St Marks Anglican Church

At St Mark’s we’re looking for the right person to join the staff team as a Youth Pastor to help build on and develop the work being done by the existing volunteer leaders to reach local teenagers for Christ. You’ll see ads in Southern Cross and on the Briefing website which give some more information. If you know someone who might fit the bill I’d love to hear from them and whether you do or not we’d value your prayers that just the right person might be found.

This week, across all our Sunday gatherings we’ll beginning a series of talks that focus on the final chapters of the first book of the Bible; Genesis 37 – 50.

And what a story it is! The final chapters of Genesis record a family saga that is loaded with intrigue, dubious characters, changes in fortune, penetrating insights into human nature, and challenging perspectives into the surprising ways God’s purposes are worked out – and in the most unlikely circumstances!

I wonder if you’d take some time to read all these 14 chapters in one sitting? (And repeat the reading as the series proceeds.) Why not note any questions that you are prompted to ask and see how many are dealt with as Craig shares with us issues and truths raised from this intriguing saga? And if he doesn’t answer them from the front, make sure you ask them of him over morning tea or supper!

Craig Schafer will be taking up the appointment of Rector of St Mark’s from July 10, 2008. Craig and his wife Julie have been married for 10 years and have two little girls, Emma and Zoe.

Craig has been involved in ministry at Springwood-Winmalee Anglican Churches since the beginning of 2005. His key responsibilities have been pastoring the growing ‘Arvo Church’ congregation that meets on Sunday afternoons, and leading the team that planted Valley Heights Community Church (VHCC) which meets on Sunday mornings in the local Anglican School.

While at Moore College, Craig did student ministry at St John’s, Minchinbury and St Aiden’s, Hurstville Grove. Prior to college, he worked for Accenture as a Management Consultant and Project Manager. Before Emma & Zoe came along, Julie worked as a Primary School Teacher. Both Craig and Julie grew up in South-west Sydney.

To relax, Craig enjoys a mediocre game of tennis or an episode of ‘Iron Chef’.

While they are sad to be leaving Arvo Church and VHCC, the whole family is looking forward to getting to know the people at St Mark’s and the great things that God has planned for the future.

We got a some free publicity this week. The Anglican newspaper Southern Cross ran a story on the website about Craig’s move plus a smaller article in the print edition. You can check out the story (and a family photo) here.

God has been very gracious and has enabled us to secure the domain name stmarks.com.au (although given that you’re here you probably figured that out).

To celebrate we’re moving to a CMS based website. I don’t really know what that means, except it is now much easier to add things to the website. Over the next few weeks we’ll be ‘fleshing out’ the content and from now on there will be new stuff all the time, so come visit regularly to keep up to date.

Want to know what else is going on in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney? Easy Peasy; just visit sydneyanglicans.net and you can read the latest news, browse articles at your leisure or make your voice heard on the discussion forums.