Haii-yah! Kick-butt! We are conquerors! \m/

+ PRAYER = POWER!
Haii-yah! Kick-butt! Exam season is almost over! We are conquerors! \m/ Victory! When frustrated with studying, remember you have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) – you can understand anything. Ask the Holy Spirit for help!

You all are still being covered in prayer! 9.30 - 10.30am @ Narthex every weekday. Do join us! Prayer = powerrr! You've got to EXPERIENCE IT for yourself!


++ HOW MAY I PLAY MY PART IN GOD'S KINGDOM?
Today, Chee Kai, Chien Aun and myself met up with some elders from Grace Church. It was so good hearing from them – their heart for God's Kingdom, the importance of outreach, and how they want to partner with OCF Clayton by getting families involved with English Studio/Class which we plan to launch next semester!

If you haven't already, I want to encourage us all to start thinking: How may I play my part in reaching out to the campus God has placed me in? I believe God will inspire you and show you how!


+++ HOMECELLS THIS FRIDAY
Check with your leaders for more details!
After that, a two week break from each other :(


++++ WINTER CAMP: COUNTDOWN 10 DAYS!
Reconsider the questions posed last Friday at OCF – 1. Who here has ever asked God: God, I want more. More. 2. How many of us have also said to God at least once before: I'm sorry for not meeting that expectation, for not being where we should be, and for straying away?

Are you one of them? Yes? Then Winter Camp definitely is the thing for you! iSync: Release, Refine, Refill. 2 – 4 July. Ask your leaders for more details! Also, GET EXCITED. Expect something, receive something.


+++++
This week, happy birthday to Pris (tue) and Jared (wed)!

Lubdub, <3 Faith!

Take a break! Have a kit-kat!

Hello dear folks!

What's coming up?


Exam prayer and praise: Mon - Fri, 9.30 - 10.30am @ Narthex room in Religious Center

What's been happening; a group of us
Realign: Coming together to put God first in the morning
Rejuvenate: Charge up with food! Breakfast and chit-chat
Ready ourselves: For the exams by studying in the library

If you haven't joined us before, why not pick just one day this week to come experience it for yourself?


OCF this Friday: 18 June, 7 - 9.30pm @ Rotunda 3

As much as homecell last week was fun, we're meeting back together again! We're having something simple; come take a break from your study hide-y holes! Dinner begins at 7pm so see you then!


Winter camp: 2 - 4 July – iSync: Release, Refine, Refill

Every night at 11pm, the committee prays for this camp, because they are so excited and expectant for God to show up and work! You're welcome to join; let's get charged up to receive at this camp!

Think of a friend you'd like to share this journey with, and extend an invitation!

Please note full payment ($75 - $80, depending) should be made this coming Friday at OCF.


Lastly...

Recently I journal-ed: God, the more I realise (how) You care for me, the more I love You.

How cool is that! God – God above, so high, so mighty, with the whole world to care for – cares for us! He cares for you and me! As we have our exams and some go through stress / sadness / discouragement / fear / confusion / anything, let us remember to cast all our anxiety on Him, because He does care for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Happy days are ahead!
Faith (:

Persevere!

Heya Claytonites!

Hope you're not tired of mugging already because it's only just the beginning!
But as Pastor Ian Grant shared 2 weeks back,

"do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
you will receive what He has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36).

So don't be defeated, and stick in there!


++ UPCOMING

Exam prayer: Mon - Fri, 9.30 - 10.30am @ Narthex. Starts tmr!

An hour of praise and prayer to the One who is able!

May sound crazy to come every weekday but trust me – it's a rewarding commitment to make! Narthex Room is in Religious Center (round building between Matheson library and campus center). Try make it at least once a week, if not everyday :D


Blessing Ministry: Mon - Wed, 4.45pm - 7pm @ Matheson

A time where we look beyond ourselves to meet the needs of others! As we give out free coffee/tea/biscuits/cake (and sneak some for ourselves), we ourselves will be refreshed too!

After all, it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)!

