Our story in God’s story

This week we start a series called ‘Our story in God’s story’ and it is based on the five key words that emerged from a survey we conducted last year where we asked the congregation to choose words that best described our church. While these describe our story they also reflect God’s greater story. We begin by looking at Acceptance.

The human heart longs for acceptance. Although it has probably caused you some pain over the years, the desire to be accepted and to belong can actually be a good thing. It is God-given. The trouble comes when we look for acceptance in people or things rather than in God. The acceptance of people often falls short of fulfilling our needs and leaves us feeling rejected. We will only find true acceptance when we base who we are on the acceptance God has given us through Jesus.

The good news is God accepts us unconditionally. Romans 5 tells us that God didn’t wait until we were good enough or until we were acceptable to him, rather he sent Jesus while we were still sinners. Before we did anything to deserve acceptance God had already given it to us. This is a wonderful and freeing revelation. But the story doesn’t end there.

God doesn’t accept us simply for the sake of us feeling good or solely for our salvation. God accepts us to show us how we are to accept others. Romans 15:7 says “Accept one another then as Christ has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God”. Rather than placing conditions on our acceptance, like “I will accept you if….” We are called to accept and love others before they have done anything to deserve it. It can seem like a daunting task to accept others as Christ has accepted us­–unconditionally, especially when it involves extending acceptance to those people in our lives we find it difficult to get along with. Thankfully we don’t have to do it on our own. It is not by our strength or power that we achieve this, but by the Holy Spirit at work in us.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you this week as you endeavour to accept others as Jesus has first accepted you.

Blessings,

Sophie

This Sunday at Good Shepherd

This week’s message is “Acceptance” as we start a new series ‘Our story in God’s story’ 

Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: Romans 3:21-28; Luke 7:28-35     

School Holidays

Our 2014 Kingdom Kids and Baby Zone programs will be launched at the Back to School Service this Sunday the 2nd February 2014. Please join us for a short celebration time with Kindy, Kids and Kool zones all together in the school library to start the year!

Kingdom Kids 

Are you keen to help our kids learn about Jesus and how to have a relationship with Him? We would love to have you work with us in Baby Zone, Kindy Zone, Kids Zone or Kool Zone! We really need at least one volunteer in each zone and know that God will provide. If you are interested, please have a chat with me or write it on your welcome card and we can go from there! You are only rostered on 2-3 times a term or whatever you can commit to! 

Kindy Zone Team Leader

A big thank you to Rachel Liebelt who has led Kindy Zone for a number of years and has decided to have a break from this role. We are praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of a passionate and fun team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat! 

Playgroup

Playgroup will start up again next Wednesday 5th of February. I have finished up as coordinator as I take on the Team Leader role here at Good Shepherd so Playgroup is now looking for a new coordinator to be part of a great team of people! Please prayerfully consider if this might be you and contact Beth Einthal for more info on 8263 5087 or beth.einthal@paravista.org.au .

Baby Zone Room

The new Baby Zone room is starting to take shape and looks amazing! Many thanks to John Dolling and Ian Pfeiffer for their hard work on this! Looking forward to the next steps over this term to help paint, decorate and furnish this new space! It's going to be amazing!! Feel free to pop past and have a look! 

Beth Einthal

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.

Staffing Change

Barry Klaer has resigned from his role as Pastoral Care and Fellowship team leader with his last day being Thursday 20^th February. We will be farewelling Barry in the services on Sunday 16^th February. Please keep Barry in your prayers as he finishes his time with us after 9 years of faithful service.

The Board has approved the continuation of this role as part of our staffing plan and the position will be advertised in the next week. 

From the Office Manager

Kitchen Items

The Ladies Guild finished their time to clean and tidy the kitchen area and all of the clutter that has accumulated over the past year. A large number of items have been left in the kitchen and you will be able to view them on Sunday. If any of the items belong to you please remove them. Items left after February 2^nd will be disposed of accordingly.

Contractor Cleaning

The contractor commenced operation this week to clean most of the facilities of the church. The areas covered will be the main auditorium area, ablutions, narthex, parenting room, baby zone and the front entry. Users of the hall and kitchen area, hut and education/library area will still be responsible for returning these areas to a clean and tidy state ready for the next user. 

I would like to request that as a community, members would remove litter items from the auditorium when they leave and place them in the bins provided.

Regular Electronic Giving (REG)

Have you updated your REG? Over half our weekly offerings are made through REG. For those who are altering their giving through REG or wish to start giving via REG the appropriate forms are available from the information rack at the rear of the auditorium.

Alternatively deposits can be made via direct debit.

If transferring from an LLL account, use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.

