World Hope

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

There is a well-known Chinese proverb “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Investing in people or a community  and providing them with the means to be able to provide for their own basic needs like food, shelter etc.

At World Hope International we believe in providing those in need with opportunity, dignity and hope so they can possess the tools for change in themselves, their family and their community.

The needs present in today’s world are complex and deeply interconnected. Our program areas complement one another and act as a comprehensive response to poverty. Students who are drinking clean water stay in school longer. Further education leads to better job opportunities. Stable families are less vulnerable to traffickers’ lies. Children who are free from slavery grow up with opportunity, dignity and hope. Those with access to clean water live healthier, more productive lives. The upward cycle continues.

At World Hope International, we don’t claim to have the grand solution to ending poverty. But there are simple steps we can take to alleviate suffering and empower the poor to help themselves.

Our programs bring tangible and positive change to the individuals we work with, who then go on to transform their communities and their countries. We base what we do on long-term results: we offer much more than charity, we provide resources and knowledge to the poor, so they can ultimately become agents of change within their communities.

Mushroom Grow Houses – Cambodia

In Cambodia, 80% of the population lives in rural areas, where the primary occupation is rice farming. Rice farming only occurs from May to November, leaving farmers without a steady source of income for the remaining five months of the year. As a result, a high number of men migrate to Thailand for work, leaving women vulnerable as the head of their households.

WHI’s Solution

To ensure a year-round cash flow for rural farming families, World Hope International (WHI) works with farmers to create Mushroom Grow Houses out of waste from last season’s rice and mung bean harvests. Several crops of mushrooms can be grown in a single year and sold at local markets, with an average return on investmentof three and a half months.

Beginning with our Sisters Program in 2014, 128 female-led households were members of a savings group formed by WHI. WHI later expanded this program to explore mushroom production in five villages in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia.

To bolster success of mushroom farmers, in 2016 WHI launched Thera Metrey. Meaning “Compassionate Earth,” Thera Metrey is a local cooperative enterprise for collective sorting, processing and delivery of mushrooms and other cash crops produced by farmer households. Through Thera Metrey, WHI is able to connect farmers to markets at competitive prices, ensuring production leads to income.

The Impact

Mushroom farming has had a large impact on the lives of rural Cambodians, adding over $2,000 to farmer incomes annually and enabling them to stop traveling to urban areas for work, save for larger purchases, and pay off existing loans. As husbands and wives no longer need to separate to earn a living, families work side-by-side to contribute to the success of their mushrooms farms.

Some mushroom growers have built water wells to increase their production and to expand into other cash crops like mung beans, which enhance soil in addition to serving as a food source, as well as higher value cultivars such as black and yellow ginger, rosella, cacao and avocado. Others have gone on to build even more mushroom houses and buy agricultural waste from neighboring farms to supply their mushroom operations.

Investing in communities in Cambodia and using the agricultural waste that is readily available to them, WHI has been able to “Teach a man to fish” so they can feed themselves and their children.

To support World Hope International in our efforts to ‘invest in people and communities’ go to www.worldhope.org.au

Thank you for your support.

Ruth Thomas
CEO
World Hope International (Australia)

Posted in WMCA

Stewards of our Time and Resources

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; Psalms 24:1 (NIV)

In theory, we as Christians should know that all we have is the Lord’s and that we are stewards of the time and the resources that God gives us.  I often make the joke that when the offering bag or plate comes around, we should get in it.  We would be fooled to think that only our tithe is God’s and that the rest is ours. It is important to remember that we are accountable to God for all of our resources, including our time.

This is not about looking at others and judging what they are doing, it is about looking at ourselves and asking the question, am I a good steward?  One of the reasons why we can’t judge others is that we all have different calls upon our resources and upon our time. It may be that one is a parent with young children, a worker that has high demands on them in their field of employment, or one with limitation because of health or financial commitments or other special needs that requires more time and resources.

These commitments are all a part of our personal responsibilities as Stewards.  I also want to add that being a good steward involves looking after ourselves too.  If we don’t service our car, or change the tyres, or make sure there is oil in the engine sump and water in the radiator our car will breakdown and/or maybe unsafe for others.  It is true for ourselves as well.  We have to look after ourselves and also as leaders we need to, as best we can, be stewards of the people that God has place under our supervision and care.

