Wollongong Salvos in Wollongong, New South Wales | Church

Wollongong Salvos

Locality: Wollongong, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 4227 2994

Address: 11-13 Burelli Street 2500 Wollongong, NSW, Australia

Website: http://WollongongSalvos.org.au

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25.01.2022 Due to the spread of a deadly virus, most churches across the world put worship gatherings on hold. Many faith communities recognised the dangers of gathering as a congregation, and many had bans and restrictions imposed by government authorities. This has caused a significant disruption, to say the least. I love to gather together for worship. I love to gather with a large group of people and blow the roof off a venue in praise. I love to stand with hundreds of people who ha...ve similar experiences to me, people I can relate to, and with, and to celebrate our shared experience of our wonderful creator God. There is also a great value in learning from God’s word as we read scripture together. There is great value in reflecting on some profound truths together and making new decisions and commitments to make our relationships better, our finances better, our work better, our families better. Gathering together builds me, it builds my family and it builds community. Like most worshippers around the world, I have had to adjust to an online gathering with all its positives and negatives. The one thing that has been wrestled with by many is the mission of the church. When worship gatherings were put on hold, the question is apparent, What is the purpose of our church if we don’t gather for worship? For me it comes down to the fact that as a church, our calling is not contingent on congregation. Jesus' final command to his followers was that they were to go and make disciples. Go, not gather. Our calling is to be the hands and feet of Jesus and it doesn’t matter whether we gather in one large group in our church building or in smaller groups in scores of homes, parks, cafes and shopping centres across our city. It doesn’t matter if we sing, hum, clap or bang a tambourine. It doesn’t matter if we drink coffee, tea or anything else. We are still called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We can still be who he called us to be whether we meet virtually or in-person. Join us at 10am this Sunday for the final instalment of "He's Still Got The Whole World in His Hands" as we consider our calling to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. https://youtube.com/wollongongsalvos

25.01.2022 One of my favourite movies from earlier this year was a movie on Netflix, The Two Popes. Anthony Hopkins plays Cardinal Ratzinger, a strong conservative leader within the Roman Catholic church, who becomes Pope Benedict XVI. Jonathan Pryce plays Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, a powerful progressive figure within the Catholic church. The two are deeply divided on many moral and social issues. As leaders of the two factions within the church, the movie traces their interactions an...d discussions over time until Pope Benedict XVI retires and Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected and becomes Pope Francis, the current Pope. The tension between conservative and progressive thinkers is not unique to the church, but it does seem uniquely heated, right from the earliest times when culturally conservative Jewish Christians began to live alongside more progressive non-Jewish Christians. In the decades after Jesus death, Israel descended into chaos. Many Jewish Christians escaped the chaos and made their way to Rome. By the time Paul writes to the Romans, the conflict has begun to boil. The conservative Christians were concerned that the progressive Christians were breaking Old Testament Laws. The progressive Christians, usually non-Jews who hadnt grown up with all the Old Testament Laws, didnt consider them important at all. How often do we see this play out in our communities of faith? Perhaps some Christians have particular standards they grew up with that they feel are vitally important, and so express displeasure at those who do not see things the same way. This can be about a myriad of things including music style, attendance records, dress codes. Its fascinating to think that the Pope is the current leader of that very same church Paul addressed in the New Testament book of Romans. Join us this Sunday as we turn to Romans 14 to see what Paul has to say to the progressives and the conservatives in the Roman church, but also to all of us.

25.01.2022 A Prayer Following reflection on the life of Jonah: Gracious loving, Merciful and Forgiving God Please forgive me When my bigotry... Is thinly veiled behind my nationalism When my prejudice Is excused indistinctly by my sense of entitlement When my racism Masquerades as staunch patriotism When my selfishness Is weakly masked by my Australian birth right Please forgive me of these sins. Please help me acknowledge that you love Every person on this planet In equal measure Without discrimination Help me have the courage to do the same. Please help me understand that you extend grace To everyone In exactly the same way Without any bias Empower me to do likewise. Please help me recognise that you show mercy To all people In identical fashion With not a trace of prejudice Help me be brave enough to do the same. Please help me accept that you offer forgiveness To every human being In an equivalent nature Without any favouritism Inspire me to exhibit the very same attitude. So that I can be a person through whom Gods redeeming love can flow to others Please help these things be a reality In my life today. Amen. Join us at 10 am this Sunday as Bruce Domrow challenges us with the story of Jonah. https://youtube.com/wollongongsalvos/live

