It kind of feels like the world is in exile, doesn’t it? The remnant scattered to their homes, connected by webs of information, fact and fiction. It has a similar resonance with the people of Israel as they are carried off from their typical realities to an atypical rhythmic state of fear. Many who are in exile wonder how long it will take to return home to ‘normal,’ but once one has been in exile, is there ever a return? Is there ever a normal?
As the community of Good Shepherd, we are still wondering what the future holds. What will our priorities be in the next few months? What resources do we have at our disposal? How do we utilise them to help in the wider community which may be paralysed as much by indecision as much as fear?
The Good Shepherd Board has convened three times in the last week – the last two via Skype, a novel experience. During these meetings we have discussed openly and honestly the hurdles which will be presenting in the near future. Here are some of the questions we are wrestling with:
How do we communicate with the wider, isolated community in a coordinated and consistent way?
How will we continue to offer worship services which can connect people even when they cannot gather in the same space?
How will Good Shepherd’s finances be affected in the near and long term? What are the implications for staffing?
How do we pastorally care for people when we are not allowed to be in the same physical space? What is the role of the pastoral care team? Small groups? Meet and Eat?
Finally, what will Good Shepherd look like in these areas when the immediate crises are over?
Bruce Hulme recently wrote: “The ‘church’ can’t magically fly out of the cocoon, I don’t think, with any shortcuts. This is testing for all. Perhaps what we need to do is support/guide each other in harnessing the fear as a conduit to driving us back to God. If we don’t do that struggle work in the cocoon we won’t be able to fly. Let us lament and experience/pay attention to the fear and listen to what it is telling us, and into that, what God is telling us… ”
Here are some of the thoughts so far with regards to some of these opportunities above:
1) Communication
We will continue to use as many channels as possible:
- Weekly News
- Good Shepherd Facebook page
- Good Shepherd Website
- Phone calls
- E-mails
2) Worship
Due to a scramble to try something quite new (and on short notice) Georgie and I did some sermon/scripture prep last week on Facebook live. As was noted by various people, not everyone uses Facebook, but it was how we could quickly test-drive a new vehicle.
This week, at 10:30 on Sunday morning, we will try to use Zoom. If your computer has camera capabilities (or phone), connect at 10:25 a.m. by inserting this URL into the browser and it will take you to a live ‘meeting’ for worship: https://zoom.us/j/3858687373
In order for us to meet (up to one hundred people) it’s best if not everyone uses their camera.
As we did last week, the service order for Sunday will be on the church website as will the podcast for the sermon for those who aren’t able to join live on Zoom.
We will also send out the web links in the Weekly News e-mail. Please let us know how these are working, but know that we are doing all that we can to help facilitate with some ease the transition to a different kind of worship.
3) Finances
As the world will wrestle with the difficulties of loss of jobs, loss of retirement portfolios and loss of other incomes, the Good Shepherd Board would like to offer opportunities to share what we have together to promote a ‘Generosity Fund’ to help those who are struggling with loss of income, lack of supplies and support. If you, like the early church (Acts 4:32-35) have the ability to be generous with money, food, petrol vouchers, gift cards, etc., Good Shepherd can be a repository and a distribution place for these. If you have need of anything, please let us know and we’ll try to help along the way.
4) Pastoral Care
This is who we are. This is what we do. In this new world, here are the ways in which we can care for each other:
- Ring people in the community.
- Be an ambassador for Christ in your neighbourhood.
- Pray (“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7)). Pray for people. Pray with people.
- Stay at home. If at all possible, care for others by staying at home so that the spread of the sickness can be minimised.
- Write letters, emails, blogs, of encouragement and support.
- Hanelie Swart, Good Shepherd’s counsellor, is available and willing to chat with people via phone or online connections. For appointments, please call 0450 022 502.
- If you want to have a talk with pastoral care people or the pastors, please ring me, Pastor Reid, on 0407 881 636 or Pastor Rolly, 0450 624 646.
- The church phone number is 8263 5087.
I will continue to write on my blog www.ireid.blospot.com different ways we can still be encouraged as community. Feel free to leave comments of help for others.
God’s peace to you all,
Pastor Reid
Bible Readings: Matthew 5:10-12, Mark 10:23-31
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au This week it will be uploaded after the Zoom service, but a Service Order will be available prior.