If transferring from another banking institution, use account number 100354939, BSB 704942.

Relocation of the library and Baby Zone

The relocation of our library and Baby Zone has been completed. This Sunday Baby Zone will be held in the new area and the library will be accessible via the stairs on the left hand side of the education centre. Signage to these areas will be completed by the end of next week.

For Sale

Roller Door. No longer required due to the library relocation. Will fit opening 1850mm wide. Any offer considered. Please contact Stephen on 8263 5087 for further information.

Noticeboard

RADIO

Listen to FACE TO FACE Invite others to do the same. Download or listen online at www.facetoface.org.au  Like us on Facebook  Check out our inspiring mini movies!

2nd Feb         Highway One Middle Lane            Trevor Keller

9th Feb          Great Expectations              Richard Fox

16th Feb        FOMO                                                Rob Schubert

23rd Feb        Like That You Don’t!                      Interview

Access the Face to Face mobile website through your mobile device.

Enter www.facetoface.org.au in your browser and follow the simple website.

  

“There is no fine print in God’s communication with us”

Making space for God to nourish our souls

Have you ever felt like the proverbial camel that’s close to breaking down? "If one more person asks one more thing from me ... I'm going to unravel." 

It's the sign of a neglected soul. Prolonged busyness and stress tends to reduce our perspective to the tasks we do. As a result the presence and peace of God evaporates from our lives. 

Sharing his experience of burn-out, Bill Hybels once asked a question that has stuck with me ever since: What’s the point of standing before God at the end of your life with a great big list of accomplishments – and a shrivelled up heart?

God invites us to spend time with him so he can nourish our souls. Look at the life of Jesus. There were times when he and his disciples were so busy they didn’t even have time to eat.  Yet Jesus regularly takes “time-out” with his Father (Luke 3:21, 4:16, 5:16, 6:12, 11:1-4).

Jesus never lost his passion for people because He took time to nourish his soul. 

Above a fireplace was a mantle with an inscription: If your heart is cold, my fire cannot warm you.  A two car garage will not warm the fire within; neither will a bigger house, a new car, a new dress, a night out on the town, or an overseas holiday. Only God can warm the fire within.

When's the last time you spent 15 minutes sharing your heart with your Father in heaven? 

When’s the last time the love of Jesus moved you to “mist up”?

When's the last time the Holy Spirit comforted or stirred you from a verse or story in Scripture?

When’s the last time you simply sat still for half an hour just being in the presence of God?

Those who regularly let God nourish their inner life will have soft compassionate hearts beating with the love of Jesus - and fruitful lives that keep pointing others to Him.

Rest and joy in Jesus! 

Rolly Stahl

This Sunday at Good Shepherd

This week’s message is “We are citizens of Australia” as we continue the series ‘who on earth am I?’ 

Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: 1 Timothy 2:1-8; John 19:4-12

School Holidays

Our 2014 Kingdom Kids and Baby Zone programs will be launched at the Back to School Service on the 2^nd February 2014.

Kingdom Kids 

Are you keen to help our kids learn about Jesus and how to have a relationship with Him? We would love to have you work with us in Baby Zone, Kindy Zone, Kids Zone or Kool Zone! We really need at least one volunteer in each zone and know that God will provide. If you are interested, please have a chat with me or write it on your welcome card and we can go from there! You are only rostered on 2-3 times a term or whatever you can commit to! 

Kindy Zone Team Leader

A big thank you to Rachel Leibelt who has led Kindy Zone for a number of years and has decided to have a break from this role. We are praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of a passionate and fun team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat! 

Playgroup

Playgroup will start up again on Wednesday 5^th of February. I have finished up as coordinator as I take on the Team Leader role here at Good Shepherd so Playgroup is now looking for a new coordinator to be part of a great team of people! Please prayerfully consider if this might be you and contact Beth Einthal for more info on 8263 5087 or beth.einthal@paravista.org.au .

Baby Zone Room

The new Baby Zone room is starting to take shape and looks amazing! Many thanks to John Dolling and Ian Pfeiffer for their hard work on this! Looking forward to the next steps over this term to help paint, decorate and furnish this new space! It's going to be amazing!! Feel free to pop past and have a look! 

Beth Einthal

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.

From the Office Manager

Kitchen Items

The Ladies Guild has kindly donated their time to clean and tidy the kitchen area and remove some of the clutter that has accumulated over the past year. A small number of items have been left in the kitchen and will be placed out on a table in the hall over the next two Sundays. If any of the items belong to you, please remove them. Items left after February 2^nd will be disposed of accordingly.

