Friday, July 27, 2018

Breaking Tradition

Acts 10:15  “The voice spoke to him (Peter) a second time.  ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’.”

I’m sure you have all heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’.  In some cases this can certainly be true.  For example, there are many things about my personality that are polar opposites from my wife.  However, I think the number of things we have in common far outweigh our differences.  In fact, it is the things we have in common that make us feel comfortable and safe with each other.  I think it is far more accurate to say that ‘like attracts like’.

We tend to surround ourselves with things that we like, things that make us comfortable.  More often than not these things tend to reflect part of who we are.  Maybe it evokes part of our history or part of our personality.  Whatever the case, we end up surrounding ourselves with things and people that are somehow like us.

Peter struggled with this a bit too.  He wanted to share the Good News about Jesus with the Jews, God’s chosen people, people just like himself.  It took some divine intervention in the form of heavenly visions, for God to help Peter realise that His plan was so much bigger than that.  Through Jesus Christ, all people had become God’s chosen people.  Because of Christ’s death and resurrection there was no longer clean and unclean, all people can be made clean with the blood of Jesus.

Much of our contemporary world is considered by many denominations as ‘unclean’ or ‘impure.’  The word that is often used is ‘secular’ and it has come to mean ‘something opposed to God.’  This may be so in some cases, but the word and ideas are often applied to people, which is what God reveals to Peter.  It’s not just foods that God names clean, but also people.  The Gentiles themselves are considered part of God’s plan.  To go against the grain of the traditions is a very difficult thing, but necessary for our contemporary church.  What does this mean for the Church?  How do we do this in daily life?  How do we talk about evangelism and helping people be made whole/clean?

Join us this Sunday as we explore some of these questions in our individual, local and international contexts.

Vicar Mat von Stanke

Bible Reading:  Acts 10:9-23
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Prayer Request
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 churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Ladies Fellowship Meeting
Tuesday 7th August 1pm with trading table.  Bible Study lead by Pastor Rolly.
A reminder to please bring toys and children’s underwear for Lutheran Community Care for Christmas distribution.  Items can be left at church or given to Ragna Gaard or Dorothy Buscumb by 12th August.  Reminder to pay Dawn Spencer for September trip.  Husbands welcome.

Youth


Youth Retreat – SAVE THE DATE
Combined with Golden Grove Youth, we are going on retreat!
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th October 2018
Camp Kedron, Barmera (there will be a bus)
For youth in year 7-12
More information coming soon!


2018 Step Up Program
Young people aged 10 and over, and their parents are invited to take part in our Step Up program to prepare for Holy Communion.  Taking the approach that Parents are the primary faith developers in their children, Step Up is designed to support parents in preparing their child for Holy Communion.

Step 1 (Launch) Family LunchSunday 29th July, 12:30pm – 2:30pm in the Church Hall
To register please contact the Church office or Chelsea Schiller at chelsea.schiller@paravista.org.au
More information and dates on our website at http://paravista.org.au/baptism-setup/

Grow Ministries LCA Child Youth and Family Ministry
2019 Grow Leadership Program
Are you aged between 18-25 years and interested in developing your leadership skills and have a heart for ministry?  Please contact Chelsea if this is something you would like to explore.  Applications close Sunday 30th September, 2018.

Little Lambs are collecting, are you able to help?
We’re looking for:
Cardboard tubes from cling wrap/alfoil
Plastic Nutella jars (empty, clean & dry)
Band aids
PVC piping
Dot markers (ones used in bingo)
Large plastic buttons
Golf tees
Dried natural items like seed pods, gum nuts etc

Feel free to drop them into the Church Office or leave them in the donation bin outside the Parents Room at church.

From the Office

Sanding Saturday
We would like to have the toilet corridor painted before the special service on Sunday September 16th.  To begin the process we will be holding a Sanding Saturday on August 11th to sand the walls and doors.  Keep the date free.  More details later.

