3rd March 2013

Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Jesus

Jesus: “It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." (Luke 22:37 NIV) 

The setting for this passage is the Passover meal where Jesus gives us the Lord’s Supper.  Jesus points to himself as the ultimate Passover Lamb. His body will be broken and his blood poured out to bring humanity into a new covenant of grace and reconciliation with God. 

Then in the words quoted above, Jesus identifies himself with the suffering Servant of God described in Isaiah 53. Here are a few verses that are often read on Good Friday: 

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,

   yet we considered him stricken by God,

   smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

   he was crushed for our iniquities;

   the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

   and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

   each of us has turned to his own way;

   and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  (Isaiah 53:4-6 NIV)

It’s astounding that Isaiah prophesied these words 700 odd years before it happened!  Jesus points to this prophecy on the night before he dies!  Jesus, the suffering servant of God takes our place of punishment from God for the things we have done wrong; so we can have peace with God and find healing from all that afflicts us. 

No wonder that after his resurrection, Jesus tells his disciples: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms (Luke 24:44 NIV).  The events of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday were NOT accidents - but the deliberate plan and actions of a God who will go to extraordinary lengths to clean us up and make us his!

Peace in Jesus!

Pr Rolly Stahl

PS  Isaiah 53 is also quoted in Acts 8:32 when the Ethiopian eunuch is reading it, yet needs Philip to explain who Isaiah is talking about. 
1 Peter 2:22-25 also draws from Isaiah 53.

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 “Where is your security?”  “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 18:18-30

Podcasts available at www.paravista.org.au

Kingdom Kids

We have some fabulous new resources which we are using this year – we are beginning 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!

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). We would love to see more Grandparents and families (Mum and Dad) get involved where you can be rostered on together and enjoy kids’ church as a family! If we work together and have a larger number of volunteers, these ministries can run efficiently, the responsibility can be shared and the kids get so much more out of them!

Beth Einthal (Relief Children and Family Ministry)

Para Vista Women's Fellowship

Next Meeting:Tuesday, March 5th at 1.00pm in Para Vista Lutheran Church Hall.

Guest Speaker:  Di Ollino

"A Palliative Nursing Profile" Think Pink - Wear Pink

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: April 14 to July 7; plus a day where we explore the Holy Spirit (Saturday June 1^st).  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.

Having Your Child Baptised

Course commence on Wednesday March 6^th, 13^th and 20^th 7:30pm - 8:30pm.

Venue: Education Centre.

For more information, parents can pick up a brochure from our information rack in the front foyer or contact Rolly Stahl.

T (08) 8263 5087

E rstahl@paravista.org.au

Cebu Mission Fundraising
Exciting news!  Announcing our major fundraiser for this year.  Tickets are now available from the church office, or from Team members Joan McCarthy, Di Ollino or Karen McAleer, for a RIVER BOAT MUSIC CRUISE on the Port River Dolphin Explorer.  Tickets are $45/head which includes music by The Adelaide Old Time String Band, dancing, 3 hours 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!

Joan McCarthy

Team Leader

Office closure

The church office will be closed from 11.30am til 1.30pm on Thursday 7^th March for staff meeting and lunch.

 

From the Board and Finance Team

Offerings in 2013

At the half-yearly meeting of the congregation in November it was accepted to increase the Offering budget to $512,500 for 2013. This is an increase of around $9,300 on that received in 2012 and represents an increase of $180 per Sunday.  The board would like to commend this target to all members who call Good Shepherd their spiritual home and prayerfully consider how you could respond to this goal.  God has blessed us with many exciting and rewarding ministries at Good Shepherd and the board would like to ensure that all these ministry areas are suitably resourced.

Giving can be done in 2 ways: Offerings can be placed each week on the offering bowl. Money can simply be placed into the offering bowl or offering envelopes can be used. These are available on the shelf under the pigeon holes.  These are not numbered and therefore remain anonymous. 

Offerings can be given electronically. The Lutheran Laypeople's League (LLL) provides a service (Regular Electronic Giving - REG) whereby regular payments can be deducted from your own Bank account.  The account can be with any financial institution and is completed free of any fee.  Further to this your privacy is ensured as the LLL does not provide details of where the offerings come from. If you would like further information the link on the LLL website is provided which also includes the application form (http://www.lll.org.au/giving/regular_electronic_giving). Forms are also held in the brochure rack at the rear of the church.

Giving through REG has advantages:

• Your giving is regular even if you cannot attend service. This makes monitoring the budget much easier.
• You do not need to carry cash
• It is safer as less cash is held on the premises
• The work load of those volunteers counting offerings is lessened.

Convention Delegates

The Convention of the LCA  will be held at Immanuel College Novar Gardens Monday 22^nd April thru Wednesday 24^th April. If you are interested in being one of Para Vista’s delegates please contact John Dolling (jdolling@bigpond.net.au / 8367 5296) or the church office.

For more details on the Convention go to the SA District web site www.lca.org.au

(We apologise that information given in previous issues of Weekly news was incorrect)

CHURCH IN ACTION

‘Fat’ February has undoubtedly displayed our church in action with a trilogy of diversely significant events. 

The first event was the Back to School BBQ on 3^rd February, where we celebrated the beginning of the new school year with the installation of five new teachers, an LSO (Lutheran School Officer) and canteen manager. (If you missed the wrap up you can see the archived story on our web site: weekly news 10^th February edition).