24.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 19 July 2020 Join us live at 10am Each Sunday Morning You can find the discussion sheet here: https://wollongongsalvos.org.au//TIO-Becoming-Love-Week-2-

24.01.2022 Next week is NAIDOC week and you are invited to join in some great awareness sessions - all are welcome! #alwayswasalwayswillbe

24.01.2022 When you join us online this Sunday, youre going to notice its a bit different to our new normal online services. Each year we take a Sunday to intentionally celebrate the kids in our church and to give our Junior Soldiers, those who are on an intentional discipleship journey, the opportunity to think about and renew the promise they have made to God. Although we cannot meet together and have this special renewal day at church, we would still love to engage with our chil...dren in a different way. Youll see a few of our kids involved this Sunday and many others have worked in the background to participate - thank you. We have a great group of kids and a great team of kids leaders in our church. People who love God and serve him wholeheartedly. Thank you especially to our key leaders, Jason for Junior Band, Maddy for Kids Club and Amanda and Brooke for kids church and Junior Soldiers. They all coordinate teams of people who serve beautifully. We are proud of you all. And a huge thank you to Amanda who has played a big role in putting our service together today. We also have a special guest, Divisional Childrens Secretary, Captain Susanne Geracia, who will be encouraging us about staying on track during in The Great Adventure of life. How can we stay on track even when things are tough? This message is relevant for all, as we are all on this adventure. Every Great Adventure has ups and downs, easy spots and challenges, surprises and fun! Every Great Adventure also has a destination or goal, but there may be lots of different ways to get there. Sometimes we can take little detours but its important from time to time to stop and check that we are on track. We might even have to take action, make different choices or ask for help to get back on track. The goal for this adventure is to be closer and closer to Jesus. The best news is, that Jesus also wants to be closer and closer to us!! So this Sunday, we are going to think about these questions: How do we know where to go or what direction to take? What will help us to stay on track? What can we do if we get off track? Join us 10am Sunday!

23.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 5th September 2020 - Fathers Day

23.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 8th November 2020

22.01.2022 The Salvation Army has once again partnered with Kmart Australia for the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal. It's Australia’s largest and longest-running gift collection appeal, and we are proud to continue this long-running partnership with Kmart Australia. The theme for this year's appeal Big Heart, Small Gift has been drawn from the unprecedented need for support in 2020, and encourages our community to give what they can, however big or small. We've started collecting toys in the last week, and we are so grateful for the ongoing support of our local community. If you or your workplace would like to contribute to our appeal at Wollongong Salvos, send us a message. #bigheartsmallgift #christmas2020

20.01.2022 Have you ever stopped to think about freedom? Weve just come through (or are still in) a period of lockdown in which our freedom of movement has been restricted. In some areas people are being required to wear face masks, which at least one lady who visited Bunnings earlier in the week objected to, because it limited her freedom. There are times where I wish I had more freedom. For instance, when Im driving I wish I had the freedom to drive at higher speeds than the speed l...imits. When my kids are driving however, I am keen to see the limits reduced. There are times when I wish I had the freedom to say whatever I want, and there are times when I wish others didnt. The truth is, we are fortunate to live in a society where we dont have complete freedom. We are lucky that we live in a society that has laws, that lovingly limit freedom, to protect the more vulnerable. For thousands of years the ten commandments have informed our understanding of the best way live in human society. They are Gods foundational statements of freedom and justice. The rest of the Old Testament contains peoples attempts to understand these statements, explain these statements, expand on these statements and follow these statements, in an effort to create a just and loving society. The reality is, most of what the Old Testament shows us is the human tendency to fail at this attempt to create the kind of society, or kingdom, God intends for all people. The question before us this Sunday is this, what does Paul mean when he says Jesus came and fulfilled the law? Does it mean that all those Old Testament rules are now irrelevant? Obviously not. It means that the kind of loving society that those rules guided humanity towards for thousands of years is now possible, because of what Jesus did and does. We can now, truly, become love. Join us at 10am this Sunday as we continue to explore what it is to live holy lives in 2020.