Family Zone Food Collection
This Sunday July 29th at both services there will be a food collection for the Family Hub at Ingle Farm.  We encourage you to support this activity as this food will enable the Family Hub to support the needy families in our community.

Below are listed the foods they will find most useful:

Breakfast cereal i.e. weetbix, cornflakes.  Large boxes can be divided
Pasta and pasta sauces
Soup
Rice
Toilet rolls – again large packs can be divided into singles
Tinned vegetables – variety – carrots, peas, corn etc
Tinned spaghetti, baked beans
Small butter/margarine ie 125gram packs
Tea bags – large box for dividing
Long life custard
Tins of fruit
Medium and large freezer bags to divide/pack food for parcels
Muesli bars for children’s school lunches

These items will be brought forward early in both services.

If you are available on Monday July 30th at around 9:30am to help transport the food to Ingle Farm it would be greatly appreciated.

Below is an email from Kathleen at the Family Hub which details how our gifts become a blessing to those in need.

One story that struck a heart string for me last week was a dad phoning in.  He has just been to the bank and there wasn’t much there but the bank teller suggested he contact us because of his story –  perhaps the bank teller was someone we know?  This dad’s wife had left the family home and also left the children.  He was struggling to work, care for the children, pay the mortgage and still stay sane.  This particular week the budget just didn’t stretch – perhaps because it was school holidays?  He had stopped driving to save petrol so he and the children caught the bus to Family Zone where we were able to provide him with some healthy meals to get him through the week.  We had just had a delivery of mandarins and oranges which supplemented the groceries supplied by the congregation.  This man was humbled by the help but accepted it on behalf of his children (who were delightful!)

Please thank everyone again – I look forward to sharing some more as the story unfolds.
Kathlene Wilson

Keeping our facility tidy
Lately coffee cups have been left around the facility.  Staff time is used up having to retrieve, wash and put them away.  Your assistance is required to return cups to the kitchen on Sunday before the volunteers have finished cleaning up.  If you are unable to do so, please wash and put them away.  We ask that at all times individuals and groups return cups or items to original storage space ready for the next user.

Helping us keep warm in worship
When heaters are turned on, please turn the ceiling fans on to a low speed.  For the auditorium, fan switches are located at the rear corridor and speed setting 5 or 4 will suffice.  Please do not adjust the settings on any of the heaters as they have been set for the best comfort and economy.

Regular Electronic Giving (REG) www.lll.org.au/REG
REG is a way for our members to regularly support the work of our church.  Details of transactions are kept totally confidential. None of your personal details are given to the congregation or treasurer. The treasurer is only advised of the total amount credited to the account for the month. For those who are altering their giving through REG, or wish to start giving via REG, the appropriate forms are available from the table at the rear of the auditorium or via this link http://www.lll.org.au/giving_through_the_lll/regular_electronic_giving_reg  use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942

Alternatively deposits can be made to the following bank account details:
If transferring from an LLL account, use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.
If transferring from another banking institution, use account number 100354939, BSB 704942

Notice Board

SALA Exhibition at Good Shepherd Para Vista 
During August, Good Shepherd will be the venue for a SALA (South Australian Living Artists) exhibition to be exhibited in the hall and café area.  Leanne Stahl and Ros Thiele displayed paintings and photographic works in the Barossa last year.  After various discussions, and with encouragement from others, they explored the possibility of exhibiting at Good Shepherd this year.  Together with the Board’s approval, they see this as an opportunity to engage with people from the local community and with other South Australians in an invitational and non-threatening way.  Part proceeds of any sales will go to support the work of Lutheran Community Care’s Family Zone at Ingle Farm, whose work will also be promoted.

They also hope that our facilities can be used for other exhibitions, where creative people from our congregation can display a variety of multimedia works.


The Hits of Stage and Screen
Presented by Neighbourhood Watch SA and the Band of the South Australia Police
Wednesday 22nd August at 7.30pm Adelaide Town Hall $25 per ticket available through Bass outlets or online at www.bass.net.au
All proceeds go to Encounter Youth.

