Introducing the Chias

Roger, Caris, May Hsin

May Hsin
Father and daughter
Roger..in his "saner" moments...and Caris looking disapprovingly

1. What is your favourite thing to do for leisure?

May Hsin: I enjoy bird-watching in nature reserves and parks. Even if I don’t see any birds, I get to take a nature walk and breathe some fresh air…

Roger: I enjoyed playing soccer and basketball when I was much younger. I also like pick up my binoculars and bird-watch, enjoying God’s wonderful creation. Well, being a bible college student and a father of a baby now… leisure = sleep!

2. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

May Hsin: A sheep. I’m horrible with directions and starkly oblivious at times. =P

Roger: An owl perhaps as I am quite a nitebird.

3. If you could choose to be anybody for one day, who would you choose to be and why?

May Hsin: I would choose to be the disciple Jesus loved-John. I would love to physically be with Jesus. To listen to Him and to learn from Him-face to face.

Roger: It would be my wife, May Hsin. It will be interesting to see things from her perspective. It should help me be a better husband to her.

4. What was it like growing up in Singapore and what do you miss most, since coming to Sydney?

Mei Hsin: Growing up in Singapore has been a blessing. I grew up with simple ‘kampong’ (village) games, where we had to run around a lot. My brother and I played table tennis at home on the floor (not the table!) and we had many festivals to celebrate (eg. Lunar New Year and Mid autumn festival), which meant that there were lots of gatherings, special food and games!
I miss the people most. My best friend is getting married at the end of April and I can’t be there! =( *moans and sighs*

Roger: Singapore is very much like a pressure-cooker, but it is where family and friends are. Apart from family and friends, I miss the convenience of Singapore. You can easily get anything, anywhere, anytime… and the food (better not think too much about it!)

5. Share with us how you came to faith in Christ?

May Hsin: Well, that story can fill 2 pages! So to cut it short, it all happened when God led me to think of many existential questions when I was 16. At that same time, a Christian classmate lent me a book with bible verses in there and the desire to read such verses grew. So, I went to the Christian bookshop and bought the cheapest book I could find. It turned out to be a copy of the New Testament. I spent the whole of my June holidays reading gospel of Matthew and though I did not understand everything written in it, I was impressed by Jesus, by His work and His character. After the vacation, I told another Christian classmate that I read the book of Matthew. She asked if I wanted to pray the sinner’s prayer. Though I had no idea what it was, I still prayed it because I knew that if Jesus is Lord, that seemed to be the appropriate thing to do. And with that, there was no turning back. Through Christian ministries on campus, I grew to know Jesus more, and understood what my prayer meant. I’m eternally grateful to God for keeping me a believer, even to this day.

Roger: I had many questions about life when I was 15-16 yrs old. Buddhism and Atheism did not have satisfactory answers to my questions. As I was still searching, God, out of His mercy provided a schoolmate who shared the gospel with me. Over time, I began to understand that God created us and loves us. However, we disobeyed and broke our relationship with Him. We turned away from God and pursued things of this world such as wealth, fame, etc. These things can never fully satisfy us and we will keep craving for more. Our lives become meaningless and futile. The only thing remaining for us is the punishment of God for our disobedience. However, God loves us and gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our disobedience. This is the only way that we can be back with God and to able to live a life that is truly satisfying in Jesus. I confessed, asked for forgiveness, turned away from my disobedience and received Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and Lord.

6. If you could describe yourself in a sentence, what would it be?

May Hsin: An ordinary girl living in God’s extraordinary grace.
Roger: Wretched sinner saved by grace.

7. What has it been like being a new mum? Share some joys and other times when things were hard.

May Hsin: Being a new mum has been a humbling experience. I started motherhood thinking that I knew what to do, but in the end, when things didn’t go as expected, I had to let go of certain preconceived ideas of parenting. Some joys are hearing Charis laugh, say ‘ma-ma’ and receiving bright smiles from her. I feel very privileged to see God’s miracle unfolding in her growth everyday. The whole process of how she grew, even from the time she was in my womb is amazing. The hard times are, when she frets and even after I have tried everything, nothing seems to help. The hardest time was when Charis was just born and I had problems breastfeeding. Charis didn’t feed very well and I was worried that she might not have enough to drink, coupled with how things did not go as expected.... motherhood seemed to overwhelm me then. Yet, I’m thankful for God’s grace in enabling me to persevere and for Roger’s love, support and ‘rationality’ during that period of time.

8. Share a significant moment / or something/which has impressed or impacted on your spiritually since starting bible college at SMBC).