20.01.2022 We are re-opening our cafe space and it looks amazing! Come and visit tomorrow, or sometime in the next week, to get buy one get one free coffee or tea. #cafeessay #covidsafe

19.01.2022 Innkeepers around the world have struggled this year. Airbnb's, hotels, resorts, inns, boarding houses, hostels and motels have all struggled with a lack of guests. Some hotels have done okay as quarantine centres, and people in some provinces, states and nations may have started travelling a little again, but generally speaking, Innkeepers have had a rough time. Other businesses are similarly affected. Our Salvos Connect centre is busier than ever, but businesses up and dow...n the mall in Wollongong are not. It really does seem as though the coronavirus has brought down all the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Even in the centre of Sydney there are empty streets and stores, since the majority of office workers are still working from home. It might therefore seem as though it would be easy to set aside the commercial cacophony, in order to contemplate the incarnation of God as a baby born in a manger. Unfortunately, for many people, even though outward activity has reduced, inner turmoil has increased. More and more people are out of work, more and more businesses are failing, government stimulus payments are coming to an end and hearts and minds are often consumed with stress and worry. Focussing on the birth of Jesus perhaps seems difficult. This week we want to encourage you to do whatever it takes this season to make room in your hearts and minds for the true Christmas story. The innkeepers of Bethlehem couldn’t make room for the birth of Jesus in their lives. Don’t make the same mistake. Do whatever you must to make room. Join us this Sunday at 10am, as Major Bruce Domrow brings us a message encouraging us to make room for Jesus this Christmas. "Make Room For The Unicorn." https://youtube.com/wollongongsalvos

19.01.2022 Why dont you join us online tonight at 7pm to pray? Message for zoom meeting details, or send us a prayer request and we would love to pray for you #prayerchangesthings #prayerchangesme

19.01.2022 A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself, or a situation which seems to defy logic. Jesus presented a paradox when he declared, Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35) Actually, authentic Christianity, as defined by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, is filled with paradoxes. Jesus tells the crows that the poor will inherit the riches of heaven, that those who mourn w...ill be comforted, and that it is a blessing to be persecuted. These paradoxes can be hard to understand, but perhaps the most difficult paradox in the Bible is the one Paul presents in Romans 5. Paul suggests, in his letter to the Romans, that we are to find joy in suffering. At first glance, its hard to take in. It seems to be foolish and nonsensical. But, of course, its not impossible. The process of suffering has the potential to change us for the better. Paul says, We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4) Despite his challenges in life, Paul seemed to understand the power of Gods grace, which provides peace with God. The suffering of Jesus produced peace, and our suffering produces hope. Hope is future-looking faith in what God will do. Then, that masterpiece of hope in what God will do is cultivated in us, through suffering. As we continue our series on holiness in 2020, our prayer is that God will develop within us contagious holiness. That is, that we will be so set apart for Gods love that others cant help but feel the impact. Together, we walk through our suffering and grow in the grace of God. This is our hope. Join us Sunday at 10am https://youtube.com/wollongongsalvos

18.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 2nd August 2020

17.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 30th August 2020

17.01.2022 Ten years ago our family went on a months trip to southern California with my parents. They wanted to take our kids to Disneyland and we agreed so long as they took us as well. As planning for the trip commenced other must see destinations were added to the list, and some destinations were removed from the list. One destination that never left the list was the Crystal Cathedral. For many years my parents had enjoyed the ministry of Robert Schuller and The Hour of Power a...nd my dad, particularly, longed to visit the place where Schullers broadcasts were made. It is a spectacular building, but sadly it was empty at the time and the only person we met during the whole visit was a wonderful volunteer tour guide. This week we begin a series about becoming love. God is love and we seek to become more like him. To help us in this pursuit we are going to spend the next couple of months in the book of Romans in the New Testament. Romans is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Rome that he longed to visit but never could. He had heard so much about it, he had friends and acquaintances from the church there, but never got to visit it. Instead he writes this letter containing all that he knows and understands about God, humanity and the way of Jesus. A few weeks after our visit to the Crystal Cathedral they filed for bankruptcy and a few years later the whole cathedral and campus buildings were sold to the Roman Catholic church - the modern descendants of that very church to whom Paul wrote. Join us online at 10am this Sunday as we begin our consideration of Pauls words and what it has to teach us about holiness in 2020. #Becominglove #Holinessin2020 #Romans https://youtube.com/wollongongsalvos

