(Click to download PDF version)

Index:

• Message from our CEO
• Sports Bibles for children in India
• Projects Update

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Dear friends,

Easter is the annual festival that focuses life for the Christian on the saving work that Jesus carried out for us on the cross. Without that work, we would be destitute in a world that offers little hope. My prayer is that you will be refreshed in your spirit by the Spirit, as you remember what Jesus has done on your behalf.

Bible Society has been celebrating the Easter event for the past 12 years through the Celebration of Word and Song. This great programme has undergone a number of changes in the past few years, as we seek to reach people who do not attend church. It will go to air on the Seven Network across Australia on Good Friday morning at 11.00 am, just in time for churchgoers to sit down with a cuppa and have their spirit thrill at this truly dramatic television production. The production will be videoed in Sydneys Town Hall on Saturday 12th March. Will you be part of the live audience?

February is our first anniversary at Macquarie Park. What an exciting year it has been! Many of you have come to see our new facility and we have enjoyed showing you around. If you havent been, do drop in so we can show you what is happening here.

On 25th February we will be launching our Capital Fundraising appeal to finish BibleWorld (the new name for Bible House at Macquarie Park). The plans for our future are exciting, as we pave the way for the ongoing ministry of the Bible to our society.

The end of last year was a great success. Our Annual General Meeting saw the election of our Committee to oversee the policy formation of the Society. We welcome Martin Teulan as a new member to the Committee. Martin has had many years experience working with not for profit organisations.

Our annual Thanksgiving Dinner was a fabulous evening, recounting some of the ministry highlights for the year. A number of people were unable to attend, but through their generosity, more than $5,000 was raised for the work in China. The generosity of Gods people to provide the Bible for a waiting world is astounding. Thank you for your part in the last year and we look forward to what God has in store for us in this new year.

Sports Bibles for children in India

In India  they love their sport! The current generation of Indian children is the most sports crazy of all. Millions play soccer, hockey, basketball, volleyball and especially cricket.

Their love of sport is to be linked to the good news of Jesus Christ through a series of major sports outreach events in Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore.

As thousands and thousands of kids enjoy sporting activities, they will also be learning about Gods love and receive specially prepared Bibles or New Testaments for taking part.

Bible Societies NSW and Western Australia have committed themselves to the enormous task of raising the funds needed for the production of the Scriptures to be distributed to these children. This is our major annual project for 2005.

Events of this nature previously held in India have been enormously successful, impacting not only these kids, but also their families and the communities in which they live.

This series of events is planned for 2006. So Bible Society is now embarking on a major fundraising initiative to ensure that the Bible is at the heart of this important work. We hope that many thousands of children will be receiving the ultimate prize, the precious Word of God.

More details are available from Church Ministry Manager, Mark Fleming on 0419 994 594 or (02) 4573 1695. Information and folders are available from Cathy Thompson at Bible Society NSW, 5 Byfield Street, Macquarie Park on (02) 9870 5607.

Projects update

KidsGames  South Pacific
Over the next twelve months, more than 20,000 children will participate in KidsGames throughout 8 South Pacific countries. Its a great way for kids to have fun playing games and sport, while also learning about Jesus through Bible stories.

One event run recently in Fiji saw the children of Nadi and Suva spending the week playing games and learning the Old Testament story of Joseph. The Bible Society teamed up with KidsGames and gave out 2,000 Bibles to participants.

One of them, Lindi, fell asleep on the way home from the final celebration day. When she woke up, the first thing she asked for was her new Bible.

Partnering with African Enterprise (AE) in Kenya and Uganda.
Fundraising for this project began in last years Spring edition of Bibles@work. It aims to teach the children of Kenya and Uganda how to read and write. They are also educated in AIDS awareness and how to care for AIDS patients.

Each child will receive literacy and educational material based on passages of Scripture. It aims to reach up to 250,000 children over the next three years.

Please pray for the leaders and children who will participate in this project. Pray that as they learn to read, they will understand who Jesus is and what He has done for them.