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Westminster Presbyterian Church | Volume 150 Winter Edition 2011 the Messenger Contents Volume 150 Winter Edition 2011 The MESSENGER Published by Westminster Presbyterian Church | Volume 150 Winter Edition 2011 The Messenger Contents Volume 150 Winter Edition 2011 Features Missions Family Page Church News 4-13 14-23 24-25 26 AIMS CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS, To uphold the teachings of Scripture as ETC. summed up in the Westminster Confession All materials for the editor, such as of Faith. contributions, letters and comments about To assist the WPC churches in their congre- The Messenger should be directed to: gational life and witness. Revd Clem White, To foster a spirit of unity amongst WPC 10 Melaleuca Terrace, churches. HALLS HEAD, W.A. 6210 Phone: (08) 9535 3301 SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Email: [email protected] The 2011 subscription rates are as follows: EADLINES FOR EACH SSUE 1. If posted directly to your address, D I $4.25 per copy, or $16.00 p.a. Articles of Church News, Letters to the Editor and contributions for each of the 2. Bulk mailed to your church’s 4 issues are to be in the Editor’s hand no Messenger representative for $14.00 later than: p.a. • Feb 14 for Autumn issue 3. $4.50 for single issues. • May 16 for Winter issue 4. Please send payments to: • Aug 15 for Spring issue The Westminster Messenger via • Nov 14 for Summer issue Sandra Wilson and addressed to Rev. Clem White at the 105 Regency Drive, contact address or email above. THORNLIE W.A. 6108 Email: [email protected] THE MESSENGER COMMITTEE otherwise Ph: (08) 9452 1830 • Revd Clem White (Editor) or Mob: 0417 944 138 • Mrs Sandra Wilson (Treasurer) PLEASE NOTE: • Mrs Pam White (Secretary) ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE IN • Ray Wilson (Proofing) ADVANCE. • Mr Roy Lim (Designer) Opinions expressed are those of the contributor and not necessarily those of WPC, the editor or the committee. Submitted articles are welcome. You can help make your denominational journal a success by subscribing and contributing to it. We cordially invite you to do both. PHOTO ON COVER: Visit to Pakistan April 8 - 11, 2011, Shahdra Congregation by Tony Bracefield Pg. 14 2 The Messenger • Winter 2011 Editorial CHANGES A5 size issue. One advantage in using this size is that it will fit into a lady’s hand There have been some recent changes bag, into your Bible or hip pocket. If we in the composition of our Messenger don’t hear any complaints we will assume Committee. you like it. Ron Nugent, who has been our proof reader for a number of years, is not able SYNOD to continue in this role. Ron has been an assiduous proof reader who knows how Some might be thinking that is a to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. He strange word; what does it mean? Well, it has also given us wise counsel on some simply means a church gathering. In our theological issues during his time with us. Presbyterian form of government we do We appreciate all Ron has done in serving not have a hierarchical system as does the Lord and us and thank Ron sincerely. the Anglican church. It’s more of a flat In answer to our prayers Ray Wilson has form where we have outward concentric now stepped up to the plate and will be circles; the inner circle consisting of each our future proof reader. Ray is a pastor at congregation’s session or committee of Kelmscott WPC. elders. The next circle, the presbytery, Another change in our committee is to is made up of representative elders do with graphic design. Erica Woonings from each session. The outer circle is has been our graphic designer for a composed of representative elders from number of years. Erica introduced colour each of the presbyteries. The synod deals to our front and back pages and did some with matters that are common to all of other redesigning of the magazine for us. the presbyteries such as relationships We want to thank Erica for all the hard with other Christian denominations. You will notice an advertisement work she has done for us and give thanks th to God for her input. Again in answer for our 18 Synod in this issue of The to our prayers the Lord has provided Messenger. Please read it. This is a us with another graphic designer in the great opportunity for all members and person of Roy Lim. Roy is a member of adherents of our congregations to get All Nations WPC and comes to us with together and encourage each other in much experience in graphic design and the Lord. It will be a good time for the Christian enthusiasm. We will probably East to meet the West and catch up with notice a few changes as Roy puts his own old friends and meet new ones. Not only stamp on the design of The Messenger. that, you will be able to enjoy the blue Thanks Roy for coming on board. skies and beauty of the West. An obvious major change is the So get the date into your diary right dimensions of this issue of The now and arrange to be there. U Messenger. We are interested to get feedback about what you think of this CLEM WHITE The Messenger • Winter 2011 3 Features Creation: God’s Universe BY NATHAN WOONINGS This is the fourth, God willing, of a series of articles written by various authors on the theme of each chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 4:1 he scientist approached God and CREATION OUT OF NOTHING5 said, “Listen, we’ve decided we no God created everything in the universe Tlonger need you. Nowadays, we can from nothing. I once visited a church and extract stem cells, clone people, transplant the Pastor prayed something like, “God I hearts, and all kinds of things that were pray that as you found the world in chaos once considered miraculous.” when you came to create it, so I pray that God patiently heard him out, and then you would turn the chaos of people’s lives said, “All right. To see whether or not you gathered here into something ordered still need me, why don’t we have a little and beautiful”. The Pastor was adlibbing man-making contest?” “Okay, great!” the so I don’t know if he actually realised scientist said. “Now, we’re going to do this what he was saying. It certainly caught my just like I did back in the old days with attention. Adam,” God said. “That’s fine,” replied When God created the world he did not the scientist and he bent down to scoop take what was already there and make it up a handful of dirt. “Whoa!” God said, into what it is today. God is not a cosmic shaking his head in disapproval... “Not so sculptor who, like humans, with pre- existing material, produces a sculpture6. fast. YOU get your own dirt.”2 God began with nothing. At no time It always amuses me every time I hear does the bible mention that there was in that anecdote recounted. It reminds me eternity ‘stuff’ that existed. The created of a vital truth I constantly need to be universe has a beginning. The world, the aware of. God created the universe and universe, atoms, matter–all of it has its everything has its origin in God. I cannot origin in God. Genesis 1:1-2 doesn’t say, live without God– as much as other people ‘When God began to create...the earth was 3 want to or try to . I am dependent on him without form or void’ or, ‘In the beginning for my very survival. It is the subject of of God’s creating...the earth was without creation that our series in the Westminster form or void.’ Confession of Faith (WCF) brings us. Genesis 1:1 is an independent statement We are going to consider just the first from verse 2. It says, ‘In the beginning paragraph of Chapter 4. God made God created the heavens and the earth”.7 everything out of nothing, by his powerful It was the heavens and earth that God word, for his own glory, and it was all very had just created that was without form good.4 and void, Genesis 1:2. The Hebrew word 4 The Messenger • Winter 2011 ‘create’ is absolute. Only God ‘creates’ People are busy worshiping creation, in the Bible. In the context of the Bible whether it is an idol, the sun, or ‘create’ means to ‘make out of nothing’. themselves.11 But the created universe Genesis 1:1 teaches the absolute beginning is not a part of God. All of creation is of all things; space, time, energy, matter.8 indeed dependent on God. God must God created all reality outside of himself take care of it and sustain it. But it out of nothing that had existed previously.9 nevertheless has an independent existence But how did nothing become from God. The heavens and earth are just something? How was that possible? that, the heavens and the earth. God is The answer is astonishing. God spoke it God. God and creation are fundamentally into existence! Imagine if our words had different. God is imperishable; creation power to speak something into existence. is perishable.12 God is eternal; creation is How amazing would it be if we said, “Let temporal13 there be a house on this block” and it We cannot treat creation like we treat suddenly physically appeared? Wow! Well, God. We are commanded to worship God’s word does have power like that– God14.
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