Weekly News: 17th March 2013

Friday, March 15, 2013

17th March 2013

Elizabeth, a real shining star

There are many incredible women in the bible, but one of my favorites is Elizabeth. She was an amazing woman who after many prayers was finally blessed with a son. Elizabeth’s little son grew to be a prophet and eventually prepared the way for Jesus himself. He was known as John the Baptist.

It’s amazing that Elizabeth never gave up praying and believing in God. She knew that God loved her, heard her prayers and had a great and wonderful plan for her life.

We don’t always know what God is up to and sometimes feel like we’ve prayed but nothing’s happened. God has amazing timing and a perfect plan for your life, just like he did for Elizabeth.

The name Elizabeth means dedicated to God. Are you someone who is dedicated to God? Someone who prays and trusts in God’s plan for your life? A real shining star to others just like Elizabeth was to those around her? God loves you and he is ready to do great things in your life NOW! Just like baby John jumped for joy in Elizabeth’s tummy when he first met Jesus, why don’t we too jump for joy for a God who loves us and cares for us more than we will ever know.

Laura Carson

Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests: Not included in this newsletter, but if you would like to view the current requests, refer to the e-mail that alerted you to this Newsletter. If you have a prayer request or wish to be covered by prayer please email churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request

This week we continue the series “Soul Encounters on the Way to the Cross”. This week’s message is “The power of grace to change us” “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24, 25)

Bible Reading: Luke 19:1-10

Podcasts available at www.paravista.org.au

ALIVE!175

This year the Lutheran Church of Australia will be celebrating 175 years of God’s blessing on Lutherans in Australia and New Zealand.

On Sunday 21^st April these celebrations will begin with a worship service to open our General Convention at 10am at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. This will be followed by a lunch provided for $5.00.

ALIVE!175 will commence at 2.00 pm on Sunday, 21^st April, after the worship service (10am) and lunch. Through a combination of live performances and multi-media presentations, you'll travel through our Lutheran history in Australia, celebrate how God is working in our church in the present, and look with hope to how he will lead us into the future.

While our regular Sunday worship services will occur as normal at Para Vista you are encouraged to attend the opening worship service at 10am. It will certainly be an amazing experience to worship with so many other people. You are also welcome to attend just the ALIVE!175 presentation in the afternoon from 2pm.

To help the organisers plan we ask that you register for this event. You can do this by emailing churchenquiries@paravista.org.au ASAP or writing “Alive 175” on your welcome card indicating how many will be attending and if you will be going for the whole time or just the afternoon presentation.

Families

Good Shepherd families, we would love to get you involved with leading the prayers in our 10:30am worship services. You would be rostered on one Sunday a year and we would love to see and hear both adults and children leading the congregation in their prayers. Please contact Beth Einthal (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) if you would like more information or just send your interest through!

Kingdom Kids

We are enjoying getting into our fabulous new resources – the first year of a three year program which extends across all the zones and takes the children on a journey throughout the whole bible!

· Kindy Zone is held in the school (in Bethany Kluge’s classroom)

· Kids Zone is held in the school library

· Kool Zone is held in the classroom next to the school library.

We need at least 3 more volunteers (helpers) for Kindy Zone/Kids Zone/Kool Zone (3-12yrs). You would be rostered on with a Team Leader on Sundays and all of the planning will have been done by them. You would need to come at about 10am on the Sunday you are rostered on and enjoy spending time with the kids on their faith journeys.

Baby Zone

Baby Zone will be available for children 0-2yrs in the Education Centre. We have an exciting program this year and look forward to encouraging your kids in their faith journey and having fun with them!

We still desperately need at least 1 more volunteer to help with Baby Zone. You would be rostered on once every 4-6 weeks and the commitment would be for about 2 hours on a Sunday. Please consider if you can be involved!

Playgroup

We will be having fun with Easter this term, please feel free to pop in and visit. We are also enjoying some fabulous new equipment from a government grant we received last year! Playgroup is held Wednesday morning 9:30-11:30am in the Church hall, please come and say hi! If you would like some more info about children’s ministry, please give me a call or send me an email (I work Thursdays).

Beth Einthal

(Relief Children and Family Ministry)

Cebu Mission Fundraising

Our major Fundraiser for 2013 is a RIVER BOAT MUSIC CRUISE on the Port River Dolphin Explorer. Tickets are available from the church office, or from Team members Joan McCarthy, Di Ollino or Karen McAleer.

Date: Saturday 13th April 2013, Boarding Time: 6.30pm for 7pm departure (don't be late or you will miss the boat!)
Where: Near the Lighthouse at the end of Commercial Road, Port Adelaide.

Tickets are $45/head which includes music by The Adelaide Old Time String Band, dancing, 3hrs cruising and supper. There will be raffles, lucky squares, games and a coin slide. Optional ~ you can even dress up like the band for some added atmosphere! So gather your sea-legs and your friends and come along and enjoy a fantastic night!

For any further details please see Poster and flyers (please take one) in the Narthex.

Card Stall This Sunday 17^th March 2013 after 8.45am and 10.30am Services. There will be new cards including mother’s day cards for sale.

Alpha 2013

The Alpha course is where participants can discover who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. Following the presentations by Nicky Gumbel, participants can ask questions and search for answers in a small group with others.

God touched many hearts and lives through last year’s Alpha course here at Good Shepherd. This year we are hoping to run Alpha on a series of Sunday nights: 14^th April to 7^th July; plus a day where we explore the Holy Spirit (Saturday 1^st June). We would like to kick off each Sunday evening around 5:30pm with a meal.