15.01.2022 We live in a world that seems obsessed with standards. When you apply for a job, you have to meet certain standards called eligibility criteria. When you apply for entry into a selective high school, or into some university courses, you have to sit for exams to see if you are up to standard. If you want to join a professional music group you generally have to audition to see if you are up to the standard required to play in the orchestra or sing in the choir. When you meet ...your girlfriends father for the first time he will attempt to gauge whether or not you are up to his standard. Many times in life we see opportunities and improvements being offered to people who meet these standards. I met the standards of my father-in-law (eventually) and was given permission to marry the greatest blessing of my life. A friend of mine was able to live up to the standards required for a Masters of Education degree and was given a promotion as a result. Another friend was able to play a high standard of rugby league and was invited to play on a semi-professional team and now gets paid money to play. We are so conditioned to think this way, that we sometimes think of Gods love the same way. We are tempted to think that we can only receive Gods blessing, attention or acceptance when we meet a certain standard. Another definition of the word standard is banner or flag used to identify someone. In a military parade, a standard is carried at the front of a group to identify them. In a throne room or banquet hall the standards are hung to identify those who sit beneath them. Gods love for us has been described as a banner, or a standard, being flown above us to identify us as people who are loved by God. Romans 3 teaches us that weve all sinned. In the words of the great philosopher Hannah Montana, Nobodys Perfect. Instead Romans teaches us that God already loves us and what Jesus did for us proves it. We simply need to accept the love of God, simply sit beneath the banner of love flown for us by Jesus. In other words, we will never live up to a standard, but we can live beneath one. Join us this Sunday for the second in our series, Becoming Love.

15.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 5th July 2020 Join us live at 10am Each Sunday Morning

14.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 26th July 2020

14.01.2022 Most parents of babies would recognise these symptoms: increased clinginess, crying when you leave a room (even for a short period of time), resistance to being put down to bed and increased nighttime wake-ups. When Grandma says, Let me hold my grandson! you hand the baby over only to have them start screaming and turning back to you. Its called separation anxiety. Leaving your baby is never easy, but its especially brutal if they scream and cling to you whenever you head... out. Separation anxiety is a normal part of development. On the one hand, youre delighted that your baby misses you (even from a couple of metres away). On the other hand, what if youre never able to leave the house for the next 18 years without your child crying? An early childhood expert, when I was experiencing separation anxiety with my kids, told me that though you cant necessarily prevent separation anxiety. But, one thing that helped was games like peekaboo. This classic game helps babies realise that things that go away, do come back. Still, its the not knowing how long youll be gone for, or if youll come back, that affects a babys sense of security and makes them feel vulnerable. When babies learn that when they cant see their parents, they still exist, love them and will be back for them, that security relieves their fears. This principle plays out for all of us. If we are not secure in who we are, and what we are about, we act out of a sense of fear, rather than a sense of love. Insecurity is debilitating, but Paul in Romans 8 argues that Jesus died and rose and intercedes for us so we can live confident, secure lives - not based on whether we or others think we succeed, but based on a God who has made us right. We dont need to fear life or death, things past, present or things to come, because Jesus loves us. This is not a promise with strings attached - If you do this, God will do that - this security is an established fact. Pauls words at the end of Romans 8 declare an unshaken confidence in the faithfulness and power of God to finish the work he started in the lives of his people. Join us this week as we celebrate a promise that has been a source of hope and strength to countless generations of believersthe promise that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.

14.01.2022 God is Love. Holiness is about growing into who God has called us to be. Becoming love is about living more and more with a heart and character that reflects Gods love for us and for people. Join us each Sunday over the next few months as we explore the letter to the Romans to understand more about who God is, who we are called to be, and how we make sure we are on track to becoming love just like God is love.