Faith Gym



Upcoming Events at Australian Lutheran College
All are welcome to attend the following events which will be held at Australian Lutheran College (ALC) in August.  Entry to the campus is via the driveway at 200 Ward Street, North Adelaide.  For catering purposes, please advise ALC of your planned attendance – either email alc@alc.edu.au or phone 08 7120 8200.

Public Lecture: The place of the epistle reading in the Divine Service
Rev Dr Thomas Winger, Principal, Concordia Seminary, St Catherines, Canada and author of the recent Concordia Biblical Commentary on Ephesians, will present this lecture on 16 August from 2-3pm.

Fritzsche Oration
This annual event, organised in partnership with the LCA’s Committee for Lutheran Archives, will be held on Friday, 17 August at 7.30pm.

ALC emeritus lecturer, Rev Dr Peter Lockwood, will give this year’s oration entitled: A small cog in a large wheel: the FRM’s bush courses in Central Australia in the context of the preparation and support of Indigenous church workers.

The presentation will take you inside the bush courses for Indigenous pastors and evangelists that are held three times a year in the remote communities of the Finke River Mission field of Central Australia. These bush courses are a small, but vital cog in the far larger wheel of training and supporting the LCA’s Indigenous church leaders.  Starting with a brief history of the courses and a description of the typical bush course, this year’s oration will give you an insight into some of the perennial issues that vex the minds of the FRM support staff, the Indigenous church workers, and the FRM board.  The issues inevitably morph into questions for the whole LCA to address, as it continues to grapple with the vital task of preparing Indigenous church leaders for their calling and supporting them in it.

Get the latest news from LCA www.lca.org.au
Subscribe to the LCA Notice Board
http://www.lca.org.au/departments/ministry-support/communications/lca-notice-board/
To receive Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) Notice Board in your inbox on Wednesday every week, sign up to LCA Notice Board eNews.  It's free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.  Please visit www.lca.org.au for more details.

“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.”
Acts 5:42

Friday, July 20, 2018

Power to Encourage

Can you think of a time when you were tempted to give up, quit, or walk away because you copped criticism, ran out of puff, or made mistakes?

We’ve all been there.  In 1997, I began post-graduate studies with Moore College in Sydney.  My first subject was Christian Apologetics (responding to attacks against Christian faith, and persuasively presenting the grace and truth of Jesus).  I really enjoyed the subject.

Yet in spite of doing OK in the exam, I failed the essay component – and therefore failed the subject.  It left me dejected and confused:  “Was this a bad idea?  Am I cut out for this?  Should I quit and focus my energies somewhere else?”

One of my mentors at that time had also studied at that level.  While out walking, he patiently listened to my questions and doubts.  And then he suggested: “If you continue and finish this course, you will never regret it.”

His words of encouragement put wind in my sails to keep going.  And he was right!  Throughout that course, I gained a better grasp of Aussie culture, the Bible, and God’s mission for his world - wonderful stuff I’ve kept passing on since!

Come to think of it, Jesus didn’t keep banging on about people’s failures, but kept reminding them of how precious they are to God.  In Jesus, we see how God always wants to do us good.

Encouragers help people to realise their God-given potential.  We need more encouragers in our community, in our churches and schools, and in our families.

Ian “Watto” Watson made the comment, “I’ve never seen a bloke go backwards with encouragement.”  Aint that the truth?!

This Sunday we’re going to look at a great encourager in the Bible, and hear from a bloke who is a great encourager today.  Who are you encouraging?

Pr Rolly Stahl

Bible Reading:  Acts 4:36-37, 9:26-28, 15:36-41
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Prayer Request
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 churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Ladies Fellowship Meeting
Tuesday 7th August 1pm with trading table.  Bible Study lead by Pastor Rolly.
A reminder to please bring toys and children’s underwear for Lutheran Community Care for Christmas distribution.  Items can be left at church or given to Ragna Gaard or Dorothy Buscumb by 12th August.  Reminder to pay Dawn Spencer for September trip.  Husbands welcome.