Monday: PinK + Dynamites
Tuesday: FFF + Boomz
Wednesday: iLoud + Kapow

Homecell

OCF will be in cells instead of the usual R3 this week. Check mail from your leaders for details, and invite a friend for a cosy get-together to chill in the midst of (stressful) exams!


Winter camp: 2 - 4 July – iSync: Release, Refine, Refill

Haven't signed up?! *shocked* You don't want to miss this time of Claytonites coming together as God's people to get in sync with Him! Think about a friend to bring, and get in line with God!



We're praying for every one of you this exam season, every morning at 9.30am. So hey, you're covered!
Feel free to message me if you've got an extra prayer request!

Much love,
Faith (:

Missions & Evangelism week!

HELLO FELLOW OCF CLAYTONITES!

Are you feeling the motivation to study hard now? Something I learnt from a psychology journal is that people perform better if they forgive themselves if they procrastinate. So instead of beating yourself up and feeling guilty for procrastinating, just forgive yourself (and ask God to forgive you =P) and move on to work even harder. Let everything that we do reflect His glory and not for our own pursuit of success. So going onto what's happening this week...

Announcements:

PRAYER
Every Wednesday, 2-3pm @ Piano Room 1 (that's at the campus centre basement) and
Every Friday, 6.15pm @ R3 (just before OCF meetings)
Do join us to pray, for prayer is everything. It brings us closer to God and brings change in this earth we're living in.

WINTER CAMP 2010
1. Super special earlybird $75 is only available by this Friday OCF
2. For those who are going to register this OCF, please bring deposit $20

28 MAY - 7PM, FRIDAY @ R3 : "MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM WEEK"
This week we're going to have an exciting and interactive time! So DON'T MISS THIS! We will be covering on topics such as - what God is doing in the world today? What is His purpose? What is our role in God's Kingdom? How does that relate to us personally? Dr Ian Grant from Harvest Bible College will be coming to speak to us. Be prepared to receive lots from God! Do bring paper and pen too!

Let us all be reminded to be True Worshippers, seeking God in Spirit and in Truth. When we come together on Fridays, let us unite together to truly desire, love and obey our precious Lover.

So see you all there!

Fighting! Ganbatte! Jia You! Hurrah! =P
Lynette

We're together again!

Helloooo Claytonites!

How has the week been doing for you ppl? I know its been tiring and stressful for most as the semester is coming to an end, but I'm sure we can take a break on a friday night and COME for OCF!

I'm pretty sure most of us enjoyed our respective girls/guys night session last friday, and it was good that we had our own time to share with one another (something new for the guys), but yea its time we all come together again as brothers & sisters of Christ.

So as usual its on;

Friday, 21 May
7pm (All are welcome to join for prayer at 6.20pm)
Rotunda 3 (same place - building 8 in Monash Uni, between Menzies and Matheson)


We're having Bible Study on 'Truly Loud' which underlines our theme of the year, and this concludes all 5 lessons we've learnt up to so far. BE excited and hungry for more, especially since its the last Bible study of the semester!

* Do take note, that prayer meetings will still be conducted every Wednesdays from 2-3pm at Piano room 1 located at the lower ground floor of Campus Centre. Make it a point to come and join us if you can. Also if you have any prayer requests, please feel free to let Faith know – 0422 152 040/chinzjinghui@gmail.com.

On a side note, there is MHOP-united (monash house of prayer united) meeting of the semester on:

Monday 24 May
5pm-7pm
Room: R7 (rotunda, building 8)

Basically, its a prayer meeting to not only focus on unifying the christian clubs and communities around campus but to also encourage and empower the young and old christians alike in the power of prayer!

Last but not least, keep 2 - 4 July free for Winter Camp! Registration opens this Friday!

Hope to see you!

Cheers,
Calvin



*Enquiries? Please call Faith (0422 152 040).
*Non-current OCFers, if you would like cease receiving this email newsletter, please reply this email to inform us. If you know of people who would like to be added to the list, please tell us too. Thank you!

--
http://ocfclayton.blogspot.com/
Reach out, build up, send back

Hello guys and girls! (:

Hello folks!

Sorry this email comes two million years late (I mean, two days)! And you know what? It's worth it :D Because what's coming our way is gonna be goooooood!

