Russell Family

The Aussie Connection Newsletter – End of the Year – December 2020    

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebrating our Lord and Savior and have a blessed start to the New Year! 

I’m sure we can all agree that it’s been an interesting, unusual and crazy year.  I can’t help but wonder what’s in store for 2021. Will it be more intense than this past year? What’s going to happen in the world of politics? What’s going to happen in Bible Prophecy? Will we see more fulfilment of end times events?

What’s going to happen in our individual lives? Families? Work? Church? 

The best thing we can do is to keep trusting in the Lord, and remember He is sovereign and in control over all. We can prepare and equip ourselves mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Let’s not panic, speculate, or live in fear. We can walk and live in the grace and peace of God. We can walk in the Spirit. We need to walk in wisdom, discernment and in holiness.

That needs to be our focus and prayer everyday. Just imagine the impact we would have on society if every Christian did that. We would see revival and an out pouring of the Spirit. We would see a radical move of God in our lives, in our churches, and in society. That is my hope and prayer for us all.

Church

We re-opened the doors of Calvary Melbourne on Sunday, November 29th, after 8 months of lockdown.  It was so good to see everyone face to face and worship the Lord together. We’ve had several new families join the church and others, who have watched online, are now visiting in person. 

We are thankful we were able to hold our Traditional Christmas Service with our Annual  Fellowship and Luncheon afterwards.  It was a wonderful turn out and a great opportunity for everyone to reconnect. 

Family

Overall, we are doing well as a family. Our oldest son Joshua, as we mentioned in a previous update, is working full time as an Electrician since graduating high school. The company he works for does all kinds of electrical work, but they are mainly installing solar panels on industrial buildings or houses. He’s enjoying it for the most part, learning heaps, but not a fan of the exceptionally early start time of 5am.  

Christian will be in Year 11 and will start back to school in February. He has chosen the Trade Pathway as well.  He will be doing his normal high school classes, but will also start TAFE Courses/Trade School to become a Plumber. 

Niki finished up her first year as a Teacher’s Assistant for ILP (students on individualised learning plans) Students and absolutely loved it. There has been some great opportunities for her to really make an impact with the students in her classes.

I’ve been busy with teaching and pastoring the church, serving as the president of the soccer club, and working my side job as an undertaker.  Life has been busy, but am so thankful for the Lord’s provisions through it all.  

Thank you

Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We are so blessed to have you on the team in making a difference in the lives that are touched by this ministry. 

May the Lord radically and outrageously bless you. 

G’day mates, I hope you are doing great today. Here is a quick update of the latest happenings here in Melbourne (click on the link below). Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support. Please send us your prayer request so we can pray for your needs specifically as we pray for the Aussie Connection team each night.

Until next time…

Grace and Peace to you, Andrew Russell Senior Pastor Calvary Melbourne, Australia

ps: just to give a heads up, we are looking into another process and format in how we send our newsletters, so things may change in the next month or so.

 

July_2012_The Aussie Connection Newsletter

 

G’day,
Hope you are doing great. Just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This past year has been probably the most challenging year in our life and ministry, but we have learned and grown so much through it. I’m glad it coming to a close and we will be starting a new year, fresh start. We are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for next year.
Here is this months newsletter in the attachment.
Have a great day.

until next time..

Grace and Peace,
The Russell Family
12_2011_Dec_The Aussie Connection Newsletter

G’day mate,
I hope you are doing great. We are doing well. It’s starting to get cold here because we are heading into winter. The ministry and church is going great and growing each month. The attachment below is this months newsletter.
Please let us know if you have any prayer request. Have a great day 🙂

05_2011_May_The Aussie Connection Newsletter

Until next time….

Blessings to you,
Andrew Russell
Senior Pastor
Calvary Melbourne, Australia

www.calvarymelbourne.com.au

Greetings and G’Day from Down Under. I can’t tell you how blessed we are to serve the Lord here in Melbourne, Australia.  We will be celebrating our 5th year in this amazing country in just a few months.  Wow, time has flown by!