Youth
Young Adults – Sunday Arvo Games
THIS SUNDAY from 1:30pm in the Cafe
Bring your favourite games & snacks
Coffee available for $2

Youth Retreat – SAVE THE DATE
Combined with Golden Grove Youth, we are going on retreat!
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th October 2018
Camp Kedron, Barmera (there will be a bus)
For youth in year 7-12
More information coming soon!



2018 Step Up Program
Young people aged 10 and over, and their parents are invited to take part in our Step Up program to prepare for Holy Communion.  Taking the approach that Parents are the primary faith developers in their children, Step Up is designed to support parents in preparing their child for Holy Communion.

Step 1 (Launch) Family Lunch – Sunday 29th July, 12:30pm – 2:30pm in the Church Hall
To register please contact the Church office or Chelsea Schiller at chelsea.schiller@paravista.org.au
More information and dates on our website at http://paravista.org.au/baptism-setup/

Grow Ministries LCA Child Youth and Family Ministry
2019 Grow Leadership Program
Are you aged between 18-25 years and interested in developing your leadership skills and have a heart for ministry?  Please contact Chelsea if this is something you would like to explore.  Applications close Sunday 30 September, 2018.

ASIA FOCUS AUSTRALIA (AFA) supports LUTHERAN WORLD MISSION in 14 countries under the banner of “Faith and Love in Action”.  They provide spiritual leadership and training, ministry support and crisis assistance for many in times of desperate need.  Pastor August Fricke, the President of AFA, will be in South Australia from 20 to 23 July and will be at the Para Vista Church on Monday evening, 23rd July at 7.30 pm.  He has recently returned from Mongolia and Bhutan.

His theme for the evening is ‘The Joy of World Mission in Days of Increasing Persecution’.

All are welcome to join in an informative and challenging evening with opportunity to raise questions and discuss this incredible ministry.

For more information phone 0409 477 040 or email augustfricke@hotmail.com

From the Office

Hall Floor
The hall floor has been resurfaced.  To assist in the curing process we request that all members refrain from entering the area on Sunday.  Thank you.

Family Zone Food Collection
As announced earlier this month we will be having a food collection on the last Sunday of the month to support the wonderful work of LCC Family Hub.  The next collection is next Sunday July 29th at both services.  Gifts will bought out to the front early in both services.  The list of requirements remain the same as last month as many of our gifts have been distributed to families in need.
Breakfast cereal i.e. weetbix, cornflakes.  Large boxes can be divided
Pasta
Pasta sauces
Soup
Rice
Toilet rolls – again, large packs can be divided into singles
Tinned vegetables – variety – carrots, peas, corn etc.
Tinned spaghetti, bake beans
Small butter/margarine i.e. 125 gram packs
Tea bags – large box for dividing
Long life custard
Tins of fruit
Medium and large freezer bags to divide/pack  food for parcels
Muesli bars for children’s school lunches

Keeping our facility tidy
Lately coffee cups have been left around the facility.  Staff time is used up having to retrieve, wash and put them away.  Your assistance is required to return cups to the kitchen on Sunday before the volunteers have finished cleaning up.  If you are unable to do so, please wash and put them away.  We ask that at all times individuals and groups return cups or items to original storage space ready for the next user.

Helping us keep warm in worship
When heaters are turned on, please turn the ceiling fans on to a low speed.  For the auditorium, fan switches are located at the rear corridor and speed setting 5 or 4 will suffice.  Please do not adjust the settings on any of the heaters as they have been set for the best comfort and economy.

