Dear BPCWAians, Last weekend was a blessed time for all Christians. It began with the Good Friday Service, followed by the Easter Sunrise, and then our regular Sunday Worship Service. And many of us closed off this weekend with our 32^nd Anniversary Dinner.

Good Friday. It has always been a special privilege to be able to gather as God’s people and partake of the Holy Communion that night, and especially meaningful to commemorate our Lord’s last supper in church with our covenantal family.   At the Passover, children were present (Exod 12:26), and so it was a joy to see families bring their children with them to commemorate our Lord’s  last  night  at  the  Good  Friday  Service.  God’s  Word  from  Lk  22:39-­‐46 reminded us about our Saviour who was determined to suffer on our behalf for our salvation. For those who didn’t manage to come, the message has been uploaded onto our church’s website. May we never tire to hear of the old, old story, about the night He suffered to pay for our sins. It is my hope that for every Christian and every child growing up in BPCWA, attending a Good Friday service will be just as important for them as attending a Christmas Service. May God help us to take up our cross and endure difficulties for Him, as He has done infinitely much more in purchasing our redemption.

Easter Sunrise Service. With the impending demolition of the Melville Limestone Amphitheatre, we held our last Easter Sunrise service there last week. Though I arrived at the Amphitheatre early, the Audio Visual crew had already worked hard, like every other year, to transport and setup the equipment in time for the service. Ushers and the musician were already in their positions, and before long, drivers who had also woken especially early to pick students to church also arrived. Unseen by others, a team was also working busily in the kitchen at church, working hard to have breakfast ready for the worshippers after the Sunrise Service. It was an especially early start for everyone, but all involved served their Lord with cheerful and thankful hearts. It was a poignant reminder of the kind of loving service which motivated the ladies to arise early to go to the tomb to embalm the body of their Lord. We thank God also for the worshippers, both elderlies and toddlers, who despite the rather chilly morning, braved the cold to join in the praise of our Risen Saviour. Many were familiar faces that I had seen in past years, ones that had made worshipping God at our Sunrise Service their regular habit and practice. Yet at the same time, some students joined us for the first time too, being their first experience at an Easter Sunrise Service thousands of miles from their own homes. We certainly ought to thank God for the precious memories of the many Sunrise Services He had given us. May everyone who is faltering in their Christian walk remember the tender reminder that our Saviour gave even to Peter… come back, come back, and return to do what I have suffered and saved you to do.

Worship Service. In fulfilment of the Great Commission, we rejoiced with the angels in heaven over a sinner that was saved and publicly confessed our Saviour in the Sacrament of baptism. As with every baptism and new member, it was a reminder that God saved us to be part of His church, His people, with obligations and duties for each other. The Lord’s Supper again reminded believers of how great a desire we too should have to be able to eat it one day in heaven with our Saviour. Why is the resurrection important? One of the reasons was to imprint in our minds that Christ redeemed not only our souls, but our bodies. And how this body ought to be spent now in this life in His service. Knowing this, everyone who looks forward to that resurrected body must spend today and every day using this body to serve our Risen Saviour. What are you using your talents and your energies and your life for?  May it be for the Ruler of heaven and earth – our Lord Jesus Christ, our victorious King.

Thanksgiving Anniversary Celebrations. It was doubly joyful as BPCWA chose to commemorate our 32^nd anniversary also at the same time. The cake cutting was followed by a tea reception where all could mingle and rejoice together. In the evening, we celebrated with a dinner together with the church family – the elderlies, parents and children coming together for a meal. Once again, this was preceded by much work behind the scenes by many involved, in so many areas. It was especially blessed to have our covenantal family close off the weekend together at this meal. It was so wonderful to see young and old eating together and the children taking care and looking out for each other at their own table. And as they finished, some children went around the tables to talk to adults. It was truly a covenantal family woven together by spiritual bonds in Christ. While we smile at the children, we must be reminded that we must keep the church faithful for these ones to worship in when they grow up. That responsibility falls on us, the adults. From Psalms 43:4 we learned that the only way to approach God’s tabernacles was that we individually live holy lives in obedience to His truth. This is the only kind of church that God will accept, and every member in our covenantal family makes up the church. Midway during the dinner, we screened a video that recounted for us the ministries that God had enabled to bring in those He had purposed into our midst. We thank God for using these ministries that involved hours of painstaking planning and work to bring souls to the light of His Word.

We thank God for the opportunities to feed on His Word. As we move on now to yet another year ahead of us, may every BPCWAian resolve to use this body and this life to serve Him in this church, in holiness. We serve, work, and labour, not for BPCWA’s glory, not so that other churches will look up to us, not so that others will say how much we have laboured and toiled. This is Christ’s church, for He has redeemed us. We want Him to resurrect us again one day after we die, but will we rise up to serve Him now today while we live?

Yours in our Lord’s service

Pastor