OBF INFO
Sun June 7th

Sunday morning 10.30am - see if you can make it on time
Worship: singing - praying - learning - mixing
Bible study cells for adults, youth and children.
Theme: Undeceived (1 John 2.18-27)

[Duty Home Group in June is: CRAWFORD
 - cleaning hall and house
 - leading Sunday worship
 - organising morning tea
 - ensuring bread/wine available]

BRAZIL   For your consideration: Robert is planning to participate in an outreach in Brazil in August. He has sponsorship for the cost of his flights but requires funds for accommodation and support of a Brazilian co-worker. About $1000 should cover it. Please pass your contributions directly to Robert, or mark them if you are using the public collection bags.

You can keep in touch with Robert and Laisa's work at www.siakimotu.co.nz

Every Saturday morning: 8.30am - 9.30am JUST PRAYER 
Upper room at the chapel. If you can't be there txt your encouragement or prayer needs to 021 667 540 so they can be shared with those who attend. 

June 8th Monday 7pm Women's Meeting 

June 10th Wednesday 7.30pm HOME GROUP MEETINGS
Crawford home group - 66 Crawford St Mangere Bridge
Arthur home group - 79 Arthur Street Onehunga

June 12th Friday 6pm MUSIC TEAM PRACTICE 
At the chapel.

OBF INFO

Sunday May 10th 2015

10.30am Worship - Learn - Mix

• Adults: 1 John 2 (Luke)
• Youth
• Kids Next Door

Wednesday May 13th 7.30pm

• Crawford Home Group
• Arthur Home Group

Friday May 15th 6pm

• Music team practice

Saturday May 16th 8.30am

• Just Prayer - upper room at the chapel

OBF INFO

Sunday 3 May 2015
10.30am Worship - Sing - Learn - Share - Mix
Beginning at 10.30am with a Bible reading and musical worship followed by Bible learning in three groups (adults - youth - children), sharing, breaking of bread and conversation.

Saturday 8.30am 2 May:  'Just Prayer' meeting
At the chapel. Can't be there? Txt your intention to pray - to encourage those who can be there.

Wednesday 7pm  6 May: Southern Home Group

Friday 6pm 8 May: Music Team practice at the chapel

Robert's travels: This weekend, Robert travels to Samoa to work with Youth for Christ and do some Walk Through the Bible seminars.

OBF INFO
SUNDAY 26th APRIL

10.30am Worship - sing - learn - share - mix
Following a time of musical worship, we divide into three groups for Bible learning
(adults, youth, kids).

Wednesday 29th April 7.30pm
Crawford Home Group
Arthur Home Group

Friday 1st May 6pm
Music team practice

Saturday 2nd May 8.30am
Just Prayer meeting 

RECAP*
* a consise summary

Here is a recap of last Sunday's adult cell group teaching.

Main passage: Isaiah 52.13 to 53. 12 (scroll down to find it)

Main point: If you are carrying around guilty feelings, or bitter feelings about things that others have done to you, or habits that you can't shake off, or a dark past that seems to still cast a shadow across your present-day life - then you have not understood that Jesus has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows and that the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Summary: 

• God has a 'whole of history' plan for rescuing a people for himself out of rebellious humanity - and that plan applies to the generation we live in - now.
• God has a Servant to enact his plan.
• Philippians 2.5-11 (scroll down to find it) matches Isaiah 52.13 and it identifies Jesus, God's Son as the Servant who rescues us.
• Isaiah 53 goes on to describe just how low Jesus had to come to pull us out of sin and death.
• People who aren't desperate to be rescued from their old life are offended by Jesus and his cross seems foolish to them - but those who are getting freedom because of it welcome the power that Jesus' death activates to free them from slavery to sin and death.
• At the cross God laid on Jesus all the sins, regrets, guilt, broken promises, bitterness and every other negative thing that crushes us. Griefs? Carried!  Sorrows? Carried! Transgressions? Carried! Iniquities? Carried! Turmoil and anxiety? Carried! God laid all this on Jesus and he carried it into the grave for us.
• What miserable load is left for a believer to carry? Nothing. The Lord has laid on him the short-comings of us all. 