Contractor Cleaning

Due to the shortage of volunteers it was approved at the last half yearly meeting of the congregation to employ a contractor to clean most of the facilities of the church. The areas covered will be the main auditorium area, ablutions, narthex, parenting room, baby zone and the front entry. 

The hall, kitchen, hut and education/library area will still need to be cleaned and tidied after use. 

The staff and Board wishes to pass on their thanks to all those who have given freely of their time and committed to clean the facility over the past years. These people have shared the love of God in serving the whole community here.

The contractor will commence this duty from the 1^st February this year. I would like to request that all community members remove litter items from the auditorium when they leave and place them in the bins provided.

Noticeboard

“Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply”

A new page, a new start

One of the things I used to like about starting a new school year was getting new text books. I loved opening up a new exercise book to the first clean crisp white page. It motivated me to write as neatly as I could so that my new book would stay looking good. It was also an opportunity to start again. Whatever mistakes I had made the year before, whatever tests I had failed, they were nowhere to be seen in my new book. It was completely empty of my mistakes.

Just as I used to get a new start every year at school in a new exercise book, the Bible says that we get a new start with God every day. Lamentations 3 says, ‘The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.’ (Lamentations 3:22, 23) Every day God’s forgiveness is offered to us to start again like writing on the first page of a new exercise book. No matter what happened the day before, or even the week before, when we hand that to God he gives us a new book to begin writing our lives in.

This doesn’t mean the consequences of our bad choices the day before instantly stop. Just as the choice to not study may mean we start a new school year in the same class as the year before, there are choices we make that we have to endure even after God has given us a new start each day. However, a new start with God means we live with these consequences in the assurance of God’s forgiveness and not under the burden of God’s condemnation.

Together with the gift of a new start, God also gives us his empowering Spirit to enable us to make the most of our new start. When we cooperate with God’s Spirit we can avoid making the same mistakes over again. We can develop the capacity to keep growing and developing in our walk with God. It is harder than it sounds and there are times when we mess up again. Yet when we do we know that with the next day comes the promise of God’s new start.

What are some of the things from 2013 that you would like to leave behind in 2014 and make a new start? Whatever they are, look to our God of new starts and his empowering Spirit so that you can make the most of them.

Pastor Noel

This Sunday at Good Shepherd

This week’s message is “I am part of a family” as we continue the series ‘who on earth am I?’ Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: Genesis 2:18-24; 1Timothy 5:3-4, 8

School Holidays

Our Children’s Ministry programs are now on School Holidays. Our 2014 Kingdom Kids and Baby Zone programs will be launched at the Back to School Service on the 2^nd February 2014. 

 

Playgroup

Playgroup will start up again on Wednesday 5^th of February. I have finished up as coordinator as I take on the Team Leader role here at Good Shepherd so Playgroup is now looking for a new coordinator to be part of a great team of people! Please prayerfully consider if this might be you and contact Beth Einthal for more info on 8263 5087 or beth.einthal@paravista.org.au .

Laura is finishing

This Sunday we will be saying farewell to Laura as she finishes in her role at Good Shepherd to have her third baby and spend some quality time with her family and enjoy being a mum. She has been an amazing leader and such a blessing to the community at Good Shepherd, we will certainly miss her around the place! Thank you for all your hard work and all that you have done Laura and we wish you God’s richest blessings on this new season of your life. We hope to still see you around the place (maybe in Baby Zone)!

  

Also a big welcome to Kathy Leibig who started in her new role this week as Children and Family Support Worker! All the best Kathy!

Beth Einthal

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.

From the office

Church improvements

Hall Floor - The hall floor has been resurfaced. I thank you for your assistance in removing any spills straight away (use water only) and lifting the furniture to prevent damage to the floor and keep it looking great.

Painting - Due to damage and wear and tear the front wing walls of the church have been repaired and repainted. The surface should last another 10 years.

For Sale

Roller Door.  No longer required due to the library relocation.  Will fit opening 1850mm wide.  Any offer considered. Please contact Stephen on 8263 5087 for further information.

Noticeboard

Tertiary Students 2014

First round offers for University and TAFE are now out! Are you aware of students commencing or continuing Tertiary Study in 2014? As the SA/NT District Tertiary Chaplain, I would be very happy to meet with students/parents in order to assist students settle into tertiary life. Country students may have particular needs with which I can be of assistance. Whatever the circumstance, everyone is most welcome to contact me by any of the means listed below.

God Bless!

Peter Miller

District Office:          137 Archer Street North Adelaide 5006

Phone Number:       8267 5911

Mobile:                     0409 725 573

Email:                       peter.miller@sa.lca.org.au

Rest is a God-given gift!