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.
COVID-19 News and Weekly Messages
Please check the website www.paravista.org.au or our Facebook page www.facebook.com/goodshepherdparavista for the message concerning COVID-19 and for the weekly online service as outlined above. Please contact the church office on 8263 5087 for further enquiries or if you wish to unsubscribe from any email updates.
Grow Ministries Faith at Home
Dear Church Family,
In addition to the usual Growing Faith at Home resource that I normally share, I would like to flag this resource that Grow Ministries released last week.
In addition to the usual Growing Faith at Home resource that I normally share, I would like to flag this resource that Grow Ministries released last week.
To quote them:
“In light of the current uncertain times we wish to support homes to engage with each other in meaningful and intentional ways around God’s word. We have collated a number of our favourite resources for the coming four weeks and they are FREE. We pray that they will encourage and support you during this difficult time.”
“In light of the current uncertain times we wish to support homes to engage with each other in meaningful and intentional ways around God’s word. We have collated a number of our favourite resources for the coming four weeks and they are FREE. We pray that they will encourage and support you during this difficult time.”
Did you know that Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary has a YouTube Playlist featuring a selection of songs that we sing in Chapel?
Here is the 2020 Chapel Songs link:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7X57HdxpcY-Cvyy9y1-hHKkd3fqAUD4c
You might like to sing along with them! Check them out!
Here is the 2020 Chapel Songs link:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7X57HdxpcY-Cvyy9y1-hHKkd3fqAUD4c
You might like to sing along with them! Check them out!
God’s peace be with each one of you, no matter where you are reading this from!
Blessings,
Georgie
Food Collection for the Family Hub
Change of plans for support of the Family Hub
Change of plans for support of the Family Hub
This Sunday March 29th was to be the first food collection for the Family Hub who supports those in need in our local community. Our plans have changed with the government direction of limiting to fewer than 100 for groups meeting indoors which means we cannot conduct our regular worship services. The need is still there so we have devised a plan to enable the collection of food donations.
Donations can be dropped into the church office during office hours: Tuesday to Friday between 9am and 3pm. If by some chance the office is unattended leave donations by the office door and they will be collected when office staff return that day;
A member of the Family Hub Team will be at the church three times to collect donations: Friday 27th 5pm-6pm; Saturday 28th 9:30am -10am; and Sunday 29th 9:30am -10:15am (at the Montague Road entrance).
We have had a run on ER parcels and have been turning food over.
Our sincere gratitude to the congregation for their on-going support!
Our sincere gratitude to the congregation for their on-going support!
An audit of the stock reveals the following needs:
Pasta sauce
Large cans of tuna
Pasta
Ready meals – in a tin/packet
Cans of Baked beans and spaghetti
Muesli bars
Sliced cheese
Large cans of tuna
Pasta
Ready meals – in a tin/packet
Cans of Baked beans and spaghetti
Muesli bars
Sliced cheese
Family Hub Support Team
Goodbye from Emma (YAGM)
Hi everyone,
The program that I am a part of (Young Adults in Global Mission), has decided to evacuate all volunteers from all over the world because of the sickness that has taken over our society. As a result of this crisis, I missed the opportunity to really say goodbye and thank you for what you have offered me during my time here. I am full of different emotions as I go through what this means for me as my time is cut short. I may not have gotten the chance to really get to know some of you, but I am glad I was given the opportunity to learn from this community. It is not easy to put into words what this year has meant to me, but I am going to try my best.
The program that I am a part of (Young Adults in Global Mission), has decided to evacuate all volunteers from all over the world because of the sickness that has taken over our society. As a result of this crisis, I missed the opportunity to really say goodbye and thank you for what you have offered me during my time here. I am full of different emotions as I go through what this means for me as my time is cut short. I may not have gotten the chance to really get to know some of you, but I am glad I was given the opportunity to learn from this community. It is not easy to put into words what this year has meant to me, but I am going to try my best.
