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Our Quick Build was a big task.. a lot of work.. and it certainly wasn't easy. But your enthusiastic involvement made the task lighter. Thank you so much for encouraging and supporting us with our Extreme Church Makeover.
It has been a wonderful blessing seeing so many folk working together to refresh this wonderful facility God has provided for us. It is anticipated that the roof for the patio/coffee stop will be constructed this week pending the release of the stamped plans from council. We are also waiting for the donation of a playground to be constructed in the designated children's area.
More photos of the Quick Build will  be uploaded soon to the website.

There are only days to go before the 'extreme makeover' refurbishment of our church facilities and our church family is busy with working bees and preliminary preparations for Thursday. Yes, it's a big task and if we take our eyes off God and focus on the mountains of tasks still to be organised and the waves of tiredness that  threaten to swamp us, we will become discouraged and overwhelmed. Warren Wiersbe once said that 'Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.'
Please pray with us that we will look past the problems and see all that God would have us accomplish in our building refurbishment and in the lives of all involved as we work and share and encourage each other- building, not just a church facility, but a community of God's people.

We'll endeavour to provide updates on our quick-build throughout the week, so keep watching this space.

The church here at Tweed Coast is growing and we have an exciting vision for the work here, in the nearby areas of Kingscliff, Pottsville and Cabarita and within the soon-to- be developed area of Cobaki.  This is a growth area for families with even greater growth anticipated within the next few years.

As you would no doubt be aware, our Tweed Coast church family is planning an extreme makeover– a renovation of our current church facilities and we need you. We’re looking to upgrade our buildings to reflect a family focus in keeping with our community neighbours. They’re the people who work, live and love in this community and, just like you, have a strong emphasis on building families that survive and thrive. We invite you to help us make a difference in their lives. It won’t be glamorous, but a little hard work is going to be mixed with genuine caring and friendship. The countdown is on and we're down to 11 days remaining before this work begins.

Is all this possible? Absolutely! We're looking for 100, even more, and already 50 people have signed up to assist us with this exciting project or contributed financially. Whole families have signed up and some have booked accommodation at some of the holiday resorts nearby.. it's, sort of, a working holiday. So, whether you can help for the full 3 days or just a few hours, please join us- painters, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, roofers, handy people, gofers, cleaners, those with ability in food preparation but especially, intercessors.  Please join us September 29 to October 1. Register right here on our church website: www.tweedccc.com.au

I look forward to seeing you there.

On a human level, what really encourages people to investigate an authentic relationship with Jesus?
A recent study outlines the various approaches to outreach, evangelism or being missional:  Academic approach (teaching, preaching, Bible study) 6%, Evangelistic crusades less than 1%, Special programs and events 5%, Relational efforts 78%. Many rely on the pastor to reach the unchurched or throw all their time, money and energies into creating special events, activities and programs and these are great. But what happens when those families or others from the community turn up to these events? If we’re serious about spreading the Good News, it’s time to be intentional about being relational and everyone has a role.
Thom Schultz recently wrote in his blog 'Holy Soup':   A powerful ministry tool lies dormant in most churches. It’s waiting for you to activate it. It’s hospitality.Most think they do it well. Very few do.

This week I met a pastor who’s committed to transforming his church with a palpable embrace of hospitality. Knowing that Jesus exemplified hospitality in his ministry, Henry Brinton of Fairfax Presbyterian Church in Virginia, has identified three elements of effective hospitality for churches.

1. Create a “threshold place”—a location that connects the world and the church. This may be a carefully designed welcoming zone at the entrance of the church. Or it may be a different location that is easily accessible to the community. (Lifetree Café would qualify.) And all members need to practice the art of hospitality.
2. Provide opportunities for people to eat together. Jesus demonstrated that barriers melt when people gather around tables to share food and drink.
3. Find ways for people to talk together in small groupings. Hospitality blooms when people open up in trusting conversation.

Many churches believe they excel at hospitality. Brinton tells of visiting one of these, only to be sidelined by parishioners who clumped together to talk with their own cliques.Suspecting that his own church may not be as hospitable as it needs to be, he created a hospitality retreat where his people dove into the theology of hospitality—and joined in actually practicing how to act in hospitable ways.

Hospitality is everyone’s job. If you assign it to greeters and ushers, you won’t be a welcoming church.
The art of hospitality really isn’t that hard. Most people perform it well in their own homes. When guests come, most people greet them with a smile and a hug. They offer food and drink. They engage in genuine conversation. They listen. They show a real interest in what the guests have to say.We just need to transfer our home skills to church.