Everything
beautiful
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
A
time to be born and a time to die,
A
time to plant and a time to uproot,
A
time to kill and a time to heal,
A
time to tear down and a time to build,
A
time to weep and a time to laugh,
A
time to mourn and a time to dance,
A
time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
A
time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
A
time to search and a time to give up,
A
time to keep and a time to throw away,
A
time to tear and a time to mend,
A
time to be silent and a time to speak,
A
time to love and a time to hate,
A
time for war and a time for peace…
… He has made everything beautiful in its
time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what
God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 10-11)
It is
hard to understand that God operates differently to us – time-bound creatures.
It is also hard to see how everything can be beautiful in its time. It is
sometimes hard to accept the season that we are in – especially if it is a
season of mourning, of death, of uprooting or of throwing away. Yet God is in
it all and above it all.
It is
easy to live life always wanting to be in the next season. We think: when
Christmas is over, I will have time to see my friends or spend quality time
with my kids. When Uni is over, I will have money to be generous. When life
isn’t as stressful, I will be able to be more encouraging and selfless. But if
we are constantly thinking this way, we will miss what is happening to us now.
We will miss what God has for us in this moment. We will miss the beauty.
My
challenge for you this week is to stop thinking in the future and think in the
now. What has God placed in your life right now? What do you have influence
over? What season are you in? Through Jesus’ death and his resurrection every
moment has been redeemed. How can you bring God into this season? What beauty
is in this moment?
Emma
Kluge
Inspired by Steven Furtick’s
message Take Your Turn
This Sunday at Good Shepherd
This
week’s message will be “God’s promise of
hope” as we continue the series ‘God’s promises in Jesus’
Bible Readings: Hebrews
6:17-20; John 14:1-6
Baby Zone:
We’d like to invite children aged 0-3 and their
families join us in our end of year Christmas Celebration this Sunday 15th
December. Our final session will be held on the school oval and playground as
our current room is no longer available. We ask that parents and carers (who
wish to have their children involved) stay so that everyone can be safe and
accounted for in a more open space. We are looking forward to moving into our
new room early next year. Our 2014 Kingdom Kids and Baby Zone programs will be
launched at the Back to School Service on the 2nd February 2014.
Playgroup:
Thank you to everyone who came to our end of year ‘Carols
and Community’ party on Wednesday. We were blessed to have Mrs Kluge and
her receptions from the school join us and were especially grateful to the year
6’s who came along to run some games and activities. I would personally like to
express a huge thank you to Beth Einthal, Hannah Stewart, Keren Sutton and
Tammy Messner who have faithfully run and served in this ministry over the past
few years. We will be sad to see Beth step out of the coordinators role at the
end of this year but wish her all the best as she starts in her new leadership
role within the church. Our 2014 Playgroup program will start up again early
February next year. More info to come.
Only $27 to go!
It has become a tradition at our church to give the
children a Christmas pack as they enter church on Christmas Eve and Day, as a
way to include and bless them in the service. Just over $200 has already
been donated to cover this expense, which means we only have $27 to go!!! Please
place your donations in the ‘Kids Christmas Packs’ money house located on the
Kingdom Kids sign in table in the narthex. Thanks in advance for your support
in this way. We’d also like to thank the years 7’s at GSLS who helped us put
the packs together on Monday. What would normally take Beth and I a day or two
to complete was done in in less than 2 hours. They were amazing!
Laura Carson – Children and Family Team Leader
Prayer
requests
Prayer
requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the
current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If
you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.
Christmas
Service Times
Christmas Eve – 5.00, 6.30 and 8.30pm
Christmas Day – 9.30am
Christmas
Cards
Sue Schenscher will be selling cards this coming
Sunday after both services. There will also be some Christmas decorations for
sale.
Cebu
Mission Fundraising Team Report
Thank you so much to all Para Vista Church members
for your wonderful support again in 2013. Please see the Church Notice Board
for the full report.
From the office
Relocation
of the library and Baby Zone
This week saw the relocation of the library to the
new area at the rear of the education centre.
Thank you to the band of helpers who made this possible. Access to the
library will now be via the education centre. The store has been shifted
allowing work to commence on the new Baby Zone in the old library and
store.
2013
Budget
Notes
- Income was above
budget in October with Offerings $1,008 over budget.
- Expenditure was
$3,112 over budget. This was primarily caused by catch-up superannuation
payment of $5,188.
- Other expense items
were in line with budget except ministries and plant which were both below
budget.
- Projected budget
deficit is based on actual to end of October and budgeted amounts for
October and November.
Notes
- Income and expenditure figures are currently not available for November.
- Offerings in November were $1,344 below our budget.
- Although REG was below plan it was the 2nd highest monthly amount for the year.
- Sunday Offerings were above plan.
- We are currently $10,402 behind our budget to end of November.
To keep our light shining brightly, our large sign at the front of the
church gets changed twice a week by two faithful servants. Unfortunately both
would like to take a break over the Christmas New Year and January period. We
would love this message to keep reaching into the community and are looking for
volunteers to assist. The sign change takes approximately 20 minutes to change
and all the equipment and quotes will be supplied.
If you are able to assist even for one day during this time, can you
please mark your welcome card with “church sign” or let the office or Stephen
know of your availability.
Notice Board
Influencers
Conference 2014
January 24th to 26th at the Influencers
Church, 57 Darley Rd, Paradise. Register online at
Lutheran
Women of South Australia RETREAT 2014
Located at the Australian Lutheran College - Ward
Street, North Adelaide
From 17th to 19th January
2014. RSVP required by 8th January 2014.
For enrolment forms or more information, please
contact Ruth Oster on 8265 0221 or email kroster@senet.com.au
SA
Council of Churches: Office Administrator Vacancy
Applications are invited for the role of
Office Administrator: General Administration, for 18 hours a week over 3 days. The
role is responsible for the coordination, provision and development of a broad
range of clerical and administration services for SA Council of Churches and
Chaplaincy Services SA. Position Description available at www.sacc.asn.au
Email applications addressing the selection
criteria to:
Geraldine Hawkes, Executive Officer
Closing date: 3pm Wednesday 15 January 2014.
“With God, there is hope even in the most hopeless
situation”