Action:

Stand up and shout 'thank you, Lord'!  Let your regrets, burdens, griefs, guilt and timidity fall back into Jesus' grave where they belong. You are free to walk and talk in the boldness of a forgiven life. Leave your past history behind - repent of it.  Walk in the light so that the shadow of your past life is forced back.

Isaiah 52.13 - 53.12

13 See, my servant will act wisely;
    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him –
    his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
    and his form marred beyond human likeness –
15 so he will sprinkle many nations,
    and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
    and what they have not heard, they will understand.

 Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge[i] my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,

because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

Philippians 2.5-11

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death –
        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

OBF INFO
Sunday April 19th 2015



10.30am Worship - sing - learn - mix - share
Adults Group: Isaiah 53 Jesus has carried our sorrows
Youth
Kids Next Door: Choices (Abraham & Lot)





Wednesday 22nd April 7pm
Southern Home Group 

Friday 24th April 6pm
Music Team Practice

Saturday 25th April 8.30am
It's back!
Prayer in the upper room at the chapel.
Starting 8.30am sharp. No fuss - just prayer.

OBF INFO
SUNDAY APRIL 12

10.30am Worship - Sing - Learn - Share - Mix
Adults: Isaiah 52 Defining 'worldliness'
Kids Next Door: Abraham part 1.

Monday 13th Women's Group
79 Arthur Street.
Philippians study

Wednesday 15th Home Groups

• Arthur  - Acts 17 the gospel goes to Athens

• Crawford

OBF INFO
SUNDAY 5TH APRIL

10.30am Worship - Learn - Mix - Share
Theme: Empty Grave!
Adults group: Mark 16 (Paul)
Kids Next Door: Jesus seen alive.

This weekend our youth are at Port Jackson at the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula. Easter Camp in tents. Their theme is 'What is commitment for a Christian?'
Pray for them.

Tuesday 7th April - Luke and Courtney's wedding at Puhoi.

Wednesday 8th April - Southern Home Group meets at 7pm. Check with Laisa or Sami for the venue.

Friday 10th April - Music Team practice at 6pm

Women - get ready for your Bible study on Monday April 13th.

Last Sunday $1000 was collected for Christians suffering in Vanuatu. [It has been send on via Manu Mafi (Soana's dad) to the head of the Bible Society in Vanuatu who will let us know how it has been used.]

OBF INFO 

 Sunday 29th March 

10.30am Worship - Mix - Sing - Learn - Share - Pray

Adults & Youth: Robert Siakimotu

Kids Next Door: Two friends on a road meet Jesus 

Today we will collect cash for Christians in need in Vanuatu.

(please label your gift if it is for something other than Vanuatu)

Wednesday 1 April - home groups

Arthur Home Group (79 Arthur St) 

Crawford Home Group (Takai home - Lachlan Place)

Easter Youth Camp next weekend.

Luke and Courtney's wedding Tuesday 7th April

Next Women's Meeting Monday 13 April

Help our bros & sis in Vanuatu

This Sunday 29 March, we will have a cash collection for the assistance of Christians hit by Cyclone Pam. We have reliable contacts there through Manu Mafi (Soana's dad) who has regular contact in person with the Bible Society in Vanuatu. They will ensure the money gets to those who need it. 

Just one collection - this Sunday - at OBF - look for the special container. It would be good if we could get close to $1,000. Dig deep if you choose to.

OBF INFO

Sunday 22 March 2015
10.30am Worship - Learn - Sing - Pray - Mix

Adults'/Youth - John 7 How can we know that Christian teaching is true.
Kid's Next Door - People who saw Jesus after his resurrection.

Wed 24th March 7pm - Home Group
Southern Home Group

Friday 26th March 6pm 
Music Team practice

COMING SOON:
Women's Group - date to be announced
Philippians 3.1-11

Easter Youth Camp

OBF Info
Sunday March 15th 2015

10.30am 
Worship
Bible teaching
- adults "Changing for the better"
- youth
- kids next door
Fellowship


Wednesday evening 7.30pm
Arthur Home Group
informal sharing, fellowship & Acts 17
Crawford Home Group
informal sharing, fellowship & Job


Friday  6pm
Music team practice

EASTER WEEKEND  Youth Camp. 
Tell Reid and Joanna that your're coming! 