Roger: David Cook, the principal of Sydney Missionary and Bible College, shared with us on enduring through the tough demands of college. He shared from John 1:18 that Jesus is the one that can reveal God. No other religion offers this. They can only seek to know or please “gods”. Anyone that does not know Christ is doomed to perish. Therefore, we are to persevere in our training even when we are struggling with exams and essays because we are preparing to preach Christ.

Introducing the Yips (Focus on Gillian & Justin) Part 1

Gillian, Rachel, Justin, Sarah
What a beautiful family!
Gillian
Justin
Justin (in an arty farty) pose

1. What is your favourite thing to do for leisure?

Gillian: Brisk early morning walks

Justin: Anything really. Sleeping, reading, playing board games, surfing the net and catching up with news from around the world.

2. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

Gillian: A family pet dog, because I would be showered with love and attention constantly

Justin: An Orang Utan (a kind of ape) because they live such lazy lives and are very human- like.

3. If you could choose to be anybody for one day, who would you choose to be and why?

Gillian: Can’t think of anyone I would swap places with even for one day

Justin: The President of the United States, so that I can understand the pressures of running a country and being in charge of World affairs. It would also be quite an experience to feel so important, stay in the White House and meet other politicians and celebrities.

4. "What was it like living in Malaysia and being "different"?

Gillian: Often uncomfortably humid. A learning experience where I had the opportunity to eat and talk differently. My taste and smell senses were constantly challenged. Being different attracted much attention from the locals wherever I went. Sometimes a positive thing sometimes a negative thing.

4. What was it like growing up in Malaysia and what do you miss most, since coming to Sydney?

Justin: I never thought about having it any other way. Often we were stared at by strangers because we looked a bit different but those who knew us well treated us like any other Malaysian. Being surrounded by many different languages, cultures and religions was very educational and invaluable considering the globalisation of today’s world. I miss my friends and being able to speak Manglish freely and not getting tongue tied. (Food no need to say lah)

5. Share with us how you came to faith in Christ?

Gillian: I accepted Christ at the age of 14 having been brought up in the church from young

Justin: I accepted Christ when I was 5 years old in Singapore at a Christmas Children’s party.

6. If you could describe yourself in a sentence, what would it be?

Gillian: Gentle in nature, patient preferring to listen and loves the outdoors and exercise

Justin: A serious yet fun loving Jack-of-all-trades.

Scroll down for features on Rachel and Sarah

Introudcing the Yips (Rachel and Sarah)

Rachel
Bec trying to give Rachel tips on giving "funny" poses
Sarah

Sarah (Side pose)

1. What is your favourite thing to do for leisure?

Rachel: Playing the piano

Sarah: No one favourite thing. I like listening to music, talking to friends, reading

2. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

Rachel: A bird. As birds live a care-free life with nothing much to worry about. It would also be nice to experience total freedom like they do, once in a while.

Sarah: Without thinking too much, a leopard? More like what I’d choose to be, because they’re beautifully built, they’re fast and fierce.

3. If you could choose to be anybody for one day, who would you choose to be and why?

Rachel: I would choose to be Oprah Winfrey because she inspires millions of people to lead a healthy lifestyle and to be a better person in life.

Sarah: Anyone really. Just being able to look at life from someone else’s perspective would be awesome enough.

4. What was it like growing up in Malaysia and what do you miss most, since coming to Sydney?

Rachel: Growing up in Malaysia has been a great experience for me. All my friends were from many different races, and when we have conversations, we would often include a few Malay words in each sentence. I would say I miss the food the most.

Sarah: Growing up in Malaysia was terrific. It did a lot for me and my mind. I miss my home (and all in it) and all my friends.

5. Share with us how you came to faith in Christ?

Rachel: I accepted Christ while I was on a church youth camp back in 2004

Sarah: Through my parents really - being born into a Christian family.

6. If you could describe yourself in a sentence, what would it be?

Rachel: I am a pleasant, easy going person who enjoys music and spending time with the family.

Sarah: That’s impossible.

Good Friday Combined Service (6th April)

Melinda leading singing
Mark doing the children's talk

CS delivering the sermon

David making announcements

Praise God for His awesome mercies and grace, and for His glorious riches in the heavenly realms. It is through Him that we have been chosen and justified.

"For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight". In His love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons...in accordance with His good pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves" (Ephesians 1:4-6)

On 6th April 2007, Cornerstone Concord and Cornerstone@North came together at Eastwood for our first combined service. It was a wonderfully uplifting and joyful service. It was so good to see all our brothers and sisters from Concord!! Thank you for making the time and effort to drive 20 minutes north, to join us in worship to our Great God!

Mark gave a great children's talk. He used a home made "washing machine" to illustrate the point that nothing but the blood of Jesus will be able to cleanse us from all of our sins. These sins were written out as words on a t-shirt. There were words like lust, greed, lying, stealing, laziness, drunkeness..to represent our sinful nature.