Hey men! GUYS' NIGHT // 7PM @ R3
Briefly, it'll be laser tag + dinner + sharing! As Kang Wei said (part jokingly, part honestly), no girls ≠ guys don't turn up! Haha. We're having a separate guys/girls session is because we believe there are different things God wants to speak to both, so yups, let's get open and hungry to what God wants to say and do...

Hey ladies! GIRLS' NIGHT // 7PM @ 1/24 Myriong
Some of us girls are already very excited for this! Heh.

Venue: 1/24 Myriong which is Lynette and Jared's house (no, Jared won't be home – he's a guy ha ha)

Dress code: Autumn! (Think red, orange, yellow, brown...)

Food: Comfort food (arranged by cell – your cell leaders would have contacted you). This is just finger food so please eat your dinner before coming.

Bring: Love exchange – anything which represents "love" to you; an item/object that's small and not costly, yet meaningful, to exchange with another girl + Quilt/pillow – so we're all cosy and warm! + Bible, notebook, pen + open hearts – we really look forward to what Esther Oakley has to share with us!) + A girl friend – she'll definitely be blessed

If you need transport, please contact your cell leaders or Ivie (0430 201 449).


WINTER CAMP // 2 - 4 JULY
Keep those dates free! People who miss out on winter camp... miss out on a lot :/ Winter camp is always a great time of bonding for Clayton (some people say it's better than Easter camp, in that cosy sense), reconnecting and/or growing deeper in our relationships with God and people! Registration starts next week.


To end off, stay sane, even as some of us have begun mugging for exams!
Isaiah 26:3 (The Message) says,

People with their minds set on You, You keep completely whole,
Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit.
Depend on GOD and keep at it because in the LORD GOD you have a sure thing.

God is, like, seriously awesome man.
^_^ love, Faith

We're together again!

Hello dear peoples (:

What's up this week?

Wednesday PRAYER // 2 - 3pm @ Piano Rooms
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him. – 1 John 5:14-15

Friday OCF // 7pm @ R3
How was FOF last week? I definitely had fun :D But also, I missed us ALL gathering TOGETHER! So yups this week, back to R3 whoopee! Followed by digging into God's word! Be there or be (square). Prayer is at 6.20pm.

+++

Yesterday at Citylife Church service, the song God Speaking by Mandisa was performed. And I really loved it (: It speaks about how God is in everything, everywhere, speaking to us, getting our attention, showing us Him.

Who knows how He'll get a hold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough
He'll do and He'll use whatever He wants to
To tell us, I love You

Whatever it is we are going through, He is here. With you.

What intimacy. This week, my prayer for each of us (myself included), is that we will get to know this God. So big, so great, so powerful, yet so personal – He knows each of us intimately, and longs for each of us to know Him personally.

Ask Him for a greater hunger, for Him; He is a love worth knowing (:

In His very sweet love,
Faith (:

Food Fun Find Fan Fascinate Fire Fuzz Feed. our Friends

Hellooo awesome possums!

Those are just random words in the heading :D

Hope you had a good long (but still too short heh) weekend! On Saturday, some of us joined Citylife Church's Green Teams at Kinglake to help with gardening (felt more like farming) as some areas there were burnt by last year's fires on Black Saturday. It was tiring work, but very fun too!

Okays, this week...


Wednesday PRAYER // 2-3pm, Piano room 1
Come join us (: It's at campus center basement. If anything, call Faith (0422 152 040).
"Pray, and let God worry" –Martin Luther


Friday FOF // Night, at one of our homes
That's Feed Our Friends! I've been reading Acts in the Bible and 2:44-47 stood out–

"All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

What I saw in these verses was a community. Where people share, give, meet, welcome. And it was in that environment of generosity and love, that "the Lord added to their number".

FOF is an opportunity to give our friends a greater glimpse into our lives and OCF community. Definitely at FOF, we're fed with food. But also, we'll feed our friends with friendship! And fun! And... whatever else you want to feed them with ha ha (:

So mm mm. HAVE FUN planning and being at FOF! And, let's bring our friends! I will miss us all meeting at the usual rotunda and law building, but... we'll enjoy our cells! Look out for details in the email from your cell leaders.

