25th Anniversary Celebrations | Gala Fundraising Dinner | Farewell to Staff | End of Year Statistics

Soon 2013 and NET’s 25th year will be finished, and what an incredibly fruitful and blessed year it has been! As you would expect for such a year, it has drawn to an extremely eventful conclusion with many exciting things taking place.

First, we had the annual Archbishop’s Fundraising Dinner on November 16th. The dinner was a great celebration of the work of NET Ministries over the past 25 years. The dinner was also the stage for an announcement foreshadowed in our last newsletter; that Shanelle was stepping down and that I would become the next Executive Director of NET Ministries, effective January 2nd, 2014.

I am incredibly honoured that the Board of NET Ministries has appointed me the new Executive Director of this remarkable organisation. I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude that the Lord has blessed me with this opportunity - not only to be a part of the great organisation that is NET Ministries, but now to be the person to guide it into the next 25 years as it, in turn, continues to lead young people closer to Christ.

As I step into this position, I find myself reflecting on the huge debt of gratitude that NET owes to Shanelle for her faithful service as Executive Director since 2005 She has given tirelessly of herself in service to the Board, the staff and the team members of NET. As a staff, we have all experienced Shanelle’s leadership, ‘shepherding’ and service, and I have been both personally changed and challenged by it.

We are sad that we will not experience her leadership in the same way, but glad that we are not losing her presence, wisdom and experience completely, as she will continue to serve in a role next year as the Director of Pastoral Care and Training.

The day following the fundraising dinner was the commencement of our one week debriefing period with all of our volunteers.

Issue 3, 2013

Debriefing is a time for them to slow down, get some much needed rest, and to reflect on the year that has been. One of the exercises that we do involves the Netters standing in front of a picture of themselves taken in January to explain in 30 seconds how they are now different. This exercise involves some serious introspection, and I am never disappointed by what I hear.

In listening to their responses I am personally evangelised as I listen to the incredible and miraculous things that God has done in their lives through their experience of serving with NET Ministries. There is no other point in the year where it is so clear what God has been up to and why the work that we do as a staff is so important.

Following debriefing were 3 days full of 25th Anniversary celebrations, but I will leave the rest of this newsletter to fill you in on those.

I am extremely excited for what God has in store for NET Ministries for the next 25 years. I believe that the potential of NET Ministries has not yet been reached and that the work and mission of NET Ministries is utterly irreplaceable for the world in which we find ourselves living. There are still so many young people who need to hear the message of Jesus’ personal love for them.

Please join with me in taking this journey as we, in turn, journey with the young people of this nation. Whether you support us through prayer or finances, have served with us, opened your home to host Netters, or any of the other myriad of ways that people support NET, thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t accomplish our mission without you!

Mark DoyleActing Executive Director

NETworks

Address: PO Box 889Paddington QLD 4064

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IN THISISSUE

INTRODUCING MARK...

The 25th Anniversary of NET Ministries in Australia was celebrated on the weekend of 22 – 24 November. Giving thanks for all that God has done through NET Ministries, the celebrations focused on all those that had been involved; from NET Staff, NET Board members, NET team members, Alumni, supporters, benefactors, family and friends.

Mark Doyle was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. After graduating from high school as Valedictorian, he began a Bachelor of Science degree and completed 2 years before feeling called to serve with NET Ministries of Canada in 2003 where he served as Team Leader at Divine Infant Parish in Ottawa, ON.

Mark went on to serve on the staff of NET Ministries Canada for three years as a team supervisor. During his time with NET Canada Mark’s convictions about the need to share his faith with young people and the need for an avenue of mission

Joe Vogel, CEO NET Ministries Canada and Fred and Pauline Mawanda, Leaders of NET Ministries Uganda joined NET in Australia for the celebrations. NET USA made a special appearance through a video tribute to NET Australia at the dinner on Saturday night with CEO Mark Berchem announcing a special anniversary grant from NET USA to

and formation continued to grow. During this time Mark also met his

beautiful wife Renee, as they served together on staff. They were married in 2008 and they now have two sons, Ethan (4) and Elias (2).

Mark completed his Bachelor of Science Degree Cum Laude in 2009 and then moved to Brisbane to serve on the staff of NET Ministries Australia where his role has been Local Ministry Coordinator and Senior Supervisor. Mark will complete his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Executive program at Australian Catholic University next year.

NET Australia of $10,000.The celebrations began with a

cocktail function for Alumni and their partners at Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s residence ‘Wynberg’ on the Friday evening.

This was followed by team catch-ups at Southbank in Brisbane’s CBD on Saturday afternoon before the 25th Anniversary Dinner at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The weekend culminated with Sunday Mass celebrated by Archbishop Mark Coleridge at Twelve Apostles Church, Jindalee followed by a family fun day with food, music and a bouncy castle for the kids.

» Mark Lysaght » Nikki Lysaght » Caitlyn Bennett » Kathryn Curtis » Michael Otto

» Justin Mourits » Kath Gilmore » Arthur Wilson » Shayne Bennett » Mary Dougherty

Thank youA very big thank you to the 25th Anniversary Committee who worked tirelessly to organise the celebrations.

