Minutes of Core Group Meeting

St. Barnabas Elizabeth core group meeting  - 24/2/10

1. Bible reading and opening prayer - 2 Cor 12 – “When we are weak then we are strong” – a call to humility and to realize that God works mightily through our weaknesses.
2. Report from Mike on things happening

• Continuing to meet new people at Salisbury Tafe. Many of them Christians and going to other churches. Not trying to pull them from their churches but encourage them, read the Bible with them, and they can be good contacts for other non-Christian people.
• Alina’s family in Tanzania not in a good position. Going hungry.
• Tuesday Biblestudy going well, Festus, Bosco, Alphonse, Russell’s and Cosfords coming. 3 meetings so far.
• Blog has begun, seeking to communicate to all people. Will think about how to print off blog occasionally for those who don’t have internet access.
• Finance Update – Ambitious budget set for 2009 giving at St.Barnabas. Magill support $2458 more than budget.  St.B’s budget for 2010 is 5% more than 2009 actual giving of $21,318.  Last year Mike said he would absorb the shortfall for giving, and later thought he shouldn’t have said that. Nevertheless, Mike intends to keep his word and make up the shortfall for last year, but not in the future.  Ben commented it is right for him not to absorb the shortfall but that we should pay the worker his wages. 
• Through Bosco’s contact Leonard and Pastor Alexus, have arranged a partnership in a kiln business. IS a business where they take 50%  and Mike takes 50% of the profit, to help them in teaching how to run a business, with partner expectations of reports, accountability. It needs to be clear that this is not the gift money given by the giving group.
• Next core group meeting have major focus on financial 5 year plan, including covering Mike’s wage, and other visions. 

3. March 14th Launch preparation
Archbishop, upon invitation, thought that Neil at Elizabeth may be offended that we are calling ourselves a church, not just a Burundian congregation. Archbishop can’t make it anyway.
Lyn Arnold sent his apologies.
Mike and Bosco having a photo Thursday 25^th for Messenger, to be included with story on church and launch.
BBQ after service.
Background music outside.
Need welcomers outside for service. Two on the road – Jeff, Kat and youth. Two at the door – Pauline, Festus.
Mike to get sticky labels made up (through Rosanna) to stick on the back of the photo cards already made up, to give out to invite people to launch.
Steve and Lyn on roster for kids ministry. Will combine efforts with them.
BBQ Food – Heather to buy sausages (gluten free).
Buy bread and sauce and serviettes. Get drink dispensers from McDonalds. Ben to call McDonalds about drinks.
Sat 6^th March – give out enviro bags and balloons to advertise church launch.
Ben to work on bags and balloons
Mike to speak to centre management.
Pauline and the bottomless tea jar to work on funds.
Jumping castle and face painting –  Harricks know, Ally to chase up.
Interview on Life FM – Mike. Ben to chase up

4. Should we have a termly 'ministry meeting' with the preaching
program in front of us to prepare stuff? Yes, will confirm date once preaching schedule from Magill is available.
5. Idea for social – Festus kill a lamb day.
6. Next Core Group Meeting – 28^th April.
7. Prayer

Days available to promote at Elizabeth Shopping Centre

The days available to use the free 'Community Stall' are 2,3,7,9,10 March.

That's Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Advertising the launch March 14th

I've contacted the Messenger, and they will get back to me to line up a story about our launch.

Kiln business

We've finalised the details of setting up a 'kiln business' over in Burundi.
It just remains for me to send the money over.
I intend to send it together with our next gift from the giving group to the church there.

Reading the bible with new people

I had a couple of good meetings this morning.

Bonaventure from Burundi wanted to talk about the content of the Christian life.

Eddison from Liberia was interested in the 2 Ways to Live presentation of the gospel and in trying to talk with others about Jesus.  I learnt more about the history of Liberia too.

These guys are both Christian, so please pray that they might be well equipped for taking the gospel of Jesus out to Australians.

I've lined up quite a few bible studies with Africans and others

A Burundian called Bonaventure, a Liberian called Eddison, three Congolese called Papi, Shadrack and Kennedy, a Chinese guy called Ming.  Please pray they would all go well.  Ming is the only unconverted man as far as I can tell.

Launch date 14th March

I'm pretty sure now we're going to move the launch date to 14th March, to avoid the Long Weekend.

Bible Study starts tonight at 7:30

At my place.  Bosco, Festus, Cosfords and us are takers so far.

I wrote an English part to one of the Burundi songs

I'm working on a song book for the combined English/Burundian section of the choir that we're launching Sunday week.
To that end, here's my English take on the song titled' Oh what a lovely morning'

1. Oooh, let us come now.

We should praise the Lord our God.

Oooh, He's over all.

He is worthy of all praise.

 

Chorus:

Praise him, for he made the heav'n and earth.

He is now, he is then, never ends, he's the wonderful Lord of all.