See you later alligator.
(In awhile, crocodile)

Love, Faith! <3

Good morning citizens of OCF Clayton

Good morning citizens of OCF Clayton.

The weather forecast for this week is sunny with a moderate temperature of mid-20s in the day. With the sun coming up, gloominess and lethargy should disappear soon enough. Thus waking up early for classes and being on time shouldn't be a problem to all university students.

To all citizens, lament not of your assignments, exams, classes and placements. But rather take delight that at such a time as this, we can draw strength from God and boast that He is the one who is good and faithful. Prayer and reading of His word are highly recommended to be adopted as secondary nature of every citizen to fight everyday life's challenges. Thus comes this week's highlights which are designed to encourage you to adopt these habits.

1. Prayer meeting (wed, 2-3pm @ music room 1): A time of refreshing and renewing right in the middle of the week. How awesome is that!

2. OCF Friday (friday, 7-11pm @ rotunda R3): We will be engaging with the life of Daniel. Come and be inspired!

In case of emergency, do not feel hesitant to contact any of your cell leaders or the committee members. They are more than happy to assist you in any way they are capable of. Remember, all work and no play makes you boring. So have fun and don't forget that we can do impossible things through Christ who gives us strength.

Hence, this ends the morning news.
Jared Yeoh, signing out.

God gives strength + understanding! (:

Hello folks!

Hope this email finds you well!

* Big thanks to...
Mornique, Eugene Ting and Val for being part of the comm which organised Easter camp! And Jem, Eugene Tong and Desiree for organising Games Day!


* Up next...

OCF Prayer // This Wed 2 - 3pm // Piano room 1
Sometimes we think of prayer as OH SO SCARY, I have to pray out loud – what if I don't sound "holy"? O_O But truth is – prayer is conversation with God. And how do we converse? We converse as ourselves, as whoever we are; we're not expected to talk like other people. So, see you if I do!

OCF // This Fri 7pm // Rotunda 3
Whoohoo! We meet back again! We're having Bible Study in cell groups :D We're also going to talk a bit about the different areas of service in OCF. So if your hands can't wait to be raised up to say, yes I want to serve! Now's the time. Join us for prayer at 6.20pm!

Green Teams // Sat 24 April // Marysville
Marysville was affected by the fire on Black Saturday. Partnering with Citylife Church, we want to give back to the community by going to lend a hand (literally) to homes which need help. Do take this chance to bring a friend, whether Christian or not.


* A little encouragement...

Many of us are in the midst of assignment/test time, which can be trying. Good news– Isaiah 40:28 says,

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

Wow. What that tells me is:
• God is everlasting - endless, infinite, boundless; full of strength – I can get strength from Him!
• He created the earth and has unfathomable understanding – whether it's that business concept or engineering formula or case study, HE knows it all.

So, let's ask for strength and help :)

Stay alive and on top of your assignments (not buried under)!

:) In His love, Faith!
PS. Keep 2 - 4 July free for OCF Clayton's Winter Camp! \m/

Games Day this Saturday!

Helloooo Claytonites!

How was the easter break for you guys? We'll for most of us, our weekend was well spent at Coonawarra for the Ocf Victoria Easter Camp and I'm pretty sure for those who went, you guys had a hard time adjusting back to reality & getting rid of ur fcbk spam msgs since we got back. (Spend less time on fcbk yes?)

Anyway it was great fun and a great experience to encounter God I believe.

From that, we would also like to thank the whole camp committee for doing such as great job!

Well since this week is our easter break, we won't be having an OCF meeting on the coming friday. However, we do have an activity lined-up for us all!


Saturday, 10th April: (10am - 2pm)
OCF Games Day (Intercell activity) + Brunch (Finger Food & Drinks)
Venue > Bayview Field ( Near Hiltop Avenue)

Map Link: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Hilltop+Ave,+Clayton+Victoria+3168&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=67.606126,107.138672&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FQObvf0dx3qmCA&split=0&hq=&hnear=Hilltop+Ave,+Clayton+Victoria+3168&ll=-37.905801,145.128086&spn=0.007568,0.013078&z=17&iwloc=A


Take note

Do avail yourself and set time off to come join us for these activities or even just support your cells!