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GALA FUNDRAISING DINNERNET’s 25th Anniversary Gala Fundraising Dinner was one of the real highlights of a very busy year for NET. This year the dinner was held on a Saturday with a Black Tie optional dress code. With Cardinal Pell as the guest speaker, all-in-all it was the classiest NET Fundraising Dinner ever!

The guests were enthralled by Cardinal Pell’s reflections on Pope Francis, and all those who love NET were delighted with his praise of the level of formation and pastoral support NET provides for its teams. Mark Doyle was officially announced as the new Executive Director. Mark challenged the guests to dig deep with a target for the dinner of raising $60,000. We are delighted to report that we achieved this target!

Special thanks to those involved in the organisation of the dinner, especially Board member Patrice McKay and staff member Emma Plant.

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DEBRIEFING

ALUMNI COCKTAIL EVENING

BANQUET

25TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER

THANKSGIVING MASS

Thank You!

Nattasha PenningtonI first became aware of NET in 2008 as a young 18 year old just getting into my faith. The Brisbane NET team showed me there was more to life than what I was living. The next two years I was on a team, where through training, supervisors, team mates and ministry, my faith developed from a happy feeling to being the centre of my life. Since 2011 I’ve served on staff where everything was cemented. Now, as I head into my vocation and new beginnings, I am confident that I’ve been set up for success in the best possible way because of the the people that have been a part of this ministry and how they have let God work through them.

Sadly we say “farewell” in the near future to four of our beloved NET Staff members: Michael Otto (4 years), Nattasha Pennington (3 years), Paul Shakhovskoy (2 years) and Mary Dougherty (1 year on her second go as a NET Staff member). All of these people have sacrificed a great deal to serve with us and through their ‘yes’ to God’s call on their lives have made incredible contributions to our ministry. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and sadness as we see them go, but we know that the Lord has incredible plans for their futures.

Mary DoughertyI have been very blessed to have been part of NET staff this year and am very sad to be leaving. I was last on NET staff 22 years ago when there were three staff and one team! Now, of course, there are 9 teams and 18 staff!! Even though NET has grown amazingly over the past 22 years, it really felt like I was ‘coming home’ again. Being surrounded by wonderful faith-filled people whose boundless energy and enthusiasm for spreading the Gospel has been both inspiring and life giving for me. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be part of NET ministries again this year.

Paul ShakhovskoyMy journey to joining NET was unexpected and unplanned, but I am eternally grateful to God for getting me here. Once I finally said ‘yes’, I haven’t looked back for a second. I find it hard to describe the absolute privelage it is to serve the Kingdom in this ministry; I’ve had a front row seat to God working miracles! From the challenges I’ve had to face, to the friends I’ve made and the support I’ve been given, the 3 year ride that I have been on with NET has profoundly shaped who I am today. I can see a starkly different man at this end. Thank you so much to everyone I’ve served with; NET is an incredible ministry.

Michael OttoWhen I was 19 I had a powerful encounter with Jesus, and 2 weeks later I found myself flying to Brisbane to do a year of NET. I was full of passion to serve the Lord, but lacking in wisdom, humility, and practical ways I could follow Jesus. NET provided me with training, formation, amazing people to journey with, and thousands of young people to evangelise. I’m so thankful to have been a part of this amazing ministry for the past 6 years; for the ways I have been challenged and formed into the man I am today, and for the opportunities I’ve had to minister to others. I am looking forward to moving on now, as one of the thousands of people whose lives have been forever changed by NET.

FAREWELL TO STAFF

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Thank You! TOTALS

ALUMNI NOTICEBOARDMARRIAGES

Eric Gray (National 2 93 & National 1 94) to Mindy Molinar

Angela Setera (National 08) to Brian Dumas

Christopher McCumstie (National 06/07) to Catherine Cipa (National 06, Orange 08,

Melbourne 10)

Nattasha Pennington (National 09, Port Macquarie 10, Staff 11-13) to

Stephen Mierendorf (Staff 12)

BIRTHS

Ben Baker (Geraldton 05, National 07, WYD 08) and wife Eva, welcomed their second daughter Claramaria Tiffiny on

27th November

ENGAGEMENTS

Stephanie Parkin (National 11, Mazenod 12, staff 13) is engaged to Patrick Ransom

Casey McLoughlan (National 09) is engaged to Anthony

YOUNG PEOPLE EVENTS SCHOOLS PARISHES DIOCESE

Canberra Goulburn 4460 92 17 10 1

Good Counsel College 1212 90 6 3 2

Ingham 1762 198 11 4 1

Mazenod 1496 52 3 2 2

Melbourne 4513 91 20 15 3

National 7530 111 67 2 13

St Fidelis 1930 98 5 1 1

Sydney 7717 97 24 5 3

Townsville 4150 48 15 5 3

END OF YEAR STATISTICS

TOTAL NuMBer Of yOuNG peOpLe reACheD

34,770TOTAL NuMBer Of

eveNTS

877TOTAL NuMBer Of

SChOOLS WOrKeD iN

168TOTAL NuMBer Of

pAriSheS WOrKeD iN

47

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NET Ministries Australia wishes you a very blessed Christmasand a happy new year!

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Issue 3, 2013

mission - chal lenge - meaning

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And as always, please pray for us as we seek to fulfil our mission. We hope to see young hearts transformed as they encounter Jesus. That’s why we exist.

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