Oops

“I’m disappointed that I missed the conclusion of this series as the rest of it was very thought provoking. Thanks Mike!”

“The series you just completed on Ecclesiastes was outstanding.  You made a potentially impossible book come alive with relevance and great learning. Thank you Mike.”

Make sure you listen online – we’d love to hear from you and what you think.

Stand ‘N’ Deliver

We have two great bible teachers Phil Campbell and Luke Tattersall coming along to show us how they do what they do. We’ll be learning from them about preparing and communicating God’s Word to others.

Cost is $20 but that includes your lunch! So come and join us on Saturday, September 4 from 9am-3.30pm at st.andrew’s rockhampton presbyterian church.

We’ll even save you a seat.

Mike O’Connor

Mike

I’ve been asked to do a Blog for a website called Pastor 2 Pastor.  You can read my blogging thoughts and ideas there if you want to.

http://mike.pastor2pastor.org.au/

Starting this Sunday at st.andrews we are starting a new bible talk series on Luke’s Gospel called the Essential Jesus. Between now and Easter Sunday we will be considering the Essentials about WHO Jesus is and WHY Jesus came and why its Essential for us to have Jesus in our lives.  You can pick up a copy of the gospel of Luke “The Essential Jesus” in the foyer at Church along with our small group studies.   Of course the talks and studies and a copy of Luke’s gospel will be available here online – but we’d love to see you if you are in Rocky and if you can’t get along to church – drop us a line so we can be encouraged too.

Come and join our church family for a BBQ on Australia Day at Riverside Park, Huish Drive Rockhampton (next to South-side pool). It’s BYO everything.  As well as the BBQ we will be eating Pavlova and throwing thongs.  The fun starts at 4pm and when it gets too dark we might go home.

Pastor welcomes Hell Pizza

Megan Lewis | 15th January 2010

Reverend Mike O’Connor isn’t getting hot and bothered over the devilish name of a new pizza franchise.

IF HELL Pizza set up shop in Rockhampton, Presbyterian Minister Mike O’Connor wouldn’t think twice about taking his church youth group for a slice of Damned or Purgatory pizza.

A Brisbane church this week condemned the opening of a new Hell Pizza store in a nearby suburb, saying advertising for the pizza outlet’s new Brookwater store would send children a confusing message about hell.

“The restaurant’s playing in dangerous territory and several members of our church have expressed concern that they have come to our area,” Springfield Christian Family Church Pastor John Van Bennekom said.

However, Reverend O’Connor of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Denham Street yesterday said such comments were over the top.

“Those views are out of touch with society and make the church look irrelevant,” Reverend O’Connor said.

“If you are going to carry on about the name of a pizza store, where will it stop? What about the Melbourne Demons Football Club or television shows like Hell’s Kitchen?”

Hell Pizza’s advertising slogans include “Kids are evil, feed them” and if you call to place an order you are greeted with a friendly, “Welcome to Hell”.

Their pizzas have names such Purgatory and Damned and they offer home delivery service called Hot as Hell Deliverance.

“I’d buy a pizza from them; even take our church youth group there for dinner if I could. And kids are evil – no argument here!” the father of one said.

Ordained eight years ago, Reverend O’Connor said he did not find Hell Pizza offensive, irreligious or blasphemous.

“I find it amusing and would probably use it for sermon illustration,” he said.

“Christianity is not about rules and regulations, it’s about having a relationship with Jesus.”

Reverend O’Connor said St Andrews was a growing church with a number of young adults among the congregation.

“It’s important to interact with cultures that surround us, not standing back and labelling everything as evil.

“I’m just a normal bloke who likes having a beer, watching the footy and who loves Jesus,” he said.

“Hell is a real place, but it’s unhelpful for Christians to be jumping up and down about a pizza shop. We’re on about Jesus, not about being anti-everything,” he said.

The pizza chain, which began in Wellington in 1996, also has stores in Britain, Ireland and opened its first Canadian store last month.

The restaurant’s Australian chairman Mike Hird was unavailable for comment yesterday.

The Morning Bulletin | January 15, 2010

Starting in February we will be removing the fog, clearing the air and discovering afresh who Jesus is and why he is so essential to our lives.  Make sure you join a small group , pick up a copy to give away to a friend or work mate or neighbour and invite them to come along with you to our series on the Essential Jesus.  It starts in February and finishes on Easter Sunday.

Christmas is all about Jesus and that’s what you can expect to hear about at our Carols night and on Christmas day.  Hope to see you there.  Merry Christmas!