Do dress sporty as we will be playing a couple of sports like (Captain Ball, Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer...and so forth)

Weather forecast suggests scattered showers during the day so do bring an umbrella just in case. In other words, please PRAY that it doesn't rain.

Bring

Hope to see you all!

Cheers,
Calvin =)

It's already week 5!

Hello OCF Claytonites!

How's it been this week? Sure hope that you guys enjoyed the ultra funny Cultural Night last Friday =P
Anyway, looking forward to this week, here is what's happening!


Prayer Meeting - Wednesdays, 2-3pm @ piano rooms (campus centre basement)
Why do we need to pray? Because it's the backbone for everything. Spending time in God's presence is precious and passionate, plus something always happens when many people get together to pray. It doesn't matter how eloquent or simple your prayers are, it's the heart's cry that matters. So come join us in prayer, for OCF, for our campus, and for the nations.


J-week! - this Wed and Thu
We will meet at the booth set up in front of the religious centre (between Matheson Library and Campus Centre). The booth is shared with other clubs so don't worry if you see other people you don't know there. Here are the cell slots [cell leaders names are in brackets just in case you forgot your cell's name ;) ]

Weds 11-12pm: Boomz (Ian, Ming and Jing)
Weds 12-1pm: Dynamite! (Sally and Kenneth)
Weds 1-2pm: Forte Fortissimo (Eric and Mornique) + iLOUD (Eilene)
Thurs 11-12pm: Kapow! (Timothy)
Thurs 12-1pm: PinK (Amanda and Matthew)
So just bring yourself! Don't worry, we'll equip you with a simple briefing before we go forth handing out chocolate eggs.


OCF VICTORIA EASTER CAMP - Loving our G.P.S.
Have all of you signed up for this camp? It's going to be AWESOME! So don't miss it! Camp's a great place to refresh and motivate yourself. Come with an expectant heart, to know more friends and more importantly, to know more about the God we worship and love.
If you still want to sign up for camp (it's never too late), just email Mornique Ng atngminhui_mornique@hotmail.com.
More details will be emailed to campers later in the week. We will all meet on Friday morning in Uni (so set your alarms early and get a good night's rest!) and transport is arranged, so don't worry =)

Green Teams - 24 April (Saturday), 9am-4pm
OCF Clayton is jumping onboard with CityLife Church to do GREEN TEAMS! where we are split into teams of 15 (5 gardening, 5 cooking and 5 praying) to help rebuild the lives and homes of people who were affected by the Victorian Bushfires at end of 2008. Do join us in just intentionally helping the community and being a blessing unto others!

For more information and to sign up, please contact Faith Luo (chinzjinghui@gmail.com).




So let us gear up for these upcoming activities! With Easter approaching let us remember who our God is and how much He loves us. Holding that in our hearts, let's be motivated to move for Him.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4: 7-12

Cheerios!
Lynette

Cultural night!

Hallohallohallo!

See you all later at 7pm at R3 (or 6.20 for prayer before that)! Cos! It's! Cultural night! \m/

Hope you guys are all readyyyy, and looking forward to a night of fun as we discover other cultures together, along with the friends we're bringing, especially since this is a great opportunity to invite friends and share God's warmthhhh (through OCF).

Hey, free tonight? There's a cultural night thing going on!
We're gonna have presentations and skits from different cultures! Very funnn.
Wanna come? :D

Possible answers: What's it about?/Yes/No/Maybe next time – None of which hurt :D
So just need to be bold to open our mouths :P

Yay (: Let's pray that God will stretch us, to learn to love "beyond our comfort zones". Because He, too, loves everyone! Share the joy :D

<3, Faith and everybody else haha
P.S. Let's be on time cos we're starting with Trivia, so don't miss out on that part! :D

Week 4 with OCF!

