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 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 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.
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“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
