In our Bible reading this Sunday, there is awe and wonder as two pregnant women share a festival of joy. What makes this account unique is that both women are carrying miracle babies.
• One is Mary: a virgin who is engaged, but has not slept with her fiancé.
• The other is Elizabeth: a woman past her child bearing years and well into menopause.
Both women rejoice in knowing that the sons born to them will play a special part in God’s plans for his world. This Sunday, we will lift the lid on their joy – so we might share in it too! Come and receive the joy that God delivers to us in Jesus.
As we enter these days of Christmas, I pray this blessing for you and yours:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13 NIV)
Pr Rolly Stahl
Bible Reading: Luke 1:35-56
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.
As Christmas draws near we invite you and those in your home to spend time together doing a different activity each day.
On New Year’s Eve, we’ll be doing something special together as a family here at Good Shepherd. A night of worship and celebration - kicking off at 7pm. The evening will include worship (will be very different than our typical Sunday services) and then join in a night of board games, music, drinks, coffee, laughter and joy as we ring in the new year as a Church family. If you are attending please bring nibblies to share, drinks and board games.
We’ll have the play area open for smaller kids and have some other large games for bigger kids.
We are so excited to have you all there!
From the Office
Christmas Whirlwind Competition
The competition is open again on Monday 24th December at 8.30am to find the best dust blowing machine on the block. The competition will assist in giving the church grounds a bit of a dust off and the facility a bit of a spruce up.
For free entry, please bring along a petrol driven (or electric) blow vac that needs a dust out with safety equip and join the group to create an inviting appearance to our church facility for Christmas. If you don’t have a blow vac and have the time, still come along as I have a few spare. BEWARE last year an electric blower nearly took the prize.
Cobwebs will also need to be removed so if you don’t have a competitive machine maybe you can compete for the longest broom handle.
Carpet Cleaning
A team of volunteers is required on Wednesday 9th January 2019 to move chairs to allow the church carpets to be shampooed. As cleaning has not been done for two years due to building works, the whole of the complex will be cleaned in the one day.
NO LIFTING (or minimal) will be required as all the chairs are on sliders. All volunteers will be required to do is slide banks of chairs forwards and backwards. This is a lot easier with a small team. Some chairs may have to be singled out for spot cleaning.
Volunteers are required from 9am to approximately 4pm. You are not required to be here the whole day if you do not have the time and for those who have the whole day to spare a light lunch will be provided.
Please email stephen.zanker@paravista.org.au or call /text Stephen on mobile 0403 180 814 as soon as possible with your availability so Stephen can confirm with the carpet cleaners if the task is to go ahead and how many lunches to provide.
Office Closure Over Christmas
The office will be closed for an extended period to allow staff to exhaust leave. Office hours will be:-
24 Dec 9.00am to 2.00pm OPEN
25 Dec to 7th January CLOSED
Every Monday in January CLOSED
Every Tuesday in January OPEN 9.00am to 3.00pm
Wednesday to Friday, 9th to 25th January OPEN 9.00am to 12.30pm
Wednesday 30th January OPEN normal hours 9.00am to 3.00pm
For urgent contact during this time please call 8263 5087 and leave a message. Messages will be retrieved on working days over this period.
Deliver the Gift of Parking this Christmas
Please consider parking on the school oval, leaving the parks close to the entrance of the church as a gift for our visitors. These arrangements will be in place for all Christmas services. Parking signs will be in place and your assistance in following directions is appreciated.
Remember traffic flow is one way at all times entering from Montague Road and exiting through the rear gate.
Notice Board
Peter Steicke’s new book ‘Favoured’ is now available in paperback on pre-order now. Books are $20 each and will be available from this Sunday onward in between services and after the 10.30 service from Debbie Wesselingh.
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