Hey champs,

How are things unfolding for you this week? =) Are assignments and tests rolling in already? Well, please take time to do them cuz procrastinating is bad bad BAD! =) Rmb that our first ministry is being students - and that means being a good testimony to family and friends through our studies! Hard truth, i know! =)

We've got an amazing week ahead of us, so keep your heads up!


CULTURAL NIGHT
Friday, 7.00pm, Rotunda 3

Come dressed according to your culture, and be ready to FEAST - not only on food, but on the richness of the Japanese, Middle-Eastern, African, Chinese, Indian and Australian culture! =) And remember, BRING A FRIEND ALONG! =)

*Itadakimastze*Assalamm*Ni Hao*Vanakam*No Worries Mate*

_________________________

OCF PRAYER
Wednesday, 2 - 3pm, Piano Rooms (Campus Centre Basement)

Let's rock the campus with our prayer! Prayer is a miracle in the making.
_________________________

EASTER CAMP
2 - 5 April 2010, $100 only!

Registrations are still OPEN so sign up on Friday! I got a personal breakthrough at camp two years ago - and it's a momentous part of my life. You can experience that too - so don't miss out kay! =)

_________________________

See ya bright and early,
and walk close with Him this week!

Stay awesome,
Ivie

Happy Thursday to you :D

Hallo folks!

Happy Thursday to you! :D Hope week three of school is coming along good! It was great to see a bustling place as everyone mingled around during and after OCF! Fun to be part of this commununity, right? :D

Last week for Bible Study, most of us looked at how it's important to find the truth for ourselves, and be hungry for it. John 8:31-32 – "If you hold on to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free". This week, the topic is Inside/Outside!

This Friday (19 March)
7pm (prayer at 6.20pm – all are welcome!)
Rotunda 3 (Monash Uni Building 8, between Menzies and Matheson library)


Also, remember that this Friday is the last day to get the early bird price of $90 for Easter Camp! (Just pay a $20 deposit first.) Why go for EC? So you won't get bored over the one week break! Ha ha. But okay more than that – God, fun, games, fellowship, meet fellow OCF Victorians, nice faraway campsite (um explore Victoria?), understanding more about how God's love can and should be our compass for life... CAMPS ARE NEVER NOT GOOD! :D And personally, I remember that it was at my first EC 2 years back that God kinda gave me a heart for OCF (:

So really. You won't want to miss it.

Okiedokes. See you soon!

In His always-enough love,
Faith (:

This week...

Helloooo Claytonites!

Wow; how many of us enjoyed OCF last Friday? I definitely did, and I think some of us got a bit deaf from our own voices "shouting" above everyone else's when we were all mingling inside the echo-ey rotunda, hurhur.

Well, we have OCF again this week \m/

Friday, 12 March
7pm (All are welcome to join for prayer at 6.20pm)
Rotunda 3 (same place - building 8 in Monash Uni, between Menzies and Matheson)


We're starting on Bible Study Reformation 2K10 with The Pilgrim's Path (such guy titles right – cos Jared did it haha) in cell groups, discovering the truth by digging into the Word of God. There'll also be worship, testimonies, supper...

It was great to see so many of you last week, "old" and new alike, with everyone being so comfortable with each other. If you didn't join us last week, don't worry – come this week! Feel free to bring your friends too.

Hope to see you!

Cheers,
Faith! (:

Welcome + Mamak night!

Hellow fellow Claytonites!

School has started! Ahh! And I already hear of some people going to the library though it's only the first week O_O :x But okay it's good lars – have a good headstart (:

We're meeting this Friday! Finally! (:

Friday, 5 March
7pm (prayer at 6.20pm)
Rotunda 3 (as usual)


What's going on?
• Welcome the newbies – gathered quite some names from orientation the past week and had a BBQ last Saturday with about 30+ new people! Wow! Quite a few of them are pretty open and hey, let's give them a reallllyyyyy warm welcome k!
• Worship + T-time etc – the usual stuff
• Pastor Misso's preaching – you guys heard him before – he's good and he's got something to share with us all!
• MAMAK! Food! – curry, prata, the likes... yumyumrubstums


So see you guys soon! Looking forward to a new exciting year ahead (:

In Christ,
Faith, on behalf of OCF Clayton committee 09/10

Will we be God's harvesters?

