consider what the Bible teaches about living a fruitful life.
No 5pm service this Sunday.
Coming Up This Month
Sunday 15th June
Series: Prayer: Practicing the Way of Jesus Practice 2Sermon: Why we pray and why we don't
Preacher: Mike Riddell
What is prayer and why do we do it? Can anybody pray?
Prayer is a central aspect of the Christian faith, yet if we’re honest about it, many followers of Jesus find themselves struggling in their prayer lives. Why is that?
In this first week of our series exploring the practice of prayer, Mike Riddell will tackle these questions as we ponder the role of prayer in our lives and world.
Sunday 22nd June
Series: Prayer: Practicing the Way of Jesus Practice 2
Sermon: Is that you, God?
Preacher: Chris Danes
We say that prayer is a conversation with God, but conversations go both ways…don’t they? Does God actually talk back to us in prayer? If so, how are we meant to know it’s him? And if he does speak to us, how will we respond? In faith or fear?
This week, Chris Danes will further unpack the practice of prayer and how it can become a life changing part of our everyday rhythms.
Sunday 29th June
Series: Prayer: Practicing the Way of Jesus Practice 2Sermon: Pray where you are
Preacher: Mike Riddell
It’s not uncommon for people to associate praying with being ‘at church’. Some imagine it to be something you do on Sundays as part of certain religious practices. But prayer is so much bigger and broader than that.
What could happen if believers started bringing prayer into their neighbourhoods and workplaces? What if they offered it as a gift and service to people they encounter throughout the week?
In this message, Mike Riddell will help us rethink the way we view prayer and help us unlock the power of prayer in our everyday lives.
Sunday 6th July
Series: Prayer: Practicing the Way of Jesus Practice 2Sermon: Why pray together?
Preacher: Chris Danes
If you can talk to God by yourself, why involve other people?
And if you are going to involve someone else, surely it would only ever be a friend or two? Why bother attending church prayer gatherings? Or asking for prayer from the prayer team on a Sunday? Why involve other people in prayer when we can access God by ourselves?
In this final week exploring the practice of prayer, Chris Danes will tackle this common (but often unspoken) question about the role of praying in community.
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