We began Day 4 at Tamworth Railway Station. Dan and Jill made fresh hot coffee as Avril and Emma served delicious raisin toast. The rest of the team engaged in deep conversations with commuters and invited them to the special evangelistic services coming up on Sunday. The team was very encouraged by long serving veteran and very bold Christian “Jim” from St. Peter’s. He came, he saw, and he shared the good news!
At about midday we went to Hillvue Public School to learn from and help the SRE teachers who regularly teach at the school. The team split between the 4-5 classes and helped by passing about bible and holding up pictures for the bible story. The lesson we looked at was the Good Shepherd from John 10. It was a great experience to assist the teachers but also to talk to some of the teachers and students about Jesus before and after the class.
In the afternoon, the team headed to Coledale (see one of our previous posts for more details about that part of Tamworth)! We started with some neighbourhood door knocking, inviting locals to the Frontyard Church. The Church, which meets weekly at a local elder’s front yard, had been set up several years ago, and has grown leaps and bounds as a place for Aboriginal kids and adults to mix with church members and to hear from God’s word.
We were greatly encouraged in our door knocking to hear that so many locals had heard of the Frontyard Church, and who were open to coming along. There was even one local woman who asked our door knockers to wait as she got changed and walked down with them to the service!
As the sun began to make its way down and set over Coledale, the makeshift church was being put together. Before long, large numbers of kids as well as some adults filled the lawn area with laughter and excitement. Sausages were served before we all sang some Colin songs together. Russell, the puppet appeared to teach us that Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), which the kids absolutely loved. We wrapped up with more singing and dessert.
It was a wonderful night, and a great privilege to participate in this amazing initiative that St Peter’s have worked hard to grow alongside community and Aboriginal leaders, and which God has blessed with much fruit.
Please join us and pray:
- for the broken people we continue to meet at the railway station. Thank God for their willingness to open up to us and pray that they will seek and find Jesus.
- SRE in the local schools in Tamworth. Thank God that SRE seems to be valued by the community, and pray that many kids will turn to Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
- for the Aboriginal community in Coledale, that God will use his people to connect with locals to bring them to himself, and give them peace and joy in Christ.
