JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON 22 DECEMBER 2008

PRAISE POINTSFor Dave, Nat, Ashlee and Joshua’s

training and academic achievements.

For SRCC’s cont inued good reputation and acceptance by the local community.

Sharon’s work 3 days a week.

Marriage relationships that were strengthened.

Faithful financial and prayer support over 2008.

God’s ongoing provision in so many ways.

Pirrotta’s Press

Dear Praying Friends

What a year to remember!

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus,

As we reflect over 2008 our hearts are full of praise to God for the joy it has brought us. It has been a wonderful year for our family especially Sharon and I, because for the first time in 5 years (since Italy) all our family are together again in one place.

Family NewsShardi, Dave and Allegra moved up to QLD in Nov. 2007 and have settled in really well. They love life in QLD as much as the rest of us. Dave finished Bible College with flying colours and enjoyed it very much and is now awaiting a call for a Youth Pastors position. Al legra i s 2 in Januar y and delights us daily with her cute antics and beautiful personality. She is now a doting big sister, as Shardi and Dave blessed us with yet another adorable grandchild on the 22nd o f No vember. Reuben Geof f rey Morrow (Geoffrey, named after Dave’s

Dad who passed away in July) is a healthy 6lb 6oz beautiful little boy who arrived 2½ weeks early. We praise the Lord for this gift of a son and grandson.

Nathaniel also loves QLD; the sun, surf and all that goes along with it. He has just completed exams for h i s e l ec t r i ca l apprenticeship and he too has passed with flying colours.

Ashlee, still working part time at the loca l Cof fee Club , ha s completed her first year of a 3 year nursing degree and despite her initial apprehension rose to the challenge and has thoroughly enjoyed it. She loves people and

will make a wonderful nurse. She completed her year w i th distinctions.

Joshua working in the Victoria Point Surf shop is 17 and has just finished year 12 through ACA home schooling. As life is for living (and surfing) not studying Josh real ly wanted to finish school last year but stuck it out and now has a Year 12 Certificate. We are all so proud of him.

We have Marit, a 20-year-old German girl staying with us for about a year. John met her on a short-term overseas mission trip he led two years ago.

She arrived in Nov. and has slotted nicely into our family. Marit hopes to work and travel, and take part in our little church in Redland Bay. She has a lovely voice so we are hoping she will sing with our worship team.

This year Sharon had the oppor tun i ty to take up employment working as a Teacher Aid in a Special needs school with children. With her compassionate heart and training as a Nurses Aid

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON 22 DECEMBER 2008

she has found her niche while he lp ing to supp lement the household income.

Ministry NewsOur year of ministry has been particularly rewarding also, as we saw the church at Redland Bay birthed and grow. Approximately 40 to 50 people meet in the local Golf Club surrounded by rolling green lawns. John, and Barry Hunt ington (a pa s tor and counsellor who has been a great support to John through the churches’ formative year) share the preaching.

The members are keen to live out our Purpose statement “… to proclaim the God of the Bible so that people become worshipping, praying, passionate believers . . .” as they have been actively involved in all our community outreaches. At Easter time approximately 80% of our congregation were involved in a Redlands Easter Family Festival. Some manned the gates and others the car park and still others the “Pavilion of Hope” booth where people in the com-munity came with questions about life and Christian Community in the Redlands. We were also in-vited to prepare and serve food at “The biggest Morning Tea Ever” an Anti-Cancer fundraiser run by the Redland Bay Residents Asso-ciation, and we were recently in-vited to lead the Carols at their Christmas Concert.

Mid year, we arranged a Golf Day, which was held after the church service and included a hot lunch in the Golf Club Restaurant and gave

a number o f our peop le opportunity to invite work-mates and friends.

Another practical way we share God’s love is to provide food parcels or a casserole to those in need, both within our church and in the community. As we l l , marriages have been blessed or healed through the Alpha Marriage course run in a group setting or with a couple in their home.

We intend our mid week “Life Group” to be a means of reaching out to others in the community and the Bill Hybels video series “Just walk across the room” and “Int roduc ing God” were particularly relevant.

Both the Women and Men’s month l y soc ia l e vents a re a blessing to those who attend as they get to know one another and grow together in Christ.

We a s a church a re looking forward to seeing many saved for the Kingdom of God and blessed through our persistence in sharing God’s love and spreading the Good News.

We really thank you for your invested and sacrificial interest in our work and value your continued prayers.

As Christmas approaches, I think o f what i t means to us a s Christians to celebrate it. The thought that comes to me is the Incarnat ion. In other words Christmas is about God’s great love for the human family. This

great love was shown by God the Creator of the Universe when He became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ. This great Christian truth reminds me of a God who will not leave us to our own destructive devices, as fal len creatures, but in a non-invasive, humble way, He became a little baby in perhaps the lowliness of experiences. As he grew and ministered in his time, imbibed the message of God’s love for lost mankind . There fore a s we Chr i s t i ans ce lebrate l e t us remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season and in this we pray that Christ will be a deeper and richer reality to us in 2009.

May God Richly Bless YouJohn, Sharon & Co.

PRAYER POINTSNew opportunities for outreach

to the Community.

That our “L i fe g roups” continue to multiply.

John’s min i s t r y and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

Refreshing and safe time during the holiday period for all the fam-ily.

John and Sharon a s they serve as House Parents for a Scripture Union Camp in early January.

A Youth Pastors position for Dave in the near future.

For more family PIX Don’t forget to checkout our web site www.eyesfixed.com