However, to be a good steward requires coming to that place where we acknowledge that everything that we have is God’s, including our very exists.  For those of us who are older I sing the old Hymn,

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart, does the Spirit control?

  1. A. Hoffman (1900)

This is the starting place of being a good steward.  But we also were never meant to carry all these things on our own.  I have often heard the saying sometimes as a joke in a movie, “it is good to be King” but there is only one King, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus and we are his servant, stewards over the resource that he has place in our hands. Even though my name “Rex” means king I do not want to be king. I am a servant of THE King and a steward of his resources.  It is good to be a steward. The rest of the Hymn brings to us a powerful truth, that I love,

You can only be blest and have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.

  1. A. Hoffman (1900)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

4 Questions

  • What is God asking you to surrender?
  • What are you needing to adjust or change in order to be a faithful steward?
  • Are you looking after yourself and those under your supervision and care?
  • Are you trying to control something that is the responsibility of another steward?

May we together continue to experience the peace and sweet rest as we yield him our body and soul in our journey of being good Steward of our resources and time.

Rex E Rigby

Posted in A Word from Rev Rex

Woorabinda One Mob Fellowship – Handing on the Baton

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

The work of Woorabinda began because God was moving.  Prayer had begun after the District Conference of 2010 with thoughts of beginning a work in Rockhampton, but a Macedonian cry from Woori led to the beginning of the work there on Saturday 19thMarch 2011 with a simple gospel message, snags off the barbeque under a public shelter.  One woman gave her heart to the Lord that night. More followed in the weeks to come as people were hungry for the Word of God.  Pastor Shea and Leonie and their young family continued to give themselves to the 2 hour drive each way week by week to see the work established.

Beginning with nothing but the gospel, God has added many lives and blessed many families. Pastor Shea’s ministry to the wider region during the past seven years has seen scores of people surrender their hearts to the Lord, and included 5 weddings and nearly 50 funerals.

With the growth of Shea’s family as well as the Woori One Mob Fellowship, the time has come for a change of leadership.  The Lord had been preparing many people, but especially a new pastor, Mrs Caroline Major, a significant community figure.

Who is she? The very same woman who gave her heart to Christ on that first Woori meeting!

There are many who have contributed to her life, and she has further to go, but the Lord has prepared her for this day, when under the oversight of the NQ District Board of Administration and the blessing of her Woorabinda community, she was installed as the supply pastor of the One Mob Fellowship WMC of Woorabinda.

The installation service was conducted in the Woorabinda Stadium at 6pm on Sunday 20thMay, by DS Rev Stuart Hall, assisted by Rev Keith Rose and Pastor Shea Taylor with a digeridoo call to worship.  It was attended by 120 people from as far as Yarrabah, SE of Cairns (1156km / 12½ drive).  Philippians 4:8 was sent as a greeting from Rev Dr Hardgrave, and testimonies, items and greetings were given in person from various other Pastors/groups from Rockhampton and surrounding towns, and included an awe-inspiring blowing of a shofar (ram’s horn) as a declaration of blessing to the community through the ministry of Pastor Carol and the One Mob Fellowship.  Pastor Stuart, in the installation message, challenged Carol to follow the principles of 2 Timothy 2:1-2, and to continue so that she would also be able to declare with Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT)  7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

Recognition was given to Pastor Shea and Leonie Taylor for their establishing work and the joyous installation of Pastor Carol Major followed.  While the outside temperature was heading towards single digits, a beautiful hot catered meal warmed and satisfied the body as the One Mob Fellowship band continued to bless us with their inspiring worship.

Praise God for this important transition of leadership.  Please pray for a powerful anointing for Pastor Carol, for her LAC (Kylie, Judy, and Barry), for the District pastoral care and oversight arrangements, and for much fruit that remains.

Stuart Hall

Posted in Nth Qld District

Kingsley College

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

Our semester one, 2018 has drawn to a close, and it has been another excellent semester of training. Once again, ministerial candidates and lay people have studied together and grown in friendship with one another and confidence for ministry. We can praise God for a great semester in this first half of the year. Please be praying that God will call many more men and women into study and ministry in the second half of this year.