Hallo folks!

Countdown: One week before school begins (for most of us)! All ready? :D

John 4:33-35 says,
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'?
I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life,
so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

We as Christians have been blessed by the love of Christ – shall we share that goodness of Christ? We as OCFers have a mission to Reach Out.

As we get ready to head back to Melbourne, let's remember that God has placed each of us in OCF Clayton for a reason. Clayton is our "harvest field". Will we be God's harvesters?

It's O-week in Monash; OCF has a booth at the lemon scented lawns (behind campus center)! 23, 24, 25 Feb (Tue, Wed, Thu) and 2 Mar (next Tue), 11am - 3pm.

How can we be a part of this/a harvester? In a nutshell, people (like you!) are needed to man the booth and share OCF, with especially the "newbies" of Clayton. The more, the merrier! If you can help, whether for one or all days, do contact Kaitlin (kaitlin_glj@hotmail.com) asap. Thank you!

C'mon, hearts and hands together – OCF Claytonites, unite! For the glory of Christ (:

===

PRAYER HIGHLIGHT: O-week
New Claytonites: Open hearts, willingness to hear what Christian clubs have to say // Members of Christian clubs on campus (esp us OCF Claytonites): Love in our hearts, grace in our speech, boldness to reach out // OCF: A great harvest – Must ask boldly and in faith! I myself am learning that :P


In His love and grace,
looking forward to seeing you all,
Faith (:

Rejoice that...

Xin Nian Kuai Le! (er, sorry no Ang Pow emoticon)

Having fun still being unmarried and hence able to collect Ang Pows? :D Okay more than that, it's good to be able to catch up with relatives. Though I have to admit conversation is limited when I can't converse in Mandarin nor any dialect :P

Continuing with last week's email...what does the cross mean to me?

Just recently, I found myself getting cross (and trying not to show it/no pun intended -_-) with a friend for a particular reason. Awhile after the incident, I thought,

Anytime I find myself cross, offended, proud, hurt or such, I find that it is because I am not rejoicing in my salvation. Because if I truly know that Jesus Christ has died and risen to give me life, and I am truly grateful and rejoicing in it, why would all those petty things matter? In light of what Jesus has done for me, other things just... don't matter.

I choose to not let those things matter; I choose not to let any bad thing "clog" me up.

Luke 10:20 writes, "... however, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Yes fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ; even when things are not the brightest or smooth-sailing around us, we still have a reason to rejoice - we have salvation in Jesus Christ.

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PRAYER HIGHLIGHT: Pray for yourselves! And your fellow OCFers, cos most of us will be heading back within the next week or two; journey mercies and a heart that resolve to honour God and make the best of the next one year in Melbourne is very important! Also, let's pray for a revelation of the cross in our lives (:

God bless, praying for you all,
Faith (:

What's it to me?

Hallo dear Claytonites!

The holidays are drawing to an end!!! Maaan where did all that time go. Soon it shall be time to hit the books! While some of us might dread that and are thinking about how we might miss home when we go back to Melbourne, let us also, more than that, be excited for what God has in store for us ahead (must anticipate)!

Here's some food-for-thought...

Have you ever wondered what the cross is all about? I mean like, what it really really means to you, personally?

A friend once told me - every time I sing the song The Wonderful Cross, I start to cry.

I was like, O_o wuuud, so emo?! But then I thought about it again - wow. How come I don't cry when I think about the cross? What is it about the cross that is so special to him?

I want to know it too.

How about you? What does the cross mean to you? Is it just a symbol of Christianity? Or does it REALLY mean something personal to you?

Okay topic to be continued...

Meanwhile, there's going to be a prayer highlight added to these emails now. Because... prayer is like, superdupertheimportantyesandamen? So, PRAYER HIGHLIGHT: Please pray for especially for the committee as we seek God for His direction for Clayton this year. And it would be great if you guys could pray and seek with us as well!

On another note, I just discovered Lays SunBites and whoohoo! They're like Grainwaves (found in Australia) man! Veli yummy.

Love,
Faith (: