Dominos

Thought I would give an update on how the business is going. We started off very, very busy with all the anticipation around town with our opening. Our first week was crazy as we tried to adjust to a new way of doing things. While it has slowed down a bit since then we are still doing double what we were doing at pizza runners.

The actual running of the shop is actually easier as they have good systems in place and have thought through many things. The management is slowly getting there, but there are a lot of things to establish that have been difficult to do because of the busyness of the shop. We are getting there though, and hopefully by the end of January we should be on top of things.

We have taken on a lot of new staff. It is not uncommon for me to walk into the shop and meet employees for the first time.

Can't imagine doing $9000 on a Friday night at Pizza Runners and still have 90% of deliveries under 30 minutes.

The feedback from people has been mixed. Obviously we had some loyal customers who loved what we did. However I have been surprised that there has been much more positive feedback than negative. We have had 8 out of 8 positive mystery shoppers so far, which is an excellent result.

Continue to pray for us that we can set up a very good business that still values people and is able to make a positive impact for the kingdom of God.

Committed Company 2009

Hi everyone,

Well some more big changes for us. Next year we will become a committed company, so we will not be taking any students. This is a one year plan at the moment, although could be 2. Then we will begin taking students again.

Personally I am really looking forward to it as it will allow us to build a base of mission and give us the time to do a lot of the more missional things that we haven't had time to do running a first year centre. It will also allow me to build on some of the connections that we have, especially in South Australia. Perhaps you may have some ideas of things we may be able to do to build contact with you and others next year.

IN terms of what it is going to look like, well that is a bit up in the air. All of us will need to find a bit more work (although some of us already have). In terms of mission we want to take some time to think through this, so please keep us in your prayers.

Love to hear some feedback. Feel free to come and stay for a week as well, or even longer if you have handyman skills. We do plan to do some renovations next year and could do with some skilled help.

Its the end of PRBH!

This week is a significant week for Broken Hill and also for our centre. It is the final week of Pizza Runners, a business which has been responsible for financing the centre here, and providing great pizza to the town. Many lessons in discipleship, life and what can really go on a pizza have been learned by staff and students for close to 20 years in this shop.

Next Thursday we open our new venture, Dominos Pizza , Broken Hill. This new business will take the place of Pizza Runners. We have a very busy time coming up as we open!!

Please join with us in praying for courage, energy and enthusiasm as we take this step.

Summer School

This year we are going back to tradition and running a summer school over the summer break. They were always really good times, with good interactions with others, thinking through some life changing concepts, trying to put things into practice, sitting around a campfire and listening to God. 

It was always hard to fit them in during January though, so this year we are going to have one in December. We hope to get a good bunch of year 12 leavers, uni students, old and new faces. I am looking forward to the opportunity to help people to follow Jesus in their own world and to help think the intellectual challenges that we all face.

Hope you can join us.

Meet: Millie Skinner

Meet: is a new series of posts where we will delve a little deeper into a member of our community here. Our first Meet: guest is Millie Skinner. I interviewed her in the middle of a busy school holiday morning.

Name: Millie Skinner
What is your role at Broken Hill? I have many roles - Mark's wife, a mother, tutor, kitchen supervisor.
How long have you been here in those roles? This is my 3rd year, but I'm  returning from '94-'96 which included 1st yr, team, team/marriage/centre.
What is your favourite thing about your role/this place? Comming back this time, I felt like I was coming home. I think it's because the first time I was here, it was a big change in my life when i was 18, and then we got married here,  I was really discovering God 4 the 1st time I was here, so that's 2 significant things. I also just enjoy community living.
Describe God in two words. Friend and Father
Describe community in 3 words. Interesting, [lots] happening, [requires] gracious-living.
Tell us a dream you have. I would like to go on the 8 day Tasmania walk with Mark - to experience the adventure with him!
What is your favourite dessert? Mango Sorbet. It's guilt free!
What is your LEAST favourite thing about Broken Hill? Location!!! Not close to the beach, it's so far! Can't go on short trips away.
What would you like to be doing in 1o years? Whatever Mark's doing.
Why are you in community now/why do you think it is important? Life in community is important because society is so against God that it's hard to live in society without being tainted, having like minded people around you helps, I enjoy working with people who love God.
What do you see as your area of mission? My family, women in town.

What is your favourite:
Joke? I'm not good @ jokes and never remember them! Half the time I don't get them but pretend that I do.
Flower? Lavender - b/c of it's smell
Thing to do? Relax in the bath with a book.

A call for Assistance!

[Malcolm and Bothwell would like to play table-tennis]

Have you ever wanted to sponsor some great sporting event or arena? Now here is your chance!

The Broken Hill Centre Table-Tennis Table is on it's 'last legs' so to speak. We've patched, mended and restored it but this time, its all over.

[close-up of some of the damage]

This is your chance to donate to the Table-Tennis Fund. If you have a spare $5, $10, or $20 (or whatever you like), then post it into us, or give us a call!

Here are the centre contact details,  just ask for Teresa.
PO Box 983
Broken Hill
NSW 2880

Office phone: 08 80879110

Farewell

[Janie making child-friendly Mead for the Medieval Night]

This past week has seen two of our community members leave us. We held a community-night party to say good bye to Janie. Janie has been on staff here in Broken Hill for the past 2 years, not to mention her time here as support-staff and as a student, stretching back to 1998! She's been experiencing extremely bad health and is moving to Dubbo to recuperate before heading out to more great adventures.

We also said good-bye on Friday to Skye, a first year student who has also been unwell all year, and has wisely decided to rest her body. Skye is leaving to spend time with her family in the NT.

Please pray for both Janie and Skye, that both these strong women will be given the rest that they need, and strength to continue on their respective missions.

Subscribing

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Day of Prayer and Fasting

This Thursday we are having a Day of Prayer and Fasting. Please join us in praying for the centre and the teams. Especially pray for the following: health, pizza cars, energy, mission, encouragement, discernment, transitions, staffing and the spiritual battle.

Discovery week 29th September - 3rd October

It is not long until discovery week now. We are wanting this year's discovery week to be a real taste of life at the centre, incorporating the things that really make us unique in Broken Hill. So as well as good teaching and friendship we will have times to watch sunsets, sit around campfires and camp out under the stars.

Discovery week gives people who are curious about Cornerstone a chance to check it out, but as well as being a time for new people to come, we are also wanting past disciples to feel free to come along and to see discovery week as a time of renewal and a time to touch base with us here at the centre again. Even better if they come and enjoy themselves and bring a friend or two.

This year we will be focussing on the theme of following in the steps of the master, thinking through what it really means to follow Jesus, how Jesus being the Lord changes the way that we view life and how we live, what Jesus approach to mission and discipleship looks like and how Jesus demonstrated servant leadership.

The cost for the week will be $60. Let us know if you are coming soon.

leadership camp 2008

We have just finished our leadership camp for year 9/10 students from schools in South Australia. We had 8 students, who were keen to try and develop as leaders and to learn how to take mission seriously in their school. We had a series of talks based around Pete's leadership triangle, took the students out for a 2 day desert camp (a real highlight for many of them), had leadership and group activities. They joined us for scripture at Central and shared their stories. 

Part of the aim of the camp was to get them to think through a plan for having an impact in their own schools and to end up with one or two goals in mission. They all did this and I will visit them later in the year to find out how it is going. It is really good to get young people starting to think outwardly and to see the things that they are going to have to give up to get there. 

Our first years worked hard as they took part in various aspects of the camp from running activities, supervising the students and catering for the camp and centre. It was a good experience for them as well in learning how to lead and organise. We are all tired from the week but feel that it was a really worthwhile time.

Pray for Emily, Ainslie, Amy, Ryan, Ryan, Bethany, Libby and Rachel the students from the camp.

kids club

We are two days into our kids club. It has been going really well and we have been obeying the first rule of mission, we have been having a good time. It hasn't been a really big kids club, which is good in some ways. We have done the usual things, games, skits, music, craft and stories. The venue this time around has been Sturt Park, which is right in the centre of town.

There have been a number of things that I have really appreciated about this kids club. One is that I have been able to spend some quality time with my kids, an added bonus and a good excuse to play with them for a few hours everyday. Another is that it has been fun joining together as a community, and even though it is a mission, and we are looking after kids, it has also felt like a community outing, with a focus on the kids of the community and others that have joined in.

I think that we need to remember that mission can often be getting people to join in with us and share in the life of the kingdom of God as it is lived out amongst us.

Keep praying for us as we attempt to reach into the community around us.

20 year mini-muster

Creek beds and campfires, sunsets, dry rocky ground, making pizzas, delivery driving. What are the memories that you have of Broken Hill? Recently I was shown a photo of myself standing on the roof of the convent when I was in first year. I had forgotten that I had done it, let alone that there was a photo to incriminate me. I also remember having a tomato paste fight with Gus in the pizza shop on the day shift. We had to close the shop, go home and shower. The white shirts were never the same again. I also remember wide games in creek beds, running youth camps, shooting on properties.

I have many memories and stories and I am sure that you do as well. There is something special about Broken Hill and there are many special things that have happened over the years. So this year we are celebrating 20 years of Cornerstone in Broken Hill. We want people to come and share their stories, to reflect on the last 20 years and to be encouraged to run the race ahead. 

We are hoping that as many people as possible who have been associated with the centre will be able to come along. If you have been involved as a student with the centre or know someone who has then why don't you think about coming.

The theme for mini-muster is based on Jesus' words 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few' and it will be on the June long weekend (7th-9th).

Here is a copy of the flyer http://www.mediafire.com/?rymyvyl2x5c

Please pass it on to others.

Mutawingi

This week the men from the community headed up to Mutawingi National Park for a couple of days. We explored the place through some of the walks, shared about our own journeys and what it meant to be a man of God, ate an excellent camp oven meal, talked around the fire, swam in and jumped into rock pools. Mutawingi is surprisingly beautiful place considering where it is and how dry the surroundings are. You can see why the aboriginal people used to gather there.
It was great to get out of the routine of life and spend time together in an unhurried way. It was good to be active too, exploring God's creation, the rock formations, river gums, wedgetail eagles and the stars. Are the stars, there really are a lot of stars out here when you get away from the lights of town. Here are some photos from the trip.

Neighbours

Today we visited our neighbourhood and gave out information about Easter and some easter eggs. We wanted to remind people of the meaning of Easter, that it wasn't just about commercialism. It was really encouraging to see God at work, even before we got there. There was Bill who was going to read Studdert Kennedy's poem faith, while he betted on the horse racing, the young lady who had watched The Passion twice recently and was not sure what it all meant, the mother who's daughter had asked her the day before what Easter was all about and was pleased to have some more answers.
There were also others who we had connected with just a little bit more than before, which we hope will lead to some more connection in the future. We left them all with the message of what easter is really about. God is at work in our neighbourhood and thankfully we can join in with him in what he is doing. Pray for us to be able to make real connections with those around us and to somehow bring redemption into their world.

Mission

One of our goals this year is to give a greater opporunity for our disciples in mission. We want to get better at preparing our disciples for a life of mission and for a mission team. The areas that we want to work on are the demonstrating and supervising aspects of mission (taken from the "Master Plan of Evangelsim" by R. Coleman). There needs to be opportunities to see mission in action before being able to take on mission. This year we will have regular organised mission experiences including keeping our neighbours informed, teaching scripture, running a junior youth club, visiting the high school during lunch times, surveys, street mission and involvment at the markets. There will also be opportunites for mission through personal contact through things like sport and work. Throughout the year there will also be some mission trips to Adelaide and Strathalbyn. Later in the year there will be an opportunity to choose a mission project and think through how to develop a mission strategy. Mission experiences will increase throughout the year.
In Broken Hill St Pat's races are one of the major events in the year. So last week the students developed a flyer for St. Patricks Day to remind people who Patrick was. The community also did surveys down the main street asking people about what St Patrick's Day was all about and the meaning behind it. Some good conversations were had and some gospels were given away. I think that everyone appreciated the challenge.
At one of the local high schools, I asked some of the students about the meaning of Easter and what they thought it was all about. I would like to say that I was surprised by the lack of knowledge about Easter, but I wasn't. It is what I have come to expect because of the lack of input into young people about Christianity. It does confirm to me the important role that we play in teaching scripture in 2 of the primary schools. Unfortunately though we don't have the time to teach at them all. We need to think of new ways to engage with people and proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said the "harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few".
Perhaps this week you could ask someone the question "What do you think Easter is all about?" and just see what happens.

Changes

There have been some changes that have taken place since last writing. Unfortunately Basil Brown has left us and has moved into town, where he has begun to study for his Bachelor of Theology through the assemblies of God church. We have also had a couple of new arrivals. Benjamin John Norman Skinner was born on the 18th February and is doing well. Also Emma Butler has joined us from the North Coast of NSW.
Change is a normal and good part of life, but is something that can at times throw us. It is often outside of our control and can be a source of anxiety and stress. In discipleship we have been thinking about our definitions of success. We like to be able to control our world so that things work out the way that want them to. Unfortunately things don't often work out the way that we want them to, things change and not always for the better. In the end success is being in a right relationship with God, listening to him and obeying him, being in harmony with God.
Success for me is not about having people stay or go, who comes or who does well. I cannot ultimately make things work. Jesus said "Don't worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself. One day's trouble is enough for one day." Matt 6:34
Some things I can have an influence over, but there are many things that I can't and need to trust that God has them in control. In the end I cannot control everything. I can thank God for both the good changes that take place as well as those that I don't understand.

Keeping Traditions

Lat night an important Broken Hill Cornerstone tradition was once again upheld by a new group of disciples. We jumped in the bus clutching sausages and bread (and tomato sauce!) and attempted to race the setting sun out to Silverton. As per many years of tradition we managed to finish eating just as the sun set over the dusty grounds of Penrose park. Having consumed many sausages a quick game of soccer/volleyball (quite a feat in near complete darkness) was underatken with relatively few injuries. It is believed that Mawson managed to hit himself in the face with the ball.
Despite the fact it was now almost pitch black we refused to admit defeat and headed out to view the magnificent vista of the Mundi Mundi plains, by moonlight. This was not a rousing success despite Janie and Mawson's spirited descriptions of the vast beauty of the empty plain. We did manage to catch a glimpse of current Pinnacles mining activities!
The highlight of the entire trip would have to be the rousing vocal activity undertaken on the return journey. From Les Miserables to Lion King with detours via Crowded House, Rich Mullins and Zimbabwe we sang our way home - possibly to distract ourselves from Mawson's adventurous driving. The amount of talent in our community at the moment is staggering and it was exhilarating to be with a group of men and women enjoying each other and God's creation.
Tradition is a wonderful thing, but one day I would like to see the sunset!

Pledge Night 2008

It is great to celebrate. Even better to celebrate things that are significant and meaningful in people's lives. Creating a space for the sacred in the busyness of life. Last night we had our pledge night for 2008, where 8 new disciples committed themselves to the year ahead. An awesome meal was prepared by Mim and Janie comprising of roast pork, prawns and great salads. We dined in semi-formal dress (note the ties) in the formal outdoor entertaining area (a.k.a. beer garden). A time of sharing and commitment followed, where we each lit a candle as a symbol of our committment to God, discipleship, and to each other.
What impressed me most during the night was hearing each person share about what it meant
for them personally to commit this year and the things that they were committing themselves to. It felt as though angels were celebrating in heaven as each person made that step in faith to commit themselves to whatever God had in store for them this year. In this day and age commitments are made all too infrequently. It was great to see a bucketful of commitment tonight.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us through off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith..." Heb 12:1-2

Beginnings

Well, a new year and the beginning of new things once again. This whole blogging thing is a new experience for me but it is cool to be able to keep you all out there up to date with a few of the happenings out here on the edge of the desert.

There is a fantastic vibe abroad in our newly forming community. It's been fantastic to hangout playing mafia (still not sure if this is a great community bonding activity :) ), learning at the shop, diving into lectures and getting to know each other. Right now I can hear the boisterous strains of yet another epic table tennis match outside in the beer garden and I find myself getting really excited about this year. It is such a privilege and a challenge to spend a year with a group of men and women who are genuinely seeking after God's heart. Praise God for these moments of clarity when he allows us to get a little glimpse of his plan and pray for us as we strive to join with him in it.

Mission Order?

During team prep we ran lectures about being part of a mission band, taking that extra step of commitment in order to help achieve the great commission. I am not sure that the message of what it means to be in a mission order really came through correctly. Is this man ready for team?

Orientation begins

The orientation program began in Broken Hill today and will continue for the next 3 weeks. All 9 disciples have arrived, settled in and have started to get used to the place. Much unpacking has taken place, study booths have been chosen and everyone has decided where they are sitting in the lecture room. I wonder if we will have any trouble from the back row?
We have been really fortunate that the weather has been mild, especially with the air cooler not working in Elizabeth House. In fact you couldn't have asked for better weather for our community BBQ tonight. It was good to see everyone interacting, getting to know each other. A lot of potential for a very good year. It all depends on the choices that people make.
Thinking about it, that's what it comes down to; choice. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don't use it then it is a waste. God will take those who are available, rather than those who are gifted. Which, if you think about it is a real waste as God gave them those gifts for a reason. It is not that the choices are always the big ones either. It is the little choices throughout the day that are important. Choosing to be thankful rather than grumble, to forgive rather than resent, to be joyful over being bad-tempered. It is the moment by moment choices that matter.

broken hill 2008

A new year is upon us and we are just about to start first year all over again. I have set up this blog so that people can keep up to date with what is happening at our centre. One of our aims this year is to improve our communication with those that are praying for us and to share some of the stories that happen each year that often go untold. Hopefully there will be different students and staff posting to this blog so that you get a broad spectrum of perspectives about life in Broken Hill
Currently we have nine students who will begin orientation lectures on the 21st January. Again we have a bit of an overseas theme with disciples coming from Canada, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. This year we have a few more guys which is great.
It is really exciting to be able to impact people who want to learn how to reach Australia's unreached. Jesus told us to "pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the fields". Join us in praying for the disciples this year and that we will be able to have a full quota of 14.