Second Event

Disability 101 Workshop:

Based on Luke 14, and specifically Luke 14:7-23, the Disability 101 Workshop was held on Saturday 9^th February. This workshop highlighted the need for churches to be Disability Inclusive Christian Communities. 

Abled body people tend to shun the disabled. Why? There are many reasons. For me it was fear of being “politically incorrect”. I’ve learnt that Australia has an abysmal record for not being disability inclusive and sadly this includes many church communities.

The workshop highlighted the fact that Jesus deliberately included those with disabilities.

• We explored what the personal experiences and attitudes are about the disabled  in church communities
• How Disability Inclusive church communities are – this includes the deaf, blind, the elderly
• How do church communities best meet access needs for the disabled
• Being able to enjoy the gifts and abilities of the disabled
• Life with disabled
• Discrimination
• Language, etiquette and practical tips

Leviticus 19:14; “Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling  block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord” 

(far left and left) Presenters Jill Summerlad and Bev Corner gave scenarios of how we can be an inclusive church

(left) As small groups, participants worked through scenarios faced by those with disabilities.

 

(Right) Ps. Rolly Stahl & Ps. Stephen Trautwein working with Adrian Mathew who went blind as a young child

I acknowledge and appreciatively thank Aled Proeve for assisting with the I.T. and swiftly sorting out the ‘glitches’. Your assistance was valued by all.

THIRD EVENT

African Gathering Snapshots

It has often been said that an aeroplane trip to an overseas destination does not make you a missionary. (left – women in mission) Bron Klaer, Liz Zanker, Penny Werner, Fran Leske, Anthea Courtney and Yolande Elliot. Behind the scenes, Ray Courtney and Andrew Zeppel controlled the sound desk. Thank you ladies and men for your valued assistance to our African brothers and sisters.

(above left) Ps. Matt Buse and his wife Rachel (Trinity Tailem Bend) speaking with African friends over lunch. (Above right) Ps. Steen Olsen (Director for Missions) enjoying lunch with Wayne George, Wayne’s  wife Samantha and son Liam (Greenock).

Following a combined lunch generously managed by women members of the congregation, we moved into the church proper for a brief time of worship, led by Pastor Peter Deng.

(left) The Scripture reading was taken from Psalm 91, verses 1 to 8, and was read in English and Nuer.  (Sudanese dialect)

(Right) Sounds of an angelic choir as a group of women led worship in song.

 
(left) Mal Thiel talked about an Aussie Rules Football initiative at Kilburn for African youth aged
8-17 years. Mal is currently working with the Port Power and Kilburn Football Club as coach in this program which will run for 10 weeks, starting on 26^th March.  Mal has coached young people in Vanuatu where he was able to bring a Christian perspective to the youth he coached there giving them a discipline and purpose in life.

 

(right) Adam Ridley with Ps. Peter Deng.
Adam informed the gathering about the upcoming Novo Youth Camp
for years 7 – 12 at Cornerstone College, Mt Barker from 19^th to 22^nd April.

(left)Deputy Director of LSA (SA/NT/WA) Loyd Fyffe gave an overview of Lutheran schooling in South Australia.  Some African people present wondered about how their children could access Lutheran schools, recognizing that Lutheran education would assist African students to grow in their faith and in their identification with the Lutheran Church

(right) Christine Mattiske of Lutheran Community Housing gave a highly informative talk on what to many is an extremely vexing problem.  
The LCH Mission Statement includes all denominations.
The LCA Mission Statement is that all may come to know Jesus through
 the provision of housing, but it is the Government which makes decisions
 on who is allocated housing and how much rent is charged.

Barry Klaer

Pastoral Care & Fellowship

Shepherding & Care/Integration/Hospitality

Vacancies

CHILD AND FAMILY ENCOURAGER (0.4 FTE negotiable)

An opportunity exists to help plan and administer support and care programs for families. The position is based at the Hand in Hand Family Centre run in partnership between Lutheran Community Care and St Petri Lutheran Church in Nuriootpa.

Job Description and enquiries for this position:

Visit:  www.lccare.org.au, Email: aroennfeldt@lccare.org.au

Tel: 08 8562 2688 or St Petri Lutheran Church Tel: 08 8562 1011

Applications to: Anne Roennfeldt, Lutheran Community Care

26 Second Street Nuriootpa SA 5355 or via above email

Applications close Monday 18^th March 5.00pm

ST STEPHEN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH PART TIME YOUTH WORKER (0.2 FTE)

At St Stephen’s we value our young people. We want a person to work with us and share our passion to support
and care for young people. If you want to find out more about this important ministry check our website: www.ststephensadelaide.org.au  or call or email James on 08 8223 5491 E: jameswin@tpg.com.au

Applications close on 22^nd March 2013.

ADMINISTRATOR (0.8—1.0 FTE) St Petri Lutheran Church Nuriootpa

For Position Description contact: Parish Office 8562 1011 or email admin@nuriparish.org

Applications please to: The Chairperson, Parish Office, 21 Second Street, Nuriootpa 5355, by 5pm on 22^nd March.

Notice Board

St Luke’s Modbury Anglican Church Craft Fair

The St Luke’s Craft Fair will be held on Saturday 2^nd November from 9am to 3pm

You are invited to hire a table. For more information and an application form, please contact the office at St Luke’s: 25 Smart Road Modbury E: lukemod@adam.com.au ph.: 8396 1407 (Monday to Wednesday 10am – 12noon)

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Church Web site: www.paravista.org.au

Email: churchenquiries@paravista.org.au