by Cynthia Lagadan

Thank you so much Burnside Family Church for your warm welcome during my six Sundays of worshiping with you. I was beyond blessed every Sunday. The Christmas service was extra special as I was able to bring along my goddaughter who came to visit me from Perth. She was very much encouraged and strengthened. I had the best Christmas in South Australia.

My ministry is in the area of intercessory prayer and I belong to a core group of an intercessory army. I enjoyed my worshipful prayer walks around Ken’s beautiful neighbourhood. As I was praying for Burnside Family Church, the Lord lead me to two specific verses to declare over this church. Isaiah 54:17 and Romans 12:21:

“No weapon formed against Burnside Family Church shall prosper. Burnside Family Church will not be overcome by evil but Burnside Family Church will overcome evil with good.”

Simple and powerful. There is power in declaring/ proclaiming. I believe a crucial word here is “overcome”. We are called to be overcomers and not defeated. Burnside Family Church is called to move from victory unto victory, from strength to strength, from glory to glory. In Jesus name. Amen and amen. This is my prayer for you brothers and sisters at Burnside Family Church. I fully join you in trusting for God’s provision for a pastor of His own choosing and leading.

I had a wonderful and productive six weeks’ stay. It was very therapeutic to not only share a portion of care to Ken but also to have a lengthy break from my normal job. I am now bracing myself to shift back to winter mood after the warmth of summer.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.

Before coming to Adelaide I prayed that I would not miss what God wanted me to see and that I would not miss what God wanted me to hear while in Adelaide. This trip was highly special – a trip of a life time. The children’s ministry at Burnside is something that strongly stood out to me while I was there. I go to a church where there are no little children. The majority of people are senior citizens. (Before I came to Adelaide there was a new addition to the church; one young couple with two toddlers.) I also work in a nursing home, and I live in a neighbourhood with mostly retirees. So no little children before my eyes.

Interestingly enough, the first Sunday service at Burnside had children’s involvement. It was Kid’s Club Sunday where the focus was on the twenty-third Psalm, - The Lord Is My Shepherd.  I was fascinated with the children and their clay works. I saw these little children not only as the future builders in His kingdom but I also saw them as already now kingdom builders as little as they are.

It remains interesting that on the last Sunday (even if I was not there physically), while watching intently online I was captured at once by the fact that the biggest chunk of the communion message (given by Steve Chapman) was geared towards children. It was followed by Laura’s joyful pounding announcement about Kids Church. I say amen and amen because if we don’t prepare these kids, then who will? Technology will take over. In response, I pray that the anointing over the children and teachers be protected from being snatched by the enemy. Because those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age. (Ps 92:12-14) It is amazing grace that little children don’t stay little children forever, but they will soon be young men and young women, then become fathers and mothers.

This is what the Lord has laid in my heart. Overall I consider this six week Adelaide visit as the grandest vacation I have ever had so far. I remember Ken saying in his email before I came that I would be happy to meet his Burnside Family Church. He was right. I am beyond glad. I will always remember my very first welcome at the Christmas banquet two days after I arrived. It was funny listening to Let It Snow in a Summer land. I came to bless the weak, but in return I was blessed even more. It will take days to count them one by one.

To God be the glory, great things He has done and great things He is doing and great things He will do in 2023. We don’t put our hope in the new year but our Hope is in the One who makes all things new. Amen.

(Cynthia was a fellow missionary with Ken Clezy in Yemen.)