Seminars
Please choose 1 seminar to attend on the day.
Laura Paul
Providence: How is God working all things for my good and His glory?
If God works all things according to his plans, does that mean I’m a robot? Does God really personally respond to my prayers? What does God’s sovereignty really mean? If you have ever found yourself wrestling with these kinds of questions, this seminar is for you.
In a world that often flattens mysteries to a zero-sum game, it can be really hard to conceive how God can be both absolutely sovereign and perfectly personal—and yet that is what we see in Scripture. A God who is directing all of history to its completion in Christ, while personally and intimately responding to those that he has made. This seminar will explore the incredibly comforting doctrine of the Providence of God.
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Laura Paul is married to Jeremiah, an Anglican minister in Dandenong, and they have two hilarious and energetic preschool kids. Laura loves serving in her local church in discipleship, kids ministry and hospitality. She is passionate about helping people see how the big truths of God’s word connect with and come alive in ordinary life. She also works as a tutor in church history and theology at Ridley college. When not chasing kids or helping students, she can be found experimenting with all things sourdough or attempting to hide somewhere with a book.
Helen Baxter
Reframing Aging
Society mostly tells us that becoming old makes us useless, unattractive, and unnecessary.
It’s easy for us to buy into that - whatever age we are.
However, what does the Bible have to say about growing older as a woman?
How can that shape our perspective so that ageing isn’t something we fear but a gift we can embrace?
Helen has the great privilege of walking alongside older people in her Pastoral Care role at Holy Trinity Doncaster, seeking to share God’s unwavering promises as they continue to run the race to the very end. She has been married to Harry for over 30 years and with God’s help they have raised two daughters to adulthood.
You will almost always find her where there is good coffee, and she thoroughly enjoys tofu and chocolate (but has never tried them together!)
Alyson Peatman
Mission Minded Children's Ministry
We know that Global Mission is important, but how do we pass that on to the next generation? Often when it comes to teaching children, we can focus on conveying the truths of Scripture, solid doctrine and ensuring that children grasp the gospel. All of these are good! But the Gospel is a global gospel. As a family do you support and pray for missionaries regularly? Do you encourage your children to be diligent in this? Do you ever focus on mission in your church children’s programs? Do you spend time at kid’s church teaching young ones how to support and pray for mission? Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations, passing this baton on to even the youngest disciples is an important task, both in the home and in our churches.
Join us to think through how we can do this better at home and in our churches to raise up the next generation of mission minded prayer warriors, hungry for a world that knows Jesus.
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Alyson is the children’s and Families Co-ordinator for CMS Victoria. As a young Christian, she was convicted of the need to be involved in, support and be willing to serve in global mission. Alyson loves teaching children about Jesus as well as equipping families and children to share their faith, support global mission and encourage them to be a part of Gods plan of a world that knows Jesus. After many years in schools and children’s ministry she sees the importance of not just running fun and engaging programs but passing on that love of sharing Jesus all over the world, even to the youngest of believers.
Alyson is married to Brett they have 4 children, with only two left at school! As a secondary history teacher by background, she likes to read historical non-fiction for fun but tries to balance this with swimming, walking and her love of good coffee.
Honoria Brennan
Power in Gendered Relationships
*content warning: SA*
What does the Bible say about the perennial problem of Gendered Violence? Is there any wisdom to be gleaned for our context, when one in 4 women have experienced violence by an intimate partner? This seminar explores the misuses of power “in the time of the Judges”. In stark contrast, Boaz uses his power to empower the powerless. Boaz is in the pattern of the ultimate Redeemer, who expresses his hesed love and sovereignty through human agents.
Honoria Brennan is the wife of but one husband, James, and mum to Emma and Naomi. Since working for AFES in 2010, she noticed a quiet but alarming trend that female university students were being sexually harassed and assaulted. She developed a set of Bible studies based on the book of Ruth, called The Boaz Project, on the topic of gendered violence.
Honoria is a walking (oxy)moron. A Victorian living in Queensland, a quirky person who thinks about sad things (like the persecuted church, and gendered violence), a feminist complementarian, and a writer who doesn’t read or write much. ​
Jean Williams
Bearing one another's burdens without being crushed by them
“Sometimes people’s troubles feel so big, part of me wants to help but part of me just wants to run away!” “It's so easy to feel overwhelmed. Their needs are real. We have limited resources.” “How do I bring my concerns for people to God and not keep worrying? How do I relate, listen, empathise, support without being pulled under?”
This is a discussion-based seminar about how to avoid burnout as we care for people. What questions does the suffering of others makes us ask about our faith, and how might we answer them? How can we acknowledge our humanness and limitations as we care for those in need? How do we work out if we have the resources and energy to care for them? Is it ever okay not to care for someone? What are some unhealthy signs in caring relationships? What do healthy boundaries look like, and how do we preserve them? How can we recognise
and recover from burnout?
Jean Williams is married with four children, supporting her husband, Steve, in uni ministry. She knows all the tree-iest walks near her house, drinks many cups of homemade chai tea each day, and loves listening to indie music and making playlists. She also loves her Growth Group, and teaching women at church when she gets the chance. She continues to learn that however weak she is, however much she struggles or fails, she can always rest in Jesus' unchanging love for her.
Sarah Creek
Close to God :: TEEN SEMINAR
I wish I felt closer to God. I hear others say that to me, and honestly, it's something I often think myself. You might have been through seasons of life where you’ve felt such joy and energy from your relationship with God. Maybe at a youth camp or when you’ve seen God at work in your life. But perhaps you’ve been through times when He’s felt far away or maybe even disappointed in you.
In this workshop just for teens and young adults we’ll unpack the great news that you are already totally secure and as close as you can be to God when you put your trust in Jesus. But we’ll also think about how you might practise walking closely with God by His Spirit. So come along that we might encourage one another to grow in our friendship and enjoyment of God whilst also being reminded that in Jesus you can’t be separated from Him.
Sarah is married to Sam and they have two little kids. She studied at Ridley and has worked in a number of ministry roles both in the local church and with AFES. But most recently she’s worked as the Youth Minister at Berwick Anglican Church. She loves working with youth and young adults and seeing them put their trust in Jesus. Sarah and her family now attend Mullum Mullum Anglican Church where Sam works as the Senior Minister.
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Bookings go live at the beginning of March.