Coming into this year, the theme of accompaniment was repeated to us over and over. I knew what this term meant to others, but I was working out what it meant to me. When I arrived in Australia, I was still in a cloud of emotions that was controlling what I saw and experienced around me. I was adapting to jet lag, new accents, a brighter sun, cars on the other side of the road, kangaroos in the wild, and being 13,408km away from home. Once the clouds cleared, I was able to observe what was going on around me on a daily basis.
I have spent my time between Lutheran Community Care and Good Shepherd. At LCC, I have been given many different opportunities. I have been able to sit in on home visits to families who are struggling and listen to what they need, I have helped provide crèche support to caregivers who are trying to better their daily skills, I have gained a better knowledge of the people I worked with and what they were passionate about, I learned from groups with new cultures and beautiful kindness, and I have challenged myself to accept the things that drive my passions.
At Good Shepherd, I have been given the opportunity to learn how a church works behind the scenes, I have mastered MediaShout and preparing for Sunday worship, I have turned to my creative side and helped run the Little Lambs Playgroup, I have enjoyed the conversations that I had every day, each time learning from someone new, and I have tried to remain “unsettled”.
It is hard to even gather all of these thoughts and describe what this year has meant to me. As I think about accompaniment now, I have begun to see it in a new light. I have been living alongside others, in a new country, with a new culture, and a new routine. While I wanted the opportunity to live in a new country, for me it was important to truly live with a new community and experience and learn from them.
Thank you for letting me fulfil this desire I had to adventure and learn about our world. Thank you to everyone who introduced themselves to me and listened to my American accent. Thank you to the Meet and Eat volunteers who took me in every Monday night and showed me so much grace and kindness while also providing for their community. Thank you to the staff of Good Shepherd who found jobs for me and kept me busy and unsettled. Thank you to those who shared meals with me and let me ask about their traditions and daily life. Thank you to the families who let me discover how I wanted Playgroup to look. Thank you to those who felt comfortable telling me their stories.
There are so many other thank yous, but as I said, there are so many emotions happening right now and it is hard to put it all into words. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions about my abrupt departure or if you just want to chat. My email is reiamamme@gmail.com .
Until next time,
Emma Maier
From the Office
Closures
Although the church is currently closed for services and all usual community gatherings, rest assured we will still be available to assist with any enquiries during office hours. You can contact us via email at churchenquiries@paravista.org.au, or by calling 8263 5087. Please don’t hesitate to leave a voice mail if necessary and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Although the church is currently closed for services and all usual community gatherings, rest assured we will still be available to assist with any enquiries during office hours. You can contact us via email at churchenquiries@paravista.org.au, or by calling 8263 5087. Please don’t hesitate to leave a voice mail if necessary and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Church Giving
While services are suspended, you can continue to support the work of the church financially via Regular Electronic Giving (REG), Direct Debit or Bank Deposit. Details are at the end of this newsletter.
While services are suspended, you can continue to support the work of the church financially via Regular Electronic Giving (REG), Direct Debit or Bank Deposit. Details are at the end of this newsletter.
Noticeboard
Current worldwide trends indicate that more people require and seek support regarding psychological and emotional well-being.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Viktor Frankl
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Viktor Frankl
Negative thought patterns and feelings of anxiety, fear, doubt and isolation are commonly experienced. We all are trying to navigate and adapt to a changing environment and therefore the need for support increases.
Hanelie is continuing to provide a professional counselling service to students, parents, staff and community. Hanelie is a member of PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia) and completed a Dip. Counselling & Bachelor of Counselling through ACAP (Australian College of Applied Psychology). Hanelie is passionate about mental health and providing support to clients with qualities such as empathy, congruence and positive regard.
Counselling service delivery is changing from face-to-face in office sessions to electronic methods. Counselling sessions will be provided electronically or telephonically. These practices are successfully implemented worldwide. Skype or FaceTime will be used as electronic methods. Please note that FaceTime can only be used with Apple devices. Changes to service delivery will be revised in future as the pandemic passes.
The feedback regarding conducting of counselling session via electronic methods is that they have been well received.
The feedback regarding conducting of counselling session via electronic methods is that they have been well received.
Cost: A session will continue to be priced at $15.00 to assist with covering of professional expenses. This fee is well below market rates.
Please feel free to contact Hanelie at 0450 022 502 or email: hanelie.swart@gmail.com with questions or to book an appointment.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)
Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)
