Malcolm Potts October 11th 2015 ~ Sailing

I am sailing, I am sailing,home again 'cross the sea.I am sailing, stormy waters,to be near you, to be free.I think Rod Stewart was on to something.How is your boat sailing?  Are you well out on the lake called "life", or are you hugging the shore?  Who is in the boat with you?  Anyone in there you wish wasn't?  Who is pulling on the oars?  Is there a cooperative rhythm or are oars flailing everywhere? Are there any competent sailors, any reliable captain?  What is the captain's experience? Are there storms brewing? Is Jesus in your boat?  Is he welcomed by everyone? Is he awake or asleep?  Where is your boat sailing to?Too many questions, already!This is how I find the bible informs my life and our decision-making as a community.  I don't necessarily know the answers to the questions but I am open to answers.Following last week’s talk in church from Luke 8:22-25 [you can hear it again on our St Philips podcast - just go to stphilips.net.au/podcast] I have had a healthy number of people share with me their considered opinions on the sailing of our church.  I thank you all for your contribution.  It all forms the collective voice from which we discern God's voice.Thank you too for those who have committed to pray for a clear sense of God's direction.For those of you who have no idea what our current situation is, it is simply this: as of last week we have many, many exciting ministry activities and possibilities taking place.  Financially we have about $130,000 in our St Philips Fund, established  exclusively to fund mission people or events [the capital is preserved].  We have received an unsolicited, one-off bequest that has left us with about $250,000 [we have decided to spent $70,000 of that on necessary building maintenance].  But, our week-by-week giving is $90,000 short of us meeting our recurrent budget.We are in a period of major cyclic economic downturn in Western Australia right now.  People are in or setting up for storms.  Look after number one.We have been asking God what he is saying and what he wants us to do about it.  We have been making sure he is awake in the boat and that our hearts are open to his direction.  We have options - how fortunate are we.We have committed ourselves to our staff.  We could spend the bequest money - it was a windfall after all - on funding our shortfall which equals paying our staff. While business and money people say NO!, we haven't heard God say yes or no. We are taking all options seriously.We have no stomach to take the foot off the accelerator and let our kingdom vision and trust in a good Father be limited by money. We will recommence the opportunity to give special extra annual gifts to meet our shortfall through a Vision 15/16 project that will start very soon with 90 x $1,000 lots.We especially want you to know all the good news things that God is doing through you, our people, to bring his kingdom here.These are good days . . .  Exciting days. . .  Learning-to-sail days . . . We are doing it together.  We welcome your prayerful and financial input.  We welcome your good news stories.  You have elected great people to make decisions on your behalf.  Church council meetings are not boring!Read up on sailing; we need you on the oars.Every BlessingMalcolm