Below is just one of the classes from around the country- where students have connected in class and via web conference.

 

 

 

 

 

Kingsley classes for Polynesian Students

Rev Dr Sifa Lokotui has a passion to equip men and women from Polynesia for ministry. Sifa also welcomes students to his classes from all backgrounds, but his heart is for Pacific Islanders. In semester two, 2018 Sifa will be offering subjects in Brisbane and Canberra. Check out the details on the College Facebook page and web site, or call the College office on (03) 9357 3699 for more info.

This photo is of Sifa (second from left) meeting with a few students to encourage them in their spiritual journey and their ministry in Jesus Name.

 

 

 

 

 

Diploma of Leadership and Management

The news has been getting around about the opportunity to study the BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership and Management at the Kingsley College Broadmeadows campus. Kingsley’s partner college, Unity College Australia RTO 6330, is working with Dr Tony Keys to offer this award. In turn, we at Kingsley College are glad to work with Tony to offer training for leaders who work in Christian Ministry or business. Connection to this Diploma study can be in class at Broadmeadows or connected via web conference from anywhere in Australia. The first Diploma class will commence on Monday, 6th August 2018. Contact Tony on 0419 787 513 for more information or to ask about Government assistance for study of this Diploma.

Kevin Brown
Principle

Posted in WMCA

Building for the Future

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

Over the past 4 years, we at the Gympie Wesleyan Methodist Church have been working towards a future building program that will assist in fulfilling a vision that was laid before the congregation in 2002. This has not been an easy task and it certainly has not been one that has been taken lightly by the congregation and members.

In 2015 we engaged 2 different Building Designers who presented a variety of concept drawings and in 2016 we settled on what we believed would be the kind of building that would meet the vision of connecting with our local community.

Many congregations look to build when their Sunday morning attendance outgrows their current facilities. Not so with Gympie. There is still room for expansion on a Sunday morning, but what has driven us to go down this track is the fact that our facilities do not lend themselves to connecting with families the way that we need to.

Therefore, with a vision of being a centre for the local community we have just this last week voted as a congregation to proceed with building the next stage of our facilities here in Gympie.

This is a huge undertaking and one that we have prayed long and hard about and as a church began to get very excited about. With a 90% vote to proceed from our Members, it is clear that there is a strong mandate given to pursue the vision with a passion.

What will this cost? Everything we have! But isn’t that what following Jesus is about? You cannot go half-hearted in following Jesus, so with enthusiasm and trepidation we are advancing towards a $2-2.5million project that will change the face of Gympie and beyond.

Will you pray with us as we look to see how we can see this vision become a reality? It doesn’t really matter what numbers we put behind the $ sign, what matters is are we hearing from the Lord?

I would invite you any Sunday to come and see what is happening at Gympie. It truly is a place where lives are changed!

 

 

 

Gary McClintock

 

Posted in Sth Qld District

Community Outreach

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

God is wanting to connect with some people around you.
Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.  John 4:35b (ESV) 

 Sometimes it is hard to see the fields if we are removed from them.  There are many who are working in the fields/communities and it is clear to them that the fields are ripe.   

 Communities can have different forms such as the places where we live, work or play, however some of us play in all of these places.    

 I have often said that it is sad if our church community hinders us from interacting at a deeper level with these other communities. I do want to acknowledge that some of our church communities are deeply connected through various means with the communities around them.   

Some of these community engagements include activities such as a food bank, a soup kitchen, an opp-shop, English classes, budgeting assistance, sports activities, nursing home visits, counselling services, neighbour watch, to mention a few.   

Sometimes I wonder what is holding us back from making inroads into our communities. I do not believe that they have closed the door to us. However maybe they have closed the door to some of our antiquated approaches.  Does that mean that what we have to do has to be profound?  No! When I look at Jesus, I see the way that He connected was often in simple ways. Can you get any more simple than asking for a drink of water?  

Could a drink of water have such a profound effect? 
 Yes, for the woman at the well it was a question that was simple but opened so many other questions. The first question being “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?”  John 4:9  ESV. 

 This encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well had to cross a few barriers.  These barriers were higher because of the cultural expectations of the day. 

