Central Queensland Rally Report

HOSTED BY Calvary Rockhampton/Living Waters Yeppoon Ladies fellowship and held at the Rockhampton Calvary Church from Friday to Sunday April 21-23.

Super weather, music, food and fellowship.  Pastor Rob Edwards and his wife Joy, together with their church band, led us in music with a number of the songs written by him.  40 ladies from Gladstone, Biloela, Theodore, Emerald and Rockhampton and from as far away as Ingham and Brisbane also attended beginning on Friday with an evening of fellowship called, “A Ladies Lounge Night”.  This is something that the Rockhampton women host quarterly and they also share bible study and a guest speaker who gives her testimony.  Their women’s ministry programme focuses on spiritual and social aspects of their faith. We shared a hot dinner, a talk by Joselyn Khan, one of the ministry team members who is a microbiologist. She told us of the metabolic pathways in our bodies and their dynamic effect in us, and linked it to God’s word through verses from scripture, reinforcing just how mighty and wonderful God’s creation is.

‘Faith Under Fire’ was the theme through the weekend.  In the bible study we looked at the challenges faced by Martin Luther and how he faced these challenges through his strong and deep abiding faith in his Lord Jesus Christ. The day was interspersed with quotes from Martin Luther. Two of the favourites were “Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense and understanding”, and “Pray, and let God do the worrying!” The offering of approximately $822 is going to support a young trainee nurse from East Timor who Pastor Rob and Joy have been supporting for a number of years. The guest speaker was Joy Edwards, who told us about how life changed for them when their 17-year-old son was badly hurt in a motorbike accident in which he suffered severe brain damage.  Even for Pastor Rob and Joy’s strong faith, it was put under fire as this impacted on their life for many years.  Joy also promoted the book entitled, Tim, can you say ‘Mum’?  which she has written about both Tim’s and her recovery over the past 9 years.

Saturday evening saw us dining in a super garden as the guests of Dianne and Bruce Krenske overlooking the lights of Rockhampton.  Beautiful indeed as was the food.  Some had quite a late night, others of us decided our bed needed us!!!!!

The weekend culminated with church service on Sunday where Pastor Rob spoke about Firing up our Faith.  We need to be reminded and or encouraged often.  Thank you, Rob.  It was great to have a church packed with positive people, Pastor Rob, Joy and the band provided music with a swing and the individual chairs were appreciated, very comfortable thank you.  We were very blessed to enjoy beautiful food baked by some women who are an inspiration to the younger generation and some of the rest of us also.  Again, thank you to everyone who organised such a lovely few days.  It was very enjoyable.

Carolyn Murdoch