Mavis died on 20th January 2009, aged 88 years, and Jim on 23rd March 2010, aged 91 years. Jim had retired as church secretary in 1988 and they had enjoyed many trips through the Outback and around Australia. In 1990 they came out of retirement to live in the house we use for ministry and meating (Wolfgang Simson’s spelling of a meeting around food) now, “Beth Tephillah”. Friendships made at that time with our neighbours have grown and developed. Jim was the speaker at the monthly Sunday Singalong which began at Wintringham Hostel in January 1994 until his first cancer treatment in September 1998. 

Jim and Mavis Dow at 140th Anniversary

Mavis and Jim were hosts of the Afternoon Teas held at “Beth Tephillah”. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary there in 2002. In October 2008 they together cut the cake to celebrate the 140th Anniversary since the beginning of Williamstown Baptist Church.

A tribute at Jim’s funeral quoted a message from the Rev Alan Marr, Director of Ministries of the Baptist Union of Victoria,

Jim was one of a kind. His faithfulness to God and the church were exemplary. He stuck to his calling as a leader in the church in very difficult times with grace and perseverance. I loved yarning with him about a vast range of topics. He will be greatly missed. Well done good and faithful servant.

Alan had written to Jim, commenting warmly about Mavis, and her faith and life and gentle witness through the years. Together they contributed so much to the church family.

The church has decided that gifts in memory of Jim and Mavis Dow will be received in recognition of their love of the Outback and the Yapa people.. They will be forwarded to Global Interaction (formerly the Australian Baptist Missionary Society) whose cross-cultural workers with the Warlpiri people of the Tanami Desert were supported by them in prayer and with finance for years.

In March 2009 we shared the great news that Ray had accepted Jesus. We had the great joy of witnessing his baptism at Beth Tephillah on 4th December. He and Heather had been adjusting to life in a nursing home together, which was not without its challenges. When speaking about Ray’s desire to be baptised, the Director of Nursing said, “Ray isn’t the same man who moved in here last year.” What a difference Jesus makes when he is invited to share our lives. Ray’s physical health was a daily challenge, but he participated each Friday with us, endearing himself to all.

Ray and Heather were able to join our Christmas dinner with another 10 friends. On the 10th January 2010, Ray died with the assurance that Jesus had accepted him. He had told the caring staff that he was going to be with Jesus.

As we sang at his baptism, and again at his funeral on 14th Jan, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.” Heather continues to rejoice in the grace of God and the answer to her many prayers through the years.

We completed the Baptist World Aid Australia five week 5050 program looking at poverty alleviation, and our role in bringing justice in the world. It was challenging, but also encouraging to know the value of our prayers and involvement.

God hears the cries of the poor and oppressed. We’re going to be looking at how we can hear God’s voice and live more closely to him in daily life. As followers of Jesus we want to learn to listen to the Father and obey him as Jesus did.

When we returned to the KYB group in January, Heather did just that. She had been bursting to share with the ladies the good news, that just before Christmas her husband, Ray, had accepted Jesus. It encouraged other wives to continue praying that their husbands might too come to know the love of God for themselves.

We have been happy to welcome Ray to the gatherings on Friday evenings and he is obviously taking in a great deal as he makes comments and asks questions. This Friday we will celebrate his 78th birthday with him.

Speaking of birthdays, we celebrated 100 years on 31st January – not the church (we’re 140 now) – but Mal was 60 and Kev 40 in January, so they had a combined party. It was a bit of fun to start the year.

Last Friday night we were pleased to welcome Steve into membership. He’s endeared himself to us since he started coming last year. He’s already shown himself really good at washing dishes, and we’re discovering his other gifts as we get to know him better.

Before Easter Beth Tephillah is being used by one of the interchurch Lenten study groups. Great to be sharing with others of the Body of Christ in the Williamstown and Newport areas. Our facilitator is Peter Clark, the pastor from Newport Baptist Church. Peter’s also a CFA chaplain who has been involved in the aftermath of the Victorian bushfires. Many harrowing stories but also amazing deliverance, courage and generosity, showing that God is bringing good out of this most terrible devastation.

Having spent 2008 considering the glory of God and how we live to bring him glory and share his glory, we have begun to explore worship together on Friday nights. Using a Vineyard DVD to aid us we are wanting to learn how all of life becomes a spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1).

Friday evening gatherings will continue through January as normal, just as most other churches continue Sunday services even in holiday times.

Then we considered More of God’s Women – Rebekah, Rahab, Abigail, Jehosheba, Lydia and Priscilla. Each in their different way taught us, some how ‘not’ to behave! How important each individual is, responding to the challenges of life and trusting God. He has a place for us all in His kingdom’s work.

Our final study, October – December, was of Psalms 73-89, entitled Psalms of Faithfulness. Honest, raw, faithfilled declarations of real human beings struggling with situations of trouble, injustice and difficulties of life. Through it all the Faithful God who can be trusted was seen.

We’re on holiday now until 31st January 2008 when we begin our next study, Ephesians. See the KYB page for more details.

It was cosy, but the buzz developing through the day indicated the good atmosphere we enjoyed together. Lots of interesting comments and questions as we explored our part in bringing healing to the unresolved sin issues in our family history. The use of genograms as a tool to identify patterns through the generations was new to some, and for some, just looking at their family tree brought understanding of issues they face, and why their life has not gone well.

In preparing the teaching, I was again struck by the immensity of God’s grace that the blessings of obedience to His ways is to a thousand generations of those who love Him, while the consequence of disobedience is generally limited to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him. (Exodus 20:4). Also, as the Sandfords put it so well, “Wherever men will let Jesus Christ reap the dire effects of the law through forgiveness and atonement on the cross, God can prevent tragedy. (God) has set Himself to obey His own laws. So whenever men will not repent, and by that fail to give Him access, men must reap, generation to generation, whatever is sown, however unfair that may be to the unborn and however much our loving God doesn’t want that to happen.” (John and Paula Sandford, Transforming the Inner Man: God’s Powerful Principles for Inner Healing and Lasting Life Change, p. 188-189).

So we see that the atoning death of Christ is always effective for personal sin, and when applied to corporate sin, is equally effective to bring healing to generational lines. How wonderful is the blood of Jesus to deal with all sin and bring us into all the freedom of the children of God.

Hearing some of the family inheritances that people have, makes me very grateful for my own heritage, and full of admiration for those, who in spite of the generational iniquity have, by their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, brought blessing to their family line.

As Mal concluded today, “If done well, dealing with generational iniquity not only brings a great amount of healing to the person receiving ministry, but also to their children, and often also sideways to other members of their family.” We trust that for the families represented at Beth Tephillah today, this will prove true.

By the way, we’ve changed the date of the 4th seminar, on dissociation, to 24th November. Places are being booked much earlier for this than for our other seminars, so we expect another “full” day in November.

It is great that the Restoration conference 2007 gave us the opportunity to hear him expand more fully on the Authority we have as believers in Jesus Christ. Well done to the Restoration team and Australia for Christ Fellowship for their hard work. We connected with a lot of people and it is exciting to hear of more people being trained and equipped to minister healing and deliverance.

Dr. Kraft taught from his book, I Give You Authority. Chuck’s story, his humour, and years of experience encouraged us all to deal with sin issues that give the devil a foothold, to “have a go”, and to exercise our authority in Jesus in all areas of life. As believers, our name is added to the credit card the Father gives to his children.

Chuck will be speaking at South Perth Church of Christ 23-25 August and Clovercrest Baptist Church (South Australia) 30 August – 1st September. I know the people who attend will enjoy themselves and learn heaps.

We are glad Meg was with him again this time. Since her last visit to Melbourne in 2003 she has published Frontline Women: Negotiating Crosscultural Issues in Ministry. With her husband, Marguerite Kraft has taught generations of students at Fuller Seminary. Now retired, she is enjoying a quieter pace in between travelling with Chuck. We heard from him how his authority in Christ extended protective covering for his wife, children and grand-children.

We realise that time is a major factor in developing intimacy in any relationship. The more we spend time with someone, through the ordinary, as well as the special, events of life, the better we get to know them. Part of the Wikipedia definition of intimacy describes the intimacy shared by members of the Godhead: Intimacy is linked with feelings of closeness, safety, trust and
transparency among partners in a collaborative relationship.” We are invited to join the Father, Son and Spirit in their relationship and share with others in the oneness in the body of Christ.

We explored the Why, the How and Obstacles to Intimacy with God and discovered helpful ways to grow in intimacy. How our God longs for us to draw near so that he can draw near to us.