Church Family News – February 2025

This Sunday, 16 February

ALL WELCOME this Sunday, either in person or online, to worship together and to give thanks for the week that has passed. Communion will be shared during the service.
This week Matt Henderson will continue the new Sermon Series: Hearing God: Listening Prayer
SERMON: Testing and Hearing
BIBLE READING: John 16:5-15
You are welcome to join us for MORNING TEA following the service.
YOUNG PEOPLE: Kids’ Church is on this Sunday. Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade resume this Friday 14 February.
WATCH: LIVE on YouTube at 10.00am Sunday

CHECK OUT: The latest from Tas Baptists in reCharge click here >>>
reCharge 12Feb 2025

HBC ROOM USE OR HIRE: For enquiries regarding room use/hire, please email Connie Sim (connie@hobartbaptist.org.au). Please note, this is a new email address for Connie.
PLEASE NOTE: To contribute to Connecter and Church Family News for any Sunday, please email connecter@hobartbaptist.org.au no later than 9am the Wednesday prior.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

FEBRUARY
THURSDAY 13th 6-7pm. The Battery: Prayer together at HBC
SATURDAY 15th 6-7:30pm. Youth and Young Adults group at HBC
SUNDAY 16th 10:00am. Communion Service
MONDAY 17th 10:00am. Men’s discussion group
THURSDAY 20th 6-7pm. The Battery: Prayer together at HBC
SATURDAY 22nd 6-7:30pm. Youth and Young Adults group at HBC
SUNDAY 23rd 10:00am. Hearing God: Listening Prayer. Q&A answers.
HEARING GOD: LISTENING PRAYER
February 2025

What is prayer?
Prayer is a conversation – but conversations are two way. How often do we listen?
What does it look like to listen in prayer? How does God speak into our lives? Together, we will explore what it is like to have a conversation with God and ways to listen. What are some ways we can make ourselves more receptive to how God speaks into our lives? How do we test and discern?
Click here >>> to find out more.
The Q&A time is resuming in a different format for this series. If you have any questions through the series, send them in to the church phone 0491 070 718 or write them on a piece of paper and put them in the offering box. The answers will be compiled and form the message on 23 February.
Also, if you would like to share answers to prayer, no matter how small, text them to the church phone.
HBC CONSTITUTION

The deacons are currently reviewing our constitution with any changes to be presented to Church Meeting on 30th March. The most significant change is a recommendation regarding pathways to church membership.
The deacons are seeking feedback from the church as part of this review If you have suggestions regarding changes to the constitution or would like to discuss aspects of our constitution, please contact Scott Ambrose or Evalds Kuplis.
scott.ambrose@bigpond.com, or ejkuplis@netspace.net.au.
Feedback would ideally be received by Friday 1st March.
CHURCH MEMBERS’ MEETING
Sunday 30 March 2025.

There will be a Church Members’ Meeting on Sunday 30 March in the Gibson Hall, following the 10am service. ALL WELCOME!
The 140th Annual Report for Hobart Baptist Church, which will be a celebration of the church life during 2024, will be presented.
Requests for contributions from all ministry leaders have gone out and will, ideally, be received by next Sunday, 23 February, (or at least by the end of February). If you didn’t receive an email, my apologies, it would be great to hear from you too.
Heather Galloway heathergalloway1@gmail.com
NEW FROM THE DEACONS
As the new year begins, the Deacons want to advise that we have vacancies for 2 Deacons and a Secretary. We appreciate your prayer for these roles and the work of our Deacons for the Lord at this critical juncture in the life of our church.
The constitution provides for the filling of these casual vacancies by the Diaconate and a subsequent presentation of candidates to the Church Members’ Meeting for ratification.
If you have questions or comments, or would like to know more, please feel free to speak to one of the members of the Diaconate.
Scott Ambrose
Chairman of Deacons
Clean Up Australia Day