14.01.2022 This Sunday is Valentine's Day. Thanks to Hollywood, it is most commonly associated with gushy, romantic love. Each year a huge amount of money and effort is spent on expressing love on February 14. Millions of Valentine's Day cards are written and given. Kids muster up the courage to write heartfelt notes to secret crushes. Gifts of flowers or chocolates are sent romantically to loved ones, particularly partners or potential partners. While Valentine's Day is celebrated in m...ost countries, different cultures have developed their own traditions for this festival. In some parts of the world Valentine's Day is observed as a day for expressing love between family members and friends, rather than that of romantic couples. In recent years, the modern alternative to the traditional couple-centred event PALentine’s Day (which is most often commemorated on 13 February), has gained momentum. PALentine’s Day is a way to celebrate the friendships in our lives that make us richer and more complete. Urban Dictionary says this about PALentines day: If you are single and/or sick of the commercialisation of Valentine's Day, you spend this day hanging out with your best friends, eating pizza, watching movies, and playing video games. The New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa Territory of the Salvation Army has even tapped into the modern alternative to the traditional couple-centred event and created Palentine’s Day cards to help us celebrate great friendships. (You can download these cards at https://women.salvationarmy.org.nz/PALentinesDay) Now, I personally like this move to include more people in this time for love and appreciation. Love isn’t just for those who have a partner or even who want a partner. It’s a good thing to look out for all those people in our lives who we love and care for! But Jesus takes this one step further in the Sermon on the Mount. Yes, we should love our spouse or partner. Yes, we should love our friends. But, Jesus says, as his followers, we should love even our enemies. He says, You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Matthew 5:43 Join us this Sunday, in person or online, at 10am as we think about how far our love extends. Is our love limited to those in our family or friend circles, or do we make the intentional choice, as part of God’s alternate kingdom, to love even our enemies and to let them bring out the best in us, rather than the worst?

14.01.2022 One of the scariest times of my life was in the back seat of a taxi overseas, flying through crazy traffic at ridiculous speeds. I’m sure a number of you can relate to that kind of experience. It was certainly a time I devoted to prayer. I'm reminded of this experience every Father's Day when I hear the following dad joke. One day a preacher and a taxi driver died and arrived at the Pearly gates. St. Peter took them both in and showed them around. He first dropped off the t...axi driver at his new mansion. It was huge. It had 4 storeys a pool, multiple games rooms, ultimate luxury. The preacher was excited to see his place but, when they got there, he was surprised to find that his ‘mansion’ was a tiny house with barely one room, no pool and no games rooms at all! It was completely unfair and it made the preacher mad. He said to St Peter, I’ve served God my whole life. I’ve faithfully, ministered to the flock, preaching every Sunday to a full church. Why don’t I get a big mansion like the taxi driver? St Peter replied, I’m sorry, around here we look at results, when you preached, people slept, but when the taxi driver drove, people prayed. It might be a mildly amusing joke but it contains a certain element of truth doesn't it? It is human nature to reach out to God in uncertain and fearful times. This pandemic and all the economic and social upheaval around the world, has shown this to be true. People have spent more time and energy calling out to God. Paul, in the first century, along with the rest of the church, faced incredible uncertainty and suffering. Like pastors today, Paul sought to bring comfort to his people with the instructions to "Rejoice in the Lord Always," and "Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." These incredibly popular verses are often quoted, but not particularly well understood. This Sunday at 10am we discuss how and why we should pray in the uncertain and difficult times of life, whether it be in the back of a taxi in Thailand or in the middle of a global pandemic. Join us online as we are reminded that God STILL has the whole world in his hands.

13.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 12th July 2020 Download discussion guide here: https://wollongongsalvos.org.au//TIO-Becoming-Love-Romans- Join us live at 10am Each Sunday Morning

12.01.2022 The promise of reconciliation begins with the journey of First Nations and non-Indigenous people approaching the cross of Christ where we sit and share our stories; honouring one another as those made in the image of God. United in purpose, we walk away as partners - reconciled people - committed to being agents of reconciliation. Check out this short visual representation of this promise. #naidocweek #reconciliation

11.01.2022 When Rebecca and I were preparing to get married we spent time with the minister talking about our families, what things we felt our families did well and the things we thought our families didnt do well. By taking time like this to remember our past, we could learn from it and continue to grow. I hope one day our children take the time to reflect on our family life and identify what we do that they like and dont like so that they too can learn and grow. Perhaps in a few ...generations they will be able to create the perfect family. Theres certainly a sense of truth to the idea that history repeats itself. Mark Twain once said, no occurrence is sole and solitary, but is merely a repetition of a thing which has happened before. In reality however, history doesnt repeat itself, instead, people repeat history. Its true that people are less likely to repeat the mistakes of history if they learn from them. In order to learn from the mistakes of history it is necessary to know what they were and to remember them. Perhaps the most famous quote about history comes from George Santayana who said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This is why we spent the time reflecting on our family life, to examine what we have seen and what we have been taught, so that we do not repeat the things that havent been helpful. This week we turn to Romans chapter 9 where Paul takes a backward step to consider the Jewish people, his extended family. He relates their history of faith in God and he is devastated because they have largely rejected Jesus claim to be the Messiah and are therefore not experiencing the blessings of his salvation. Join us this Sunday at 10am as we read about Pauls family and a particular pattern of behaviour that if we dont learn from, we will be doomed to repeat.