That's why we pray and praise him,

That's why he's worthy, always.

 

2. Oooh thanks to you, now.

My Lord Jesus' help abounds.

Oooh, speak of his love.

Tell the people how he saves.

 

Chorus:

Praise him, for he made the heav'n and earth.

He is now, he is then, never ends, he's the wonderful Lord of all.

That's why we pray and praise him,

That's why he's worthy, always.

Do you remember the Swahili song?

It goes like this:

1.Oooh, burakeye nimuze
twigendere guseng ‘Imana
Rurem’ isumba vyose [x2]

Chorus:

Nimuze tumusenge yemwe
Uuro mwami ni mwiza ni mwize umue ni mwiza yemwe
Aganza vyose yemwe
Isi n’ijuru ego [x2]

2. Oooh ewe Yesu nushimwe wanakoze
Reka nkuyage ukubwir ‘abatakuzi [x2]

3.Ndakuwirahiye we wampay-urukundo
Umunezero amahoro ntaco mbuze [x2]

Suggested Launch Date 7th March is on a long weekend

Maybe it's a bad idea to have a launch date on a long weekend..... I'm thinking it over

Discussions with Burundi

Hi all, I thought I would post some of my email with Leonard in Burundi, to give you a feel for how that's going:

Dear Leonard,

Happy New Year to you and your family. I pray your young baby is healthy and growing well. I love the great example you Burundians sets us of valuing children highly - by having many!
I'm hoping that we can move ahead soon in some of the discussions and plans we have been undertaking.
As to my proposed visit, I want to do some more work and thinking before outlining the trip details. Hopefully I can write something for you on this by March or April.
As for the brick project, I am wondering if we can move ahead now? Has Pastor Alexis approved our working together taking a half share each of the profits? I am hoping that if we can make a partnership like this work, much money could flow your way for similar projects in the future.
I would like a simple budget before we begin. Could you especially be clear about any payments proposed to go to Pastor Alexis or yourself- for example costs of transporting money. I would approve the budget, then send the money. I would expect some accounts to be kept through the life of the project, so we can be clear at the end how to divide the profit. Payment for someone to keep accounts should be included in the budget. It is best if this account keeper has no other interest in the brick project.
If we can do this in a way that is transparent and gives confidence on all sides, we may have a model that can be re-used and help many Burundians. This kind of capitalism is how the Western world came out of poverty. I pray that Burundi might do the same, to help remove corruption that comes when so many are poor, and so that people will have more time to preach Jesus, unworried by poverty.
Also, I have another question: can you explain more how your honey co-op works please? Is it just members from your church who may join the co-op? Could other members join if they wanted, from a different church? Do you combine in a co-op in order to have enough honey to sell?
Also, do you have a record of how the second donation was spent? How many donations have arrived now, sent by us?
Yours warmly in Christ. Warm Greetings to your family and church, especially Pastor Alexis.


Pastor Mike

Nyankuri Leonard
to me

Dear Mike, Happy New Year to you ,your family and your colleagues.
I am well with my family.I come to pass a whole Month of December in my family and
I am in countryside this January.So,it is better to give you these important adresses
to keep our communication go on. balth147@yahoo.fr ;email of pastor Balthazar ,the
owner of the account through which money passes. umc-burundi@yahoo.fr ;in Bishop
office.concerning costs of transporting,we pay Two Thousand Bu for two rounds:that is,
ten thousand from Bujumbura the capital to home and ten thousand from home to Bujumbura.
pastor Alexis' home and mine are nearby.

Yes,the journey would be scheduled on June or July when it is not rainy because the ground is glidy in March and April.You can write on March and plan the journey on June for example.You are Welcome.Talking about the current news,we are facing the electoral period from May to October 2010.communal leaders are to be elected on May,the President of Burundi is to be elected on June ,members of parliament on August and senates on 27th September.

THANK YOU. WARM GREETINGS TO ST.Barnabas,Firle and Adelaide.
Yours Leonard Nyankuri.

About working together taking a half share each of profits ;my pastor Alexis did not reject
the idea.He remarked that one important thing is to keep relationship with you in this way
or another and support people.Members of the church have been given money in order to invest in honey.However,it occurs a period of lack when people can invest in other profitable goods for the moment and remain actually with 60percent of profits on them.
Of course anyone can adhere the system but until now there are only church members. Actually the situation of the two donations just arrived is:
-First donation of 185Th Bu,85TH spent,100TH Bu invested and 60TH Bu of profit.
- Second donation 370TH Bu,70TH Bu spent,300TH Bu invested and 95TH Bu of profit. An Amount available here is 400TH Bu plus 155TH Bu of profit all equal to
555TH Bu.Hence we are now able to make our own account open on the bank.we will do it.
Note:I will send you the details of spendings after getting enough data from Alexis.Two donations have arrived now: 185TH Bu then 370TH Bu.

YOURS FAITHFULLY LEONARD..