OBF Info










Sunday March 8 2015
10.30am Public Worship and Teaching
Begin with musical worship - then Bible study groups - open sharing - breaking of bread - informal fellowship with a cuppa.

•      Adults': "The difference between a lifestyle and a calling."
•      Youth: "Hearers and Doers"
•      Kids Next Door: Bible studies for children

Wednesday 7pm 
Southern Home Group @  Anna's home.

Friday 6pm
Music team practice - at the chapel

Easter Weekend Youth Camp: Yr 7 - 13 Bring a friend! 

OBF Info 

March 1, 2015

Sunday 10.30am 

PUBLIC WORSHIP & BIBLE TEACHING

The music team will lead us from 10.30am - be on time to add your voice.

Around 11am we split into 3 groups for Bible study

Kids Next Door for school-aged kids Year 1 to Year 7. This week "Jesus shines with glory'
Youth Cell for young people Year 8 to high school. This week led by Kezia
Adults Cell This week: Isaiah 55 'How to be spiritually fed' (Paul)

[SERVING: Crawford Home Group - this month you are responsible for welcoming, leading the Sunday meeting and chapel & house cleaning.]

Wednesday 7.30pm HOME GROUPS  

Meet in a small group to share lives, pray about them, offer encouragement and learn from the Bible. 

Crawford Home Group  meets at .  Beginning a study in Job.

Arthur Home Group meets at 79 Arthur St.  Acts 16 - 'What can we learn from the Christians at Philippi?'

Friday 6pm MUSIC TEAM practice session

Saturday March 7th   Robert and Laisa speaking at a seminar on church outreach at Eden Community Church, View Rd, Mt Eden. Supporters welcome to attend.

EASTER CAMP  for Youth  - plan to be there!

Arthur Home Group February 2015

Finding the Way Ahead 

ACTS 16.1-12

This section of Acts deals with some decisions Paul and his team had to make as they moved from town to town attempting to start up local churches. 

Derbe and Lystra (16.1) These were two towns where Paul had previously been and started local churches. He returned there to encourage and strengthen the Christians there.  

Timothy (16.10) At Lystra there was a young Christian in whom Paul saw considerable potential. He wanted to take him with them on their church-encouraging and new church-planting work.

Circumcision (16.3)  Timothy was of Jewish/Greek heritage. He wasn't circumcised. Circumcision is not a Christian rite - but as in some cultures today it was a strongly held tradition among the Jews. For Timothy to work for the conversion of Jews to faith in Jesus, it would have been hard for him to gain acceptance as an uncircumcised male - so he was circumcised to avoid this being a distraction to the success of his gospel work.

Paul, Silas, Timothy and their small travelling party went beyond the places where churches had already been planted in some new territory.  They were trying to discover where Jesus wanted them to go next to tell people the good news.

Blocked! (16,6,7)  They were blocked in two directions - so apart from going back they were left with one direction to travel.  This led them to the coast at Troas. They seemed to be blocked by the sea.

Here's a map that might help you figure out what was happening. (Asia, Mysia, Bithynia, Phyrgia and Galatia are all regions of modern-day Turkey,  Philippi and Neapolis are in modern-day Greece.)

Something to think about:

1) How might the group have been 'forbidden by the Holy Spirit' to enter the province of Asia and how did 'the Spirit of Jesus not allow them' to go into the province of Bithynia?

• a voice?
• agreement of the whole group (consensus)?
• forbidden by the authorities?
• lack of transport?
• opposition from enemies?
• sickness in the group?
• a prophetic word from one of them?

However the Spirit guided them - how would they have all come to the agreement?

2) What does Paul's vision of a Macedonia man help us to understand about a Christian calling? 

3) Why did they all go along with Paul's vision?

Key Idea: A Christian calling is about identifying who your sheep are finding them and caring for them. John 10.