How do we process this pandemic? John Piper has written a new book to deal with trusting in the sovereignty of God during this trial. There are two aims: 1) to see that God is in control through the Coronavirus; 2) to see what God is getting done through this trial.

Desiring God has graciously given us free paperback copies of this because of John Piper’s friendship with CJ Mahaney! So I have a copy to give to each of us! Check your door step in the next week for your copy!

You can also access it electronically in a few different ways:

1) Free e-book download for your e-reader of choice (or simple PDF)

2) Free audiobook via the Ask Pastor John Podcast

• Podcast

• Youtube

1) Pray for our Sovereign Grace Global Family:

Taken from what Dave Taylor (Emerging Nations Director) wrote in the Emerging Nations Newsletter…

1 Corinthians 8. 1-5, ‘We want you to know brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches in Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints - and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.’

I started last months ‘things to pray for’ post with exactly the same verse, making comment on the wonderful interdependence that we experience in Sovereign Grace, and how we really are family, understanding that we can do far more ‘together’ than we can ‘alone’. Since then COVID-19 has affected us all, economies are crashing, lockdown for most of us is a reality, and borders have been shut. We can no longer just get on a plane to go and support our global churches, we can no longer go just go and visit… But here’s what we can do, we can pray, and oh my, what a glorious faith-building reality that is!

Over the last few weeks I have been able to reach out to all of our global partners, to encourage them, listen to them, care for them and let them know we’re with them. In all of the countries we are serving in, there is either a key Pastor or Pastors that we are working with. Some of them, in turn, care for a number of Churches themselves, sometimes in upwards of fifty, and so please pray for each of these men, their families, pastoral teams, churches and countries. We may not know all that the future holds, but we do know the One who holds the future... 

• Australia - Myself, Dave Taylor - Sovereign Grace Church, Sydney 

• Bahamas - Cedric Moss - Kingdom Life Church

• Belarus - Sergie Lukyanov - New Covenant Church

• Bolivia - Jorge Del Castillo - Iglesia Gracia Soberana

• Brazil - Fabiano Silveira - Igreja Graca Soberana de Sao Paulo

• Brazil - Emerson Soares - Igreja Nova Vida

• Colombia - Jacobys Aldana - Iglesia Soberana Gracia in Santa Marta

• Costa Rica - Allan Monge - Gracia Soberana de Cartago

• Croatia - Mario Vucenovic - Church of God’s Grace

• Cuba - Juan Vineta - Iglesia Biblica Emanuel

• Cuba - Eddy Cambria - Iglesia Biblical de a Gracia

• England - Nathan Smith - Grace Church, Bristol

• Ethiopia - Michael Granger - Sovereign Grace Church Plant 

• Germany - Christian Wegert - Arche Church

• India - Jayaprakash Ravuri - Calvary Gospel Church

• Ireland - Ray Clancy - Calvary Galway

• Italy - Lee Walti - Verita di Grazia Church

• Italy - Giuseppe Fortuna - Chiesa Grazia e Verità

• Jamaica - Joel Bain - Grace Family Church

• Liberia - Dyonah Thomas - Grace Life Church

• Mexico - Carlos Contreras - Gracia Soberana de Cd Juarez

• Nepal - Pastor/Church name concealed for protection purposes

• Pakistan - Pastor/Church name concealed for protection purposes

• Philippines - Nilo Ebo - His Dwelling Christian Church

• Philippines - Jeffrey Jo - Church of the Chief Shepherd Gospel Ministries

• Philippines - Pete Valdez - Sovereign Grace Church of Tagbilaran

• Puerto Rico - Josue Caceres - Iglesia Redimodos

• Puerto Rico - Richard Gonzalez - Torre Fuerte

• South Korea - Songhwan Kang - Lord’s Grace Church

• Spain - Gabriel Reyes-Ordeix - Sovereign Grace Plant (Preparation)

• Thailand - Pastor/Church name concealed for protection purposes

• Turkey - Pastor name concealed - Sovereign Grace Plant (Preparation)

• Venezuela - Eduardo Oistochea - Iglesia Cristiana Biblica Palabra Viva

• Zambia - Wilbroad Chanda - Christ Community Church 

… May His grace and mercy abound to us all. The whole world is in His hands.

2) Pray for Frontline Workers

Mark Prater has asked all SG Churches to join in praying on April 17 for Frontline Workers. See below from him:

We want to pray for men and women who transport food, stock grocery shelves, and work at checkout counters that make it possible for us to purchase food. Men and women who provide public transportation, and men and women who work in police and fire departments around the world providing essential emergency services. This is not an exhaustive list, so when you pray, add anyone you know who is serving on the frontlines. As Thessalonians 5:17 exhorts us, let us “pray without ceasing” for them. Here are a few ways you can pray:

• Ask God to protect these frontline workers from being infected with the COVID-19 virus.

• Ask God to heal those frontline workers who do contract the COVID-19 virus.

• Ask God to give them strength and endurance for the long hours they need to work.