Regular Electronic Giving (REG) www.lll.org.au/REG
REG is a way for our members to regularly support the work of our church.  Details of transactions are kept totally confidential. None of your personal details are given to the congregation or treasurer. The treasurer is only advised of the total amount credited to the account for the month. For those who are altering their giving through REG, or wish to start giving via REG, the appropriate forms are available from the table at the rear of the auditorium or via this link http://www.lll.org.au/giving_through_the_lll/regular_electronic_giving_reg  use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942

Alternatively deposits can be made to the following bank account details:
If transferring from an LLL account, use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.
If transferring from another banking institution, use account number 100354939, BSB 704942

Notice Board

SALA Exhibition at Good Shepherd Para Vista 
During August, Good Shepherd will be the venue for a SALA (South Australian Living Artists) exhibition to be exhibited in the hall and café area.  Leanne Stahl and Ros Thiele displayed paintings and photographic works in the Barossa last year.  After various discussions, and with encouragement from others, they explored the possibility of exhibiting at Good Shepherd this year.  Together with the Board’s approval, they see this as an opportunity to engage with people from the local community and with other South Australians in an invitational and non-threatening way.  Part proceeds of any sales will go to support the work of Lutheran Community Care’s Family Zone at Ingle Farm, whose work will also be promoted.

They also hope that our facilities can be used for other exhibitions, where creative people from our congregation can display a variety of multimedia works.


Faith Gym Courses – Term 3


Get the latest news from LCA www.lca.org.au
Subscribe to the LCA Notice Board
http://www.lca.org.au/departments/ministry-support/communications/lca-notice-board/
To receive Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) Notice Board in your inbox on Wednesday every week, sign up to LCA Notice Board eNews.  It's free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.  Please visit www.lca.org.au for more details.

Professional Standards Workshop


“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Friday, July 13, 2018

Partners in Ministry

When I was a teenager, one of my favourite movies was Raiders of the Lost Ark.  In later years, I dreamt of being a swashbuckling archaeologist uncovering the clues for lost treasure, digging my way underneath the sediment of myth to find truth.  In the movie, Indiana must sift through some of the texts of the Old Testament to unravel the mystery of the truth of the Ark of the Covenant which carries the heart of God’s Old Testament protection – the tablets of the law.  Engaging in the historicity of the texts brings a transformation in Indiana, one that seems to turn him from eyes open disbelief, to eyes shut awe at the power of God.

So it is with finding the gospel message in the 21st century.  Digging through the sediment of secularism and post-Christianity, the world encounters the Bible with a kind of wide-eyed disbelief; we treat the scriptures as wonderful little stories full of little nuggets of truth, but we often only scratch the surface when it comes to how the scriptures are historically interrelated.  The thread of history weaves together a perfect picture of how faith transforms lives and brings people into community.

Notice, Romans 16:3

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.  They risked their lives for me.  Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

We hear all about the disciples in the book of Acts, their miracles, signs, wonders, healings, exorcisms.  It’s a very public ministry and they were called to it, but when one sifts underneath the names, there are people like Priscilla and Aquila, a married couple, a dynamic duo, who seem to have saved Paul’s, and others’ lives, but did not have the same public and vocal presence.

The question is:

Who were Priscilla and Aquila?  What did they do in the book of Acts that transformed people and relationships?  And, if they can help to transform lives and relationships in the context of one of the most secular and pre-Christian cultures like Ephesus, how can we do it in the 21st Century?
This week we’re going to be amateur archaeologists digging far below the surface to find a pairing that seeks to transform lives even one at a time.
Pr Reid Matthias

Bible Reading:  Acts 18:1-4, 24-28
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Prayer Request
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 churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Baptism
At the 10.30am service this Sunday Connor Fleet, son of Tegan and Matthew will be welcomed into God’s family through holy baptism.

Youth
Youth Retreat – SAVE THE DATE
Combined with Golden Grove Youth, we are going on retreat!
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th October 2018
Camp Kedron, Barmera (there will be a bus)
For youth in year 7-12
More information coming soon!

2018 Step Up Program
Young people aged 10 and over, and their parents are invited to take part in our Step Up program to prepare for Holy Communion.  Taking the approach that Parents are the primary faith developers in their children, Step Up is designed to support parents in preparing their child for Holy Communion.