10.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 7th February 2021

09.01.2022 Plan to join our WSA kids for our special online celebration and Junior Soldier Renewal service at 10am on Sunday, 9 August. Some of our kids and kids leaders are taking part and we have a special guest, Divisional Childrens Secretary, Captain Susanne Geracia who will encourage us all to stay on track! #wsakids #thegreatadventure #stayingontrack

09.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Kids Celebration - 9th August 2020

08.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Christmas Day Worship

07.01.2022 Facebook has forever changed the definition of the word friend, hasnt it? I have lots of friends on Facebook, but to be honest, most of them wouldnt qualify as acquaintances in real life. I havent spoken to most of my friends on Facebook for years. Facebook friends, have redefined what friend means. Facebooks definition of friends can include people weve never seen or spoken to. We instinctively feel as though these sorts of friends arent real friends. Many of ...us have an expectation that if someone is a real friend, then we at least know them, speak with them and probably have some sort of regular interaction with them. Depending on your life story, the influences and examples youve had in your life, you will probably have your own understanding and expectation of what it means to be a friend. For some people they have an expectation that every interaction with a friend is positive. For some they have an expectation that a true friend would be there whenever times are tough. For some they have an expectation that a true friend would call them five times a day. Some people would be happy for a friend to simply give them a call once a month, or on their birthday. In Romans 15 Paul describes what it is to be a true friend. Join us this Sunday at 10am as Dr Major Bruce Domrow wraps up our series in Romans, explaining how we Become Love, by being true friends.

06.01.2022 Check out the latest church update!

06.01.2022 The Christmas season is typically a time when Australians over-indulge. Data released by the Cancer Council last year revealed that about two-fifths of Australians put on weight over the Christmas period. The survey showed that males put on more weight than females during this time, while those aged 35-54 gained the most weight across the festive season. And really, it’s not surprising, is it? For most of us, Christmas, and its festivities, revolve around consuming food and d...rinks with colleagues, friends and family. Between work Christmas parties, Christmas lunch or dinner and edible presents, it can be an effort not to gain weight, and in fact, the research showed an average weight gain of almost 3 kilograms. Over this advent season, in our Sunday services, we’ll be considering the ‘Weight of Christmas.’ But the focus will not be on this weight gained from an excess of food or inactivity. The word weight is an appropriate word when talking about Christmas. We often celebrate in the glory of Christmas, but the Hebrew word for glory is the word Kavod. And Kavod not only means glory, but the root of the word is weight. The glory of Christmas has an aspect of heaviness, of weightiness. While this season certainly can get tangled in superficial commercialism, there is, at the centre of Christmas, a weightiness, an importance, a deference, a respect that is filled to overflowing with honour and majesty. If we are not careful, an unnecessary and undesirable weight around unhealthy Christmas expectations can begin to slump our shoulders and suffocate our soul. We can find ourselves feeling pressed to get everything done from decorating, to shopping, to baking, to figuring out how to see everybody in a way that leaves family and friends feeling satisfied (or not) with the amount of time everybody was able to enjoy. All while ensuring we have the perfect outfit and our hair is freshly styled. There can be feelings of ‘so much to do with not enough time’ (or money) to get it all done. And as we feel the weight of Christmas, we may be in danger of missing the true glory of it. Yet Advent, from the latin word ‘adventus’ meaning coming, calls us to prepare for the arrival of a tiny infant into our world. Over these next few weeks, make time to step back from the hustle and bustle of the season, and make room for preparing for and waiting on, his coming again this year. Join us this Sunday and every Sunday in advent to take some time to expand our capacity to experience and enjoy the glory, the important, the weight of Christmas. https://youtube.com/wollongongsalvos