• Ask God to comfort them when they need to spend time separated from their families or need to self-quarantine because of risk of exposure.

• Ask God to give them wisdom for any difficult situations they may face.

• Ask God to use Christian frontline workers as a voice of gospel hope for the hopeless.

Dear SG Parra!

Thank you for your amazing generosity! We have raised $37,600 which will be used to build locally and help globally! I cannot wait for this money to be going out and blessing people! If you’d still like to give, please email me at rs@sgparra.org.au and we can add you into the total.

Join us again for our Zoom Friday prayer and fasting at 12pm. You don’t have to stay the whole time but we’d love to be praying together in this season. Join here: https://zoom.us/j/199220859

Sovereign Grace Wahroonga has just launched their “SG Care” Ministry. This is an awesome initiative and one that we want to join with them in prayer for and if you know anyone who may need help they may be able to help us help them! See below for more detail:

//

Crisis Support: 

Short term support with immediate needs such as providing food in for of non-perishable food or cooked meals - Providing clothes (second-hand donations) - Support with practical needs such as domestic support or shopping support (subject to current social distancing limitations)

Case Management Type Support:

Support with referrals to services (domestic violence services, disability services etc) - Applications to services such as Centrelink, Department of Housing or NDIS - Advocacy 

Mental Health Support

Support with informing clients about mental health support options available in their local community - Referring clients to appropriate mental health services.

Counselling

Counselling support is provided by qualified biblical counsellors or social worker for the following areas: Depression & Anxiety - Marriage - Parenting issues - Grief & Loss - Crisis. 

Debt Help

SG Care works together with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) and supports people in the local community who have significant financial debts. 

Befriending Service

Support to people who feel isolated and struggle to build relationships within the community. This can be in form of meet- ups, phone support or support with linking in the church community. 

Skill Training & Capacity Building

Some people would like to improve their skills and capacity to better manage with life challenges and SG Care provides 1:1 support for clients who would like to learn skills in things like: Budgeting - Managing personal paperwork - Improving daily routine - Work readiness - Daily activity such as cooking and housework - Communication.

If you or someone else you know needs helps, then please contact our Christina Williams, our SG Care Coordinator, on cw@sovgrace.org.au. We would love to hear from you!

On Sunday I will be teaming up with Brendan Willis from Wahroonga for their Young Adults Night, you all are welcome to jump in and join. See the invite below:

//

Young Adults is back on Sunday 19th of April with our first hang out on the topic of “Purity, Porn & Pandemic”.

Walking in purity is hard enough under usual circumstances but in the age of COVID-19 when you’re surrounded by devices, stuck at home and struggling with boredom it pays to have a plan.

Come and join us as we live stream from the church offices with a panel formed by Riley & Brendan.

We’ll be talking about John Piper’s chapter from the book “Kill Joys” on the defeat of lust. You can download it here.

You can join our livestream by clicking here.

Bring your Qs and get ready for a great night!

The following is a note from Oliver Pearce, Core Team Member, & Chair of The Finance Committee for our Sending Church in Wahroonga:

Hello Church

Given the economic climate we find ourselves in, there can be a lot of uncertainty with what the future holds.  We know that none of this is a surprise to God, that He has us, He has a plan for us and He is good.

There has also been a lot of media noise around what the Government has proposed and is offering in light of the economic uncertainty that we are encountering.

Following is a brief (by no means conclusive) summary of what might be available to you if you need it.

 - Job Seeker Payment: If you loose your job, the Government has increased the ability to access the Job Seeker payment.  The payment is means tested.  Information can be found here -> https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/jobseeker-payment

 - Additional income support: With a special Coronavirus supplement for eligible income support payments.  More information here, along with further initiatives the Government is undertaking -> https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/households

- Early access to Superannuation: If you have lost your job, or see a decrease in earnings by at least 20%, you may be entitled to access $10,000 of your superannuation this financial year, and next financial year.  More information can be found here -> https://www.business.gov.au/Risk-management/Emergency-management/Coronavirus-information-and-support-for-business/Early-access-to-superannuation

 - Help for business: Businesses may be entitled to receive Job Keeper payment where income has dropped by more than 30%, could also be entitled to cash payments to assist in retaining staff, investment incentives and may be entitled to government guaranteed, short term loans.

In all of this, know too that you are not alone.  If you find yourselves in difficulty, please reach out to your Gospel Community Group leaders and your Pastors.  We’re keen to help.

We're running this race, wherever it takes us, together. 

Your brother

Oliver 

Originally, we were planning on running another Starting Point for Term 2. If you are interested or know someone who is interested in joining our Zoom Starting Point, please email rs@sgparra.org.au so that we can organise it!

Though we are isolated we are still keen to see our family continue to grow! So, on Sunday 3rd May we will be having our next “New Member Sunday” to welcome in those members who have joined from the last Starting Point! It will be a joy to see our church family grow!

This week there will be no life groups but stay tuned for a social life group next week + for new members to be joining soon! Keep in touch with each other and keep looking to encourage one another daily!