Step 1 (Launch) Family Lunch – Sunday 29th July, 12:30pm – 2:30pm in the Church Hall
To register please contact the Church office or Chelsea Schiller at chelsea.schiller@paravista.org.au
More information and dates on our website at http://paravista.org.au/baptism-setup/

From the Office

Lutheran Community Care
A letter of thanks was received from Helen Lockwood – Director for LCC for our recent donation which will continue to support families and their children on their journeys towards a more hopeful future.

Hall out of use
The hall will be out of use this week from Monday 16th to Friday 20th July inclusive.  This will enable the parquetry floor to be sanded and retreated, restoring it back to its original state.
If your group requires any items from the storeroom for that week it needs to be removed no later than Sunday 15th.

Finance Report 

Offerings
January – June 2018
Total Offerings – Budget $254,000 Actual $242,540 UNDER $11,460

Budget Summary
January – May 2018
Total Income – Budget $241,200 Actual $228,335 UNDER $12,865
Total Expenses – Budget $238,460 Actual $217,841 UNDER $20,619

Notes since last published report:

Offerings in May were around $4,200 above budget. 
Offerings in June were around $3,400 below budget
May offerings through REG were the highest ever at just over $30k.
June offerings through REG were in line with Budget
Plate offerings continue to be well under budget.
Expenses have been in line with the budget over April and May.

Regular Electronic Giving (REG) www.lll.org.au/REG
REG is a way for our members to regularly support the work of our church.  Details of transactions are kept totally confidential. None of your personal details are given to the congregation or treasurer. The treasurer is only advised of the total amount credited to the account for the month. For those who are altering their giving through REG, or wish to start giving via REG, the appropriate forms are available from the table at the rear of the auditorium or via this link http://www.lll.org.au/giving_through_the_lll/regular_electronic_giving_reg  use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942

Alternatively deposits can be made to the following bank account details:
If transferring from an LLL account, use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.
If transferring from another banking institution, use account number 100354939, BSB 704942

Keeping our facility tidy
Lately coffee cups have been left around the facility.  Staff time is used up having to retrieve, wash and put them away.  Your assistance is required to return cups to the kitchen on Sunday before the volunteers have finished cleaning up.  If you are unable to do so, please wash and put them away.  We ask that at all times individuals and groups return cups or items to original storage space ready for the next user.

Helping us keep warm in worship
When heaters are turned on, please turn the ceiling fans on to a low speed.  For the auditorium, fan switches are located at the rear corridor and speed setting 5 or 4 will suffice.  Please do not adjust the settings on any of the heaters as they have been set for the best comfort and economy.

Notice Board


SALA Exhibition at Good Shepherd Para Vista 
During August, Good Shepherd will be the venue for a SALA (South Australian Living Artists) exhibition to be exhibited in the hall and café area.  Leanne Stahl and Ros Thiele displayed paintings and photographic works in the Barossa last year.  After various discussions, and with encouragement from others, they explored the possibility of exhibiting at Good Shepherd this year.  Together with the Board’s approval, they see this as an opportunity to engage with people from the local community and with other South Australians in an invitational and non-threatening way.  Part proceeds of any sales will go to support the work of Lutheran Community Care’s Family Zone at Ingle Farm, whose work will also be promoted.

They also hope that our facilities can be used for other exhibitions, where creative people from our congregation can display a variety of multimedia works.


Faith Gym Courses – Term 3


Professional Standards Workshop


Get the latest news from LCA www.lca.org.au
Subscribe to the LCA Notice Board
http://www.lca.org.au/departments/ministry-support/communications/lca-notice-board/
To receive Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) Notice Board in your inbox on Wednesday
every week, sign up to LCA Notice Board eNews.  It's free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.  Please visit www.lca.org.au for more details.