Clean Up Australia Day will be held on Sunday 2 March 2025 and HBC is invited to get involved.
Ben Wagner is hosting a Clean Up event at Kangaroo Bay Rivulet, Rosny at 12:30pm. This is the fourth year Ben has hosted an event at this location.
Citywide Baptist (Mornington) have volunteered in previous years and will do again this year. It will be opportunity to do some good in the community and mingle with our brothers and sisters at Citywide.
If you are interested, please contact Ben on 0404 309 388.
To check out Ben’s fundraising page, click here >>>
NAME BADGES
There have been several requests to please Bring back the name badges!
To help us all learn the names of those we don’t know and to aid the memory recalling those we do, we are reintroducing and encouraging the use of name badges on Sunday mornings.
The name tags will be your property, we will not be using the board as we used to.
If you would like a name badge, please ask the welcomers, Celia and Karen, or myself.
PLEASE NOTE: The magnets that hold the badges in place contain small parts that are dangerous for children. Please be vigilant, and do no not allow little people to play with them.
Heather Galloway
FROM THE TREASURER
At the HBC Members Meeting in November 2024, it was requested that monthly offering values be reported to the congregation. This was in response to the Treasurer’s report (presented at the Members Meeting) citing increased outgoing costs and lower than budgeted income for the year FY24. The trend was predicted to continue into FY25.
On this basis, we will endeavour to report monthly offerings via the Connecter for your information.
The figures below are average offerings for the period stated:
- January 2025 – $1,436 per week
- Q2 October to December 2024 – $2,076 per week
Q2 offerings were buoyed by a higher than average result in November, which included the 140th Anniversary Service.
We are currently reassessing the FY25 budget due to changes in Building Hire, Esteem, and having reached the end of agreements with others. We anticipate some large bills in March 2025 and then look to finish the financial year in a stronger position. All the time seeking guidance from our heavenly Father to direct HBC to where He wants us to be.
We are very grateful for the ongoing support the church receives from its members and congregation.
Ben Wagner
ESTEEM NEWS

Esteem continues to open on Sunday mornings courtesy of our lovely volunteers, Paula, Connie, Adiba and Kelvin. THANK YOU!
Esteem is currently not able to open during the week, but watch this space! Be encouraged – we are in conversation regarding the future of Esteem. Please pray that through these conversations God’s will for the space will be realised.
Kitchen Upgrade
To those lovely people who have contributed towards the upgrade of the kitchen, by fundraising or straight donations – THANK YOU!
Frustratingly all the money raised, and a more besides, has been spent to get to the point of discovering a whole lot more is required to bring the kitchen up to a commercial standard. This project is therefore on hold for now.
SMALL GROUPS AT HBC

Youth & Young Adults
The Youth & Young Adults group (aged 16-25) has recommenced for 2025. Saturday nights at HBC, 6-7:30pm.
Speak to Jeremiah Ambrose for more info.
Men’s Discussion Group
You are welcome to join the very lively group of gentlemen who meet at the church on the third Monday of each month at 10.00am. For further information contact Geoffrey Clarke 03 6244 8838.
Ladies Coffee Morning
Ladies welcome to join the monthly Thursday morning coffee catch ups. These are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 10:30am-12midday at HBC.
Weekly Prayer at HBC

Thursday night prayer time at HBC weekly from 6-7pm at HBC, continues in 2025. Thursdays, 6-7pm at HBC.
This is an opportunity to come together, in prayer, as we seek to discern God’s will for the church in the months and years ahead.
Hope to see you there!
EmpowHer Day of Wonder

WHO: All women are welcome at this inspiring gathering!
MEN? Yes! We are looking for volunteers to assist on the day.
WHEN: 29 March 2025
WHERE: Riverlands, Longford
COST: $60 until 28 February
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Melissa Lipsett, CEO of Baptist World Aid
More than just another women’s event—it’s a chance to pause, wonder, and rediscover your God-given potential in the company of other women.
Register: https://tasbaptists.org.au/dayofwonder/

You can watch or share the promo on VIMEO:Â https://vimeo.com/1056233324?share=copy#t=0
IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE PAYING TO REGISTER, PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE CAN HELP: empowher@tasbaptists.org.au
TITHES, GIFTS AND OFFERINGS

‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’
2 Corinthians 9:7
We thank all who give faithfully on a regular basis, as without this support we would not be able to operate. Your offerings support our budget: and through that it enables the church to continue to be an important part of the North Hobart landscape and the place from where we can prophetically serve the City of Hobart.
It is where we can know the benefit of worshipping with others, where we hear the stories of Jesus and how they apply to us, where we are encouraged in our journey with Jesus, from where we can share God’s love with others and help them to know and trust in God themselves. Our influence can also be far reaching – there is no limit to God’s love through our deeds and actions. Thank you for your generosity.
EFT is a great way to ensure regular giving and as well there are offering boxes available for use as you leave the Sanctuary.