Adult and family Groups :

Especially for Women:

MU Australia

Part of the world-wide Mothers' Union movement which began in England in 1876 and now has 3 million members.   It seeks to enrich marriage and Christian family life by bringing the influence of Jesus Christ into the home.

At the parish level, MU members actively support the wider ministry of the local church.   St Jude's MU encourages and supports its local members through Bible Studies, interesting talks, and effective outreach activities.

Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month, starting with a short devotion and talk, tea or coffee about 10:00 a.m. then the formal part of the meeting at 10:30 a.m.

For more information, contact Mrs. Sharen Fifer on 02 4862 2019, or by email to rector@bowralanglican.org.au.

Know Your Bible.

"Know Your Bible (KYB) is part of the work of Christian Women Communicating International (CWCI). KYB studies are designed to help women through personal study and group sharing to know God's Word and its message for today." Meetings are held at 7.45 p.m. every Tuesday, except school holidays. For further information, contact Sylvia Carless on 02 4861 2728.

Ladies Bible Study.

Each Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon in the Church Hall, women with children can attend a Bible Study while their young children are cared for in a crèche.
Kate Pearse, 02 4862 2452, can provide more information or introduce you to the group.

Men's Ministry:

What about the Men?

Most of the special activities for men centre around Men's breakfasts or Men's dinners, which provide an opportunity for the men to meet together, share a meal, and listen to a worthwhile talk on some aspect of Christian faith or experience.   These functions are held about six times per year and will be advertised in advance.

You can contact Rev Steve Roberts for details.

Men are also encouraged to deepen their relationship with God and each other by forming 'Prayer Triplets' and meeting regularly to pray for the Parish and each other.   Rev Steve Roberts can help you to find suitable 'comrades in prayer'.

Next Event:   contact Steve Roberts for information.

Teaching, care and support of adults & families:

"Contiki"	A special group, nicknamed 'Contiki', exists for the 18 to 35 year olds who are generally under-represented at St Jude's because of the demographics of the district. This group meets at the home of Jon & Fiona Clare on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Call Jon if you would like to know more.
F.E.A.S.T.	Families Eating And Studying Together. This is a group for families and it's aim is: to create an environment where Christian families can discuss how to develop spiritually strong families and the issues they may face in achieving this. FEAST is held on a Saturday night in a family home with the following format: 5.00 p.m. - arrive and settle children with the carers 5.15 p.m. - adult discussion time and children play 6.00 p.m. - families have dinner together 7.00 p.m. - families are free to go or to stay and chat Check the Calendar for dates! FEAST has proven to be a real encouragement to members of St Jude's as we seek to support each other in creating spiritually strong families.   Meeting in a home and sharing a meal together enables us to do this in a relaxed and friendly environment. If you would like more information about FEAST please don't hesitate in calling Rev. Steve Roberts  02 4862 5395.
Preliminary Theological Certificate Course (P.T.C.) A day time group now available.	The PTC is a correspondence course run by Moore Theological College in Sydney.   It is designed for those who wish to study the Christian faith at a deeper level.   Study notes are provided for each subject. There are 9 subjects in the course, one offered in each of 3 terms over 3 years. Each term is 10 weeks.   There is a cost for the course and notes. Course outline: 2008:  Introduction to the Bible;  Old Testament 1;  New Testament 1 2009:  Doctrine 1;  Romans;  Reformation Church History 2010:  Christian Worship;  Doctrine 2;  New Testament 2. The group meets on Monday nights at 7:30 p.m., and Tuesdays at 10.30 a.m.  New members can enrol in any term. For further information, contact Peter Dinning by telephone on 02 4862 2476 or E-mail: pjdinning@optusnet.com.au
	Most of us believe there is a God, however . . . . . . "If there is a God, how can I know what he is like and how might I relate to him?" To have a relationship with God you need to be introduced. Introducing God is about being able to have a relationship with God. Courses are held on one night a week for 7 weeks with the first night being an introductory night and the course concludes with a Saturday day session. - Contact the Church Office regarding the next course. The course is held in a relaxed friendly environment over a cup of coffee, with a DVD presentation and discussion.
Fellowship & Bible study Groups:	Home Groups: St Jude's has a large number of Fellowship and Study Groups which meet regularly, mostly in homes around the Parish. When do they meet? Typically weekly or fortnightly, usually in the evening, but sometimes ladies' groups meet during the day. What do they do? Mostly these groups study a Biblical book or theme or perhaps a current issue relevant to the Christian life.   They also pray together and support each other spiritually and practically through difficult times. Contact: Rev Steve Roberts for information. Phone: 02 4862 5395 Email: assistantminister@bowralanglican.org.au
Parenting Education Program An MU Australia initiative	AIM - PEP is to encourage and support parents in their important role, through the education and discussion of family issues and skills in a relaxed and friendly environment. CONTENT - the program looks at the following topics: Parenting styles Childhood development Children's self esteem Relationship building Discipline strategies Family growth FORMAT - The course operates on one night a week for five weeks. The course takes into account how adults learn best and how groups operate to their maximum potential. With these two issues in mind, the program consists of discussion times, small group work, multi media presentation, personal reflection time and various activities. This is presented in an atmosphere of learning together. A new course will operate in term 2 in 2008 (dates to be set). The program is; meet at 7:00 p.m. for supper with the course running from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. -- $40 per family and bookings are essential. Contact: - Pam Cartwright on 02 4861 1844.

"Bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Highlands"