  •  A Samaritan – Looked down on because of their ethnicity and different religious viewpoints.  
  • A woman on her own – A man would not address a woman in most cases, especially one on her own.  
  • A woman who appeared to be an outcast – The conversation revealed a woman who was an outcast as a result of her failed marriages and present lifestyle. This points to the fact that she was drawing water in the middle of the day and not when the women would normally draw water. 

 But Jesus crossed the barriers in the simplest ways by asking for a drink of water.  I am excited to hear the stories of our churches that are engaging with their communities. However as individuals just being in the community, interacting, being available and building relationship gives us an opportunity to encounter people with Jesus. Jesus has a way of opening the conversations we are involved with to speak into deep issues of the soul.  We may ask the question are our communities really ripe for harvest; are they ready for the living water that Jesus has to offer?   

 We will never know until we sit at the well and connect. Sometimes it is a long journey.  Some do this connecting better than us, but that is no excuse for not starting the journey which may be as simple as asking for a drink of water. Sometimes I have found people are ready to connect, to open up, when I am not expecting deep encounters. Sad to say it often happens when I am just wanting to keep to myself.  If I was at that well instead of Jesus I might have waited until the woman left and then drawn  my own water. I remember taking a train ride from Rockhampton to Townsville with a friend named Alan Brown.  We were in the café and I was trying to do some work on my computer. However, Alan just being Alan was talking to every Tom, Dick and Harry in the train’s bar, or should I say café.  It became so noisy that I had to stop my so called work and join in the conversation. In that “café” there was a Detective, an Architect and a Minister. I would have thought this was the beginning of a joke. But no, it was an opportunity to do the most important job that God had called us all to do – to stop and converse with some people at the well.  A few months later my wife and I were having dinner with that Architect and his family at his place.  God opens doors at times when we least expect it, and it maybe in encounters that are as simple as sharing a drink of water.  

 Could our conversations have such profound outcomes? 
 O God open our eyes to see that the harvest is ripe and help us to reengage with the communities within which we find ourselves.    

 John 4:39-42 (ESV) Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”  So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.  And many more believed because of his word.  They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.” 

 God is wanting to connect with the people around you. 

Rex Rigby
National Superintendent

Posted in A Word from Rev Rex

Sth Qld Wesleyan Women 

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

Women Alive Day Brisbane was held at the Logan Wesleyan Methodist Church on Saturday April 21st.

We had a wonderful time of fellowship, worship, and a great challenge from our speaker, Jill Weir, to ABIDE in Christ, as well as some awesome testimonies from Karly Missenden and Tabby Ring, of how God was with them through some pretty difficult times.

On the day we raised a total of $335 to go towards ‘Support a sister’ with Project Boomerang!!  These funds will assist our sisters from PNG and Solomon Islands who are planning to attend the National Retreat in August.

We are excited for the next Women Alive day in Maryborough on May 12th!

Blessings
Ruth Thomas

Posted in Sth Qld District

Emergency Relief in Tonga and PNG

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

World Hope International were able to respond to the emergency relief situation in Tonga after it was hit by cyclone Gita in February.  We were happy to partner with the Nazarene Church compassionate ministry NAZCARE who had personnel on the ground.

Then when Papua New Guineawas rocked by a 7.5magnitute earthquake in the early hours of February 26 and two other earthquakes in the following weeks as well as over 150 aftershocks.  All of these quakes happened in a region not far from where the Wesleyan Church in PNG was first established in the early 1960’s. Although there are no reports of Wesleyan’s loosing their lives, over 100 people did die as a result of these earthquakes.

Thanks to our Wesleyan Churches in Australia, World Hope International was able to respond to this earthquake emergency by sending volunteers and funds to assist in many different ways – here are some of the ways:

  • Joint food relief provided along with other ngo’s, water tanks, sanitation training and provision of soap, tarpaulins for shelter and information on how best to erect temporary shelters and toilets to prevent spread of disease.
  • Medical equipment delivered to volunteer Health Workers placed in earthquake affected villages. Medicines delivered. Medical evacuations and care of rescued persons.
  • Counselling carried out on an individual basis to people affected by earthquake, including information on earthquakes, group counselling on dealing with fear and helping children to cope.
  • Worked with communities to get teachers back in the schools, health clinics for children and activities to help children cope – balls etc for games.
  • Booklet printed on earthquakes, search and rescue, radio messaging. Connecting families separated by the disaster.