We feel blessed that the Lord has brought Jason and Emma Wright (from the U.S.) here to serve along side of us.  Jason will be serving as the Youth and Assistant Pastor.  They are beginning to settle into their new home and are getting adjusted to the new assignment from the Lord. We wait in anticipation to see what the Lord has in store for them and us as we work together and launch into a new season of ministry.
Here is their blog site if you which to read more about them:
http://www.wrightfamily.blog.com/

Guest Speaking at the Bible College in New Zealand
During the first week of April, I’ll be heading over to New Zealand to teach at the Bible College extension campus- http://www.ccbi.ac.nz/–  in Rotorua, which is south of Auckland and north of Wellington.  I’ve been asked to teach three sessions on what the Lord has put on my heart.  At this time, here are some the message topics that I feel lead to address with the students: How to respond to others when they have hurt you; Restoring Broken Relationships; Hearing the Voice of God; The Secret of Contentment; and Encouragement and Exhortation for Leaders.

Whilst I’m there, I will be looking at, interviewing, assessing and evaluating the options for starting a Bible College here in Melbourne.  We have been praying for the Lord’s direction and guidance in this decision.  If you could please lift the trip and the decision process for the Bible College up before the Lord, it would be much appreciated.

40 Days of Prayer and Fasting
This past Wednesday evening, we launched into our 40 days of prayer and fasting. This is the third time in the last 3 years that we have joined as a congregation to do this.  In every season of prayer and fasting, we have seen the Lord do some amazing things, from miracles, to breakthroughs, a greater intimacy with the Lord, and growth in the church.  We are so excited to see what the Lord is going to do in this season. If you’re interested in joining with us, in need of prayer or a breakthrough in your life, please let us know so we can pray for you.  If you would like more information on the resources we are going through, we can make them available through email.

Prayer points:
Pray for revival and a great harvest in our church, community, and country
Pray for balance and focus as homeschooling and ministry is getting busier
Pray for wisdom, direction, discernment, protection, provision, and strength (health) for the ministry, family, and marriage.

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many by your prayers, your faithful support, and your partnership.

Until next time……
Pastor Andrew Russell
Andrew, Niki, Joshua, & Christian

For a printable version of this update and to see pictures, please click below

03_2011_March_The Aussie Connection Newsletter

To read our latest update please click on the link below.

The Aussie Connection Newsletter Feb 2011

Here’s whats happening our lives! We will be the US this month! Please click on the link below to view our update! Merry Christmas!!

The Aussie Connection NewsletterDec12th

Greetings,
I hope you are doing fantastic today. We are doing well. Today (oct 9th) is our Anniversary. It is amazing to see how quickly 11yrs can go by. God has been so good to us and brought us through some amazing things.
Thank you so much for faithfully praying for us. It’s making a huge difference in our lives and in the ministry here in Melbourne.
May the Lord bless you and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Until next time……
Blessings to you,
Andrew Russell
Senior Pastor
Calvary Melbourne, Australia
www.calvarymelbourne.com.au

10_2010_Oct_The_Aussie_Connection_Newsletter[1]

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope you are doing great and that you had a blessed time celebrating the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Easter weekend. What an exciting time we had at our services! Over the past month, we have seen the Lord do some amazing things in the life of our church. The momentum is awesome and we have grown at least 30%.

The people that have been coming and joining Calvary are seeking a church that teaches the Word.   Time and time again we have heard them say how fed up they are of attending churches that do not teach the bible. Once they attend one of our services, you can literally see their countenance change and their excitement and joy that they have found a church that goes through God’s Word.  It is so cool to watch this happen.

As I have mentioned in the past, the last Saturday of each month we have a men’s’ fellowship and barbeque. At our last bbq, we had 24 guys show up, which has been the most we have had in attendance so far. Next month, we are going to intentionally add more of an outreach feel to it. We have been teaching through the book of Nehemiah, a chapter per session / month. This month we will be in chapter four. It is always a blast to hang out and to get to know these guys and to see what the Lord is doing in their lives.  Please keep praying for the fellowship time with these guys.

Easter Services

This year was the first time we were able to have a Good Friday service (which we had over 50 in attendance) since moving here to Melbourne.

It’s been on my heart to hold this service each year, but the timing, lack of help, among many other things has hindered it. We have such a phenomenal team that the Lord has raised up, and I felt that it was time for us to step out and go for it.  Then on Sunday we had our Easter service and a big fellowship luncheon afterwards.  These luncheons are awesome; delicious food, great opportunity for fellowship, and just a heap of fun.  We’re looking forward to next year, and what the Lord will bring if the rapture hasn’t already happened.

Status on Visa

Your browser may not support display of this image. By the time you get this we will be half way through the visa process. We will be doing the medical testing next week, which is the last big thing we need to complete before we are able to lodge the paperwork. The next step in the process is the remainder of the finances to be provided, which is close to $3000. We know the Lord is in control and that He will provide as He always has.

