I attacked the plant with all the vigour of Indiana Jones hacking his way through vines in the jungle. After a couple of hours I had cut the rose back to a respectable level. It was great to be able to walk past it without getting my shirt caught in it or my arm scratched by it. However, after a couple of weeks my carelessness in the pruning stage began to show. A few of the green branches extending down the fence from the original trunk slowly began to turn brown and die. As I looked closely I could see that I had cut them off from the trunk. They were no longer connected to their water and food supply and so they died.
Jesus used this same analogy for our relationship with him. He said, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stayed joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you can’t do anything without me.” (John 15:5) Real life is found in Jesus. As we connect with him and grow in our relationship with him we will experience what it really means to live. Alternatively, if we remain separate from him, our lives will invariably begin to wither and dry up just like the branches I had cut off from the main trunk.
The danger is that we can outwardly appear to be connected to Jesus when inwardly our heart is far from him. We can be like the branches on my newly pruned Banksia Rose that looked alive and connected to the trunk but in reality were cut off and dying. It is only a matter of time before the lack of connection starts to show.
While the branches on my climbing rose became disconnected from the trunk in a matter of moments, our disconnection from Jesus tends to happen very gradually. As our times of Bible reading and prayer become less frequent; as our attendance at church becomes less and less; as our focus shifts to other things; we can reach a point where we feel distant and cut off from Jesus.
While Jesus promises to always be with us, our sense of connection to his presence can feel non-existent.
The good news is that Jesus is always ready to re-establish our connection with him. All it takes is for us to acknowledge our disconnection, ask for his forgiveness and turn back to him. As we do this we find Jesus still there ready to embrace us with his love.
How is your connection with Jesus? Are you in danger of becoming disconnected? What can you do to turn that around? Joining us this Sunday to celebrate Pentecost will be one step towards this. I hope you can make it.
Pastor Noel Kluge
This Sunday at Good ShepherdThis week’s message is “Wait, there’s more” as we finish the series “Is this all there is?”
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au
Bible Readings: Acts 1:3-8; Luke 11:9-13
This week Kingdom Kids will be looking at and learning about these topics:
- Baby Zone – God Cares for Me
- Kindy Zone – Growing God's family (Acts 9:19-31)
- Kids Zone – Using our gifts with love (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)
- Kool Zone – Unity and Love (Ephesians 4:1-16)
Bibles for Kool Zone
We would love to buy a set of Bibles for Kool Zone to use each week in their time together on Sundays! We would love a set of 10 Hardcover CEV Level 66 Illustrated Youth Bibles as this is what the school also uses; they are $29.99 each from Koorong. If your family would like to donate one of these Bibles, please buy it and we would love you to write a message in it from your family and leave it in the sign in desk draws. If you would like to donate money towards these Bibles, please put your offering in the box on the Kingdom Kids sign in desk. Let’s all join together to help our Kool Zone kids grow in The Word together!
Calling All Creative People
Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person!
Kindy Zone Team Leader
We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!
Playgroup Coordinator
We are still praying for someone who would love to coordinate Little Lambs Playgroup. Please consider if this might be you or if you can help in any way and get in touch with me for more info (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au).
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.
Noticeboard
Sweet Aussie Grown Dried Apricots for sale
$10.50 a 500g bag. The apricots are grown without any sprays, but do have Sulphur preservatives. They come straight from the grower so have not been rehydrated. More apricots, less water for your money while supporting Ministries in Tonga through Nazcare Aust Inc.
Wear Something Purple
on 15th June 2014 to show your support for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Shed Night
Tuesday 17th June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Tilly Recreation Park Hall, Cnr Yatala Vale and Hancock Roads, Surrey Downs. This is an alcohol free event and you are invited to bring your father, son or friend along. For more information, please contact Jim on 0438 899 629.
Friends of Lutheran Archives
Margaret Koch will tell us the untold story of Lutheran pastoral ministry on Eyre Peninsula 1907 – 1957. Come along to Bethlehem House, Sudholz Place City, Monday 23rd June, 7.30pm. Supper, gold coin donation. All welcome.
Cafe Mission Coordinator
Hahndorf St Michaels Congregation, SA - 18hrs/wk
For further details go to: http://www.lca.org.au/employment-opportunities.html
Experienced network and SharePoint administrator
Full time position North Adelaide Location. Start Immediately.
Closing date for applications: 13th June 2014
Please see Church Noticeboard for more details
Grassroots Training Workshops – June & July 2014
Dates and course are available on the Church Noticeboard.
Adelaide Hymnfest
Bible Society invites you to join with us for an afternoon of singing favourite hymns.
Free Admission on Sunday 27th July 2014, 2.30pm at St Peters Anglican Cathedral, King William St, North Adelaide. A collection will be taken for the work of the Bible Society in China
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Presented by the Schools Ministry Group in partnership with local churches. All funds raised go to support the Christian Pastoral Support Program (formerly chaplains) in our local state school. Saturday 21 June, 2.30pm at Hoyts Tea Tree Plaza.
Pre purchase Tickets are available online at www.trybooking.com/EZUZ. Tickets prices are $18.00 (adult), $16.00 (student) and $14.00 (child) which are less than box office prices.
“The winds of grace are always blowing,
but you have to raise the sail.”
but you have to raise the sail.”