This was all done because our Australian Wesleyan Methodist Church saw the need and gave. All up we raised just over $10,000 – THANK YOU!

Ruth Thomas
World Hope International
CEO Australia

Posted in WMCA

National Wesleyan Women Retreat

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

Rise Up – National Wesleyan Women Retreat – Don’t miss this!

We are anticipating an amazing weekend in August at our National Wesleyan Womens Retreat. Already we are seeing God’s almighty influence at work as we see speakers fall into place, an energetic organising committee come together and an enthusiastic response from women locally and overseas.

When the National Wesleyan Women’s executive began brainstorming for this event we wondered aloud if we could have a keynote speaker such as Rev Dr Jo Anne Lyon come from the US to bring our messages. Ruth Thomas, having a connection already with Dr Lyon, volunteered to email her and in less than 24 hours we had her positive response. God is good!

When we approached the South Queensland WW committee to broaden their regular district retreat to enable a national event to occur, the suggestion was met with open arms and open hearts despite the extra workload it would bring. God is good!

When we started approaching women with particular interests and passions to bring their expertise to the weekend in the form of facilitating discussions or leading workshops we were met with willing hearts. God is good!

When we mentioned this event to our overseas sisters we have had an overwhelming response. Women from PNG immediately started fundraising to enable them to come. Women from Solomon Islands are determined to raise the funds for their representatives to be with us. They plan to extend their stay to minister amongst our churches as they desire to give back to the Australian church as we have been able to contribute in the Solomon’s in previous years. God is good!

God is good! I am confident that God means for us to gather together in August for a powerful message from all speakers to encourage us and challenge us to Rise Up. To Rise Up to be the women God would have us be in the world we live in.

God has this time in His hand so what can we do? Please pray that the outcome of this Retreat will be God’s outcome. Pray for the speakers and for the listeners. Pray for God’s Spirit to be over every detail. Pray that the financial support will come for all that are meant to attend (Project Boomerang and Support-a-Sister are practical ways you can help – email ardobson72@gmail.comfor more information). Encourage women to attend (16 years and older). God is good!

Rise Up
24-26 August 2018
wesleyan.org.au/riseup

Posted in WMCA

Kingsley Update

Posted on by Claire Markotanyos

Kingsley College- Ministry Training in the Wesleyan Tradition

Semester one, 2018 has begun well with students gathering for study in Kingsley Community training centres, via web conference, and by distance. This semester Christian ministry and theology classes have begun at South Brisbane, Moreton/ Axis, Broadmeadows/ Dandenong, and Perth. We are also excited by the (re) commencement of Kingsley training in Sydney, Brisbane Polynesian Centre, and Canberra. Still to come later in the year are classes available (again) in Townsville. We have a faithful team of Kingsley Community trainers who are investing into men and women and equipping them for ministry. Please continue to pray for Kingsley trainers and Kingsley students.

Christian Ministry- Wesleyan Style

John Wesley was challenged regarding the reactions people had under Methodist ministry- reactions that were seen as too emotional and inappropriate. (Sunday 20thApril 1739 – almost one year after Wesley’s “heart-warming” experience). Wesley’s reply was,

“The question between us turns chiefly, if not wholly, on matter of fact. You deny that God does now work these effects; at least, that He works them in this manner. I affirm both, because I have heard these things with my own ears and have seen with my eyes. I have seen… very many persons changed in a moment from the spirit of fear, horror, despair, to the spirit of love, joy, and peace; and from sinful desire, till then reigning over them, to a pure desire of doing the will of God. These are matters of fact whereof I have been, and almost daily am, an eye- or ear-witness.”

-Our prayer and desire as a college is to equip men and women for a ministry that is used by God to bring similar change in the lives of others. We long to see many more people changed by God from a life of fear, horror and despair to salvation, joy and peace. We value our Wesleyan heritage and theology and believe that the God who used the Wesleys and the first Methodists can still use Methodist lay people and ministers today.

Please continue to pray that God would call many more men and women into ministry- and that He would trust Kingsley College with the task of equipping them for an effective ministry.

Kevin Brown
Principle

Posted in WMCA

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