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Let's Make the Invite
Wednesday 16th April 2025
Easter is almost here—and with it, one of the most powerful opportunities of the year to invite someone to encounter the living hope of Jesus.
Across the globe, research consistently shows that people are more open to attending church on Easter than almost any other time of year. Many are spiritually curious, longing for hope, or simply willing to say yes to an invitation from someone they trust. This is our moment—not just to fill seats, but to extend grace.
At BCOC, we believe that every invite can be a seed. As Romans 10:14 reminds us, “How can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” But before anyone can hear the good news, someone needs to extend the invitation—and that someone is you.
So how do we do this with courage and authenticity? Here are some practical and proven ways, drawn from some of the best insights available online:
1. Pray first
Start with prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you who to invite. It could be a friend, co-worker, neighbour, or even someone in your own family. Pray for their heart to be open and for your words to be full of grace (Colossians 4:6).
2. Be personal
The most effective invitations come through personal connection. A Barna study found that 73% of unchurched people are open to an invitation from a friend. So make it about relationship—not pressure. You’re not selling a service; you’re sharing hope.
3. Use simple, honest language
You don’t need to explain the whole gospel. Say something like, “Hey, I’m going to my church this Easter—it’s always a meaningful time. Would you like to come with me?” Let your genuine care and confidence lead the way.
4. Leverage digital tools
Social media is your friend. Post a personal invitation on your feed, share BCOC’s Easter promo video, or send a message directly to a few people. Use Facebook or Instagram stories to invite with a visual. Remember: people scroll quickly, but a simple, heartfelt message stands out.
5. Make it easy for them
Offer to sit with them, meet beforehand, or help with transportation. Hospitality is often the bridge to someone saying yes.
6. Trust God with the outcome
You may plant the seed and someone else may reap the harvest (1 Corinthians 3:6–7). Your role is obedience; God’s role is transformation.
This Easter weekend, we are creating space for people to encounter Jesus—the resurrected King who still changes lives. Let’s be bold. Let’s be prayerful. Let’s be invitational.
Imagine if every person in our church invited just one person—what could God do?
Let’s find out, together.
- Berwick Church of Christ, 446 Centre Road, Berwick
- Clyde Church, Casey Stadium – Function Room, 04 Terry Vickerman Building, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne East VIC 3977
Prayer: Jesus, give us courage to invite others into Your story this Easter. Use our words, our love, and our faith to point people to You. Let this be a weekend where many meet You, perhaps for the first time. Amen.
Food Pantry | Our Local Community Needs Your Help
Many families in our local community continue to experience financial hardship and our Food Pantry Ministry offers a helping hand to those in need. It is also an avenue for connection and care but we need your help.
Please support the Food Pantry by purchasing an item or two from our shopping list. You can drop off the supplies in the Food Pantry trolly in the foyer, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm or Sundays 9am-12 noon.
- Biscuits (e.g. Arnott’s)
- Jam Spreads
- Pasta sauces
- Olive oil
- Muesli bars
- Tinned tuna
- Soup (e.g. tinned, powdered)
- Long life milk
- Toothpaste & toothbrushes
- Shampoo & conditioner
- Blankets
You can give a cash donation at The Desk on Sundays or at the church office during the week. You can also make a direct debit donation.
- Account name: Berwick Church of Christ Inc.
- BSB: 033 609
- Account number: 434168
- Reference: FOOD PANTRY
Thank you for caring.
Good Friday & Easter Sunday Services | Friday 18th and Sunday 20th April 2025 | 9:00am & 11:00am
Join us for a powerful Easter Celebration! Invite your family, friends and neighbours to come and experience the life-changing love and power of Jesus Christ!
Good Friday, April 18 – Jesus: King of Love
Join us as we hear incredible testimonies of salvation and transformed lives. We will be reflecting on the deep love of Jesus and the victory of the cross through communion and worship.
Easter Sunday, April 20 – Jesus: King of Power
Celebrate Christ’s resurrection with us through witnessing baptisms and hearing powerful stories of lives transformed. Join us as we rejoice in the power of Jesus, who raises us to new life.
Come expectant. Come ready to celebrate. Come and encounter the King!
Please note: There is no onsite Kids Church but you can check out our online program HERE. On Easter Sunday, there will be special Easter Gift Bags for all the kids! Please collect them in the foyer before the services. We have vegan options available.
Coffee onsite: Please be advised that due to the special nature of our Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, our cafe orders (coffee and hot chocolate) will close 10 minutes before each service. Ie: 8:50am and 10:50am.