Upcoming Church Camp

This September (19-22) we have planned our first Church Family camp. We have done in the past both men and women retreats, but this is the first for the whole church. We are thrilled to see the response of the congregation.  It would be great to have a team come out to help, and assist with the running of the camp. If you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible so we can point you in the right direction and get the process started.

Prayer request

Please pray for wisdom, discernment, protection, provision.

Please pray for our permanent visa – wisdom, favor with the immigration, quick process, finances

Pray for a revival in the church

Pray for the Lord to bless Calvary Chapel

Please pray for our family – Niki, Joshua, Christian, Andrew.

Please pray for us to have the right balance with family time, homeschooling, ministry, and all the other areas of life.

Thank you for your prayers and support. You are truly making a difference in the kingdom.

Until next time……

Pastor Andrew Russell
Andrew, Niki, Joshua, & Christian

I hope you are doing great and are have having a wonderful day. The month of January was a big one for us for several reasons.  First, we moved into our wonderful new house, then we started several new studies at the church, and last we began the groundwork for our permanent residency visa.  We have had the privilege to get to know and develop a good friendship with our new landlords.  The Lord opened the door for us to share about the work He is doing here in Melbourne.  We instantly made a connection with the family, and they shared with us that they have been looking for a church to attend. We invited them to come visit and they have come the last two weeks.   It looks like they are going to make this their home church. They seem to be really enjoying the fellowship and the teaching of the Word. Praise God!

Self-Confrontation Course

About four weeks ago, I started teaching the Self -Confrontation Manual during our Sunday night service. We have 12 in the class and 4 that are taking the course correspondently. It has been amazing to see the growth in each of these individuals’ as they apply themselves and press through the homework.  Please pray that they will persevere and finish the entire 24-week course.

Week of prayer and fasting

Last week, as a congregation, we had a week of prayer and fasting. It was an amazing to see the Lord working and ministering. Our focus was to see a breakthrough and revival in our lives and the church. There was a vision that was given at our midweek study. The main thought behind it was “the Battle is coming”. We don’t have a time frame or what exactly the battle will be, but it was an exhortation for us to be praying, staying on guard and focused. Please join with us in prayer for protection, for wisdom, for discernment, for unity, and for the Lord’s favor and blessings.

Starting homeschooling

We are back full swing with home schooling.  Joshua is in 2nd grade and Christian Kindergarten. It is a bit more challenging this year trying to balance both boys, but they are excelling and learning so much.  I get to be a part of their Bible time every morning and some other activities through out the day.  It is a blessing having your children at home, and being able to pour your heart into them and teach them from a biblical perspective.  It has been tough balancing between schooling and ministry, but we serve such an awesome Lord, who gives us the strength to get through each day.  Rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice!

Understanding communication breakdown.

While teaching through Ephesians 5, dealing with the marriage relationship, I came across a helpful article to help Men understand some communication break down.  I would like to share with you 8 words women use…

1.) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to be quiet.

2.) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

3.) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

4.) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don’t Do It!

5.) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)

6.) That’s Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

7.) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say you’re welcome.

8.) Don’t worry about it, I’ll do it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking ‘What’s wrong?’ For the woman’s response refer to #3.Then you RUN!

Church and Family Camp

We are going to have our very first Church and Family Camp this coming September, from the 19th to the 22nd.  We would love to have some help during this time; whether it is in the form of a missions team and/or several couples who can help us with Children’s Ministry, and other practical areas.  It would be a blessing to the church family here in Melbourne to have fellow brothers and sisters from the States hang out and minister to them.     .

Prayer request

For our Permanent Visa  – we start phase one of the sponsorship for the church to nominate Us. After that part is approved, then we can submit out personal paperwork. Please pray for wisdom, discernment, protection, provision, and favor upon the whole process.

Please pray for the next season at the church as we make adjustments in the facility, and for the Lord to bless every element of the church.

Please pray for our family – Niki, Joshua, Christian, Andrew.

Please pray for us to have the right balance with family time, homeschooling, ministry, and all the other areas of life.

Quote:

If you want God’s power & blessing on your ministry, you must be willing to absorb the pain of others without resentment.

Thank you so much for your prayers and for your faithful support. We could not do this without your help J

Until next time……

Pastor Andrew Russell
Andrew, Niki, Joshua, & Christian