The children were thorougly entertained and caught Mark out with a hidden clean t-shirt (to signify Christ's cleansing effect on our sins) tucked away at the bottom of the box!

CS preached from John 19:1-30. Some points of summary are:

• Jesus had no reason to die...but
• He absolutely had to die..so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled (v 24)
• God determined that God must die
• Jesus told Pilate "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above" (v 11)
• He therefore came to pay a debt He did no owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay

There are many ironies in the passage:

• Jesus the eternal source of living water thirsts ..."I am thirsty" (v 28)
• The Saviour of the world became thirsty, that we would never thirst again.
• The very first miracle that Jesus performed was turning water into the very best wine. Wine was a sign that Jesus had come to bring new wine and abundant blessing.
• However, when Jesus hung on the cross, he sucked pitifully on wine vinegar (the worst wine). Jesus drank putried wine, to give us everlasting wine.
• "It is finished" (v 30) was a cry Jesus gave before he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Elsewhere, there are parrallels

• Jesus had brought His Father glory by completing the work His Father had entrusted Him to do. He died on the sixth day of the week, and rested on the seventh in the tomb. This is reminiscent of God's creation work.
• Just as God gave His spirit to give life and create (when He breathed into Adam), Jesus likewise, breathed His spirit over his disciples (Chapter 20:22), as an indication of His new work

After the service, we had a wonderful spread of morning tea. (Check out the many photos below, courtesy of Graeme WS)

Thank God for His faithfulness, and incredible purposes for us and for the world!! We look forward to our next combined service!

Good Friday Combined Service (6th April)

Two congregations (Concord and North) combined service
Band Jared singing
Sam doing a solo dance
Group dance item by the youth @north

Photos from Combined Good Friday Service (6th April)

Geoff
Janet
Kath
Daniel (..how gorgeous!)
Charisse & Beth

Photos from Combined Good Friday Service (6th April) Continuation

Anna!
Deano
Melody & Jayne
Caleb
Me & Amy

Photos from Combined Good Friday Service (6th April) Continuation

Shirley & Sharon
Hayley & Jared
Lauren & Angie
James & Issac
Eddie & Ed

Photos from Combined Good Friday Service (6th April) Continuation

Wayne, Richard, James, Brandon, Sophia
Emily, Natalie, Florence
Graeme, Ellis
Trish, Sidney

Nigel, Anna, Jenny, Bec

Photos from Combined Good Friday Service (6th April) Continuation

Allister, Michael, Nigel & Lyle
David, Claire, Katrina, Eva, Isabella, Tina
Loretta & Rachel
Danny
Harvey, Marcelle & Ivor

Introducing Joy

Poem by Joy

Colourful Candies for Christ

Yellow sherbys symbolise God’s glory,
Eternal power and majesty.
Light and darkness He created
Land and sea He formed and separated.
On day six did He make man
“Woman” came next as man’s aide and friend.

Black liquorice represents darkness -
Lethal sins causing one to give in
All have fallen from God’s grace.
Cruelty and evil lurk around the place
Kings themselves disobey in their own ways.

Red skittles portray the blood of the Messiah
Each of us is loved by this Saviour
Divine was He to die for every sinner.

White marshmallows stand for purity
Heaven is now open to you and me!
In place of death is salvation
Trust in God and reject all trepidation
Eternal life will then be given!

Green M&M’s embody a plant in the mound
Rooted deep into the ground.
Evangelise and proclaim what you have found –
Everlasting peace in the arms of the Lord;
New wine is waiting to be poured!


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1. What would be a fun thing for you to do,
to chill and relax?

I would opt for outdoor swimming. However,
if the weather or season does not permit;
I would go to the musuem, or library or a science centre

2. What animal best describes you and why?

A spinner dolphin. It's sociable, playful, creative...
and lives in the sea! Of course, I don't live in the sea,
but the district that I grew up in,
was within walking distance to the sea.

3. If you could be anyone in the world for one day,
who would you be and why?

I'm really happy being me..
But if I really have to be someone besides myself
for (thankfully) just a day,
I'd pick my brother? He's studying in Hamilton,
Ontario now & that's where I attended high school.
It'd be interesting to experience things
from his perspective (grin)!

4. Which verse/s in the bible are of particular
significance for you and why?

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12)
I've been studying abroad ever since Jan 2003
& this verse reminds me to trust in God no matter what.

5. Share with us (in summary) how you came to faith in Christ?

I was raised in a Christian home.
But I truly came to faith in Christ when he helped
me through my challenges & struggles
in secondary school when I was 15.