Kids Church | Sunday 20th April 2025 | ONLINE ONLY
This week at Kids Church…
2 to 4-year-olds | Jesus is Alive! | Matt 26: 36, 47-50; 27: 1-2, 11-66
5 to 12-year-olds | Hope is Alive! (the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus) | John 18 – 20, 1 Peter 1:3
Men's Prayer Group | Sunday 20th April | 5:45 pm
Calling all men! At our weekly gatherings, we come together to pray, support one another in our faith journey, and grow deeper in our relationship with God.
Whether you are a seasoned prayer warrior or new, we welcome you with open arms. Our group is a safe space where men can come together to share their hearts, struggles, and victories.
Join us as we seek God’s guidance, wisdom, and strength in our lives and for our families. Together, we can uplift each other, grow in faith, and make a real difference in our community.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”. (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Come and join our Men’s Prayer Group where together we seek the Lord for our families, community and nation.
Baptism Classes | Tuesday 22nd April 2025 | 7:00pm
Baptism is complete water immersion of those who have confessed their faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and their Saviour. However, it is more than just immersion in water. It has a number of significant meanings. Book now if you want to find out more.
Seniors Ministry | Wednesday 23rd April 2025 | 1:30pm
The stage is set for a great afternoon! Lollies, popcorn, and a super movie! This is a great opportunity to introduce a friend to The Friendship Group. Cost $2.
Details:
- Time: 1.30pm – 4.00pm
- Where: 446 Centre Road, Berwick, Vic, 3806
- Bring: Please bring a packet of food for everyone to share
GTM 1 Course Commencing | Tuesday 29th April 2025 | 7:00pm
Growing To Maturity course (GTM1)
GTM is the ideal follow-on course to ‘Search To Find’ or ‘Alpha”. It is the perfect next step for those who:
- Are hungry to grow in their relationship with God
- Want their faith to move from head knowledge to life experience
- Desire to learn how to live out the Christian life in a practical way
Growing To Maturity (GTM) is a unique discipleship course that combines the use of:
- Participant workbooks
- DVD’s
- Weekly inspiring audio talks
- Group discussion and sharing
- Special weekends
- Personal challenges
Alpha Marriage Course Commencing | Wednesday 30th April 2025 | 7:00pm
The 8 week Marriage Course is for married couples who are seeking to strengthen their relationship. Some married couples attend the course to intentionally invest in their relationship, others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and practical ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime.
The 8 week Marriage Course is based on Christian principles but designed for all married couples with or without a church background. The course will help you to:
- Understand each others needs
- Communicate more effectively
- Grow closer by learning methods to resolve conflict
- Recover from the ways you may have hurt each other
- Recognise how your upbringing affects your relationship
- Improve relationships with parents and in-laws
- Develop greater sexual intimacy
- Discover each others “love language” and much, much more….
Building Babylon | Sunday 4th May 2025 | 9:00am & 11:00am
You’re invited to join us for an exciting new sermon series, “Building…in Babylon!”
In a world that often feels chaotic and increasingly secular, how do we build faith, hope, and resilience? Over the course of seven powerful weeks, we’ll dive deep into God’s Word, uncovering timeless truths and practical wisdom that equip us to thrive, even in today’s “Babylon.”
From navigating the dynamics of Manhood and Womanhood (
“…Seek the peace and prosperity of the city… for I know the plans I have for you…” – Jeremiah 29:4-14 (NIV)
Don’t miss this transformative journey as we boldly navigate the challenges of living as believers in a secular world. Together, let’s build faith and strength in the face of adversity. Join us for “Building…in Babylon!” – you won’t want to miss it!
Working Bee | Save the date! | Saturday 24th May 2025
Join us for our next Working Bee as we get our hands dirty and roll up our sleeves to improve the beautiful property we have been blessed with. Prepare for an exciting day of hands-on fun and teamwork.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or first-time volunteer, there’s a place for everyone! Bring your enthusiasm and maybe a friend or two! Stay tuned for more details – a signup sheet is coming soon. Many thanks in advance, we greatly appreciate your support.
Have a safety concern?
We are serious about keeping our faith community safe. We encourage all staff, volunteers, partners and congregation to report any concerns they have about safety and wellbeing. We are committed to handling all concerns seriously, legally and in a child-focused way (if concerning children).
If you have any concerns about safety at the Church, we strongly encourage you to share your concern with one of our Pastors or the Safety Contact Person, Karen Fletcher and fill in our Reporting Concerns Form.
Thank you for being His Presence in Every Place!
BRAAM BOTHA
Senior Pastor