“For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow.”
Hebrews 4:12

Friday, July 6, 2018

One Day

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon…  (Acts 3:1)

It probably seemed like any other day, walking to the temple, the ritual of prayer at the same time and the same place.  Gathered around the temple were various clumps of people, some were talking, some were listening and some were begging.  Those who were considered unclean, perhaps cursed by God for some previous sin, were left to do what they had always done – to ask for money from those who were fit enough to enter the gates.

On this one day, a man without a name, but a story that spanned years, had been carried to the gates hoping that enough alms would come his way so that he could buy daily bread.  He had always been there, it seemed, because he was unable to walk, and on that one day, two men, Peter and John walked by, and in the blink of an eye, the man who was unable to walk had his life changed.  No longer would he need to ask for money, he could now enter the courts of God himself.

That one day was transformational for this man, not just because he could now walk (and leap and dance!), but the paralysed dreams of his youth were also able to move.  For all those years, he had limited his imagination to what he could do to the amount of money brought in by begging, but one day he was healed in the name of the risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, and no matter what happened from that one day forward, his life belonged to God.

Circumstances in life are not always controllable.  Things happen.  People make mistakes.  Life is unfair.  Sometimes people do not deserve the difficult moments.  It’s the seemingly broken record of the scriptures, but God continues to break through time and time again in these circumstances to remind all people of his great love for them, and he has a different dream for them – his dream!

This week, we’re going to experience the story of the unnamed lame man in Acts 3 and how he is brought from his own paralysis of dreams for the future; then, we’ll see how it intersects with the Living Acts of the present – a man, expected to have cancer, a maximum life expectancy of five years, going to have surgery, and the unthinkable happens.

Come hear what God did on that one day.

Pr Reid Matthias

Bible Reading:  Acts 3:1-10
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

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 churchenquiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Praise Point
We thank God for the safe arrive of Jensen David Zanker born on the 21st June 2018 to Aaron and Elice Zanker, grandson to Stephen and Liz Zanker.

Youth
Youth Retreat – SAVE THE DATE
Combined with Golden Grove Youth, we are going on retreat!
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th October 2018
Camp Kedron, Barmera (there will be a bus)
For youth in year 7-12
More information coming soon!

2018 Step Up Program
Young people aged 10 and over, and their parents are invited to take part in our Step Up program to prepare for Holy Communion.  Taking the approach that Parents are the primary faith developers in their children, Step Up is designed to support parents in preparing their child for Holy Communion.

Step 1 (Launch) Family Lunch – Sunday 29th July, 12:30pm – 2:30pm in the Church Hall
To register please contact the Church office or Chelsea Schiller at chelsea.schiller@paravista.org.au
More information and dates on our website.


From the Office
A great team effort!
Our food collection last Sunday to support the Family Hub at Ingle Farm was a great team effort.
members gave very generously
the young people from Transform sorted all of the donations so unpacking at the other end was a much simpler exercise
5 members assisted in transporting to Ingle Farm - their car boots were completely filled
These same 5 packed all the goods away ready for distribution

Kathleen was amazed at the generosity of the congregation and says a big thank you.  She assures us this will be put to good use.

Hall out of use
The hall will be out of use on the week commencing Monday 16th July.  This will enable the parquetry floor to be sanded and retreated, restoring it back to its original state.
If your group requires any items from the storeroom for that week it needs to be removed no later than Sunday 15th.

Regular Electronic Giving (REG)   www.lll.org.au/REG
REG is a way for our members to regularly support the work of our church.  Details of transactions are kept totally confidential.  No personal details are given to the congregation or treasurer.  The treasurer is only advised of the total amount credited to the account for the month.  For those who are altering their giving through REG or wish to start giving via REG, the appropriate forms are available from the table at the rear of the sanctuary or via this link http://www.lll.org.au/giving_through_the_lll/regular_electronic_giving_reg use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.

Alternatively deposits can be made to the following bank account details.
If transferring from an LLL account, use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.
If transferring from another banking institution, use account number 100354939, BSB 704942.

Notice Board
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“For I will restore health to you, 
and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 30:17