For that to be possible, we need the gifts and help of others. So we are asking whether members and friends of our Good Shepherd family can serve in the following areas:

Helping with set up or pack up
Catering or food preparation
Creche
Small group leaders
Prayer team
Music or sound

Please consider and pray about being involved.

If you have any questions or would like to join in this adventure, please contact any of the Alpha Team: Debbie and Cees Wesselingh, Merv and Ros Thiele, Lindsay Freund.

CELEBRATING PALM SUNDAY

FISH and SALAD LUNCH

When: Sunday 24^th March 2013 after 10:30am service

Where: Good Shepherd Church Hall

Why: Celebrating Christ’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem

Who: You and your family and any guest you may invite

Cost: Gold coin donation

Did you know? The palm is a figure of the righteous enjoying their deserved prosperity (Psalm 92:12), probably with reference to the greenness of its foliage, the symmetry of the tree and its fruit. Palm branches are a symbol of victory. (Revelation 7:9)

The primitive church used the palm to express the triumph of the Christian over death through the resurrection.

On the tombs the palm is generally accompanied by the monogram of Christ, signifying victory of the Christian is through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. The palm is especially the sign of martyrdom as this was considered in the light of victor (Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Moody Press 1985)

YOUR NAME IS A GIFT

Warmth, friendliness, openness, welcome, cordiality, generosity are all synonyms of hospitality.

Christian ethics are described in scripture Romans 12:9-21. Great words of wisdom, all do-able! However I refer particularly to verse 13(b) “pursue hospitality”.

One minor way which has high impact, in which you can show hospitality is by wearing your name badge. It is truly a gift to those who are visitors or new worshippers. For me and the other members of the Pastoral Ministry Team, to be able to correctly call you by name is a gift!

If you do not have a name badge, you can order one through the front office or by writing ‘name badge’ on your welcome card. Please nominate your choice of magnetic, clip or pin backing.

Cost: $9:50 per name badge.

Barry Klaer - Pastoral Care & Fellowship Team Leader (Hospitality)

MEN ONLY!!

ADELAIDE MEN’S CONVENTION 2013

LOVE, SEX, MARRIAGE & RELATIONSHIPS

Saturday May 11^th 2013

Concordia College 45 Cheltenham Street

Highgate.

Registrations

Early bird Registration Until 11^th April $35

Group of four or more 12^th April – 4^th May $40

Concession: (Pensioners, Unemployed, Students) 12^th April – 11^th May $40

Standard Registration 12^th April – 11^th May $45

Registration includes

Lunch, morning & afternoon refreshments & your convention booklet…& ample parking!

Brochures and registration forms in information rack in narthex.

Barry Klaer - Pastoral Care & Fellowship Team Leader (Shepherding & Care)

Vacancies

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Para Vista

has an opportunity for someone to join its Pastoral Ministry Team as

Children and Family Support Worker

This 8 hour per week position (on an initial one year contract) is to provide administrative and practical support to the Children and Family Team Leader serving children (0-12) and their families. Our Children and Family ministries seek to disciple children and their families and help equip families as the primary place of faith nurture and development.

This position requires someone with organisational and administrative skills with the ability to work in a team. The role also requires proficiency in using a computer for record keeping, rosters, and communication. The successful applicant will be accountable to the Children and Family Team Leader.

Remuneration will be according to the Lay Workers Salary Scale Level 1.4

A Position Description is available on request from the church office- churchenquiries@paravista.org.au or by phoning 8263 5087.

Applications in writing, by 1^st April 2013, are to be submitted to the:

Senior Pastor

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Para Vista

PO Box 306

Modbury North SA 5092

WANTED: Helpers to provide practical knowledge and skills of basic car maintenance for refugees

Do you enjoy helping others to learn new skills and become familiar with everyday activities of life in Australia?
Do you have practical knowledge of basic car care?

The New Neighbours Settlement Support Team at Lutheran Community Care are seeking a few hands-on helpers to assist in educating new arrivals from a refugee background about basic car maintenance and safety. A basic understanding of car maintenance is needed (e.g. how to check oil and water levels, how to check the tread on tyres etc.) This will be a once off information session in March/April at LCC's Blair Athol site.

If you have a few hours to spare for this one-time session we would love your help. For more information contact: Emilie Traeger p: 08 8269 9300 or E: etraeger@lccare.org.au

Notice Board

Men@ParaVista Come to breakfast and learn about “TYPE 2 DIABETES and OTHER DISTRACTIONS” from our own Peter Weckert. Saturday 6^th April, 7.30am @ the Para Vista Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 388 Montague Road. Peter will speak on his part in a two year study with the CSIRO investigating how diet and exercise affect type 2 diabetes. Donation of $5 is appreciated. Contact Jim 0438 899 629 or Email men@paravista.org.au

“Between the devil and the deep blue sea" Movie Night, Sunday 17^th March

I‘m hosting a film night to help raise the awareness of the truth behind Asylum Seekers coming to Australia by showing a movie entitled "Between the devil and the deep blue sea". Please join us at the Modbury Uniting Church, 572-576 Montague Rd, Modbury as we watch and learn how to become a more welcoming community.

Please arrive at 3.45 pm for a 4pm Movie start time. Entry is free.

A light afternoon tea including popcorn will be provided.

NB Please RSVP Margie: 0416 210 624

Open Day