THIRD CORE GROUP MEETING

WEDNESDAY KOINONIA: FINAL ‘CORE GROUP’ MEETING (7 December 2011)

è  Studies for first 3-4 months:  The ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22,23) -

• Love (affection for others TM: ie. The Message) (Rowland to lead the first three studies/devotions – 1. Love for God: how can we measure that? 2. Love for Self: when is it healthy/unhealthy? 3. Love for others, including enemies: how are we supposed to do that?
• Joy (exuberance about life TM)
• Peace (serenity TM)
• Patience (a willingness to stick with things TM)
• Kindness (a sense of compassion in the heart TM)
• Generosity (goodness NIV, REB, a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people TM)
• Faithfulness (finding ourselves involved in loyal commitments TM, fidelity REB)
• Gentleness (not needing to force our way in life TM)
• Self-control (able to marshal and direct our energies wisely TM)

è Contact Rowland if you’d like to give a 10/20 minute introduction/Scripture study on one of these, together with discussion questions. Suggest other studies/themes or guest speakers ‘down the track’? AOK.

è Is the name Wednesday Koinonia OK? Yes: however (community/fellowship) in brackets after the name might help.

è 10 am – lunch (bring finger food to share) 2^nd & 4^th Wednesdays at EDBC from Feb. 8^th? OK.

è Who to invite? We leave that to our regulars’ discretion. (Use the nice invites Janice Perkins has printed off: more available if needed). Check with Rowland or Jan Croucher if in doubt

è Music / PA / Ppt / Youtube/  A capella? Who chooses? Concerts? Decide as we go. Rob Perkins to talk with a few techos about using powerpoint etc. Music selection – let’s be sensitive to the ethos of the group/ each other – our songs will come from various Christian traditions.

è Administrator: keeping it simple: Rob Perkins? Yes.

è  PA to Rowland – Jan Newham? Yes.

è Sharing/offerings: Gold coin for coffee/tea/cookies? Trading table for mission projects etc.? Offering bowl for other projects/gifts to EDBC for use of facilities etc.? Yes, yes, yes.  

è Mission Project: Opportunity International – a West Timor village lifted above poverty-line? Yes: Jan Croucher to invite an Opportunity International representative to talk to us as soon as possible in Feb.

è Praying in 3’s/4’s – happy for Jan/Rowland to suggest prayer-partners? Yes. (Some will prefer to pray regularly with the same two or three; others would like to move around; some are OK with praying aloud; others reticent: we’ll need to be sensitive to all these – and other – factors).

è Update from Rowland on some other matters of current interest (Lilydale Baptists etc.) . Let’s pray for Matt Glover and his family and the church – and also the Baptist Union of Victoria, which is getting a mixed public press on all this. And let’s not forget those caught in the cross-fire, especially gay/lesbian folk who started to attend the church.

è East Doncaster Baptist Church is listed among about 8 or 9 Victorian Baptist Churches as being gay-friendly/welcoming. Our group is very happy to endorse this emphasis.

Rowland Croucher and Rob Perkins

9^th December 2011