06.01.2022 When my children were young, they loved doing the Hokey Pokey. They could it all day! You know, that song and dance that tells us to put our left arm or right leg or some other part of our body into the circle, out of the circle, into the circle, shake it all about, and then turn yourself around. Its an active and sometimes tiring little exercise that ends with the command, You put your whole self in In Romans 12, this is what Paul says is the appropriate response to al...l that God has done through Jesus for us. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship. To offer your bodies is Pauls way of saying, put your whole self in. In Romans, as in all of his letters, Paul concludes with a list of practical outcomes that are based on the doctrines he had discussed. In the Christian life, doctrine and duty go together - that is, what we believe helps us to determine how we behave. What we think impacts what we do. Paul stresses to the Christians in Rome and to us today, in these last few chapters, the importance of presenting our whole selves to be transformed by God and working to find our place in Gods community. This week we consider the call to action for the church in the present age, presented in Romans 12. It starts by showing up. It continues by trying to wrap our minds around the issues of our world and the holiness of Gods will for us in it. And it leads us into being the body of Christ - becoming love for each other. Join us online this Sunday 10am. https://Youtube.com/WollongongSalvos

06.01.2022 Weve heard how much you enjoyed the last collection of lovely old songs and hymns we shared with you a couple of months ago. Anne & William have collaborated again to bring you the latest collection titled "Turn your eyes upon Jesus" Please click the below link to view.

04.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 16th August 2020

04.01.2022 Morning Worship 22nd November 2020

04.01.2022 Christmas Day Service - Now Online Only As you may know, unfortunately once again, restrictions have changed following the latest covid-19 outbreak on the Northern Beaches. Following updated health advice from the Chief Health Officer about the risk to the community, more restrictions were introduced that apply to the Greater Sydney region, Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong. These restrictions decrease our capacity, and mean we would not be able to sing or ming...le. As people are being urged to limit their activity, we want to do everything within our power to make sure everyone stays safe this Christmas. We have therefore made the difficult decision not to proceed with an in-person worship gathering on Christmas Day. We will of course still have an online service, which we would encourage you to watch with your friends and/or families on Christmas morning at 9:00am. We know this news will come as a disappointment to many, and we share in the sadness with you all. In fact we know that many of you have faced much disappointment over the last week with cancelled holiday plans, visits to or from family postponed indefinitely, and a general sense of ambiguity about the future. We are praying that amidst the sadness and disappointment that the joy and hope of Christmas will be a reality for you in these coming days. We are still planning to gather in person on Sunday 24 January, but will confirm closer to the time when there is more clarity around future restrictions. We look forward to a time when we can come together once again. Phil & Rebecca (On behalf of the Leadership Team)

03.01.2022 Join us tonight at 7pm for our online prayer meeting. All are welcome! Meeting I.D - 947 163 7181 Message us for the password

02.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 14th February 2021

02.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 28th June 2020 Join us live at 10am Each Sunday Morning

02.01.2022 We need your help! Fathers Day is just around the corner and we would love if you could contribute to some "Dad humour" for our online Fathers Day Livestream service. Do you know a good dad joke? Or really, just any dad joke? Then record yourself, or someone else, saying your/their best Dad joke and send recordings to [email protected] by no later than Monday 31st August for possible inclusion in the Fathers Day service.... To get you in the mood, here is a little Fatherly wisdom... 3 unwritten rules of life: 1. 2. 3.

02.01.2022 Thanks to our Brass players for their support during this time. We have loved getting together once a month, sanitising, distancing and playing. Im sure many members of our regular congregation and other viewers from around the world would echo our thanks.

02.01.2022 Grab n Go Meals Available Monday Friday, $7.50 each Starting this week, Pork Roast w Mash, Veg & Gravy is on our menu... This weeks menu: Pork roast w mash, veg & gravy Penne bolognaise Spinach & ricotta cannelloni Butter chicken w rice Curried sausages w rice Beef stroganoff w mash Vegetable tagine Pea & ham soup w freshly baked rolls Potato & leek soup w freshly baked rolls Add a dessert for $3.00 Sticky Date Pudding Bread & Butter Pudding Order via Facebook, Phone: 4226 2969 Or over the counter

01.01.2022 Wollongong Salvos Morning Worship - 23rd August 2020