Sunday morning at Bendigo Christian Fellowship saw Pastor Tony Smits bring an excellent message titled ?Prayer That Pleases God?. Following on from an earlier message on keys to effective prayer, Pastor Tony spoke about natural truth, contrasted with spiritual truth and how we can choose to set our mind on spiritual truth and decide whether we will ?struggle and plead? or ?rejoice and praise?.

Also on Sunday morning, Helen Tierney shared a wonderful testimony of God?s provision for her, once she worked through the challenge of obedience to the word of God in the area of her tithing and giving. Her testimony was one of a number in recent times of people in the church who have experienced the hand of God working in their lives in various ways.

This Saturday there will be a men?s breakfast at 7.30 am at the church. All men are welcome and we will be discussing the future direction of our men?s ministry.

Prayer was the theme chosen for both morning and evening meetings last Sunday. At 10.30 am, Pastor Ray expounded the story from Acts 12 of Peter?s miraculous escape from prison as the church was praying earnestly for him, while at 6.30, Pastor Alan spoke from James 5:16-17, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 18:18-19 and Ephesians 3:20, encouraging us, as people who are righteous in Christ, to pray earnestly, in agreement and in faith, expecting that God can do immeasurably more than we can imagine.

The Thursday ?Prayer Power? days are becoming a highlight for those able to attend. Pastor Alan has been meeting in the church building for prayer with anyone who wishes to join him between the hours of 10.00 am and 6.00 pm. We have been experiencing a great sense of the presence of God, as we set ourselves to pray for our church and our community and have been seeing many miraculous answers, with people?s lives being greatly impacted by the Holy Spirit.

There will be no meeting at Bendigo Christian Fellowship on Sunday night, as we will be supporting the City Wide Connections event on Easter Sunday night ? Risen 06 ? after the fireworks at Lake Weeroona, for what promises to be a great night with the church of Bendigo uniting around a common cause and presenting the real Easter message of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for us all.

Also coming up on 29 April is a men?s breakfast at 8.00 am at the church. Further details to follow.

Holiness was the theme of Pastor Alan?s message on Sunday morning as he spoke on releasing the anointing through holy lives. We were encouraged to look at the issue of holiness from a position of grace rather than law. We saw that holiness is the result of a life set apart for God and that it is God who works in us to make us holy, leading to a greater release of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. On Sunday night Pastor Ray spoke on the believer?s authority through the name of Jesus.

On Friday night and Saturday some of the men of the church enjoyed a ?Father and Son? campout, with the older men taking some of the young men away for a weekend of fun and fellowship. Despite the inclement weather, a great time was had by all.

?Prayer Power? day continues on Thursdays. Pastor Alan will be in the church building for prayer between the hours of 10.00 am and 6.00 pm. All who wish to join him, whether for a few minutes or a few hours, would be most welcome.

Easter is fast approaching and we will be supporting the City Wide Connections event on Easter Sunday night ? Risen 06 ? after the fireworks at Lake Weeroona, for what promises to be a great night with the church of Bendigo uniting around a common cause and presenting the real Easter message of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for us all.